Kingdom Hearts 2 Analysis - The Peak of the Series

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It’s hard to think of many games that left as much of an immediate impact as 2002’s Kingdom Hearts. While its premise was strange and easy to make fun of, Kingdom Hearts 1 was an incredibly ambitious game. It managed to translate the turn-based combat of a final fantasy game into a real-time action game setting rather effortlessly and the Disney coat of paint served as a solid backdrop to levels. This strange combination of ideas made the game instantly stand out. Not just from Square’s own library, but in the entire gaming industry. Combine this with a solid amount of content, a beautiful soundtrack, and a cheesy but charming story and you end up with a game that, might not have aged well in a few areas, but is better than the sum of its parts and deserves to be recognized as a classic. What’s most impressive to me, however, is that the story had a somewhat downer of an ending for this kind of game. You would expect a game tied so heavily to Disney to have a happy ending where everyone gets what they want in the end, but that’s not entirely the case. Sure, Ansem was defeated and the many worlds were saved, but our trio's main goals went unfulfilled. Riku and King Mickey end up staying on the other side of Kingdom Hearts, and Sora is once again separated from Kairi. There’s a sense of melancholy that you wouldn’t expect and this feeling is carried over into the game’s direct sequel.
0:00 Ad Read.
1:31 Opening.
6:01 Kingdom Hearts 2's Introduction.
10:00 Combat Analysis.
27:05 World Design & Optional Content.
34:22 Story Analysis.
45:25 Conclusion.
47:04 Outro & Supporter Credits.
#AD #KingdomHearts #Review
Kingdom Hearts 2 - 17 Years Later
Kingdom Hearts II is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. 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 a part of the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix collection for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Nintendo Switch.
Kingdom Hearts II is the third game in the Kingdom Hearts series. It picks up one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. 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. Like the previous games, Kingdom Hearts II features a large cast of characters from Disney and Square Enix properties.
Welcome to my Kingdom Hearts 2 Analysis! Kingdom Hearts 2 is one of the most popular action games and in this Kingdom Hearts 2 Analysis 17 Years Later, I'm going to be reviewing Kingdom Hearts 2 - 17 Years Later. There will be story spoilers in this Kingdom Hearts 2 Review for Kingdom Hearts 2 this is an in-depth Analysis of Kingdom Hearts 2. Kingdom Hearts 2 - 17 Years Later is just my own opinion on Kingdom Hearts 2. If you disagree with me, that's okay. This Kingdom Hearts 2 analysis is the start of my Kingdom Hearts 2 Retrospective. Kingdom Hearts 2 - 17 Years Later is the best video I've made. Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD & Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD is the current best way to play the original KH2. The Kingdom Hearts HD Collection has a few graphical hiccups but KH2 HD is a massive improvement over the original Kingdom Hearts 2. While this KH2 review isn't a Kingdom Hearts 1.5 & Kingdom Hearts 2.5 review, it's the place to be if you want to see nam's compendium start his Kingdom Hearts retrospective. kingdom hearts 4 was just announced and the reveal of kingdom hearts 4 inspired me to make this kingdom hearts 2 analysis.

[@NamsCompendium]

The first 1,000 people to use the link or my code namscompendium will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/namscompendium05221

[@SpammytheHedgehog]

Roxas.

[@mercenarytao7930]

@@Pon-PonG9 Riku.

[@inosuke2634]

@@Pon-PonG9 Aqua.

[@typemoriarty3898]

I'll always appreciate this game for having a heightened difficulty modifier that doesn't turn enemies into damage sponges

[@kerozine819]

True. Sad many other games that have been released thoughout the years still have not learned from this.

[@lucaskincanyon7393]

Yeah. I loved that. KH3 is such a step down from the beast KH2 was.

[@synysterpain]

@@lucaskincanyon7393 man it really was, like I literally had to go back and turn kh2 back on after I beat 3, just to make sure I was still as into the series as I thought, and yup kh2 is still great.

[@lukeshioshio]

The original game does not have critical mode but yeah proud mode is fun, even preferable for most people

[@lucaskincanyon7393]

@@synysterpain frrr!!! I couldn’t believe how LH3 for me went! Like I liked it, but compared to KH2 I’d rather play that than KH3 if you asked me.

[@CinemaKingTheaters]

The Roxas segment for me was perfect and I always smile when it comes up. I grew up as a kid playing this game over and over and over again. Kingdom Hearts 2 is my favorite game of all time!

[@engineboy2344]

I couldn’t agree more.

[@F3ARLESS]

Roxas has the best written story ever, the sadness and rage on his eyes is something that nobody cant explain, his battle bring all the perfect things in kh2

[@Xdylan3131]

Smile? It makes me sob

[@bubbletea_]

the BEST kingdom hearts game. bar none. best story, best gameplay, best music, best voice acting. idgaf if this is a "normie" take. i will die on this hill.

[@CrazyDoodEpicLeaves]

That's not even a "normie take", it's just the objectively right opinion.

[@1Synner]

I agree. Sometimes, I have arguments with my best friend about it (he says BBS is the best), but there are just so many things about KH2 (especially the Final Mix version) that just hit it out of the park that no other game in the series compares.

