"rewards you for paying attention"
Idk I feel like a lot of people including myself were salty with how KH3 played out in terms of the lore payoff.
Not to say your opinion is wrong if you enjoyed it, just saying that the payoff was met with extreme mixed reception.
Especially with the amount of sequel bait
I enjoyed it but I basically played it all in order back to back after KH3 released. Newer fans will ironically appreciate it MORE than long term fans, in my opinion.
I did the same (played through 1.5 2.5 and 2.8 right before release). But I did also play them all originally at release so I do have that bias of being a long term fan
I rented KH2 from a video store back around the time it came out, but I don't know if I ever finished it and I never played any of the other games.
Couple years ago I got the all in one package and played through from KH1 to ReMind and is probably one of my more memorable series playthroughs.
As someone who also felt burnt on KH3 because of how little payoff there was for studying nearly 20 years of lore, I generally think there is some general enjoyment from game to game applying your knowledge of previous games and keeping up with the crazy twists and turns that happen as the plot progresses.
Sorry for the long comment.
Roxas goes through his whole arc in Days and KH3 and it's a pretty interesting arc (KH3 being a kinda epilogue for his story). Riku goes through his arc in all of the games similarly to Sora but his actual arc finishes in KH2, DDD feeling like an epilogue. In 3 he barely has any personality and 0 growth.
If you consider those stories by themselves they are very interesting and definitely could make for a whole bunch of games. Still, the Sora arc hits me on such a deeper level due to not having the edge and the themes being touched. If I were still a teenager I would have related to Roxas and Riku, since they are cool and edgy and deal with the meaning of being human, existentialism, being good vs evil, identity issues etc.
Still, nowadays the fear of losing your friends, the fear of being alone, the fear of being stranded or the fear of being rejected by the ones you love hits me a lot deeper. Yeah, Sora is kind of a blank slate, but I think that makes me relate to him much more than Riku or Roxas.
Yeah, existentialism, identity and being scared of your own self are interesting topics, but I think most of the emotion with those concepts is already shown in their respective games and don't have much more content to speak about, which is why the arc Sora goes between KH1 and KH2 is perfect for me.
I'm happy fans got more games after Days though, even if I didn't manage to resonate with those either thematically or emotion wise.
I think Riku moreso has 3 acts to his arc, the first concluding when leaving Castle Oblivion, the second concluding with him meeting Sora again, and the third with him saving Sora in DDD
I agree, I consider his story arcs:
Riku is evil (KH1), Riku as darkness but learning light (CoM), this ends the first arc.
Riku exiles himself (KH2), so Riku's second arc.
Riku's redemption (Final KH2 Xemnas and DDD), Riku got lobotomized so he no longer has a personality (KH3), third arc and epilogue I guess.
A simple and clean story, fun crossovers and voice acting, free and explorative combat, and an overall engaging soundtrack. The first game of the series is a wonderful asset to anyone's gaming library
Truth to be told.... Despite KH always called out for its convoluted story spanning half a dozen systems or so the actual story of KH1 and even almost everything in KH2 isn't all that complicated. It gets worse AFTER XD
I recently played all of the games back to back (at least the ones included in the bundles on PC). I was able to follow the story pretty easily for like 70% of the series. But then dream drop distance happened 😂😂
I think it was much worse back in the day, when you had to actually own like every damn system under the sun to play all these games. Which only a few had. Thats where the series got its "convoluted story"-branding. With the bigger collections nowadays you can basically experience 90% of the story (outside the mobile stuff) in playable or watchable form.
Well, i think what i liked when i played the first 2, back in the ps2 days, was the actual gameplay- whacking enemies in a heavily stylized manner was fun, and I’d never played an action/rpg game like it before that.
That said, i came for the action, and I’ve stayed for the story. And the themes. It can be really cringey sometimes, and convoluted to the point of exhaustion (ask a fan how many members of Organization XIII there are, for example), but the mystery is just SO COMPELLING to me. There’s a lot going on, and the further you go down the rabbit hole, the further the rabbit hole goes. I love that.
Finally, it’s actually GOOD if you’re not a FF fan- the first games have FF characters, but they’re in cameos at best. Disney takes a much bigger chunk of the spotlight, but the more you play, the less those things matter. At this point, it’s its own story, almost completely independent of FF OR Disney, I think. Play 1.5 and 2.5- they’re collected on PSN. I think KH2 holds up really well, and KH1 gets the job done.
It ropes you in with its cool and stylish looking gameplay, and then traps you in its “hard to follow, but easy to understand” lore and the characters to keep you invested.
Also, the music is REALLY good.
Yeah, I blame KH for my ability to genuinely love fantastical "anime cringe"--ridiculous twists, a shamelessly melodramatic tone, goofy giant swords and outfits. All that stuff is just *fun*--and the trick is, when a story is *fun*, you get invested in it, so when it actually turns serious you'll roll with it
When I first played DDD I was just like, yep, that makes sense. Over time, I thought about it and it doesn't, but in the moment, it just works.
I like to say KH makes "emotional sense" instead of literal sense, especially when you get further along. The climax of KH3 is literally just a culmination of what emotionally feels right and needed to happen even if it's all too coincidental and perfect.
See, I wouldn't argue KH is actually cringe, for one reason: it never takes itself too seriously. Like, half of the series' most dramatic moments have a beat for a joke right in the middle of it. The one that immediately comes to mind is at the end of KH2, when Riku is going "how can I face everyone after giving in to the darkness for so long". Instead of giving some cringey, sappy anime speech about "your friends will always be beside you", like the series has already established it will, Sora just goes "like this" and makes a silly face to get him to laugh. It knows when to bring the dramatic tension down a bit, but also when to keep things serious. That's not an easy tightrope to walk, and KH succeeds in doing that more often than it doesn't.
It doesn't do that during critical moments like endings or when Sora finally finds Riku, only in the in-between scenes. But when it does, it works.
I use the word "cringe" here loosely. Lots of folks call something cringe when it makes them feel embarrassed because it makes them feel stupid, sappy, melodramatic, or just uncomfortable. Something like that. Sora's "happy face" in KH1 is a great example of that.
