Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

Score - 8

Release: 2004

Platform Played: GameBoy Advance

Developer Square Enix

Overview

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is a very strange entry for the franchise. The game takes place between the 1st and 2nd Kingdom Hearts it attempts to bridge the story while completely altering the gameplay to a new combat system based on cards. On paper the idea was interesting, it was a deck building RPG which is not easily pulled off. While Chain of Memories plays an important part in the franchise. It doesn’t add any value to the world of RPGs.

The Good

The games story importance is the main reason the game exists. It has a role in the Kingdom Hearts narrative. It sets up major plot elements that directly lead to Kingdom Hearts II. For fans invested in the series’ story, skipping it leaves noticeable gaps.

The game does have a creative combat concept. The card-based system is unique. The idea of breaking enemy attacks with better deck building strategies shows real creativity and bravery from the development team.

Its atmosphere also impresses given the GBA’s hardware limitations. It still integrated familiar Disney worlds and music that gave the series its charm.

The Bad

Combat System execution was very bad. The system itself was interesting, but it quickly becomes tedious, slow, and unforgiving. The game forces constant juggling and simple higher number wins tactics that are a bit remedial. Pair that with the limited resources and the absoluteness of your deck building you can easily lock yourself out of progression and be forced to reset your game to build a proper deck.

The game was also very repetitive. It basically took Kingdom Hearts I worlds and just had us play through them again, so the exploration was very limited.

Mostly, the games level of fun was more deserving than an 8 but the fact that the game holds almost no rpg elements in any fashion is really what earns it its abysmal score. The game basically is just a card game manager without depth. The likes of a Yu-Gi-Oh game could be closer to an RPG than this game. But this game is still widely considered and RPG so that’s how it’s on the list.

Final Verdict

Chain of Memories barely qualifies as an RPG, pair that with lackluster game play and repetitive storytelling and you have an all-around bad experience. The only reason to play this game is to fulfill your commitment to the series. My suggestion is to watch the cut scenes and save yourselves the 25 hours that I’ll never get back.