Re:coded, Re:cycled, Re:viewed
I really want to like the Kingdom Hearts games. Having two juggernauts like Square-Enix and Disney merge their complete stable of franchises together to create one of the most impressive crossovers in the entertainment industry is a very appealing concept. Unfortunately, after actually playing the original Kingdom Hearts all the way up to the end, I found myself considerably underwhelmed. The problem with Kingdom Hearts is that it wants to be a 3D platformer like Sly Cooper, but it also wants to be a Final Fantasy-style RPG, and on top of that it also wants to be a character action game like God of War. And those are just the most prominent influences – Kingdom Hearts games frequently echo even more gameplay styles (such as a Star Fox-style rail shooter or a Tony Hawk-inspired skateboarder), making it the textbook definition of “Jack of all trades, master of none”. No single gameplay element is very good on its own, and I personally sleep-walked my way through the first Kingdom Hearts, finding nothing really challenging or particularly special about the game. Despite my boredom, as the series continued I could not help but keep tabs on where the franchise headed next. It was inevitable, then, that I would eventually find myself giving the series another chance to win me over, and that ended up being Kingdom Hearts: Re:coded for the Nintendo DS.
This probably looks familiar.
Perhaps that was not the smartest idea – Re:coded got its start as Kingdom Hearts: Coded for mobile phones in Japan. Re:coded obviously leverages a slightly higher budget to rework the game up to Nintendo DS standards, but that does not change the fact that it is essentially a thinly-veiled excuse to retread most of the content from the first Kingdom Hearts game. And not just any retread: Re:coded comes after multiple other Kingdom Hearts games repeatedly forcing you back through familiar locations like Traverse Town, Hercules‘ Colosseum, and Alice‘s Wonderland. When I say that Re:coded is the same way, I’m not trying to be clever – the small handful of locations it cribs from the original Kingdom Hearts are pretty much as identical to their Playstation 2 counterparts as the Nintendo DS can muster. Re:coded does make an effort to freshen up these recycled environments in the form of “data glitches” (more on those in a moment), but for the most part, if you remember how to get around Agrabah from Aladdin, a lot of that knowledge still applies.
The plot kicks off with Jiminy Cricket (who was typically in charge of saving your game) discovering that his journal is mysteriously blank. In something that only makes sense in the context of the Kingdom Hearts universe, we learn that Jiminy’s journal is actually some sort of magic supercomputer and that the data contained within – records of everything that happened in the original Kingdom Hearts – have become “corrupted”. Utilizing the aid of King Mickey Mouse, they create a digital A.I. version of Sora, who is released in to the Journal’s “datascape” to repair the damage by hand. What follows is a typical “this seems kind of silly but the characters are treating it deathly seriously” Kingdom Hearts plotline that you’ve either come to love or hate over the years.
KH: Not really the best 2D platformer.
In gameplay terms, this means that while you may find the layout of Traverse Town to be nearly identical, the game will sometimes change things up in the form of “glitches”. Sometimes, glitches are as simple as the addition of dozens of crates strewn around the environment. Other times, glitches manifest as brand new VR-mission-style challenge rooms, where you wager money and experience on completing special tasks in small, controlled environments. The biggest changes are generally reserved for the end of a given world, where glitches frequently transform Re:coded in to a completely different kind of game, such as a side-scrolling platformer or a turn-based RPG. Unfortunately, like the original Kingdom Hearts before it, many of them are too simplistic and lack the depth and polish you get out of games dedicated exclusively to those specific mechanics.
Which is a shame, because when Re:coded isn’t indulging its own schizophrenia, the changes and additions it makes to the base Kingdom Hearts gameplay are welcome. Sora’s abilities are augmented by what the game calls “matrixes”. Of the three matrixes, the Stat Matrix is the most interesting: essentially presented with a motherboard layout, you plug microchips in to connect circuits. Building circuits to expansion slots will unlock new abilities for Sora, and bridging multiple processors greatly enhances Sora’s strength. Then there are cheat processors, perhaps the most interesting element of the Stat Matrix – complete a circuit to one of these, and you can modify base game functions, like how strong enemies are versus how frequently rare loot drops, allowing you to customize the difficulty of the game any way you see fit. On top of that, the Stat Matrix grows in size each time you complete a world, and it’s not long before you have more options than you do chips, forcing you to make choices on how you want to build out Sora’s abilities. That’s not even touching the Gear Matrix, which allows you to equip new keyblades and customize their various tech trees – or the Command Matrix, where two offensive spells are powered up and combined to make new attacks. In short, Kingdom Hearts: Re:coded gives you a lot of room to define your own play style, and when the game sticks to Sora fighting Heartless, it’s genuinely enjoyable.