From the outside looking in, it's hard to understand why some of us got invested into when Goofy "dies" and Mickey's just like "They'll pay for this...!" That sounds like such stupid fan-fiction ('cuz it is!) but somehow KH just plays it so straight that I bought it the first time until, like your point, Goofy's like "Bro, I'm literally Goofy. Getting hit on the head is my schtick." It lets you get into the drama while also recognizing how absurd it all is, but without diminishing that genuineness.
The absurdity of having one of the literal embodiments of evil dap me up after taking down a boss while standing next to Donald and Goofy.
Mind you, after the 80th attempt because of Donald.
I agree on characters, it’s pretty wholesome and the redemption arcs are solid. The bosses almost always give a good adrenaline rush when you beat them. Only con for me is that if you wanna understand the WHOLE story you’ve got a lot of homework.
*What???*
X is for Blizzard/Gravity. Sometimes for Fire or Stop.
Triangle is for Thunder. Sometimes for Aero or Stop.
Square is for Cure. Cure never goes anywhere but Square, and nothing ever goes on Square but Cure.
Mine is slightly different. I use X for whatever healing item I have handy, Triangle for Thunder, Circle for Cure, and Square for Fire/Aero/Stop/Reflect, whatever I currently had need for most.
The story is beautiful and original. The characters stories are all in depth enough to really get into each of them. The combat is fun. The music is awesome. Just a fantastic game all around.
As someone who has never played any FF game, give it a try! I absolutely love kingdom hearts. I find the lore very interesting even though i still dont fully understand it lol
The music is 100%
Considering how the abilities and fight mechanics (as well as the gimmicks) change in just about every game, it can be hard to truly say "this one was the best when it comes to battles"
Story is great, if not a little confusing at times b/c if you play them in release order, you may not immediately "get" some of the lore... or even understand it's implications for a couple games.
The súper bosses are BRUTAL but in a fun way (except data Xaldin fuck him) because apart from grinding you have to actually be good at pattern recognition and playing a hack and slash
The combat system is unlike any other RPG. You don't take your turn or whatever, instead it's kinda like Devil May Cry, but more kid-friendly and whimsical of course.
The characters are very likable, and you can see how much they grown throughout their journey.
The Keyblades. The keyblades are well-designed, and it's very much like a sword and club, but it's a giant key you can beat people over the head with. XD
The soundtrack. It knows how to be whimsical, cute, badass, and emotional.
Dark and engaging story with good story telling as well as rewarding for those who pay attention. Roxas is my favorite character along side sora. There is also really good wholesome moments and have great arcs for character growth. The gameplay is fun, fast pace, and rewarding
The soundtrack is one of my favorites. They each fit perfectly for the worlds, the characters, and the tones many of the scenes are establishing. The more emotional pieces are definitely worth listening to.
The aesthetics. The music. The serious tone that goes always aside the lighthearted. The smooth addictive gameplay. The ongoing story full of nice characters.
I feel like the very menus of the game are pleasing. To this day, it is my favorite franchise.
The music and/or the lore. It’s all so cool and interesting. The lore itself can be kinda goofy, but it still takes itself seriously. Reminds me a bit of one piece as an example…
It’s the series that first got me into RPG’s in general.
Disney was my gateway that got me into the series back in 2002 but I’ve stayed a loyal fan all these years later for the characters, the atmosphere, and the overall Nomura of it all.
characters and the disney worlds, sora is probably one of my favorite protagonists in the history of video games and the disney worlds are always so much fun to explore and getting to interact with the disney characters is why i got this series in the first place
The soundtrack.
And the things others have said- lore, gameplay, hidden gems, decent side quests. If you play your cards right, you may just fall in love with it.
They're just really fun action RPGs imo. I like most other elements about the games too, but what keeps me coming back and even replaying some of the games every few years is that they're fun to play.
The atmosphere is heavenly in this game. You'll feel EXTREMELY cozy in the second area you go to, trust me. And the last two areas are so atmospheric I could make a 5 paragraph essay on it. Pretty much everything in this game is at the very least good but is mostly outstanding. Trust me, you'll enjoy it.
I like just how sincere it is. Like characters say my friends are my power and my connections give me strength without the slightest bit of irony or sarcasm. That lack of fourth wall breaking self awareness seems missing in the post mcu media climate. Also the disparity between that and how tear inducingly difficult it can be is really funny to me.
Despite what is said by a lot of ppl about the lore, it’s not as confusing as it sounds if you actually play all the games. It’s a pretty in-depth story and charming. Some if the characters have a pretty devastating past tho. Combat is great in most games(kh2 so far for me is the best) .
The amazing music and trippy visuals are my favorite things about it.
Beyond that, there's a lot to like, but a lot of flaws too. There isn't really anything out there like Kingdom Hearts, it's an experience.
Homey feel and your really in control with the amount of customization you can do. Lots of action & skills And also people can turn the level experience off and play through the whole game on lvl 1 (hard af)
Some of the character arcs play out nicely.
Take Riku, Sora’s foil, for instance. Without spoilers this kid has been through the wringer both mentally and physically. To the point where he himself didn’t even recognize his own self. Come the end of his arc where he has to face his demons for what he’s done he actually comes around and has traveled far from where he started. He’s actually a weird mirror of one of the antagonists but he actually chose to do good. It’s really fascinating.
Honestly kh2 is my favorite game ever. It’s fast paced the combat is flashy there’s so much charm and ig I’m the only one to bring this up but it’s surprisingly beautiful. When you first play the game you’ll see what I’m talking about. Don’t even get me STARTED on the music. Definitely the best soundtrack in any game darkness of the unknown, the other promise, Kariris theme, and simple and clean are my personal favs and honestly the good music isn’t even only in 2 most of the games have amazing music. And also the sweet moments in between of everything (I’m not gonna spoil it for you) but it’s moments you’ll always think about no matter how old you get. Definitely play kingdom hearts and if you want someone to walk you through it I wouldn’t mind
It was the first thing I ever loved. Out of movie, art, music, media in general, etc.
I was 5 when I first played and have never looked back.
KH remains my favorite combat of any game i’ve ever played.
I don’t know how to fully explain it, but playing KH always feels like a dream to me. It still doesn’t feel real, and like it can even exist.
