Story vs. Gameplay Discussion

[celticsfan]

*Let me preface this by saying that, if you know the "answer" to this question because you've already played the Japanese version game, please do not respond or do so with the Spoiler annotation.*

So I've recently played through KH1 and am currently playing through KH2, and have noticed like most people that KH1 has an unbelievable story, one that is truly engaging. But it also has simple gameplay mechanics. KH2 on the other hand, has a fairly boring story, but a more complex battle system that shies away from button-mashing. In my opinion, I much prefer KH1 with a balance that consists more of a rich story, than KH2 which does not.

So, the question is: What do you think and/or want to see in Birth by Sleep? Where on that spectrum would you want the game to fall, Story heavy or gameplay heavy? I'd like to see a great storyline but I also know of the changes in the battle system; it should be interesting. Let me know your preferences!

*Please remember this is a discussion of your preferences of Birth by Sleep, not the first two games. Remember, please no spoilers, Thanks*

 

[HeartSeams]

Most people find KH2 to be more complex than KH1's story. Though KH2's is full of plot gaps that make it troublesome.

I'd rather both the story and the gameplay be enjoyable. From what I hear, BBS' gameplay system works very well, and it's story is excellent too so... win-win.

 

[rawpower]

KH 1's story was simple and easy, as was it's gameplay. It tried to step up in KH2, but they made it a little too easy and the story is overly complex. I heard the same about BBS, it has the best gameplay and best plot line.

Although I think the thing about KH2 that made the story boring during the second half was, actually, the second half. Visiting the worlds all over again was a bit of a pain, they should have mashed everything into one visit per world. It would have made it flow so much better.

Also, the fact that they only let us play as Dual Wield Roxas for one boss was a total tease.

 

[Aqua.]

i think kh1 had a simple storyline, "find my friends, kill the bad guy" and the gameplay was also simple but it was more harder and difficult. it was pretty fun.

kh2 also kinda had a simple storyline, but compared to kh1, i guess not. the gameplay was fun but too easy. still pretty fun. if only it had a more "scary tone" like kh1 had, cuz in kh1 when i went to traverse town i remembered i was so scared of going through the districts and stuff.. and then i kept getting hurt by the heartless, lol. and a bunch of other worlds idk to me had a scary feel.. but i was also younger and i remember the "play station 2" sign at the beginning of every video game always scared me lol..

maybe if i had played kh2 when i was around the same age i was w/ kh1 i would have enjoyed it more. but i do like kh2. it's a pretty fun game, some aspects i like kh1 better though, so i guess they're kinda equal.

KH 1's story was simple and easy, as was it's gameplay. It tried to step up in KH2, but they made it a little too easy and the story is overly complex. I heard the same about BBS, it has the best gameplay and best plot line.

Although I think the thing about KH2 that made the story boring during the second half was, actually, the second half. Visiting the worlds all over again was a bit of a pain, they should have mashed everything into one visit per world. It would have made it flow so much better.

Also, the fact that they only let us play as Dual Wield Roxas for one boss was a total tease.

i agree on the part that it was kinda lame having to repeat the worlds again.

but i liked going to Hollow Bastion and Twilight Town again..but it would be kinda weird and unrealistic to go to hollow bastion 4 times in a row... so i guess going to all the worlds twice makes it more realistic..


EDIT: seems like i didn't answer the question..woops..

i think BBS will have a great storyline. but what makes it more "great" is cuz since it's in scenarios, it leaves little gaps which are filled in by the next character, so by using that system it kinda makes it more fun. or i guess? i haven't played the game/spoiled myself like that..lol.
the gameplay seems great. it might be too easy like kh2, but i think it'll be like kh1 maybe in terms of difficulty[in the NA/PAL/EU versions that is], the gameplay seems like it'll be really really fun. it's really fun watching it too.

 

[skyfoxx]

i think kh1 had a simple storyline, "find my friends, kill the bad guy" and the gameplay was also simple but it was more harder and difficult. it was pretty fun.

kh2 also kinda had a simple storyline, but compared to kh1, i guess not. the gameplay was fun but too easy. still pretty fun. if only it had a more "scary tone" like kh1 had, cuz in kh1 when i went to traverse town i remembered i was so scared of going through the districts and stuff.. and then i kept getting hurt by the heartless, lol. and a bunch of other worlds idk to me had a scary feel.. but i was also younger and i remember the "play station 2" sign at the beginning of every video game always scared me lol..

maybe if i had played kh2 when i was around the same age i was w/ kh1 i would have enjoyed it more. but i do like kh2. it's a pretty fun game, some aspects i like kh1 better though, so i guess they're kinda equal.

That's pretty much my opinion on KH1 and KH2. They are very different but in the end I can never call KH1 better than KH2 or KH2 better than KH1. I think gameplay wise, KH2 was better (even though it was easy, it fixed a LOT of problems with KH1 like the camera, treasure chests, and enemies respawning far too many times)

To be honest I think most people prefer KH1 over KH2 mainly just for nostalgia and not for the actual game itself.

