Kingdom Hearts Critique: More Than Just Nostalgia

[@reliableprez]

As always thank you all so much for checking out the video! If you did, a like and comment would mean a lot as it helps the channel plus these videos do take a long time to make so I would very much appreciate it🙏🏼

[@roxaskinghearts]

the critique isnt in kingdom hearts 1 or 2 but the games after each game has story locked behind it but the biggest gripe i hear is how some games where turned into books vs being re released even tho 365/2 was such a hit on the ds

[@Altalune01]

Not considered "hard"??? Have you ever tried to play on proud mode lvl 1 no exp??? xD

[@malik87breaker]

I remember once i was having the best dream. I don't remember what it was. Turns out i fell asleep while listening to "Dearly Beloved" from the menu. Best feeling ever.

[@dinosaursaurus4137]

I literally started crying during the soundtrack part. There is something extremely therapeutic about the music in this game. Its tone and the impact it had on you during the scene these songs played in are always a remind that, no matter the chaos you may be surrounded by, everything will be alright. Even in the most heartbreaking and stressful moments, there is this unfaltering sense of perseverance and comfort one may find in that sentiment. Just truly brilliant

[@reliableprez]

Editing that segment was so hard trying to pick the right track for the feels😂

[@bluejay21.]

Especially the Dearly Beloved versions. I use them right before a test to clear my stress.

[@gehtdichnüschtan]

I‘m still desperately trying to explain to myself why the KH music hits so deep. There is no other piece of music that makes me so emotional. Not even close

[@tabryis]

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes this 1000 fucking percent PREACH IT 👏 🙌 🙏

[@Aa-dn1oq]

Get help no seriously if you respond this way to video game music you genuinely need some form of therapy

[@theseekerofdankness959]

It was never about "nostalgia", Using myself as an example: I've never played, or saw anything about Kingdom Hearts (except some memes and some characters that I never recognized in the first place) and after one of my friends recommend to me, I instantly fell in love with the series, the games are just that good, the world, setting, characters, songs, everything is just magical, it made me feel like a child again and I couldn't be happier to have the privilege to discover this series.

[@rampage60003]

I have to agree with u 100% I share the same feel It makes you feel like a child again its just magical like you say

[@MrRPGcrazy]

I personally love this game and the franchise as a whole. For someone who plays this game once every 2 years or so, it has not aged a day for me personally. But ofc I know it has so Its pretty important to atleast mention it to new players. I think Kingdom Hearts is the only franchise I cant explain with words how much I love it, it makes feel things that no other franchise has ever done before. Truly a unique franchise in videogames. I hope you are not to hard on Chain of Memories because I think Its a decent little game.

[@reliableprez]

Totally get you on that feeling, it was hard to put into words just why exactly this game is special. The CoM video is one I'm heavily looking forward to eventually doing since I have a bit more love for that it compared to most fans

[@thatoneblackdude3333]

@@reliableprez I think com gets to much flack the game play is not that bad it's just different plus the story more then makes up for it

[@reliableprez]

@@thatoneblackdude3333 Not to spoil anything but yes...I agree with you on this

[@unclesizorsalad8169]

On another note for the music,at least original to the games, there's a sense of nostalgia even if you haven't heard them before. It take you back to simpler time which you can't go back to which may explain the happy yet sad feelings you get as mentioned

[@caldw615]

I think the nostalgia of many familiar Disney tracks helps add to this, but even stuff like the opening title screen with Dearly Beloved or the Destati Dive into the Heart music just has this unique feeling to it. Familiar yet still original. Especially for a developing mind, lots of kids don't know how to fully express their emotions and often music is a good way to really absorb and let that emotion take over.

[@euphoria2821]

13:17 "We will get into that later..." *Sees Sephiroth the boss who makes people cry*

[@derrickrogers1205]

Kingdom Hearts is one of those once in a lifetime pieces of media. A collaboration that shouldn’t have worked but ended up a beautiful experience. Like you said it was the perfect prologue to the intense and complex story to come.