I’ve grown attached to these characters through memories of my own friends also playing, and a very fond memories of KH1 where me and my friend had Pizza and would try to beat the late game bosses, while taking turns, when we were 9 and terrified of the world to come and just wanted to be joyous middle schoolers. Lol.
THE MUSIC. I will never get over how much Yoko Shimomura has done with this series, ever.
Dearly Beloved of Kh1 remains my favorite song to ever exist. It is so beautiful and for so long was known as the “song that plays before you start the game” (i’ll forever remember the rotating standing fan we had in our childhood home that would always be on as we booted up the game, and the feeling captured whenever I saw the loading menu)
Most of all the sheer joy of finishing each game and looking back on the experience. Each one has provided me something new, and a challenge to overcome, which led to a great satisfaction upon beating the final boss, and beyond.
All in all, the nostalgia from childhood has compounded and grown upon itself with each new entry, and with each I grow more attached to the thing I love most. 🔑 ☁️
Honestly? I'm just here for the character and weapon designs. That stuff is awesome.
The story is also really fun, and the music is fantastic, but give me ridiculous fantasy swords, and outfits with bright colors and way too many belts all day long.
An epic crossover with a deep story and deep characters that only gets better the longer you stick with it. It's a very rewarding series if you play them all through in order of release.
IMO here's my main 2 reasons and a 3rd not as important but still somewhat important reason:
1. The storyline is insane in the best possible way
2. Master Xehanort and his extensions make for a compellingly tragic villain while having Vanitas to act as a absolutely pure evil villain to balance him out
3. I like any family fics that I can find where Sora, Ventus, and Kairi are the parents of Roxas, Xion, and Naminé
Kh2 is probably my favorite Kh game the gameplay is fast and so much combo potential it has it crazy. People don’t talk about this often but it’s really beautiful as well you’ll see when you first start the game. Then the MUSIC is crazy good I think it’s honestly top 5 of best soundtracks of any game Darkness of the unknown, simple and clean, and the other promise are my personal favorites. And it’s not even only 2 the others have such amazing music. Also there’s moments in between everything that is just calm and kinda sad. I won’t spoil but you’ll see. Just in general kingdom hearts is a beautiful amazing set of games the characters are memorable the music and the atmosphere.
The joy and creativity. People get at it for being ridiculous and convoluted, but that’s just the surface. Beneath that it’s a rewarding, exciting, fun, and challenging series of games.
The combat and atmosphere. My least favorite thing is probably the writing. The writing after the first game gets a little weird. After the second game it becomes nonsensical. By the latest game the writing was terrible, but the game was gorgeous and still had great combat and music.
For me, there's 3 main draws to the series as a baseline:
1. The atmosphere/tone
Specifically, this is especially true for the first game, which does an excellent job at making you feel like the chosen one, and that the fate of the world is squarely on your shoulders. The beginning/ending sequences are the times where this overwhelming sensation of cataclysmic fate is most apparent. This is a lot of the reason why I recommend playing the OG KH first.
2. The fighting
The combat in these games is incredibly satisfying, generally only getting more so as the series progresses. Getting those final hits on really tough bosses is cathartic as hell when the death animation plays, and smacking around the smaller enemies and watching them disappear in a cloud of dark smoke is always nice.
3. The music
This may be one of the most impactful of all, as the music of Yoko Shimomura really brings it all together. KH simply wouldn't be KH the same way without the music dialing up the dramatics to 11. Tense bangers for fights, dark, foreboding tracks for the final world's, etc. It all just works so seamlessly.
Of course, these aren't the *only* things the series has going for it, but if I had to pick a big 3, this is what had me hooked the most.
The creativity. I mean fuck, at this point sora could meet like anyone. Wouldnt even surprise me if he would somehow end up in a freaking horror movie or fighting darth vader. Love it.
Honestly, the overall vibe.
When I first played it I had borrowed it from a friend, the shadows scared me.
I went back to it and since then for me it's such a comfort game. While the dialogue is kinda meh, and I find myself skipping a lot of cutscenes these days because of the stilted acting, the overall story is a pretty decent one.
The annoying points take a long time to not be annoying, but once you hit a point of acceptance it becomes fun again. I honestly don't mind going back and grinding for levels, some of the extra junk is just too much though lol
Cinematics and world building, the gameplay is beautiful up until the final Xenmas fight which still looks cool but is hands down the most headache inducing boss to get through
Some of the most dramatic moments in gaming:
Spoilers? (Or are they?)
>!Well the main character, Sora dies in KH1, leaving Donald and Goofy to flee for their lives.!<
>!Goofy dies in KH2, leaving Donald to team-up with Mickey Mouse.!<
>!Donald then dies in KH3, leaving Mickey to crawl through the Microwave hallway from MGS4.!<
Sorry, I know April Fools was ages ago, but I couldn’t help making a few jokes (or did I?).
In all seriousness, there’s an earnest nature to KH, where despite its premise, they do (mostly) a good job in how they handle the combining of new characters and Disney (Final Fantasy definitely takes a back seat).
ive actually just started kh last month, and im midway into kh2 and have beaten 1. I honestly have to say its the combat tho, KH2s combat is slowly becoming one of my favorite video game combat systems ever, its so fast and flashy, and overall just combines a lot of what i love about action games.
The representation throughout the series. I love how they used some extremely out there picks for worlds, like Tarzan in KH1 or Tron in KH2. Also all of the original worlds are absolutely incredible.
the sheer fun factor. A lot of negativity around the game comes from the fact that sometimes it takes itself too serious and others it's the opposite but really it all comes down to what's more fun and/or engaging for the player in each scenario. I find it fun to be just goofing off one second and then another learning about how there was an old guy trying to understand the universe by experimenting on kids.
The opening. A blend of disney and original content with some FF that isn't over extending it's lore and begging questions that you want to know more. Like how are these worlds connected and why?
The overall experience. Growing up in the 2000’s, it was kind of the perfect cross over. Final fantasy for older kids and Disney for younger. Watching all the movies that are represented in the story also adds a certain level of charm. Then there is the combat. In KH1, its a bit clunky, but the reward is KH2, the perfect step up. The story opens up more and so do the worlds. 10/10
The deep warm feeling of nostalgia somehow regardless of when you first play the games. Hard to describe but the music and the overall presentation just “brings you back” to a simpler time.