I came away from Kingdom Hearts: Re:coded a little more impressed than I initially expected. It corrects some of the issues that made me initially steer clear of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, like the complete lack of difficulty and the bland combat. That being said, I hesitate to classify the game as “good”. There’s some really cool, fun systems in here, but too often they’re obscured in favor of yet another distracting gameplay shift, and its reliance on recycling content from 9 years ago make it more apt to classify the game as simply being “tolerable”. It’s one of those games that you don’t really hate – instead, it remains just enjoyable enough to hold your attention to the ending. I’m not going to tell you to avoid Kingdom Hearts: Re:coded, but it’s difficult to recommend the game and maintain a clean conscience.
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I don’t know wheither to smile, frown, or just have an 8 look in my face here lol. The first KH I really liked. Yeah the difficulty was well to be lacking a serious challenge but try out those Gold and Platinum matches at the herc colosseum in KH1 cause some of those ones if you don’t know what your doing you can get yer @r$e handed to ya without a tear lol. Anywho…yeah I will agree that Re:Coded does take the bits and pieces of the origional KH and compress them into this game…not bad but it leaves ya thinkin WTF? in some spots cause things aren’t where they’re supposed to be if your memory is sharp enough to remember how things went in the first game LOL. I also will admit I still have yet to work on this game fully cause I got to play some of it when my nephew got it but I do have mixed feelings about the series as it has been ongoing since 2007. I guess time will tell where it will go from here…but hey ya know since Sonic appeared in Smash Bros. Brawl….who says we can’t have it epically Segaisney’d? Food for thought…some will like that idea…others will probably hate it. Hell the disney/squaresoft cross over for the most part worked from what I can see. It became very widely popular….Smash Bros Brawl was just epic no matter how ya look at it LOL…I must admit…I was not entirely shocked when I saw Sonic make the Brawl roster since Sonic got a Wii title back in 2006-2007…but I will say it did put a smile on my face cause I don’t think too many people expected it back then and well I must say having the blue blur in that was just too much fun. So if Sonic did another cross over or say another smash bros would come…We need to have a lot more characters added to the roster…lets say get a couple of companies involved here….get a big batch of sega characters for instance…hehehe like the entire roster from all stars racing…get a big pile of characters from capcom, atari and ofcourse nintendo etc. I mean go all out on that. Make it EPIC! Just like Super Mario Bros Z…Sorry for the long blogment here but hey if you hate the idea fine with me if you love the idea kewl too.
It was a fine game, but ultimately inconsequential to the overall story and off-putting for newcomers. Birth by Sleep is WAAAAY better.
Have you tried Birth By Sleep? Well obviously not, but if you really want to get into the series a bit more, it’s not a bad place to start. I haven’t tried Re:coded, but BBS is generally considered one of the best Kingdom Hearts games, if not THE best.
@The_Soul_Gauge I don’t have a PSP and don’t think I really want one :p
Is it just a concidence that every KH that ISN’T on the Playstation blows? Seriously, 358/2 Days was, like this game, a rehash that is completely inconsequential to the plot. As for Re:coded, you summed up my thoughts pretty well. While the orginal Kingdom Hearts is one of my favorite games of all time (KHII was great as well), that doesn’t mean I want to replay it 3 times with slightly different combat methods. Thats why Birth By Sleep is easily the best spin-off: It was completely original, and had an excellent battle system to boot.
My first thought when I saw the title of this article: I wonder what Vulpine is gonna say about this. XD
But seriously, nice review.
WHO need this game?!
We need Ninokuni (Ghibli Studio) DS/PS3
and Radiant Historia.
REAL rpgs.
ok. WTF this has to do with Sonic?!!!!
“ok. WTF this has to do with Sonic?!!!!”
YES! You get the point!
I suggest create “other reviews”.
and create one sections for ps3,Wii,360,DS and PSP.
And start since Metal Gear 4 or etc etc
To anyone perturbed by the fact we’re reviewing and covering items other than Sonic (as we’ve done from time to time since the ’08 relaunch) — the slogan of this site is “Beyond Blue” for a reason.
-T
“the slogan of this site is “Beyond Blue” for a reason.”
Since this is “Beyond Blue”.
Now, you need put the rainbow (aka SF4,MVC3 and other reviews)
I love read reviews =)
Thanks
@Krazee
LOL, I know, right? XDD
I agree with the review… except I couldn’t continue playing at all since I thought it was horrible
@Jak
@Lucas
There’s more to gaming then just Sonic. Doesn’t make much sense to have a reviews section when there’s only two or three Sonic games per year, and most of them release in November, right? Even Sonic fans have to find something else to play in the interim. Why limit yourselves?