[@EzraCanFlyLA]

When I was young my dad worked for Disney. Not the theme park but an office in Burbank. My dad came home from work in 2000 one day and told me that Disney and square enix are making a game were you travel to Disney worlds and beat up things with a giant key. I was immediately excited. When the game finally came out I was completely consumed. I played it over and over again. I listen to the soundtrack everyday. My dad passed away in 2008. I was 16. Whenever I hear the music or whenever I play the games I am immediately transported back to being a kid and having a great time. No worries, no cancer, just complete relaxation. Better times. I will always love kingdom hearts. I will always remember what the game did for me. I’ve had dearly beloved as my ringtone for 10 years. For me it was so much more than a game. If I was going to critic it (which i shouldn’t because I’m heavily attached due to trauma and a bit of extreme nostalgia) I would say it’s an amazing game. Soundtrack is the best of any game. Ever. Hands down. Gameplay is challenging enough and there’s enough secrets and bosses to keep me happy. I love it.

[@quokka1831]

Kh soundtrack is like no other. When I heard dearly beloved ( kh 1 and 2 version) I got goosebumps and still listen to the soundtrack to this day. It benefited the game greatly and I think if it didn’t have such a amazing soundtrack, that it wouldn’t be as great of a game. Yoko went AWF on the ost.

[@arnistle]

What's this, a half-hour high-quality dive into what's special about the first game in my favorite franchise, told with enourmous amounts of heart? Insta-sub'd! 4.67k subs now, but if you keep up this quality, I can easily see you going up quick!

[@reliableprez]

Appreciate the hype up🙏🏼 more content to come with time

[@genevievelok9496]

One of the things I find super compelling about the games aside from the incredible charm of the Destiny Trio and the Vibes, from music to world design, is the way they consistently want to talk about being physically separated from the people you care about most. I think particularly in the case of later games vis a vis Sora and Riku, what they do with that as a concept is really beautiful and compelling. I’ve lived thousands of miles away from my best friends for over a decade now, and seeing Riku in particular get from a point where his spirit of adventure clashes with his fear of losing his besties so SO hard that it possibly is the cause of his temporary fall to where he becomes as unwaveringly trusting in his and Sora’s ability to find each other always, all the time, as Sora is basically from the get go is just a really beautiful thing to me. Also the vague but various implications that Riku and Kairi go to each other with existential crisis is quite lovely and sweet and I wish we got more of that forbidden RiKai content LOL One thing I DO think the bonkers plot is kind of fantastic for is really driving home that Sora is just this adorable little nuclear bomb pile driving through this galaxy he doesn’t understand on sheer hope and determination. Very little of the actual lore really matters, because if it’s impossible according to a five minute cut scene and 7 secret reports, Sora is going to do it anyway Also! Again not KH the original related but! From a marketing standpoint, I was fascinated with how carefully calculated KH3 was to make you want to hop on a plane and get your butt to a Disney park like RIGHT NOW, IMMEDIATELY

[@jiroalba5093]

Great critique! Simple and clean. I love Kingdom hearts as a game and as a franchise, even if it has some flaws here and there.

[@reliableprez]

I see what you did there😏

[@Syntherus]

This series is lightning in a bottle. From the unlikely circumstances of it's creation, to the talented cast, to the master class music of Yoko Shimomura, to Nomura's absolutely bonkers rollercoaster he calls a plot.

[@bizValenheart]

You describing this game as the excellent beginning entry is so spot on. Specifically for Riku, his journey is a truly a beautiful thing to see. The imperfections of the game take nothing away from the experience and you explained that so well. Thank you

[@thefruityking6722]

Man I remember when I was a kid, when I finally got past that first phase of Kurt Zisa and the head started attacking, then the other phase starts with new attacks and gimmicks. Filled me with a certain satisfaction I can't get from a lot of games. Kingdom Hearts has a special place in my heart.

[@zedrico8577]

A game that might be worth reviewing after kingdom heart series is The World Ends With You. Im pretty sure it was made by the same people who made kingdom hearts and i remember that game being my favorite game for quite some time. I don't know how it holds up today, i also played it when i was a teenager and the characters were more relatable. But i imagine the game still holds up well. Then if you like that you could check out the new one.