[@johangodojolo8652]

Nah its just a bad take. Kh2 story is mid.

[@1Synner]

@@johangodojolo8652 Which is the best, then? And I don't mean just story. If it was just about the story, that honor would probably either go to KH1 or BBS.

[@johangodojolo8652]

@@1Synner kh3

[@dannythekhexpert6468]

It’s easy to explain why KH1 is enjoyable, it’s lighthearted and fun, goofy yet emotional, and Whimsical like Disney and Fantastical like Final Fantasy But KH2 is just one of those games that you can’t really explain why its so good without sounding like you’re spouting a whole bunch of nonsense without any of the context, it really is best experienced firsthand

[@wiseman46237]

I think the best way to describe it is that it takes everything from the KH1 and dials it up to 11 (bar exploration but you really don't notice it at first) and it just feels natural for the time it came out. Maybe its because alot of the original players for KH1 were kids/pre-teens so it feels like an adventure exploring your favorite disney worlds while fighting to save your friends, then KH2 comes out as we're entering our anime-edgy teenage phase and it all just fits so well.

[@qrowing]

@@wiseman46237 big RIP to the exploration. I thought kh3 would maybe bring in kh1 levels of exploration back, but alas. There were some things in Toy Box, like the Rock Em Sock Em robots, but it immediately falls off after that. Kh1 was filled to the brim with weird interactivity! My favorite of course being how you can turn a potion into a hi-potion using the camp set in Deep Jungle. It's so small, but it adds so much to me. Traverse Town of course was littered with stuff like this.

[@ThatBoyAqua]

Love seeing you branch out from SMT every so often, it offers variety and I’m interested to see where you go next!

[@emptymelodies3316]

Love your videos

[@RadinV1]

24:01 I'd argue the game does this just as well with the different nobody enemy types. Learning to perfect your timing for the reaction commands against Roxas' Samurai or Saix's Berserker Nobodies is a pretty neat way of prepping you for their eventual boss fight, something that unfortunately gets lost in every future game due to removal of reaction commands.

[@Thegameslayer2yt]

Good thing tthey're back in KH4

[@mr.voidroy6869]

Imo the issue with reaction commands was that they are not really reactionary. You can mash triangle when there isn't the prompt to guarantee success. An easy fix would have a 1second cool down between presses. So if your early you miss.

[@RadinV1]

@@mr.voidroy6869 I don't completely disagree that a lot of them are really easy to do and offer more style than substance, but there are still some exceptions, mainly in the data organization battles. For example, Luxord's last QTE definitely needs you to time it perfectly. With Saix, you need to both avoid his claymore, get close, grab it and then move quickly to deal damage. Similarly, for Marluxia you had to first successfully block his combo and position yourself well to deal damage with the command, I could go on and on. I ultimately think it gave each fight a unique flare that was lacking in the data org fights from 3 even though they were still great

[@chaossonic210]

Can we mention one of the biggest things that make Lingering will an intense but fun challenge is the fact his attack pattern changes with each attempt, with 5 different routes

[@cillbipher2613]

The initial fan reception of the Ansem twist never made sense to me because it's just a case of identity theft. Guy steals other guy's name and proceeds to use it for nefarious actions. Only this time the theft is done by someone who becomes two seperate beings. Besides, outside of KH1's Ansem Reports and hearsay from the FF characters who haven't seen the guy in nine years[and prolly haven't seen him at all], we barely know Ansem SoD in KH1. Having Ansem SoD actually be someone who stole the true Ansem's name can work since it doesn't actually contradict anything in KH1.

[@oreotaku4017]

People are so ready to discredit anything in the story nowadays. Calling every single piece of new information or plot twist a retcon. I’m in no way saying the series doesn’t have any retcons, but it’s nowhere near the amount people try to make it out to be. This Ansem twist is one of them.

[@sirius_raspberry]

I'm really glad you also saw the recurring themes of identity in the Disney worlds! That's something that really caught my eye when I played through the game. I don't agree that Space Paranoids doesn't fit in that trend, though. Tron's characterization and acting more human as the world's story progresses really stood out to me as an extension of the theme.

[@qrowing]

I was incredibly glad to see that as well. Admittedly I missed this as a dumb kid way back in the day, but most reviews don't touch on it or notice it!

[@markuswithak5084]

KH2 is still *PEAK* Kingdom Hearts!

[@kerozine819]

Agreed. I want KH4 to be better than kh2 so I don't need to replay kh2 too many times hahaha.

[@markuswithak5084]

@@kerozine819 fair. I'll go back to KH2 from time to time because the story was actually still simple back then lol

[@averytubestudios]

This is my second favorite game of all time. It's very hard to put into words how much I love this game. It left such a strong impression on me since my first playthrough in 2016 and almost took the spot from what is in my opinion the great game of all time, Ocarina of Time. The music is a cut above most games in the genre as well with tight gameplay, endless replayability, and some of the best-designed bosses I've played in an action game. KH2's story is incredible, interweaving plot elements from both prior games as well as doing everything a good sequel should: give new characters and expand on the original's world. Roxas is my favorite character in the series and his arc about wanting acceptance never ceases to tug on my heartstrings. Also, the battle against him in Final Mix is my favorite boss in the series. Xenmas is the best villain in the series respectively and his boss fight (all 6 phases) is another one of my favorite bosses in the series. I know this comment is all over the place, but I don't think I can ever say how much I love this game, even if given all the time in the world. Play this game. Please play this game. You won't regret it.

