Kingdom Hearts 2

Hot damn talk about effort. Kingdom Hearts 2 truly shifted the gameplay into overdrive & and created a sequel that brings the action and adventure to a bigger and broader level, the characters continue to drive the plot forward and the combat is unforgettable, The Final Mix version is def the go to version with even more to do and a balls busting new difficulty setting to make the adventure more stressful in a fun way, you would be surprised how far button mashing can get you if you panic enough

Kingdom Hearts 2 is a resounding success. Bigger and better than the original game in every way possible. The story is heartfelt and epic, the voice acting is at a level gaming would not see again for years. If anything, KH2 is the high point in the PlayStation 2 lifespan.

The story somehow got even dumber and more up its own ass but the gameplay is significantly improved. Like with the first game, go for the Final Mix.

Way back I played this game not only without having played Chains of Memories (which was only on gameboy) but also without having played the first game. Yes, I spend a great deal of time being confused about plotpoints, but I was also confused about all the zippers so what the heck. I applaud this game for making us care about characters and a world which the turns out to be a complete dead end. And this was the first game I played that made me feel (read: cry like a kid with a skinned knee).

Improved upon the formula of the original game greatly, focusing more on the combat than the sloppy platforming and exploration of the first game. All of your combat options have a worthwhile function which encourages you to not only experiment but make the best out of your various options to succeed. On the other hand, there is some wack shit about the game like the incoherent revenge values or the annoying lack of hitstun on giant bosses, but despite that it's a pretty damn solid game.