Jump to content

Kingdom Hearts II

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix)

Kingdom Hearts II
Vertically oriented front cover art depicting three teenagers (two males and one female) sitting on a rounded structure with three Disney cartoon characters. They are flanked by two hooded figures that fade into a cloudy sky background. The words "Kingdom Hearts" in sharp stylized curved font is superimposed in the lower third of the cover art. Behind the title are a stylized Roman numeral 2 and a heart outline.
Cover artwork featuring the game's protagonists[a]
DeveloperSquare Enix Product Development Division 1[1]
PublisherSquare Enix
DirectorTetsuya Nomura
Producers
Programmers
  • Hiroshi Harata
  • Kentaro Yasui
Artists
  • Takayuki Odachi
  • Tetsuya Nomura
WriterKazushige Nojima
ComposerYoko Shimomura
SeriesKingdom Hearts
PlatformPlayStation 2
Release
  • JP: December 22, 2005
  • NA: March 28, 2006
  • AU: September 28, 2006
  • EU: September 29, 2006
Final Mix
  • JP: March 29, 2007
GenresAction role-playing, hack and slash[citation needed]
ModeSingle-player

Kingdom Hearts II[b] is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2. The game is a sequel to Kingdom Hearts, and like the original game, combines characters and settings from Disney films with those of Square Enix's Final Fantasy series. An expanded re-release of the game featuring new and additional content, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, was released exclusively in Japan in March 2007. The Final Mix version of the game was later remastered in high definition and released globally as part of the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix collection for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch.

Kingdom Hearts II is the second main installment in the Kingdom Hearts series, and the third game overall, taking place one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.[2] Sora, the protagonist of the first two games, returns to search for his lost friends while battling the sinister Organization XIII, a group of antagonists previously introduced in Chain of Memories.[3] Like previous games, Kingdom Hearts II features a large cast of characters from Disney and Square Enix properties.

Concepts for Kingdom Hearts II began during the end of development of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, with the game entering full development in 2003 and being announced at Tokyo Game Show 2003. Most of the first game's development team returned, including director Tetsuya Nomura, with the game being developed concurrently with Chain of Memories. In developing Kingdom Hearts II, the development team sought to address user feedback from the first game, give the player more freedom and options in combat and present a deeper and more mature plot.[4][5][6]

The game was released to a very positive reaction from critics; earning several awards upon release. Reviewers praised the visuals, soundtrack, voice acting, and emotional weight, but assessments of the gameplay and narrative were mixed. In both Japan and North America, it shipped more than one million copies within weeks of its release, with over four million worldwide by April 2007. It has been cited as one of the greatest video games of all time.[7][8]

Gameplay

[edit]
Sora battles Sephiroth in Radiant Garden. The player uses the game menu at the bottom left of the screen to control Sora's actions and can monitor Sora's HP and MP gauges on the bottom right.

The gameplay of Kingdom Hearts II is similar to the action RPG and hack and slash[failed verification] gameplay of the first Kingdom Hearts game, though developers made an effort to address some of the complaints of no map and camera bugs with the previous game.[9][10] The player directly controls Sora from a third-person camera angle, though it is possible to switch to a first-person perspective by pressing the Select button. Most of the gameplay occurs on interconnected field maps where battles take place. The game is driven by a linear progression from one story event to the next, usually told via cutscenes, though there are numerous side-quests available that provide bonuses to characters.

Like many traditional role-playing video games, Kingdom Hearts II features an experience point system which determines character development.[11] As enemies are defeated, the player and allies gain experience to "level up", allowing them to grow stronger and gain access to new abilities.[12]

Combat in Kingdom Hearts II takes place in real-time and involves hack and slash elements with button presses which initiate attacks by the on-screen character. A role-playing game menu on the screen's bottom left, similar to those found in Final Fantasy games, provides other combat options, such as using magic or items, summoning beings to assist in battle, or executing combination attacks with other party members.[12] A new feature is the "Reaction Command", special enemy-specific attacks that are triggered when the player presses the triangle button at the correct time during battle.[13] Reaction Commands can be used to defeat regular enemies or avoid damage, and are sometimes necessary to complete a boss battle.[11] In addition to the main character, two party members are usually present who also participate in combat.[9] Although these characters are computer-controlled, the player is allowed to customize their behavior to a certain extent through the menu screen, such as attacking the same enemy Sora targets.

In response to criticism, the "Gummi Ship" feature of the first game was re-imagined to be "more enjoyable". Although retaining its basic purpose of travel, the system was completely redone to resemble a combination of rail shooter and "Disney theme park ride".[10] In the world map, the player now controls the Gummi Ship from a top-down view to fly to the world they wish to enter. Worlds are no longer open from the beginning—the player must unlock the routes to them by entering a new level, controlling the ship from a third-person point of view, and battling enemy ships.[12] After the route is opened, travel to the world is unimpeded, unless it is blocked again due to a plot-related event. The player may also gain new Gummi Ships from completing routes, which is also a new feature.

Drive Gauge

[edit]

One of the new features is a meter known as the "Drive Gauge". which has two functions: to transform Sora into a "Drive Form" or to summon a special character. While in a Drive Form, Sora bonds with party members to become more powerful and acquire different attributes;[14] all but two Forms also allow the use of two Keyblades. When a Drive is executed, Sora's combat statistics are heightened. Drive Forms also give Sora new abilities that can be used in normal form, called "Growth Abilities". Sora's first two Drive Forms only combine power with one party member; later-obtained Drive Forms require him to bond with both party members. When allies are used in a Drive, they are temporarily removed from battle for its duration. Unlike the HP and MP gauges, the Drive Gauge is not refilled at save points.[12]

Like in the first game, Sora can summon a Disney character to aid him in battle.[13] Summons will replace the two computer-controlled characters and fight alongside Sora for as long as the Drive Gauge allows, or until Sora's HP runs out. Instead of being limited to only one action, Summons now have a menu of their own and are capable of performing solo or cooperative actions with Sora, which are performed by pressing the triangle button. The Summon ability and each Drive Form are leveled up separately and by different criteria; obtaining higher levels allows for extended use and in the case of Drive Forms, access to new abilities.[11]

Plot

[edit]

Setting

[edit]

Kingdom Hearts II begins one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories. The game's setting is a collection of various levels (referred to in-game as "worlds") that the player progresses through. As in the first game, the player can travel to various Disney-based locales, along with original worlds specifically created for the series. While Disney-based worlds were primarily derived from the Disney animated features canon in the first game, Kingdom Hearts II introduces worlds that are based on live-action franchises: Pirates of the Caribbean or Tron.[15][16] Each world varies in appearance and setting, depending on the Disney film on which it is based. The graphics of the world and characters are meant to resemble the artwork and style of the environments and characters from their respective Disney films. Each world is disconnected from the others and exists separately; with few exceptions, players travel from one world to another via a Gummi Ship.

