Kingdom Hearts

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1277 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,103 out of 1277
  2. Mixed: 106 out of 1277
  3. Negative: 68 out of 1277
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  1. CharlotteBelmon
    Sep 4, 2023
    8
    For its first outing, Kingdom Hearts is a great game, and in a bubble, an amazing game of its era. Despite being one of, if not the weirdest mashups in gaming, Final Fantasy and Disney (although more leaning on the Disney side of things for the first game), Kingdom Hearts strangely works. The game, as well as its main original characters, strike a good balance between the two seeminglyFor its first outing, Kingdom Hearts is a great game, and in a bubble, an amazing game of its era. Despite being one of, if not the weirdest mashups in gaming, Final Fantasy and Disney (although more leaning on the Disney side of things for the first game), Kingdom Hearts strangely works. The game, as well as its main original characters, strike a good balance between the two seemingly clashing art and writing directions of its creators, with Disney's whimsy and childlike adventurousness and Final Fantasy taking care of the serious and more engaging parts of the story.

    Speaking of the story, the first game in the series is a lot lighter than the rest of the franchise, which came as a bit of a shock to me, as you always here horror stories about Kingdom Hearts' convoluted story, which is what made me pick up the 1.5 + 2.5 HD Collection on Ps4 (In case you're wondering, the HD remakes are the way to go with this game. Better graphics, more moves that make the game less frustrating and more fun). The story has main protagonist Sora going on an adventure with Disney's Donald and Goofy throughout various classic Disney films, such as Hercules, Peter Pan, Aladdin and more in order to find and save his friends Riku and Kairi, all of which were separated due to mysterious shadow monsters called the Heartless. On top of this, Sora can wield the magical Keyblade, a key shaped sword that can rid the Heartless for good. Like I said, its a lot simpler than the rest of the franchise, but it just about kept me interested until the end. Emphasis on the "just about", as the story tends to take a backseat during most of the Disney worlds, where Sora goes about helping the characters from the films in their on condensed story, some original to Kingdom Hearts, and some just straight up being the films they're based on. Its alright for a first game, but nothing ground-breaking or incredibly interesting until the later parts of the game.

    Gameplay-wise, the combat is quite fun. Sora can attack with his Keyblade in melee combat, or use it to cast classic Final Fantasy spells. This being said, I never really used the spells except for the first couple of times using them. This was when I realised that the offensive spells are very underwhelming, and not worth using when you could use your MP for healing or protective spells, or your time going up to the enemy and using the Keyblade. Melee is really the only way to go. There are also various summons you can use. Summons are unlockable moves where Sora calls upon a Disney character and they help out in the fight, such as Simba from the Lion King attack enemies with his roar, or Tinkerbell providing continuous healing. I used these moves every now and again, as they require having Donald and Goofy as party members, which means giving up having the Disney character from the world your in, which is a shame because they don't show up again after completing the world. As a whole, the gameplay is fine, just feels slightly dated in some parts.

    In conclusion, Kingdom Hearts is a game worth your time, and definitely a must play. While it pales in comparison to other games in the series, it still just about holds up today as a legendary start to a legendary franchise. Stick with the game and the series as a whole, and you'll find a new obsession that you will not regret.    … Expand
  2. Wargoz
    Sep 2, 2023
    8
    A true classic. One of my fondest gaming memories from when i was little. Still come back to it from time to time.
  3. APolChrome
    Aug 30, 2023
    9
    Qué bueno que es Kingdom Hearts. Ha sido una auténtica sorpresa en todos sus aspectos para bien. Hace todo tan bien que me parece una obra maestra. Que Disney cediera derechos de sus personajes para un RPG me parece genial, sobre todo si es para esto. Quiero hablar de muchas cosas del juego así que no pierdo más carácteres de Metacritic.

    El gameplay me parece genial. El sistema de    Qué bueno que es Kingdom Hearts. Ha sido una auténtica sorpresa en todos sus aspectos para bien. Hace todo tan bien que me parece una obra maestra. Que Disney cediera derechos de sus personajes para un RPG me parece genial, sobre todo si es para esto. Quiero hablar de muchas cosas del juego así que no pierdo más carácteres de Metacritic.

    El gameplay me parece genial. El sistema de combate es increíble, pareciendo simple al principio, pero siendo muy complejo en las partes finales del juego. Los hechizos son una locura y hay una variedad tremenda, aunque hay algunos que están destinados a coger polvo en ese menú, pero que pueden llegar a servir en ciertas ocasiones. Las habilidades (o no sé como llamarlas) añaden mucha variedad al gameplay, habiendo para ocasiones de todo tipo. Desde volteretas como en Dark Souls hasta poder ver la vida de los enemigos, pasando por añadir más golpes a tu secuencia o tener golpes devastadores al final de estas, hace que el gameplay se sienta diferente y al tener limitado el numéro de estas, añade un toque estratégico.

    Los mapas me han parecido muy buenos. La exploración en estos para el reducido tamaño de estos entá muy bien conseguida y sientes como si estuvieses en un mundo y no en un nivel más del juego. A esto le sumamos que cada uno tiene una mini historia acorde al universo del mismo y nos quedan unos mundos llenos de personalidad con los que podemos rememorar nuestra infancia. En estos también hay varios coleccionables, el más destacable los 99 cachorros dálmatas, que añaden una capa más a la exploración.

    Audiovisualmente es increíble. Pensar que este juego salió en 2002 (un año en el que ni siquiera había nacido) me parece una locura. Las animaciones, el estilo artístico de la animación de Disney llevado al videojuego... Todo es precioso en este juego. Y la OST es de las mejores que he escuchado nunca. Canciones que pueden ponerte la piel de gallina con solo escucharlas un momento. En este aspecto, el juego es un 10.

    La historia de este juego me ha encantado. Sobre todo porque no se han limitado por ser Disney la otra mitad. Es una historia que habla sobre temas muy complejos y que tiene muchos giros muy inesperados. Empieza siendo una aventura de 3 amigos, y termina siendo un viaje memorable que termina en salvar al mundo. Mis dieces para los escritores de la historia del juego.

    En resumen, Kingdom Hearts me parece una obra maestra con un nivel de pulido increíble en todos y cada uno de sus aspectos. Nomura habrá tenido algunos errores en su carrera, pero cuando quiere, nos demuestra que puede crear obras maestras. Debes jugarlo.    … Expand
  4. VLG
    Aug 22, 2023
    10
    A game I will never forget. I loved this so much as a teen, every moment is ingrained in my memory.
  5. PR9Gaming
    Aug 12, 2023
    9
    Pretty sure this game spawned the soulslike genre from the simple question of "what if an entire game was like the Sephiroth fight?".
  6. lizardkingg
    Jul 21, 2023
    10
    Easily one of the best PS2 games of all time. Great story, revolutionary gameplay, & incredibly creative blend of the Disney/Final Fantasy worlds.
  7. Gonyaestaba
    Jul 20, 2023
    8
    Despite the fact that Kingdom Hearts is one of my favorite games, it is undeniable to say that it has some flaws such as the camera that sometimes does not work quite right, another flaw is the script which is good for the game but compared to the following games it is much simpler than the following although despite these flaws that I have just mentioned, it does not mean that you do notDespite the fact that Kingdom Hearts is one of my favorite games, it is undeniable to say that it has some flaws such as the camera that sometimes does not work quite right, another flaw is the script which is good for the game but compared to the following games it is much simpler than the following although despite these flaws that I have just mentioned, it does not mean that you do not have fun with this game and also note that there are many details… Expand
  8. Sylictic
    Jul 8, 2023
    9
    Mixing disney and final fantasy together with an original storyline and characters that melt your heart. A compelling story about friendship and forgiveness coupled with one of the most innovative combat systems seen in gaming at this point. Future entries expand on what is begun here but make no mistake this is a fantastic video game that will delight any age for hours.
  9. MacArron23
    May 15, 2023
    8
    Nostalgia User, as good as i remembered
    ......................................
  10. AJCk19
    Apr 30, 2023
    9
    This is what every action rpg should inspire to be. Kingdom Hearts is like the smash bros of action rpgs. You get KH characters, Square Enix characters, and Disney characters in one shabang.

    Get ready for a cliffhanger and tears though.
  11. SideOrderoLemon
    Apr 24, 2023
    9
    One of the most versatile action rpgs of that generation, Kingdom Hearts breathes fresh life into the genre setting a standard for those to come even today. A magical combination of Final Fantasy and Disney may sound ridiculous but mixes fluidly in the context of the game. Kingdom Hearts is filled to the brim with charm and whimsy and brings out the kid in anyone. The story of KingdomOne of the most versatile action rpgs of that generation, Kingdom Hearts breathes fresh life into the genre setting a standard for those to come even today. A magical combination of Final Fantasy and Disney may sound ridiculous but mixes fluidly in the context of the game. Kingdom Hearts is filled to the brim with charm and whimsy and brings out the kid in anyone. The story of Kingdom Hearts has become an absolute joke nowadays, but the first game has a pretty fun and exciting story, in some places anyway. To say this game is without flaw is to deny it of its charm, and makes it more appreciative the longer time goes to where the controls feel like it was just released weeks ago. If you ever get a chance, definitely pick up the HD Remix.… Expand
  12. zasaz13
    Apr 16, 2023
    9
    Good game, with a good history, immersed in a Disney world which makes it more passionate. The mechanical could be boring, and some bosses are difficult considering it for a kid's game
  13. ReviewsAreBS
    Feb 26, 2023
    10
    While combat mechanics aren’t very deep, the intricate level design and semi-coherent story make this the best in the series. The soundtrack and visuals are legendary, I don’t really need to say much more.

