User Reviews

Kingdom Hearts 358 1/2 Days: Strange Title, Okay Game

Tim Gruver — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:24:00 GMT

While not actively a fan of the Kingdom Hearts series, I will admit that I had a fun time with, uh, the title of the game you see above this review. (I don't want to retype it, hehe). I was a sucker for the Final Fantasy characters included in it, of course, but the more subtle touches of Disney charm and emphasis on JRPG action was far too enticing to pass up. I enjoyed its story and its characters more and think of it as one of the most iconic DS games to date outside of 1st party Nintendo titles. What shortcomings it had amounted to its slower than I would've liked combat and a dragging a bit towards its middle, but other than that, a fine job. Kingdom Hearts, uh, you know, that number, encouraged me to check out its console brethren and I am all the better gamer for it.

Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days Review

seb100172 — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 04:09:00 GMT

There are many things to like in this game especially if you are a Kingdom Hearts fan. It gives those players a chance to play one of their favourite franchises in a handheld, thus letting them take it wherever they want. However, this game does little to improve the series, whether it is in terms of gameplay or storytelling.

The gameplay is solid, and true to the Kingdom Hearts franchise. I personally was not a fan of the panels, which the way you equipped everything (items accessories, spells, weapon, etc.). I see the reason behind this though. It makes you think harder about what to equip and turns the regularly simple act of sorting your bag into a fun puzzle, so others might enjoy it, but it took my concentration away from the main experience. The combat is fast paced and fun, even there was no innovation here, but there is little enemy variety, which weakens this aspect of the game, especially if you decide to go back to the same worlds to complete the side missions.

There were some advantages to having this game on the DS, but not many. The combat is pretty much the same, and so is the awful platforming, but the bottom screen serves as a very good mini-map.

What I loathed about the game was the layout of the missions, they were incredibly repetitive. You would always have to ask the same NPC to give you sidequests or missions, which would usually be kill x amount of heartless (the bad guys), or kill a certain heartless. Then you would probably be rewarded by a cinematic, and the process repeats, until of course, the ending of the game.

While I am a huge fan of the story of Kingdom Hearts because its human side is very relatable, but as most of the fans know it can get awfully convoluted as well. Newcomers will be very confused because this is clearly made for fans. Xion, Roxas and Axel's friendship is still touching though, and it will be loved by everyone.

The graphics are nothing to brag about because of the DS' is not such a powerful machine, but the developers made the most out of what they had.

All in all, if you are a fan of the series, consider getting this game, but with Birth by Sleep out now, I see very little reason for even them to play this game unless they want to know the story. It is a good game, but there are many vastly superior, including others in the very same franchise. Newcomers, I recommend you to pick up the first Kingdom Hearts.

Kingdom Hearts 358 1/2 Days Review

Tim Gruver — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 05:12:00 GMT

Kingdom Hearts is a fine enough series and 358 1/2 days is just as fine. Its story is charming and its gameplay is adequate. An easy C+ in my book.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

LittleBigFreak — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 21:26:00 GMT

Oh hi there, fellow Kingdom Hearts fan -- it's good to see you. Yes, have no fear, I too am a devoted follower of this venerable Square Enix franchise and I have been since the series debuted on the PlayStation 2. So before you read any further, I can assure you that I care about this game just as much as you do.

For those of you who aren't among the eager fans that live and breathe anything with Sora in it, Kingdom Hearts is actually very easy to grasp: Square Enix combined famous heroes and villains from the Final Fantasy series with memorable Disney characters -- then tossed in some original content for good measure. The result is an action RPG franchise that has made quite a name for itself and has now delivered two proper games (and one smaller spin-off) to the JRPG landscape. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is yet another spin-off that follows integral side character, Roxas, during his time with Organization XIII. These days span the time between the original Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 2.