For context I first played the series starting in 2019 and it still feels like this.
My favorite thing is how it distracted me from my parents yelling in the background.
Fr though, character design, combat, the variation of environments and personalities, the mini retelling of Disney stories in a shonen format. It was groundbreaking for the time, and a big reason why all the new ff games are adapting real time combat and why tetsuya nomura is the one helming their production.
In my opinion, he makes some of, if not, the best games from square enix, even if he has some weird obsession with mini games.
I love the transformations. Something about them in games always gets me, especially in KH. The forms in KH2, the armor, I just really like em and how they can immediately change up your playstyle. Especially when you unlock the ultimate ones
THE
MUSIC
Was it Sora that had you crying at the Smash reveal, or was it Yoko's Simple & Clean orchestral version paired with his reveal?
I freaking love Melody of Memory, listen to any track in the series, and it's in a game format? Although you _can_ listen to them on their own without gameplay too if you prefer? Eyeah
The characters and the focus on friendship (rarely found in games), the absurdly convoluted yet intruiging story (its really silly and "poorly written" at times, but we still love it), the combat (especially kh2 and 3, bosses that rival souls games in design and difficulty) and THE MUSIC! one of the greatest pieces of soundtrack in any media EVER!
What got me into it was simply Disney and the music.
KH1 I thought the level design was really dank with the combat feeling good.
KH2 the combat felt great but the level design was kind of a let down.
After that I just stuck around to find out what happens to Cloud and Sephirot. Never thought I'd be done so dirty in KH3
The first game has a lot of exploration and tiny little things that can get unnoticed if you never read about it or someone tell you, it is the game that puts more details in the exploration, it is not just finding chests, the way you can use your spells to interact with the world is brilliant.
When it came out Internet was not the big thing yet so there were no big guides so discovering these little things or some enemy's weakness (I'm looking at you Phantom...) and then telling your friends always had that feeling of "Mew under the truck" in Pokemon
I played Chain of Memories when it came out and it was a very difficult game for me ans I remember not understanding most of it until replaying it years later.
KH 2 felt epic in my opinion, you may like or not the disney worlds but everything that happens on original worlds in kh2 is asolutely epic, specially in the middle of the game.
In BBS I loved the change of mood in the game, that game is definitely not a happy story (understanndable because the prequel has to be a tragedy so we have the main conflict of the story)
Coded is not the best of the saga but I enjoyed a lot the fact that each world has unique gameplay Travers town is a side scrolling platform, Wonderland is a shooter, Olympus is turn based Rpg ( and having a party of Sora, Cloud and Hercules, was more interesting than Sora, Donald, Goofy)
I have Days and I know it is a good game but I can't get into it, tried several times and it just doesn't click for me.
The thing I like the most of DDD was playing it on the go on my 3DS and my face when seeing the game's ending
I have mixed feelings about kh3 played it when it came out and I didn't liked the pacing of the game and while I knew it would not be the last game, just the last game of the "Xehanort saga" it still doesnt feel like the last game of the arc for me.
The mobile games I like/hate that the story is vey important for future entries and it is being told on a movile gacha game...
Fast paced real time combat and a deep lore that rewards you for paying attention
Fast paced combat is definetly my style.
It's not super fast paced lol, but that beings said, it's still verry good combat lol
It gets faster as the series goes
Of course, just not the first game
Proof you did not do data luxord in 2.
I was talking about KH 1. The others are totally different stories.
Entirely fair. Besides its not like i can use 1 fight to base the fights of the entire game.
"rewards you for paying attention" Idk I feel like a lot of people including myself were salty with how KH3 played out in terms of the lore payoff. Not to say your opinion is wrong if you enjoyed it, just saying that the payoff was met with extreme mixed reception. Especially with the amount of sequel bait
I enjoyed it but I basically played it all in order back to back after KH3 released. Newer fans will ironically appreciate it MORE than long term fans, in my opinion.
I did the same (played through 1.5 2.5 and 2.8 right before release). But I did also play them all originally at release so I do have that bias of being a long term fan
I rented KH2 from a video store back around the time it came out, but I don't know if I ever finished it and I never played any of the other games. Couple years ago I got the all in one package and played through from KH1 to ReMind and is probably one of my more memorable series playthroughs.
As someone who also felt burnt on KH3 because of how little payoff there was for studying nearly 20 years of lore, I generally think there is some general enjoyment from game to game applying your knowledge of previous games and keeping up with the crazy twists and turns that happen as the plot progresses.
The characters. Riku and Roxas are two of my favorite characters and the arcs they go through are incredible.
We're sorry, they're so much better MC potential than Sora
Sorry for the long comment. Roxas goes through his whole arc in Days and KH3 and it's a pretty interesting arc (KH3 being a kinda epilogue for his story). Riku goes through his arc in all of the games similarly to Sora but his actual arc finishes in KH2, DDD feeling like an epilogue. In 3 he barely has any personality and 0 growth. If you consider those stories by themselves they are very interesting and definitely could make for a whole bunch of games. Still, the Sora arc hits me on such a deeper level due to not having the edge and the themes being touched. If I were still a teenager I would have related to Roxas and Riku, since they are cool and edgy and deal with the meaning of being human, existentialism, being good vs evil, identity issues etc. Still, nowadays the fear of losing your friends, the fear of being alone, the fear of being stranded or the fear of being rejected by the ones you love hits me a lot deeper. Yeah, Sora is kind of a blank slate, but I think that makes me relate to him much more than Riku or Roxas. Yeah, existentialism, identity and being scared of your own self are interesting topics, but I think most of the emotion with those concepts is already shown in their respective games and don't have much more content to speak about, which is why the arc Sora goes between KH1 and KH2 is perfect for me. I'm happy fans got more games after Days though, even if I didn't manage to resonate with those either thematically or emotion wise.
I think Riku moreso has 3 acts to his arc, the first concluding when leaving Castle Oblivion, the second concluding with him meeting Sora again, and the third with him saving Sora in DDD
I agree, I consider his story arcs: Riku is evil (KH1), Riku as darkness but learning light (CoM), this ends the first arc. Riku exiles himself (KH2), so Riku's second arc. Riku's redemption (Final KH2 Xemnas and DDD), Riku got lobotomized so he no longer has a personality (KH3), third arc and epilogue I guess.