    It was the best use of Disney IPs in a video game when I first played it 20+ years ago and that remains true to this day.
  14. Unemportant
    Feb 9, 2023
    8
    One of my first games and it still holds up as an absolute classics. Say what you will about the series it clearly started out pretty strong.
  15. TeemoTime
    Jan 31, 2023
    9
    As soon as I saw Final Fantasy x Disney, I hoped on that good stuff faster than the speed of light. Simple plot compared to the rest of the series, a great first JRPG for people who don't like JRPGs.
  16. aaronnmp96
    Jan 31, 2023
    9
    Crazy that they mix Disney and Square characters and it works, the video game
  17. RenTheJoker
    Aug 29, 2022
    10
    Kingdom Hearts is one of the video games of all time. Don’t change my mind.
  18. Mr_Fish
    Jun 15, 2022
    8
    even on a first playthrough there's something about this game that just feels nostalgic
  19. Diaboliste
    Jun 4, 2022
    8
    the best game ps2 graphics good level design good scenario taking a secret cutscene for regular players too bad there are only disney worlds and not final fantasy
  20. jacktwelve
    May 29, 2022
    9
    Absolute classic of a game. For a 20 year game it trully held up to the test of time. With its epic boss fights, Cool attack animations, Memorable story, godtier music. Whats not to love.
  21. Denderotto
    May 6, 2022
    9
    Playing this game for the first time is a incredible experience, especially if you already are a fan of Disney and Final Fantasy; there was nothing like this before. Some problems such as the platforming sections and the bad camera makes me not give a bigger score, but that doesn't change the fact that this is a big experience that started a fantastic franchise.
  22. DarkwingSchmuck
    Mar 20, 2022
    9
    On paper, Kingdom Hearts should not have worked, yet the end result is a winning collaboration between two very unlikely partners. Kingdom Hearts is pure joy from beginning to end, with an accessible yet fun real-time battle system and a charming story with fun characters. While there is fanservice galore for both Disney and Final Fantasy fans, Kingdom Hearts doesn't rely solely on itsOn paper, Kingdom Hearts should not have worked, yet the end result is a winning collaboration between two very unlikely partners. Kingdom Hearts is pure joy from beginning to end, with an accessible yet fun real-time battle system and a charming story with fun characters. While there is fanservice galore for both Disney and Final Fantasy fans, Kingdom Hearts doesn't rely solely on its fanservice to deliver a strong product.… Expand
  23. GrannyWeed
    Mar 12, 2022
    9
    Fantastic story, very simple and easy to understand. Visual art style at it's best! The harmony between Disney and square enix is fascinating to say the least!
    Music is top tier, characters are well developed and you really feel like you are bonding with them!
    Only bad thing i can say is that after a while combat gets a bit repetitive, but its not that tragic, and the camera controls are    Fantastic story, very simple and easy to understand. Visual art style at it's best! The harmony between Disney and square enix is fascinating to say the least!
    Music is top tier, characters are well developed and you really feel like you are bonding with them!
    Only bad thing i can say is that after a while combat gets a bit repetitive, but its not that tragic, and the camera controls are horrific. Still that won't stop you from enjoying this amazing game    … Expand
  24. kyle20ellis
    Mar 10, 2022
    10
    This video game will always remain a masterpiece in my mind. Nobody was quite sure what to make of it at the time - a Disney and Final Fantasy crossover featuring a spiky haired young boy who swings around a giant key? Well, it somehow made it work! Everything about this game - the world, story, battles and more - all contribute to a perfect experience. The only thing I didn't like was theThis video game will always remain a masterpiece in my mind. Nobody was quite sure what to make of it at the time - a Disney and Final Fantasy crossover featuring a spiky haired young boy who swings around a giant key? Well, it somehow made it work! Everything about this game - the world, story, battles and more - all contribute to a perfect experience. The only thing I didn't like was the battle menu interface and the camera but these were minor.… Expand
  25. Zer0xl
    Nov 20, 2021
    8
    The quality in kh1 is very good, the combat is rough after you play the next numbered games, but it's not bad, and it didn't aged poorly.

    The Pacing is Very good, every disney world feels connected to the whole plot.

    I still prefer 2 slightly, but they are in the same spot in my Kingdom hearts Tier list.
  26. Frosstype
    Oct 28, 2021
    8
    The 3rd best KH game behind KH2 and KH3:ReMind and those two for me is 2 of best games of all time! KH1 is not one of the best games for me but it doesn't mean its not amazing! It's the origin of the franchise which gives it a lot of respect for it but gameplay is lacking in a lot of ways with several rough edges.
  27. ThomasSWT
    Oct 25, 2021
    9
    Where it all started... This game has a great nostalgia effect on me, but it's not just nostalgia, this game is a forever classic. What make this game unique compared to other games in the series is the perfect combination of Square Enix and Disney in a balanced mixture. It's magical story is something you won't experience again in the series. It's definitely a must-play.
  28. nenzzz
    Sep 29, 2021
    9
    Honestly one of my best memories as a kid picking out the box and not knowing what kinda game i was getting. So much charm and colour with interesting characters, worlds and gameplay absolute masterpiece later games kinda diluted the magic down but on its own a masterpiece.
  29. yBazara
    Jun 18, 2021
    8
    [ENG] I really liked this game, despite having some ''bad'' graphics for the ''nowadays'' time, I got used to the graphics, and what impressed me was the great story developed about friendship, companionship and adventure, I found the game very difficult when fighting the bosses, but it was a very fun challenge, I recommend it a lot

    [PT-BR] Gostei muito desse jogo, apesar de ter uns    [ENG] I really liked this game, despite having some ''bad'' graphics for the ''nowadays'' time, I got used to the graphics, and what impressed me was the great story developed about friendship, companionship and adventure, I found the game very difficult when fighting the bosses, but it was a very fun challenge, I recommend it a lot

    [PT-BR] Gostei muito desse jogo, apesar de ter uns gráficos um pouco ''ruim'' para a época de ''hoje em dia'' eu me acostumei com os gráficos, e o que me impressionou foi a ótima história desenvolvida sobre amizade, companherismo e aventura, achei o jogo bem difícil na luta contra os bosses, mas foi um desafio muito divertido, recomendo demais    … Expand
  30. jelikey
    May 29, 2021
    8
    Great combination of the worlds of Final Fantasy and Disney. I was shocked when I read the announcement. FF and Disney? This can not go .... But it worked. And it came out perfectly! Divine (for ps2) graphics, divine music, divine storyline, divine combat system, divine gameplay ... DIVINE GAME. I would recommend it to everyone!
  31. dottorfrizzino
    May 18, 2021
    10
    this game is a MASTERPIECE so iconic even today, ireally enjoyed the ps2 version even more on the 1.5 !
  32. DarkSoulAxel
    Apr 10, 2021
    9
    Amazing game for sure. Kingdom Hearts 1 was a childhood game for me but even without nostalgia, I would hold it in high regard. It looks great, has an interesting story, charming characters, interesting Disney based worlds, a somehwat simple but satisfying combat system and nice boss fights and music. I love the HUD, I love graphics, I love the magic/MP system, I absolutely love that ideaAmazing game for sure. Kingdom Hearts 1 was a childhood game for me but even without nostalgia, I would hold it in high regard. It looks great, has an interesting story, charming characters, interesting Disney based worlds, a somehwat simple but satisfying combat system and nice boss fights and music. I love the HUD, I love graphics, I love the magic/MP system, I absolutely love that idea of having a key as a sword that changes with certain keychains and overall, this game is a must have for Action-RPG fans.… Expand
  33. emilyratesgames
    Mar 29, 2021
    9
    Score: 9
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  34. thc-200
    Mar 18, 2021
    10
    Its **** awesome, I play this game since I have memory and ever I finish I love it more
  35. Xrayplayer
    Oct 16, 2020
    8
    Kingdom hearts is a great game but far from perfect.

    the camera can be uncooperative the combat machines can get repetitive at times in the first half of the game. But in the second half there's a handful of upgrades to your abilities there's nice amount of depth to your arsenal you can get a lot of Useful items and magical powers and your party members can also be helpful... the battles    Kingdom hearts is a great game but far from perfect.

    the camera can be uncooperative the combat machines can get repetitive at times in the first half of the game.