[@LawfulRaider]

This was a really well thought out comment and I just had to say thank you for having the correct greatest game of all time with OOT. These new kids wanna say BOTW is better and it makes my hair fall out. 😊

[@taxevasion6309]

I love watching these reviews even when I've played a fair bit of the games you have discussed. You share your perspective in such a calm, organized way and with a clean presentation that I can't help but remain engaged the whole video's runtime, and it makes me happy seeing you talk about franchises other than Megaten (not to say I don't enjoy it, I'm a big fan but TWEWY and KH2 both are easily in my 5 favorite games). I always feel excited when I see a notification from your channel pop up. You make really good content with noticeable effort put into it, anyone who has played the game in question can tell you know what you're talking about even if there is a difference in opinions.

[@TheUltimaGhost]

The ending was so damn perfect. They had their island, each other... KH3 doesn't exist for me

[@zeroattentiongaming820]

I don't agree that the series should've ended there, but I absolutely agree that KH2's ending was perfect. 1, COM and 2 formed such a cohesive little trilogy before Nomura started filling in the backstories of...everything.

[@bayardkyyako7427]

It's a better game though

[@doncornetto]

Same, nothing after KH2 was of substance. I think Ventus as a character exists solely because of fanservice. Roxas died so Square concocted this lame excuse of a storyline to have a character that looks exactly the same. Making Sora, Riku and Kairi ''special'' just because they happened to be ''touched'' by old keyblade masters undermines the plot of the original trilogy, and to that effect Xehanort constantly reappearing ''because body snatching bro'' also does the same.

[@bayardkyyako7427]

@@doncornetto Bad take. How does expanding upon something make it worse when its done right? KH2 was the worst game in the series for story so saying nothing of substance matters after that game is a lie of a magnitude that coupd rival Haiti

[@niccerkadoabuckado8256]

@@bayardkyyako7427 Something tells me you're the kind of guy that will watch every single marvel movie regardless of quality. Saying KH2 was the worst for story makes me instantly disregard your opinion. DDD, BBS and KH3 are literally filler garbage.

[@alsaiduq4363]

19:56 That's by design. You can find various interviews , especialy about Re:Mind and when KH3 got Critical via Update, that the devs mentions how they make Kingdom Hearts with acessibility in mind. They want to everyone to enjoy the game then via Critical and Data battles/Super Bosses, they give us content to really get in depth. I not trying say you're wrong , just i like to mention thats totally intentional. Whether is good or not, its up to people lmao

[@mattrocde]

I think the main issue I have with that method of looking at the game is that we could've *had* critical mode at the launch of the game - Re:Mind genuinely adds a great amount of content, but a critical mode should be always considered as necessary for the game. Almost anybody really skill wanting to be in depth with the combat, by the design of making the other difficulties really accessible (IE, easy), are left without the ability to actually be challenged by the game. Without any element of being challenged the players cannot become engaged with the deepest levels of the mechanics.

[@tallflipkick]

Ayo, came out right as I got off work. This will be a great stress reliever. Hope to see you do more Kingdom Hearts vids or just other vids that branch away from MegaTen.

[@MegaSpideyman]

Always good to see more Kingdom Hearts retrospectives, especially for one of its best games. Do you think you'll cover the rest of the series?

[@gohan7926]

I was listening to your persona vids at work and literally had the thought, “He should do this for Kingdom Hearts 2!”

[@staticshock4239]

This is still to this day my favorite game in the franchise, favorite Square Enix game, and probably my favorite JRPG of all time (or just tied with Persona 5 Royal and Final Fantasy 9.)

[@adambatey4707]

You and That Boy Aqua are my favourite people on KZbin right now. Honestly, I never miss a video from you two.

[@ThatBoyAqua]

Thank you 🙏 ❤️

[@heyyitssvio]

My favorite game of all time. can't wait to hop into this

[@enthusiasticgmgaming4165]

Amazing video as always Nam

[@narutk9]

Honestly this is one of few games that makes the higher difficulties fun and intriguing rather than throw an rpg grind fest at you. Critical mode in final mix imo is the definitive experience.

[@Duncadinca]

I'm glad you feel the importance of the prologue. It's been great to see how much the community has come around to the brilliance of it. You commenting on how it completes the rest of the game is great. I feel like I should have mentioned it a bit more in my KH vid, that having a story heavy prologue with an original world would have been super beneficial for 3. Great watch.

[@eamonndeane587]

My Favourite Game of all time. I especially found it to be rewarding after playing through 358/2 Days. Ah the Bygone days when I used to be a Commited Gamer.

[@DamienOnTheWeb]

Watched your vids all day at work awesome stuff!

