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Why is Kingdom Hearts II So Popular?
kukyfrope writes "The long awaited sequel to the popular RPG Kingdom Hearts finally hit North America late last month, and in just those few days easily outsold all other games in March. GameDaily examines why nobody can resist the magic of Disney and Square together in Kingdom Hearts II and why the Kingdom Hearts series has been so successful."
For kids you have the familiar, lovable Disney characters. For the grown-up crowd you have Nomura's familiar smooth-faced, spiky-haired girly men. Never underestimate the power of bishies and hinted-at shounen-ai when targeting that oh-so-important magnesium-panties fangirl demographic.
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Sure, the gameplay is simple, the point of "Go from world to world" is a little pointless - but there's an interesting story at work here, and it's actually kind of sad one.
**SPOILER ALERT!**
Basically, you have really the story of two people - Roxis and Sora, one of whom only exists because of a mistake from the other one. So right there you have the question - who am I? If my memories and self are absorbed by another, what point does "me" have? And when I choose to give that up for the greater good, will "I" be remembered - or am "I" just a shell, with no real identity of my own?
So, sure, it's simple and silly and rote at times, but there's actually some good gameplay here (I think the action commands are cool when boss fighting). Not "game of the year", but "pleasant low calorie diversion".
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you hit every market. Boys like the figting, girls like the pastel collars and disney characters, hardcore gamers dig square and the graphics, it's easy enough for casual gamers. Pokemon did the same thing, that's why it was such a phenomenon. If you can make something that appeals to everyone (not po'ing your hardcore fans is an added bonus), you'll make money hand over fist.
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I loved the first KH, and was really looking forward to the second. After reading the IGN review, I was somewhat disappointed becuase they only gave it a... 7.something. Not a great review for a highly anticipated game.
I still decided to pick it up. Now, while there are a LOT of cutscenes which can get annoying, I actually enjoy the gameplay. Sure, it isn't the hardest game in the world, and a lot of it is just mashing of the X button, there's still something satisfying about going into battle with 20 enemies and taking them all out.
Now, while the stories for each of the "sub worlds" (Agrabah, Halloween Town, etc) technically just follow their particular movie, it all ties into the story fairly well. Now, I am a Disney fan, but as a 24 year old I don't exactly go out and buy every piece of Lion King memorabilia or see every new Disney movie... so I definitely didn't buy the game based on the fact that Disney characters are in it. But the story is enjoyable.
So, put a good storyline, great characters, and fun, simple gameplay together and you have a quality game IMO.
The reason KH2 is so popular is that there hasn't been a decent RPG out for almost a year -- not one that I've wanted to buy, anyway. More, there won't be another big-name RPG out until FF12, which is supposedly delayed until Thanksgiving.
That said, it's a very great game in its own right. But it's arriving in the middle of a giant drought for the RPG market.
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It's popular because the Walt Disney Corperation has a monopoly on childhood happiness. The hopes, dreams, fond memories of your most cherished time were all provided from the sterile bosom of a soulless incorperated fantasy factory. Your aspirations, your comforts, the very roots of your being were all, almost without exception provided in the form of a one size fits all childhood, carefully scripted by that organisation.
This game is simply another act, shamelessly tacked onto the prostituted play that is your emotional life. You love Kingdom Hearts because it is Disney, and without Disney, you know no other happiness. Outside the warm succor of your donald duck duvet and mickey mouse pyjamas, joy, contentment and love are cold and distant concepts which you cannot hope to achieve alone.
So come! Gather once again to suckle and the great and monsterous teat of one of the most terrible enterprises to have ever existed. Let Kingdom Hearts II once again show you the pleasures of being a shallow false happiness junkie. All the while Mother Disney will smile with her sweet and duplicitious grin.
May the Maths Be with you!
The joke is...
Micky goes to see his lawyer.
His lawyer says to him, "I'm sorry Mickey, but you can't divorce your wife because she's insane."
Mickey says, "I did't say she was crazy. I said she was fucking Goofy."
My theory is that people are sincerely starved for anything Tron. They just can't help themselves.
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