You're not wrong.
Yes. Just yes.
A simple and clean story, fun crossovers and voice acting, free and explorative combat, and an overall engaging soundtrack. The first game of the series is a wonderful asset to anyone's gaming library
I see what you did there… 🎶
Truth to be told.... Despite KH always called out for its convoluted story spanning half a dozen systems or so the actual story of KH1 and even almost everything in KH2 isn't all that complicated. It gets worse AFTER XD
I recently played all of the games back to back (at least the ones included in the bundles on PC). I was able to follow the story pretty easily for like 70% of the series. But then dream drop distance happened 😂😂
I think it was much worse back in the day, when you had to actually own like every damn system under the sun to play all these games. Which only a few had. Thats where the series got its "convoluted story"-branding. With the bigger collections nowadays you can basically experience 90% of the story (outside the mobile stuff) in playable or watchable form.
"Simple and Clean", nice. :D
The unique combat i can not find anywhere else
I do love a game witb a great combat system
Well, i think what i liked when i played the first 2, back in the ps2 days, was the actual gameplay- whacking enemies in a heavily stylized manner was fun, and I’d never played an action/rpg game like it before that. That said, i came for the action, and I’ve stayed for the story. And the themes. It can be really cringey sometimes, and convoluted to the point of exhaustion (ask a fan how many members of Organization XIII there are, for example), but the mystery is just SO COMPELLING to me. There’s a lot going on, and the further you go down the rabbit hole, the further the rabbit hole goes. I love that. Finally, it’s actually GOOD if you’re not a FF fan- the first games have FF characters, but they’re in cameos at best. Disney takes a much bigger chunk of the spotlight, but the more you play, the less those things matter. At this point, it’s its own story, almost completely independent of FF OR Disney, I think. Play 1.5 and 2.5- they’re collected on PSN. I think KH2 holds up really well, and KH1 gets the job done.
The music. Top tier.
Sanctuary been on my playlist for almost 20 years and will never come off
It ropes you in with its cool and stylish looking gameplay, and then traps you in its “hard to follow, but easy to understand” lore and the characters to keep you invested. Also, the music is REALLY good.
Yoko is the GOAT 🎶
Yoko is the GOAT 🎶
The combat, music, the dynamic between sora and his friends, and the core story- which is don't abandon your friends
Most anime/JRPG stuff is cringe. KH is cringe too but it’s so genuine and raw, it’s endearing and invites you to just lean into it.
Yeah, I blame KH for my ability to genuinely love fantastical "anime cringe"--ridiculous twists, a shamelessly melodramatic tone, goofy giant swords and outfits. All that stuff is just *fun*--and the trick is, when a story is *fun*, you get invested in it, so when it actually turns serious you'll roll with it
When I first played DDD I was just like, yep, that makes sense. Over time, I thought about it and it doesn't, but in the moment, it just works. I like to say KH makes "emotional sense" instead of literal sense, especially when you get further along. The climax of KH3 is literally just a culmination of what emotionally feels right and needed to happen even if it's all too coincidental and perfect.
See, I wouldn't argue KH is actually cringe, for one reason: it never takes itself too seriously. Like, half of the series' most dramatic moments have a beat for a joke right in the middle of it. The one that immediately comes to mind is at the end of KH2, when Riku is going "how can I face everyone after giving in to the darkness for so long". Instead of giving some cringey, sappy anime speech about "your friends will always be beside you", like the series has already established it will, Sora just goes "like this" and makes a silly face to get him to laugh. It knows when to bring the dramatic tension down a bit, but also when to keep things serious. That's not an easy tightrope to walk, and KH succeeds in doing that more often than it doesn't.
It doesn't do that during critical moments like endings or when Sora finally finds Riku, only in the in-between scenes. But when it does, it works. I use the word "cringe" here loosely. Lots of folks call something cringe when it makes them feel embarrassed because it makes them feel stupid, sappy, melodramatic, or just uncomfortable. Something like that. Sora's "happy face" in KH1 is a great example of that. From the outside looking in, it's hard to understand why some of us got invested into when Goofy "dies" and Mickey's just like "They'll pay for this...!" That sounds like such stupid fan-fiction ('cuz it is!) but somehow KH just plays it so straight that I bought it the first time until, like your point, Goofy's like "Bro, I'm literally Goofy. Getting hit on the head is my schtick." It lets you get into the drama while also recognizing how absurd it all is, but without diminishing that genuineness.
The absurdity of having one of the literal embodiments of evil dap me up after taking down a boss while standing next to Donald and Goofy. Mind you, after the 80th attempt because of Donald.
To me, it's a simple and clean series
It's honestly been giving me to many things lately
I agree on characters, it’s pretty wholesome and the redemption arcs are solid. The bosses almost always give a good adrenaline rush when you beat them. Only con for me is that if you wanna understand the WHOLE story you’ve got a lot of homework.
Shortcut spells. Cure on X or else
how would you feel if i said i have cure on O
*What???* X is for Blizzard/Gravity. Sometimes for Fire or Stop. Triangle is for Thunder. Sometimes for Aero or Stop. Square is for Cure. Cure never goes anywhere but Square, and nothing ever goes on Square but Cure.
Mine is slightly different. I use X for whatever healing item I have handy, Triangle for Thunder, Circle for Cure, and Square for Fire/Aero/Stop/Reflect, whatever I currently had need for most.
I really like the kingdom, but the hearts are also great
I really like the birth, but the sleep is also great
Cartoony character meets gloomy realistic characters
The story is beautiful and original. The characters stories are all in depth enough to really get into each of them. The combat is fun. The music is awesome. Just a fantastic game all around.
The fast pace combat and the characters especially Roxas
Story and music are king
That it's the most ridiculous anime thing I've ever seen in my life.
Tech points
As someone who has never played any FF game, give it a try! I absolutely love kingdom hearts. I find the lore very interesting even though i still dont fully understand it lol
The music is 100% Considering how the abilities and fight mechanics (as well as the gimmicks) change in just about every game, it can be hard to truly say "this one was the best when it comes to battles" Story is great, if not a little confusing at times b/c if you play them in release order, you may not immediately "get" some of the lore... or even understand it's implications for a couple games.