[@reliableprez]

Easily one of the games I want to play the most down the line based on reputation

[@princessaria]

I could instantly tell Nobuo Uematsu was involved by the oversized shoes and sheer number of belts/straps/zippers/accessories in TWEWY’s character design lmao! And then they added Neku from TWEWY into KH 3D, and he looked like he belonged there perfectly, it was pretty cool. Imo, TWEWY still holds up as a fun game, although I wish the control scheme on the Switch remaster was a little better. Neo TWEWY (the second game that was released in the last couple years) was quite enjoyable too, and it’s controls were obviously better suited to the Switch, since that’s the console it was actually designed for!

[@cloudfoxdie]

@@princessaria Nobuo Uematsu is the composer, maybe you're referring to Tetsuya Nomura

[@sonicplays8740]

@@cloudfoxdie Composer? So he was the true composer all along!

[@TheInnerEvil]

So heres a fun fact, in the kh game "Dream Drop Distance" sora and riku do meet the TWEWY cast. It's not a world for them like others, but it is still pretty cool to see them

[@frankthetank520]

Kingdom Hearts brings a couple of memories for me the big one though is trying to teach people how to play it at my very first local game store went by the name of eagle computech they used to have a weekly membership or you could just play for $5 for an hour of video game time but I got the store owner to implement a different rule for Kingdom Hearts you get 90 minutes considering it takes an hour to get through the opening movie song and tutorial

[@jakc103]

Great review. The soundtrack is what made me pick up this game all those years ago. I can't help but shed a tear every time simple and clean or dearly beloved gets played.

[@brandonduarte8918]

I've also recently started playing the series since I got the all in one collection. This is coming from someone who never played a kingdom hearts game in my childhood so no nostalgia: this game is fantastic! It is such a breath of fresh air to play something that is a complete product and it fucking works. Like you said it's simple, but fun and compared to how complex games can be today it's nice to come back to this. I got the platinum for kh1 and chain of memories and what a CHORE! idk if I even want to plat kh2 because it has become so damn tedious with the mushrooms and data battles. I'm just gonna beat the games and move on, maybe plat them later

[@reliableprez]

KH1 platinum was a chore, but CoM is looking even worse🙃

[@kep9253]

Kh2 plat is easier than kh1 or com in my opinion, you can always do the data battles on a beginner file, and there’s lot of KZbin videos to help with the mushrooms. I’ve platted kh2 a few times now and would recommend it!

[@Just_an_urn]

As strange as it sounds, I actually like Deep Jungle, Atlantica and Monstro. I like all the world's, but the only one I have a hate relationship with is Alice in Wonderland. When I was a kid, the cage fight infuriated me because I didn't understand the gift mechanic with that fight. Since that was the first world I chose and didn't have cure (and was a peanut that didn't know healing items were a thing) I was stuck there for at least a few days... I hated it.

[@Juan-yq3fb]

I hated playing in AIW simply for it's tricky obscured tree entrances and tough card army battle, I'd would lose so much.

[@chumplafayette9561]

You hit the nail on the head about the soundtrack for these games. They hit me every time. Happiness and sadness together all at once. Can't explain it.

[@lileewinks]

Despite it flaws 358/2 days is one of my favourites in the series. I really do recommend emulating it if you can’t play it on a ds/3ds. I am heartbroken that it never got the ddd treatment cause days has one of the best stories, the movie does it such a disservice (RIP Xion’s iconic line “Roxas, that’s a stick.”) Also this might be an unpopular opinion but I really enjoyed the panel system. Edit: typo

[@reliableprez]

358/2 hold a special place for me, only reason I won't be doing a critique for it (or at least not planning to) is simply because I doubt many people would actually play it nowadays through emulation when the movie is available

[@aidanthegamer5]

I got into this series just two years ago, and it's definitely interesting to get into the series as an adult instead of as a child. I read a comment on how the music is nostalgic even for those who didn't grow up with it at all, and I completely agree. I think a major part of that is related to the Disney side of things, though, because a lot of the nostalgia is based around these movies that people grew up with, simultaneously with Kingdom Hearts or not. Regardless of the cheesy writing, or the aged mechanics for some of the older games, or any other flaw that is easily noticeable, the Kingdom Hearts series is still a great series that I think everyone should get into at some point, whether or not they're the ones to play it.