[@eeveefrisk5659]

Well didn’t expect KH2 coming from you Nam. As I found you out via SMT and Persona namely your Persona 4 video, but KH2 is one of my childhood games. I remember literally getting to the final boss of the original then dropping for roughly 9 years before coming back to it. Bosses i struggled with made me rage really hard back then. But when i did come back, bosses i used to hate now became easy and i had no trouble beating them. Just my experience with it then and now more or less.

[@isenokami7810]

My older brother considers KH2 to be his least favorite KH game. Especially as he looked back over the years, he just did not take kindly to some of the bigger flaws you pointed out, like the neutered level design and the Disney world feeling far more like filler (which, on that point, the Disney stories actually thematically connecting to the Nobody plot sailed right over my head all these years). That said, while I agree with him on those points, I actually played Final Mix on Critical Mode, and the additions from both the extra content and the way Critical Mode actually works made it more than worth the revisit. Doesn’t fix any of the problems, but what it adds on top is incredibly welcome. Personally, my least favorite game is probably KH3. Still a good game (frankly, I don’t think any KH game is bad or even mediocre, even ones most people dislike such as 358), but it just doesn’t stick with me like the rest do. While KH1 will always be my favorite, it would be nice to have a KH game that gives its own take on KH1’s platforming and KH2’s combat… Oh hello there, Dream Drop Distance.

[@Mrcandles312]

This was SUCH a good review. Fantastic job. I thought I was alone in not having a good understanding the battle system. I know there’s more to do than just melee attacks, but I don’t really know what it is! This is a great game but missed just a bit of the magic of the first one. Fantastic review!

[@marcosmunoa6453]

good video. definitely worth the wait

[@alexsanderivan6511]

My man, what a timing. I've been replaying the whole series after the KH IV trailer came out and triggered all of my nostalgia, and currently I'm playing through KH II, and it is my favorite game of all time. This video brought to attention some things I didn't realize in all the times I beat the game, as your videos usually do. Keep up the great work :D

[@mastajags]

Very good video. I agree with almost everything said. Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix is my second favorite game of all time behind Persona 5 Royal. It has my absolute favorite combat system for an action game and I've played a lot of action games. I love it so much, I played it at level 1 critical along with lingering will and sephiroth at level 1. Critical mode (non level 1) is such a well done hard mode and it really stands out compared to other action games. Thank you for doing a deep dive into this legendary game. I'm glad it's still being talked about 15+ years later

[@gnuwaves743]

Holy shizz, was I really 11 years old when I got this game? I remember skipping school to go to the nearest game shop to buy it on release. I thought I was like 15 but I guess it was all the way back in 2005. I played the first one a year prior after my friend let me borrow it. I was like, why would I, a 10 year old, play a baby game with Donald and Goofy? It took me on a roller coaster of emotions and I never 'completed' a game so hard.

[@joshuareinhardt4630]

I've played every Souls game, Sekiro, DMC, Ninja Gaiden, GOW, Bayonetta, God Hand, and many other action games yet this game, KH2FM, is my favorite action game of all time. If you actually play the game on Crit instead of just mashing through on Standard you're afforded one of the most balanced, streamlined, and FUN action gaming experiences ever. Enemies are reactive and dangerous, highly varied in their capabilities and the effective means of dispatching them, and Sora and co are equally powerful in such a gratifying way. The basic actions of performing combos, dodging, and guarding are seamless and feel great to engage with time and again, especially against some of the more unique and challenging bosses. From there the combat only deepens, encounters encourage experimentation with limits, magic, drives, summons, and a wealth of combo modifiers, interwoven together to result in clean fights and fast clears as a reward for doing more than just mashing. The fact that everything is based on a resource system that can be replenished through utilizing other aspects of the combat furthers the depth even more. A simple MP bar can result in a number of on the fly decision-making due to the MP Charge system. Do I cure now with a full bar while I'm low on HP, or do I empty my bar to a single pixel with magic and cure then, maximizing the efficiency of the bar? Do I even cure at all, or do I go into a limit to potentially wipe the whole encounter without needing to cure? And while I'm in MP Charge, I can choose to wait it out, use an ether, go into a drive or summon. I can use magic to purposefully empty the mp bar and go into MP charge so I can more quickly regain drive. Do I fight the cars in Timeless river straight up with well timed guards, or do I bring out chicken little and give them the suck? There's always all these little options and ways you interact with the resource system and almost every option afforded to the player feels great and effective. It just works and its just great fun that is unmatched. I wish more action games would make something unique like KH2 instead of just copying Dark Souls :/

[@Carnezz]

Agreed. KH3 ReMind was peak peak combat. Especially critical mode with all pro codes. Yozora boss design was 10+ years ahead of its time. No souls game or action game can compare. Only KH2 comes close as one of the best.

[@neroheart34]

A little extra bit about summons is that when they are out, normal attacks regenerate the drive gauge, which allows a more aggressive uses to them. Nam mentioned chicken little being the crowd control, but because of that crowd control, especially with his Whistle move, making chicken little have a longer duration if you play aggressive. Which adds up to Nam's talk about KH2's hidden mechanics since the game doesn't tell you this, while I love games that leaves us to find those hidden mechanics, KH2 is one i wish explain some of them.

