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. DaveE.
    Aug 13, 2003
    10
    BRILLIANT is the only word to describe it.
  2. JessS.
    Sep 30, 2003
    10
    Kingdom Hearts was the best game EVER!!! I love everything about it; the graphics, the characters, the music, EVERYTHING! It is my favorite game and I play it over and over. Square and Disney were brilliant! I do hope the sequal gets out soon, and it better be as good as the first one! I was very impressed and I hope I am impressed with the second one!
  3. PhillipG.
    Oct 12, 2004
    10
    This game is fantastic, this is one of the best game for playstation 2 even though I played it at my friends house. I was wondering if ya'll can ask the squaresoft people if they can put Kingdom Hearts for gamecube and xbox just like they did for the mobil phone can you do that for me please.
  4. LilyP.
    Jun 24, 2004
    10
    AMAZING!!! This has got to be one of the best RPGs ever. KH has such unique graphics, talented voice actors, beautiful music, and a great battle system. KH is full of nostalgia from Disney movies to Final Fantasy games; both worlds are blended perfectly.
  5. Tenoko
    Oct 27, 2005
    10
    One of the best rpgs ever, honestly. Could have done without some of the Disney innocence which took away from the dark issues and story line, but i wonderful game none the less. Wonderful graphics, HOT guys, pretty girls,and all your favorite villians! ^_^v I can't wait for KH2.
  6. Shortfuse
    Jan 4, 2006
    10
    the game is fine the only two flaws in this game are the gummi ship thing and the not able to skip the cutscenes like when ever you already scene them before is also anoying but the rest of it is so awsome and it is better then some of the final fantasy games casue the game is good for all ages.
  7. BenF.
    Jul 9, 2006
    9
    Excellent. Could have been better like KH2. This is not an RPG game.
  8. DanaK.
    Nov 2, 2007
    10
    A total awesome game, there is not another game out there that is near as good as this, it does have a couple downsides, but the activeness of the game, gives a spark, that leads to a beautiful fire!
  9. KyleG.
    Aug 29, 2007
    10
    When I first saw the commercial for this game i was like,"a disney game with all the cartoon characters? that's gonna suck!". Then I borrowed it from a friend and played through it...and I played through it again because i liked it so much, but then i had to return it to my friend. I ended up buying it just so i could beat it one more time. This game has the most charm i've ever When I first saw the commercial for this game i was like,"a disney game with all the cartoon characters? that's gonna suck!". Then I borrowed it from a friend and played through it...and I played through it again because i liked it so much, but then i had to return it to my friend. I ended up buying it just so i could beat it one more time. This game has the most charm i've ever seen in a game. The music combined with the wonderfully diverse worlds make it a memorable experience. I liked remembering the game more than playing through it. It's a very nostalgic game because you get to interact with all those disney characters you watched when you were a toddler. Either you love it or you hate it.… Expand
  10. EricB
    Jun 12, 2009
    9
    I'm just gonna go with the flow here, and say this is one of my favorite games of all time. Sure, the camera is a bit awkward most of the time, but that's just a minor problem when comparing it to the epic, exciting and memorable adventure this game has in store. The worlds are colorful and unique, and the music is incredible, bringing back memories of the cherished disney I'm just gonna go with the flow here, and say this is one of my favorite games of all time. Sure, the camera is a bit awkward most of the time, but that's just a minor problem when comparing it to the epic, exciting and memorable adventure this game has in store. The worlds are colorful and unique, and the music is incredible, bringing back memories of the cherished disney films. The characters are very likable, minus a few of the minor Final Fantasy people (Cid). The difficulty can jump around a bit, with there being about 10 or so final bosses, and the last one being one of the easiest fights in the game in comparison. But I definitely enjoyed this game a lot, and recommend it to anyone looking for a great, long action/RPG.… Expand
  11. GeorgeC.
    Nov 4, 2002
    10
    This game changed my whole perpective towards Disney characters... I didnt really liked Disney until now. This game rocks.
  12. JamesW.
    Nov 8, 2002
    9
    Yes there is an evil camera. yes the disney characters are kiddy and yes the story is cliche'. but its still one of the best told, well made games that i have played in a LONG time. the gameplay though repetitive, continued to challange even to the very end. Oh yea and the best boss battle in history is Sephiroth. I dont care what you think lance bass's voice fit perfectly.Yes there is an evil camera. yes the disney characters are kiddy and yes the story is cliche'. but its still one of the best told, well made games that i have played in a LONG time. the gameplay though repetitive, continued to challange even to the very end. Oh yea and the best boss battle in history is Sephiroth. I dont care what you think lance bass's voice fit perfectly. Arrogent but pretty at the same time. An excellent game.… Expand
  13. DannyG.
    Nov 9, 2002
    10
    This game so kicks ass! It got me to start liking the Disney characters all over again. It has some problems with the camera, but overall, Kingdom Hearts is the best RPG game I ever played on the PS2!