The Kingdom Hearts series is a piece of filthy garbage anyway, and I wish they would stop making more games in the series. So please, no more positive reviews about it. Whoever likes Kingdom Hearts is likely to make things worse.
@Shadowbane2009
No, I don’t want Sonic to crossover with anything that’s Disney. And besides, it will never happen, no matter how much idiots think otherwise.
I actually find myself liking the concept of the Kingdom Hearts games FAR MORE than the actual games themselves x.x
KH1 was really good, everything after that was just repetative. IMHO i really think square enix needs to take a long look at this franchise and figure out how they should continue it….
“Why limit yourselves?”
This is not my fault!
The next pre order game coming in april 19, Mortal Kombat PS3 with kratos.
I finished all games on my consoles.
Don’t have more games for me =P
But, I try another finish on Radiant Historia and try play ninokuni in jap.
Vulpine, go jump of a bridge.
Go ahead and edit that Tristan, but you know he deserved that
*off. Fuck.
@Lucas Hinz
omg, now Randiant Historia !!!!
Haven’t beaten it yet, but i friggin love that game!!!
Radiant*
@ChaoticFox: I’m with you on that one. Vulpine, no one says you have to like KH, but quit complaining about it so damn much, because no one really cares. If you negatively respond to a KH-related article, it only makes you look worse than you already do.
@KeigoNiwa
YAY ^^
I really love Radiant Historia too.
This is my second favourite RPG on this gen, the first is Ninokuni, but I want ocidental version.
We need any good rpg on consoles =/
FF13 is not good for me.
In trailer, FF13 versus PS3 looks much better.
KH is medium.
SquareEnix need put more love in your games, not only money.
Nicely written review =) I’ve been trying to get back to my copy, it was the first KH I ever played so you can imagine that at first I was a little lost. I got as far as Agrabah last time when I just… stopped playing :/ Maybe when I get the 3DS I’ll regain my interest for handheld games.
@tailsthehedgehog
Keep going! Agrabah is near the end of the game.
@Lucas Hinz
yea… FF13 was a total let down…
but i hate how with these more current Final Fantasy titles they’re trying to make the games more realistic and believable…..
When did we start losing the FANTASY in Final Fantasy x.x
Hey is Resonance of Fate an RPG, how was that game, cause i’m thinking of grabing me a copy o.o
@Vulpine
So please, no more positive reviews about it. Whoever likes Sonic 06 is likely to make things worse.
Kingdom Hearts is my third favorite series behind Sonic and Pokemon, so I will obviously ignore this beyond posting this message.
@Ryan Bloom
if I want to read game reviews there are thousands of sources nut this one should be all about the blue hedgehog, btw you post it NeoGAF right?
*not
*at
Try Kingdom Hearts 358/2Days
That game looks beautiful and will keep you entertained, tho it’s a bit repeative.
@Tommy
There are times when you have to admit when a game in one of your most beloved franchises just isn’t that good. I’m suprised your a Sonic fan, yet haven’t learned that little fact. I love Kingdom Hearts, but the 2 DS games are just really, really unfun. The rest are really, really fun, but still. Just like you have to give credit where credit is due, you have to give criticism where criticism is due.
@Vulpine
I get this feeling the only reason you dislike Kingdom Hearts is because it contains
Disney in it. Although I don’t know or care why you hate Disney, the games themselves aren’t created by them, and the story itself isn’t very Disney like. They’re quality games with a lot of time and effort put into them, so even if dislike the material used, at least give the gameplay some credit.
@ChaoticFox
That is not a nice thing to say.
And besides, no one cares about people who like Kingdom Hearts, okay? We all have the right to have an opinion, and that includes me hating it and repulsing it’s whole fanbase to death.
@ChibiChloe
Stop cutting and pasting my messages and making fun of me, please. I would never do that to anyone, so don’t do that to me. Also, Sonic 2006 is not the only Sonic game that I like, punk. I like other Sonic games, but I also like other video games more then just the blue blur, too (But not the Kingdom Hearts series). You people should stop viewing me as a fanbrat nor a bad folk nor some kind of extremist which in reality I am not. I’m always good. You just don’t want to believe that.
@soranamineforever
But Disney owns all the ‘original’ characters in Kingdom Hearts (i.e. Sora). Square-Enix only developed the game. Get your darn facts straight.
If you don’t want me attacking anyone, then don’t talk about Kingdom Hearts stuff nor review it. Because I shall show no mercy to any fans of that series.
For the sake of Mobius, you people are starting to upset me and make me want to leave TSSZ. Too many bullies and Kingdom Hearts fans infest this website. It’s depressing sometimes.