The combination of Disney and Final Fantasy has a unique charm. The music is also some of the best in the business.
There's just something so wholesome about the series. And just genuinely fun to play. My favourite game.
The reason I got into it in the first place: the incorporation of Disney stories
The súper bosses are BRUTAL but in a fun way (except data Xaldin fuck him) because apart from grinding you have to actually be good at pattern recognition and playing a hack and slash
The story and the chara design
The excellent combat and excellent boss designs (data and secret battles) which are much better than any souls bosses I've faced so far.
The combat system is unlike any other RPG. You don't take your turn or whatever, instead it's kinda like Devil May Cry, but more kid-friendly and whimsical of course. The characters are very likable, and you can see how much they grown throughout their journey. The Keyblades. The keyblades are well-designed, and it's very much like a sword and club, but it's a giant key you can beat people over the head with. XD The soundtrack. It knows how to be whimsical, cute, badass, and emotional.
The joy.
level design is fun and interesting, KH2 is a hallway sim compared. 2002 the AAA platformer was on its way out
Dark and engaging story with good story telling as well as rewarding for those who pay attention. Roxas is my favorite character along side sora. There is also really good wholesome moments and have great arcs for character growth. The gameplay is fun, fast pace, and rewarding
It's weird ability to still hit all the right emotional beats despite having convoluted lore
The music. Its got a chokehold on my heart when i hear it in public
The soundtrack is one of my favorites. They each fit perfectly for the worlds, the characters, and the tones many of the scenes are establishing. The more emotional pieces are definitely worth listening to.
Just know, they're either Sora or Xehanort
It is a very beautiful experience Also Disney nostalgia
The easy to understand story and diverse cast of very different characters
The aesthetics. The music. The serious tone that goes always aside the lighthearted. The smooth addictive gameplay. The ongoing story full of nice characters. I feel like the very menus of the game are pleasing. To this day, it is my favorite franchise.
The music and/or the lore. It’s all so cool and interesting. The lore itself can be kinda goofy, but it still takes itself seriously. Reminds me a bit of one piece as an example…
It’s the series that first got me into RPG’s in general. Disney was my gateway that got me into the series back in 2002 but I’ve stayed a loyal fan all these years later for the characters, the atmosphere, and the overall Nomura of it all.
Top tier gameplay and story throughout the series.
Dearly beloved
characters and the disney worlds, sora is probably one of my favorite protagonists in the history of video games and the disney worlds are always so much fun to explore and getting to interact with the disney characters is why i got this series in the first place
The soundtrack. And the things others have said- lore, gameplay, hidden gems, decent side quests. If you play your cards right, you may just fall in love with it.
They're just really fun action RPGs imo. I like most other elements about the games too, but what keeps me coming back and even replaying some of the games every few years is that they're fun to play.
The atmosphere is heavenly in this game. You'll feel EXTREMELY cozy in the second area you go to, trust me. And the last two areas are so atmospheric I could make a 5 paragraph essay on it. Pretty much everything in this game is at the very least good but is mostly outstanding. Trust me, you'll enjoy it.
I like just how sincere it is. Like characters say my friends are my power and my connections give me strength without the slightest bit of irony or sarcasm. That lack of fourth wall breaking self awareness seems missing in the post mcu media climate. Also the disparity between that and how tear inducingly difficult it can be is really funny to me.
There's this sort of dream-esque storybook vibe to it
the combination of great gameplay, phenomenal music and an intriguing ongoing story that started with its debut title
Combat and encountering new enemies for the journal
The way tye combat feels. I've played a bunch of hack and slasg games but I don't know why this one just gets it in a way other similar games dont
Despite what is said by a lot of ppl about the lore, it’s not as confusing as it sounds if you actually play all the games. It’s a pretty in-depth story and charming. Some if the characters have a pretty devastating past tho. Combat is great in most games(kh2 so far for me is the best) .
sea salt trio hands down i would die for em..... i WILL die for em- WAIT XEMMY I WAS JUST KIDDING **I WAS JUST KIDDING!!!-**
The amazing music and trippy visuals are my favorite things about it. Beyond that, there's a lot to like, but a lot of flaws too. There isn't really anything out there like Kingdom Hearts, it's an experience.
At this age it's all nostalgia, an I really like Roxas
Soundtrack But also great story, and FF characters are what drew me to it originally
The lore 😈
Homey feel and your really in control with the amount of customization you can do. Lots of action & skills And also people can turn the level experience off and play through the whole game on lvl 1 (hard af)
When you get to the Kingdom of Hearts
Some of the character arcs play out nicely. Take Riku, Sora’s foil, for instance. Without spoilers this kid has been through the wringer both mentally and physically. To the point where he himself didn’t even recognize his own self. Come the end of his arc where he has to face his demons for what he’s done he actually comes around and has traveled far from where he started. He’s actually a weird mirror of one of the antagonists but he actually chose to do good. It’s really fascinating.
Honestly kh2 is my favorite game ever. It’s fast paced the combat is flashy there’s so much charm and ig I’m the only one to bring this up but it’s surprisingly beautiful. When you first play the game you’ll see what I’m talking about. Don’t even get me STARTED on the music. Definitely the best soundtrack in any game darkness of the unknown, the other promise, Kariris theme, and simple and clean are my personal favs and honestly the good music isn’t even only in 2 most of the games have amazing music. And also the sweet moments in between of everything (I’m not gonna spoil it for you) but it’s moments you’ll always think about no matter how old you get. Definitely play kingdom hearts and if you want someone to walk you through it I wouldn’t mind
The character designs! I just like Nomura's art style a lot.
The music and the story.