  14. MichaelP.
    Dec 31, 2002
    10
    This is an excellent game! Both the music and graphics are very impressive. If you love the Final Fantasy series, you'll LOVE this great game! I love how they had a lot of the Final Fantasy VII character's in this game, mixed with your favorite disney characters! The game touches on both the puzzle-thinking side, as well as the fighting side. This is a great game to reach out This is an excellent game! Both the music and graphics are very impressive. If you love the Final Fantasy series, you'll LOVE this great game! I love how they had a lot of the Final Fantasy VII character's in this game, mixed with your favorite disney characters! The game touches on both the puzzle-thinking side, as well as the fighting side. This is a great game to reach out for all ages, and can be customized to fit how fast or slow you would like the game to move! A+++++++… Expand
  15. ShaneH.
    Nov 11, 2003
    10
    This game rulez its betta then final fantasy 10 and ive completed it but still love to play it, it's one of the best games ive played!!! CLASS GAME
  16. YoyoD.
    Feb 23, 2003
    9
    I really like this game and it has real live graphics. But I wish it was a little longer and had more Disney characters in it. When you beat the game it leaves you with some questions. Like what's going to happen to Riku, King Mickey, and kairi. I hope it come out with another Kingdom Hearts. I like the game Kingdom hearts because it leave you guessing.
  17. Hellboy
    Nov 4, 2004
    10
    Man One Of The Best Games I've Played Ever And Not Just Disney But Also Final Fantasy Characters In Here Too Im Just Speachless About This Game Its So Tight.
  18. NielsM.
    Aug 12, 2004
    10
    The magic of this game is overwelming,when I first played this game I was very enthousiastic about the mix of disney and final fantasy,this game is a true masterpiece.This game gives a 20 hours fun gameplay of the highest level, go buy this pearl!!!!
  19. AdamE.
    Sep 27, 2004
    10
    This game was the best i can"t wait till the next one comes out i have looked every for the trailer.
  20. HannahL.
    Oct 31, 2005
    9
    This is such a WONDERFUL game, I love it. Such beautiful colors. I've never seen such colors in my life. Love the characters, love the story, and love the gameplay. BUT, it's very confusing at times. Overall, FANTASTIC!! I wish I could give it a 10, but it has to be a 9 because it's so confusing!
  21. AdamC.
    Apr 11, 2006
    10
    this game is the greatest game of all time and its ridiculous that it got only and 85...but the irony is that the critics are all old 40 year-old "heartless" guys who can't see past a wacky camera and excesive enemies and take in the powerful storyline and compelling characters.
  22. LarryL.
    Aug 22, 2007
    10
    The best thing ever to gaming history, its really fun, and a clever mix of ff and disney characters, as childish as it might seem, people of all ages would like this game.
  23. AnonymousMC
    Feb 22, 2008
    9
    I just bought hte game about two weeks ago, yeh how late am I, but I first played Kingdom hearts chain of memories on the gba and i freakin' loved it so when i got my PS2 the first game I bought was Kingdom Hearts and I like it even though I hate the way they made the colesium and how hard it is to beat Yuffi and Leon but I still love the game and when Iam finished with this oneI just bought hte game about two weeks ago, yeh how late am I, but I first played Kingdom hearts chain of memories on the gba and i freakin' loved it so when i got my PS2 the first game I bought was Kingdom Hearts and I like it even though I hate the way they made the colesium and how hard it is to beat Yuffi and Leon but I still love the game and when Iam finished with this one I'm going to get Kingdom Hearts 2 and hopefully I will like it just as much as I like the first one, HEM!… Expand
  24. LukeR.
    Nov 13, 2002
    10
    This game is the best adventure game since Zelda! The Story, graphics, gameplay, voices, and batlle system are 10 out of 10.