[@kalemuncher9425]

It probably goes to show how in depth KH2's combat mechanics are when it's the longest segment of the video. I fully agree that it's unfortunate that the game doesn't give much encouragement to utilize the mechanics to their fullest, and while it doesn't diminish the depth that is there, it does make it harder to appreciate when it can be completely ignored in a lot of circumstances. Here's hoping that KH4 fixes these issues! Great video Nam! Looking forward to what you cover next :)

[@Mono_303]

My first KH game was 2 so the opening telling me the events of the previous games explained what happened before really well for someone new like me. How KH2 starts is really memorable with me because I liked Roxas and thought he’d be the MC but it was Sora so it was sad to see him go.

[@perpps]

Ah another Nam’s Compendium video finally my day is much better now

[@HasegawaRayven]

Small detail: If I remember correctly, in KH2 you were UN-locking keyholes, to make it so the pathways between worlds (using the gummi ship) were traversible.

[@eddysonortega6067]

when I played it recently, I played melee but used reflect and gaurd as counters to an attack, leaving the opponent open for an attack. I also really liked seeing how much damage a strong combo did😅

[@unoriginalname9387]

I really appreciated this video, you know your stuff. Would you consider doing the same format for kh3 ? There are a lot of interesting points to be talked about in my opinion, for exemple the level design of some of the disney worlds.

[@EldenRingBuildsArchive]

17 years… I… wow, where is the time going?

[@zhaoyun255]

I cannot believe how many time I replay KH2.

[@gustavos.8511]

I think it is a great game but i have many problems with this game story and gameplay decisions, it feels like they didn't care as much for what they build in KH1 compared to what was new, like SDG relationship don't feel as deep as KH1 (and KH3 too), the Sora promise to Kairi was ignored for most of the game where it could have been more explored, their meeting had zero emotion on it despite Sora being on his knees for this not long ago, while Sora had the most screentime it felt like they didn't explore his character and only focused on him being related to Roxas (except when he meets Riku), the defensive combat is very inferior to the offensive, the game was easier than KH1 outside the post game bosses, and so on. Still, i had a lot of fun in this game and it is one of my favorites, but i defenitely feel like it isn't as flawless as people say it is.

[@oreotaku4017]

I’d say SDG seem fine they have already had their friendship tested and solidified in the first game, I really wouldn’t even say they are actually friends until that pivotal moment in Hollow Bastion. From that point on SDG friendship is as strong as SRK, and MDG. The same goes for Sora and Kairi, he isn’t as focused on returning to her since he needs to bring Riku back as well. He’s focused on finding Riku in the first half. But once Sora learns she’s been kidnapped he’s far more focused on saving her. His bond with Riku is touched on throughout the first half, and Kairi in the second half.

[@gustavos.8511]

@@oreotaku4017 it's why i liked that in KH1 more, it wasn't easy for them to get along and it added a lot for their relationship, and KH2 doesn't do much with them, it was good but way more basic compared to other things in the game, it bothered me a lot when i played but i'm fine now that they worked more on their chemistry in KH3.

[@ancientdarkmagic1409]

This franchise literally was my freaking childhood. It is the things that made me love the rpg genre and made me had good times with my friends. Plus I listen to the soundtrack non stop it's just that good.

[@nineinchthread]

Honestly to be kingdom hearts 2 still holds up today with it's gameplay and even story.its the game I fell in love with and have the most memories with.one of my favorite in the series and one of my all time favorite games.there was time where the emotional shit got to me.roxas is a tragic character who has an anime feel to it Wich I love.one of the best experience with a game I ever had and helped me through some tough shit.kindom hearts in general did and for that it has my heart

[@hcsnake]

KH2 is my favourite game of all time and rarely do I watch a video analysing it, where I agree with pretty much everything that's being said. You even raised the point about Disney worlds fitting the game's overall narrative thematically, despite feeling a little too fillery at times, which I don't think I've seen anyone talk about before. Keep up the good work, easiest sub of my life, lol.

[@vonborgah]

Ive seen alot of talk about that. Each KH title has more and more original characters, thus giving us a feeling of disney filler since those stories are already known since the 1960's. Each world beign the same in setting. Do the disney thing -> Get org13 cutscene. 3 felt more filler than 2. But then again thats 100% to be expected. Disney has been slowly dropping out of the picture as main stories in the worlds.

[@owensreviews625]

One detail that I love is that Roxas is the one in the thumbnail, but after 6 or 7 days (I’m forgetting what exactly it was), it’s now Sora who is in the thumbnail.

[@AaronBellVA]

What kills me about the offbeat Atlantica world is that, in the vanilla ps2 version, it was more on beat and accurate. It's no Elite Beat Agents or Guitar Hero, I can tell you that much

[@hunterhoffman9980]

i literally adore the soundtrack for these games

[@notproductiveproductions3504]

Back when deep gameplay mechanics actually were deep

[@nashywill]

Surprised you didn't mention reaction commands here! This is the only game with them, and I think it's the key to really making combat so much fun.

[@Redxan600]

This isn't the only KH game to have reaction commands. Birth By Sleep has it as well, and it was implemented better than kh2. Even Kh4 is going to have it as well. I just hope it's also implemented better as well.