[@TheSmallestJo]

We got KH2 as a gift and my older brother bought me KH1 after we played KH2. I was heartbroken coz the KH1 disc was too scratched to play at the time. I eventually figured out how to buff it safely and played through it the first time 3 years ago as an adult. I think I played through it 3 or 4 times since. The replayability of KH1 and 2 (and CoM if you’re wild) is just so high for me which makes it one of my most favorite games ever.

[@caldw615]

Recently I've replayed the entire series from 1 through to 3 including recapping on the stuff I had missed like Union X. It is honestly amazing to play through the earlier entries after the newer titles to see how much the series has grown over the years yet its roots are still a solid foundation. Kingdom Hearts truly is a one of a kind experience that no other franchise, some of which I've been a fan of even longer like Pokémon, can even remotely come close to it. Some of the flaws do stand out now as an adult who's been playing games for years that has more experience wifh good game design and controls but KH1 somehow still makes me feel like a time capsule to back when I eas about 8 or 9 years old with this game being probably my first properly impactful emotional playthrough of a game even compared to stuff like Final Fantasy at the time. The nostalgia is real but as you said it is more than that. It isn't just fond memories of something you once enjoyed as a kid that you've maybe outgrown, it's something I can still enjoy to this day and it just has this "something" feeling to it that takes me back.

[@Yoshistar123]

I got the Platinum Trophy for this game just a few hours ago, and I honestly still really love this game. Getting Ultima was fun, and it was a game I considered where grinding was more of a nice way to spend time than something the game would force me to do. I think I'll definitely reply it sometime later, but I'm glad it's so beloved. I love the series a lot, and I'm glad the very 1st game was an amazing journey just like the others after it!

[@WeatherReportsHat]

It's honestly amazing how a game with a story as convoluted as Kingdom Hearts still manages to make me insanely invested in and connected to the characters. I am willing to follow it to wherever crazy places it goes to, because I care about what's gonna happen to the characters. I also would like to thank KH2 Final Mic for teaching me how boss fights actually work with the secret bosses. Fighting Data Org. was one of my favorite experiences in any game I've ever played. I love this series, it's truly something special.

[@Mark-nh7ng]

"I know without a doubt that kingdom hearts is light." I get always goosebumps man. May your heart be your guiding key.

[@OgreDLink]

Gosh traverse town theme brings back memories of getting up before school to sneak in some play time

[@Carnezz]

Bravo. I also recently played KH1 again and realized its much more than nostalgia. KH1 feels so complete, and its absolutely insane how well made it is considering it was developed in the early 2000s

[@Syntarex]

The part about the music is so right. Even you just talking about the soundtrack in the end, triggers my emotions. This song is so emotional for me that it's almost hard to hear it.

[@crazychase443]

Thanks for making this! The story and characters of KH1 will always be unmatched. And the music always brings tears to my eyes

[@BackPalSA]

This series is probably my favorite one EVER. You have gained yourself a subscriber from this, and I can't imagine not watchingg the rest of these, and now you've made me wanna go back through all the games AGAIN!

[@reliableprez]

LETS DO IT! Just play them all again lol

[@rikuapologist]

i actually played KH for the first time when i was 20, and now it's my #1 favourite game series :'') something that works so well about KH is how it uses its disney worlds not JUST as window dressing, but to disarm and draw the player into a sense of unironic childlike nostalgia and wonder - i never played KH as a kid, but i somehow FEEL like i did because KH just has that powerful emotional effect on me

[@TheSebastianfan]

I never had the chance to grow up with KH1 game; my parents couldn't afford a ps2 when I was little. But I remembered watching the original trailer for KH, with the orchestral simple and clean. I fell immediately in love with the protagonist and all the wonderful characters and worlds. During that time I reading the manga when I first heard about it. Reading the manga gave me an appreciation for the story plot, and I was just excited about playing the game years afterwards. Comes to show that the different paths we take will always lead to the same place

[@6aint]

kh1 is my favorite game and has been since i first played it as a child. The soundtrack really does hit me exceptionally hard sometimes to the point where I see my own memories of good times and bad flash in my head instead paying attention to the game. Yoko shimomura is one of my favorite composers and ultimately inspired me to make music myself, she showed me how music can encompass a time or feeling and it’s irreplaceable especially as time passes. The kh games will forever hold a special place in my heart because they’re much more than just games, they’re a mood and atmosphere that I can’t get enough of.