  25. RoanD.
    Dec 17, 2002
    9
    Although Square are already well known in the field for innovative game play, inventive characters and well developed plot lines, Disney have frequently failed to impress the games market with thier limited games based on single movies. The decision to team up with Square was unusual but commendable. Kingdom Hearts takes the assets of both comapnies and amalgamates them into a visually Although Square are already well known in the field for innovative game play, inventive characters and well developed plot lines, Disney have frequently failed to impress the games market with thier limited games based on single movies. The decision to team up with Square was unusual but commendable. Kingdom Hearts takes the assets of both comapnies and amalgamates them into a visually stunning, well plotted game spanning a wealth of age groups and backgrounds as no game has done since Zelda on the 64. Of particular interest is the use of many Disney locations, and teh re-emergance of Square's Final Fantasy favourites in new guises. Of all the games I have played this year, Kingdom Hearts has surpassed all and filled me with an obssession to play that I have not felt since the launch of FF7 so very long ago.… Expand
  26. MattA.
    Dec 24, 2002
    9
    At first when my mom bought it for christmas I was very skeptical about wanting it. I mean how fun would a 16 year old think a disney game is, and also i was never into Final Fantasy. But now after reading all the reviews and comments, I am pretty stoked on recieving this gift tomorrow. I hope it lives up to everybodys' word.
  27. RyanM.
    Dec 29, 2002
    10
    An immensely entertaining, hours-on-end, fully flourished game that, if I may say so myself, is the game of the year.
  28. AbeG.
    Nov 28, 2003
    8
    People underestimate this game but that's not true. Awesome gameplay, mixed with mindblowing graphics, set this game amongst the greats.
  29. RileyI.
    Dec 22, 2004
    10
    Best game i ever had.
  30. Treima
    Sep 23, 2010
    8
    The crossing of Square's Eastern RPG sensibilities with the magic of Disney results in a charming and most enjoyable journey to save your friends, your world, and the universe itself.
  31. Tyro
    Dec 16, 2010
    9
    This game should not work and probably shouldn't have sold so many copies. Its just mad that this got through. Until you play it and get sucked in. All lets go through this and cover all the bases I can. Plot: You really wouldn't believe me because its Japanese. Its not racism (at least, not intentionally) but to a tiny-minded westerner like myself, this stuff is bonkers. After waking upThis game should not work and probably shouldn't have sold so many copies. Its just mad that this got through. Until you play it and get sucked in. All lets go through this and cover all the bases I can. Plot: You really wouldn't believe me because its Japanese. Its not racism (at least, not intentionally) but to a tiny-minded westerner like myself, this stuff is bonkers. After waking up from a strange dream, Sora and his friends - Riku and Kiari - plan to get away from their still lives on a tropical island in the Destiny Islands. To do this, they build a raft. This all gets kicked in the head when Riku opens a portal of darkness (because anything else wouldn't be reckless or hard enough), sucking him, Sora and the rest of the Island with it. Sora lands somewhere new with a new weapon, the legendary Keyblade. He must find his friends and solve the mysteries surrounding his new weapon. That's the simplified version. There is so much more stuff in there to fry your brain and its fantastically presented. I've left out the games own spirituality because I'll sound like a lunatic. The word 'heart' is used to much, it might actually be being used as punctuation. It's a little nuts to a westerner but in a good way. While the inclusion of Final Fantasy VII characters is nice because its a J-RPG with all this pseudo-spirituality mushiness, some players may be turned off. Others maybe turned off further by the Disney characters running around. All the characters are written quite authentically but they all appear to have been affected by Square Enix's presence. Even the colourful Disney characters have hints of the same unrealistic hollowness that seems to effect Final Fantasy characters when Square removed a portion of their emotions. But, the characters still have their charms, it just depends on which you are in the company off. Jack Skeleton is the agreed high point with Pooh and Ursula actually having any real appeal. Gameplay: This is odd. Kingdom Hearts looked at the RPG norm but then screwed in hack and slash elements instead. This does actually work quite well as a basher of the RPG norm. If you can't be bothered to fight, there is a chance you can escape without being killed by simply running away. If you were ever annoyed with randomly missing in Turn-based RPG's then Kingdom Hearts challenges you to catch the git yourself. Want to hit someone? Push X. No need to let the computer do anything. If you do, simply mash the X button like a manic woodpecker, you run the risk of constant attack so you can gain extra moves to pull to avoid and defend against attacks. Avoiding works well but defending requires practice. Otherwise, a normal RPG but be warned. This game might look cute and cuddly but its difficulty curve is there to make you think otherwise. It can be pretty nasty and does require some grinding for some of those massive bosses. Although, not all the bosses are massive. The developers must have realised that a normal sized boss is just as, if not more of a threat than a larger one. Asthetics: It looks lovely more or less through out. Its bright, colourful and appealing. Overall: Very good. Agreed, Disney characters aren't always the best to hang around with but its good but to smack Yuffie in the face with a massive key. Didn't I mention that?… Expand
  32. 06Morrow
    Feb 16, 2011
    10
    Probably the most underrated PS2 game of all time, along with it's sequel, Kingdom Hearts is a phenomenal game. Interesting and new RPG mechanics mixed with splendid graphics and gameplay make it stand out but it is the story that will entice you. Following Sora's quest to save his friends becomes entertaining, heart-warming, beautiful, sinister and quite frankly, brilliant. Until KingdomProbably the most underrated PS2 game of all time, along with it's sequel, Kingdom Hearts is a phenomenal game. Interesting and new RPG mechanics mixed with splendid graphics and gameplay make it stand out but it is the story that will entice you. Following Sora's quest to save his friends becomes entertaining, heart-warming, beautiful, sinister and quite frankly, brilliant. Until Kingdom Hearts 3 is released (any day now), there will never be another game like this again.… Expand
  33. KendylKlownfish
    Apr 11, 2011
    8
    Kingdom Hearts will more or less appeal to the older demographic than its target Disney audience. Pros: An unexpectedly perfect blend of Disney and Square, solid action RPG gameplay, and glossy soundtrack. Cons: Hit or miss visuals and a bit over-complex storyline.