Some worlds featured in the previous games reappear, but with new and expanded areas. New worlds are also introduced, with the Land of Dragons being based on Mulan, Beast's Castle on Beauty and the Beast, Timeless River on Steamboat Willie among other shorts from the Mickey Mouse film series, Port Royal on Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pride Lands on The Lion King, and Space Paranoids on Tron. Twilight Town, an original world first seen in Chain of Memories, has a greater role as the introductory world. The World That Never Was is a new world that serves as the headquarters of Organization XIII.[11]

Characters

[edit]

The three protagonists are Sora, a 15-year-old boy chosen as a wielder of the Keyblade—a mystical key-shaped weapon that can combat darkness; Donald Duck, the court magician of Disney Castle; and Goofy, the captain of the Disney Castle guards.[11] Both Donald and Goofy are under orders from their missing king, Mickey Mouse, to accompany Sora and his Keyblade. Other original characters include Riku, who is briefly playable at the game's climax, and Kairi, who are Sora's friends from his home world of Destiny Islands; Roxas, a boy who can also wield the Keyblade and is playable in the game's beginning sequence; Naminé, a girl with the power to manipulate memories; and DiZ, a man clad in red robes with a vendetta against Organization XIII, and is later revealed to be Ansem the Wise, Xehanort's mentor.

As in the previous games, characters from both Disney and Square Enix works appear. While some return from Kingdom Hearts, additional Disney characters are introduced, such as Scrooge McDuck and several characters from Disney films in their home worlds. Pete appears as a persistent enemy who works with the resurrected Maleficent. Nearly twenty characters from Final Fantasy games appear, notably Auron from Final Fantasy X, Squall Leonhart from Final Fantasy VIII, and Cloud Strife, Sephiroth, and Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy VII. Other new characters to the series are Vivi Ornitier from Final Fantasy IX, Seifer Almasy from Final Fantasy VIII, and Setzer Gabbiani from Final Fantasy VI.[17]

The worlds that Sora explores often have an optional party character from the film which the world is based on. These party members include Fa Mulan, a woman who passes as a man to take her ailing father's place in the army; Jack Sparrow, a pirate who seeks to reclaim his ship, the Black Pearl; Simba, a self-exiled lion and the rightful king of the Pride Lands; and Tron, a security program in Hollow Bastion's computer network who seeks to end the dictatorship of the Master Control Program.[11]

Organization XIII, a group of powerful Nobodies—the "empty shells" left over when a strong-hearted person becomes a Heartless—introduced in Chain of Memories, is established as the primary group of antagonists early on. Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, serves as the main antagonist and final boss of the game. Villains unique to the worlds are prevalent and are often presented as challenges that Sora's group must overcome.

Story

[edit]

Sora, Donald, and Goofy have spent the past year in suspended animation to restore their lost memories. Meanwhile, Roxas, Sora's Nobody, is unknowingly trapped in a virtual simulation of Twilight Town created by DiZ to protect him from Organization XIII until Sora awakens. DiZ's plan is threatened when Nobodies led by Axel, Roxas's former friend in Organization XIII, infiltrate the virtual town to retrieve him. Roxas repels the Nobodies before merging with Sora. After awakening, Sora, Donald, and Goofy meet King Mickey and Yen Sid, who send them on a new journey to find Riku and uncover Organization XIII's plans. Meanwhile, Maleficent is resurrected and reunites with Pete to continue her quest for power.

Sora travels to both familiar and unfamiliar worlds, resolving conflicts caused by Organization XIII, the Heartless, and various local villains. During a visit to Hollow Bastion, the group reunites with Mickey, who reveals that the "Ansem" they previously defeated was an impostor who was actually the Heartless of a man named Xehanort, and that Xehanort's Nobody, Xemnas, leads Organization XIII. The Organization reveals that it seeks to create its own Kingdom Hearts from the hearts Sora releases from defeated Heartless, believing its power will restore the members' lost hearts. They also abduct Kairi to use as leverage against Sora. As Sora revisits the worlds to resolve lingering problems while searching for a route to Organization XIII's stronghold in the World That Never Was, he is secretly aided by a hooded figure he believes to be Riku.

Following a lead, Sora, Donald, and Goofy travel through Twilight Town to reach the World That Never Was, where Axel sacrifices himself to help them proceed. Sora reunites with Kairi and Riku, learning that Riku assumed the appearance of Xehanort's Heartless after unleashing his power to subdue Roxas. Mickey encounters DiZ, who reveals himself to be the real Ansem, Xehanort's mentor. Ansem uses a device to dissipate some of Kingdom Hearts' power, but it overloads and explodes, apparently killing him while restoring Riku's original appearance. At the Castle That Never Was, Sora and his allies defeat Xemnas, who draws on the remnants of Kingdom Hearts during the battle. During the battle, Sora and Riku become trapped in the Realm of Darkness, where they discover a letter from Kairi that opens a portal back to the Destiny Islands, allowing them to reunite with their friends. In a post-credits scene, Sora, Kairi, and Riku receive a letter from Mickey, the contents of which are hidden from the player.

Development

[edit]

Nomura had plans for a sequel when working on the first Kingdom Hearts.[18] Development plans for Kingdom Hearts II began around the completion of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, but specific details were undecided until July 2003.[19] Nomura noted several obstacles to clear before development could begin on a sequel. One such obstacle was the development team's desire to showcase Mickey Mouse more, which required Disney's approval.[4] The game was developed by Square Enix's Product Development Division 1,[1] with most of the original staff from the first game.[20] The game was originally supposed to have been released after Kingdom Hearts. Nomura had planned for the sequel to take place a year after the first and originally intended for the events of that year to be left unexplained. To bridge the gap between the two games, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was developed.[21] To explain the loss of all the abilities from the first game at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II, Nomura had Sora's memories scrambled in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.[22]

The Gummi Ship segments were redesigned for Kingdom Hearts II.

Many aspects of the gameplay were reworked for the sequel. Some changes were made due to user feedback and others were meant to be included in previous games but were omitted either because of time or technological constraints.[10] The camera was switched to the right analog stick of the DualShock controller instead of the shoulder buttons and the Gummi Ship travel was reworked. The combat system was completely redone and did not use any animations from the first game. Because Sora had matured, Nomura wanted his fighting style to reflect that.[16] Other changes included more integration between exploration and battles.[23] The variations in combat styles associated with each Drive Form and the introduction of the Reaction Command were added to give players more choices in battles.[10]

The new game engine allowed the team to expand on the worlds that carried over from the first game. Because the game engine was freshly built for Kingdom Hearts II, the developers also recreated assets and textures. Nomura considered the inclusion of The Nightmare Before Christmas in the first game as an unexpected world and wanted a bigger surprise in the sequel for fans. He felt that the Pirates of the Caribbean fit his criteria. Despite the source material being live-action, Nomura likened mixing it with the Kingdom Hearts aesthetics to Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Additionally, he believed the development team could successfully create the Pirates of the Caribbean's visuals because most of the staff had previously worked on the Final Fantasy series, including Final Fantasy X, which feature character models that are more humanlike than Kingdom Hearts.[24] The inclusion of worlds based on live-action Disney films was aided by technology that generated the character models from live-action pictures.[23]

Audio

[edit]

Music

[edit]
Protrait of a Japanese woman with long hair smiling as she holds her index finder close to her face
Yoko Shimomura (shown in 2007)
Photograph of a Japanes woman with a bob haircut sitting at a table.
Hikaru Utada (shown in 2009)
Yoko Shimomura and Hikaru Utada returned to produce music for the sequel.