[@medecko4394]

Simple and clean is the way that this video is making me feel tonight.

[@EdgardoJCruz-dk5kv]

I feel you have a fantastic grasp of both the characters growth in this game and how the Disney Worlds actually contribute to it. Instead of writing it off like many others do. Well Final Mix did add extra Riku and Sora scenes as them when they were kids. Exploring the cave, and fooling around. Some in sepia tone. At certain moments in the game. However they are very quick and voiceless. So I guess people tend to forget about them. I always felt Atlantica was not as bad people said it was. Yes Ursala was annoying, but doable. Still leagues better than it's KH2 counterpart. Also I guess I am crazy because I loved the gummi ship and would spend quite a bit building or customizing my ship.

[@rikukingdomhearts3749]

When I first played this, I didn't know how to change the Keyblade so I completed up to Atlantica without changing it. This is my favorite game series of all time. I started this game when I was 12 and immediately fell in love with Sora's relatability. I'm 15 now and its still amazing to go back to. I adore Riku's character, he's one of my favorite characters, I love his development so much. Roxas is my favorite character though because...Roxas, I just love him so much. Sora just has such an amazing charm to him that I can never stop loving. He makes me smile and I love him. Even as times get harder and I become much more aware of the world around me, I can still pick up Kingdom Hearts and feel as if there's a warmness that wasn't there before. Kingdom Hearts is a masterpiece that I will never regret starting, despite how "cheesy" it is. The soundtrack will always put me in a beautiful place. I've completed every game but Dream Drop, I've watched all of the movies and played some of the mobile game (Union X). I will never forget this amazing game series and all it has done for me. Sorry if this was too long

[@reliableprez]

Not too long dw, just a good insight

[@beefy45]

I never had a ps2 or a ps3 and i got rid of my ps4 before the collection came out. At 33 i am playing for the first time and i must say i am blown away. Its amazing, beautiful, great storytelling and I’ve cried

[@JeshiSama]

Somewhere deep down Kingdom Hearts will always give me the feels. Why we got to get old man.

[@greenebean4902]

From someone who got this game for Christmas back when It came out and have also been following the entire franchise since then, I thank you for making this video and will be looking forward to the rest :) Great job.

[@ayarjayuh]

I found kh1 combat to be very rewarding replaying as an adult with the use of aerial attacks. When you jump in kh1 you can immediately input an attack or spell. Sora receives no lag upon landing (similar to z cancelling in smash bros 64). This mechanic gives you waaaay more mobility while casting spells and you can chain attacks much faster compared to grounded attacks. i didn’t know about this mechanic as a child and did not have the technical skill to preform it consistently anyways. Sadly this mechanic is not present in kh2

[@nintonintendo1]

I started the whole series at the end of 2019 and finished around april 2020 and this game gives me super nostalgia, the kind of nostalgia that you get when you play a game that you loved when you were young. It's just so simple and clean man...

[@Nyzer_]

Fan of KH1 Atlantica here! I always liked how Atlantica gave the player the option of fully free 3D movement, and I never felt the sting of lost abilities as a result. Especially since if you're using Tents and the like, you should have no issue just using your magic spells to make up for it. Hell, I'd argue that this world is deliberately designed to be the magic-use world, considering the Ursula 1 fight. And, honestly, I'd say something like KH2 Pride Lands is much worse for ability loss. You have more things to lose there, whereas in KH1, you don't have as many combo modifiers or Limits to lose, let alone anything like Drive Forms. Atlantica is only a little confusing, and comes with a ton of shortcuts. Everything from opening up holes in the wall or floor to just using Dolphin Kick to get through a heavy current. I also really like Atlantica because it serves as a de facto tutorial for flight, meaning Neverland, Chernabog, and Ansem don't require flight tutorials of their own.