  34. jomac97
    Mar 26, 2011
    10
    Kingdom Hearts is probably one of the most unkown and underrated games on the Playstation 2. I have both Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 and play them all the time, you definitely have to buy this game.
  35. ohaiKendyl
    May 22, 2011
    8
    Final Fantasy and RPG lovers have fallen in love with Kingdom Hearts, a surprising, but entirely unique collaboration between Square Enix and Disney. Pros: Beautiful visuals; innovative battle system; lots of Disney worlds to explore; fantastic soundtrack. Cons: The story may be too confusing or melodramatic for some to follow; boring gummi ship sequences; quirky camera.
  36. JoJomonkey
    May 23, 2011
    9
    THIS IS A GREAT GAME you need to buy this game it's fun and lasts for months and the people who gave it a low score because it's hard aren't the best gamers it's hard somtimes which is a very good thing, BUY IT NOW!!!
  37. ccarroll21
    Sep 17, 2011
    10
    I can't keep track of how many times I've played this. I've even made my own strategy guide, not that I need one. I love visiting all the different Disney movies, I think the only bad thing I would say is I wish they included more! I also love that they managed to rally together almost all the original voice actors to all these movies.
  38. Rule2006
    Dec 1, 2011
    9
    Now I have to admit, whenever I hear about a new Kingdom Hearts game, I go mental (except for Kingdom Hearts 365 1/2 Days). When I first got this game, I thought it was one of those games that wasn't getting that much hype and wasn't fun to play, but I was way, WAY wrong. Kingdom Hearts is a great RPG, but not the same type that you would expect from something like The Witcher 2, with allNow I have to admit, whenever I hear about a new Kingdom Hearts game, I go mental (except for Kingdom Hearts 365 1/2 Days). When I first got this game, I thought it was one of those games that wasn't getting that much hype and wasn't fun to play, but I was way, WAY wrong. Kingdom Hearts is a great RPG, but not the same type that you would expect from something like The Witcher 2, with all of the swords, medieval like worlds and girls. Kingdom Hearts still has a lot of collecting. There's collecting key-chains, collecting new and more powerful weapons for your companions, Donald and Goofy to use, and collecting blocks in space missions, Kingdom Hearts is still an RPG and a great one too. The game also has the perfect amount of challenge, even after having this game for a few years now, I still haven't beaten the last boss. Fail, yes I know. The only thing I think they should improve on, is the combat, you'll mainly be pressing the attack button for most of the game, but when you get near the end of the game, you start to get some really awesome stuff.… Expand
  39. BasilZero
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    Incredible RPG-Action game made by Squareenix featuring the beloved Squareenix and Disney characters all in the same universe fighting against the evil heartless who threaten to destroy their world. This game contains old classic disney characters, their worlds and the music as playable stages. You take the role of Sora who team up with Donald and Goofy to save the worlds from theIncredible RPG-Action game made by Squareenix featuring the beloved Squareenix and Disney characters all in the same universe fighting against the evil heartless who threaten to destroy their world. This game contains old classic disney characters, their worlds and the music as playable stages. You take the role of Sora who team up with Donald and Goofy to save the worlds from the heartless. Storyline, Music, Graphics all perfect score bundled with incredible gameplay and nostalgia.… Expand
  40. dluo
    Dec 26, 2011
    9
    The first game I ever own with the first gaming system I ever own. The score I give this game is mostly based on the fond memory I had as a kid playing this game. Its the games you play as a kid that is the most memorable with the most impact. I won't review this game critically since my judgement will be biased based on the fact its the first game I ever own. But I'm sure even if I neverThe first game I ever own with the first gaming system I ever own. The score I give this game is mostly based on the fond memory I had as a kid playing this game. Its the games you play as a kid that is the most memorable with the most impact. I won't review this game critically since my judgement will be biased based on the fact its the first game I ever own. But I'm sure even if I never played this game before and just picked it up yesterday I'll still find it very enjoyable.… Expand
  41. daisy65130
    Dec 29, 2011
    10
    Played this game for the first time 10 years after it was made. The greatest game I've ever played. Great simple story, loving characters, great voice acting. Everything you could ask for.
