I found it impossible to use "spam A until death" technique in KHCoM. Stupid bosses always use their 9 and 0 cards on me. After itemfarming for the right cards, my 'tactic' was "Wait 'till enemy attacks, COUNTER WITH 0 CARD USE LOWEST TO HIGHEST ATTACKS UNTIL BOSS USES 0 CARD". By the time I got the neccesary 0 cards, I had all 9s and 0s.

Great so far. Makes me wish I didn't lose my DS...

I'm not sure if you know this or not.

But the japanese have had Re:CoM for a good while, actually. It was part of Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix +, which was the japanese Re:CoM and KH2 Final Mix. (the funny thing is that they had japanese voice actors for that version. You should hear how donald and goofy sound, they're the reason that it has japanese subtitles XD)

why do I know this, you may ask? Cause I own it, I got it and a product that can let me bypass the region block on my PS2 without having to mod it for my birthday (but I was stupid and broke my PS2 trying to play it)

The first thing that came to mind was "Gawrshuuuuu~". I seriously don't want to hear a Japanese Goofy.

That would explain both why it's FM+, and why I can't find a JP Re:CoM release date anywhere.

well, it's not that bad, actually. There's a playthrough of it on youtube. It's Donald's voice that astounds me, honestly. the guy who voiced it MUST have some SERIOUS talent. The one for sora, and *Spoiler blocker here for obvious reasons* is kinda wierd if you're used too the english voices, but it's sounds familiar enough that it doesn't matter.

I don't know, to me Japan is and will be a place where people talk as if they were on a mixture of opium and Mountain Dew. On one side they're completely calm and relaxed, on the other they've got a caffeine and sugar shock, making them pronounce things really dramatically.

Unless I forget (or just procrastinate) I'll update at least once over the weekend (or tonight).

9 days since my last post... much longer since last update. Far too long.

~~




From one tutorial to another... fortunately, this one is relatively short and this single screen effectively sums up everything you need to know. The number on the outline that can be seen is the minimum number required to open the door (a 0 can be used on almost every door instead, but if the door requires a 0 you can't use an alternative). Most storyline doors have different requirements to normal so I'll cover them later.



Fortunately, we start out with a map card - and it's one of a save room. As can be noted from the bottom right corner, it has a value of 1.



Just in case you forgot what the world was.



That's what a save point looks like. There are a few locations where save points are guaranteed to be found (this being the first, and it's only temporarily a guarantee) but they're few and far between. I reccomend using a Moment's Reprieve just before entering a boss room if you feel unconfident, so as to avoid having to re-do a massive chunk of the level.




Whilst I can't argue that this is helpful, I can say that it's also not that great: whenever you quick save the game ends temporarily, so you'll have to load it when you want to continue from that point. The catch is, if you do load it, the temp-save is gone. Instantly. Not worth using before a boss then.



Usually a save room has no enemies in it (hence why it's called a reprieve), but for fairly obvious reasons this one is a temporary exemption.



Whenever you strike a heartless on the field, the first few enemies that spawn are stunned. There are ways to adjust this effect, but that ability doesn't come for a while.

The heartless here are called Shadows and are the weakest enemy in all Kingdom Hearts games. They have the lowest HP, deal the least damage and give the worst experience. Here, every card they use has a value of 1 so unless you spam 1s or 0s (the latter should never be used unless you use it after the enemy since it has an inherent break-all ability) they should never hit you. This is achieved by card breaking the enemy.

Card breaking is an interesting gameplay element, but if done right it makes Sora (literally) invincible. Every card has a number on it ranging from 0 to 9, inclusive, which helps give an idea of how useful it can be. Higher numbered cards cost more CP (see below) to put in your deck, but this is so you can't just throw in a bunch of 9s and kick everything's ass since they won't be able to card break Sora. If either Sora or the enemy use a card whilst the other is using one of a lower number (say a Heartless uses a 2 and Sora uses a 7) the lower number gets negated, the attack is instantly cancelled and whoever used that card is temporarily stunned. The great thing about 9s is that, aside from against very few enemies, they will never be broken. However, if the enemy plays a 9 (more likely to happen against bosses and end-game enemies) then you can just play a 0 (Sora's deck comes with one already) and the enemy's card is broken. 0s are extremely useful in that they break every number - from 0 to 27 (see below) - but are also broken, in return, by every number. These can't be used casually, and should be used strategically.



This is the only map card that's a guaranteed drop (with a guaranteed number of 2 - the number requirement to create a new non-plot room from an adjacent map is one greater than the number you used to create the room you are in), and it's the most basic type (doesn't mean it's the most common though). Tranquil Darkness creates the only map type in the entire game that has no effects at all.



