Ever since the first Kingdom Hearts was released, gamers have come to accept that Mickey Mouse can stand toe-to-toe with Cloud Strife. The series, which started in 2002 with the original PlayStation 2 version, has become one of the most memorable action-RPGs of the last generation, selling millions of copies and spurring several spin-offs and a sequel in 2006. The core story follows Sora, the wielder of the keyblade and keeper of oversized shoes and a few dozen zippers. When the second game started off with players assuming the role of Roxas, a newcomer to the series, the reaction… wasn’t too hot. It wasn’t as upsetting as when Konami handed the Metal Gear Solid series to Raiden for a few hours, but people were disappointed, and the character, since then, hasn’t been one of the more liked entries in the series. That’s mark three against Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days. Mark one, of course, is that the game is on the Nintendo DS, far from the full sequel gamers have waited years for. Mark two is the ridiculous name.

As a DS exclusive following one of the least popular characters in the series, it’s not an exaggeration to say that fans weren’t too excited for this game. Spiteful, actually, describes it better, since it absolutely positively wasn’t Kingdom Hearts III. It’s strange that the developers over at Square-Enix would think that this was the best path to take, but they took it, and now we need to deal with it. Luckily, they knew what they were doing, and while it’s not a game I’d rather be playing than Kingdom Hearts III (or Mushroom Kingdom Hearts – respect!), they’ve managed to not only garner some sympathy for Roxas, but also create an entertaining experience while doing it. Roxas. Yes. Before we even get to that, let’s go over something important: the story of Kingdom Hearts has never made any god damn sense. The first held itself together fairly well for most of the story, crumbling only a bit near the end, but the second made sure it's impossible to follow what's going on in the series. It became insanely convoluted, like any crossover usually is, and took itself way too seriously. When romping around the African planet from The Lion King or Halloween Town from The Nightmare Before Christmas all is well and good, but once the developers try to make things deeper the façade falls apart.

                                     

Creatures named Heartless are corrupting different worlds, making their “shells” collapse and thus combining them (here’s where the cross over happens!), all in an attempt to open “Kingdom Hearts,” which will envelop everything in darkness. In the second game, Organization XIII is introduced, which is comprised of people in black cloaks who are trying to open Kingdom Hearts for their own gain: to gain hearts. They’re called “Nobodies,” and are the remnants of strong hearted individuals who have been corrupted and destroyed by Heartless. Oh, and Mickey Mouse is a king, and he has a keyblade too. Hell, by the end of the second game they give Keyblades to just about everyone. So, yeah, it’s a bit much to take in.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days takes place in between the two games, starting with the birth of Roxas after Sora voluntarily became a Heartless in the first game. However, Kingdom Hearts scholars likely already know that Sora’s time as a Heartless was short, and his return leaves Roxas alive, but strips him of his memories. While he lacks any memory of his past life, he has one unique aspect that makes him of great value to Organization XIII: the ability to wield a keyblade. Their goal is to collect hearts in order to open Kingdom Hearts, which they believe to be the only way for them to gain their own hearts back. Hearts, in case you’re scratching your head right now, are essentially the souls of the universe, and someone without them is said to have no emotion. This is strange, since half of 358/2 Days is spent with characters talking about their feelings, as any Japanese RPG story is. They usually joke about it, and how silly it is that they have these lingering emotions, so it’s not ignored completely, but it’s funny to see a developer try and create compelling characters without any heart.

Roxas’ time with Organization XIII is spent completing missions, which makes up a bulk of the gameplay. These short segments task the Nobody with different objectives, like collecting hearts from Heartless or investigating a new location. Most of the time, he’s partnered up with other Organization XIII characters, who serve as replacements for the other games’ Disney allies. It works, technically, though fighting alongside the somewhat uninteresting anime clichés pales in comparison to Donald and Goofy. After a little while he befriends Axel, a red-headed chakram wielder, and Xion, the mysterious 14th member, both of which he considers friends. As time goes on he begins to questions the motives of the Organization, and a story worthy of Kingdom Hearts unfolds. It helps explain some of the events that are only mentioned briefly in the sequel, and further flesh out the character to a point where it might be worth playing through Kingdom Hearts 2 again, just to give him a fair shot.



Visiting different worlds, an element that has been important to the series since the original, remains in one form or another, though it’s much different than it is in the other games. Whereas Sora, for whatever reason, is thrown into the films’ stories, sporting fitting attire and interacting with the characters, Roxas does not follow suit. He remains wearing a black cloak, and usually only has minor contact, if any, with popular Disney characters. The areas, too, are scaled down and empty, meaning a stroll through the streets of Agrabah is spent fighting against a few Heartless in only a few different areas and nothing more. Aladdin might show up and say a few words, but Roxas isn’t supposed to intervene, so it’s only peripheral views. Seeing as some of the greatest moments in the series have been built on interactions with these characters it’s a shame that the game had to go this route, but the story called for it, and it makes sense in the universe.

Combat is fairly typical for an action RPG, and should be quick to pick up for fans of the series. With one button combos it never gets too deep, and battles usually end with a sore hand. The camera, too, can cause some issues, but can easily be fixed by choosing the alternate setting that hands control over to the bumpers. Strangely, the touch screen isn’t used at all (besides optionally controlling the camera). Many games have made great hack-and-slash adventures with almost exclusive touch screen support, something that would have actually fit the series well, but it’s mysteriously absent.

The only other time the touch screen is used is for menu navigation, and the only time it’s actually beneficial is when organizing Panels. Instead of traditional leveling, a grid system is used that allows for a good amount of customization. Every level up, item, spell, and ability is represented by a block that can be placed on the grid. Some are shaped strangely and others have spots within them for additional blocks, so it can become a cluttered mess before too long. In fact, if it isn’t, then it’s being done wrong, since placing every block possible is important. The customization aspect is because there’s usually not enough room for every object picked up, so focusing on one aspect over another is possible, and can lead to different play styles. It’s also possible to change the Panel whenever in the base, so switching styles several times isn’t deterred.

    

The ability to change skills at any point is important because of the multiplayer.  Yes, for the first time in Kingdom Hearts history, it’s possible to play with friends. And it’s on the DS. Strange how things work out, no? Four players, each with their own DS and cartridge, can connect wirelessly to play missions together. The plot cannot be progressed this way, so it's more like an arcade mode than a full cooperative experience, but each player building his own character and playing multiplayer offers some good times. It’s offline only, though, so it’s the sort of thing that has to be planned out ahead of time.

Don’t be turned away by the strange name, the platform, or the focus on Roxas: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is the real deal, and one of the best action RPGs on the Nintendo DS. It doesn’t hold a candle to the console iterations, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth checking out. It is, by the way, only worth checking out if you’re a Kingdom Hearts fan. If not, there’s nothing to see here, since the pacing might be too slow for anyone not already interested in finding out exactly what Organization XIII is up to. Also, if you’re not a fan of the series, you should consider giving the games a shot again. Otherwise, you’re going to be kicking yourself when Square-Enix finally gets their stuff together and pushes out a next-gen Kingdom Hearts.