If you've never played a Kingdom Hearts game, I suggest you stop reading and go snag a copy. Not only will this article spoil certain elements of the original two games, but it just won't make much sense to you. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is a game for Kingdom Hearts fans and its plot is very difficult for newcomers to grasp, considering its somewhat specific focal point.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days revolves almost entirely around Organization XIII, a group of extremely powerful (and eccentric) Nobodies. Organization XIII's primary goal is to fabricate Kingdom Hearts -- a powerful, ethereal collection of hearts -- so they can reclaim their own hearts and complete their existence. If this sounds a bit confusing, it is. As is the case with previous Kingdom Hearts games, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days can be a bit hard to follow and nearly impossible to understand if you haven't played a Kingdom Hearts game before.

Amazing game!!:)

Alexis — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:00:00 GMT

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is ne of the best games in history of Kingdom Hearts!!For those who already know what happens after the game,you can pretty much tell why Roxas sees Soras memories when he visits worlds Sora has been to.Still,I wish that there wouldve been any kind of mystery in KH2 as to who Xion is such as a picture in the WHite Room(Where Namine draws her pictures)but Xion did provide alot of juicy details that some people may have missed.(Xion holds her Keylade when shes in combat the same way Sora does in KH2)And also when Xigbar sees Xion as Ventus!!(That is a hint to Birth By Sleep!)Very Good game!10!

358/2 Days a Fulfilling Kingdom Hearts Experience

Ben — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:44:00 GMT

358/2 Days strives to achieve something nearly impossible: to bring the all of the nuances of gameplay of Kingdom Hearts onto the Nintendo DS. Keeping this in mind, it could be said that 358/2 Days deserves a 10 for this incredible feat. Unfortunately, not many play games for the technical aspects.

Story/ Storytelling Devices:

In-game graphics push the limit for DS, looking close to (but not quite as clean) PSP quality. Framerate is slowed when many enemies are on-screen, but lag is generally rare. Most dialogue is in the form of text bubbles, interspersed with very impressive pre-rendered cutscenes with full voice acting. Music is reused from the other games, with a few notable variations on some themes.

The storyline, though slow in the middle, is definitely worth a play through, but I doubt that the story is going to be particularly relevent to the other storylines. Disney characters are almost entirely non-interactive, which makes sense with the story, but does not complement the franchise's original concept. Organization 13 is much better written than in KHII, making sure you like who you should like and hate who you should hate.

Gameplay:

As far as gameplay goes, 358/2 Days is fairly close to the original Kingdom Hearts, using the d-pad for movement, and the face buttons to perform attacks, jumps, and special abilities. One face button manages the action menu, letting you select from attacking, using magic, or checking inventory. Combos feel fluid, and the special abilities as well as a timed combo multiplier add depth to the combat.

Though lock-on for general attacks works well, the feeble spells will keep you from using magic after your first couple of tries. Upgraded spells, instead of increasing in power, have various effects, from (trying to) home in on enemies to laying mines. In other words, there's no way to power up spells and upgrades are completely useless. The only spell I ended up using was the simplest cure spell, assigning as many casts as I could carry.

Jumps work, but feel very unnatural as you launch way higher than in previous games. Gliding is incredibly fast and lasts for an absurdly long time, so fans of the ability can have lots of fun here.

Local multiplayer works, and while it is definitely entertaining, it has many limits. Only the highest scoring player in a co-op round recieves any rewards, making it pointless to play with a higher-level player. Players cannot play missions they haven't unlocked yet, making it very difficult for higher level players to level themselves up, though they recieve the mission rewards.

Other:

The interface quality is top notch, and the panel system is an intruiging way to handle leveling up. The panel system uses a grid on which different panels are place (such as a weapon or magic panel). Each panel is shaped like a tetris block, making managing and balancing abilities into an interesting minigame that expands as you progress. Each magic panel lets you use a cast of a spell, and panel multipliers add more depth to the system.

The Gummi Ship, sadly, does not make a return after its major improvement in KHII. It's a shame, really, because the DS would work well with the style of shooter (utilizing the stylus, perhaps?).

