Kingdom Hearts (video game)

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Kingdom Hearts
File:Khbox.jpg
Developer: Square-Enix
Publisher: Square-Enix
Release date: September 20, 2002
Genre: RPG
Game modes: Single player
ESRB rating: Everyone (E)
Platform: PlayStation 2
Media: DVD

Kingdom Hearts (Japanese: キングダムハーツ Kingudamu Hātsu) is an RPG that was released in Autumn of 2002, which is notable for being the result of a collaboration between the video game manufacturer and producer Square-Enix (then Square) and The Walt Disney Company.

Overview

Kingdom Hearts begins on lush tropical islands called the "Destiny Islands", home to the main characters Sora, Riku, and Kairi. One night, a storm sweeps through the island, and evil creatures called the Heartless appear. The three friends are separated. It is then Sora receives his weapon, the Keyblade. Using the Keyblade and teaming up with various Disney characters, such as Donald Duck and Goofy, he seeks to defeat the Heartless and be reunited with his friends.

It is an action-based RPG, featuring realtime rendered backgrounds and scenery. The music is composed by Yoko Shimomura, the ending credits theme and opening orchestration is by Kaoru Wada, and the main vocal theme is "Hikari" (light), or "Simple and Clean" in Western releases, composed and performed by Utada Hikaru.

Plot

In Kingdom Hearts, an evil villain has used the Heartless to tear down the walls between the many worlds. Lead character Sora, as well as popular Disney characters Donald Duck and Goofy, must travel to each of these worlds, using the mighty Keyblade to seal the entrances to the hearts of the worlds before the Heartless can destroy them. The main villain himself seeks to find the door into utter darkness. Sora's friend, Riku, has been seduced by the darkness, and makes several attempts on Sora's life.

Final Mix

In Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, the Japanese re-release of the game, several events and a number of gameplay tweaks are added. Various new enemies, abilities and weapons are created, and slight changes have been made to affect the game's difficulty. The game ends with what many fans assume to be the teaser trailer for Kingdom Hearts II, a sequel which has recently been announced. In this teaser, titled Deep Dive, Mickey and four other cloaked figures are shown. One of the Unknowns carries two keyblades, and the other has been confirmed as Riku.

Worlds

The many "worlds" in which the game takes place include various Disney settings, as well as some original ones.

The Disney-based worlds:

The original worlds:

  • Destiny Islands
  • Traverse Town
  • Hollow Bastion
  • End of the World

Voice cast (English)

Voice cast (Japanese)

Characters

Template:Spoiler

Sora

The hero of the game, Sora is 14 years old and on a quest to find his friends while saving various worlds from the Heartless. He carries a peculiar weapon, the Keyblade, and travels with Disney characters Donald Duck and Goofy who are looking for their king, Mickey Mouse. As a teenager, Sora has his share of concerns, but overall, he manages to keep an upbeat attitude. He seems too simple-minded at times, but he has a strong sense of justice.

Riku

One of Sora's best friends, Riku is 15 years old, and lives with him on Destiny Islands. Although Riku is 'officially' Sora's best friend, he seems more like a friendly rival. Riku is older than his friends and much more serious than them. He cannot stand living in the enclosed world of the islands and seeks to find a way out. He and his two friends start to build a raft in hopes to sail to another world at the start of the game. However, when the Heartless attack the islands, Riku seems to have no fear of the darkness they bring and goes into it willingly, but falls under the allure of Maleficent and Ansem.

Kairi

Sora's other best friend who lives with him and Riku on Destiny Islands, Kairi is also 14 years old. Sora and Riku often compete for her attention and affection. Kairi also disappears after the destruction of Destiny Islands, and Sora doesn't find her until he reaches Neverland. However, she doesn't react to anything he does and is completely unaware that he is even in her presence. Riku reveals that she lost her heart sometime between the destruction of their home and his finding her, and that he joined Maleficent to locate her heart. Kairi also seems to have some connection to Hollow Bastion and its mysterious keyhole.

Donald Duck

Donald Duck appears as a multi-mage, capable of doing various spells from curative to offensive. He, along with Goofy, go to find their missing king, who has gone on a mission to investigate the bedlame the kingdom is under, and the Keyblade Master. He contributes to the party with his repetoire of spells and magiks and also brings the comic antics he never seems to lose.