    But in the second half there's a handful of upgrades to your abilities there's nice amount of depth to your arsenal you can get a lot of Useful items and magical powers and your party members can also be helpful... the battles themselves are so much fun and the bosses are some of best thing the game can offer they're challenging in good way and required some serious skills to win and it feels so rewarding when you win and you get better and better at this game.

    the biggest flaw in the game are the unskippable cutscenes it's so annoying especially during the hardest boss battles after you die you need to rewatch them again.

    it's easy to get lost in some of the levels so you need to pay attention to the story.. the story is great I love the characters and the plot and the Disney worlds are great they are well designed with catchy and amazing soundtrack.    … Expand
  36. Vidabry
    Dec 31, 2020
    10
    Jogo incrível, uma mistura entre final fantasy e disney perfeita. Jogabilidade também bem inovadora pra época em que foi lançado.
  37. Kingdomhear
    Dec 5, 2020
    10
    Un sogno ad occhi aperti...riesce a entrare nei cuori dei giocatori ...da giocare con il cuore !!!
  38. ShinishiKudo
    Nov 22, 2020
    10
    Wonderfull
    This is the start of one of my favourite series of all time.
    A great story connected with an woderfull open world.
  39. Endory
    Oct 10, 2020
    10
    Kingdom Hearts 1 is the first game of the series and is doing a great job in introducing the characters and the gameplay.

    Since it is really old nowadays, the controls are a bit clunky. But Kingdom Hearts is an experience which is mixing Disney and Square Enix in such a quality, that the experience is really worth it in my opinion. I enjoyed Kingdom Hearts 1 a lot. I recommend it to    Kingdom Hearts 1 is the first game of the series and is doing a great job in introducing the characters and the gameplay.

    Since it is really old nowadays, the controls are a bit clunky. But Kingdom Hearts is an experience which is mixing Disney and Square Enix in such a quality, that the experience is really worth it in my opinion. I enjoyed Kingdom Hearts 1 a lot.

    I recommend it to everyone who likes things like Action RPG's, Disney or Anime.
    You could also say that Kingdom Hearts is "Disney meets Anime".

    The game is also on Game Pass right now, so you can give it a shot if you have it. Also the collection "The Story so Far" for PS4 and Xbox One is a lot of content, which also includes KH1.    … Expand
  40. genesisdoes
    Oct 2, 2020
    8
    Kingdom Hearts is quite the unique game, linking the two beloved worlds of Final Fantasy and Disney. Despite neither catching very much of my interest throughout my life, I always had a fondness for Kingdom Hearts. Its a very nostalgic property for me. I used to play KH1 and KH2 a lot as a child but never got very far, always getting stuck due to difficulty or lack of knowledge as to whereKingdom Hearts is quite the unique game, linking the two beloved worlds of Final Fantasy and Disney. Despite neither catching very much of my interest throughout my life, I always had a fondness for Kingdom Hearts. Its a very nostalgic property for me. I used to play KH1 and KH2 a lot as a child but never got very far, always getting stuck due to difficulty or lack of knowledge as to where to go next. I finally decided I would stay dedicated and play through the whole game.

    Despite what most fans will tell you about the controls being outdated and future games being generally better experiences, I still had a lot of fun with Kingdom Hearts. It was pretty difficult at times, especially with the final boss but I managed to get through it on normal difficulty. I've played through most of KH2 at the time of me writing this (November 2019) but I'm stuck on the Roxas battle. Even without having completed it, I definitely prefer the sequel for it's improved gameplay and more interesting worlds to explore. Regardless, the original is still very much worth playing.
    I beat this game in February of 2019.    … Expand
  41. ZeroBacon
    Sep 3, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Kingdom Hearts is a great game, but it has some flaws with EVERY world. Traverse Town is too empty. Wonderland is boring to look at. Olympus Colosseum is just an enemy gauntlet. Deep jungle’s vine physics are annoying. Agrabah is just platforming, and platforming is not one of the game’s strong points. Halloween town could’ve been better. Monstrous is much like Jabu jabu’s belly, boring and disgusting. Atlantica is atlantica. Never land has so much missed potential. Hollow Bastion is fine, and 100 acre wood is just a bunch of boring mini games, not to mention that the combat is a bit aged as well. All tat aside, it’s still worth every penny, and the music is phenomenal.… Expand
  42. patrickmurphy09
    Aug 30, 2020
    9
    Its been a hot minute since I played this game, but I can't wait to replay it in the Final Mix version I got. Still, the basic premise of Kingdom Hearts is amazing and lives up to the anticipation of marrying Disney with action hack and slash games. The story is enthralling (especially since I understand it got significantly more complicated following this first entry in the series).Its been a hot minute since I played this game, but I can't wait to replay it in the Final Mix version I got. Still, the basic premise of Kingdom Hearts is amazing and lives up to the anticipation of marrying Disney with action hack and slash games. The story is enthralling (especially since I understand it got significantly more complicated following this first entry in the series). Gameplay is fun from each Disney world to the next, and I particularly remember enjoying the Colosseum battles. I never got into the gummy ship mini game between worlds and honestly was more or less waiting for those intermissions to be over. Still, this was truly an adventure to experience and I can't wait to replay it with a fresh coat of HD.… Expand
  43. KenXaki
    Aug 30, 2020
    10
    Of course it's Kingdom Hearts!
  44. MatthewDavisMed
    Aug 7, 2020
    9
    What could've ended up as a ridiculous mess just to get Disney fans into Final Fantasy, has turned out to become a fun, engaging, and heartfelt adventure filled with familiar faces we all know and love. As well as original characters we've come to love as well.
  45. Raado-san
    Jul 26, 2020
    9
    I love the first KH and its hold a lot of memory, funny I started with the final mix as I thought it was cool to have English voice with Japanese subtitles
  46. Lcfairy
    Jul 20, 2020
    10
    The battles and storys amazing iv played this game so many times growing up. It really helped and to this day still helps when i play the game seires again and again to make me happy.
    I remember booting up my PS2 to listen to the opening song over many times.
    Sora and Riku are my favorite in this one.
    May they find each other again. And bring the worlds together as one.
  47. Alaconda
    Jun 27, 2020
    10
    The story to this game is simple but god damn is it memorable, combat isn't too bad either.
  48. SWFan523
    Jun 21, 2020
    9
    Brilliance. Made a questionable relationship between Square and Disney work flawlessly and delivered a character driven narrative that was SIMPLE AND EASY TO FOLLOW.
  49. HylianBran12
    Jun 11, 2020
    8
    Kingdom Hearts' mix of Disney and Square may make it odd and strange to approach for some, but that doesn't stop it from being a great game. The combat is fluid and streamlined, giving the player enough tools to give them a diverse arsenal, while never overwhelming the player. The gameplay also allows for various play styles, enhancing replayablity. The presentation is over the top asKingdom Hearts' mix of Disney and Square may make it odd and strange to approach for some, but that doesn't stop it from being a great game. The combat is fluid and streamlined, giving the player enough tools to give them a diverse arsenal, while never overwhelming the player. The gameplay also allows for various play styles, enhancing replayablity. The presentation is over the top as well, with this being one of the best looking PlayStation 2 titles, only hampered by the lack of 480p Progressive Scan support. The soundtrack is also absolutely fantastic, although my lack of musical expertise prevents me from articulating why. The plot is also great, delivering fun set-pieces, engaging conflicts, and memorable characters with clear and potentially relatable motivations. The relationships between the characters in particular really deliver impactful and emotional scenes that will stick with you forever. Despite all this, the game is definitely dated. While the controls are great for combat, they quickly go down the **** when the game decides to attempt platforming, and is awkward every single time. The stage "Deep Jungle" suffers especially from this, along with it also highlighting the awkward, confusing, and sometimes even downright poor design of some stages. The game is also hampered by a piss poor camera, which is always zoomed in way too much, and gets caught on everything. The player can't fix most of this manually, either, as camera control is mapped to L2 and R2. The "Gummi Ship" missions in between stages also drag down the pace, as they are painfully simple, boring, long, and lacking in any sort of mechanical challenge. Even with all that, however, Kingdom Hearts is still a wonderful action RPG, and well worth your time. I recommend the Final Mix version on the PS3 collection Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMix, or even better, the version on the PS4 or Xbox One, contained on Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 25 ReMix.… Expand
  50. BRONYKING
    Jun 1, 2020
    10
    Absolutely breathtaking story! Great combat! Serious enough to embrace the Final Fantady side but goofy and wacky enough to truly embrace the Disney side!
  51. AndreyCloud
    May 13, 2020
    9
    I played this game as a kid and replayed it as an adult, and I still love this game. This game hooked me from the start with such an interesting story, the combat is great, the characters and their arcs are so interesting. When I played it as a kid this game was a straight 10/10. After experiencing kingdom hearts 2, it was clearly better, and this dropped to a 9 for me. Overall a great andI played this game as a kid and replayed it as an adult, and I still love this game. This game hooked me from the start with such an interesting story, the combat is great, the characters and their arcs are so interesting. When I played it as a kid this game was a straight 10/10. After experiencing kingdom hearts 2, it was clearly better, and this dropped to a 9 for me. Overall a great and fun game to start with, the story will blow your shnizzle, and always leave you wondering. If you are a final fantasy fan, you will totally enjoy this franchise as well. The main and only downside of the game I found to be the gummi ship stuff. The gummi combat was slow and lame really and you needed to be Stephen Hawking to figure out how to actually build your own gummi ship, which is a bit ironic.… Expand
  52. frederik1478
    Apr 17, 2020
    10
    one of my favorite games of all time I cannot recommend it enough and I will play this to the day I die
  53. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    8
    Played on PlayStation 2.
    Gameplay: GOOD.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Dialogue: GOOD.
  54. SporadicDeviant
    Mar 30, 2020
    10
    This is perhaps one the greatest games, that on paper sounds like it should've been a complete dumpster fire of the funniest variety. I mean who would've thought a crossover between Final Fantasy and Disney would ever work? Well not only does it work, in the case of Kingdom Hearts 1, it works phenomenally well.
    The story is epic in scale yet simple in it's storytelling. Unlike later    This is perhaps one the greatest games, that on paper sounds like it should've been a complete dumpster fire of the funniest variety. I mean who would've thought a crossover between Final Fantasy and Disney would ever work? Well not only does it work, in the case of Kingdom Hearts 1, it works phenomenally well.
    The story is epic in scale yet simple in it's storytelling. Unlike later games, the plot doesn't get bogged down with exposition and doesn't rely on references/callbacks that will leave you confused if you haven't played every spinoff in the series. The characters are allowed to be themselves and have their stories stand on their own. The plots of the Disney Worlds are integrated seamlessly with the main story, no world feels like filler or a glorified re-telling of the Disney movies. The dialogue is charming and the plot is engaging and never overbearing or convoluted.
    The music is phenomenal. Yoko Shimomura (composer of games like Parasite Eve and Super Mario RPG) is on top of her game with this soundtrack. Intense, atmospheric, and catchy as all get out. The is perhaps my favorite score that Shimomura has done.
    The gameplay is where Kingdom Hearts shines the brightest, especially compared to the other Kingdom Hearts games. Level design is not straight forward, you have to explore each world (some of which are maze-like) while doing some light puzzle solving and (admittedly clunky) platforming. Moment to moment gameplay is never dull since the gameplay doesn't boil down to walk, fight, walk, fight. Combat is surprisingly deep. While lacking the build options of latter games, the battle system Kingdom Hearts tests the player in ways the other games never bother to. No one strategy works all the time, you have to constantly gauge the enemy and think of a proper method of attack. It's not just relentless mashing of the X button while finishing with a drive transformation and/or finisher moves. This combined with a magic system that can actually be relied on as an alternative playstyle (Unlike KH2) as well as the implementation of Tech Points rewarding the player for learning how to counter/block various attacks as well as taking advantage of the enemy's weakness makes combat as engaging as it its challenging and fun. Unlike the sequels and spinoffs, Kingdom Hearts 1's combat system relies on substance over style.
    Kingdom Hearts 1 is not only my favorite Kingdom Hearts game, no competition, this game is perhaps one of my favorite JRPGS and possibly my favorite Action JRPG of all time.    … Expand
  55. MarioneteGaming
    Feb 13, 2020
    8
    I absolutely loved this game even though i was too new to the series in 2020 but it still holds up today but the game has some flaws like most of the time you dont know where to go and it has lots of puzzles, i do like puzzles for the challenge but some of them are WAY too confusing and complicated but its sstill considered to be one of the best game on ps2
  56. Ryuail
    Feb 1, 2020
    9
    KH1 is a triumph of game design on the PS2. How they got something to look so good, and play so fluid on that old VCR is still amazing to me.

