Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

[Chernabog]

So I got a ps3 a couple months ago -- one of the reasons is that I never had a ps2 and wanted to catch up on the best of the ps2 games, including Kingdom Hearts.

I love Disney. I love Final Fantasy.

And I really wanted to like Kingdom Hearts. But I think I've given up on the game. The concept is cute, the characters are cute, all that stuff.

But the gameplay is terrible. Jumping is unresponsive and slow. Battles are repetitive and boring. Choosing items to use during combat and/or using magic is slow and unresponsive, even with shortcuts.

And the worst thing, the thing that is most unforgivable about the game, is the camera. I've tried it in both "manual" and "automatic" modes and they just frustrate the living heck out of me. It is the worst camera control scheme I have ever experienced in a video game, and I have played many MANY MANY of these types of games. I'm constantly fighting with it, especially in close quarters.

Right now I'm in the Cave of Wonders, and I finally ejected the disc and nearly threw the controller at the screen I was so frustrated. The camera swings around at the wrong points, midway through jumping, so as to make it near-impossible to land where you want to. The camera is spinning, spinning, spinning during regular battles to the point I'm almost dizzy. It makes it impossible to a) battle on ledges because Sora is gonna jump off no matter what you do because you auto-jump during attacking and b) target (or even run to) a particular enemy since the camera is spinning and you always attack the wrong guy.

I hate the fact that the camera nearly always wants to give you a face forward view of Sora as a default position, which is completely useless. I'm CONSTANTLY rotating that camera around (or hitting Select for Sora's POV) and then when I move two steps it swings back around to a useless position. How can I tell where I am jumping if I'm jumping to a ledge AT THE CAMERA? Why is there no "remain behind Sora" camera default?

So between the items/magic UI mess, the crappy camera and boring BORING battles, I'm done with KH for now. I just don't see it as worth the frustration for some cutesy cut-scenes.

I hear KH2 was somewhat better on these issues so maybe in the future I will check that out? Or are there any recommendations on the above to fix the issues above?

Thanks for listening to my rant, lol..... I just had high expectations for this game and I'm not happy that I'm so mad at it.

[TikiRoomLiz]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

Ummm ... you should do a search on YouTube for "MChris and Kingdom Hearts", I think you will find it amusing.

[Barbaraann]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

It took me a long time to learn how to use the controller, and play Kingdom Hearts I was very new to the entire Play Station thing, when I first played the game. However, I persevered, and played the game through about 4 different times. Each time choosing a different weapon, and game scenario, at the beginning. It was a lot of fun, and very satisfying each time. i managed to get the ultimate weapon each time, and rescued all the puppies, as well.

Kingdom Hearts 2 was another story. I couldn't get into it. It just didn't hold my interest I was very disappointed. My grandson played through it very quickly. To me, it didn't have the feel, and the enjoyment, of the first one.

[flynnibus]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

yup.. its not the 'classic' so many believe it to be.

Chernabog - how would you rate the camera movement compared to the Mario 3d platform games?

[Chernabog]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

Chernabog - how would you rate the camera movement compared to the Mario 3d platform games?

I just don't remember FIGHTING with the camera so much in games like Mario 64 (I never played Super Mario Sunshine all the way through but I don't remember fighting with it either). Even in games like Tomb Raider, the 3D Zelda games, Rachet & Clank, God of War, etc. that have 3rd person view of the 'toon you're controlling and they don't swing around wildly like KH.

I mean, every so often you'd get a problem, but not like, every room you need to stop and play with camera controls.

You can't have the camera spin around as a default to where you're staring at the character's face and forcing the player to stop and swing the camera around constantly or you're running AT the camera. You want to see the BACK of the character's head in the direction you are running.

I don't like fighting with a UI (while we're on the subject whose stupid idea was putting R1 as the lock button and L2 as the "switch/cycle lock" button??! Stick that at least on the same hand!), camera, and control scheme. One of those things being quirky is still playable. All of those things at once make for super crappy game play.

I mean, maybe I am missing it -- IS there a way to get the camera to just pop back behind Sora (like how pressing the Z button in Zelda automatically puts it there)? All I've seen is pressing select to get that first person view, and then pressing it again for a behind shot... which doesn't do any good whatsoever while the camera is spinning about wildly in combat.

[thejoshualee]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

hmmm.... strange.

I had to pop in my copy of Kingdom hearts and found it... well... completely natural.

Like, everything did what I thought it should do.

To each their own I guess.

[Modern Folly]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

I never really considered it a "classic", but it was definitely one of my favorites of 2002. And yeah, the camera was my biggest complaint. That and all the button mashing, you could pass KH2 just by that.

[FrumiousBoojum]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

Camera seems to be most people's biggest complaint (unless they complain about all the Disney in it). However... I never found the camera as bad as most do. I've seen some MUCH worse camera elsewhere. But it never obstructed the battle as much as some cameras do.

The battles are repetitive, but just about every battle in every RPG that serves nothing but to level you up and give items is like that. So, not so much of a bother to me.

[quasimodo1384]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

in terms of KH vs. KH2 I think they took care of the camera problems (at least for the most part)...but don't quote me on that, it's been a while since I've played.

KH had a stronger story though, and I got into it easier than KH2. 2 was fun, it just had a different feel that wasn't as engrossing to me...

Sorry you didn't like it Chern, but I do understand the camera was a problem.

[Chernabog]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

hmmm.... strange.

I had to pop in my copy of Kingdom hearts and found it... well... completely natural.

I didn't notice frustrating problems in that first island world. It was later, when you started to head to indoors places that it got ridiculously bad.

Aaah well I'm glad to see tho from this thread that I'm not the only one :P Hopefully at some point I'll pick up the game again... right now I'm totally getting into Final Fantasy IX on the Ps1

[cerpin taxt]

Re: Damn.... I really wanted to like KH

FFIX is one of my favorite RPGs ever. I hope you enjoy it. As to the camera issues in KH, I absolutely agree with you that those were very annoying and some points unforgivable. Goofy was the worst. Whenever I'd try to jump on a tiny ledge, he'd knock me right off trying to follow me. Or I'd be trying to look around or jump somewhere from a tight corner, and he'd be standing right in front of me in my way. I really wanted to knock him away, but I just had to patiently reposition myself in way where he could'nt block. I got frustrated many times from that, but I somehow learned to adapt and even forgot how much of a problem that was. I definatly don't think it prevented me from loving the game as a whole. KH2 does correct this problem BTW. Sora is also faster and more responsive.

As for the normal battles becoming boring and repetitive, well you're in for you're fair share of that no matter what RPG you choose. However, like FF, KH always seemed to have enough diverting side challenges, bosses, and tasks that I never got bored. Even repetitive battles don't bother me too much (they're kind of soothing and hypnotic) as long as there are enough challenging breaks from that routine. Trust me, the Colliseum gets much much better. Just wait till you fight Sephiroth! If you can't get over your issues with KH, I recomend at least giving KH2 a try.