Sora above the clouds…
Last year I got my first taste of Kingdom Hearts through the 1.5 HD Remix collection and was ultimately impressed and wished I had played it when it first came out. I have since played the collection to death and have been anticipating the chance to play the sequel. Finally, it’s here…but has the wait been worth it?
Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD Remix is a true HD remake of the original Kingdom Hearts 2, starting by carrying on the story of Roxas before picking up with a superb story and plenty of appearances from your favourite Disney characters. The gameplay hasn’t changed all that much from the past games, which isn’t a bad thing…although I did still find moments where I had no idea of what to do, where to go without a guide.
The level of detail done to the remake compared to the original is staggering, it looks like the way it should have back in the day, while giving the franchise a new breath of life, paving the way for Kingdom Hearts 3. 2.5 HD Remix doesn’t just include Kingdom Hearts 2, but also its PSP counterpart “Birth by Sleep” which has also got the HD treatment and although not as refined as KH2, is still a worthy entry and a welcome addition to the collection.
Kingdom Hearts: Re: Encoded is also included, but through cutscenes like in 358/2 Days in the 1.5 Remix collection. There’s also a cutscene included that links Re:Encoded with 3D: Dream Drop Distance as well as featuring additional scenes that flesh out the backstories of other Kingdom Hearts titles. New voice-acting has been recorded, which is just another plus for the collection’s efforts.
The entire collection of Kingdom Hearts 2.5 Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts: Re: Encoded is superb, and with rumours of a PS4 release for both collections it’s hard to tell whether to wait it out or dive into these superb RPGs, personally I’d choose now as they do display in a lovely 1080p resolution on my TV and I can’t see them making it look much better than it already is, which is pretty impressive.
The Verdict
While Kingdom Hearts 2 starts out a little slow, it does pick up and never slows down after that. The other 2 are also superb in their own right and while it’s not always perfect, they are still highly enjoyable after all this time and makes the cruel wait for Kingdom Hearts 3 all the harder…