If what I said in the paranthesis was confusing, this'll explain it better. I used a card with a value of 1 to enter this room, so to create a room leaving (in any direction; rooms can be replaced) I need to use a 2 (or greater). From there, I'd need to use a 3 (or greater - if I used a 3 before then it'd be a 4. If a 4, it'd be 5 etc. If I used a 9, however, it'd have to be a 0) and so on and so forth.



This is a Red Nocturne. They aren't overly powerful, but they spam fire attacks. Conveniently, Sora's default deck comes with a Blizzard card so they aren't that bad. (It also comes with several low numbered cards that I get rid of pretty quickly, and I reccomend everyone does the same - you can collect more cards by interacting with the things that you see on the map; strike lamposts, break crates, jump on things that can't be attacked etc).



Whever Sora levels up, you can choose between a 15 HP increase, a 25 CP increase or a new Sleight. The way I'll be playing, isn't the way I'd reccomend anyone to play on their first playthrough: I'll be boosting CP and getting every Sleight as soon as I can as soon as it becomes available. This will work fine until my level reaches the mid-50s at which point my CP will reach it's max value and I'll have to raise HP above 80 but I should be finished by then so it isn't a problem.

Card Points, or CP for short, is a value that works as a limit on your deck. Each card has a CP value that it consumes by being placed in your deck (this value per card won''t exceed 99 though). As a rule of thumb, better cards cost more than weaker ones, and those with higher numbers cost more than those that are lower (although for obvious reasons, this only applies to cards of equal strength - a 1 for the best keyblade is going to cost more than a 9 for the Kingdom Key). Enemy cards don't really have any reasoning as to why they cost what they do, but late-game enemy cards usually cost more than early-game (one of the last enemy cards has a CP value of 99 for instance). Your deck's total cost cannot exceed this value, nor can it contain more than 99 cards.

Sleights are like combos, but have their own requisites/restrictions. They are usually more powerful attacks than you'd normally be able to perform and are performed by stacking cards with the L + R buttons (pressed at the same time). If the value of 3 cards is within the parameters for the Sleight, pressing L + R again will perform it (some sleights don't have a combined value requisite, but certain cards; Cura, for example, requires 2 Cure cards). Regardless of whether or not a Sleight would be performed, the first card is temporarily lost for good (it comes back at the end of the battle, or if the right type of Item card is used) but there are ways to work around this. One is an enemy card that can't be acquired for a long time, and the other is use a Premium Card.

Premium cards cost less CP than the exact same card would if it was a non-Premium. However, using a Premium Card in any manner other than having it go 2nd or 3rd in a Sleight causes it to become temporarily lost (it only comes back at the end of battle, or if the right type of Item card is used). This can be a convenience when attempting to perform Sleights, since the first card in one is lost anyway it makes sense to use a Premium Card.




Since this is the first Sleight Sora learns by levelling up, it makes sense that it's gonna be pretty weak. I don't particularly like Sliding Dash, since it has a relatively annoying card requirement (3 attack cards of the same type means it has to be the exact same Keyblade card (e.g. 3 Kingdom Keys)).



The pallette swapped version of a Red Nocturne is called (somewhat unsurprisingly) Blue Rhapsody. As you may have already guessed, this bugger uses Ice attacks (and can use cards with a value of 4... by the time I encountered this, I had replaced every Kingdom Key from 3 and below with a 5 or higher so I'm practically invincible right now). Since Sora has no Fire cards yet there is no elemental weakness to abuse. Hitting it with an ice attack will restore it's HP, and Donald apparantly prefers using Ice spells... (another reason why Friend cards are damn pointless)



This is the last new Heartless for this world, and it's a Soldier. These are basically just upgraded Shadows, and thus aren't that hard (they occasionally use... 2s!).

Plot Doors are notable for having a crown over them, and (usually) different card requirements to normal. The first one? Not so much. It takes a 1+ card, and the Key to Beginnings to get in. Nothing major.



I'd like to point out, that at this point I'm level 6. I fight everything I come across and I hardly ever run away from a battle, unless I'm in critical HP with no means of healing left. Since you should be able to finish every regular encounter in this game without taking a hit there's no reason to retreat at any point, and I have 2 Cures in my deck right now so if I do take a hit (exceptionally rare) I can use one to fully heal and continue beating the loving crap out of everything

Basically, Sora's a damn liar.

Cards descend from who-knows-where, screen flashes, and...



Sora's 14... he's also an RPG protagonist, so he's got to be stupid and a coward. I'm surprised that's not a cliche in all honesty.



I believe I've expressed my opinion on this matter enough, but just to drive the point home: yes. You guys are useless. I'm barring friend cards from this playthrough just to prove as much. Come back in Kingdom Hearts II where you have some semblence of decent attacks.



Sora seems to finally understand what I've said about four times.



Now who could this be? Opens with a put down so... it's Emo Git err, Squall!



