Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX - PlayStation 3

This is probably my favorite PS3 game ever, and it happens to be cheaper than most. I will get the cons out of the way first, as the rest are entirely pros. Cons: - The two games included are remastered versions of a PS2 and a PSP game, so the graphical fidelity is low compared to your average modern game. (Though it can be played in 1080p, unlike your average PS3 game.) - There is no install option, so it suffers from the PS3's blu-ray tech by way of increased load times. This is the sole downgrade from the source games. The only time this is ever really noticeable is when activating drive forms in KHII; in the original game it took about 2 seconds to load, whereas that time is seemingly almost doubled in this version, which is jarring. - Some of the added content for the "Final Mix" additions don't quite conform to the source material, like using a different voice actor or just having inconsistent text formatting, giving it kind of a DLC-ish feel at times. (Though in general it is admirable how much this is avoided; I can only name a scant few examples.) That's all I can think of, and those are by and large minor concerns. Don't let that scare you away. In reality, what you are getting is two of some of the best games ever made, for the first time ever overseas in their "Final Mix" expanded forms (previously exclusive to Japan), in 1080p on a home console, on the cheap. And you get a movie version of Re:coded, though that is less notable. The Final Mix additions are very sound, adding new and redesigned content in nearly every facet of the game, for the better. As for *why* these games are fantastic, they seamlessly blend 3rd person action (think God of War, Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, etc). with RPG (think Final Fantasy, mostly) in entirely unique yet compelling ways while also dishing up a deep and interesting storyline to thread it all along. The games are simply a joy to play, with flashy yet intelligent combat backed up by a deeply compelling RPG progression system and a story that you'll likely get wrapped up in. You might not think a Disney/Final Fantasy crossover universe would even work, much less spawn an engaging world/plot, but it succeeds admirably, especially when supported by the games' stellar soundtrack (which is also remade/enhanced for this version!) The Final Mix additions also go a long way to giving each game more of a 'late-game,' as well, giving you a ton of optional things you can do outside of the main storyline. I could really write an essay on how well-designed each game is, and impressively the two games in it actually feature rather different mechanics entirely, but they both work brilliantly. (To geek out about the major differences: KHII features one protagonist who can cast spells by depleting MP, enter superpowered 'drive' forms by depleting 'Drive points,' and gains passive abilities he can allocate 'Ability points' to throughout the game, about half of which modify his basic attack chain to be more versatile/powerful; in contrast BBS features three different protagonists/storylines each of whom play differently and can use abilities (spells/special attacks) via 'commands' on their 'command decks' which are limited only by cooldowns, they can combine ("Meld") commands to make new stronger ones, and there is a command bar filled by landing commands and basic attacks; if filled with enough commands of one type you enter a "Style" (rough equivalent of Drive forms from KHII), and if not meeting any Style requirement you execute your finishing move which of course can be upgraded and customized throughout the game. Both games also feature the standard exp/leveling system as well. This is just a very basic overview, there's a lot more depth to these systems than mentioned.) It is a bit of a shame that the story is rather obtuse if you haven't familiarized yourself with the previous entries in the series (conveniently all bundled into 1.5 HD ReMIX), especially since I feel strongly that these games are much better games overall than the ones in 1.5. But those games are quite good as well, and I'm sure you can still get into it without having played the prior ones, since it does make some effort to catch you up/ease you in (some of the Final Mix additions even add cutscenes to the story to help clarify it!). It's just hard to understate how brilliantly crafted the games in this HD compilation are. If you're on the fence at all, don't be, and just buy this.

