Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD Remix Wiki – Everything you need to know about the game

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix is an upcoming video game compilation that contains a collection of titles from the Kingdom Hearts franchise.  This collection brings together two games from the series (Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix), which will mark the first time either of these games has been released outside of Japan. This HD collection is going to feature Kingdom Hearts Re:coded in the form of high definition remastered cinematic cut scenes.

Furthermore they will also be making use of full trophy support. This collection has been put together specifically and exclusively for PlayStation 3 and is currently set to be published by Square Enix, the company behind the successful Deus Ex and Final Fantasy franchises.  The collection is currently slated for a global release, but at an unspecific date sometime in 2014.

• 1. Development
• 2. Story
• 3. Gameplay
• 4. Characters

Development

The development of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix was hinted at in the credits of the first collection of Kingdom Hearts games. During the final credit sequence in Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix (which brought together Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days in a HD collection in 2013 for PlayStation 3), clips of the games featured in Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix were shown, thus hinting at the existence of a second remastered collection.

This was in fact, a ruse on the part of Shinji Hashimoto (a Square Enix video game producer that has worked on both Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts), this was revealed in an interview with IGN in which he stated that the development of a second high definition Kingdom Hearts collection would be entirely dependent on whether or not with the reaction to the first collection was warranted. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix was well received across the board, with its lowest score being a 7/10 from GameSpot; it’s also currently sitting at 78/100 on Metacritic.

This success ultimately led to the creation of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix.  When initially quizzed on why Kingdom Hearts was such an important franchise and one that warranted a second HD remix, Shinji Hashimoto said “While fans of Disney are usually quite young and Final Fantasy players are much older, they come together to create a Kingdom Hearts audience that’s very unique. The feelings people have towards the series are so deep these days because they spent many of their teenage years, which is a very sensitive period of your personal life, with Kingdom Hearts.”

Story

Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix follows on from the events that take place in Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories, this time however the player will progress through game worlds that draw inspiration from both the Disney animated films as well as Disney’s Live Action IP’s. Set one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories, Sora, Goofy and Donald have been in a sort of stasis. This suspended animation is to help them regain the memories that they have lost.

Upon awakening they eventually come into contact with King Mickey, who once again sends them off on a quest of great importance.  This quest is to find Riku and ultimately foil the plans of Organization XIII, the group that has control of the Nobodies. The Nobodies are the empty husk of a person who once had a strong heart but has been changed into one of The Heartless.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix is a prequel game to the first instalment in the Kingdom Hearts series. The player will take control of the three main characters, Terra, Aqua and Ventus, this trio are serving under their master as Apprentice level wielders of the Keyblades.

Upon completing their tests and trying to attain master rank, their master goes missing and they are told that the Princess of Heart is in danger from the Unversed. These evil beings are entities that aren’t “well versed” in the ways of their own existence and feed on the negative emotions of those around them.

Kingdom Hearts Re:coded will be returning in High Definition, but in the form of a collection of completely remastered cinematic cut scenes.

Gameplay

Being heavily influenced by the series that spawned it (Final Fantasy) the game plays very similarly to that series. There is however, more of a hack and slash approach to Kingdom Hearts. However unlike Final Fantasy, combat in Kingdom Hearts takes place in real time, with various on screen menus that can help the player select powers and abilities. Battle parties (player teams) consist of teams of three: Sora Goofy and Donald Duck or Terra, Aqua and Ventus.

The player takes control of the game specific hero in a 3rd person camera perspective; all other team members are computer controlled.  Although, like in Final Fantasy, the player can influence their combat style and behaviour through a series of menus. Gameplay remains largely unchanged across most of the series and although small refinements have been made, the gameplay mechanics remain, for the most part unchanged.

Characters

• Sora: a young 14 year old boy, Sora has been chosen to be the wielder of the Keyblade. A large key shaped weapon used to combat the darkness. Sora makes repeat appearances through the series and is often the key character in the development of the game.
• Donald Duck: A Disney character with an iconic history plays the roles of the courts wizard in Kingdom Hearts.
• Goofy Goof: Another Disney character of legendary status, Goofy fulfils the role of Captain of The Royal Guard.
• King Mickey: Perhaps the most well-known cartoon character of all time, Mickey Mouse leads with the role of King Mickey Mouse.
• Ansem: An evil being searching for power and sources of knowledge, he uses the heartless to help accomplish his goals.
• Terra: Terra was first introduced in Birth by Sleep; he is one of the games three main protagonists. Terra is a young apprentice Keyblade warrior serving under his trainer, Master Eraqus. After Master Xehanorts disappearance he is tasked with finding the missing trainer and better himself by taming a growing darkness within.
• Aqua: Aqua was first introduced in Birth by Sleep alongside Terra and Ventus. Although she trains with and is currently adventuring alongside Terra, she was tasked with watching over his development, thus ensuring he doesn’t succumb to the evil within himself.
• Ventus: Ventus (nicknamed Ven) was first introduced in Birth by Sleep alongside Terra and Aqua and he is the youngest of the trio that trains under Master Eraqus. After Master Xeohanort vanishes Ven departs alongside his friends on a journey where he will discover much about himself, as well as his relation to another one of the apprentices.

Note: This wiki will be updated once we have more information about the game.