Goofy

Goofy appears with Donald on the same "find the king" mission. He appears as a monk, a master in physical stats (HP, strength, and defense). He is the Captain of the Royal Knights and despises weapon usage, so he uses a shield to attack and defend and is the king's most royal subject. He is a great help and is the group's pack mule (he carries the most accessories and items). Like Donald, his comical antics never seem to die out.

Disney villains

The villains of Kingdom Hearts. Led by Maleficent, they are composed of Jafar, Hades, Ursula, Oogie Boogie, and Captain Hook. They use the Heartless for their evil plans in order to obtain seven maidens of the purest heart, called the Princesses of Heart, and to dominate their resident world under their rule or vengeance, etc. As Ansem's journal said, once they had obtained all 7 such Princesses, they will be able to unlock the Final Keyhole. Other Disney villians that also appear but are not affiliated with Maleficent are the Queen of Hearts and Clayton.

Ansem

The true villain of Kingdom Hearts, he was hiding in the shadows until Maleficent gathered all seven Princesses of Heart. He was the ruler of Hollow Bastion (where the villians set up their base of operations), but he went insane due to his research on the Heartless, believing that only the power of darkness rules existence. He entered the darkness, losing his body in the process, but had a will great enough to withstand becoming a Heartless himself, and instead became something more. Deceiving Riku into letting him possess the boy's body, Ansem regained his physical form and purged Riku's heart from him when he tried to fight back. Sora follows Ansem to the world beyond the Final Keyhole, to the Everlasting Darkness, and defeated him.

The Heartless

The Heartless are creatures born of the darkness in people's hearts. When they consume a person's heart, their body vanishes and their heart falls to darkness. There are natural Heartless made of pure darkness, and there are artificial Heartless created by the sage Ansem as an experiment and are branded with a symbol. They pursue the wielder of the Keyblade, Sora, to get rid of him so that their plans to shroud the world in darkness continues uninterrupted.

Final Fantasy cameos

On Destiny Islands, the player meets younger versions of Tidus, Wakka (both from Final Fantasy X) and Selphie from Final Fantasy VIII. In Traverse Town, the player encounters Squall (under the alias of Leon) from Final Fantasy VIII, as well as Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII. In the Olympus Collesium, the player gets to fight Leon, Yuffie, and Cloud Strife of Final Fantasy VII. In the American and Final Mix versions, the player gets to fight Sephiroth as well, but Final Mix has an additional scene where Cloud and Sephiroth fight to the death.

The Keyblade

The main weapon in Kingdom Hearts, the Keyblade, is wielded by Sora and is the only thing that can lock the worlds, thus preventing the Heartless from consuming the heart of a world. It is the only weapon that can destroy the Heartless completely, though because of it, the wielder, Sora, is constantly pursued by the Heartless. However, they are drawn to Sora's heart, not the Keyblade.

The Keyblade is upgradable via keychains, each of which change its appearance and powers.

List of Keychains

  • Kingdom Key
  • Jungle King
  • Olympia
  • Three Wishes
  • Spellbinder
  • Crabclaw
  • Pumpkinhead
  • Wishing Star
  • Fairy Harp
  • Divine Rose
  • Metal Chocobo
  • Lady Luck
  • Lionheart
  • Oathkeeper
  • Oblivion
  • Ultima Weapon

Final Mix Keychains

  • One-Winged Angel
  • Diamond Dust

Trivia

The secret boss Kurt Zisa is named after the winner of a contest held by Squaresoft to promote the game.

Sequel

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, the Game Boy Advance sequel to the original game, takes place directly after the plot of Kingdom Hearts, and as such is an interquel providing the link between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. It was released on December 7, 2004.

A second sequel, Kingdom Hearts II for the PlayStation 2, is in the works. Its planned release dates in both Japan and the United States are confirmed to be in Q3 2005.

Criticism

Kingdom Hearts is criticized by some fans for ruining the Final Fantasy characters placed in it. For example, several characters are made younger and do not play a major role in the story. Other critisms include the addition of Disney characters (many Final Fantasy and RPG fans were turned-off by elements they considered to be for children), the debateably childish storyline, and awkward camera angles during battles.

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