    The game is still as charming now as it was when it first released. Though upon a recent replay I noticed there was a story beat that never got touched on again. Namely the moral ambiguity of Sora's actions in locking away worlds without the    KH1 is a triumph of game design on the PS2. How they got something to look so good, and play so fluid on that old VCR is still amazing to me.

    The game is still as charming now as it was when it first released. Though upon a recent replay I noticed there was a story beat that never got touched on again. Namely the moral ambiguity of Sora's actions in locking away worlds without the consent of the leadership of those worlds.

    I think in another universe we could have had a really smart sequel come out of that seed. Oh well.

    Still, almost 20 years later this game is still awesome, and I'd recommend it any day of the week!    … Expand
  57. Kai82
    Jan 24, 2020
    9
    A crossover between Disney and Final Fantasy. It was a match made in heaven (There are even more weird combos like Star Trek / X-Men or Archie meets the Punisher). When it was announced we were puzzled and discussed what we should expect. We got an action RPG with new characters, in a brand new story line, within a complete new setting flavoured with the best of both worlds. It shouldn'tA crossover between Disney and Final Fantasy. It was a match made in heaven (There are even more weird combos like Star Trek / X-Men or Archie meets the Punisher). When it was announced we were puzzled and discussed what we should expect. We got an action RPG with new characters, in a brand new story line, within a complete new setting flavoured with the best of both worlds. It shouldn't have worked that well but the game disproved the sceptics and started a franchise that even if you dislike the games have at least heard of. The main story arc is about the battle between good and evil with an interesting take. The darkness is rising inside the hearts of people. If it took over a Heartless is created. If enough people are turned then the darkness will swallow the world (There are many worlds). There are warriors of light that wield a Keyblade that can travel betwenn worlds (restricted for normal people), defeat the darkness and restore the hearts and worlds (I am oversimplifying because a lot of lore was added in future games). They took the Disney franchise to create individual worlds with their related stories and villains. It is so satisfying to fight against your favourite Disney villains. Then there are our main characters Sora (aided by Donald and Goofy), Riku and Kairi. They are close friends since early childhood. The story will put their friendship and believes to a harsh test. I can not spoil the details but lets say that the characters and their tie ins in the story are the games greatest strength. If the characters make you feel than this is always a plus. Of cause there is the nostalgia for Disney and Final Fantasy. The art style for the worlds was chosen to resemble the movies as close as possible. They also got a lot out of the characters of both franchises. The music is beautiful and got even better in future games. The battle system is a bit off for me. It is not broken. There are times when I felt that I need better control over my character. Kingdom Hearts 2 and Birth by Sleep improved this and got it right. While I am at the topic there is a world where the controls are horrible or lets say need to be an acquired taste. Overall this was the starting point for the Kingdom Heart franchise and a really good one. It started a legacy but even as a fan I will say that this is not everyone's taste. For me its a classic that deserved to be recognized in game history. Its slightly below 10/10 because Kingdom Hearts 2 and Birth by Sleep are better and I have played them (Without this I would have given a 10/10). However I admit that it had the most intoxicating story moments in all Kingdom Hearts games.… Expand
  58. AlvaroK95
    Jan 2, 2020
    9
    Una sobresaliente conjunción del universo Disney con Final Fantasy y una historia propia.
  59. Omni-Sama
    Sep 17, 2019
    10
    Where It All Started!! The Beginning Of My Favorite Game franchise ( the greatest in my opinion)
  60. jared1209
    Sep 11, 2019
    10
    Mixing Disney with Final Fantasy proves to be a fantastic from the story, with fun game play
  61. dggt
    Jul 10, 2019
    8
    Great game, but it have one annoying problem, game doesn't f*ing tells you where you need to go and what you need to do, no map, no waypoins, no current objective. You are needed to look in to every corner (with infinite spawning enemies). You can't skip cutscenes, even after the game is finished, i want to see how much time i spend on it or play after ending, i only see inscription "TheGreat game, but it have one annoying problem, game doesn't f*ing tells you where you need to go and what you need to do, no map, no waypoins, no current objective. You are needed to look in to every corner (with infinite spawning enemies). You can't skip cutscenes, even after the game is finished, i want to see how much time i spend on it or play after ending, i only see inscription "The End", and can't do anything, i can only turn off console. These are trivial things, but if you sum up this that's a problem.… Expand
  62. nervioso2009
    Jun 30, 2019
    9
    La joya de la corona de Square, y el mejor Kingdom Hearts incluso a día de hoy.

