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Kingdom Hearts 2, when it feels like it, is a nearly-perfect combat system.
The "when it feels like it" is key, there. Most of the time, this game's reputation for "mash X to win / hit Triangle to win" is well-deserved. Most battles are mob encounters; the pace of most battles is relaxed enough that you can whip out any number of slow-yet-overpowered finishers (summons, limits, etc) to bail you out of a tight spot; most of the time you're playing in a chilled-out just-here-to-bash-some-baddies state.
But.
Last night I played the Roxas fight, and it was so, so satisfyingly tense. Reading your opponent's moves, the split-second timing for your blocks/relects, oh-so-careful positioning, carving out a heart-pounding second between volleys to dare a desperately-needed heal attempt, and of course, lunging the second there was an opening—every single thing I did mattered. It was exhilarating. It took me like two hours and I was smiling and screaming and my heart was pounding the whole time.
( Read more... )
The "when it feels like it" is key, there. Most of the time, this game's reputation for "mash X to win / hit Triangle to win" is well-deserved. Most battles are mob encounters; the pace of most battles is relaxed enough that you can whip out any number of slow-yet-overpowered finishers (summons, limits, etc) to bail you out of a tight spot; most of the time you're playing in a chilled-out just-here-to-bash-some-baddies state.
But.
Last night I played the Roxas fight, and it was so, so satisfyingly tense. Reading your opponent's moves, the split-second timing for your blocks/relects, oh-so-careful positioning, carving out a heart-pounding second between volleys to dare a desperately-needed heal attempt, and of course, lunging the second there was an opening—every single thing I did mattered. It was exhilarating. It took me like two hours and I was smiling and screaming and my heart was pounding the whole time.
( Read more... )
