Editing Kingdom Hearts (section)

==Kingdom Hearts I==
While Kingdom Hearts is a Disney crossover, gameplay-wise it was heavily inspired by Super Mario 64 and it shows. Combat involves making Sora hop around like a maniac and you can get a lot of mileage out of using the terrain to your advantage. Fights are fast, cathartic, and engaging. Even people who dislike Kingdom Hearts for [[skub|other reasons]] will usually agree that the combat is quite good. If you've ever wished the Mario RPGs had gameplay closer to a 3D Mario game, you'll really dig Kingdom Hearts.

The RPG elements are more shallow than a typical Final Fantasy game, as you might expect of an Action RPG, but a couple of smart decisions can really put you ahead. The first choice you make in the game, where you pick your class and subclass by taking one from Sword, Shield and Staff and reject another, is a real high point. There are six options, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are so intricate that they're still [[:/v/|debated]] [[:/vr/|to this]] [[:/vrpg/|day]].

The game isn't perfect though, to the point where few people will pretend it is. Despite how much adore the game, two major flaws stand out. The first is the Gummi Ship; the idea of building your own totally customizable vehicle in an RPG is really cool, and could probably make for a really good game. The issue is it doesn't add anything at all to ''this'' game. Whether it's building the ship or flying through the levels, it slows down the game's pace without really adding anything. Later games in the series would vastly reduce the role of the Gummi Ship.

The second issue is more complex but also more serious. Kingdom Hearts is at its strongest when you're meeting new Disney characters and exploring new Disney Worlds. However, by just halfway through the game you've seen the last Disney World, and yet the game just keeps on going. By the time you're three-quarters of the way through the game, you've resolved the Kairi-Riku story arc that's the main thrust of the game's plot. Because of this Kingdom Hearts ends up being a game that many people enjoy, but few people actually finish.

It's still very much worth trying if the concept sounds interesting to you. The game has been reprinted and rereleased and ported so many times at this point that you can buy it dirt cheap. The soundtrack is absurdly good, especially the end credits song. Kingdom Hearts is also an important part of video game history, being one of the first games to ever look as good as a movie. (Moreso the cutscenes than the game itself, although the in-game graphics aren't exactly shabby either.) More than anything, it's a totally unique experience, and it has a few special moments that are legitimately magical.

Despite its flaws and the absurdity of the concept, it's a classic and must-try for any JRPG fan.