    9.5/10
  63. RadReviewer
    Feb 8, 2019
    9
    Kingdom hearts is a creative, whimsical, and radiant game filled with heart felt moments, exhilarating fights and characters that you truly connect with. Is the combat clunky? Yep. Is the Camera horrid? Yes. Will this game be a game you will soak in and enjoy from start to finish? Absolutely. Kingdom Hearts is not only a great game, but a game that will go down as one of the best of its time.
  64. Miguelinform123
    Feb 4, 2019
    10
    Kingdom Hearts is a brilliant video game, the first part of one of the most beloved franchises of all time. Even though the camera in this game is awful and the Gummi ship it's a disaster, it's a great experience full of fun and emotional moments who will stay in the hearts of everyone who plays it for a long time... For me, all those emotional moments still really close in my heart. AKingdom Hearts is a brilliant video game, the first part of one of the most beloved franchises of all time. Even though the camera in this game is awful and the Gummi ship it's a disaster, it's a great experience full of fun and emotional moments who will stay in the hearts of everyone who plays it for a long time... For me, all those emotional moments still really close in my heart. A masterpiece that all gamers should play… Expand
  65. SamComedian
    Jan 20, 2019
    10
    Mi puntación a Kingdom Hearts es de 10, me explico:
    La duración es muy buena, si sólo te centras en la historia entre 30 y 40h dependiendo del jugador, en mi caso 44h y 07min ( sólo la historia ). Personajes memorables, la mayoría de ellos, sobre todo Sora que tiene que llevar todo el peso del juego. Jugablemente muy divertido y con comandos variados: ataques, magias, invocaciones, etc.    Mi puntación a Kingdom Hearts es de 10, me explico:
    La duración es muy buena, si sólo te centras en la historia entre 30 y 40h dependiendo del jugador, en mi caso 44h y 07min ( sólo la historia ). Personajes memorables, la mayoría de ellos, sobre todo Sora que tiene que llevar todo el peso del juego. Jugablemente muy divertido y con comandos variados: ataques, magias, invocaciones, etc. La trama va variando entre los diferentes mundos Disney que no son pocos. Un final épico y redondo. Una historia sobre encontrar a tus amigos que han caído a garras de la oscuridad. La banda sonora es perfecta. Por todo eso le pongo un 10 sobre 10 ( comparándola con juegos de su plataforma, PS2 ). Mi quinta crítica u/o review.    … Expand
  66. KratosKong
    Jan 18, 2019
    9
    Videojuego que mezcla de forma perfecta la magia de Disney con la magia de Final Fantasy.
  67. nonolox
    Jan 3, 2019
    9
    Pasarán los años y no dejaré de emocionarme cada vez que escucho el tema principal de esta saga. Un juego donde el concepto suena a aberración y cuyo resultado es una de las mejores experiencias que recuerdo haber tenido con una consola.

    Kingdom Hearts exprime el sistema de "mundos" para utilizar cada una de las licencias de Disney. Así, visitaremos el mundo de Hércules, Aladdín o Peter    Pasarán los años y no dejaré de emocionarme cada vez que escucho el tema principal de esta saga. Un juego donde el concepto suena a aberración y cuyo resultado es una de las mejores experiencias que recuerdo haber tenido con una consola.

    Kingdom Hearts exprime el sistema de "mundos" para utilizar cada una de las licencias de Disney. Así, visitaremos el mundo de Hércules, Aladdín o Peter Pan, entre otros. Sin embargo, mis favoritos son los mundos "originales", que poco tienen que ver con Disney y que se aprovechan para avanzar en la narrativa principal.

    Para entender este videojuego, hay que remontarse a la época. Si no me equivoco, su lanzamiento tuvo lugar un par de años después de que saliera la PS2, cuyo poder gráfico era algo que no se había visto hasta el momento. Ahora pensad la década que nos acababa de dejar Disney: los 90, los años donde surgieron muchas de sus obras más famosas. La capacidad para trasladar la animación 2D a un entorno 3D con gráficos en tiempo real fue toda una proeza para la época. Ver a personajes clásicos como Tarzán, Bestia o el Genio luchar a tu lado era algo que no tenía precio. Son personajes que nos encantaban y que ya conocíamos, y Kingdom Hearts saca provecho de ello.

    De niño yo veía una historia de 3 amigos, aventuras y personajes Disney, pero resulta que detrás había algo mucho más grande. El concepto es bastante simple: somos un chaval normal, Sora, que vive con sus amigos, Riku y Kairi, en una isla. Los 3 amigos siempre han querido salir de la isla para ver el mundo exterior así que construyen una balsa para salir de allí. Sin embargo, la noche antes de salir algo pasa y son separados, yendo a parar a mundos distintos. Sora se despierta en un mundo donde se encontrará con Donald y Goofy (los cuales nos acompañaran a partir de ahora en nuestra aventura) además de unos cuantos personajes que nos sonaran si somos fans de la saga Final Fantasy.

    Tras esta especie de introducción empieza el juego de verdad y se nos da acceso a los siguientes mundos. Lo sorprendente es cuando nos damos cuenta de que la premisa esconde un trasfondo un tanto… oscuro. Cuando nos reencontramos con nuestro amigo Riku nos damos cuenta de que algo ha cambiado, y ahí es donde brilla la verdadera narrativa de este juego.

    En el aspecto jugable, el juego destaca por ser uno de los primeros juegos de acción de la compañía, sin dejar de lado la parte por la que es tan conocida: el Rol. Manejamos al elegido de la Llave Espada, el arma alrededor de la cual girará gran parte de la trama. ¿Es absurdo que el arma principal sea una llave gigante? Sí. ¿Funciona? También.

    El sistema de peleas está basado en combos, bloqueos y magias (sacadas directamente de los títulos de Final Fantasy), que nos dotan de multitud de opciones para abordar el combate. Aunque hay ciertas magias y habilidades más útiles que otras, todas cumplen una función y las que puedan parecernos un poco inútiles se volverán de gran utilidad en dificultades superiores.

    Como todo buen JRPG, no lucharemos solo, si no que tendremos un grupo de 3 personajes: Sora, el personaje controlable, y dos acompañantes. Éstos últimos serán casi siempre Donald y Goofy, pudiendo intercambiar a alguno de ellos por un invitado Disney en ciertos mundos. En lo personal no soy demasiado fan de los compañeros como aliados de batalla, pero sí que sirven de ayuda en momentos puntuales y más si sabes como equiparlos y configurarlos.

    No menos importante a destacar es la música. Yoko Shimomura debe ser una de mis compositoras favoritas de la historia. Su manera de trasmitir a través de sus obras y dotar a cada mundo de una atmósfera que lo diferencie del resto es algo increíble. Por no hablar de los temas que sonarán cuando luchemos contra jefes y, sobretodo, en la recta final del juego y en cierto mundo.

    Pero no todo iba a ser bueno, ¿por qué después de todo este tochazo voy y puntúo Kingdom Hearts con un 9? ¿Por qué no un 10? Pues porque el juego no es perfecto ni de lejos.

    Para empezar, la cámara es atroz y el juego peca de querer introducir “plataformeo” en ciertos momentos. Pero el auténtico estropicio de esta obra reside en el aspecto jugable que nuestros protagonistas utilizan para viajar de un mundo a otro. Así es amigos, la infame Nave Gumi. Estas fases pueden ser una de las cosas más cutres que he visto en un videojuego. Una verdadera pena, ya que el concepto de las naves Gumi, la personalización… es algo con muchísimo potencial. Por lo menos se dieron cuenta y rectificaron en cierta medida para Kingdom Hearts 2.

    Habrá gente que debata sobre si KH es mejor que KH2 o los que vinieron después. En mi opinión, no es ni mejor ni peor, son títulos distintos que tenéis que experimentar por vuestra cuenta. Para mí, la verdadera magia de Kingdom Hearts reside en el conjunto de todos sus títulos. Si os gustan los videojuegos, dadle una oportunidad.    … Expand
  68. Eseka_M
    Jan 3, 2019
    8
    Kingdom Hearts es un muy buen juego para su época, por eso esta review va a ir enfocada a esos años entre 2002-2006. Lo primero que hay que destacar es los buenos gráficos que tiene, comparandolo con otros juegos de esos años, Kingdom Hearts explotaba al máximo la capacidad de la PS2. Una de las BSO más increibles en todos los videojuegos que hace que el juego sea mucho más ameno y dan másKingdom Hearts es un muy buen juego para su época, por eso esta review va a ir enfocada a esos años entre 2002-2006. Lo primero que hay que destacar es los buenos gráficos que tiene, comparandolo con otros juegos de esos años, Kingdom Hearts explotaba al máximo la capacidad de la PS2. Una de las BSO más increibles en todos los videojuegos que hace que el juego sea mucho más ameno y dan más ganas de estar atento. Un sistema de combate bastante fluido con el gran defecto de la cámara, que imposibilita mucho al jugador y es realmente una molestia cuando el sistema de combate está tan elaborado, una pena. El diseño de los personajes y de los mundos originales me parece una pasada, sobretodo de sincorazones como el Invisible, Bégimo o Defensor. La historia es aceptable, es un juego que esta destinado a un público bastante joven por lo que cae en algunos clichés y no da rienda suelta a toda la imaginacion que puede tener un guionista aunque pese a esto se le coge un cariño especial a la historia y a veces es incluso arriesgada como por ejemplo cuando (SPOILER) Sora decide clavarse la llave espada para sacar el corazón de Kairi,

