stability is a hard concept to understand as a child.

when actions lack permanence, and attachments are just as easily formed as they are broken, one's own self-identity becomes an oyster - malleable, yet derivative of the influences around you.

kingdom hearts is able to speak effectively to younger demographics because it understands this. critically, crossover media operates under a very similar principle - when derivative in almost every sense, it needs to prove it's individuality to attract fans beyond just brand recognition.

it just so happens kingdom heart's original ideas exist in the crossfire of one of the most bizarre media collaborations ever. this is a fever dream/nightmare of a product that completely lacks the appealing characterisations from either ip in order to consolidate itself.

what you'll find from this attempted synergy of 3 original storytelling philosophies is a gross mismatch of many ideas that are rarely, if ever, fine-tuned. this results in the vast majority of the experience lacking in cohesive gameplay systems, or an interesting narrative structure. there is almost nothing redeemable in the core structural loop, missing the mark on just about every detail that made it's various 3d game influences still appeal over a quarter of a century after.

it's electrifying.

the week i spent with this game was one of the most interesting media experiences i think i've ever had. i love this game, because even through the faults of everything i've discussed, an undeniable character still exists behind it.

the experience of being a child lacks a foundation. emotions lack the self intelligence to be comprehended, and the faults of people you interact with are just as obvious to you as they are blind. you don't initially understand the people close to you, but there's a natural tendency in everyone to keep them close anyway. thus, the small differences in everything around you births a new perspective. a self-identity is born.

Even if later games in the series are improvements over the concepts first laid out in Kingdom Hearts, the first game will always be special to me. It felt like a game tailor-made for my particular brand of weird as a young teen and now, as an adult, I still smile through all of the cutscenes, like I'm greeting old friends after a long time away.

This was my first time playing the Final Mix version, and I largely consider this version to be a downgrade in comparison to the original NA/EU release. There are many new "gimmick" Heartless introduced that have specific conditions attached to them, and they all have an exclusive drop item that will only drop if those conditions are met perfectly. This on its own wouldn't necessarily be bad, but the Synthesis system has been retooled to require these items for at least one recipe at every group level. This was the point where I decided I wouldn't 100% this version of the game. (I did do enough to get the Special Secret though.)

I'm also just picky about the Heartless color palette swap. Not a fan! But it's pretty minor overall, except for that infamous Trickmaster recolor.

And yet...it's still pretty much the same game, with the same flaws as before. It's still, mostly, how I remember it twenty years ago. And I still love it so much.

(old review; via 1.5+2.5)
(Proud Mode)
I've played this game three times and I love it still.

Death Count: 72

Screw Proud Mode sometimes tho