[@mizzix]

@@Redxan600 birth by sleep didn't have it, at least not to the same extent

[@Buglin_Burger7878]

@@Redxan600 Because if people are forgetting BBS they probably forgot the RCs because they weren't better.

[@Redxan600]

@@Buglin_Burger7878 Meh... I'd say they were better. Because they weren't braindead by mashing one button. There were tons of variety on the reaction commands. You have to be punctual or else you get punished. Which is why it's better implemented than what kh2 did. I'm just hoping Kh4 implements reaction commands better than what kh2 did.

[@Redxan600]

@ It sounds like you didn't play BBS. Check some of the boss battles, they have reaction commands. And some of the attacks implemented act more like reaction commands because they feel like quick time events. Except, BBS did the RC really well because it's not just one button and you get punished if you're not quick enough or pressed the wrong button.

[@skelenize]

Got damn the randomizer mod for this game is the best thing to happen to mankind

[@GrandChaseHotStuven]

110% agree, I could play through seeds all day

[@DarionKinomori]

I can testify that there is no proper tutorial for summons. Half of that Nam said about summons I didn't know and I've played KH2 since PS2

[@capsuleC0RP5E]

This game saved my life when I was 12 years old. I have so many fond memories of this game and cannot praise it enough. All these years later, it still has one of the best combat systems and soundtracks I have ever experienced and I will cherish this game for the rest of my life. Maybe not the series, but KH2FM for sure. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and watch a speedrun of this game.

[@DemiTrusdale3]

Peter Pan comes on clutch for hard battles. Thanks to tinker bell’s auto life, unlike kh1, auto life can be triggered indefinitely as long as you have the drive for it . Just summon when you feel in danger, dismiss them, then summon again if needed. 🤔

[@BDmaniak]

The one problem with Final Mix versions is that every dub present in the original PS2 games is gone except english and japanese. For french, german (KH1 and 2) or spanish-speaking people (KH2 only), playing any HD remaster means losing the regional dub.

[@BananaDangoGreyrat]

Excelente video de un excelente juego ♡

[@deattusbavel3893]

litterally you speak for my experience. Thank you for your video.

[@deattusbavel3893]

you forgot to mention that the other apprentices should have heartless forms too because they are nobodies.

[@PICADALOL]

Ah...KH2...So many memories...

[@alzara3425]

The twilight town theme as a whole gives a nostalgia-sad but happy feeling now that i remember it, i play kh2 as my very first kingdom hearts game and same as roxas. I don't know what the hell is happening and believe roxas is the main character but turns out it's Sora just as he was in Twillight town data ver. I never knew who was sora until i began to play KH1

[@kindomhearts98]

I completely agree with the Roxas segment. Seriously, When I loaded up KH 2 for the first time I was like who the hell is this? But by the time he met his 'end' I lagit cried. Roxas has been and will always be my favorite!

[@JessicaNevesLago]

I love this game with all my heart, I remenber it was my firt game of the series, and AWAYS made me cry, when I knowed this game, it was when i was 5, now I have 21, and I still rank it with THE BEST game of the series. The drama, the gameplay, the Disney worlds of my favorites animations/Films, the fun, I love everything in this game. Boy the Roxas sequence always make me cry (I admit that I hated this sequence too, but as I grew up, and playing all the games, I started to have a huge affection, learning to look at the Diamond that this part was) ... Actually the Axel - Roxas - Xion history part my favorite, I love Axel (he is my favorite character) and I feel his pain as if it were my own as my biggest fear is losing the people I care about the most, for example friends and family. And I love how KH3 bring this story for me just cry when them hug each other. I don't like KH1 that much, KH2 for me is more grown up and BETTER gameplay. And for all that, KH2 will always be my top list game, in the series and in my life.

[@TravTravYT]

Rewatching this, half focused, trying to best that crab bastard in Planetarium in Risk of Rain 2 Good stuff to keep me *not* tilted

[@32megakid]

The first time I played KH2, I loved the roxas segment! Granted, it was my introduction to the series but still

[@glutton7sin672]

i pray for you when you eventually review the ds games

[@EndlessDream]

I would love to see you do a combat analysis on Odin Sphere Leifthrasir. The remake's combat differs greatly from the original and it plays like the perfect blend of a fighting game and an RPG. As for KH2, it feels more like an action game at its core than an RPG. More like a worthy competitor to DMC3, God of War and Ninja Gaiden Black (all of which were released in 2005) Square had to have been inspired by those games to make the combat a huge step up from KH1. They must have looked at Dynasty Warriors too because of that fight 1000 heartless segment.

[@kingteddieP4]

As much as I don’t like kingdom hearts I’ll check this out bc I like your video style.