    En líneas generales es un gran juego aunque para un público determinado y he de decir que el juego envejece muy mal asi que no hay que crearse grandes expectativas al leer la review.    … Expand
  69. maturene
    Dec 22, 2018
    8
    Luego escribo una review desas que ahora mismo me da pereza y tal. me cagoento
  70. 22446688Bb
    Dec 3, 2018
    10
    One of the most beautiful games in terms of the story and the way to play and even drawings to Jaya Disney, but I congratulate Square and Disney on this project
  71. Sebascr12
    Nov 23, 2018
    8
    The combat is ok, nothing special but work fine. The history have some cringe moments but after all is nice to see this characters, interact with each other. The platform parts are bad and feel awkward. The soundtrack is awesome...
  72. Sakata
    Oct 6, 2018
    10
    One of the best games of the year of his release. It's delightful and fun to play, with a awesome conception.
  73. Jezuzo
    May 19, 2018
    10
    Un juegazo que no podía faltar en PS2. La historia es lo que más me gusta. Uno de los mejores de PS2 sin duda.
  74. AKthaBeast
    May 7, 2018
    9
    One of my most favorite video game franchises of all time. Re-visting the first game the controls were semi clunky but the story and just seeing Disney and Final Fantasy characters overpowers this game
  75. DylanJHamilton
    May 7, 2018
    9
    Kingdom Hearts, along with its many sequels can be granted as an all time great in the RPG gameplay format. I remember when I started on this game in 2004 when I was just a kid and loved it. The gameplay is nearly flawless and can be extremely addicting. The story is ground breaking and can grab the attention to the likes of kids to grown adults. I see some lacking speeds in the game andKingdom Hearts, along with its many sequels can be granted as an all time great in the RPG gameplay format. I remember when I started on this game in 2004 when I was just a kid and loved it. The gameplay is nearly flawless and can be extremely addicting. The story is ground breaking and can grab the attention to the likes of kids to grown adults. I see some lacking speeds in the game and sometimes your companions can be very lacking and unsupportive for you as sometimes it feels like as if you are playing only by yourself. However they do make settings for your characters so play how you feel best suits you. It is an all time great. Disney + Final Fantasy = A Legendary Combo. A legendary game and will always be remembered as an all time great.… Expand
  76. RafaelBarrera
    Apr 20, 2018
    9
    It is Kingdom Hearts, simple. A touching story that captures the young people and the older ones. Even with the horrible camera, the game play based on mashing buttons, the weird mix between FF and Disney... looking at KH as a whole it is perfect. Maybe it's not a masterpiece, but I don't think that's the intention of this game. Its intention is to make us feel like when we were youngerIt is Kingdom Hearts, simple. A touching story that captures the young people and the older ones. Even with the horrible camera, the game play based on mashing buttons, the weird mix between FF and Disney... looking at KH as a whole it is perfect. Maybe it's not a masterpiece, but I don't think that's the intention of this game. Its intention is to make us feel like when we were younger and dreamed being on adventure with out friends, that's it : adventures and friendship.
    Kingdom Hearts is a video game that won't make you feel indifferent: whether you love it or not.    … Expand
  77. artificeprime
    Apr 14, 2018
    8
    Kingdom Hearts succeeds by telling its own emotional story while transporting you to familiar worlds with iconic characters. It provides a huge variety of fun gameplay experiences that all tie into a story that is surprisingly pretty good. I am a big fan of Final Fantasy and Disney. I have seen every Disney animated movie and played most of the Final Fantasy games but I hate the idea ofKingdom Hearts succeeds by telling its own emotional story while transporting you to familiar worlds with iconic characters. It provides a huge variety of fun gameplay experiences that all tie into a story that is surprisingly pretty good. I am a big fan of Final Fantasy and Disney. I have seen every Disney animated movie and played most of the Final Fantasy games but I hate the idea of combining the two. I hate cross-overs in general. To me it just kills any sense of believability. I honestly think Kingdom Hearts would be a better game if it was just its own thing with all original characters. With that said, I think it does a good job of blending the worlds together in an interesting way. I didn't start out loving Kingdom Hearts. I thought the concept was ridiculous and I found the controls and menus counter-intuitive at first. As it progressed though I quickly found myself getting more immersed in the story and world. The gameplay also got progressively better the further I got. It isn't perfect by a long shot but it delivers on its promise of giving a heart filled journey through magical Disney worlds with Final Fantasy lore and style. That is a tall order so it deserves a lot of credit for pulling it off.

    I give it 80%

    Gameplay 8 - While the controls lack precision and menus are convoluted, there is a huge variety of fun gameplay. It is a great blend of platforming, combat, exploration and problem solving. Every world offers unique puzzles and challenges. The boss battles are mostly excellent and combat becomes more rewarding as you unlock new abilities.

    Story/Progression 6 - The story is definitely convoluted and the Disney plots are basically just dumbed down rehashes of the movie plots but the overarching plot is quite interesting. Once you get past the surface there is quite a bit of depth and lore. The game does a good job of introducing new ideas and plot elements at a good pace and I rarely felt bored. Its a confusing story that is far from being air tight but its a fun adventure that captures the essence of Disney and Final Fantasy games. The story is still much weaker than most Final Fantasy games though.

    World 8 - While I was a bit disappointed by how small each of the Disney worlds was, combined they make up a very big world and there is a lot of variety between them all. Every place offered something new and fun to experience. There are tons of secrets and as you gain more abilities, exploration becomes more fun.

    Characters 6 - The characters are likable and memorable but they are pretty simplistic. Sora is a pretty standard good intention-ed protagonist he evolves a bit but not a lot. Riku is a standard rival. Kairi is the damsel in distress. They all get moments to shine and I liked them fine but they could have had a lot more development. The Disney and Final Fantasy characters are all paper thin. They are basically very basic versions of themselves.

    Visuals 9 - The visual design is mostly excellent. The style is a really nice blend between Final Fantasy and Disney. It captures both in essence but still has a style of its own. My only problem with the visuals is that some of the locations were bland looking. The gummy ship sections also looked awful. Overall though it is a very good looking game with a memorable style that does service to its sources in both franchises.

    Sound Design 9 - The soundtrack is mostly great with memorable theme songs. Some of the world music I found a bit underwhelming but mostly it was fine. The voice acting was good all around. Most of the Disney voices fit the characters quite closely and the new character voices were almost all appealing. Sound affects were good, not the best but they worked well enough.

    Uniqueness/Ideas 8 - Surprisingly there are a lot of good unique ideas. The idea of the Keyblade is a really iconic and makes sense within the story. The idea of the Heartless is also good and fits in well with both Disney and Final Fantasy. There are little things as well such as the way characters and worlds connect to each other that are quite interesting. The way the princesses are used in the story is an interesting idea. There are some really weird ideas like the gummy ships and such but even that has some thought put into it which can be discovered through books in the game. The ideas aren't on par with the better Final Fantasy games but they are still good for what the story is. As weird as the story is I give the creators credit for blending their new ideas into the story fairly well.

    Length/Amount of Content 9 - I put in around 50 hours to complete the main story of the game and some of the side content. The worlds are small but there are 13 worlds and many bosses. There is also a lot of quality optional content.

    Immersion 8 - It took me a bit of time to get into the game but after a few hours I was hooked and rarely wanted to stop playing. There are some boring areas but enough to hold interest.    … Expand
  78. weskergamer
    Mar 12, 2018
    8
    Amo este juego, es uno de los pocos jrpg me gustan. Solamente le critico q la historia es un poco rara, en especial el final. Pero igual es un gran gran gran juego
  79. FreedomFighters
    Feb 25, 2018
    10
    Wow...just wow.
    "Kingdom Hearts" is a game that mixes Disney worlds and stories with "Final Fantasy," creating an RPG-experience boasting plenty of fanservice for children and Disney fans alike. At its core, a game with such a combination shouldn't have worked. Final Fantasy: Disney Edition? That's just ridiculous. 15 years later, "Kingdom Hearts" is still an extremely popular and    Wow...just wow.
    "Kingdom Hearts" is a game that mixes Disney worlds and stories with "Final Fantasy," creating an RPG-experience boasting plenty of fanservice for children and Disney fans alike. At its core, a game with such a combination shouldn't have worked. Final Fantasy: Disney Edition? That's just ridiculous. 15 years later, "Kingdom Hearts" is still an extremely popular and well-received series (even with all the complaints that 3 isn't out yet) and the original game is still extremely popular. And for fantastic reason, as well.
    "Kingdom Hearts" is an absolutely brilliant game. It's a blast to play, it's visually fantastic to this day (even with a few small oddities), the worlds are breathtaking, the story is intricate and detailed, the dialogue is great, the characters are brilliant and memorable, the Disney magic is absolutely there, and the music...wow, the music. It's easily one of the best video game soundtracks I've heard. For lack of a different way to put it, "Kingdom Hearts" is truly a magical and memorable experience, and that's why it stands as one of my favorite video games.
    All that said, though, the game isn't PERFECT. The platforming is VERY wonky, the camera is kind of uncooperative (though, since I played the Final Mix version, it's way better thanks to analog camera controls) and the game VERY SLIGHTLY overstays its welcome. I won't spoil it, but the final world in the game feels like it drags on a bit too much and builds itself on monotony.
    Even so, "Kingdom Hearts" is a brilliant video game that RPG fans, Final Fantasy fans, Disney fans, children, teens, adults, and gamers in general, should absolutely check out!
    Final rating: 10 out of 10 "Fantastic"    … Expand
  80. Toastclaimer
    Feb 20, 2018
    8
    It's combat hasn't aged perfectly, the plot can be a bit by-the-books and the difficulty spikes like a rocky sales chart but original KH is still a fantastic game. This is not the way to play it as the updated release; despite bugs adds new graphics and features
  81. oxiarr
    Feb 15, 2018
    9
    --This game is one of the most nostalgic PS2 games of all time.

