Kingdom Hearts II (PlayStation 2, 2006)

I don't play the games, but I can usually tell which are excellent, which are so-so, and which are a real drag. My son tries to play everything that is out at least once. He trades for a weekend with friends or rents them or I buy them. Kingdom Hearts (the first one) made him a hero at his school because he was the first to complete it. He and all his friends got Kingdom Hearts II on the 30th (first available date here) and it is a race to see which one of them can complete it first. I haven't felt this alone in a long time. I also haven't had him so willing to do his homework... he can't play the game until all homework is done. What is normally a battle after school, is now a 10 or 15 minute thing ("Look Mom, can you leave me alone? I'm doing my homework"). I gotta tell you that this game is a winner in my book! I asked my son what he thought of it so far - he threw me a 'don't bother me I'm playing the best game to come along in a long time' look...