[@Synchro789]

Thanks for making this video about a beloved game from my childhood. Hope you keep making great content!

[@reliableprez]

Appreciate it!

[@modder15]

Really great summation of my feelings on the 1st game. It was the 1st game owned on the ps2 and I didn't even know ow that you needed a memory card to save.

[@repetaki]

ah it's that time of the year again when youtube recommends me yet another review of kingdom hearts or something like that which i happily sit through. will love to hear what you have to say in this video

[@unova1995]

Great video but there is one thing you forgot to mention. At the start of the game, after you pick your weapon of choice and step into the first door, you are given 3 questions from the Destiny Island kids that decides how your level up rate will be. If you get, "Leaving at dawn", you'll get a lot of level ups early on but it'll lag in the late game. If you get, "midday" it's a steady consistent level up rate throughout the whole thing. And if it's "dead of night" it'll lag early on but you'll get level ups faster later. You can manipulate this easily with the choices. Just choose all 3 of the top answers to get "dawn", all 3 middle for "midday" and all 3 bottom for "dead of night"

[@reliableprez]

Funny enough I actually remembered that during the editing process, considered adding that detail in but felt it wouldn't be as smooth if I added a audio file recorded days later with potentially a different tone. Appreciate this comment for people looking to play it for the first time especially!

[@Ingisen]

Just found your channel and this video. Nice job! You've earned a sub from me Looking forward to your KH2 critique. Notable points to discuss (saying this as a KH fan since 2002 and counting): - Overarching changes to the story * How this, in turn, changed characters and how they were utilized (or underutilized) - The intro of KH2; how clever it actually was - The music; how it evolved * How the music changed going from MIDI to orchestrated # The GENIUS of Yoko Shimomura - The unfair amount of criticism Nomura gets at times - Scaling, world interactivity (KH2 being known for "flat rooms") - How KH2 demanded every bit of processing power the PS2 had at the time Thank you for your efforts!

[@Ingisen]

I forgot to mention - The hidden movies/trailers; how they changed in KH1 and 2 vs 1.5 and 2.5. * Just how HYPE and mysterious they were! Intrigue is Nomura's middle name - KH1 Beta Trailer: watch it. Notice the different atmosphere? How certain plot points were used later? KH1 is actually a rather dark game, when you think about it. Disney probably had to hold Nomura back at several points during development

[@seanwhitehall4652]

I still play my original KH1, on my old playstation 2 (the big version) on and even older cathode ray TV. Same for KH2, replayed them both in my mid 20s to be ready for KH3.

[@TheMetalHeadbangger]

i am glad to hear praises for KH1 of all the games its the most complete package no too much sequel baiting or whatever. plus i think the battle system is most balance in this, sora is not total whirlwind of death that destroyes all in hes path in seconds

[@seraphsclaws2997]

Seeing you cover the Persona franchise would be excellent, considering how well you did with Kingdom Hearts!

[@MrQydarable]

Randomly played KH1, "its just another game"; hooked to KH2 and i have some of the best memories playing Birth by sleep I can say i'm not the most hardcore player in terms of playing them all, but its a saga thats now part of me, even more if we talk about its music

[@moondoor9031]

Kingdom Hearts is really a fun game to play it and the soundtrack is beautiful. The only problem for me it's the story and character development... I feel like KH1 had a more consistent story than the rest of the games and that's it

[@infiniteaaron]

They need to get this for Steam or some place to play on PC. These games (including the non-console games) are all very amazing! Thank you for yet another fantastic video!

