Wouldn't you agree if they just shortened the game's title to "Kingdom Hearts 179 Days?" It would be way easier for us to read. Surprisingly, Sora is not the frontman of this handheld title. Rather, you will get to experience the world of Kingdom Hearts all over again, mainly in the eyes of Roxas and Axel.
Basically, the story takes place during Sora's year-long sleep inside Namine's memory recovery machine. We will also get to learn of Roxas' origins, and eventually him joining the ranks of Organization XIII. The storyline will also feature a new character named Xion, said to be member number XIV of Organization XIII, will play a very crucial role in the game. The rest of the plot will focus on Roxas' missions, relationships with other characters, and his eventual resignation from the organization. And yes, the game will also reveal why Organization XIII isn't called Organization XIV. While the rest of Kingdom Hearts three hundred and--this Kingdom Hearts game's story is still unclear, it might finally reveal the confusing questions we've been longing to be answered.
Square has stated that gameplay will remain true to previous Kingdom Hearts titles; not taking advantage of the touch screen features of the DS, but will be centered in typical, action-role playing elements. And here's what's new about KH 358/2: Multiplayer. Surprising as it sounds, players will get to control either Roxas or any member of Organization XIII, with some of the game's missions relying on co-op. I don't know how they'll even make this feature work, so we're just going to have to wait and see in the near future.
Like every Kingdom Hearts title ever released, players will be able to revisit Disney-themed worlds and interact with some of your favorite Disney characters. As of recently, Castle Oblivion, Twilight Town, Wonderland, Traverse Town, and several other worlds will make appearances. The familiar heads-up display will make a return in this game, as well as a new gauge meter and some new combo moves. Other than that, the environment pretty much looks and feels the same as in the previous KH games, with the voice acting cast and having some new additions.
Though there is nothing excitingly new about Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, I think it still looks enjoyable to play. And if you just want to see how the story unfolds, that's fine as well. Whatever kind of hidden meaning Square has implemented in the title, we may never know--at least until the game is released September 29, 2009 on the Nintendo DS.
David Gabriel, NoobFeed