Yearly complete. The game just had to launch on an entirely new distribution network for me to put in the 20 hours to play my favorite game ever start to finish. I managed to pull off a deathless run on Proud, the rawest name for a difficulty ever.
Every time I play this I am just constantly impressed at the presentation, the gameplay, the atmosphere, the music. Inherently unique but also built upon decades of artistry and game development experience. Play Einherjar and you can appreciate how working with goddamn Disney animators skyrocketed Square's mastery of 3D visuals, both in real time gameplay and CG cutscenes.
I also am delighted at how I can learn new things about this game every time I play it. Obscure secrets and extra dialogue, refined strategies for tackling sections that used to give me trouble, and deeper understanding of the mechanics and systems.
On a personal level, this game is irreplaceable. I hope everyone has a game to them like I have Kingdom Hearts.
