Kingdom Hearts Rookie

[Daedalus]

I've never played Kingdom Hearts.  I'd like to at least get acquainted with the series and decide for myself what I think.  I was just thinking the main games, KH1 and KH2.  Thoughts?  Is there enjoyment to be had or am I wasting my time?

[Kevadu]

Well they are getting HD remakes really soon.  I suspect that will be a good place to start.

I'm actually in the same boat as you.  I keep hearing people talk about how great the Kingdom Hearts games are, and I've even tried them out on occasions.  But I think my dislike of Disney stuff overshadows any enjoyment I might get out of them.

[Dice]

^ wtf was your childhood like if you didn't have Disney???  Abnormal...I bet you like deathmetal too when you were 5.
(jk)

Allow me:
= KHI is good enough, but really awkward, the controls and camera are tricky and could have been better (and it did get better). Nostalgia, from this point on, is the series' best friend.  Plot wise, it's heavy and convoluted, basically the plot is thick (and is non-Disney) at the start, the midshow, and for the grand finale.
= KHII a massive improvement, but a lot of QTE attacks...the plot also becomes a clusterfuck of "whut" from here on out...one of the best Opening sequences to a game I've ever seen though (storyboard-wise, it's very well crafted)
= KH Chain of Memories -- odd offshoot, but decent card battle system. Maybe Youtube it?  IIRC the HD is gonna give you HD cutscenes....
= KH358/2 Days -- never bothered, I heard mixed reactions and said whatever.  Still curious though.
= KH Re Coded -- Again, I heard it was awful and didn't throw $40 at it
= KH BBS almost unanimously seen as the *best* in the series to those who played it.
= KH 3D not many like it, but I had a lot of fun.  Monsters can be tiresome, but overall had a great experience with it.  I also thought it delivered some of the more comprehensive and elaborate levels in the series.  I also do review games if they're "great -- for a handheld", and it was. 

The series has REALLY had its ups and downs (and I'd appreciate for someone to weigh in on 358/2 better than me), but you do it because it's fun hack and slash in the Disney worlds MOST kids grew up with and loved (coughexceptkevaducough) .

[Dincrest]

Yeah, like someone said, the HD 1.5 Remix is a great place to start since it's a nice little package deal.  The only issue I have with almost any given KH game is the drunken camera.  It never does or goes where I want it to go.  It was true in KH1 and it was true in Dream Drop Distance when I sampled it at E3 2012. 

[Klutz64]

358/2 Days was a pretty average filler title that served mostly to add a little bit more clarity to the plot of KH2 and hint at a few events from Birth by Sleep. It did use a deck system that was sort of a halfway point between the card system from Chain of Memories and the deck system seen in Birth by Sleep.

I mostly slogged through it for the promise of being able to actually play the battle from the "Another Side ~ Deep Drive" KH ending. It did not disappoint in that regard.

[Bleaker]

I kind of grew up with this series, but never actually completed it. I was one of those kids who'd copy his brother's save to get farther in the game. The last one I played was Birth By Sleep. I got near the end of one of the storylines, but a boss just kept handing me my ass so I walked away. 358/2 Days is actually one of my favorites. That is mainly because the story is really great, and I loved seeing the relationship grow between the main characters. I also really enjoyed the battle system, involving decks and what not.

Sadly the game isn't going to be the full version in the HD Remix, its just the cutscenes. Which is pretty good I guess, considering I really, really enjoyed the story, and you already get two other games in the set.

Chain of Memories is a little odd TBH, but I enjoyed what I played. Have the original gameboy version. KH2 has the best combat in the series in my opinion, and my favorite worlds.

KH1 has my personal favorite story for me. Sora's journey to find his friends really hit home with my 7 year old self. Either way though, the overaching story for the series is really, really, really convoluted. Get the first HD re-release because it comes with Re: Chain Of Memories and the 358/2 movie, which both will lead really well into KH2. At least you won't have the "wait, wut?" moment at the beginning of KH2.

[Cyril]

Days served its purpose as a handheld title.  It was really means as more of a short-burst title, like one you're supposed to play on a train, since it's mission-based.  How much you like mission-based content will determine how much you like it.  

It provides some interesting background for Roxas and Axel, but the entire storyline regarding a certain third character in their group was horrible on every level.

Despite the character models being beautiful for the DS, the worlds are really, really plain.  This is more the DS's limitations, but there's no detail whatsoever.

KH1 is my favorite as well, but I can fully admit BBS is the far superior game.  I think KH2 bit off more than it could chew when it comes to the story and a lot of it feels half-finished and underdeveloped.  

I admit, I got bored with KH3D, so I don't feel as if I'm the right person to judge it.  I do want to go back to it, though, despite its story being a mess.  That CG opening is holy-shit worthy brilliant.

[Lard]

Kevadu wasn't the only one who grew up not really watching Disney.
Some of us prefer stuff that isn't as twee.
I keep flipflopping on whether to try this series cause the Disney stuff seems like the mostawkward part of it.

[Dice]

Kevadu wasn't the only one who grew up not really watching Disney.
Some of us prefer stuff that isn't as twee.
I keep flipflopping on whether to try this series cause the Disney stuff seems like the mostawkward part of it.

Actually, now that I think back, I was kind of reminiscing on this the other day myself.  Disney, especially earlier stuff, sort of made it hard for boys to like.  Certainly the singing and emphasis on Princesses didn't help (actually, that was a big reason why they avoided called "Tangled" more outright after "Rapunzel"'s name, it was to give the fella a bigger plot relevence and steer toward a bigger target audience).

I loved Disney, but I think I was just more into films in general.  I watched the hell out of Wayne's World, Little Mermaid, The Sandlot, Ferngully, Labrynth, Lion King, Groundhog Day....etc.  I was all over the place.  I think my surprise came more from the fact that I still usually...."expect" in some ways that everyone was exposed to Disney flicks one way or the other given their sheer popularity.

[Kevadu]

Never said I wasn't exposed to them, just that I don't particularly like them ;)

[Dice]

Never said I wasn't exposed to them, just that I don't particularly like them ;)

Heh, well that's what I meant with the first half of that post; Disney didn't always make it easy for both genders to really enjoy their work what with corny show tunes and princesses in love.

[Cyril]

I'm with Dice, it really shocks me that some English speakers (and even non-English speakers, considering Disney's been dubbed in most major languages) weren't exposed to Disney growing up.  Everyone I knew, including the boys, loved it.

[ZeronHitaro]

If you don't mind spoilers.

They recently did a feature on GT that pretty much explains the ENTIRETY of KH as it currently exists.

Helps cut through some of the thickness that might drive off newcomers. Honestly I've only played KH I and II and relied on that video to get me up to date. XD

[Lard]

Never said I wasn't exposed to them, just that I don't particularly like them ;)

Same. I was a Star Wars/Muppets kid.

[Bleaker]

If you don't mind spoilers.

They recently did a feature on GT that pretty much explains the ENTIRETY of KH as it currently exists.

Helps cut through some of the thickness that might drive off newcomers. Honestly I've only played KH I and II and relied on that video to get me up to date. XD

Still a little hard to wrap your head around even with the video.