Details on Kingdom Hearts duo

Details on Kingdom Hearts II and its GBA sibling Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories have appeared in the latest issue of Famitsu.

According to reports, Kingdom Hearts II is set one year after the original game in a new location called Twilight Town, where light remains dim through the day. Although there's no word on Disney characters other than Mickey, Goofy and Donald Duck, a number of original characters have been spotted, including a boy in a white outfit with a keyblade, and lots of spikey-haired chaps in hooded black raincoats marching along with a similarly sinister red-coated fellow. "We can't have let our plans be known, Ansem," one of them ventures.

Famitsu offers more on the GBA title Chain of Memories, and it sounds like it takes place between the two PS2 games, with Sora picking up where he left off and encountering a black-coated traveller on the road at night. The man tells Sora that he will find what he's looking for further down the road at the expense of something dear to him - after which Sora ends up on a trail to a mysterious castle, where Chain of Memories is said to unfold.

Unlike the PS2 original, Chain of Memories will apparently be driven by a card-battling system of gameplay, with cards launching spells (a lightning attack was mentioned) and summoning characters like Goofy or Cloud (from FFVII) into battle. Cloud's presence indicates that we can expect more Square (and perhaps even Enix) cameos in this one. Otherwise, the cast consists of Sora, Riku, Kairi, an unexplained grey-haired girl, and a huge list of Disney favourites. So far we know that Goofy, Bambi, Jiminy Cricket, Genie, Simba, Peter Pan, Donald Duck, Beast and Ariel will make an appearance.

Although no firm release dates have been announced, both games are expected out next year.