It’s a testament to the power of the Playstation 3 that in 2015 – over 8 years after it was first released – new games continue to be released for Sony’s popular console. Though most games set for 2015 are essentially ports of games that are next gen ready, the odd release is exclusive to Playstation 3 owners. One such game graced shelves at the end of last year in the form of Kingdom Hearts 2.5 Remix, a HD remastering of the Playstation 2 game Kingdom Hearts 2, bundled with the “Final Mix” of the PSP game Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep and cinematics from the Nintendo DS release Kingdom Hearts: Recoded.
OK so it’s not technically a new game for the dating console, but it provides the first time console gamers will have the chance to play the game that is considered the essential prequel to the first game in the series. A Kingdom Hearts Zero, if you will. It also marks the first time the “Final Mix” versions of both KH II and Birth By Sleep have been released outside of Japan. And as with all “Final Mixes”, this means there’s some bonus content and gameplay included that should make the bigger fans excited to relive the experience – in HD! And if nothing else, it will help pass by the days until the long awaited Kingdom Hearts 3 finally hits shelves (it’s been TEN YEARS since number 2 hit shelves… TEN YEARS!).
As the series has never required “realism” as an approach, the games have always looked good, all the way from the games on GBA and PS2 through to these remastered editions. Bright colours and cartoony graphics help you get away with a lot. But this said, it’s inarguable to suggest the games haven’t benefited from the HD treatment. More details has been added to the characters and your environments, and the game plays well in the widescreen space. PSP players in particular will notice the difference, as will those who played the original DS version of Recoded (which in itself was an updated version of a mobile phone game – they sure know how to make the most out of their products!).
Not much has changed from a gameplay point of view from the PSP version, with a couple of minor exceptions. There’s no longer a multiplayer version of the Mirage Arena, and there’s also been changes to the camera, which allows for more control through the Dual Shock 3 joystick. But the title remains a highlight of the series.
To call Birth By Sleep a big game is an understatement. This game is HUGE. There are three main storylines to play, plus two unlockable extra endings, with a playable “final episode” exclusive to this Final Mix edition. You can go through the first three storylines in any order, all with their own twists and turns. Well, presumably – at the time of review I’m halfway through the second story line. And though you do visit the same worlds (at least at this early stage), you do have access to different areas and different characters based on your storyline.
As Aqua, who I played in my first run through, you’re always two steps behind the other characters, and so the revelations that come out in the other stories are often surprising, and they link things together in a clever way. The only downside is that after all that time you spend levelling up an bulking up your character, you have to start all over again when you play through a second time. However you can always go back to that completed save file and find all the hidden secrets, enjoying the worlds as you max out your character and discover all the meld commands – an excellent feature that gives you the ability to create unique battle commands for your character. The mechanics are remarkable and among the best in the series.
In my first play through, I enjoyed close to 14 hours of play time (I like to explore) with 51% reported completion playing as Aqua. When completed you are able to save your clear data, and are told “you may find use for it later down the line”. Trinity archives then open up allowing you to “revisit the story and keep track of game stats”. You earn a “one down” trophy for finishing one character’s story, showing a 27% completion and are shown there are 7 more trophies to collect. Yes, this is a game FULL of collectibles even before you open up your save file – and if you want to get the secret cutscene(s) available in the Final Mix edition then you better collect them all! It’s definitely come a long way from the collection of the 101 Dalmations in the Playstation 2 original.
But as has often been a problem in the series – especially the handheld editions – this character division does make for a lot of repetition, as it did in the GBA game Chain of Memories, where you played through the tower multiple times with Sora and Riku (the younger versions of whom interact with us in Birth By Sleep). Still, this game features a pile of worlds you’ve never encountered in the series, as well as promised new different worlds for each character (something I’ve yet to witness), which is a first for a game outside of the numerical series, normally bouncing off of the console games for content.
Part of the game’s charm has always been new discovery of Disney world interaction and something always missing from the other spin offs. So this is a very welcome change from form – as well as a testament to the quality and importance of the game in the series, making the 2.5 HD edition a must own as let’s face it, not many of us had a PSP did we? I particularly enjoyed the Disney World level with all its minigames and hidden areas – took me back to my Final Fantasy VII days. The Never Land world also had a lot of hidden areas and was fun to explore. There is a LOT you can do to kill time in this game. There’s even a decent board game that I swear takes a good hour to play – it’s a game within a game!
Playing the game as a second character allows you to bypass the introduction and tutorials and get right into the choices you make early in the game. It’s a welcome start and a difficult choice! Though there’s no reason why you couldn’t have two save files going a once, it’s certainly designed to play through one at a time. D-link, a feature allowing you to use the commands of other characters, becomes more interesting when you play through a second time, as you become more comfortable with the game, fighting some of the same bosses and revisiting the same areas.
Everyone from James Woods to Jesse McCartney, Mark Hamill and Leonard Nimoy make up the always impressive voice cast for the game, as they do in just about every game in the series. You may remember the 2004 Game Boy Advance version Chain of Memories, which was one of the first on the handheld console to feature full cut scenes with sound. Their ability to get talent for the game is always impressive – and it’s also worth mentioning that some of the lip movements are actually synched to English!
Looking at Kingdom Hearts: Recoded for a moment, the three hours of remastered cutscenes (with text elements thrown in for elements of gameplay that you can’t quite re-create in a cutscene) are actually enjoyable to watch – especially if you never played the game. Though it’s hardly worth the purchase. Still, even for those who played it the first time, it’s a chance to relive the storyline and get your head around everything ahead of the release of Kingdom Hearts 3 – a game in which we’re promised will wrap up of all the loose ends from the games in the series to date. Did I mention we’ve been waiting ten years for this game!?
And then there’s Kingdom Hearts II. Moving from the original 4:3 to 16:9 for the HD edition makes this feel like a bigger, more engaging world. The graphics and cutscenes in particular look fantastic and the sound has been greatly improved. Most of the problems people have from the first game remain – there are still some awkward camera moments and you still have to spend way too long in Twilight Town with Roxas at the start of the game, making for a very slow start. But this is an epic game that greatly improved on its predecessor (with less Gummi Ships and more Reaction Commands!). And it has been 10 years since it was first released, so it’s a fun ride to get to play it again. The extra cut scenes – though I haven’t made it to them yet – add additional value for fans, as do the extra bosses and the odd interaction that’s been changed up slightly. It’s not a new experience, but it’s an updated one for sure.
Look, I know the Kingdom Hearts series has never been one to take too seriously. Melding the characters of the Square Enix Final Fantasy world with that of Disney was always going to be one that was a bit silly and childish. And indeed, from the subject matter (hearts! friendship! love!) to the dialogue (we’ll be connected forever!), it’s hard to argue that they didn’t achieve this. But from the unique and addictive gameplay dynamics (even though it may just involve mashing X a lot) to the epic storyline, spanning some 7 games, there is something that’s been so compelling about these games, since the first was released on the Playstation 2 back in 2002. And this special release only goes on to prove it.
But, enough already with the reboots, final mixes, off shoots and repetitive side quests! Bring on Kingdom Hearts III!!
Review Score: 8.5 out of 10
Highlights: The games have never looked better, incredibly good value for money – two essential games in the series in one! Huge amounts of gameplay in both games. Birth By Sleep is worth the purchase alone.
Lowlights: Some camera problems as is typical for the series, would have preferred a playable game in Recoded instead of cinematics – but does ensure everyone gets a chance to experience the story.
Developer: Square Enix 1st Production Department
Publisher: Square Enix
Released: December 4th, 2014
Platform: Playstation 3 (Exclusive)
Reviewed on PS3
