n 2004, Square Enix released Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories for the GBA. The title capitalized on the frenzy surrounding the original Kingdom Hearts title, and was heralded for its innovative battle system and impressive handheld graphics. Now, four years later, Chain of Memories will hit retail shelves once again, this time for the PlayStation 2.
So how does the port stack up? Does it offer anything other than cosmetic advancements? Read on to find out.
Just A Port?
We will get it this out of the way up front. No, Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories isn’t simply a straightforward port of its GBA predecessor. Instead, it has been completely rendered in 3D, updated with voice acting from the previous Kingdom Hearts cast, and even includes four new mini-games to accompany the main adventure. Similar to the first title you are able to unlock Riku’s reverse/rebirth story arc after completing Sora’s journey. With what is essentially a new game plus option, you can play through the entire title from Riku’s perspective.
Despite these changes, the story and battle system have been left untouched. This means that RE: Chain of Memories features the same strengths, weaknesses and overall experience that the original title did. With this in mind, it is safe to say that if you enjoyed the original title, the PS2 port will hold its own.
If you have played the title before, this is really all the information you need to know before making your decision to purchase or pass on the title. However, for the rest of you still undecided, we chose to recap some of the most important game details below.
Chain of Memories
As mentioned, not much has changed as far as the plot is concerned. Staying faithful to the GBA title, Chain of Memories follows Sora, Donald and Goofy on a journey to recover what they lost in the original Kingdom Hearts.
At the end of Kingdom Hearts, Sora and his band of friends saved the world from darkness at the expense of being separated from Riku and Mickey – who chose to stay behind in order to ensure the safety of the others. This makes Sora’s overarching goal in RE: Chain of Memories to reclaim friends and once again put the Heartless at bay.
RE: Chain of Memories begins with the trio strolling down an endless path in a moonlit field. There seems to be no understanding of why they are there or where they are heading. Pluto runs ahead, only to be greeted by a man entirely shrouded in black – known to Kingdom Hearts fans as a member of Organization XIII – but referred to in Chain of Memories as The Unknown. The figure proclaims, “Ahead lies something you need, but to claim it, you will lose something dear.” He vanishes, and in his wake is left a glowing white castle, also familiar looking to fans of the series.
More than likely the player is confused at this point, but not to worry, so are Sora, Donald and Goofy. As one would expect, memories play a large role in the plot of the title, and all the major characters seem to have lost many of their own. Unable to tell reality from fiction and legitimate memories from inspired figments, the story starts off a bit confusing. Eventually it crafts a level of intrigue that keeps the plot moving forward successfully. More than any other driving force, the desire to learn what Sora lost keeps the game captivating.
Gameplay
Like the basic premise, not much has evolved as far as gameplay in the PS2 port. However, players who had not picked up the GBA title in the past may be bewildered by the drastically different battle style RE: Chain of Memories dishes out. Ditching the hack and slash style of Kingdom Hearts I & II, Chain of Memories elected to use a card-based battle system. This blends fast-paced battles with an element of strategy. The system works as follows:
Cards govern every level of play, and can be broken down into two categories, map cards and battle cards. The world of RE: Chain of Memories is broken up into rooms, which makes the game feel much more compartmentalized than the original Kingdom Hearts. For example, instead of being wide-open to explore, Traverse Town has been transformed into a web of small rooms, each with doors leading to adjacent areas. In order to progress, rooms must be unlocked with an appropriate map card. Map cards not only unlock doors, but they also dictate what type of Heartless will populate the following room. Depending on what card you use, there may be a handful of enemies or only a specific type of enemy. You can use this strategy to level up, avoid conflict or even populate the room with a save point.
Many worlds from the first game make an appearance, such as the Olympus Coliseum and Wonderland. While this can give the player a nostalgic glow, it also feels a bit repetitive at times, leaving a desire for new scenery.
Battle
Coming into contact with a Heartless triggers battle, unlike in the previous games, where you fought directly on the field map. Once again, cards dictate the majority of play.
Battle cards are broken down into decks, which you can select based on your assessment of the environment and baddies. Battle cards consist of attack cards, friend cards (which will summon your Disney allies) item cards (which don’t replenish till after battle is done) and enemy cards. Cards can be played one at a time, or stacked in threes to unleash a combo attack. Used cards disappear from the deck till reshuffled, which takes more time to execute the longer the battle runs.
At first, balancing the free field movement with the strategy element of the cards can be a bit difficult and frusterating, as enemies don’t halt their attack for you to analyze your assets. However, after the player gets a hang of it, the system allows for a very diverse and customized style of play.
Verdict
If you are looking for a chance to bridge the gap between Kingdom Hearts I & II, RE: Chain of Memories will give you the opportunity to do it on a much bigger screen. The graphics have been amped up, the voice acting adds additional charm and the new content encourages veteran players to take another swing at the plate. In the end, even though the port contains the same strengths and weaknesses as before, you won’t be risking much by picking up this title. Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories hits retail shelves Dec. 2.