Wait, "Leon"? He took the first part of his surname and made it his first name?! Yes. Yes he did.
No one finds this incredibly stupid either, which is amazing.


And how do you know my name?

Clearly, Sora has played Final Fantasy VIII.



This is an outright lie. He's one of the first cameo NPCs Sora meets in the original (that stick around for the entire game; he's about the 5th introduced though).



I thought this was Squall, and not Galuf... maybe he's in disguise!




It's called amnesia. Sora has clearly forgotten that he had a brief amnesia stint himself at one point. During said time with amnesia, he became a demi-god and it was awesome. He's apprantly forgotten all about it though.



Wait... what? Sora? You just said that you didn't know their names!



Thank you Donald. Always eager to chime with the obvious, aren't you?

Also, there's some generic chatter, about whether or not Squall is joking...



Oh, boohoo. Sora's a 14 year old... and he fights with a giant key. The universe is practically mocking him, let alone Squall.



Squall likes nostalgic animation? I never would've guessed myself.



It's called amnesia. I said that mere lines ago. Try and keep up.



...? A ninja with a lisp?!



Oh, wait... never mind. It's just Yuffie. I was kinda hoping for Shinobi for some reason, even though it wouldn't be the case.


Maybe we should bring Sora and the others to Aerith.



Really? No way! It's not like you've never met before, or she just said it or anything!



She looks like she's planning something of malicious intent here. Somewhat ironic when you think about it...



Strange, yes, but convenient! We can skip the introductions.

Not really... introductions took place like normal before you even turned up.



Squall: ever the sarcastic bastard. I didn't show any of them, but he constantly "..."'s in this scene just like the real thing!



There is no "grand tour". It's another tutorial... I'm not kidding either.


Be careful, though. There are still Heartless wandering around town.

That's the least of your worries...



*insert tutorial here*

We learn absolutely nothing new in this tutorial (it's all covered above or even self-explanatory). Hurray for wastes of time... if I want a repeat of a tutorial, or instructions on the obvious, I'll play Shin Megami Tensei: Online.




You don't need to "pick up the rest"! You already know it all. You're level 6 for crying out loud!



He gives us a card. It's blue. Therefore it is a magic card. I wonder how useless it is!



Simba is a summon. He's somewhat useful, but I won't use him. He stuns all enemies that are in the direction he is facing when summoned. Not all that great, and not worth using often.



Plot card #2.

That'll do for the story for now, so time to hightail it back to the save point, but on the way there:




This is a worse version of Simba. I'll never use it intentionally (other than to demonstrate later).

Oh, I'll be needing your input with something: just after this world, we get a choice of what world to visit out of these few:

Wonderland, Olympus Colliseum, Agrabah, Monstro, Halloween Town

To cut to the point, I'm letting you guys pick the order I go through these levels. Might as well start voting/selecting now.

Come on now, Goofy is extremely useful in KH2, especially with his limit break attack spinnermajig.

And I vote for the Colliseum, might as well get that out of the way.

I said that Donald and Goofy are useful in KHII

Whirli-Goof is pretty broken though IMO.

Try spamming Knocksmash during Hades Paradox and you'll see what "broken" means.

Regarding the vote, I'm not entirely sure, but I think the order you do the worlds affects the difficulty of them, as in choosing a certain world first causes the others to have boosted bosses/enemies (since your expected to have stronger cards/lvls). Thus making it better to choose the worlds with "hard" bosses first over the easy ones who you then obliterate. That or it might not matter at all and they all at their pre-set values no matter what the order is.

In any case, go for Olympus Colliseum for the two bosses and a certain card early.

I've only finsihed Hades Paradox 4 times. Never though to spam Knocksmash before :/

The world order is somewhat important. There's a generic map of roughly 4x4 rooms if you don't use certain map cards on the "right" floor, and if you do then you get the "correct" floor layout. Boss difficulty is slightly affected as well, but not overly so.

As for that "certain card", it's definitely one of the better ones, which is interesting since it comes so early in the game. Very good for crowd control (if you ever need it). That card is one of the few I keep in my deck for the entire game.

It's also makes the last boss battle 10mins shorter if you (ab)use it properly.

Fixed.

There is something that is worth mentioning (this takes place in Re:CoM only mind you), before the scene with leon (I always call him that, I really like that name)

after the 2 sidekicks appear and do a talk, Pluto appears, and the 3 do a bit of reminiscing about when they first met. Then Leon appears and the scene goes as normal. This introduces a new thing that is only in Re:CoM. Pluto Friend Cards.

