After scoring a short break in the development of the series, Square Enix is preparing the return of Kingdom Hearts on consoles. Pending the third principal component and the Birth by Sleep episode dedicated to the PSP, DS is on the offensive that began with a title that looks back on the story by Roxas in the Organization XIII.
Bring the Kingdom Hearts series on consoles is not a small matter. We remember that Square Enix had to make many compromises with Chain of Memories on GBA to circumvent these difficulties by proposing a game system based on the use of action cards. If the result was quite convincing, it was still far from the sensations offered by the two strands PS2. It is therefore with pleasure that we discover that Kingdom Hearts: 358 / 2 Days preserves what has been the effectiveness of the original gameplay. Fully realized in 3D, the title does its best to restore the fighting spirit that characterized the series since its inception, and it succeeds rather well. Too bad that some aspects of the software are not as dazzling.
If we want to point out the flaws of Kingdom Hearts: 358 / 2 Days, you probably begin by pointing out the monotony of the progress and lack of inspiration of the scenario. The lives of members of the Organization XIII is nowhere near as exciting as what we could imagine. Even if the occasional presence of some key events sometimes cause us to hold our breath, we spent most of the time sequence of routine tasks, with no other reward a small ice cream to enjoy in the company of Axel and Xion. Bitter disillusionment when the expected cut-scenes rich in revelations, especially as the technical quality of these sequences could lead to really cool phases narratives. The story revolves around Roxas concerns about its origins, its lack of memory and its role in the XIII Order. With the sole support for comfort and that of Axel Xion, also carrying a keyblade, Roxas will go to the tireless hunt Without Heart to try to restore the "Kingdom Hearts". The days pass and things change in a trickle, to the dismay of avid player of revelations.
Even more than in previous sections, the plots related to the heroes of Disney universe are sidelined. This is not so bad, but these characters is so figurative that sometimes has the impression that they are only for the purposes of license. The exploration of the worlds known Nevertheless pleasant, although not all have been selected for this episode. There are still Agrabah (Aladdin), Wonderland (Alice in Wonderland), Colosseum (Hercule), Halloween Town (The Strange Christmas Mr Jack), Neverland (Peter Pan) and own Kingdom Hearts. However, do not fight with the Disney characters. Roxas will accomplish all its missions solo or with another member of the Organization. We must recognize that teaming up with Axel, Xigbar and Xaldin is a bonus for the less significant, since all members of the XIII Order are playable in the multiplayer party mode. Advancing in the game, you can even unlock a few guests, as classy or Riku King Mickey
Seeing the transposed series on DS, many feared that the parties do not become completely messy. If the grip is not immediate, it is ultimately very satisfying, even if the camera can only be focused behind the main character and the action part in every sense, for our greatest happiness. Of course, the option to use the stylus to manipulate angles is allowed, but it would require a third hand to control the character by accessing the shortcut keys. The best solution remains the one proposed by default, very close to that of PS2 components and ideal for using spells and items you have taken care to assign to the trigger. The four shortcut keys are there to help you avoid wasting time navigating through the submenu, so why not abuse it! Other very useful, "limit" of Roxas that can trigger when HP are low in an attempt to reverse the situation in his favor. The gameplay of Kingdom Hearts: 358 / 2 Days does not reveal, however, its effectiveness once it has capabilities of more advanced movement, like the ability to hover almost at will.
There is another key point of this very interesting episode, the total freedom of customization that is offered to us in managing its inventory and capacity. Here, everything is symbolized by blocks to be placed on a grid to take effect from the next mission. This concerns both the magic and objects that can be used, but also the active and passive capabilities, and even levels of experience! The richness of this system is that it must seek to optimize the grid by putting up blocks without spoiling the place, just like Tetris. Things become even more complicated when taking into account the bizarre form of blocks where you can insert other blocks with complementary effects. It will not return in more detail, but you say that this is an excellent way to deal with any contingency in adapting his game to an infinite number of ways. The keyblade needs to be customized exactly the same way and all materials obtained at the end of the mission can be assembled in the shop of Mog to unlock a host of new capacity that will also be integrated into the grid.
Kingdom Hearts: 358 / 2 Days is therefore good and bad things, but in any event, it surprised above all by the strength of its content. While the mission objectives are repetitive and the story is mostly boring, but life is daunting enough in the end. Just to complete the main adventure, there are easily about thirty hours of gameplay, and all this without counting the optional missions, challenges timed, three difficulty modes and the parties to four players. In Normal, the challenge is sometimes quite strong, so it is essential to maximize the opportunities on the grid above. Hence the need to complete each task thoroughly to get all the rewards possible in order to improve his game accordingly. Boring at times, Kingdom Hearts: 358 / 2 Days is yet surprisingly addictive after a few hours Thursday Too bad its creators have not seen fit to provide a substantial background as that of his elders.
17-07-2009
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