In conclusion, 358/2 Days is a title worth playing for fans and newcomers alike, with various spins on old gameplay concepts. It is not without it's flaws (did I mention the camera?), but Kingdom Hearts can take another step forward after this entertaining entery.

Review: Kingdom Hearts 358/2

Kakashi71 — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:51:00 GMT

~Updated~

This Review is on the game Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days,

I believe that this game has a very good storyline for a side game,

I loved the gameplay even though it could be better.

Gameplay: 9.00

Storyline: 9.40

Twists: 9.30

Overall: 9.50

What is your idea of the game? and say what you mean don't worry I won't be offended!

Oh and sorry if I got the days name wrong!

Surprisingly great, but not exactly perfect.

Occulted NinJa — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:58:00 GMT

The great part about this game for me comes in two parts. The first part was the simple fact that the gameplay resembled so much that of the original Kingdom Hearts and had great graphics on top of that. The second part was learning more about Organization XIII.

I was saddened by the fact that the game was over before I even realized it. And there weren't enough cutscenes with voiceovers for my taste, but for it being on the Nintendo DS i was satisfied.

Mission Mode was a great concept. However I didn't find myself enjoying it as much as I thought I would. Unlocking different characters other then the Organization members was exciting, though I found myself playing solely as Roxas if my friend hadn't picked him first.

All in all though, this game is actually a really good buy. For anyone who is a fan of this series, this is definately something for you.

better than you would think

TurdFurgy — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 02:45:00 GMT

I honestly was not expecting much from this game, especially after playing Chain of Memories for the GBA.

Out of the box, this game showed me what it had to offer, and I was deeply pleased.

In terms of combat, it closely relates to the original Kingdom Hearts. (SPOILER 'Neverland is back, and it brings with it the flying segments that where so much fun in the original' SPOILER END). You can also glide, which adds to the combat.

The pacing is pretty slow, any important story turns are far off from each other, but when they happen they are all the more special because of the wait. It's very touching to watch our young hero grow and learn before you're eyes.

The way this plays out is much different than any other of the KH games, instead of hoping from world to world looking for whoever, you'll be sent out on missions. You see, you have a job now, you work for the mysterious Organization. And sense you work for the Organization, you get to travel by the dark corridors, which means no gummy ships this time. You'll be sent to familiar Disney places to collect hearts, do recon, take out certain threats and all kinds of secret agent like stuff.

multiplayer is here, but meh.

So in the end, if you're a fan of Kingdom Hearts you were most likely already going to play this regardless, soo, enjoy.

My usual Good vs. Bad review for Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You have been warned)

that_sterlin_kid — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 00:52:00 GMT

My usual Good vs. Bad review (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You have been warned)

Alright... Besides the fact that there may be spoilers ahead, this review is also being written by a fan, so this may not be agreeable to all. Anyways! Yeah this game to me was great... but why? Check out my Good vs Bad Review!

Good:
~ First and most importantly, this game does NOT play the role of a sequel, nor a prequel... Kinda plays the role of a filler. The game makes KH:CoM and KH2 a lot more clear, which is good, seeing as how playing through both games over 3 times still left me confused with many things, I'm glad 358/2 cleared things up.

~ Just because it's a filler doesn't mean the game is short, and it definitely doesn't mean the story is bad. The story for this game is absolutely amazing, and as I have said above it manages to fit all the confusions in KH:CoM and KH2 inside. The game's length is (as usual) AT LEAST 24-30 hours... Which is great if you want something to do for awhile.

~ Next is the combat system. This is so enjoyable for the fact that it IS Kingdom Hearts style gameplay. Yes, hat means no cards... However those were fun as well There isn't constant button mashing and there's actually use for skills in 358/2, unlike Kingdom Hearts 2.

~ Speaking of skills, there is a new add to the KH series known as panels. These let you place your keyblades(gears -you can only use one-) abilities (unlimited), items (unlimited), and rings (only one) in the spaces provided. You can also have Panel Sets, which are sets of panels you wish to use for a certain occasion. As you progress in the game more slots become available. You can also buy more slots in the Moogle Shop.