Very good game, very snazzy presentation that clearly captures the essence that is Disney as well as a few surprise appearance from some Disney characters that haven't been in the spot light in a while. On PS3 the game looked sharp and honestly didn't feel old especially for a rpg since normally visuals take a backseat for example Disgaea another popular rpg, but then again one shouldn't be surprised of Kingdom Hearts 2.5 Remix visuals since it does hail from the critically acclaimed Square Enix which was previously known as Square Soft whom's more recent titles includes the very well received Hit Man Absolution, and 2013's Tomb Raider, as well as classics such as Chrono Triger, Final Fantasy 10, and Final Fantasy 7. I honestly never feel as if the games outdated in fact it's not till a friend reminds me how old it is that I notice, the textures are just great as well as the animation that brings Sora, Goofy, Donald and the rest to life. Also unlike the previous Compilation which included the first 3 chapters of this amazing saga (Kingdom Hearts 1.5 Remix) gone are those few moments where you'd notice ugly stretched low detailed character models, both the cutscenes models and the in game models match them selves well and blend much better, the only real gripe is probably the fact that not all cutscenes are voiced and this goes for the previous compilation as well but it's understandable given the fact that a lot of Disney voice actors are brought out of retirement and one could only imagine how much that must cost to begin with. Also the game runs at 30 frames per second so sorry to those looking to find it running at 60 few but honestly the game runs so fluidly that there's really no need for that , did have one moment during a later world you visit where I felt there was some slow down during the cutscenes but it might very well been done for impact. I'm not a old fan of Kh but rather a new fan who just recently got into the franchise when I happened to stumble upon the first compilation for around $20 dollars at the bargain bin of my local GameStop. And decided o give it a shot, since then I've been working my way through them while I want in anticipation for the third and what should be the last chapter to this tell, one last note to understand what is happening within the tales told in this compilation it's highly recommended you get the first, even with the fact I had played the other games I found the story quiet confusing at times.

Got this for my wife as her first videogame. It was an instant success! She loves the game so much, and the whole game experience overall seems very well done. There's something here for everyone. If you like button mashing...you will like this game. If you want to use more finesse, this game offers that option too. The story overall is great and appropriate for all ages. A lot of people will like it because of the Disney experience it offers but fans of JRPGs will enjoy Kingdom Hearts too. I'd recommend this game to anyone between the ages off 9 and 50 who likes enjoys a good Disney movie or a JRPG. If you are the kind of person that doesn't care about stories, just explosions and instant gratification you may not like this game.

One of my favorite games of all time. I love the KH series. I usually like to replay them about once per year and with 2.8 coming out and soon 3 I had to start replaying them again. This is a really nice touch up on KH2. The visuals are improved and the final mix version adds in some extra fights and challenges. My goal is to 100% all of the games. Its a tough one. Mainly because gummi ships.... that is the worst. But overall fantastic. Birth by Sleep was awesome as I didn't have a PSP originally and really wanted to play it. If you are a fan of the series and never got the ReMIX version... I highly recommend you do it.

I love this game! It's been almost a decade since I played this and the remaster brought back some wonderful memories (please no chain of memories puns). The final mix additions changed how I played and enjoyed the game too. If you've played this before I highly recommend Proud Mode or Critical Mode. It adds an additional challenge to what I previously thought of as too easy ( seriously you will die consistently but it forces you to get better at the mechanics in combat which are surprisingly deep and varied). Part way through a playthrough of all the games before Kingdom Hearts 2.8and couldn't be more satisfied. Soundtrack: A emotional score that moves from light hearted,to whimsical, or the poignant orchestra of Organization XIII. The music is great. Gameplay: Play on higher difficulty for a full experience. Combat is fun and increases in complexity as you go on. Easy and Standard mode do not do this game justice. If you're interested in doing more than button mashing play on Proud or above. Fighting the extra bosses is a exercise in frustration and elation. Dying ten times to a boss that you "know" how to bat but simply do not have the stats or abilities to makes victory in the end oh so sweet . Visuals: Not exactly a next gen sight but the HD remake holds the up. Don't be looking for amazing details and whatever you do don't look at character's mouths. There lies the uncanny valley. Still from the distance of a TV it looks fine and colors and effects are punchy. (The KH 1.5 had colors that were notably off)