  42. SleepingLionX
    Mar 16, 2012
    9
    A fantastic start to a franchise. Square pulls all the stops for this great Action-RPG: great story, great settings, fluid (if somewhat simple) battle system, and fantastic PS2-era graphics. The story is one of the best of the PS2 and perfectly sets up its line of sequels. It does have it's problems, though. The camera is very flawed, the abilities don't have much of an effect compared toA fantastic start to a franchise. Square pulls all the stops for this great Action-RPG: great story, great settings, fluid (if somewhat simple) battle system, and fantastic PS2-era graphics. The story is one of the best of the PS2 and perfectly sets up its line of sequels. It does have it's problems, though. The camera is very flawed, the abilities don't have much of an effect compared to the later games, and some oddly corny writing in some of the Disney worlds that are more filler than advancing the plot. Overall, its a solid, very fun RPG that pulls off its premise with flying colors.… Expand
  43. wesker2012
    May 27, 2012
    10
    An Amazing game and one of my favorite games of all time! Disney and Square Enix characters together??!! What better combo than that! I always wanted to play a game with my childhood favorite characters in it...and this game does it the best. You feel like this world is a real world with real danger. And your favorite characters are real too! You want to see them get thru their ordeal!
  44. Welterweight426
    Jun 9, 2012
    9
    A great, fun game. The story is fun and enjoyable and the combat is pretty good. The gummi ship and camera are kinda meh but overall its one of the best PS2 games.
  45. Augument
    Sep 21, 2012
    9
    Fantastic game and story line but as in most new B-games it has a few downsides.
    Pros: Good graphs, Nostalgic story but still very cheesy and childish. YOu actually need to block instead of just mash your buttons. Good music, Gameplay works.
    Cons: Bad voice acting, Camera are a bit difficult to handle, characters are a little to lolita but otherwise a great game
  46. kingdomhearts
    Sep 1, 2013
    10
    This is my favorite video game of all time. I have beaten the game over ten times and it still never gets old or boring. what makes it such a good game is how.it has disney character s mixed.in with final fantasy. The game also has a lot of emotion and a lot heart breaking moments making it have a good story line. any one into magic, upgrades, hearts, weapons, love, disney, or finalThis is my favorite video game of all time. I have beaten the game over ten times and it still never gets old or boring. what makes it such a good game is how.it has disney character s mixed.in with final fantasy. The game also has a lot of emotion and a lot heart breaking moments making it have a good story line. any one into magic, upgrades, hearts, weapons, love, disney, or final fantasy will love this game.… Expand
  47. brahmeek
    Dec 10, 2014
    10
    i think this was the best kingdom hearts ever i mena it starts off slow because you are roxas but it gets way better after him. so man bosses lol for some reason i cant get past the dance water dance guy though.
  48. 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.
  49. 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
  50. 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
  51. Jacob
    Sep 3, 2013
    8
    Overall, Kingdom Hearts is an enjoyable experiences. I will admit that the game has some big problems that are annoying that can and in a lot of cases have turned people off to the game like the lack of direction there are some redeeming factors. The story is good, the Disney worlds look great, the score is wonderful, combat is fun, and some of the side stuff is enjoyable. There is a lotOverall, Kingdom Hearts is an enjoyable experiences. I will admit that the game has some big problems that are annoying that can and in a lot of cases have turned people off to the game like the lack of direction there are some redeeming factors. The story is good, the Disney worlds look great, the score is wonderful, combat is fun, and some of the side stuff is enjoyable. There is a lot of good stuff in this game which is why am able to enjoy it despite some annoyances I have with the game. And I was not the only one. Lots of people enjoyed this game and it became a hit, which led to numerous sequels which all spanned from this original game. If you have not played it yet I’d say check it out. If you have a PS2 just get the game because it is probably real cheep by now and you have nothing to lose by buying it. If you have a PS3 than I’d say rent the HD Collection if you are unsure because some people can and have been turned off by the game and you could to. But I am not. Even though the game has problems I still enjoy it, have a lot of fun playing, and continue to play it to this day… Expand
  52. MrMallard
    Jul 28, 2012
    8
    I'm writing this review as a "converted" fan. At first, I hated this game with a passion; the camera was absolutely atrocious, the control scheme was different. The dialogue was alright, but it seemed jumpy at times. After getting stuck on every boss, I just gave up for a few months.

