20 Years Later, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Still Outshines Its Remake in One Area

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As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I can attest to the unique charm that Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories holds. While many might argue that the remaster collections have introduced this game to a wider audience, for those who played it back on the Game Boy Advance in 2004, there’s an undeniable allure that has never been fully replicated.

Many people might have encountered the game due to its remake being included in recent compilation releases, but Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, initially launched in 2004 on the GBA, represented a significant departure from the first installment in the series. This title serving as a narrative link to KH2 introduced a novel combat system confined within a 2D plane, which was later refined to align more with the franchise’s overall aesthetic. Despite its updated version adopting a style more consistent with the rest of the series, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories maintained an appeal that has yet to be fully replicated.

It’s clear that the updated cinematics in Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories have greatly improved the storyline of Castle Oblivion, making it more consistent with later releases. However, the debate still lingers on whether the card system, which turns each attack into a numbered card drawn from a deck, was an improvement in the PS2 version overall.

Accessibility Stands as Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories’ Main Draw Over the Original

Updated Cutscenes and Consistent Rerelease Have Kept the Story of CoM Alive

In the significant role that Namine and Organization 13 played in KH2, it’s understandable why Square Enix decided to revisit the less popular sequel with an upgraded display. During the 2000s, crucial storyline advancements for Sora in Kingdom Hearts were often presented through text boxes and minimal sprite animation. By aligning these moments with the same quality of presentation as other PS2 games, it broadened the appeal of the unique combat style to a larger audience.

As a gamer, I found this transition quite immersive, with a wider scope for 3D exploration in the levels. They’ve even incorporated the Reaction command mechanic from Kingdom Hearts 2, which adds an exciting layer to gameplay. However, some adjustments like beefed-up enemies and less frequent item drops make the remake feel challenging at times, sometimes conflicting with its quirky features.

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Was Ultimately Built Around the Handheld Experience

Leaning into an Unparalleled Experimental Combat System

In the game CoM, the quick, strategic card battles were expertly optimized to make full use of the Game Boy Advance’s hardware. By confining fights to smaller 2D arenas, the structure of a player’s deck became the main focus of their strategy for an extended period. Enemies such as later versions of Riku may necessitate defensive strategies, but the original game’s emphasis on arranging cards effectively and using Sleights often overpowers that of its remake.

In Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, constructing decks effectively remains crucial to the game’s foundation. However, the freedom in level design might sometimes lead to aimless wandering when not engaged in combat. Given that its unique mechanics haven’t been replicated extensively since its release, it’s most rewarding to invest as much time as you can in fighting. The storyline, while interesting on its own, may lose some luster for those familiar with the original events when compared to the HD remake.

Justifying the Repeated Elements of KH1

One of the sticking points that has been a mainstay criticism of Re:CoM simply doesn’t hold up the same in the context of the GBA version, and that’s the fact that all the same Kingdom Hearts Disney worlds are reused from the first game. These are notably unimpressive when viewed in the same exact art style as the PS2 titles, but they were all completely original pixel art takes on these icons when CoM first launched. In the face of being undermined due to featuring a seemingly inferior recreation of much of Sora’s initial adventure, the edition of Chain of Memories that was first released is actually an innovative reimagining.

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2024-12-08 20:10