Like the first game, Kingdom Hearts II features music by Yoko Shimomura and Hikaru Utada. Shimomura built upon the foundation of the first game, which she felt was an easier creative process; she considered blending Disney elements with the darker nature of the original Kingdom Hearts more difficult. The musical-style songs feature Japanese and English lyrics depending on the game's region, something Shimomura felt completely changed the scenes' atmosphere. Several songs from the previous games reappear; for example, "Twilight Town", which Shimomura originally composed for Chain of Memories, is featured.[25] The original soundtrack for Kingdom Hearts II was composed by Shimomura and released on January 25, 2006.[26] The opening orchestration and ending credits theme were arranged and orchestrated by Kaoru Wada and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.[26]

The main vocal theme for the original Japanese release is "Passion", written and performed by Utada. An English version titled "Sanctuary" was used in Western releases.[27] Utada began working on "Passion" in 2003, and while creating it, the developers approached them about singing the theme song for Kingdom Hearts II.[28] Nomura wanted Utada to return in part because he was aware that fans associated them with the franchise. Compared to the previous theme, he provided Utada more detailed story notes with an emphasis on Sora and Riku's reunion.[4] The developers also provided sketches and video of the ending segment the song would play. Having worked on the previous game, Utada could more easily visualize how the song connected to the scene and aimed to match the impact of "Hikari".[28] After Utada completed the song, the developers adjusted the final movie to ensure the content synchronized with the music.[4] Utada's involvement was announced on July 29, 2005.[27] Prior to the announcement, Nomura declined to comment on whether Utada would return for the sequel.[18] The CD single for "Passion" was released on December 14, 2005,[29] and "Sanctuary" was first previewed on MTV's official website in early 2006.[30]

Voice cast

[edit]
Photograph of a young White man with dirty blonde hair holding a microphone on a stage
Jesse McCartney (shown in 2005)
Portrait of a young White woman with blonde hair smiling.
Brittany Snow (shown in 2007)
Portrait of an old White man with a short full white beard sitting down.
Christopher Lee (shown in 2007)
Several performers joined production to voice original characters that were either new or had not yet been voiced in the series. The English voice cast included Jess McCartney as Roxas, Brittany Snow as Naminé, and Christopher Lee as Diz.

Disney oversaw the voice casting, and Square Enix had final approval to determine whether the casting fit the role, with a focus on non-Disney characters.[24] Kingdom Hearts II features well-known voice actors for both the Japanese and English versions. Many of the original voice actors from the first Kingdom Hearts reprised their roles; Miyu Irino and Haley Joel Osment as Sora, Mamoru Miyano and David Gallagher as Riku, and Risa Uchida and Hayden Panettiere as Kairi. Voice actors new to series include Koki Uchiyama and Jesse McCartney as Roxas, Iku Nakahara and Brittany Snow as Naminé, and Genzō Wakayama and Christopher Lee as DiZ.[14][31] Osment recalled that the producers provided the voice actors a flow chart of the plot in order to help them understand the story's complexity.[32]

Irino, Miyano, and Uchida learned of Kingdom Hearts II during the winter of 2004 while recording commercials for Chain of Memories. The three recorded most of their parts separately, with only a few scenes done together. They all did their original Kingdom Hearts roles early in their careers and felt more seasoned for the sequel. Their voices had matured since they voiced the first game, which led Irino and Uchida to replicate their voices from before—both were in junior high at the time—because the sequel takes place only a year after the original. However, the production staff instructed Irino to use his normal voice in order to portray the character as stronger rather than younger. While Irino still aimed to keep Sora innocent and optimistic, the character required more complex emotions compared to the first game. Similarly, Uchida aimed to convey more strength since Kairi took a more active role this time. Conversely, Miyano leaned into his deeper voice more to match an adult Riku. However, the production staff had him tone it down since the character had aged only a year.[33] The English voice cast also noted differences from the original game. Panettiere felt the sequel had evolved from the first. A difficult scene for her require Panettiere to record it multiple times in order to convey the right emotion. Gallagher considered Riku a dark character, which he aimed to portray well.[25]

A special effort was made to preserve the official voice actors from the Disney films used in Kingdom Hearts II. Many actors reprised their Disney roles for the game, including Ming-Na Wen as Mulan, James Woods as Hades, Bruce Boxleitner as Tron, Chris Sarandon as Jack Skellington, Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts, Kenneth Mars as King Triton, and Zach Braff as Chicken Little.[14][34] Some voice actors from the related television series or direct-to-video sequels were chosen over original voice actors where applicable, such as Robert Costanzo as Philoctetes rather than Danny DeVito or Cam Clarke as Simba instead of Matthew Broderick. Some characters were given new voice actors in the English version; Ansem, Aerith Gainsborough, Squall Leonhart, Sephiroth, and Hercules, who were originally voiced by Billy Zane, Mandy Moore, David Boreanaz, Lance Bass, and Sean Astin respectively in the first game, were voiced by Richard Epcar, Mena Suvari, Doug Erholtz, George Newbern, and Tate Donovan (Hercules' original voice actor), and newcomer Tifa Lockhart was voiced by Rachael Leigh Cook.[31][34]

Promotion and release

[edit]

An unlockable trailer in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts Final Mix hinted at the possibility of a sequel. Rumors were spurred in Japan in March 2003 when video game website Quiter reported that an anonymous internal source at Square[c] confirmed that development of Kingdom Hearts II had begun.[35] Later that year, Buena Vista Games and Square Enix jointly announced at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2003 that Kingdom Hearts II, along with Chain of Memories, were in production.[36] Initial plot details placed Kingdom Hearts II after Chain of Memories, which takes place directly after the first game, and included the return of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as well as new costumes. Information about Mickey Mouse's involvement was kept to a minimum. Square Enix aimed to co-publish the game with Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 in 2004 or later.[19][37] At the 2004 Square Enix E3 Press conference, producer Shinji Hashimoto said that many mysteries of the first game would be answered.[38]

Although the game was announced in September 2003, Square Enix provided few updates until the game was closer to completion. A fall 2005 release window was not announced until the end of 2004; the December date for the Japanese release was later publicized in September 2005.[39][40] Regarding the period of silence, Nomura admitted that the game was announced too early and information was not publicized until a debut period was in sight.[41] As the release date approached, Square Enix would incrementally reveal a few new characters and worlds via trailers and demonstrations at trade presentations.[39][42]

Square Enix launched the official Japanese website in May 2005,[43] followed by the English website in December 2005.[44] The websites featured videos and information regarding characters and worlds.[45] Following the launch of the Japanese website, Kingdom Hearts II began receiving coverage in Japan's prominent video game publications.[41] Commercials aired in Japan that highlighted the numerous Disney characters.[45] In July 2005, the company promoted the game, among several others, at its annual Square Enix Party at the Makuhari Messe center in Chiba, Japan. Attendees could play a demo version of Kingdom Hearts II.[46]

While Square Enix aimed for a winter holiday release date in North America, the window was pushed back a few months. The company dedicated US$3 million to Kingdom Hearts II's North American launch campaign, which included print and TV advertisements that focused on the variety of characters and worlds. Disney reviewed the campaign details to ensure it was not advertised in venues and on networks associated with sexual overtones or violence.[47] The week before the North American release, Square Enix held a launch party at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California.[25][48] To promote the game, the English voice cast in attendance gave media interviews, demo stations were available to play, and game footage was screened.[25]