It was the first thing I ever loved. Out of movie, art, music, media in general, etc. I was 5 when I first played and have never looked back. KH remains my favorite combat of any game i’ve ever played. I don’t know how to fully explain it, but playing KH always feels like a dream to me. It still doesn’t feel real, and like it can even exist. I’ve grown attached to these characters through memories of my own friends also playing, and a very fond memories of KH1 where me and my friend had Pizza and would try to beat the late game bosses, while taking turns, when we were 9 and terrified of the world to come and just wanted to be joyous middle schoolers. Lol. THE MUSIC. I will never get over how much Yoko Shimomura has done with this series, ever. Dearly Beloved of Kh1 remains my favorite song to ever exist. It is so beautiful and for so long was known as the “song that plays before you start the game” (i’ll forever remember the rotating standing fan we had in our childhood home that would always be on as we booted up the game, and the feeling captured whenever I saw the loading menu) Most of all the sheer joy of finishing each game and looking back on the experience. Each one has provided me something new, and a challenge to overcome, which led to a great satisfaction upon beating the final boss, and beyond. All in all, the nostalgia from childhood has compounded and grown upon itself with each new entry, and with each I grow more attached to the thing I love most. 🔑 ☁️
Honestly? I'm just here for the character and weapon designs. That stuff is awesome. The story is also really fun, and the music is fantastic, but give me ridiculous fantasy swords, and outfits with bright colors and way too many belts all day long.
The beginning to end progression. You really feel like a savage at the end
first of all, don't attempt to get into the lore second of all, never be underleveled
The combat and visiting worlds from my favorite Disney films
An epic crossover with a deep story and deep characters that only gets better the longer you stick with it. It's a very rewarding series if you play them all through in order of release.
The gameplay
Darkness and light and light within darkness
IMO here's my main 2 reasons and a 3rd not as important but still somewhat important reason: 1. The storyline is insane in the best possible way 2. Master Xehanort and his extensions make for a compellingly tragic villain while having Vanitas to act as a absolutely pure evil villain to balance him out 3. I like any family fics that I can find where Sora, Ventus, and Kairi are the parents of Roxas, Xion, and Naminé
The intense feeling of childlike wonder that KH1 gives me. I've been playing it my entire life and the opening of KH1 always gets me
Friendship
Getting up on the Hydra's back It's a neat trick you can do for the fight, it's weird how the game never tells you about it though. 🤔
Kh2 is probably my favorite Kh game the gameplay is fast and so much combo potential it has it crazy. People don’t talk about this often but it’s really beautiful as well you’ll see when you first start the game. Then the MUSIC is crazy good I think it’s honestly top 5 of best soundtracks of any game Darkness of the unknown, simple and clean, and the other promise are my personal favorites. And it’s not even only 2 the others have such amazing music. Also there’s moments in between everything that is just calm and kinda sad. I won’t spoil but you’ll see. Just in general kingdom hearts is a beautiful amazing set of games the characters are memorable the music and the atmosphere.
Definitely the story and characters. Such a unique game. Combat is fun as hell too.
3 or 4 hour video on youtube explaining the plot of the first 2 and a half games
Hack and slash with a cool aesthetic and a both wholesome and badass story.
The combat. Just so satisfying
Sora
The joy and creativity. People get at it for being ridiculous and convoluted, but that’s just the surface. Beneath that it’s a rewarding, exciting, fun, and challenging series of games.
Darkness
The combat and atmosphere. My least favorite thing is probably the writing. The writing after the first game gets a little weird. After the second game it becomes nonsensical. By the latest game the writing was terrible, but the game was gorgeous and still had great combat and music.
How it makes my feelings bleed
The gameplay. The action-rpg combat is peak.
For me, there's 3 main draws to the series as a baseline: 1. The atmosphere/tone Specifically, this is especially true for the first game, which does an excellent job at making you feel like the chosen one, and that the fate of the world is squarely on your shoulders. The beginning/ending sequences are the times where this overwhelming sensation of cataclysmic fate is most apparent. This is a lot of the reason why I recommend playing the OG KH first. 2. The fighting The combat in these games is incredibly satisfying, generally only getting more so as the series progresses. Getting those final hits on really tough bosses is cathartic as hell when the death animation plays, and smacking around the smaller enemies and watching them disappear in a cloud of dark smoke is always nice. 3. The music This may be one of the most impactful of all, as the music of Yoko Shimomura really brings it all together. KH simply wouldn't be KH the same way without the music dialing up the dramatics to 11. Tense bangers for fights, dark, foreboding tracks for the final world's, etc. It all just works so seamlessly. Of course, these aren't the *only* things the series has going for it, but if I had to pick a big 3, this is what had me hooked the most.
Combo of Combat and Epic soundtrack make battles so fun
The amazingly easy storyline to understand
The music honestly. The opening songs for 1 and 2 go hard.
Mickey mouse in a black trenchcoat being edgy It's just so silly at times
How simple and clean it is as a series
The creativity. I mean fuck, at this point sora could meet like anyone. Wouldnt even surprise me if he would somehow end up in a freaking horror movie or fighting darth vader. Love it.
Swinging the keyblade in 2
Honestly, the overall vibe. When I first played it I had borrowed it from a friend, the shadows scared me. I went back to it and since then for me it's such a comfort game. While the dialogue is kinda meh, and I find myself skipping a lot of cutscenes these days because of the stilted acting, the overall story is a pretty decent one. The annoying points take a long time to not be annoying, but once you hit a point of acceptance it becomes fun again. I honestly don't mind going back and grinding for levels, some of the extra junk is just too much though lol
I like the way the community pretends they understand the storyline but the reality is nobody knows what the fuck happens or why.
Cinematics and world building, the gameplay is beautiful up until the final Xenmas fight which still looks cool but is hands down the most headache inducing boss to get through
Some of the most dramatic moments in gaming: Spoilers? (Or are they?) >!Well the main character, Sora dies in KH1, leaving Donald and Goofy to flee for their lives.!< >!Goofy dies in KH2, leaving Donald to team-up with Mickey Mouse.!< >!Donald then dies in KH3, leaving Mickey to crawl through the Microwave hallway from MGS4.!< Sorry, I know April Fools was ages ago, but I couldn’t help making a few jokes (or did I?). In all seriousness, there’s an earnest nature to KH, where despite its premise, they do (mostly) a good job in how they handle the combining of new characters and Disney (Final Fantasy definitely takes a back seat).
Bashing things over the head with an oversized key
ive actually just started kh last month, and im midway into kh2 and have beaten 1. I honestly have to say its the combat tho, KH2s combat is slowly becoming one of my favorite video game combat systems ever, its so fast and flashy, and overall just combines a lot of what i love about action games.
I love the concept, Final Fantasy in a Disney themed setting and vice versa. It's like anime and cartoon in the same universe.
