The word “spin-off” has never fit very well in the world of kingdom hearts — only three games in the series have big numbers at the end of their titles, but that doesn’t mean the rest can be skipped. Every story, no matter how insignificant it may seem, must be experienced in some way to fully appreciate the narrative of the franchise. That alone makes it more frustrating than one of the most compelling. kingdom hearts stories is currently only accessible in its worst form.
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Daysan entry that takes place between kingdom hearts Y kingdom hearts 2, was originally released on the Nintendo DS. The game follows the story of Roxas, the “Nobody” of series protagonist Sora, which basically means a clone without a heart. Roxas is one of the most interesting characters in kingdom hearts canon, born during Sora’s minute-long period as a Heartless towards the end of kingdom hearts. Because Sora is one of the few people in the game world to return to his human form after becoming Heartless, Roxas isn’t really meant to exist. The nobodys are already a bit existentially confused, but Roxas’s place in the universe is singularly messy.
358/2 Days is a deeply compelling video game, weaving a narrative that explores Roxas’ emotional journey into the person he eventually becomes. kingdom hearts 2. as each kingdom hearts game sees its hero hopping between different Disney properties, and uses those jaunts to explore some deeply existential questions about humanity. 358/2 Days However, it is not a deeply convincing film.
the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix disc released on the PlayStation 3 contains what is currently the most accessible version of 358/2 Days: A nearly three-hour-long movie made up of some of the most important scenes from the original DS game. It is, in simple terms, an absolute disaster. The rhythm of the original. 358/2 Days it relies on long game-oriented quests that just aren’t present in the movie. Most of the missions have been reduced to short interludes of three or four sentences that take about ten seconds to read. The result of this decision is an incredibly poor experience.
events in the 358/2 Days movie just happens. Since so much of the plot takes place during conspicuously absent gameplay sequences, it’s hard to draw a line between any of the title’s events. Characters exit the story and then immediately reappear in sequences that are clearly intended to inspire relief in the audience, but leave viewers scratching their heads. It’s puzzling, and not just in the creative and charming ways that kingdom hearts is often disconcerting.
Structurally, video games are not meant to be movies. There’s a reason movie adaptations of video games have been so maligned in the past, and there’s a reason why Aladdin on Sega Genesis is not as popular as Aladdin on VHS. They’re different mediums with different strengths, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the deeply unsatisfying narrative experience you’re watching. Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days.