Square Enix published Kingdom Hearts II three regions (Japan, North America, and PAL regions), which differ nominally in content editing and localization. In the North American version, enemy weapons that resembled guns were altered due to concerns of content ratings.[48] The European and Australian PAL releases were reformatted to run at 50 Hz in order to fit the screen resolution size of PAL encoding systems.[49] The company later released enhanced versions with additional content.[50][51]

Final Mix

[edit]

Similar to the first game, Kingdom Hearts II received an enhanced version with additional content titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. Final Mix was first released exclusively in Japan on March 29, 2007, as a two-disc set: Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+. The first disc contains Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix while the second contains Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, a full 3D remake of Chain of Memories for the PlayStation 2.[50][52] Re:Chain of Memories retains the card-based combat system from the Game Boy Advance version and incorporates Reaction Commands from Kingdom Hearts II.[53] Like Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, the two games serve as a canonical update to the series. The book Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was included with the game for those who reserved a copy.[54]

Production of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix began after the original North American and European versions were localized.[4] When Kingdom Hearts II released in North America, both Nomura and Hashimoto publicly commented that the company had no intention of creating a Final Mix version;[48][25] Hashimoto indicated that they were instead focused on localizing it for Europe.[25] Despite Kingdom Hearts Final Mix's success, Nomura did not plan to produce a Final Mix version of the sequel; he wanted its initial release to be a complete version that included the English voice tracks. However, Nomura had to omit content due to delays with the English voice recording and the game file's size approaching the disc's storage capacity.[4] Based on Amazon.com figures, Final Mix+ was the best-selling PlayStation 2 game during the week of its release in Japan.[55] Square Enix later re-released Final Mix+ in June 2008 as part of its "Ultimate Hits" budget line of best sellers.[56]

HD 2.5 Remix

[edit]

Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix was released outside Japan for the first time as part of the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix collection. In the credits of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, clips of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix appeared, hinting at its inclusion in a future collection.[51] On October 14, 2013, Square Enix announced the second compilation exclusively for the PlayStation 3. It includes both Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix in HD as well as trophy support and HD cinematic scenes from Kingdom Hearts Re:coded. Square Enix published the collection in Japan on October 2, 2014.[51][57] Releases in other territories followed two months later: North America on December 2, 2014; Australia on December 4, 2014; and Europe on December 5, 2014.[58][59] The development team reused assets from the 1.5 Remix collection, which allowed them to focus on improving the quality of the second compilation. Changes included switching to a widescreen aspect ratio and remixing 80% of the audio. As the developers felt that Kingdom Hearts II was already well balanced, they decided against making major gameplay changes.[60]

Merchandise and printed adaptations

[edit]

Prior to the game's release, Square Enix published an Ultimania book, titled Kingdom Hearts Series Ultimania α ~Introduction of Kingdom Hearts II~, that provides extended information on the first two Kingdom Hearts games and previewed Kingdom Hearts II.[61] After the game's release, the company published Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania, which focuses solely on the game. Another Ultimania book, titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ Ultimania, was published following Final Mix's release. Released along with Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was a hardback book which includes game information, visuals by Shiro Amano, and a director interview.[54] In North America, BradyGames published two strategy guides: a standard guide and a limited-edition version. The latter was available in four different covers and included a copy of Jiminy's Journal along with 400 stickers.[62] While Square Enix produced a range of Kingdom Hearts toys in Japan, the company did not export them due to licensing restrictions on Disney properties.[63]

Similar to the previous two games, Square Enix published a manga adaptation in its Monthly Shōnen Gangan magazine with Shiro Amano returning to draw the series. Serialization began in 2006 but went on hiatus while Amano shifted focus to the Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days manga. The Kingdom Hearts II manga resumed in October 2012 and continued until May 2015.[64][65] During the adaptation's run in Monthly Shōnen Gangan, Square Enix released the manga as ten standalone volumes in Japan.[64] The first was published in December 2006.[66] Tokyopop published the first two volumes in North America; the first in July 2007 and the second the following year in May.[67][68] Spanish language versions were published by Planeta DeAgostini.[69] After the original serialization resumed in 2012, Yen Press obtained the North American publishing rights in 2013 as Tokyo Pop had shutdown its operations in that region in 2011.[64] Yen Press published the fourth volume in May 2017.[70]

The game has been novelized by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. The first volume, titled "Roxas—Seven Days", was released on April 22, 2006[71] and covers Roxas' story to when Sora wakes up and leaves Twilight Town. The novel depicts extra scenes that were added in the Final Mix version, such as interaction between Organization XIII members and between Axel, Naminé, and Riku. The second book, "The Destruction of Hollow Bastion", was released on July 16, 2006,[72] the third book, "Tears of Nobody", revolving around Roxas' past, was released on September 29, 2006,[73] and the fourth book, "Anthem—Meet Again/Axel Last Stand", came out in February 2007.[74] Yen Press later localized the volumes into a single omnibus for a Western release titled Kingdom Hearts II: The Novel. In 2021, the publisher included it in a compilation, Kingdom Hearts: The Complete Novel, of all the series' localized light novels.[75]

Reception

[edit]

Sales

[edit]

Within a week of its Japanese release, Kingdom Hearts II shipped one million copies,[25][76] selling almost 730,000 copies.[77] The NPD Group reported that Kingdom Hearts II was the highest-selling console game in North America during March 2006 with 614,000 copies.[78] In the month after its release in North America, Kingdom Hearts II sold an estimated one million copies.[79] GameStop listed the game as their best-selling title for the first quarter of 2006.[80] The game was also on IGN's "Top 10 Sellers in 2006".[81] By December 2006, over 3.5 million copies of Kingdom Hearts II had been shipped worldwide with 700,000 in PAL regions, 1.1 million in Japan, and 1.7 million in North America.[82][83] By March 31, 2007, Square Enix had shipped over 4 million units worldwide.[8]

Critical response

[edit]

Anticipation was high for Kingdom Hearts II prior to release. Electronic Gaming Monthly readers voted it number eight and ten during the months of June 2004 and December 2004, respectively.[101][102] Similarly, the readers of PlayStation Magazine voted it the second "most wanted game" in September 2004.[103] After release, the game was met with "generally positive" reviews according to the review aggregator website Metacritic.[84]

Like its predecessors, the gameplay received mixed reviews. The refined combat system was praised, with the drive forms, limit breaks, and combos being said to add depth, variety, and excitement. Andrew Reiner of Game Informer called the combo potential "divine", claiming that it surpassed God of War's intensity.[d] Carrie Gouskos of GameSpot and Luke Albiges of Eurogamer highlighted the game's accessibility, with Gouskos saying that the ease of customization allowed for both deep and shallow gameplay experiences,[9][90] and Reiner noted the dynamic controls, which he said instilled confidence and comfort.[3] Gouskos and IGN's Jeff Haynes criticized the combat's decreased difficulty, with Haynes remarking that the effectiveness of basic attacks sidelined offensive magic, and observed that the large amount of health orbs released by enemies during battle rendered healing items redundant. However, Gouskos regarded the approach to be an improvement upon the original game, which she felt derived difficulty from "backtracking, tediousness, and confusion".[90][94] Louis Bedigian of GameZone also concluded that the game would not be challenging to players experienced with action RPGs from the SNES and PlayStation eras.[93] Patrick Gann of RPGFan deemed the partner artificial intelligence to be superior to the first game,[96] whereas Haynes denounced it as "absolutely terrible", attributing this to the omitted ability to issue AI commands.[94]