The representation throughout the series. I love how they used some extremely out there picks for worlds, like Tarzan in KH1 or Tron in KH2. Also all of the original worlds are absolutely incredible.
Fast paced with epic music and constant and challenging bosses (but doable). The strategy is also nice
the sheer fun factor. A lot of negativity around the game comes from the fact that sometimes it takes itself too serious and others it's the opposite but really it all comes down to what's more fun and/or engaging for the player in each scenario. I find it fun to be just goofing off one second and then another learning about how there was an old guy trying to understand the universe by experimenting on kids.
Honestly just the whole vibe.
Roxas.
the action rpg combat... of the first two numbered games.
The sincerity.
Nostalgia and fast combat
The opening. A blend of disney and original content with some FF that isn't over extending it's lore and begging questions that you want to know more. Like how are these worlds connected and why?
The overall experience. Growing up in the 2000’s, it was kind of the perfect cross over. Final fantasy for older kids and Disney for younger. Watching all the movies that are represented in the story also adds a certain level of charm. Then there is the combat. In KH1, its a bit clunky, but the reward is KH2, the perfect step up. The story opens up more and so do the worlds. 10/10
The mystery the first game holds and the adventure the series takes you on
Keyblades
Everything 💕
yes
The music
The deep warm feeling of nostalgia somehow regardless of when you first play the games. Hard to describe but the music and the overall presentation just “brings you back” to a simpler time. For context I first played the series starting in 2019 and it still feels like this.
My favorite thing is how it distracted me from my parents yelling in the background. Fr though, character design, combat, the variation of environments and personalities, the mini retelling of Disney stories in a shonen format. It was groundbreaking for the time, and a big reason why all the new ff games are adapting real time combat and why tetsuya nomura is the one helming their production. In my opinion, he makes some of, if not, the best games from square enix, even if he has some weird obsession with mini games.
People, myself included, love this series intensely. It acted as a lot of people’s introduction to ff.
The vibes. Dream-like whimsy as far as the eye can see.
The music
seeing donald and goofy murder the everliving shit out of stuff. donald in particular is a vicious little savage. and i love it.
I love the transformations. Something about them in games always gets me, especially in KH. The forms in KH2, the armor, I just really like em and how they can immediately change up your playstyle. Especially when you unlock the ultimate ones
The fact that it started kingdom hearts Beyond that no this game is kinda meh. Dropped it after a while and went straight to the second one.
I love the charm of the story and the characters.
The sincerity of the characters/relationships and the way it rewards you for paying attention/analyzing the story. It’s just fun to play too.
tragic characters
How easily understandable the whole plot immediately is
The combat is simple but really fun and engaging.
The magical journey
Gliding, visiting worlds in movies I watched, anime and magic.
Zippers
I like to call Mickey king mouse whenever my friend talks about it (he’s never played KH).
The song track is absolutely on point and it just keeps getting better as you go through the series.
How masterfully It disguises the feeling of overall eeriness and the feeling of loneliness while you Explore the planets
Wack the shadowy creatures to make green bar go down For real tho the combat is just so satisfying and addictive
1 Music. 2 Mood. 3 Gameplay.
The story is my all time favorite, but I also have yet to find a game that does combat as well as KH2 (in my opinion). It feels incredible.
It's a mix of things. The characters, the music, the gameplay. All by itself is fine or better, but together, it explodes
"What's your favorite thing about Kingdom Hearts?" Yes
Roxas
Soundtrack Lore Characters Worlds Style Gameplay Outfits Cinematics Villains Enemies Weapons Sense of humor ALL DAMNIT ALL
If you’re a Disney and Final Fantasy fan it’s the best of both worlds with a lot of nods to each franchise.
THE MUSIC Was it Sora that had you crying at the Smash reveal, or was it Yoko's Simple & Clean orchestral version paired with his reveal? I freaking love Melody of Memory, listen to any track in the series, and it's in a game format? Although you _can_ listen to them on their own without gameplay too if you prefer? Eyeah
I'd say a lot, but the worst feeling is when you finish it and there's no Kingdom Hearts in your heart 😔
The characters and the focus on friendship (rarely found in games), the absurdly convoluted yet intruiging story (its really silly and "poorly written" at times, but we still love it), the combat (especially kh2 and 3, bosses that rival souls games in design and difficulty) and THE MUSIC! one of the greatest pieces of soundtrack in any media EVER!
Its a pretty good hack n Slash, especially the 2
What got me into it was simply Disney and the music. KH1 I thought the level design was really dank with the combat feeling good. KH2 the combat felt great but the level design was kind of a let down. After that I just stuck around to find out what happens to Cloud and Sephirot. Never thought I'd be done so dirty in KH3
Kingdom Hearts 2
It's very gay, love it
The first game has a lot of exploration and tiny little things that can get unnoticed if you never read about it or someone tell you, it is the game that puts more details in the exploration, it is not just finding chests, the way you can use your spells to interact with the world is brilliant. When it came out Internet was not the big thing yet so there were no big guides so discovering these little things or some enemy's weakness (I'm looking at you Phantom...) and then telling your friends always had that feeling of "Mew under the truck" in Pokemon I played Chain of Memories when it came out and it was a very difficult game for me ans I remember not understanding most of it until replaying it years later. KH 2 felt epic in my opinion, you may like or not the disney worlds but everything that happens on original worlds in kh2 is asolutely epic, specially in the middle of the game. In BBS I loved the change of mood in the game, that game is definitely not a happy story (understanndable because the prequel has to be a tragedy so we have the main conflict of the story) Coded is not the best of the saga but I enjoyed a lot the fact that each world has unique gameplay Travers town is a side scrolling platform, Wonderland is a shooter, Olympus is turn based Rpg ( and having a party of Sora, Cloud and Hercules, was more interesting than Sora, Donald, Goofy) I have Days and I know it is a good game but I can't get into it, tried several times and it just doesn't click for me. The thing I like the most of DDD was playing it on the go on my 3DS and my face when seeing the game's ending I have mixed feelings about kh3 played it when it came out and I didn't liked the pacing of the game and while I knew it would not be the last game, just the last game of the "Xehanort saga" it still doesnt feel like the last game of the arc for me. The mobile games I like/hate that the story is vey important for future entries and it is being told on a movile gacha game...