[@sbfh014]

So, funny story, i didn't have a ps2 until I was 13, in Christmas 2008, 2 years after the ps3 was out, but since I grew up on Nintendo, I was happy. I saw a neighbor's uncle play kh1, and I went to Walmart and grabbed kingdom Hearts, only to find out it was 2, lol. It's why to this day I actually love Roxas' section(favorite character too), despite it being just busy work, because it gave off that teenager and summer vibes. Almost if not 1k hours and countless playthroughs later, it sits as my favorite game of all time, and I wouldn't have it any other way, initial confusion aside, lol

[@LuffyEntertainment]

roxas is easily my fav character in the series, much for the reasons you explained

[@kierenbuckley370]

for me Kingdom Hearts 2 is my favourite game of all time I find it perfect

[@jasonleeredial1303]

You forgot to mention that KH 2 has one of the most epic final boss battle in gaming history

[@hon2945]

cool video now make one on kh3... nah just playing bro I'm watching the full video I like it the attention to detail you put in it keep up the work😁😁🦾

[@AluraAlua]

I loved the intro as a kid, it felt like home. If I were ever stuck later in the game, I'd start a new save file just to chill out in Twilight Town doing random jobs until I was ready to try again

[@vonborgah]

Thats really weird and different

[@AluraAlua]

@@vonborgah Thanks? Lol

[@vonborgah]

@@AluraAlua Youre welcome, umm meaby.

[@caetelus3656]

See my issue with summons was always the cost being equal to a drive form. Why would I ever choose to summon when being in a drive form is more fun? After countless playthroughs I still only use summons in that one coliseum cup that forces it. Perhaps it could have used its own meter, mp instead, or even just 1 drive gauge. Just my own feelings on it. Awesome break down dude! It was my first and still favorite entry in the series, I think about it in some way most days.

[@pocoyo9449]

This game ages like gold. The graphics for its time were stunning and the combat system was also really good. 👍🏻

[@vonborgah]

They created the whole genre.

[@ArcaneElemental]

do you plan to cover re coded and 358/2

[@tommy_salami108]

Timeless River explores Pete's identity. @39:20

[@Redxan600]

I always did find this game to be heavily flawed in both gameplay and story. Regardless, I still enjoyed what it brought.

[@jakeconnor9753]

Sora is unironically one of the goofiest main characters in all of gaming

[@eamonndeane587]

And let's be honest, we wouldn't want him any other way....

[@hiroko_9779]

@@eamonndeane587 We love him for it

[@insertnamehere2746]

But in kh2 his goofiness was balanced with his badass and serious moments. It's a well rounded depiction of a 15 year old who is thrown into the world and is expected to save those worlds and his friends

[@wiseman46237]

@@insertnamehere2746 Then comes DDD to smack him in the face with the reality of the situation he's in and KH3 to tie it all up for him and the consequences of the actions he took as one of the best bois in all of gaming.

[@insertnamehere2746]

@@wiseman46237 DDD is a shit game that lead to a disappointing KH3. KH2's iteration of Sora is the best

[@xbolt678]

KH2FM is my favorite game of all time. It has a lot of nostalgic value and I do genuinely love the story and themes. Characters are cool too, but what keeps me coming back is the gameplay. I really loved how you explained it here! I do heavily agree that one of the biggest flaws with the game is not explaining the mechanics at all. It was just easier to spam the X and Triangle buttons because outside of a few encounters, you could get by like that. It's why certain bosses (namely Demyx) are so infamous. But when you do discover the new tools, it makes the game infinitely replayable.

[@emptymelodies3316]

KH2 is my favorite KH game for the reasons mentioned in this video

[@dedark0il131]

Never knew about this series as a kid. As a [proud] 20yo adult, this one was the first KH I ever played and the only one I actually finished, and I really regret nothing. IMO, KH1 is clunky and BBS is straight up boring. Re:CoM is really neat gameplay-wise, but let's just say I wish I had a portable version of it. Having not played KH3 yet, I still hope that it will entertain me as much as KH2 did. Thanks for the video! Been waiting for good KH-related content for quite a while.

[@HasegawaRayven]

I mean, The GBA version does still exist...

[@kt4isgud102]

Can you do a smt strange journey analysis?

[@Obsidian8R]

34:42 no, that title goes to dream drop distance

[@gothtaku6666]

My favorite Video Game of all Time and my Favorite KH/FF game . Next to Birth By Sleep and Final Fantasy VI

[@XxbiohazardxX223]

KEEP EM KH VIDEOS COMING, GOT HERE FOR SMT AND PERSONA, BUT U GONNA MAKE ME ABSOLUTELY STAY FOR KH

[@studiodaeera]

