Kingdom Hearts
Author’s Note: Why I play video games
My family got the original Nintendo when I was around 5, but I never really got into gaming. It lacked something I craved. Video games got better, but my interest stayed mostly the same. They were nice to play for a moment, but I was not going to devote the time my brother or father did to the games. I didn’t get got serious about gaming till I played Command and Conquer on the PC and that’s because the game had one thing I really wanted: a story.
I was the general of the GDI force and they needed my help. I would play GDI cause I wanted to be the good guy. Every mission I beat meant another cutscene, a real production using real actors and 90’s special effects, and another piece of the story. It was a movie where I was the hero. I kept playing to find out what happened to the characters and to see if I could stop the evil NOD forces. When I finally beat the game, I turned around and played as the NOD so I could hear their story.
Gaming brought to life stories greater than movies could. I would see a hero in one of the cutscenes and next thing I knew I was controlling them on the battlefield. Those character’s lives were in my hands and I wanted to protect them. I would create hundreds of nameless soldiers and throw them at the enemy; but if I was sending the heroes in, it meant I had already won and I was just sending them in to rub it in the enemies face. I played the game to hear my story, a hero’s story; because let’s be honest, they couldn’t do it without me.
These days if I play games it has to have a good story. I don’t care if I am a racer making my way from a nobody to the champ or Mario trying to get the princess back again. My favorite games are Kingdom Hearts, Uncharted, Resistance, Portal, etc. for their stories. These games have stories so strong it will affect the way I play the game. In Kingdom Hearts, When Kairi gave me her lucky charm and it turned into the Oathkeeper keyblade, I used that keyblade even after I found a stronger keyblade. When I was told I needed to destroy the Companion Cube in Portal, I spent twenty minutes trying to see if there was a way to complete the level without destroying it. Those games created an attachment to their characters. It is so strong that when I think about those games, I think about the characters and their stories and want to play them again because I miss them like I would miss an old friend.
As important as a video game’s story is for me to play it, there is one other quality I require games have for me to really care about them. Good video games need to be challenging. If I am going to be the hero, it needs to be a challenge. If I believe any person can walk off the street and take my place, I won’t feel connected. The second that challenge is removed, I stop caring. This is why you won’t see me using cheat codes or guide books. I would sooner cheat on a test than cheat playing a game. When I overcome those obstacles, I beat the final boss or solve that last puzzle I feel like I did something amazing. My strength and determination won the day. If I am mashing buttons and still win, I don’t care.
On the other hand, I don’t want the game to be unreasonably difficult. Once I replay the same area too many times, it no longer feels fresh. I’ve played games where I beat the boss just by luck. I got my attacks off just in time after trying the same thing 10 times before. I want to win because I am skilled enough to beat it, not because I got lucky once. If I can out-think the enemy, figure out a way to attack him in a way he wasn’t expecting or hit him in a weak spot, I will feel a lot better about my victory than if I just pressed buttons quickly.
Story and Challenge are really why I play games. I love playing with friends, seeing amazing graphics, and having a bit of fun but when I am looking for the next game I want to play I’m not looking for a set of minigames or even an MMO. I’m looking for something that going to keep me coming back to find out what happens next and where my next victory will be.
The Good, The Bad, And The Heartless
A hero’s journey can begin in unexpected places taking you from a quiet existence playing with your friends and exploring your small piece of paradise to another world putting you face to face with people you never expected to meet. Some will take this journey with the wide eye innocence but some may allow the world outside their front door to corrupt them. The corrupt become the villains, but the heroes will stay pure and innocent when they are surrounded by the darkness.
Kingdom Hearts is an action roleplaying game for the Playstation 2 video game console. The game puts you in the shoes of Sora and sends you on a journey from your idyllic island paradise to many worlds of the Disney universe. After your home is mysteriously destroyed by the dark heartless creatures, you become separated from your best friends and find Mickey Mouse’s loveable sidekicks, Donald and Goofy instead. After Sora shows his skills with the powerful keyblade weapon, they decide to join you on your mutual goal to defeat the Heartless. Along your quest, you will fight along side well known characters like Jack Skellington, Squall from Final Fantasy, and the mighty half-god Hercules. You will enter different worlds, focusing on a major Disney film, and bring order back to chaos returning the innocent characters to their normal stories.
Most people may be put off by the idea of playing a game with Disney characters, known for the childish appeal but the Kingdom Hearts defiantly puts a more mature spin on these old stories. This game appeals to everyone, fans of Disney and those who have never seen a Mickey Mouse cartoon in their life. The simplified gameplay makes it easily accessible to new players but the engaging storyline, complex strategies, and puzzles will draw in skilled players as well. You will find yourself fighting not to defeat the enemy or finish the game, but to help Sora, Donald, and Goofy find their friends and defeat the Heartless. Your attachment to the characters and you desire to see them succeed will far outweigh your own desire to succeed.
I’ve always loved video games, but I had no idea I would find as much enjoyment from Kingdom Hearts as I did. Most Disney games are aimed at the younger generation; but since Square Enix, the creators of the Final Fantasy games, developed this title I found the game to be as deep as engaging as the Final Fantasy games. The Disney characters and enduring storyline has even attracted women and non-gamers to Kingdom Hearts. I’ve found every minute of the game to be fulfilling and the incorporation of the Disney themes made me want to watch the classic cartoons again since the video game had made me even more attached to this characters I already knew. On occasion, I will find myself longing to play Kingdom Hearts like an urge to see an old friend you haven’t talked to in awhile. Kingdom Hearts will make a fan of anyone who picks up the game.
(Written as an essay for my English 101 Class)
Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep Trailer
The trailer for the upcoming Kingdom Hearts game for the Playstation Portable expands on the secret ending from Kingdom Hearts 2. We now know who is under the masks and what they have to do with the new game and perhaps who the main bad guy(s) will be. I’ll keep you updated on this title till it is released sometime next year.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Fix for 80GB PS3
Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories, the remake of the Gameboy Advance installment, was recently released for the Playstation 2. For all the Playstation 3 users who were going to try playing the game now that’s its on a Sony system. Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories is not compatible with the 80GB version of the PS3. When you reach the first battle, you can move around but aren’t able to attack. As a big fan of the Kingdom Hearts series and someone who owns an 80GB, this is pretty bad news. For those with 20GB, 40GB, and 60GB PS3s, you will be unaffected by the problem as those model have the PS2 chip inside the console rather then using a combination of hardware and software to emulate the PS2’s processor like the 80GB PS3.
Update: There is a work-around. If you download a game save from after the tutorial (first battle) the rest of the game will work fine.
Save Game Files: (Read Instructions to Use)
Difficulty: Easy
Difficulty: Normal
Difficulty: Proud
Download Instructions:
1. Download Save Game File
2. Place Save Game File in a folder called “PSV”
3. Place “PSV” folder in folder called “Export”
4. Place “Export” folder in folder called “PS3″
5. Place on USB Drive/Memory Card and insert into PS3
6. Transfer save game file to PS3 using Memory Card Utility (PS/PS2) in the XMB
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