If Any Kingdom Hearts Game Deserves a Remake, Its 358/2 Days

If Any Kingdom Hearts Game Deserves a Remake, Its 358/2 Days

As a dedicated fan of the Kingdom Hearts series who has spent countless hours navigating through the intricate and enchanting worlds, I firmly believe that it’s high time for one of its most underrated gems, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, to shine once more. This game, with its gripping narrative centered around Roxas, was a beacon of emotional resonance in the sometimes convoluted action RPG series.


Since its unveiling, there hasn’t been much new information about the next numbered installment in the series. However, the Kingdom Hearts franchise has managed to grow its fanbase by regularly releasing remastered and spin-off games over the past few years. Recent whispers hint that a game which was significantly downgraded in its remastered version might find its way onto modern platforms again, suggesting Square Enix isn’t finished with this series yet. Even though there’s no confirmation at the moment, one of the lesser-known Kingdom Hearts games deserves another opportunity to thrive.

Although Nintendo DS’s Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days featured lower-quality hardware than its PlayStation 2 predecessors, its focus on the mysterious character Roxas as the protagonist offered one of the most emotionally impactful and morally complex adventures in the frequently complicated action RPG series. The game’s mediocre gameplay and mission design led to it being mostly reduced to a collection of cutscenes when remastering occurred, but this decision might have been regrettable, as it presents an opportunity for the studio to rectify that oversight now.

Roxas’ Story Got the Short End of the Stick in the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX Collection

Gutting a Time-Based Narrative of Its Thematic Repetition

As a gamer, I can tell you that while it’s nice to watch the lengthy HD cutscenes in 358/2 Days, they often feel disjointed and lack the context needed to fully immerse me emotionally. The game’s unique selling point – Roxas’ brief tenure with Kingdom Hearts’ Organization 13 – was primarily conveyed through its daily mission-based gameplay segments.

In terms of recreating this sensation using only cinematic elements, the issue arises when standalone, remastered scenes are presented without the connecting events, as this can lessen the impact by turning the player into a mere spectator. It could have been too ambitious to expect Square Enix to completely redesign and improve all these missions within a larger compilation, but an entirely separate project aimed at that purpose would be a different story altogether.

The Ambitious Concept of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is Surprisingly Fit for a Current Generation Remake

Releasing Key Characters of the Franchise From the Constraints of Cutscenes

In the lead-up to Kingdom Hearts 4, it appears the series is spending more time delving into its past. One effective method to expand on the earlier storyline could be through a fresh perspective on Organization 13’s inner workings. This game represents a unique opportunity for Roxas and his three companions to appear together, which might make their reunion in Kingdom Hearts 3’s Keyblade Graveyard final battle seem less impactful for players who only know them from cinematics. A revamped version of 358/2 Days using a new engine could shed light on characters that were still enigmatic Nobody forms, as most of them had technically transitioned beyond that state by the third main game.

Long-Term Potential in Features like Playable Organization Members

One overlooked feature of the initial DS game that didn’t make the cut was the multiplayer mode and the diverse cast of characters it offered. Besides Roxas and his crew, as well as the entire Organization, players could choose from popular characters like Sora, Riku, and Mickey to embark on missions with their unique weapons. Due to the hardware limitations at that time, this feature might have been shelved. However, a remake of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days could capitalize on this aspect, making it an enduring release.

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2024-11-19 22:13