If a battle lasts for a for a specific amount of time, then all friend cards are replaced with pluto cards, these will summon pluto and he digs a hole, and 1 of 3 things would happen:

1. he would dig a bone and would do a little (like, barely noticable) damage to who touches it. (it is most likely when it's only 1 card)
2. he would pull some HP and Moogle Point Orbs.
3. he would pull some cards from your deck, usually cards that can't be reloaded unless you use certain item cards. (since in the GBA version, you can run out of cards in your deck and be pretty much screwed, this removes this)

the 2nd and 3rd options are more likely when you stack 2 or 3 of them together.

I prefer Squall to Leon, but then again I'm a nostalgic bastard and as can be noted from my previous update I believe that using Leon as his first name is incredibly stupid. Can anyone honestly say that "Leon Leonhart" neither looks, sounds nor seems it?

As for Pluto's card, I'm well aware of it. I just don't use it; as has been made exceptionally clear, I think all friend cards a waste of time to be used outside of opening sleights (with a total of one exception; everyone who's played the game should know whom that exception is).

~~

This update contains copious amounts of paraphrasing and foreshadowing.


Within this door, there is an exceptionally pointless scene: just about all of the plot events of this world get forgotten afterwards. The others do as well, but it's interesting here since the plot events of Traverse Town are based on the main plot events as well.



I know it's the "canon" name and all, but it makes the Japanese seem like they have a lisp.



Good to meet you? Nice to see you again? A minor emalgamation that still works fine either way.

A lot of pointless banter occurs next, so let's skip to the important stuff:




My thoughts exactly.




Basically Sora's memories influence those of others. This is forgotten very shortly.



Now that I've shown the names of all 3 plot-cards, I'll never post them again.



The "G" and green border should be a pretty clear indication that you have to use a green-map card. I didn't realise this at first -_-"

Green map cards have in-battle effects (affecting Sora) whilst red cards affect heartless. There are also blue map cards which affect the room but we can't get any of these (other than Moment's Reprieve) yet.



For those keeping count, this makes 3 Final Fantasy VII characters in this world. Poor Squall.



Cid wasn't in the Key to Memories room, hence this statement.




Cid's going senile? He's not that old.


Anyway, maybe you can help me out. A friend of mine's supposed to be somwhere in this castle-er, town.





Code for boss fight? Bring it on!




Okay Donald. You're banned from use. (Goofy can be useful iff I sleight him to get quick healing and damage simulataneously without losing a decent card.)

The bell rings now, and the fight begins!

Boss #1: Guard Armour


This boss has several damagable limbs. In total, the combined HP of each part amounts to a little over a full HP bar. At this stage, this can be pretty bad... except I have a killer deck for this stage. (I took a bit too long, since I didn't notice that the combined value of my best 3 cards wasn't 20-23 (19...), but at least I showed off Simba and Slide Dash). This fight also has a green card with a fixed 0 and a mickey mouse symbol that only appears in certain boss fights, and grants you a (temporary) advantage which varies from fight to fight.

More trivial dialogue which serves no purpose at all. I get that it's a tutorial world and all, but the plot scenes could at least try to be relevent for the entire game rather than a few minutes. If this was a Disney world I wouldn't care, but it's not.



Oh Cid. You have no idea!

Anyway, every but Sora pisses off and Aeris comes back on screen.

Here comes the...

Foreshadowing With Ancient Aeris!




This is paraphrased; there's 6 screens of pointless dialogue between those two.




Now, why would my memories want to betray me? That's just stupid.

Beyond the plot door, there is a room with a giant fricking ladder and access to rooms we can't do much with. Yet. Don't worry, we'll see more Traverse Town later (in what I like to call the post-game completionist section).



And in the room with a ladder there's a save point. Convenient? (There's a save point at the end of every world; it doesn't always indicate a boss fight)

And, don't forget guys: Where is Sora going next? Don't forget, the contenders are:

Wonderland,
Olympus Colliseum,
Agrabah,
Monstro,
Halloween Town

I put in my vote already.

Anyway, hooray for reused bosses and NPCs that didn't have any real plot purposes in the first game. I also think he's around 36 if I'm not mistaken (that's what I remember from Final Fantasy VII's manual anyway).

But yeah, exposition aplenty in this game.

There's an almost unanimous verdict for one world at the moment (there's a total of one vote for a different one... that's a lot of one :/) so it seems likely that it's where I'll be heading off first but best to get a few more votes, eh?

Mass exposition is the one thing modern JRPGs are good (I suppose is the word...) for. It's also something I dislike in any playthrough after the first one since it gets in the way of murdernating things Especially annoying when it can't be skipped *glares at KH1 vehemently*

That's why I mostly play pointless western games or games that don't have any exposition at all because they have no actual story (hip hip hooray for Paradox games).

Only western RPG I've played was Warriors of Might and Magic (PS2) and, well, it was shit. And boring. Very, very boring. I never even finished it but I still have it. Good thing it was only £5 (bargain bin'd) otherwise I'd feel ripped off.