Vulpine: Be respectful of others’ tastes. You may not like Kingdom Hearts, but you ought not judge others based on it. We cover items other than Sonic here from time to time.
-T
@Vulpine: You tell others not to bash Sonic 2006, but when you bash Kingdom Hearts, it’s all good? I smell hypocrisy.
I’m pretty certain hypocrisy is his middle name.
@ChaoticFox
No it’s not.
@Tristan Oliver
I try to respect opinions, and I always do the best I can, but it’s hard when people like Kingdom Hearts which is a series that I wish was never even made and released at all. But if you don’t want me looking at something I don’t like and just avoid it, then I will understand the next time this happens.
@Vulpine
‘We all have the right to have an opinion, and that includes me hating it and repulsing it’s whole fanbase to death.’
‘Because I shall show no mercy to any fans of that series.’
See that? It means you’re contradicting yourself. Use your numbskull. Apparently you have the right to an opinion, yet other people don’t. Sounds a bit stupid to me, don’t you think? Twat.
@Vulpine: You contradicted yourself, dude. Like I said, you always tell someone else who bashes Sonic 06 to stop bashing it, but that doesn’t stop you from turning around and bashing Kingdom Hearts whenever someone brings it up or there’s an article like this. And ChaoticFox’s comment about hypocrisy being in your middle name was sarcasm, buddy. Did you honestly have to take it literally?
@Vulpine
You should get YOUR facts straight. The original characters for the games are Square’s, not Disney’s. The character designs alone should be enough to prove that. And you’re not going to show any mercy to fans of the series? I’M SO SCARED.
So what is the next game that you are going to review? Kingdom Hearts 3D?
Thanks for conveincing me not to get this game
@Vulpine
Okay….
#1.) WHY is the fanbase repulsing? I don’t see them doing the same crap the Sonic Fanbase has (I.E. Hacking, Savage FanDumb, among other things).
#2.) I can TOTALLY tell you try to respect other people’s opinions, that’s why you try and convince them that the series they love is a piece of garbage and they are repulsive creatures for liking the series.
#3.) You can’t say there’re bullies infesting the place when you yourself ARE one. Don’t try to deny it. I don’t care if you don’t swear, but when you insult someone, THAT’S BULLYING. Now, in case you’re going to say that “Oh, like you’re so perfect…” Well, I’m not. I’ve done my fair share just as much as I’ve been the one being bullied. And I regret it.
So, look, if you have an opinion about a game, state it. Just don’t be throwing insults to people who don’t deserve it.
@Superskeeto
#1) Two words: Yaoi. Fanfiction. And while it’s true that you’re gonna find that shit everywhere, it seems especially common among KH fans.
I really have nothing against the series itself, but jesus christ that shit is obnoxious.
@ChaoticFox
Agreed. But still, the Sonic fanbase has done this, so I don’t really see the difference.
I still think that the yaoi doesn’t justify Vulpine’s hate. She (Or he, I dunno) never explicitly states WHY she/he hates the fanbase, outside of “KH sucks and you suck for liking it.”
True. And our fanbase gets plenty of well-deserved shit for it as well. I don’t really know which fanbase could be considered “worse”, because I try to avoid those dark corners of the internet in general.
I don’t agree that the fanatical freaks should be the basis of you judgment over a franchise or series, I was just answering your question XD
Nothing justifies anything Vulpine says ever. He lives in his own little world. lol
Oh… so it is a “He”… Vulpine sounds like a girls username. lol….
So I can assume Vulpine is a troll?
I’m not a troll.
Just because I dislike an overrated, overexposed, overhyped series does not make me one. Not everyone in the world supports Kingdom Hearts. Remember that.
If you don’t want me posting comments against something that I don’t like, then fine: I will ignore what I dislike that I see from now on.
@Vulpine:
“I’m not a troll. Just because I dislike an overrated, overexposed, overhyped series does not make me one. Not everyone in the world supports Kingdom Hearts. Remember that.”
…okay, here’s my rebuttal.
“Just because I dislike an overhyped, underdeveloped, over-all shitty game does not make me a troll. Not everyone in the world supports Sonic 2006. Remember that.”
Like I said before, you’re always telling someone not to bash Sonic 2006, but you seem to think you’re not contradicting your own logic when you bash Kingdom Hearts, which is a great series. The ball’s in your court, buddy.
Why does it bother you that people like something? There is a group of people who enjoy it (a rather big group, in fact), and the series isn’t affecting you. Just ignore it and let people like it if they so please.
And @ whoever told me that the DS ones aren’t good, I disagree. I enjoyed Days and re:Coded. But different strokes, I suppose.