~ With skills and combat comes the difficulty, which is increased by a pretty big amount in 358/2. Remember how Proud Mode in KH2 felt like normal? Well, there is a pretty decent sized gap in difficulty here.

~ Each mission has badges you must find which unlock challenges and the ability to play that mission again. You can play the mission again in two ways, Holo-Mission Mode (which is inside the story mode) OR Mission mode, which you can play alone or with friends (up to 3 others)

~ In mission mode, you can play every single mission you have unlocked alone od with friends(SPOILER END)once you beat the game, all become unlocked anyways so don't feel bad if you miss a few...(SPOILER END)

~ Usually I would say this earlier but i kinda got distracted, lol. The graphic design and sound for this game are also posibly some of the best for the DS. With PS2 like CG cutscenes (with sound) and a very smooth framerate, there's no way this game should be left out for any KH fan or even a new comer.

Bad:
~ The fact that there wasn't much interaction with Disney characters and the played ended up going back to the same world numerous times for missions was rather annoying, but then again, that could just be me.

Besides that reason, this game is definitely a buy if you are a Kingdom Hearts fan and have AT LEAST played Kingdom Hearts 1 and CoM. Besides that, I would play those 2 first. 9/10

KH games

zombiemc — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:18:00 GMT

The KH seirs has never failed me and that dind not stop here the game is awesome but it is not perfect like uncharted 2

Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days Review

Dylan Snyder — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:52:00 GMT

A fellow Koku Gamer staffer once described the Kingdom Hearts series as saving his love of gaming, and it's easy to see why. With its likable characters, fun combat system, and vibrant graphical style, Kingdom Hearts struck a chord with players when it first released in September of 2002. Four years later, its sequel did much the same thing. Ever since, lovers of this Final Fantasy/Disney hybrid have waited with baited breath for the next real entry in the series to be released. However, Kingdom Hearts 3 hasn't been heard from in some time, and it's made a lot of us anxious, to say the least. To tide us over until 3 hits, Square has released Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days on the Nintendo DS.

Unlike the last handheld game in the series (Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories), 358/2 Days is a tried and true KH game, with all the classic combat and and RPG elements that made the console titles so addictive. However, unlike KH2, 358/2 Days doesn't feature a costume system, where your appearance changes based on the attachment you make to your Keyblade. Instead, the game uses different "Gears", which change the effectiveness of your sword, along with its appearance. This makes things a bit less confusing, and eliminates the sometimes ridiculous looking themed costumes of yesteryear.

These Gears, as well as trivial items like Potions and Ethers, are all part of your "Panel" system. Basically, as you progress through the game, you unlock additional squares on a plane, that let you determine what Roxas will take with him on any given mission. That's right, Roxas, the protagonist in the beginning of Kingdom Hearts 2, who turns out to be Sora's "Nobody". 358/2 follows Roxas' origins, and what he did before becoming an everyday citizen of Twilight Town. Roxas was part of Organization XIII, aka those dudes in black cloaks that hound you throughout the first couple of games. Needless to say, this story makes Roxas a bit more compelling of a character. This leads me to believe that he still has a major role to play in future games, if they're taking the time to build him like this.

Getting back to mechanics, this game represents something extremely promising for the DS. An action game button layout that actually works. Before this, the closest thing to a decent DS combat configuration I had seen was Ninja Gaiden. Now however, it seems that a suitable setup has been found, that will hopefully be utilized for other titles. Like the Call of Duty/Halo control schemes becoming almost industry standard, this needs to stick, and I think it will. Movement is controlled with the D-pad, no touch screen at all. Though the game gives you two control setups to choose from, I went with Configuration B. All that really changes is how you control the camera. Attacks are assigned to the A button, and B allows you to jump. Y is the dodge button, and X allows you to scroll through your Attack, Magic, and Items options. The R and L shoulder buttons, depending on your control scheme, deal with camera movement.