    To like this game, you will need patience. If you're expecting to just jump in and kick ass, play Jak    I'm writing this review as a "converted" fan. At first, I hated this game with a passion; the camera was absolutely atrocious, the control scheme was different. The dialogue was alright, but it seemed jumpy at times. After getting stuck on every boss, I just gave up for a few months.

    To like this game, you will need patience. If you're expecting to just jump in and kick ass, play Jak and Daxter instead; this game does not give you any breaks. I'd call it a wake-up call for me, because it was literally one of the nicest looking, but difficult games I had ever played at the time. This was around 2009.

    After manning up and actually playing this monster, I found it to be very enjoyable. The music is excellent, but the song snippets used in every world are very short and get repetitive. The character models were pretty good for 2001, the combat is really fun (as apposed to Final Fantasy's clunky combat system) and the story is simple, but great.

    I'm giving this an 8 because of the memorable music, great voiceacting (despite a few bugs here and there) and great story. It misses out on a 10 because the control scheme takes some getting used to and usually ends up messing with your muscle memory, and because that **** CAMERA.    … Expand
  53. 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.
  54. Jouna92
    Dec 26, 2013
    8
    Engaging adventure that you should take. Brilliant art style, orchestral score, good voice acting, original story and new kind of RPG gameplay. Interested? Wonky camera and plot holes are few downsides.
  55. EricHarmon
    Oct 26, 2013
    9
    ah, kingdom hearts. one of the most unique and magical experiences i've had in gaming. the story is interesting, the voice acting is top-notch, the battle system is one of the most creative i've seen in rpgs, although it is kind of simple and i do think there could have been more abilities you could use it is still a great game. but this is just the first, the other games the other gamesah, kingdom hearts. one of the most unique and magical experiences i've had in gaming. the story is interesting, the voice acting is top-notch, the battle system is one of the most creative i've seen in rpgs, although it is kind of simple and i do think there could have been more abilities you could use it is still a great game. but this is just the first, the other games the other games offer even more excitement to enjoy.… Expand
  56. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    8
    Played on PlayStation 2.
    Gameplay: GOOD.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Dialogue: GOOD.
  57. dman4380
    Oct 27, 2012
    8
    At first glance, a Disney/Final Fantasy cross-over game seems preposterous. But the product itself is incredible. I first played this game back in 2003, when my family got a PlayStation 2. The dark themes and the Heartless scared the heck out of me to begin with - albeit I was quite young. I didn't actually finish the game until 2007, because I had finally gotten how it worked by then.At first glance, a Disney/Final Fantasy cross-over game seems preposterous. But the product itself is incredible. I first played this game back in 2003, when my family got a PlayStation 2. The dark themes and the Heartless scared the heck out of me to begin with - albeit I was quite young. I didn't actually finish the game until 2007, because I had finally gotten how it worked by then. Since then, I've played through it again at least half a dozen times. This is one of my all-time favourite games. There's lots to love about it. The combat is enjoyable to its core, though heavily relies on button-mashing. The story line is touching and well thought-out. The graphics and sounds are beautiful. The worlds and characters are very authentic and a real treat. And there's still plenty to do outside the main story, such as finding all 99 Dalmatian puppies, or winning all the extra Colosseum matches. True, the game does have its flaws. The combat system can become tedious and you'll practically break the X button, there's a lack of characters other than the cameos and the main original characters, the Gummi Ship was generally boring and made worse due to the fact that it's mandatory early in the game, and there's no way to skip the cutscenes. Still, I think this game is definitely worth playing through again and again. I found it to be so good that the entire Kingdom Hearts saga has become a must-have for me. Any RPG, Disney or Final Fantasy fan will get a kick out of this.… Expand
  58. Rox22
    Jan 30, 2013
    8
    A really fun and unique game. Absolutely fantastic visuals, great Disney characters, fun gameplay and decent voice acting. The combat mechanics are really great, but are hampered by annoying camera controls at times. The plot is ....... OK, I can not say it is bad just a bit uninteresting. Sora is a bit flat as a character and it is really hard to identify with him. He is a rather genericA really fun and unique game. Absolutely fantastic visuals, great Disney characters, fun gameplay and decent voice acting. The combat mechanics are really great, but are hampered by annoying camera controls at times. The plot is ....... OK, I can not say it is bad just a bit uninteresting. Sora is a bit flat as a character and it is really hard to identify with him. He is a rather generic JRPG protagonist. Some of the side quests and mini-games do feel a little underwhelming or just under developed. Overall: Regardless of its minor flaws it is a fun game that is highly enjoyable. It truly does feel like a Disney game, just a shame the Square aspects fall a little flat.… Expand
