E3: Square Expands Kingdom Hearts Sequel

Company teams up with some of Disney's other hot franchises for more button-mashing fun.

While it's common knowledge that Final Fantasy is Square Enix's biggest franchise, it might surprise you to hear that, at least in the West, Kingdom Hearts comes in close behind. The melding of the best of Square Enix's and Disney's franchises makes for an intoxicating mix of flavours that has wormed its way into action RPG fans', err, hearts.

For the second console game, Kingdom Hearts II, both companies have upped their input, but it's Disney's colourful characters that are the main draw in this tale, which follows on from the happenings in card-based GBA interlude Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.

And while the first game locked itself into the realms of Disney's top cartoon adventures, Kingdom Hearts II ventures refreshingly into some of the extended parent company's live-action and musical hits.

Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Burton's stop-motion musical classic, has long been confirmed for a showing, but Square Enix's pre-E3 conference, held last Tuesday, introduced Pirates of the Caribbean's Jack Sparrow into the mix. Sparrow brings his skeletal hijinks to the game in a themed level rife with doubloons and piracy.

But animation fans will still find cartoons making a big contribution. Kingdom Hearts II winds through the beautiful worlds of Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules and more, all captured with a loving attention to detail worthy of Mickey Mouse himself.

Kingdom Hearts II is coming only for PlayStation 2 and should be out within the year.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games