I wrote this before watching the video, watching now Nam says a lot of the same stuff. When I first played KH2 in 2010 when I was in high-school, I didn't like it nearly as much as the first (which I'd just beaten for the first time). I thought the magic system was annoying because I was so used to using cure, there were parts of the story I found really stupid. Really I think I just wasn't feeling a lot of the changes at first, but I thought the game feel was far above the first one. It felt really good to mash attack and do combos on enemies and bosses. I didn't really utilize many of the tools that were given to me. Like after getting Anti-Sora I thought limits were dumb. I didn't experiment with summons or utility spells. I played the game again recently through the collection, KHII Final Mix. I decided to do critical mode. At this point I had seen some speed runs and videos breaking down how deep the game's mechanics are. It completely changed my experience. I'm definitely not as good as speed-runners, but I cleared the Data Organization and Mushroom 13. Gonna see if I can beat Terra eventually. This game has really grown on me. I think it's very well designed, but its biggest flaw is that it doesn't do the greatest job of getting the player to understand how useful many of your tools are. It also assumes you know how RPGs work. It's not just a game can be played through by mashing attack and hitting reaction command buttons. The additions to Final Mix have something in there for players who are at the higher/highest levels. I think in a way the former works against the game, but that's because the game doesn't teach you enough about those tools. When you figure things out, you get to have an edge on your enemies and break them. It's not mindless either, things require timing. The MP system is very unique, it forces you to actively take your MP seriously. Items become even more of an important tool for you. I love how many abilities there are in this game, the devs thought of EVERYTHING to make abilities out of. Limit Form can be kinda broken but man is it fun: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYOXeGigmaqqfZI I got into the series my first time with GBA CoM (made the experience intriguing to try and figure out what was going on). I think KH1 has the best story in the series, but KH2 FM has the best gameplay by a mile. I wasn't really feeling KH3 and even the gameplay department wasn't doing it for me. A shame they've gone more floaty and all that with the later games. I might consider doing a level 1 critical playthrough. At the very least I'd like to try having cleaner boss fights with the Data Org. End of rant, just wanted to share my experience coming to realize how amazing this game is. Edit: Here's one 'something stupid' I thought about the story. Yen Sid tells you about Nobodies and says they don't have emotions and are faking them. But at this point in the story you've already gone through Roxas' section and you've seen him visibly get angry and have visceral reactions to the situations he was in. So then it's like "was he faking his emotions?" Because if he was that wouldn't have made any sense. I also didn't like the retcon of Ansem being a fake, I liked Billy Zane's VA for that character and he had such a cool design.

[@meteornome2556]

I'm sure Roxas displaying emotions while you're given information on Nobodies later by Yen Sid was intentionally done, Roxas wasn't faking his emotions because he didn't even have any of Sora's memories to draw from. Roxas was a Nobody that was already born with a heart inside him (Ventus Heart was still inside of Sora's body when he became a Heartless so his appearance took on his form) and could feel a variety of things that usual Nobodies couldn't on the offset so that makes him special. Contrast this with DiZ who was so prejudiced against all Nobodies and thought they were abominations that shouldn't exist anyways so he thought he could use and treat them anyway he pleased such as the case with Roxas and Namine, and you had a morally grey dilemma going on.

[@oreotaku4017]

It’s not really a retcon that Ansem SoD stole the identity of the original Ansem. It doesn’t contradict anything from the previous games.

[@GrandChaseHotStuven]

The best thing about KH2 is definitely how good of a Randomizer game it is. If you REALLY want to test your combat knowledge in this game, play a few runs of the Randomizer. It's all about making the most of what abilities you get early on, and every mandatory fight / boss becomes a different experience on how you tackle them.

[@NoctLightCloud]

I believe the use of summons isn't really explained in the Final Fantasy games, either, but is meant for the player to find out on their own. :)

[@vonborgah]

They are there because Final Fantasy has that system. No more. Just like in 3 the disney rides moves just popped in to existance without explanation. Wich is stupid btw.

[@saxophonebuizel2458]

How if the world is Kage 2 is that old (17 YEARS)

[@kemori_]

I can't get enough of people talking about this game

[@jacksonbrickmedia939]

I want to play this sp bad, I just can’t bring myself to finish kh 1 first. The boss fights in that game are giving me more trouble than any megaten game lol.

[@oreotaku4017]

What bosses are giving you trouble? The KH community is happy to help newer players and people having trouble in the games.

[@gamefreakDX]

When I look at the ending of KH2 now, I'm just thinking "Man, they were just 2ft away from finding Aqua or something."

[@8722jojo]

First time a video game made me sad. I wanted Roxas to live and be a character but with him living then Sora couldn’t so it made me confront an emotion at 12 I hadn’t really dealt with yet. I can still remember waking up 1 hour early for school just so I could play a little more. Truly a masterpiece

[@NCarmine2]

This game defined my childhood, it will always hold a special place in my heart. And I'm always happy to see others trying it for the first time

[@drdoctor9534]

I love you Nam

[@stevengull6703]

Having gone from kingdom hearts 1 straight to 2 you can definitely ignore chain of memories completely and the story won't suffer at all.

[@AsterBTT]

Personally speaking, I'd be really interested in what you have to say about Birth By Sleep. It's the only Kingdom Hearts game I've played, and while I enjoyed it, from what I gather it has a pretty negative reputation. It's been a long time since I played, and I've mostly experienced it recently through speedruns, so I'm interested in the perspective of someone who's not only a fan of the series, but takes a more even look at these games.

[@walter4180]

nah BBS is regarded as pretty good by the majority of people. DDD is the much more polarizing hand held one.

[@JanizMakudomaru]

In terms of story it could've just ended there and went onto side game like shit. In terms of gameplay, as fast and technical as it should be and is actually pretty smart. Reaction Commands are so god damn cool and really made Sora look like a badass and I don't have to question how it got there since it is such a video game implementation that it doesn't affect the world like the Attractions do in 3 which are a part of the world and no one is questioning how this happens.