Common Sense Media Review
Great graphics, great story, great sequel. Tweens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
What's It About?
Players familiar with the first Kingdom Hearts installment and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories for the Game Boy Advance will recognize the characters and plot style in KINGDOM HEARTS 2. Once again, memories, the parting and uniting of close friendships, love, and mystery are all intertwined in the complex plot. Sora returns as the protagonist (here a teen), and characters are either from Disney movies or the Final Fantasy series of games. Chosen by the "keyblade" (a magical key/sword), Sora and his friends Donald Duck and Goofy are tasked with a number of missions, some set in Disney backdrops such as Aladdin's Agrabah or Beast's Castle (from Beauty and the Beast), as they fight to defeat an evil, mummy-wrapped king. Players defeat the enemies in action-packed fighting sequences, which continue to be bloodless and gore-free.
Is It Any Good?
A deep, involving storyline and outstanding graphics make Kingdom Hearts 2 a worthy sequel. From flying to missions in a fully customizable "gummi ship" (co-piloted by no less than Chip and Dale!) to talking to Minnie Mouse or traveling through the 100-acre woods, this game has a lot of fun surprises tucked up its sleeve -- including great mini-missions. Overall, with a playing time of easily over 30 hours, Kingdom Hearts 2 offers a lot of value and a lot of entertainment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about this game's unique mixture of Final Fantasy and Disney characters. Does the use of existing and familiar characters diminish or increase the game's appeal? If you were creating a video game, would you make up your own character, or use one that you already liked?
Game Details
- Platform : PlayStation 2
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Square Enix
- Release date : April 28, 2006
- Genre : Role-Playing
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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