The quick time events were a generally welcomed addition, with Albiges regarding their quality and impact to be on par with the knife fight scene in Resident Evil 4.[e] Bedigian declared the game to be the first instance of quick time events being successfully implemented, and admired the resulting actions as "some of the most beautiful polygon sequences seen on PlayStation 2".[93] While Russ Fischer of GameRevolution deemed their lenient mechanics compared to God of War to be a saving grace, he and Gann acknowledged that the lack of skill required for their execution may be a drawback for hardcore gamers.[89][96] Bryan Intihar and Shane Bettenhausen of Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) spoke positively of the boss fights, with Bettenhausen saying that the quick time events enhanced their dynamic feeling.[86] Eric Bratcher of GamesRadar+ was also excited by most of the boss battles, though considered a few of them "straight-up lame".[92] Gouskos described the bosses as interesting and well conceived, but observed that the strategies for defeating them hardly differed from that of regular enemies.[90]

Reviewers complimented the camera's increased responsiveness, which Haynes attributed to the altered control method from the shoulder buttons to the right thumbstick.[f] Contrariwise, Gerald Villoria of GameSpy and Gann did not see any improvement, with Villoria occasionally struggling with forced and awkward camera positions.[91][96] James Mielke (writing for EGM) and Gann dismissed the first-person mode as unhelpful, with Mielke warning that the inability to see Sora's Keyblade was disorienting.[86][96]

The RPG elements were described as light, with Haynes calling them a "casualty" of the increased emphasis on combat; he remarked that items were "practically useless" due to a lack of need to use them in certain places as in the first game.[3][89][94] Although Albiges considered the quality of the locales to be consistently high (singling out Port Royal for praise),[9] others lamented the decreased size and increased linearity of the worlds, with Haynes particularly describing Halloween Town and Atlantica as "shadows of their former selves".[90][94][96] While the assortment of minigames in the Hundred Acre Wood was said to be improved from the first game,[86][96] the transition of Atlantica from an action set-piece to a series of rhythm minigames was derided.[9][86][94] Bratcher and Gann were relieved by the absence of the scavenger hunt-type quests from the first game.[92][96]

The Gummi Ship segments were widely agreed to be an improvement over those of the first game.[g] Comparisons were drawn to Star Fox,[9][91] Panzer Dragoon,[91][94] Gradius,[85] R-Type, Einhänder,[89] and the recent works of Cave.[96] Although Gouskos and PALGN's Phil Larsen acknowledged the improved execution, they were still overall unimpressed, though Larsen singled out the battle against a giant pirate ship as a highlight.[90][95] Villoria considered the shipbuilding interface to have been greatly improved,[91] whereas Fischer and Gann still found it obtuse and confusing.[89][96]

The visuals were lauded, with Mielke and Albiges considering them among the PlayStation 2's best, and Villoria putting them on par with Square's best productions.[h] The environmental renderings were praised, with special mention going to the Space Paranoids, Timeless River, and Port Royal worlds.[i] The character models and animations were complimented;[j] Villoria and Gann singled out the Pirates of the Caribbean characters for their realistic quality, and Gann declared the facial designs to be the best he had seen on the PlayStation 2.[91][96] Haynes admired the main characters' changing appearance depending on the world they are visiting,[94] and Villoria noted that the enemies were also visually adapted to their environments, which he said granted them personality.[91] The full-motion videos were admired by Albiges, Gann, and Bedigian, and compared by Gann to those of Final Fantasy XII.[9][93][96] Gann was also impressed by the special effects applied in the dream sequences during the prologue, and claimed to be impacted by the "artistic flair that combined the binary/data/static effect with the heartfelt scenes from the first title".[96]

Reviewers praised the soundtrack, which Bedigian described as "An impeccable, unforgettable mixture of classic Disney tracks and new Square Enix themes".[k] He added that despite the limited nostalgic value of the Disney tunes, they "never get tiring, slightly repetitive, or seem out of place".[93] Gouskos remarked that the presence of some songs from The Little Mermaid were the redeeming quality of the Atlantica rhythm minigames, and she considered the music's infectiousness to be "a tribute to how well the music was adapted and integrated into the gameplay".[90] Larsen only criticized some repetitiveness, but noted that the fast-paced action made this hardly noticeable.[95] However, Villoria and Gann were less than impressed; Villoria felt that the soundtrack did not meet the high standard set by the first game, while Gann complained of the synth quality and recycled tracks from the first game. Gann considered the live orchestral and piano recordings to be the best tracks.[91][96] Mielke (writing for 1Up.com) and Larsen spoke positively of the theme song "Sanctuary", with Mielke calling it "a sublime contribution that grows with each listen" and Larsen deeming it to "have been perfectly crafted to both set and build from the atmosphere of the game".[85][95] Gann, however, faulted what he perceived to be a rushed localization from the equivalent Japanese track "Passion". He elaborated that "Full harmonic backup parts have been cut, and Utada's stand-alone melody sounds flat in English. She stretches syllables to make up for the bouncy melody of the very syllabic Japanese version".[96]

The voice acting was generally commended for its quality and the prestige of its cast.[l] Christopher Lee's presence in particular was singled out as commanding and show-stealing.[3][90][96] Gouskos determined the overall voice acting quality to be excellent, saying that the use of lines from the original Disney films enhanced the sense of immersion, although she identified "one or two bad apples among the bunch", describing Jasmine as "screechy". Additionally, she noted that the Square characters were not given an equal level of treatment to the Disney characters; she deplored the "aloof" dialogue for the Square characters, singling out an instance in which Final Fantasy VIII antagonist Seifer declares "We totally owned you lamers!".[90] Larsen praised the voice actors' effort, but said that the cutscenes felt longer than they are due to the timing of the spoken dialogue.[95] Haynes felt that many lines fell flat and the incorporation of film dialogue was awkward.[94] Mielke and Bratcher respectively deemed Mena Suvari's performance as Aerith "pretty dry" and "all wrong".[85][92] The absence of the actors from Pirates of the Caribbean was a source of disappointment, with EGM describing the sound-alike actor for Jack Sparrow as "iffy at best".[86][93][96]

