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Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II
Recommended Age:
10 and Up
ESRB Rating:
E-10
Genre:
Role-Playing Adventure
Tested Platform:
PlayStation 2 (PS2)
Available Platforms:
PlayStation 2 (PS2)
Number of Players:
1
Fun Factor:
*****
Kingdom Hearts II is a curiosity. What do you get when you mix characters and game concepts from the Final Fantasy series with Disney's star characters and settings? You get the first Kingdom Hearts game, and now you get a stirring sequel. It's not necessary to play the first game to enjoy the second.

For parents new to Final Fantasy, it's a venerable series of epic romantic role-playing games well regarded for their deep storylines, its roots in Japanese animation, and the quality of the games. Suffice it to say, marrying these games with Disney characters is about as likely to work as adding Winnie the Pooh to Star Wars. Somehow, the mix up works well in Kingdom Hearts, and that unique mix adds a lot of appeal.

Sora, the teenage protagonist, and his friends Donald Duck and Goofy must save the world from an evil Mummy King allied with familiar Disney bad guys like Jafar and Scar, from The Lion King. Players will encounter many familiar characters (Pooh, Minnie Mouse, Aladdin, and more) and journey through themed worlds based on the 100 Acre Wood, Agrabah, and the Beast's Castle. Combat is turn-based, and although Sora uses a magical key-shaped sword (called the Key Blade), and characters use weapons and magical attacks on each other, the combat is more spectacular than violent or shocking.

Parents, take note: Like most role-playing games, parents need to know that there's lots of combat here, and that collecting magical "hearts" from the bodies of enemies is one of the goals. There's also a pirate scene with some rum drinking, but, hey, they are pirates after all.

All of this is balanced with a heaping helping of charm. The Disney characters are lovable and bring back fond childhood memories, and teens have told me they just love using Winnie the Pooh and other animated friends to save the world. These animated icons mix surprisingly well with familiar, if more obscure to most families, Final Fantasy characters.

The adventure takes about 30 hours to complete, and parents will like that friendship, loyalty, and "doing what's right in the face of despair" are the lessons imparted here. All told, Kingdom Hearts II is a creative, challenging, fun and unique adventure for fans aged 10 and up.

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