And I can't answer the question since I already have the Japanese game.

 

[loke13]

I think KH2 was more fun when it came to battles,KH1 was more interesting when it came to its story unfortunately it took to long to get to the interesting part.

 

[Clarkie]

I just wish that KH2 was harder, we never got critical mode ;_;
Proud mode on KH2 is like Normal mode in KH1

 

[Luap]

KH1's battle system was fun, and posed more of a challenge, but sometimes was just too hard. It made up for it with it's story, which was very great. I loved how some Disney worlds were canon to the story and not just filler (ie. Neverland, especially, and Monstro).

KH2's battle system was fun, but made you too powerful, and sometimes was ridiculously easy. It's story was corrupted by the double visits to Disney worlds, and could of been fixed by following KH1's story lineup. ie. Go to a few worlds, go to main story, go to some more world, more story, etc. etc.

Chain of Memories had the best story setup. I loved getting right back into the plot after each world, and on the GBA, the gameplay was very good. Re:CoM added to the awesomeness of the story with cutscenes, but the Gameplay was horrible, imo, on PS2.

Days had a great Gameplay experience, and pulled off multiplayer nicely. It's story was good, but corrupted by the filler and story layout. At the beginning, it was exciting, but until around Day 300, it was dull and obvious filler. But after Day 300 the story was exciting, and more dramatic than the other KH games, and I'd like to see more of that Drama.

Birth By Sleep has a great gameplay and great story, as it reverted to KH1's story telling. I think it's definitely better than KH2 and Days, and matches CoM. It brings back the magic KH1 had, and was lost in KH2, but doesn't give as much.

 

[ZiggyK]

I didn't find KH2's plot complicated. It was very simple. The random visits to disney worlds which made no sense to the actual story were the only bad parts.

 

[skyfoxx]

Is it a crime to like the second visits to the worlds?
I'm one of the very few people who actually liked visiting worlds more than once... but I think if they were to keep the 2nd visit style, they should make 2nd visits optional so those who'd like to visit a world twice can while those who don't can just skip it.

 

[Luap]

Is it a crime to like the second visits to the worlds?
I'm one of the very few people who actually liked visiting worlds more than once... but I think if they were to keep the 2nd visit style, they should make 2nd visits optional so those who'd like to visit a world twice can while those who don't can just skip it.

Then the difficulty would be in mind for those who skip it, thus, making it super easy for those who skip the 2nd visits. I think the next games should follow KH1's story setup, and go to the real plot after a couple of worlds.

 

[XIII Heartless]

Is it a crime to like the second visits to the worlds?
I'm one of the very few people who actually liked visiting worlds more than once... but I think if they were to keep the 2nd visit style, they should make 2nd visits optional so those who'd like to visit a world twice can while those who don't can just skip it.

Thank God you're not in charge of anything to do with the game. Imagine what that'd do to the story. =/

Aww damn, I lost the game. XD

 

[HeartSeams]

I actually liked most of the second visits more because they were typically the ones that involved the Organization Members, which made them feel more connected to the plot (even though very little of them -actually- were).

 

[skyfoxx]

I actually liked most of the second visits more because they were typically the ones that involved the Organization Members, which made them feel more connected to the plot (even though very little of them -actually- were).

That's kind of my opinion on it too. The first visits seem to focus on the movie's story but the second visit seems to focus on the main plot and "KH" feel
Land of Dragons: It had Riku and Xigbar.
Pride Lands: It had an interesting twist with the ghost of Scar and Simba's character development that I really liked.
Port Royal: Involved Luxord as well as fighting nobodies and Heartless.
Beast's Castle: Concluded Xaldin's story

I think the second visits of the worlds were more like the "KH1 theme" of the world's stories which is probably why I like them.

 

[ZiggyK]

Is it a crime to like the second visits to the worlds?
I'm one of the very few people who actually liked visiting worlds more than once... but I think if they were to keep the 2nd visit style, they should make 2nd visits optional so those who'd like to visit a world twice can while those who don't can just skip it.

I have no problem from this. The problem I had was the visits (both of them) being hardly or very lightly connected to the plot.

At least it wasn't as bad as KH1 where you had to go back to the worlds quite a few times (if you wanted trinities and dalmations)

 

[Clarkie]

At least it wasn't as bad as KH1 where you had to go back to the worlds quite a few times (if you wanted trinities and dalmations)

At least that wasn't part of the story - just sidequests

 

[ZiggyK]

At least that wasn't part of the story - just sidequests

Yeah I guess. I can imagine the King Triton

"Oh that Sora's back again, what's he doing".

Ariel: "Looking for little marks on the ground."

 

[αsiя]

You can't consider going back to the world in KH1 worster than in KH2 because in KH1 they were sidequests.

 

[Clarkie]

Yeah I guess. I can imagine the King Triton

"Oh that Sora's back again, what's he doing".

Ariel: "Looking for little marks on the ground."

Hahaha, oh man, you're officially my favorite person ever.

 

[ZiggyK]

Hahaha, oh man, you're officially my favorite person ever.

Yays xD