Responses to the narrative were varied, with some reviewers cautioning that the plot would be confusing to those who had not played the previous games.[m] Haynes, however, assured that the Journal feature provided sufficient context, and added that it had been improved from the first game.[94] Proponents of the story include Intihar, Bedigian, and Gann, with Bedigian declaring that the game "should be the benchmark of RPG storytelling".[86][93][96] Villoria and Gann said that the frequent cameos were well-handled, and pointed out that the inclusion of Square characters not created by Nomura was an interesting risk,[91][96] though Mielke occasionally felt that the cameos were excessive.[86] Gann considered the plot to be more cohesive than that of the first, as the Disney worlds held more relevance to the story.[96] Reiner promised that the story would "give you shivers and make your heart leap" despite not being as powerful as the first game.[3] Mielke complimented Nomura's "eye for epic drama" previously observed in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, which he said "touches you where games like, say, God of War never will".[85] Gouskos said that the interactions with the frequently changing cast of characters made up for the game's lack of challenge.[90] Bettenhausen faulted what he perceived to be a clumsy blend of the serious Square-style narrative and whimsical Disney worlds.[86] Larsen deemed several lines and scenes unnecessary, and noted a tendency of the characters' more serious speeches to take on an obscure "Matrix sequel-esque" quality.[95] Fischer, likening the general plot to "a long episode of Quantum Leap with permanent guest stars Donald and Goofy", described the storyline as linear and somewhat nonsensical, but "endearing and twisty" enough to hold players' attention.[89] Bettenhausen and GamePro's Bones regarded the prologue as dull and slow,[86][88] though Reiner lauded its "devilish" plot twist for potentially casting doubt on a desire for Sora's return.[3] Reiner and Fischer were disappointed by the amount of recycled Disney content from the first game; Reiner, describing most of the Disney-based conflicts as "tacked on" diversions, suggested that Disney restricted Square Enix's ability to create new content.[3][89]

Awards and accolades

[edit]

The game received numerous awards, including a Satellite Award in 2006 for "Outstanding Game Based on Existing Medium".[97] It tied with Resident Evil 4 as Famitsu's "Game of the Year" 2005.[98] Famitsu's readers ranked the game 29th on their "All Time Top 100" feature,[104] ten places below Kingdom Hearts. It was ranked number one on IGN's 2006 "Reader's Choice" for PlayStation 2 games.[81] Eurogamer ranked it 34th on their "Top 50 Games of 2006" list.[105] Video game magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded it "Best Sequel" of 2006,[99] and Game Informer listed it among the "Top 50 games of 2006".[106] VideoGamer.com featured it 10th in their article "Top 10: Role playing games".[107] GamePro named it the 25th best RPG title of all time.[108] Kingdom Hearts II also received a near-perfect score, 39/40, from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.[87] G4 awarded Kingdom Hearts II "Best Voice Over" and "Best Soundtrack" in their 2006 G-Phoria awards show.[100]

