Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
Japanese Release Date - November 11 2004
North America Release Date - December 7 2004
System - Game Boy Advance
Set directly after the events of the first KINGDOM HEARTS, KINGDOM HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES follows Sora, Donald and Goofy on their quest to find Riku and King Mickey, both of whom have been locked inside the Realm of Darkness, and the price they have to pay for achieving this goal. Beckoned by a hooded figure into the mysterious fortress of Castle Oblivion, the three friends begin ascending the castle's thirteen floors, unaware that the true meaning behind the line 'To find is to lose and to lose is to find' has begun to haunt them. There is no doubt that they will find people they miss, but would they be the ones they are looking for? If Sora, Donald and Goofy do not uncover the mystery behind the hooded figures tormenting them at every turn, this search might very well end in tragedy.
In the basements of Castle Oblivion, a young man haunted by the darkness of his past awakens....
Stranded in an unknown realm following the sealing of Kingdom Hearts, Sora, Donald and Goofy are intent on completing a mission to find the missing Riku and King Mickey, a mission which seems unlikely to ever be fulfilled. That is, until a hooded figure appears before them and shows them the pathway to a menacing castle.
"Along the road ahead lies something you need. However, in order to claim it, you must lose something that is dear to you."
Welcome to Castle Oblivion, where to find is to lose and to lose is to find. A place where you forget everything you have ever experienced, and yet memories can come alive. Spurred on by promises of a reunion with missing friends, Sora, Donald and Goofy begin a journey through illusions crafted from memories of the worlds they have visited, only to find out that what they are losing is their memories. Memories are closely linked to one's identity; surely if one loses his memories, one loses himself as well? Despite knowing full well that ascending the castle's thirteen floors means they lose thirteen floors' worth of memories, Sora, Donald and Goofy know that nothing can stand in the way between them and their missing friends, and that the important memories will always remain with them.
However, the more memories Sora loses, the clearer he remembers a young girl who was once a close friend of his, Riku's and Kairi's - Naminé, a girl who disappeared from his home when he was very little, and who now apparently is a hostage of the hooded figures lurking around Castle Oblivion, all of whom belong to an enigmatic intellectual group called the Organization. Bonds are tested when Naminé becomes an obssession for Sora, to the extent that she completely replaces Kairi in his memories. His desire to save his helpless friend drives a wedge between him, Donald and Goofy, and brings him into conflict with Riku, who as promised by the Organization, is reunited with Sora, but is sinking deep into darkness once more. But is Namine as helpless as she seem? And what of Axel, an Organization member who seems to be one step ahead of everyone, even his colleagues?
In the basements of Castle Oblivion, Riku awakens, only to find himself terrorized by Ansem Seeker of Darkness, the villian of Kingdom Hearts who has set his sights on possessing Riku once more. To this end, he continuously meddles with the darkness in Riku's heart, then convinces him to visit memory worlds which are only inhabited by creatures of darkness. As revealed by Ansem, this is Riku's fate for casting away his friends and home for power: Emptiness and eternity with beings who have the same lust for power as Riku himself does. Initially rejecting this punishment, Riku embarks on a journey to cleanse himself of the sins of his past, but soon discovers the futility of his efforts.
His path to self-discovery causes him to cross paths with the Organization and a heavily bandaged sage named DiZ, both of whom are determined to use him for their own plans. In addition, Riku's suppression of the darkness only makes it stronger, and him weaker to the light. Soon, when it matters most, Riku needs to make a choice: Will he allow himself to be consumed by light, or fade into darkness?
Betrayal, loss of identity and the never-ending conflict between light and darkness plague this intertwining tale of our two leading heroes' physical and internal journeys towards finding themselves. Truly, to find is to lose and to lose is to find.
KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories is a full PS2 remake of the original GBA game. Initially packaged as the second disc of the Japan-exclusive KINGDOM HEARTS II Final Mix, Re:CoM has since been made available to North American fans. Designed as a worthy addition to the PS2 titles, this remake includes polygonal 3D battles and worlds, voice acting, an improved soundtrack, and most exciting of all, new cutscenes and battles that were not in the original game. The storyline and major gameplay elements remain the same, but various tweaks, both major and minor, have allowed for a completely fresh feel to a classic title.
KINGDOM HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES - Official Japanese Website
KINGDOM HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES - Official North America Site
KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories - Official Japanese Site
KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories - Official North America Site