  59. MDG397
    Mar 1, 2013
    10
    This is my favorite game of all time and always will be, and I have good reason for it. Almost everything in this game is perfect. Fun, engaging gameplay will keep you playing it for hours upon hours until you beat it. The soundtrack is one of the most beautiful soundtracks in all of gaming, good voice acting too with great voices for all of the Disney characters and the main characters.This is my favorite game of all time and always will be, and I have good reason for it. Almost everything in this game is perfect. Fun, engaging gameplay will keep you playing it for hours upon hours until you beat it. The soundtrack is one of the most beautiful soundtracks in all of gaming, good voice acting too with great voices for all of the Disney characters and the main characters. The environments in the game are crafted beautifully, especially for a PS2 game, the Disney worlds gave SquareSoft a lot of diversity to put into to the games graphical style. The game should easily be fun for everyone with a challenging difficulty that's not too hard, but it's not very easy as well, any gamer would like the difficulty. The best part about the game is the story though, it should please any gamer. I'm not going to give anything away about the story because I feel that if you're going to play the game that you should experience it for yourself, because that can make just a little better. I will say that the story is very depressing and sad, but in my opinion that's the best kind of story, the kind that make you emotional and make you care about it. I literally have one, and only one problem with the game, and that's the camera. The camera is a bit weird in small areas and is a bit disorienting, but it's not really a big deal. You'll only get annoyed by it in a few areas of the game that are just small areas, but you don't really need to go to places like that a lot. As I said before, this game is nearly perfect in every way, and it's an easy recommendation for any person who likes video games. Your life is not complete until you've played Kingdom Hearts, and I mean that.… Expand
  60. AOEGamer
    Jan 22, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When you put Final Fantasy characters and Disney Characters together in the same game and try to make a masterpiece of epic proportion, you get Square Soft's Kingdom Hearts. This unlikely action RPG has been getting heads rolling and some tilting in confusion of this strange crossover between two franchise you would probably never see together. But the game has created a huge fanbase and sparked many sequels and prequels into the series. Story: The main character of the game is Sora, a 14 year old boy who lives on Destiny Island who dreams of venturing to different worlds due to the fact that his best friend Kairi was originally from a different world. They were all set to go until a storm sent him through a wormhole and he was forced to face off against the creatures of the dark known as the Heartless. Sora also obtained the mysterious weapon known as the Keyblade and teams up with Donald Duck and Goofy to find his friends, the missing king of Disney Castle and save the worlds from being destroyed by the Heartless.

    Gameplay: Like an other type of RPG, you have to level up your player character and your party, Sora is the only character you can play with in the game since he's the main protagonist of the series. Like in Final Fantasy, Spells and Items have been brought into play, and also character classes as well. Donald is a Mage, while Goofy is a Knight. On the journey after finishing a world, you will receive a new Keyblade to a equip which may give you a certain type of bonus that might affect your status, strength, health, or magic. Also depending on the world you are in you might get an ally who is native to that world (ex: Peter Pan, Tarzan, or Beast). As an Action RPG, the game isn't too difficult and easy to figure out, even though you can mash the x button to keep attacking your opponent, there is still some strategy to the game like adding equipment, healing party members, and using magic against certain enemies, it is also important to change in variety of strategy to attack enemies because some enemies might not be easy to just bash in the face the entire time. When fighting the Darkside Boss, I found using the Thundaga spell easier then waiting to hit the boss in the face.

    Music: The music of the game is very good, and memorable as well, I find myself humming the theme to Kingdom Hearts from time to time. Also in the Disney World, some recognizable to tunes can be heard.

    Difficulty: The main campaign of the game isn't that hard as long as you know how to play an RPG in the right way, to newcomers, you may 2 or 3 times against a boss. Optional things might prove to be a challenge later on like the Phantom Boss, you can not be hit by physical attacks.    … Expand
  61. 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.