The game was ranked the 16th greatest console video game of all time in a 2021 Japanese poll conducted by TV Asahi which surveyed over 50,000 respondents.[109]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ Main artwork used for box art in all regions. The box art's design, such as the border texture and background color, vary between regions.
  2. ↑ Japanese: キングダムハーツII, Hepburn: Kingudamu Hātsu Tsū
  3. ↑ Square, who developed the first Kingdom Hearts game, merged with Enix in April 2003 to form Square Enix.
  4. ↑ [3][86][9][94]
  5. ↑ [3][85][86][9][91][95]
  6. ↑ [85][86][9][89][93][94][95]
  7. ↑ [9][3][85][89][90][91][94][95][96]
  8. ↑ [9][86][88][90][91]
  9. ↑ [86][89][93][94][96]
  10. ↑ [3][85][86][95]
  11. ↑ [3][88][93][95]
  12. ↑ [85][88][91][96]
  13. ↑ [9][88][91][94][95]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "【TGS】スクエニ第1開発事業部新規タイトル発表会、詳細レポート！" [[TGS] Detailed Report: Square Enix Development Division Unit 1 New Title Announcement Event!]. Dengeki Online (in Japanese). September 23, 2003. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Feature: Kingdom Hearts II (E3 2004)". GamePro. May 12, 2004. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Reiner, Andrew. "Kingdom Hearts 2". Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kore-eda, Yoshimasa, ed. (March 16, 2006). 野村 哲也 Interview [Tetsuya Nomura Interview]. キングダムハーツII アルティマニア [Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania] (in Japanese) (1st ed.). Tokyo, Japan: Square Enix. pp. 720–727. ISBN 978-4-7575-1621-2 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ↑ "Dengeki Playstation.com Europe May 2005 Interview". KH Insider. May 2005. Archived from the original on June 27, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  6. ↑ "1up E3 2005 Interview". KH Insider. June 2005. Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  7. ↑ "News—IGN Best of 06". IGN. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  8. 1 2 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 25, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Albiges, Luke (April 5, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II review". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on April 9, 2006. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "1UP—E3 2005 Interview". Kingdom Hearts Ultimania. Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hollinger, Elizabeth (2006). Kingdom Hearts II Official Strategy Guide. Indianapolis, Indiana, United States: BradyGames. ISBN 0-7440-0526-4.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Square Enix (2006). Kingdom Hearts II Instruction Booklet. Los Angeles, California, United States: Square Enix.
  13. 1 2 "Kingdom Hearts II". G4. Archived from the original on March 11, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  14. 1 2 3 Coleman, Stephen (May 18, 2012) [February 8, 2006]. "Kingdom Hearts II Gets All-Star Cast". IGN. updated by David Adams. Archived from the original on April 18, 2006. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  15. ↑ "Tetsuya Nomura Dengeki Interview #3". Kingdom Hearts Ultimania. June 8, 2005. Archived from the original on June 11, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
  16. 1 2 "Playstation.com Europe—E3 Interview". Kingdom Hearts Ultimania. Archived from the original on April 18, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  17. ↑ Boulette, Bryan (November 27, 2005). "Nomura Divulges Kingdom Hearts II Details". RPGamer. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2007.
  18. 1 2 Byron, Tom, ed. (July 2004). "King of Hearts". Feature. GMR. No. 18. New York, New York, United States: Ziff Davis Media. pp. 74–75. ISSN 1544-6816 – via Internet Archive.
  19. 1 2 Nomura, Tetsuya (October 10, 2003). "Kingdom Hearts II's Tetsuya Nomura Q & A". GameSpot (Interview). Interviewed by Dengeki PlayStation. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  20. ↑ "1st Famitsu Nomura Interview". Kingdom Hearts Ultimania. Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. Retrieved September 20, 2007.
  21. ↑ Raymond Padilla (December 8, 2004). "Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Review". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 11, 2004. Retrieved May 23, 2007.
  22. ↑ "KH: CoM Ultimania—The Nomura Interview". Kingdom Hearts Ultimania. Archived from the original on December 12, 2006. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
  23. 1 2 "Dengeki—Kingdom Hearts 2 Progress Report". Kingdom Hearts Ultimania. Archived from the original on June 8, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  24. 1 2 Byron, Tom, ed. (September 2005). "Kingdom Hearts II". Feature. Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 96. New York, New York, United States: Ziff Davis Media. pp. 73–81. ISSN 1094-6683 – via Internet Archive.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 『キングダム ハーツ II』北米版発売記念パーティー開催 ['Kingdom Hearts II' North American Launch Party Held]. Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. March 23, 2006. Archived from the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2026.
  26. 1 2 Takashi, Okamoto (January 25, 2006). Kingdom Hearts II Original Soundtrack (Liner notes). Composed and produced by Yoko Shimomura. Tokyo, Japan: Toshiba-EMI Limited. Catalog# TOCT-25871-2.
  27. 1 2 Niizumi, Hirohiko (August 1, 2005) [July 29, 2005]. "Kingdom Hearts vocalist returns for sequel". GameSpot. CNET Network. Archived from the original on January 14, 2006. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  28. 1 2 Matsuura, Yasue (December 14, 2005). 宇多田ヒカル『インタビュー初登場！新曲は3年ぶりのゲームソフトテーマ曲！』 [Hikaru Utada: First-Ever Interview! New Song Is Her First Video Game Theme in Three Years!]. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 18, 2005. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Hikaru Utada/Passion (CD+DVD)". CD Japan. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  30. ↑ Vore, Bryan (February 24, 2006). "Square Enix Reveals KH2 Main Theme In English, Plus Interview With Haley Joel". Game Informer. Archived from the original on April 13, 2007. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  31. 1 2 Pinckard, Jane (February 8, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II Voices Announced". 1UP.com. UGO Networks. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
  32. ↑ Rivera, Joshua (February 5, 2019). "Haley Joel Osment on Playing a Kid One Last (?) Time in Kingdom Hearts 3". Culture. GQ. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  33. ↑ Kore-eda, Yoshimasa, ed. (May 23, 2007). ソラ&リク&カイリ 声優座談会 Returns [Sora, Riku, & Kairi Voice Actor Roundtable Return]. キングダムハーツII ファイナルミックス+ アルティマニア [Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ Ultimania] (in Japanese) (1st ed.). Tokyo, Japan: Square Enix. pp. 486–491. ISBN 978-4-7575-2013-4 – via Internet Archive.
  34. 1 2 Smoszna, Krystian (November 2, 2005). "Ujawniono nazwiska aktorów biorących udział w produkcji Kingdom Hearts II" [The names of the actors involved in the Kingdom Hearts II production have been revealed]. Gry-Online (in Polish). Retrieved August 18, 2026.
  35. ↑ Perry, Doug, ed. (May 20, 2012) [March 7, 2003]. "Kingdom Hearts 2 on PS2?". IGN PS2. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 2, 2003. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  36. ↑ Calvert, Justin (December 17, 2003) [September 26, 2003]. "TGS 2003: Kingdom Hearts sequels announced". GameSpot. CNET Networks. Archived from the original on September 8, 2006. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
  37. ↑ Perry, Doug, ed. (June 30, 2016) [September 26, 2003]. "TGS 2003: Kingdom Hearts II Details". IGN PS2. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on October 3, 2003. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  38. ↑ Benson, Mike (May 12, 2004). "Square Enix E3 Press Conference and "Dear Friends" Concert". Gaming Age. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved September 25, 2007.
  39. 1 2 Bettenhausen, Shane (December 2004). Hsu, Dan (ed.). "Kingdom Hearts II". Press Start. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 185. New York, New York, United States: Ziff Davis Media. p. 48. ISSN 1058-918X – via Internet Archive.
  40. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (May 18, 2012) [September 28, 2005]. "Kingdom Hearts II Dated in Japan". IGN. IGN Entertainmaint. Archived from the original on January 9, 2006. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  41. 1 2 Gantayat, Anoop (May 19, 2012) [May 4, 2005]. "Tetsuya Nomura on Everything". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 5, 2005. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  42. ↑ Chen, Charolette (August 2005). "Final Fantasy Forecast". Final Fantasy World. Tips & Tricks. No. 126. Beverly Hills, California, United States: L.F.P. Publishing Group. p. 62. ISSN 1090-641X – via Internet Archive.
  43. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (May 2, 2005). "Kingdom Hearts II Website". IGN. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  44. ↑ Vore, Bryan (December 1, 2005). "Kingdom Hearts II Official U.S. Website Launched". Game Informer. Archived from the original on June 9, 2007. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  45. 1 2 Vore, Bryan (December 2, 2005). "New Kingdom Hearts 2 Japanese TV Ad". Game Informer. Archived from the original on December 19, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2007.
  46. ↑ スクウェア・エニックス パーティ2005、500組1000名様ご招待 [Invitation to Square Enix Party 2005: 500 Pairs (1,000 People)]. Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. 2005. Archived from the original on July 6, 2005. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
  47. ↑ Hein, Kenneth (February 27, 2006). "Disney Sets Rules for Kingdom Hearts II". News. Brandweek. Vol. 47, no. 9. New York, New York, United States: Nielsen Business Publications. p. 17. ISSN 1064-4318 – via Gale Research.
  48. 1 2 3 Gantayat, Anoop (May 18, 2012) [March 26, 2006]. "Nomura Discusses Kingdom Hearts and Future Titles". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 15, 2006. Retrieved March 11, 2007.
  49. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (September 11, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts 2 borderless". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  50. 1 2 各種要素を追加した『キングダム ハーツII ファイナル ミックス＋』が3月29日に発売！ ["Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+," featuring various added elements, releases March 29!]. News. Dengeki Online. ASCII Media Works. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  51. 1 2 3 Karmali, Luke (October 14, 2013). "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix coming to PS3 in 2014". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  52. ↑ 『キングダム ハーツII ファイナル ミックス』に新要素が!! [New features in 'Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'!!]. Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. March 24, 2007. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2007.
