Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Review

"Roxas, are you really sure that you don't have a heart?"

I had the pleasure of finishing the fourth installment in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, Kingdom Hearts: 358/2. This game is about our favorite Nobody, Roxas, and his time with Organization XIII. The game was released on the Nintendo DS in 2009, four years after the grand finale Kingdom Hearts 2. For a Nintendo DS game, I find it crazy how they managed to make this game work on a Nintendo DS. This game plays like a Kingdom Hearts game from the PlayStation 2. Combat is watered down and simplified, but its still the same hack'n'slash mechanics from its predacessors. RPG elements are used in this fun silly chart wher you just put what abiltiies you want on a grid that expands as you level up. There are no new worlds to explore in this title, but they brought back some older ones, and wow! I was in awe as I walked around Twilight Town on my DS! I do feel like the game overstays its welcome though.

The way the narrative unfolds is through this mission strutcure. You get ahandful of missions to beat some beign required while others are optional. I understand this structure for the gameplay, as it’s a handheld game meant to be played in quick and small sessions every now and then, but I played through every mission possible so I could have good panels and a strong kit because some story-required missions can be really difficult without a proper kit. I felt like the game was dragging hard by the last few hours because of the burnout I had with all the side missions I accomplished.

The game introduces a lot of beautiful and complex character themes and conflicts, making it really sad at times. The optimism everyone in the Organization has on accomplishing Kingdom Hearts is so tragic when you can clearly see not all these members are evil and instead just want to be whole and want to be people. The clear star of the game though is Roxas and his dilemma on understanding emotions but being told other wise and kinda forced to NOT feel these emotions properly. The friendship between him, Axel, and Xion had me biting my nails as you know it ends in tragedy if you've played the previous titles.

Xion is a great new addition as she is the main intrigue of the whole game. Her character is sad and mysterious, yet you forget that when you see the bond her, Roxas, and Axel all share. Her character is meant to just fuel development for Roxas and Axel, but what little development we actually get from her is such a welcome. Roxas' characterization is something that has quite literally killed me. Characters that struggle with identity will always be the death of me as it's something I relate to way too hard. Rei Ayanami, Sephiroth, Sensui from Yu Yu Hakusho are some of my favorite characters ever. Not only are they super well-written, but they all have this struggle of identity.

Not knowing your place, simply following orders, and struggling to understand your emotions and self because you're constantly being told other wise. These are the tropes and characters that resonate with me, and Roxas is no different. A character who does what he's told until he finally understands himself and what he wants: To eat ice-cream with his two friends, Axel and Xion. The Organization telling him he cannot feel and he shouldn't feel is the most realistic and painful part of his whole story. He shouldn't care for Xion or Axel, he has no heart, yet despite all that he is human. Deep down he has 'something' and he knows that, yet he can't believe it because of what the Organization forces him to believe. He doesn't need Kingdom Hearts, he just wants his friends.

The relationship between Axel, Roxas. And Xion has to be the most gut wrenching thing presented throughout this whole series so far. A story that is doomed by the narrative, yet you hope that playing through the events that just maybe you can fix and change something. Unfortunately we can’t, and we have to watch all this tragedy fuel not only Roxas’ character, but also Axel. Axel has had so much development… but why? We still don’t know anything about his real heart and who he really is, but there’s clearly a character there. I feel like we know so much about him but also so little. Maybe I’m meant to feel like this for now and they actually explain it at some point…? Other than the confusion with Axel's character, this game managed to make me empathesize with the 'evil' Organization XIII, feel even more for Roxas, and make me interested in questioning the presence of Xion.

I really, really, REALLY enjoyed this game. I understand all the hype and desire for a remake as this game can be literal perfection on actual hardware. It also has such a compelling story that feels like a must to experience. It’s cool they did the movie so people can experience the story to some degree, but the element of living Roxas’ shitty life day-by-day through its game-play makes the narrative so much stronger and serves as a great purpose of why video games are just such a unique medium. Finally, this game just had a weirdly unique feeling and emotion. Kingdom Hearts felt so magical and unique, Chain of Memories (ignoring my hatred for it) felt so eerie and sad in tone, Kingdom Hearts 2 felt grand and massive. Then... 358/2 kinda had that Kingdom Hearts magic to it. I can't explain how, but experiencing this game just felt so magical and I genuinely cannot wait to start Birth By Sleep now.

-amp score: 8.5/10