Welcome to the review of kingdom hearts 2.5 hd remix for ps3 (hopefully ps4) This is a collection of the two kingdom hearts games kingdom hearts 2 and birth by sleep as playable games. Of course those games are final mix's the versions that are in japanese only version that has new content unlike what we had with the version we got. The collection also contains cutscenes from the mobile/ds game recoded (on which only the cutscenes are only watchable) Anyway the final mix's of birth by sleep and kh2 contains new areas and bosses not seen from before (in Birth By sleep's case new maps for the command board game as well as a new story segment on which i won't tell ) With the game retaining the english voice acting even in the japanese originals

History: this segment kinda tells the real world story on how the series came to be i was originally going to do this for the 1.5 remix by what the heck!. The series came to be when the two executives of square enix and disney got stuck in the lift (funny how fate works in stranges ways in this case i am happy this series exists) on which lead to many head butting with character choices on who to the main hero originally Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were meant to be the main characters ( they still are granted but yet not as the main playable characters. Not till 358/2 days when Donald and Mickey are playable characters for the multiplayer mode. Funny how Mickey did eventery became a temporary playable character in kingdom hearts 2 and Riku) On which sora is the main lead despite having a chainsaw like blade which was changed to the weapon we know as the keyblade.

Story: I am going to do birth by sleep 1st considering its the 2nd cannon game just behind unchained key for mobile (since that game takes place before the keyblade war) Anyway the story of birth by sleep starts of 3 of the main playable cast Aqua, Terra, Ven under a moonlight on the night before the Mark of mastery exam (which is a test on the will power on who would be the keyblade master) After a disaster that the 3 stopped. Terra fly's off the his world to find answers to help him overcome the darkness while aqua and ven has to catch up with him (granted they go their own ways Eventually reunite later) That will be all for birth by sleep since i don't want to give too much away

Kingdom hearts 2: The game starts from where 358/2 days ended with roxas on his holiday with his friends who are investigating bizarre incidents. On which brings axel who wants roxas to come back to him. On which roxas eventually finds out about sora and reemerges with him becoming whole with Sora. With Donald and Goofy awakens as well they set off to yen sid to help them on their way on which Sora has to defeat the Organization 13 (Group of 13 people are nobodies who are beings that are rejected from both the light and darkness who seek the power of Kingdom hearts to become whole)

Gameplay: I'll start talking about birth by sleep then kingdom hearts 2. In the franchise players go to each world that is either based on a disney movie ( Little mermaid, Aladdin, Nightmare before christmas) or a original world where the play fights of heartless or unversed in birth by sleep's case. And locking out the darkness from destroying the world that the character is in. With a few story missions within each world like fight the enemies while protecting someone or something or getting items within a set time period.

Anyway as i said i'll start off with birth by sleep Gameplay. IN birth by sleep the game uses a deck for the 3 characters which allows the character to perform moves on which has a cool down period after using it as well as equipping the move on the character also the move can be leveled up with the more you use it the higher level it can go before it reaches its max level. The moves can also be used in the game of command board Think of it as Monopoly with a set target go In that mode the players can claim empty spaces and place one of the cards that has their abilities to set for anyone that lands on it on which the other players land on it loses money (It can be leveled up as well even for the game ends the moves can still level up for creating new moves at the shop) Each character has a command style on which can be triggered by using certain attacks like fire attacks to have a fire command style . Granted some of the characters has their own making them their own character instead of being Like Sora in the games after the events of this game. The game also has a few other mini games to play with (Racing, Volleyball, ice cream musical) As well as a battle area. Funny how the psp original had online multiplayer but the ps3 version didn't kinda depressing if you ask me. The game has a few collectables like stickers for the album which give you items for reaching a point milestone. By the way one thing with the story i forgot to mention is that the 3 characters stories intertwine with each other on said world (like terra could be the 1st on the sleeping beauty world with aqua being last in that world with them rarely running into each other in said world. The game also has a Dimension link which allows the character to tap into their friends abilities As well as a focus attack which can attack many foes or one foe. So that's that for birth by sleep i hope. Anyway Off to kingdom hearts 2. while in this game abilities can be be part of the new moves that two old moves at max level with an item grants an ability like surviving attacks that could otherwise kill you instantly or orb drawn distance

Kingdom hearts 2: The game allow you to play as sora for the nearly the entire game apart from a few occasions (like the prologue with roxas, Some bosses if the player dies to them which allow them to be Micky Mouse if mickey falls sora will still be back on his feet try to be careful when that happens he won't come again till later on if you retry the boss. Finally Riku Only for the final part of the final boss only) Sora will have new skills to use in the game like his drive forms on which he gets during the story line. The drive forms grants sora new abilities and unlocks new abilities for his base from one it levels up. Each form has its own way to level up so whacking heartless and nobodies with keyblades in some of the forms won't cut it. So anyway the magic gauge has a new style of its own instead of whacking the badniks till one magic gauge is full is gone now it takes time for it to recharge completely. Also the game allows the triangle button for one on the fly moves like to to some attacks that changes the flow of the fight (say like a learn for the triangle button which chances attack to jump, Or to weaken a badnik) Sora can ride skateboards as well in some of the worlds which is rarely used in my case especially with abilities gained at the near end game. In both games the characters can also equip different keyblades to give an edge in battle (In kingdom hearts 2 each keyblade its own abilities it depends on which blade it best suited for the situation) as well as items to equip that grants character better defence or ability point which allows for more abilities to be equipped. There is a downside to the drive forms there's a chance you will get an antiform lets just say its a joke form not much damage output as well as the block button an a evede to behind the badniks heck have no choice to hold out till the form runs out or die.

The sound of the both games are amazing the songs capture the feel of the two games and the some of the situations in the game as well as the games theme songs which i completely love. there not much else to say about the music.

The collection is pretty amazing despite no online multiplayer in birth by sleep and the loading times are a bit annoying to thing something a console can be more than capable to run the game with better load times. Hopefully the ps4 version when that gets the release date addresses it.

Hope you guys enjoy a duel review in a collection my mistakes if i missed something or was wrong about something, Till the next review happy Gaming !

I enjoyed the review. I mean i really dont have a opinion on the game its self, mostly because i still have yet to play a kingdom hearts game. But this is a game franchise that i want to try out. I really enjoyed the review.... reviews, though. Great job (:

Beastmode64 : my pleasure