  53. ↑ Vore, Bryan. "TGS06: Dissecting The Square Enix Trailer". Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 1, 2007. Retrieved December 29, 2006.
  54. 1 2 "ビジュアルブック『キングダム ハーツ -Another Report-』が予約特典！". Famitsu (in Japanese). January 25, 2007. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2007.
  55. ↑ Jenkins, David (March 29, 2007) [March 30, 2007]. "Puzzle Quest, C&C 3 Jump High In Amazon Charts". Industry News. Gamasutra. UBM TechWeb. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2007.
  56. ↑ Ultimate Hits キングダムハーツ II FINAL MIX＋ [Ultimate Hits Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+]. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas. 2009. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2026.
  57. ↑ Spencer (June 6, 2014). "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix Heads To Japan In October With A Collector's Pack". Siliconera. Archived from the original on June 8, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  58. ↑ Moriarty, Colin (May 2, 2017) [June 5, 2014]. "PS3'S Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX Gets A Release Date". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  59. ↑ Kozanitis, James (November 26, 2014). "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX Gets Two New Trailers". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  60. ↑ 『キングダム ハーツ HD 2.5 リミックス』安江泰氏インタビュー。HD化にまつわる開発秘話の他、最新作『KHIII』の話題も【E3 2014】 ['Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix' Tai Yasue Interview. Behind-the-scenes stories of the HD remaster and discussion of the latest work, 'KHIII' [E3 2014]]. Dengeki Online (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. June 11, 2014. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
  61. ↑ Kore-eda, Yoshimasa, ed. (December 30, 2005). "Welcome Message". Kingdom Hearts Series Ultimania α ~Introduction of Kingdom Hearts II~ (in Japanese). Planning, composition, and writing by Studio Bent staff. Tokyo, Japan: Square Enix. p. 6. ISBN 4-7575-1597-9 – via Internet Archive.
  62. ↑ Wiedemer, Debbie (April 6, 2006). "The Key to Unlimited Adventures Lies Within Bradygames' Latest Collectible Kingdom Hearts II Strategy Guide Products" (Press release). Indianapolis, Indiana, United States: BradyGames. Business Wire. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2007.
  63. ↑ Ciolek, Todd (May 2008). Gramling, Scott (ed.). "Figure Fantasy". News. Anime Insider. No. 56. Congers, New York, United States: Wizard Entertainment Group. p. 15. ISSN 1547-3767 – via Internet Archive.
  64. 1 2 3 Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 24, 2015). "Shiro Amano Ends Kingdom Hearts II Manga in May". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
  65. ↑ Loo, Egan (August 11, 2012). "Kingdom Hearts II Manga to Return in Japan". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  66. ↑ Amano, Shiro (December 22, 2006). キングダムハーツ2 1 [Kingdom Hearts II Vol. 1] (in Japanese). Square Enix. ISBN 978-4757518322. ASIN 4757518323.
  67. ↑ Theobald, Phil (July 2007). "Kingdom Hearts II Vol. 1". Newtype USA. Vol. 6, no. 7. Houston, Texas, United States: A.D. Vision. p. 107. ISSN 1541-4817. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007.
  68. ↑ Gramling, Scott, ed. (May 2008). "Manga Releases: May". Manga. Anime Insider. No. 56. Congers, New York, United States: Wizard Entertainment Group. p. 72. ISSN 1547-3767 – via Internet Archive.
  69. ↑ Montoya, Tito (May 2008). "Kingdom Hearts: La Llave es el Coraje" [Kingdom Hearts: The Key is Courage]. Manga para Todos [Manga for Everyone]. Otaku (in Spanish). No. 33. Mexico City, Mexico: Corporativo Mina. p. 11 – via Internet Archive.
  70. ↑ Gomez, Ed, ed. (Spring 2017). "Spring 2017 Releases". Genki Life Magazine. No. 27. Studio ArtMix. p. 39 – via Internet rchive.
  71. ↑ Game Novels キングダム ハーツII Vol.1 Roxas-Sevendays (単行本) (in Japanese). Amazon.com. 2006. ISBN 4757516797.
  72. ↑ Game Novels キングダム ハーツII Vol.2 The Destruction of Hollow Bastion (新書) (in Japanese). Amazon.com. July 2006. ISBN 4757517157.
  73. ↑ Game Novels キングダム ハーツII Vol.3 Tears of Nobody (新書) (in Japanese). Amazon.com. September 2006. ISBN 4757517920.
  74. ↑ Game Novels キングダム ハーツII Vol.4 Anthem-Meet Again/Axel Last Stand (単行本) (in Japanese). Amazon.com. February 2007. ISBN 978-4757519640.
  75. ↑ Lada, Jenni (July 20, 2021). "Kingdom Hearts: The Complete Novel Will Include All 12 Light Novels". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
  76. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (December 27, 2005). "Kingdom Hearts 2 Goes Platinum". IGN. Archived from the original on November 19, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  77. ↑ Brownell, Richard (December 28, 2005). "News—Japan: weekly software sales from 12/19 - 12/25". GamesAreFun.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  78. ↑ Thorsen, Tor. "ChartSpot: March 2006". GameSpot. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved May 15, 2007.
  79. ↑ "TGS06: Kingdom Hearts II Achieves Million-Unit Sales Mark in North America in Four Weeks". Square Enix. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  80. ↑ Dobson, Jason (May 18, 2006). "Industry News: GameStop's Q1 Results Up On Xbox 360, KH2". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2007.
  81. 1 2 Dunham, Jeremy, ed. (June 14, 2012) [December 19, 2006]. "PS2 2006 Year in Review". IGN. News Corporation. Archived from the original on September 26, 2008. Retrieved December 20, 2006.
  82. ↑ "Kingdom Hearts Series Ships over 10 Million Worldwide". GameSpot. February 5, 2007. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2007.
  83. ↑ "スクウェア・エニックス、イベントなど追加「Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+」「キングダム ハーツ」 シリーズ累計出荷本数1,000万本達成" (in Japanese). Game Watch. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2007.
  84. 1 2 "Kingdom Hearts II for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 8, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
  85. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mielke, James (March 27, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II Review for PS2". 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 30, 2006. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  86. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Intihar, Bryan; Bettenhausen, Shane; Mielke, James "Milkman" (May 2006). "Review Crew: Kingdom Hearts II". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 203. Ziff Davis. pp. 100–102.
  87. 1 2 Freund, Josh (December 20, 2005). "News — Latest Famitsu review scores — Kingdom Hearts II, Mario & Luigi 2, & more". GamesAreFun.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2008.
  88. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bones (March 28, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II Review for PS2". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 10, 2006. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  89. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Fischer, Russ (March 29, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II review for the PS2". GameRevolution. Archived from the original on April 11, 2006. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  90. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Gouskos, Carrie (March 28, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  91. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Villoria, Gerald (March 28, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II Review". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 5, 2006. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  92. 1 2 3 4 Bratcher, Eric (March 30, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II review". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  93. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Bedigian, Louis (March 28, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on April 7, 2006. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  94. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Haynes, Jeff (March 28, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II Review". IGN. Archived from the original on April 5, 2006. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  95. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Larsen, Phil (September 29, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts 2 Review". PALGN. Archived from the original on December 27, 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  96. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Gann, Patrick (March 28, 2006). "Kingdom Hearts II". RPGFan. Archived from the original on April 7, 2006. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  97. 1 2 Carlos, Keith, ed. (2008). "2006 11th Annual SATELLITE™ Awards". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009.
  98. 1 2 "Famitsu Awards 2005"大賞は『キングダム ハーツII』と『バイオハザード4』!!". Famitsu. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved December 15, 2006.
  99. 1 2 "Best of 2006". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 213. Ziff Davis. March 2007. p. 81.
  100. 1 2 Thorsen, Tor (August 10, 2006). "G4 announces G-phoria winners, books Jack Thompson". GameSpot. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  101. ↑ Hsu, Dan, ed. (June 2004). "The Hot Ten". Press Start. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 179. New York, New York, United States: Ziff Davis Media. p. 66. ISSN 1058-918X – via Internet Archive.
  102. ↑ Hsu, Dan, ed. (December 2004). "The Hot Ten". Press Start. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 185. New York, New York, United States: Ziff Davis Media. p. 78. ISSN 1058-918X – via Internet Archive.
  103. ↑ Slate, Chris, ed. (September 2004). "PSM Readers' Top 10 Most Wanted Games". Monitor. PlayStation Magazine. No. 88. Brisbane, California, United States: Future US. p. 9. ISSN 1095-4163 – via Internet Archive.
  104. ↑ "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100". Edge. Archived from the original on July 30, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  105. ↑ Eurogamer staff (December 26, 2006). "Eurogamer's Top 50 Games of 2006: 40 - 31". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on October 7, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2007.
  106. ↑ "Top 50 Games of 2006". Game Informer. No. 165. GameStop. January 2007. p. 55.
  107. ↑ Freund, Josh; Yin-Poole, Wesley (December 27, 2007). "Top 10: Role playing games". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on August 6, 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  108. ↑ GamePro Staff (November 5, 2008). "The 26 Best RPGs". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 5, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
  109. ↑ Romano, Sal (December 27, 2021). "Over 50,000 Japanese users vote for their favorite console games in TV Asahi poll - Top 100 announced". Gematsu. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kingdom_Hearts_II&oldid=1379081818#Final_Mix"