This review was written by Aaron LeMieux, a game design student at Full Sail University. Aaron has been playing games since age 3, starting with Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? on an Apple II computer. After receiving an NES packaged with R.O.B. Aaron¹s amusement at betraying his brother while playing Gyromite in cooperative play turned into a lifelong passion with the release of the original Legend of Zelda. His favorite game as a child was Secret of Mana, and over the years, his interest in role-playing games and adventure games has remained evident, with his all-time favorites including Thief II: The Metal Age, Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness, and EverQuest. As a frequent reader, Aaron has a taste for well-written fantasy novels, such as Robert Jordan¹s Wheel of Time series and Raymond Feist¹s Riftwar Saga. A believer in the importance of immersion and manipulating the emotions of his players, Aaron is currently working on multiple games and looking for programmers to bring them to life. His lifelong dream is to work on designing an MMORPG in which players can truly affect the world.

Every few years a game comes along that immerses a player in a unique entertainment experience that captures the interest of a wide audience. Neither genre nor technology is a restriction to achieving such an experience, as is evidenced by the variety of games over the years that have achieved such an elevated status in the gaming community. In 2006, Kingdom Hearts II managed to weave together a masterful gameplay experience augmented by a complex, moving and immersive storyline — in addition to cutting-edge graphics and a massive universe to explore. Based on the unlikely marriage of the Final Fantasy and Disney universes, Kingdom Hearts II is nothing short of a masterpiece.

The original Kingdom Hearts opened with an energetic musical score, composed and performed by Utada Hikaru, which would set the pace for the rest of the game. Kingdom Hearts II continues this tradition by opening with yet another piece by the same popular Japanese pop music artist, paired with a breathtaking cinematic sequence, which summarizes the existing story, while still tying the summary itself into the story. This opening score is repeated throughout the game while applied with no less skill than the greatest of Hollywood directors, emphasizing the nature of the various cast members.

Gameplay itself is enjoyable throughout the entire game. By introducing what Square-Enix has dubbed “Reaction Commands,” players are able to perform a wide variety of abilities tailored to the moment at hand. In one instance, Sora, the protagonist, leaps into the air, swinging around the room atop a chandelier. In a different battle, he runs up the side of a building, clashing blades with an opponent diving at him. In yet another, he finds himself reflecting beams of energy in a sequence akin to a Star Wars movie.

Even without these new abilities, Sora is armed with a potent arsenal of abilities that allow a player to customize their gameplay to suit their preferences. Players are given the option to select a progression path that unlocks offensive melee skills, defensive skills or magical abilities near the beginning of the game, shaping the player’s experience for the game’s duration. In addition to these basic combat techniques, Sora develops several other abilities as the story progresses. The first of these abilities is Sora’s “drive” forms. Once this latent ability is unlocked, Sora is able to absorb various members of his party to vastly increase his own strength for a short period of time. These “forms” may grant Sora an additional keyblade, greatly augment his magical ability or, if used too frequently, may temporarily sap Sora of his strength, turning him into a shadow of his former self.

Though the technical aspects, cinematic quality and gameplay are each testaments to the potential that skilled developers have, where Kingdom Hearts II truly shines is the storyline. Square-Enix manages to weave a yarn of friendship, loyalty, love and the power of the heart. In the original game, we meet Sora, a young boy who lives on an island, and his two friends, Riku and Kairi. Where Sora is by no means clumsy, Riku manages to outshine him in everything. Close friends, they share a friendly rivalry, but Sora always finds himself falling short of his best friend’s prowess. Kairi, the final member of their trio, is a young girl with an adventurous spirit that sparks the explorative fires that burn in Sora and Riku’s hearts, and they plan to set out to see the world.

On the eve of their departure, a mysterious storm engulfs the island. Sora finds himself beset by creatures seemingly made of shadow. As his wooden sword passes through the beasts without effect, a giant key suddenly appears in the hand of the bewildered youth. Using the seemingly magical weapon to drive the creatures back, he finds Riku at the center of the storm before they are both engulfed. Sora awakens a time later in a strange new world, without a trace of his closest companions.

Throughout the course of the tale, Sora embarks on a journey to find his two lost friends. Riku, manipulated by one of the game’s chief antagonists, believes Sora has replaced both he and Kairi with new friends: Donald Duck and Goofy, of Disney fame. As Riku begins his descent into darkness, fueled by jealousy and a misguided passion to use whatever means necessary to help Kairi, the ties of their friendship are tested. During a late portion of the game, Sora gives up his heart to save Kairi and is temporarily transformed into one of these shadow beasts he has encountered since the night he last saw his home, which becomes a major plot point in Kingdom Hearts II. Upon the culmination of the first game’s plot, Riku redeems himself, but the trio is separated once more, as Sora and Riku are forced to part ways in order to overcome an obstacle and save the world they love. Kingdom Hearts II continues this story, as Sora sets out once again to locate his friends, with an ending so moving that it can elicit a tear from the most hardened of gamers while exploring deep psychological questions throughout.

True to the depth of story found in most Square-Enix games, the story drives the gameplay as much as the gameplay drives the story. As Sora visits various Disney worlds, he encounters a plethora of Disney characters, many of which join Sora’s party or are able to be summoned at Sora’s will after their own worlds have been saved. Yet, the greatest example of the influence of the plot upon the gameplay is one of the key points in the game: Somewhere along the way, Sora has lost a large part of himself. When he finally manages to conquer himself and reclaim a lost part of his soul, his final abilities are unlocked, and his power increased exponentially.

Kingdom Hearts II is not a game to miss. A true testament to game design, this title should be in every gamer’s collection.