On the night of Christmas Eve Eve, I completed one half of one of my New Year's Resolutions for 2008: I finally finished KH2.

I started up another night of continual leveling. I maxed out my Master and Wisdom forms, got Valor up to 6 and Final up to 5. When I hit level 99 overall, I decided I was sick of the whole thing. I couldn't make myself run through certain areas in worlds over and over and over again to slay enough Nobodies or find enough large enemies to even make a dent in the Valor experience. If I couldn't beat the game at level 99, then I had no right beating the game.

There were a few things I was unprepared for in the final fight. It had been a LONG time since I had a decent fight of any kind. I kept doing my usual RARRRR attacks and they forced me to heal myself ALOT. And then I realized that I forgot to turn back on Riku's limit break. That thing would have been so incredibly useful.

The biggest thing I was unprepared for was how long the fight took. It didn't take long at all to beat the final boss in the first game or either final boss in CoM so the forty-five minutes was surprising.

Two things about it did make me laugh. First, one of Xemnas' attacks resembles a nightclub light show, except these lights will kill you rather than enhance your buzz. I was so very very grateful that I healed myself just before the nightlife started. Then Xemnas whipped out two red lightsabers like the Sith-wannabe he is. I nearly lost it, almost at the cost of Sora's life.

Then came the beautiful and sweet ending cut-scenes. No, I didn't get the bonus ending, but I had already downloaded it. When I did watch it, I laughed, because Squenix showed that exact trailer at Tokyo Game Show last year. So I'm glad I didn't try to kill myself in completing all of the journal. It's not worth it to me, and no, just saying I did it isn't worth it to me either.

As great as the story in this game is, I can honestly say I will never play it again. The gameplay design is too flawed for me to enjoy it. I probably won't play CoM again because of the required leveling, and this one is far worse.

Please, please don't do this in 358/2 Days and Birth by Sleep.