I had borrowed the original Kingdom Hearts from a friend, finished it, and loved it, but I had to return his other games before I could complete Kingdom Hearts 2. When Kingdom Hearts 3 was finally announced, I got hyped! Not because I was a hardcore fan or anything, but because I knew gamers and Disney fans alike had been waiting with bated breath for over a decade now. After expressing my interest, my brother was actually kind enough to get me the 1.5 remix. Experiencing the game in HD was nothing short of magical, and I even played Chain of Memories and loved it. After I completed KH 1.5, I got my hands on 2.5 as soon as I could and jumped right into Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix. While lacking the magical feel of the first installment, the game-play and story is still up to par with the original game. In the beginning, you play as a boy named Roxas, who is living out the final days of summer vacation with his three friends in a place called twilight town. This takes a little while and can be a tad boring at times, but is still fun and lets you know you're in for a much bigger adventure this time around. Then we get to Sora, Donald and Goofy, and the real fun begins. Sora and friends seek the help of Master Yen Sid (the sorcerer from Fantasia), and soon set out on another adventure to find their friends and save the worlds (they are sent on another task, but I won't give it away). They visit some of the worlds from the first game such as Olympus Coliseum (Hercules), Atlantica (The Little Mermaid), Hundred Acre Wood (Winnie the Pooh series), Halloween Town (The Nightmare Before Christmas), Agrabah (Aladdin), and Hollow Bastion. But we also get new worlds like Port Royal (Pirates of the Caribbean), The Land of Dragons (Mulan), The Pride Lands (The Lion King), and so on. Now let's talk about the gameplay. Man, is this a huge improvement on the first one! The action is faster, the controls are nice and tight and fun to use, and Sora's skills have greatly increased. Thanks to the help of three good fairies, Sora's clothes can now change into something called drive forms. These forms can be unlocked as you progress through your journey, and grant you unique attacks and abilities. Needless to say, this can really help you when you're in a tight spot! The world's are great as usual, as are the characters, especially characters like Roxas, Axel, and DiZ (voiced by the late Sir Christopher Lee). Most of the Disney characters are voiced by their original actors, with a few exceptions (Simba, Mushu, and Genie are but a few examples), and the ones that aren't are played by very convincing voice doubles (Cam Clarke for the win!). The music is top notch and has even been re-orchestrated for this 2014 release (the track titled "The Other Promise" is particularly moving) and hearing Utada Hikaru's "Sanctuary" (originally titled "Passion" in Japan) was nothing short of pure awesomeness. Many have complained about loading times that were much longer than the original game, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't bug me just a little bit. When Sora uses his drive forms, it takes a little longer than it should to change into said form. I haven't died or anything because of it, and I don't really care, but I can see why others would, especially if they had played the original 2005 release. Nevertheless I continue to enjoy the game. I haven't really played much of BBS or watched much of the Re:Coded cutscene movie, but if KH2 is any indication of what's to come, I'm in for one hell of a ride! If you're new to the franchise, be sure to pick up both this and the 1.5 remix. Believe me, you'll have a blast!

I have the PS2 versions of KH1, Chain of Memories, and KH2, and I got the 1.5 collection. Now for the game by game review. KH2: This takes place one year after Chain of Memories, and it that one is required playing to understand why this opens the way it does. It features several new attacks, such as Limits and Drives. (Spoiler) Halfway through the game, there is a revisit of the first game. As with the previous collection, this is the final mix version, which features scenes and bosses that weren't in the PS2 version, including the Absent Silhouettes, which are the shadows of the Organization members seen in Chain of Memories. Birth by Sleep: This takes place ten years before KH1, and features three different heroes: Terra, Ventus (who looks like Roxas) and Aqua. Several Organization members are seen as their original selves: Xigbar (as Braig), Xaldin (as Dilan), Vexen (as Even), Lexaeus (as Aeleus), Zexion (as Ienzo), Saix (as Isa), and Axel (as Lea). Best of all, the villain, Master Xehanort, is voiced by the late, great Leonard Nimoy ( a role he reprised in Dream Drop Distance). I didn't have a PSP, so this game was brand new for me. Coded: As was the case with 358/2 days in the previous collection, this is cinematics only, and most of this game is filler. Only the end connects with KH2, as it takes place immediately after that game.

I didn't think I would like this game more than the original but somehow they won me over. Very fun game. And I really enjoy the additional game "Birth by Sleep" that it comes with. I really like the the forms Sora can utilize to temporarily power up... brilliant concept. Although I wish there could have been more time or options to play as Roxas or perhaps when you conquer the game let you choose Roxas as your primary character. But other than that it's a fantastic game.