Written by Matt Cabral, 1/6/2009
Played on:
PS2
While Square Enix’s recent Chrono Trigger remake has been sponging up the spotlight, the famed Japanese RPG publisher/developer snuck another re-imagining of one of their favorite franchises onto retail shelves. Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories may not possess the nostalgia-tapping coolness or classic street cred of Chrono, but for fans of the Disney-meets-Final-Fantasy mash-up, it’s just as important. Now, for those wondering why an usually named new entry in the bizarre, but beloved series was released with little-to-zero marketing hype, on a console that’s nearly a decade old, here’s a quick refresher: Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memoriesis a PS2 remake of the 2004 Game Boy Advance-only title that bridged the narrative gap between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. The newly remodeled-in-3D version did hit the Japanese market (which, as I’m sure you know, always gets the cooler stuff) as part of the Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ special edition, almost a year ago, but this is its first stateside appearance.
So, while it’s taken a bit longer to reach our shores, fans of Sora and Mickey can finally fire up this long lost chapter of the KH canon (that is, if you still have a PS2 or a backwards-compatible PS3.) Chain of Memories’ re-release is significant, as many fans—even hardcore ones—missed it the first time around because they simply didn’t own a GBA. That would have been fine for fans if CoM had been some lame offshoot or new-character-introducing spin-off, but it was a true sequel to KH that set the stage for Sora and friends in KH II. So was it worth the wait for those that have been polishing their Keyblades since conquering KH II?
Absolutely! In fact, fans that never played the GBA original are in for a real treat. And even those who did enjoy the hand-held version will find lots to love, here, as the new 3D visuals, added voice-overs (including work from series star Haley Joel Osment), audio upgrades, and overall PS2-like presentation allow CoM to fit much more comfortably between the previous two console games—it really feels as though a trilogy has finally found its missing middle. The only folks I wouldn’t recommend it to, are those that have never played any other KH game; for them, I advise starting with the PS2 original to get comfortable with the series' awesome, but no doubt unusual concept.
Aside from the sparkling new PS2 paint job, CoM remains largely the same. Sure, there are a few added bonuses here and there (ones that’ll only be noticeable to anyone who’s played the GBA original), but from content to gameplay, this is the same old CoM. You begin—where the original KH ended—as Sora, joined by Goofy and Donald, in search of King Mickey and Riku. Your epic quest almost immediately leads you to the mysterious Castle Oblivion, where things really start to get interesting. Like the first two PS2 entries, CoM is primarily a dungeon crawler, but like the GBA original, the hack-n-slash combat has been replaced by a more technical card-battle system; by collecting individual cards and strategically organizing them in a deck, you’ll have access to a variety of combat moves, from simple swipes of your blade to combos (or “sleights”) that really show how dangerous a deck of cards can be. The battles still take place in real-time, but only one card can be played at a time, so it becomes a bit of a real-time/turn-based hybrid. It actually makes for some fast, brain-taxing battles that can be a good deal more difficult than the other games’ straightforward fighting, but success also brings extremely rewarding satisfaction.
The card system, which also affects your dungeon layouts by allowing you to choose certain cards to fill your path with different items—choosing the right card could breed a room filled with treasure—definitely carries a bit of a learning curve, especially if you’re expecting the same Keyblade button-mashing from the other two games. However, a little patience will go along way, eventually seeing you master one of the coolest battle systems to ever grace the genre. While unleashing your card mastery through the creepy castle, you’ll also encounter the expected worlds and lands made famous by countless Disney tales. Seeing our animation favorites spring to life on the PS2 is still an unparalleled treat that will have you anxiously anticipating the inevitable KH III for the PS3. Plan on seeing plenty of very familiar Disney environments and faces, though, as the title’s inherent hook—memories—means many of Sora’s encounters with Mickey’s pals are based on the stock of his mind, which includes his original KH adventures.
Along this same line of criticism, it’s important to note that CoM is still a remake of a four-year-old game; one remade for the PS2 from the GBA. So it should go without saying that as good as it is, you’ll want to set your expectations accordingly. The inspired card battling system feels as fresh as ever, but the rest of the package, despite the upgrades, will feel dated to anyone who hasn’t played anything but a 360 or PS3 for the last few years. But again, this game is a love letter to KH fans, one that’ll be appreciated most by those who were saddened by its original GBA exclusivity. It’s pure KH fun, and it will immediately remind you why this most unusual clashing of worlds works so well. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s packed with content; Sora’s go-through is lengthy, and Riku’s bonus Reverse/Rebirth mode is equally packed with the series unique brand of charm. If you missed this one the first time around, or are just looking for a fresh fix before Birth by Sleep and 358/2 Days hit later in ’09, you’ll definitely want to hang with the Heartless in this bargain-priced ($29.99) entry.
