For the second stage of the Square Enix remaster saga, Final Fantasy X HD has taken to the forefront and swelled with a beautiful response and now the second half of the ultimate remix for Kingdom Hearts is unveiled beyond the curtain to captivate us into the Final Mix. Featuring Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix and Birth by Sleep Final Mix as its main powerhouse contenders, HD 2.5 Remix has the most powerful and highly regarded of the Kingdom Hearts saga under its belt. Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep in particular showcasing some of the most intense story telling in the series to date.
Kingdom Hearts HD has been getting some pretty gorgeous visual enhancements as whole, 2.5 does not shy away from the same treatment. Clear textures, gorgeous environmental enhancements, and smoothness across the board with very minimal graphical issues except for one aspect in both games.
Kingdom Hearts 2 is the same as before, the game flows beautifully, looks gorgeous and the nostalgia factor from characters in game is a joy, but we know this, what we want to know about is the Final Mix content for KH 2.5 HD. Showcasing a wonderful new area called the Cavern of Remembrance, KH 2.5 HD: FM introduces a combat system that allows you, as Sora to combat the entire Organisation XIII group in any order you choose. From the very first member to Roxas and even the final antagonist himself Xemnes. It’s a fantastic little addition, providing the player with unique items to make the heartless war ever easier.
Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep, brings the longer of the two games and a few departures from the norm. With three playable characters, Ventus, Terra & Aqua, a first for the Kingdom Hearts series, Birth By Sleep manages to balance multiple stories across the same worlds to tell three beautifully tailored stories, culminating in some of the best climactic fight sequences for each character against their most common antagonist. The story flow between each of the characters and works very well in rounding out the origins story of the series for the current cast.
Graphically the updated textures and environments in game have had some serious love given to them, it shows very well that Square Enix is very proud of its Remasters. Not to mention the music, but once again the fully orchestrated remaster of Yoko Shimmomura’s soundtrack cannot be faulted. It jumps from jaunty happy tunes in Kingdom Hearts 2, to the dark, emotion shredding themes of Aqua in Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep, with gorgeous violin and string instruments setting a mood so deep you could get immersed in the music alone.
The Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded is a long-form video, much like the 358/2 Days that was showcased at the end of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix. This video gives a rundown of background events happening in the Kingdom Hearts universe, while also giving some brand new events that will shape the future of the story. When it comes down to it though, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix is a gem. The game offers 2 fantastic games in the saga, the strongest two entries to date, all in one box, looking fantastic and for a very decent price! Not to mention the film at the end and trophy awards for you hoarders out there. There really is nothing to not like in this remaster!