    --The way it combines children elements while also having emotional and deeper meanings makes it enjoyable for all ages. --The difficulty settings are well tuned so that players who want to feel a challenge have that capability and players who just want to get through the game have that option too. --The game is an    --This game is one of the most nostalgic PS2 games of all time.

    --The way it combines children elements while also having emotional and deeper meanings makes it enjoyable for all ages.

    --The difficulty settings are well tuned so that players who want to feel a challenge have that capability and players who just want to get through the game have that option too.

    --The game is an example of a game that suffers from the controls that kinda wishes it was played on a keyboard/mouse. For example, trying to use items in the middle of combat is kind of a nightmare. Your left hand kind of has to turn into a crab.

    --Plenty of end-game content to keep you satisfied.

    --Story is rich with plenty of classic characters.

    --Most boss fights are unique and the bosses have a nice lead up of difficulty throughout the game.

    --The Gummi Ship stuff is a bit unintuitive and just not fun.

    --Hidden treasure is always fun and this game has plenty of it.

    --The camera is extremely annoying sometimes, but it's not any worse than games from that era.

    --Combat is somewhat plain and simplistic, a bit like The Witcher 3's combat system.    … Expand
  82. damaso7
    Jan 2, 2018
    10
    Reconozco que esta crítica no es demasiado objetiva, pero la dificultad que me supuso en su día, la complejidad de elementos de su universo y la magia con la que se cuenta una historia que uno no es capaz de anticipar hacen que lo considere el juego que más me impactó de joven
  83. aditya1101
    Oct 6, 2017
    8
    It has its flaws, and it's hard to say that it's really exemplary in most of the typical ways that games are good. But it's still one of my favorite games of all time for two major reasons. First is that the cast of characters that Kingdom Hearts is able to amass is almost unrivaled across video games - I can't think of another game that blends so many different, well-known charactersIt has its flaws, and it's hard to say that it's really exemplary in most of the typical ways that games are good. But it's still one of my favorite games of all time for two major reasons. First is that the cast of characters that Kingdom Hearts is able to amass is almost unrivaled across video games - I can't think of another game that blends so many different, well-known characters together in the same world so seamlessly. But most importantly, Kingdom Hearts just feels so good to play. It's not the most complicated battling by any means (though it's certainly not easy either!), but its unique brand of hack and slash combo'ing just makes everything you do feel super badass.… Expand
  84. D484
    May 28, 2017
    10
    Este juego fue mi primer contacto con este mundo cuando solo tenía 2 años, y me sigue pareciendo igual de genial. Me encanta esta combinación de los mundos de Disney y FF. Es muy divertido el sistema de combate y están genial sus toques RPG. Le pongo un 96/!00
  85. Retrodox
    Mar 24, 2017
    10
    The story? Is amazing and emotionally relatable for anyone and everyone its a video game that is mechanically and aesthetically ahead of its time this video game is filled and charged with emotion as Disney usually tries to execute their media with.This game specifically deserves to be in everyone's top 75 video games of all time its a classic and is ever evolving.
  86. zekromgames
    Feb 27, 2017
    10
    Quando eu conheci esse jogo, ele não parecia ser tão bom quanto é , os personagens são incríveis, a relação criada entre os personagens é algo que eu achei muito bem feito as batalhas são muito boas,o sistema de batalha é algo que a principio eu achei meio complicado, mas com o tempo acostumei e acabei por adorar o jogo
  87. KayVen17
    Jan 3, 2017
    9
    Deutsche Review - Kritik

    Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. Regeln    Deutsche Review - Kritik

    Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. Regeln verstanden?
    Dann sind hier meine Punkte.