  62. WinterSoldierAM
    Jul 2, 2013
    10
    Few game series have ever conveyed such depth and emotion in their games and stayed loyal to fans the way Kingdom Hearts has. This being the beginning of the series it deserves a lot of credit. I was a lot younger when this game first came out and didn't fully appreciate all the amazing character development, story, and other amazing concepts in this game, but I still loved the game forFew game series have ever conveyed such depth and emotion in their games and stayed loyal to fans the way Kingdom Hearts has. This being the beginning of the series it deserves a lot of credit. I was a lot younger when this game first came out and didn't fully appreciate all the amazing character development, story, and other amazing concepts in this game, but I still loved the game for the characters and worlds. People tend to get lost in the story due to it's multiplatform approach, the main villain isn't even shown on console but instead in Birth by Sleep, nonetheless fans are willing to go that distance in order to experience something truly amazing. Some people can't understand how fans are so in love with this series and they possibly never will. The people on Metacritic who undercut this game are simplistic i their thinking and create their reviews to anger true fans. This series deserves better, if you want to get lost in the best series ever made here is the starting line.… Expand
  63. Infielozo
    Oct 29, 2013
    8
    This game measures up story-wise to good RPG standards, at times it's very cheesy, but it works. The button mashing system is plain and simple but effective. The characters are memorable with some guest appearances from square that add to the likability. The music is epic, but the mini games and ship upgrading eventually become tedious. Navigation in this game is linear but sometimesThis game measures up story-wise to good RPG standards, at times it's very cheesy, but it works. The button mashing system is plain and simple but effective. The characters are memorable with some guest appearances from square that add to the likability. The music is epic, but the mini games and ship upgrading eventually become tedious. Navigation in this game is linear but sometimes messy, the brightest spot in the game to me was the coliseum challenge, it added depth and worthy challenges. Overall it is worth a shot, but it is not for everyone, this is a good place to start in RPG gaming.… Expand
  64. Moooo
    Feb 21, 2014
    10
    This is one of the first games I played as a kid, and is my favorite game ever. First off, the combat is really fun, and I don't understand why some people don't like it. It is not a button mashing game at all. If you button mash in this game, you will not make it very far at all. The enemies can BLOCK YOU, so button mashing is a very bad idea. Another thing is the story is amazing. It isThis is one of the first games I played as a kid, and is my favorite game ever. First off, the combat is really fun, and I don't understand why some people don't like it. It is not a button mashing game at all. If you button mash in this game, you will not make it very far at all. The enemies can BLOCK YOU, so button mashing is a very bad idea. Another thing is the story is amazing. It is easily one of my favorite stories in a video game. There are a few really great plot twists, notably at Hollow Bastion, a world later in the game. If you don't play the game past that world, you are missing a lot of amazing cut scenes. Overall, this is still one great RPG.… Expand
  65. msmythe365
    Mar 2, 2014
    10
    I do not play video games very often, and this was the first one I ever finished. The story is fabulous, and I love the characters and art.

    The game gets more difficult at an excellent pace, and it gives you time to go back and level up or practice at worlds you've already beaten. The only thing I didn't care for was the gummi ships. I hated having to use it once per level, and I    I do not play video games very often, and this was the first one I ever finished. The story is fabulous, and I love the characters and art.

    The game gets more difficult at an excellent pace, and it gives you time to go back and level up or practice at worlds you've already beaten.

    The only thing I didn't care for was the gummi ships. I hated having to use it once per level, and I never did figure out how to build one or why anyone would want to. I just held down the button to fire the whole time.    … Expand
  66. 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!
  67. 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
  68. dshjfbhf
    Dec 5, 2014
    9
    I first played Kingdom Hearts as a kid on the ps2 and it was by far amazing, the characters were strongly developed and the plot was amazing. Disney and final fantasy characters with some fresh faces, it was a winning formula. The actual gameplay was great, the battle system, level system, and abilities were all designed without flaw. I played this game so much I had leveled up 99 andI first played Kingdom Hearts as a kid on the ps2 and it was by far amazing, the characters were strongly developed and the plot was amazing. Disney and final fantasy characters with some fresh faces, it was a winning formula. The actual gameplay was great, the battle system, level system, and abilities were all designed without flaw. I played this game so much I had leveled up 99 and battled all of the secret bosses. The only reason I give this game a 9 instead of 10 is because I liked Kingdom Hearts II more.… Expand
  69. 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
  70. 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
  71. 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
  72. 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.
  73. 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
  74. 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.
  75. 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
  76. 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
  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. 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
  79. 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
  80. 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
  81. 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...
  82. 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
  83. 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.
  84. 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
  85. maturene
    Dec 22, 2018
    8
    Luego escribo una review desas que ahora mismo me da pereza y tal. me cagoento
  86. 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
  87. 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.
  88. 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
  89. Kingdomhear
    Dec 5, 2020
    10
    Un sogno ad occhi aperti...riesce a entrare nei cuori dei giocatori ...da giocare con il cuore !!!
  90. 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
  91. 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.
  92. 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
  93. 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!
  94. 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
  95. 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.
  96. 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
  97. emilyratesgames
    Mar 29, 2021
    9
    Score: 9
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  98. 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
  99. 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
  100. 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
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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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