User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1277 Ratings

User score distribution:
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. Nov 22, 2017
    6
    Kingdom Hearts is a game--a somewhat functional game with Disney and Final Fantasy characters. That is all the good things that I can say about it. The game has one of the worst cameras of all time. The combat is just mashing x over and over again. The difficulty is extremely inconsistent; 90% is button mashing, but then you have to strategize. You aren't prepared for that because the restKingdom Hearts is a game--a somewhat functional game with Disney and Final Fantasy characters. That is all the good things that I can say about it. The game has one of the worst cameras of all time. The combat is just mashing x over and over again. The difficulty is extremely inconsistent; 90% is button mashing, but then you have to strategize. You aren't prepared for that because the rest of the game is so easy. The only reason you will ever die is because you were trying to heal and got hit. The level design is horrible. The boss fights are atrocious, specifically Cerberus, Ursula, and Ansem. The end of the game is ridiculously hard unless you do some side-quests, with 15-minute enemy gauntlets that you have to start all over if you die. The story is uninteresting. Mediocre game. Expand
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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.
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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.
  14. Dec 5, 2016
    5
    Disney and Final Fantasy is OK. But I would rather play a Final Fantasy game just by itself. The game was as good as I expected. The other games are pretty good. 5/10
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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.
  19. 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
  20. 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.
  21. 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.
  22. 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
  23. 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.
  24. 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
  25. 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.
  26. Dec 26, 2014
    7
    Just finished this game, 12 years after its release. It's definitely not what a lot of fanboys make it out to be. The story is ok, slightly emotional but nothing that would bring one to tears.

    The camera had me tearing my hair out. Gameplay is repetitious and often simply not fun. The (highest) difficulty was uneven through parts of the game and at times required level grinding.
    Just finished this game, 12 years after its release. It's definitely not what a lot of fanboys make it out to be. The story is ok, slightly emotional but nothing that would bring one to tears.

    The camera had me tearing my hair out. Gameplay is repetitious and often simply not fun. The (highest) difficulty was uneven through parts of the game and at times required level grinding.

    I will admit, being able to party up with familiar Disney characters is pretty cool. The graphics for their time look very good. Voice casting is excellent, though the dialog at times leaves something to be desired.

    Even with all the negatives I plan to play through the sequel. Just don't go into the game expecting to have your mind blown.
    Expand
  27. 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.
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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

Awards & Rankings

21
2
#2 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2002
5
#5 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2002
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 46
  2. 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. Has a few flaws, but its unique character pairings and jaw-dropping graphics make this a remarkable RPG.