The game is broken down by missions. As you progress through the 358 days of Roxas' time with the Organization, you are assigned missions by Saix, apparent second in command below Xemnas. Roxas is coveted by the group because of his ability to harvest the hearts of enemy Heartless, and add them to Kingdom Hearts. The Organization, which is composed of Nobodies (Beings without hearts), wishes to complete Kingdom Hearts, which they hope will grant them each a heart.

Many missions will see you teamed up with a different member of the group, such as Axel, Xigbar, Demyx, or Xion. Xion, like Roxas, has power over a keyblade, and as such, both are incredibly valuable to the Orginazation. What makes them different, however, are their ties to the real world.

As I said before, Roxas is Sora's nobody (Sora being the protagonist of most of Kingdom Hearts I & II.) Because of this, Roxas begins to see fuzzy images of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as they traversed many of the same spots that he did. These serve as memories of a sort for Roxas, even though he claims to not have any. It's actually a bit satisfying for fans of the series, as they are easily able to connect the familiar. Again, unlike Chain of Memories, 358/2 serves its purpose valiantly - to fill in the blanks. While I know many people liked Chain of Memories, I found that it confused more than helped me. This is not the case here, as the game simply enhances the story, without showing you anything earth-shattering. A good example is what Crisis Core was to FFVII, rather then what Revenant Wings was to FFXII. This doesn't feel like filler.

Familiarity in Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days doesn't stop with the gameplay or locales. The music in the game includes all of our favorite themes from the series, and really lifts the game from competent to downright great. There's a reason they perform Kingdom Hearts as part of the epic Video Games Live concerts. They really give each level a distinct feel, combining with the visual style to make something very special. Not to mention that the game looks fantastic - one of the best looking DS titles to date. However, it's not without its faults.

First, though the control scheme is light years ahead of most anything else on the handheld, it has a drawback. After nearly 15 hours spent on my first couple of days with the game, my left thumb was very, very sore. This game is designed with short burst gaming in mind, and that's how it's best kept. Also, some of the bosses health will go down very slowly, making some battles seem a bit drawn out. There are also some difficulty spikes scattered here and there, but a few tries at them should get you through. All that aside, there's only one other bad thing I can say about Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days. It makes me want Kingdom hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep even more. And so, the wait begins anew!

So Glad Sora Woke Up!

Victor Alicea — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:25:00 GMT

At first i thought the idea of a portable Kingdom Hearts was great,bashing heartless at the mall,afterschool,anywhere,sadly i was wrong.In this new addition to the KH series,Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days you get less than you expected.while im not going to waste my time pointing out things GI did im going to give the reason i give this game a 2.The Combat System Really Pissed Me off,dont get me wrong Mission Mode is fun and all but the attacks of the other Organization members are really broken rendering them virtually unplayable (Heres a Tip:DONT PLAY AS VEXEN NOR XIGBAR) which forces me to play as roxas.the heartless are more Retreating than Relentlessly attacking.Like a *** at school whos all talk,these enemies will go for an attack but when you go for a lick,they scatter like roaches.The Music was really great,despite the fact that its DS.the storyline was just bland,it feels like Disney and Sqaure rushed it,Overall its an alright game once you look past its many flaws,take my advice and just buy the PS2 Kingdom Hearts games and dont waste your time on this one,cause believe me Your Not Missing Much.

~Victor Alicea

More Kingdom Hearts

Roxas Num.XIII — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:44:00 GMT

Currently I have this game so I know a lot of stuff. I like the characters and features. Over all, a pretty decent game.

Game_Dude

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:31:58 GMT

If you haven't played any of the other kingdom hearts games or haven't even heard of kingdom hearts before then you should start playing this game immediately you might get confused a little into the game,but you'll get the hang of it plus I'm sure you'll love this game as much as I do,but if you've played the other versions and already know the story line then make sure to add this one to your game collectionand your christmas list this game will provide hours of entertainment and fun trust me you'll be hooked!