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| Playstation 2 Preview |  by Johnny Liu |
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| Category | Action/Adventure | ||
| Preview Date | 5/02 | ||
| Planned Release | Fall 2002 | ||
| Publisher | Square/EA | ||
We don't know if the new couple ends up in some 9 to 5 rut or whether they have a baby or go bankrupt or anything at all. "Happily ever after" sums it up for the rest of eternity. Then they came out with the abominable 'Direct-to-Home-Video' sequel format. And thus, I came to understand why things MUST be "happily ever after."
Still, I was intrigued by the prospect of a serious game featuring classic Disney characters. At last year's E3, the first information about Kingdom Hearts started to roll out the doors. One part Squaresoft, one part Disney, shake vigorously, serve with tongue firmly in cheek. Initially, I cringed. It seemed like every forced and awkward sequel before it.
Then I happened to talk to one of the producers, and he showed me a peek at some of the art. Sora, the main character, had switched out of his costume and into a loincloth. And there he was, swinging through the trees with Tarzan. Sora could explore classic Disney worlds and become a part of each one.
And that's when it got interesting. Sora gets to play the parts that we always wish we could, and the resulting experience looks to completely wow gaming audiences.
The first question on everyone's mind revolves around how one game could possibly house both Square and Disney characters. Well, that's why game designers have to work out stories, eh? In this case, it all starts with Sora, a 14-year-old boy who follows in Dorothy's footsteps by being tossed about by a violent storm. He winds up in a strange new land and bumps into Donald and Goofy. Eventually he discovers that evil beings called the Heartless are responsible for the mix-up. Next thing you know, Sora is traveling through Disney's classic worlds in order to find his way home and set things right.
If there was ever a game for Disney fans, this is it. There will be over 100 (!) classic Disney characters in the game, everyone from Dumbo to Jafar. Sadly, the Final Fantasy characters are for the most part cameos. Thus far, Wakka, Tidus, Selphie, Cloud, Squall, Yuffie, and Aerith (she's alive again!) are known to make appearances in the game.
Kingdom Hearts raises the bar for voice work. Sora is voiced by Haley Joel Osment, the kid who freaked us all out when he saw dead people. The Disney character voices will be plucked from the Disney stable, including famous actors contractually obliged to reprise their roles. While they can't be used in publicity, there will be some top tier talent in this game.
The battles are in active time with a lock-on ability - much like Zelda, but in a restricted area. Nearby characters will be automatically targeted, but to enable opponent-centric movement, the lock-on must be utilized. The battles apparently are intermittent and spaced out.
Originally, more Disney worlds were slated to be in the game, but the numbers were cut down. So unfortunately, it looks like we won't get Sora strumming a banjo next to ol' Uncle Remus in a glossed over, glorified rendition of Song of the South. Yikes.
The Nightmare Before Christmas makes a surprise entry. The lanky Jack Skellington is a stark contrast next to Disney princesses and looks terrific. His world has an edginess that manages to do fair justice to its stop-motion counterpart. The mouths even animate the same way.
The characters will morph to match the world they're in. For instance, when Sora finds Halloweenland, you see an impish grin cross his face, complete with vampire teeth and a pumpkin mask. Donald is now Mummy Donald. Goofy's got a pumpkin for a nose. Nice.
Kingdom Hearts could redefine the action/adventure genre. It will really boil down to the story and how well the oil and spices of Disney and Squaresoft emulsify - two seemingly disparate elements coalescing into a tasty sauce. If they can nail the formula, Kingdom Hearts will be the wish upon a star that turned into the dream come true.
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