    Mein persönlicher Score = 89/100
    Mein User Score = 9/10    … Expand
  88. SuperkenGaming
    Dec 31, 2016
    8
    Kingdom Hearts
    better adventure than it is a game.
    Hide your kids, hide your princesses because they’re snatching up everybody in kingdom hearts. This game starts out very slow and is just a fetch quest game for the first 2 hours of the total of around 30… But a mysterious door unlocks one night and you and your friends go through cause you’re kids hungry for an adventure of course..    Kingdom Hearts
    better adventure than it is a game.
    Hide your kids, hide your princesses because they’re snatching up everybody in kingdom hearts.
    This game starts out very slow and is just a fetch quest game for the first 2 hours of the total of around 30…
    But a mysterious door unlocks one night and you and your friends go through cause you’re kids hungry for an adventure of course.. You want to leave this island you’ve lived on your whole life...
    But once you get there youre alone, so with your newly acquired keyblade you set out on an adventure to find them...
    Meanwhile king mickey is gone as he noticed the stars are going out… and goofy and Donald are tasked with finding the key... and guess who’s got it…
    You meet up and go on a crazy Disney adventure taking out the heartless trying to consume the different Disney worlds and snatching their princesses, so it’s up to you to battle your way to the key holes and sealing them back up…
    You’ll go to 11 different playable locations in total including places like wonderland and the 100 acre woods, meet all kinds of awesome Disney and final fantasy characters like the beast and cloud
    Some will even join your party while you’re in their worlds..
    This is a great experience for Disney fans…
    But the greatness ends there…
    Not to say it’s bad... it’s a decently fun game… but feels very dated... while it looks amazing remastered in HD… proof that looks aren’t everything...
    The biggest offenses in this game are its platforming and camera…
    The platforming is insanely stiff making some sections of the game ultra-frustrating like swinging on the vines in Tarzans jungle… and the camera locks itself…
    It isn’t 360 freedom…it chooses when you can and can’t look behind you…
    You can adjust the camera a little in the options to get it closer to your personal preferences, but it doesn’t take away the lock which can definitely get frustrating during boss battles… which is a shame because these boss battles are easily the coolest parts of the game and feature the coolest Disney villains, and all for the most part feel unique and different…
    The actual gameplay itself though feels like a bit of a drag.. there’s way too much back tracking here…
    Going to spots in the map and going back to others and back to this other spot and back to the first spot and then back to the third spot to go back to the 2nd spot and then finally back to the 1st…
    The worlds already do a bad job of feeling large as it is.. The constant back tracking makes it feel worse… I feel the game would have greatly benefited from a more linear platforming style in this case…
    Combat here is pretty basic and hack and slashy…
    As you progress through the game and level up you unlock new abilities, moves and magic to eventually be able to roll, block, counter attack, heal yourself, use fire attacks.. Just to name a few…
    And Donald and goofy have their own sets of abilities and moves they learn that can be managed in menu…
    They feel pretty useless in battle though...
    Im not sure if they get better or worse in easy or hard difficulty... but in the default difficulty they feel like theyre just there to be there…
    They have no concept of strategf programmed into them which is frustrated when dealing with shielded enemies or bosses…
    They die frequently... but thankfully do heal after a while or you can use items in battle to heal them yourself…
    You can also use sumons to call in the most fierce characters in Disney history like simba or bambi to take their place for a few seconds to offer support…
    And I cant not mention the annoying ship sections in between worlds…
    Theyre not fun… and I hope theyre gone in future titles…
    Kingdom Hearts feels like it drags on forever with its reliance on back tracking..
    But if you’re a Disney fan it’s still a pretty cool experience, taking on your favorite bad guys, meeting your favorite heroes, getting new weapons as you save their world, and helping restore balance...
    I Give Kindgom Hearts a
    7.5/10    … Expand
  89. Editman3
    Dec 5, 2016
    9
    Great Game it has some good exploration and interaction between objects and some of the best classical stories that your children can play sure its chessy for adults but its story is more motivated than any other game in the franchise even KH3 :). Combat is quite easy to pick up and the camera is quite rough in some areas but if you got it down you'll experience some of the best Ps2 games to date.
  90. ExtaticGamer
    Sep 13, 2016
    8
    Recently got back into this game. It holds up surprisingly well. At this point in the series the story wasn't completely bonkers yet, the characters are quirky and interesting, character progression is immersive. It's just as magical and engaging as it was back in '02. Yes, rotating the camera with the L2 and R2 buttons was an outdated control method even back when the game came out, andRecently got back into this game. It holds up surprisingly well. At this point in the series the story wasn't completely bonkers yet, the characters are quirky and interesting, character progression is immersive. It's just as magical and engaging as it was back in '02. Yes, rotating the camera with the L2 and R2 buttons was an outdated control method even back when the game came out, and battling can grow repetitive after a while, but the hectic nature of the battling is taxing and always demands your attention so it never grows completely stale. Plus, battling simply is a huge part of RPGs so this shouldn't be a dealbreaker. If you're a fan of RPGs you owe it to yourself to play Kingdom Hearts.… Expand
  91. ChrisMuller1992
    Jul 11, 2016
    9
    A game i started playing 2 years ago as i always use to watch my brother play it but never gotten in to it until recently,which i'm glad to cause its one heck of a game,you play as Sora,a teenage young boy who got sucked into the disney world cause of hes destiny to become the keyblader,he journeys with Donald and Goofy in the different Disney worlds while trying to find his friends whoA game i started playing 2 years ago as i always use to watch my brother play it but never gotten in to it until recently,which i'm glad to cause its one heck of a game,you play as Sora,a teenage young boy who got sucked into the disney world cause of hes destiny to become the keyblader,he journeys with Donald and Goofy in the different Disney worlds while trying to find his friends who also got sucked into their own destinys,the gameplay is very much fun than the time turns from final fantasy,as the player can move Sora in the battlefield and plays like a hack and slash,although theres still magic and summons in this one.The graphics kinda like Final Fantasy X but i can say they're better and the Disney characters look the same as in the movies.Soundtrack most of them are from Disney and you'll probably recognise it depend on which world you into,but some of them are new in this game which are also very cool to listen like the intro music. A clever idea to merge both square enix and disney in one game and what a heck of a game,no one would wanna miss this one.Whatever which platform you're playing,you won't regret this.… Expand
  92. UltraTektite
    Jul 2, 2016
    8
    Kingdom Hearts is an amazing concept that is amazingly executed. When I first heard about a Final Fantasy crossover with Disney, I thought... well, I wasn't really sure what to think, but what I am sure of is that this game turned out excellent. The combat works extremely well, the rpg elements are simple but well executed, and the graphics are on par for a PS2 game. In addition, theKingdom Hearts is an amazing concept that is amazingly executed. When I first heard about a Final Fantasy crossover with Disney, I thought... well, I wasn't really sure what to think, but what I am sure of is that this game turned out excellent. The combat works extremely well, the rpg elements are simple but well executed, and the graphics are on par for a PS2 game. In addition, the touching storyline is like no other, and the beautiful soundtrack is some of the best I've heard in a game. All that being said, however, the game is not without its flaws. For starters, the Gummi Ship parts are a pain. These low-quality railshooter portions of the game aren't challenging in the slightest, and they feel like a waste of disc space. In addition, there are many tight platforming sequences in the game that don't fit the game's loose platforming mechanics, showing some overambitious game design. Also, the camera is terrible, and objectives can be overly cryptic. But these shortcomings aside, Kingdom Hearts is a magical experience that should be enjoyed by all.… Expand
  93. JackTbug
    Jun 23, 2016
    10
    Kingdom hearts is best ps2 game, it's a crossover between disney and square, sora donald and goofy team up to find kairi and riku after got separated, get kingdom hearts for ps2.
  94. Empyrea
    May 10, 2016
    10
    I played this game like 12 or 13 years ago but I still remember that time. It was Christmas and I got my ps2 at the Christmas tree with this game and from the first moment caught me. I really loved this game because Sora had my exactly age and the mixed world of Final Fantasy and Disney attracted fans of the both sides. I remember that the plot was really strange and curious with all theI played this game like 12 or 13 years ago but I still remember that time. It was Christmas and I got my ps2 at the Christmas tree with this game and from the first moment caught me. I really loved this game because Sora had my exactly age and the mixed world of Final Fantasy and Disney attracted fans of the both sides. I remember that the plot was really strange and curious with all the darkness and heartless. What I remember the most is kicking ass of every heartless that came up. And I also remember when I finally finised this game. It was summer!! And I started playing on Christmas. Well, the thing is that the final boss it was really difficult to beat and my cousin and I where trying to defeat him. One turn he, one turn me. And I finally kick him down! What I could never defeat was the two extra final bosses. I mean for me was impossible. I think that if you are 12-16 years old you're really enjoy this game. Although I'm going to play Kingdom Hearts II now that I have time and I'm a little old for this game I think. But I believe it's gonna like me like the first Kingdom Hearts did.… Expand
  95. EpicLadySponge
    Mar 21, 2016
    9
    I've never seen a story this interesting to watch. When Disney's lovable characters meet Final Fantasy, this is what we get. I'd love to play this game 24/7 if I was you.
  96. MixedKing
    Oct 6, 2015
    10
    One of the best games I have ever played, yes the combat is simple but I think it makes it a better game as some games combat style is very complicated. I think it helps us fall into the story better and leaves us with a lasting mark on our hearts forever.
  97. Pegasus177
    Aug 12, 2015
    10
    Ok this game is now one month shy of being 13 years old and it is still a absolute treasure in my collection.
    Never mind any idiot who tells you it hasn't stood the test of time. It absolutely has. It looks as good now as some recent games and the entire game was barely 1.8Gb's in size.
    Those who tell you the story doesn't make sense clearly didn't finish it or pay attention. The story    Ok this game is now one month shy of being 13 years old and it is still a absolute treasure in my collection.
    Never mind any idiot who tells you it hasn't stood the test of time. It absolutely has. It looks as good now as some recent games and the entire game was barely 1.8Gb's in size.
    Those who tell you the story doesn't make sense clearly didn't finish it or pay attention.
    The story is amazing. You build a serious bond and attachment with the protagonist and his friends throughout the amazing journey. The ending (DONT WORRY NO SPOILERS) with absolutely touch your heart while leaving you craving the sequel for answers to so many questions.
    Anyone who says the gameplay is button mashing also didn't travel very far into the game, later enemies require different methods to be defeated and bosses in this game (unlike many games today) present a real challenge and some are incredibly hard.
    The original game launch with PS2 and I got my copy free with it. I had no interest and left it aside for a few months. I eventually decided to look at it out of boredom from playing only tekken. Within 20mins of playing I was Hooke and have played every game in the series at least twice. On standard mode and on the relative versions hard mode for the secret endings and extras. If I could suggest anythig I would say to buy the 1.5HD version instead as it adds some new mechanics, extras and looks even better to play.
    The starting point of the best game series ever!    … Expand
  98. AriseAndBe
    Aug 5, 2015
    8
    Whilst suffering from poor platforming, this game perfectly combines two major franchises into what can only be described as an extremely enjoyable experience.
  99. masgames38
    Jan 27, 2015
    10
    Amazing game! A beautiful, immersible story with depth in the characters. I really get emotional playing this.
    The battle system, while simple the first time around, is still fun and epic when you pull off these crazy spinning moves, and customization is great! However if you don't like it too much here, push your way through this one and play the sequels. They do greatly improve on it.    Amazing game! A beautiful, immersible story with depth in the characters. I really get emotional playing this.
    The battle system, while simple the first time around, is still fun and epic when you pull off these crazy spinning moves, and customization is great! However if you don't like it too much here, push your way through this one and play the sequels. They do greatly improve on it.
    I love the worlds! Each teems with creativity and really feels like you're in the movie (unless it's original) based off of. They truly leave you with the feeling that you helped save the world and restored it to its happy, musical self.
    The character interaction is touching and also comical at times, and stays positive as to keep you feeling like you WILL restore our hero's (Sora) happy ending.

    Great game for a kid who loves Disney or colorful characters, or an adult more into depth of a story. I experienced both styles back on PS2 and again with the 1.5 Mix version.

    If you like Final Fantasy, you'll love this. Rich, fun, and happy, Kingdom Hearts is a work of art.    … Expand
  100. WheelzFourReelz
    Dec 30, 2014
    8
    Kingdom Hearts is a very charming beat-em-up that has a lot of fun with its Disney worlds and overly cheesy story. It's flaws are that the game does get tedious after a little bit and the camera is pretty bad. But if you can overlook that, this is a great game.
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Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best PS2 Game of 2002
2
#2 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2002
5
#5 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 46
  3. Negative: 0 out of 46
  1. Game Informer
    95
    The battles that unfold are as beautful as they are intense, and as difficult as they are easy to manhandle. [Oct 2002, p.76]
  2. Play Magazine
    80
    To say that Kingdom Hearts is magical is an understatement. As cinematic experiences go, it's exquisite. It's not the finest in terms of action, but overall, it's wonderful. [Oct 2002, p.74]
  3. GameZone
    91
    Has a few flaws, but its unique character pairings and jaw-dropping graphics make this a remarkable RPG.
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