[@Niko-pj8kt]

Just discovered this channel and the quality of your videos is so good! Hope this channel blows up soon

[@Gwen1661]

So glad to see a video for one of my favourite game franchises ♥

[@reliableprez]

More of the franchise to come

[@Saucedup16]

I love the hints that you throw in that only KH players would understand like talking about certain worlds and how the community feels about them and certain fights. Great video

[@Blackpyre10]

The first time I ever played Kingdom Hearts was when I was 9 years old. My sister would read the Brsdy Games guidebook to me while I'd play. Deep Jungle and Hollow Bastion were absolute nightmares lol We got to the endgame but we wanted to get the ultimate weapon and the grind to get there meant we never beat it though, I put the game down for 11 years. Then one day cleaning out my old stuff, I found my PS2 with Kingdom Hearts and my memory card still inside. I picked it back up, finally beat the final boss and proceeded to buy a PS4 just to catch up on the series. Kingdom Hearts will forever hold a special place in my heart, and has gotten me through many rough times since I found it again. Excellent video mate, can't wait to see the rest of the series!

[@murphynonamehere56]

I fully agree about Atlantica! It keeps KH1 interesting closer to the end. KH is always full of surprises, and that's a big reason why it's kept my interest for almost 2 decades!

[@LutherOMight]

I recently decided I wanted to replay the Kingdom Hearts series after 15 years. I was so very afraid that the first game aged horribly and that I would not like it anymore but I was so very happy that didn't happen. It aged surprisingly well, it wasn't perfect but I had so much fun with it. Also, I had no idea there was a difference with what item you picked at the beginning, I never picked the shield but maybe I will on my next playthrough. Thank you for this wonderful critique.

[@purgatory3653]

I played the first game when I was young as Sora age in the first game, I grew up with this series and KH 1+2 became my favorited games

[@PanideKejo]

I think it is impressive that you can make an analysis of KH and be somewhat impartial. I just wouldn't be able to it without crying a lot and say everything in this game is perfect. I cannot even begin to express how this adventure is important to me. I carry it with me every day of my life.

[@reliableprez]

That really was the hard part lol

[@leandrabarros3582]

I was waiting for this! Thanks a lot, KH is amazing💖

[@benjaminmorgan2436]

Wow. Such a great video. Thank you! Can’t wait for the rest of the series!

[@reliableprez]

Happy to hear that, hoping to see you on the CoM video whenever that comes out lol

[@Densoro]

Kingdom Hearts 1 worked so well because it took all of those elements and _synthesized them together._ Originally, each world had commentary on what it means to be a hero, a friend, a _person,_ as if Sora was learning lessons from the movies we grew up with _alongside us._ There was a very small-scale focus, with details like seeing your best friend/crush's smile in the glow of sunset, hearing the hesitation in her voice. The locales were liminal -- they were _new homes_ for us, and seeing those homes invaded by monsters hiding around each corner _literally hit us where we live_ and made us want to protect the cozy little nests we found. The first game didn't need mountains of explanation, because despite all the magical elements, the story was _about_ the same warmth we feel around our friends and our chosen family. We would go to the ends of the earth for some of the people we play Halo with. It's as simple as that. Squaresoft thought about ending the Kingdom Hearts franchise with this single game -- a bittersweet ending where you say goodbye to the people you grew up with, but still hope and pray that life is being kind to them, that they somehow find their way without you. If this was the franchise's legacy, people wouldn't laugh, because _that's some real shit._ Things changed when they decided they were going to _untie_ that clean, bittersweet ending. Suddenly the analogies for friendship were replaced by a gigantic intergalactic war, and the franchise forgot many of the little things that made us fall in love with our friends on Destiny Islands in the first place. In addition, I think Kingdom Hearts was a series of experiments in how to make an action game with RPG elements that _plays like an anime._ I appreciate the slower pace of the first game, forcing you to care about timing and tradeoffs instead of devolving into button mashing, and the way the franchise wove menu-based and real-time combat together was downright _trailblazing_ at the time. I know the later inclusion of Flowmotion set a standard I fell in love with, all the way until I found Warframe years later, because this kind of wire-fu _feels like the way I move in my dreams._ In the end, I'm always gonna love Kingdom Hearts, I just wish they took the focus off the war and let us spend more time with the unconditional love at the backbone of the game.

[@alonsoferdela]

This is the first video of yours that I see, and I have to say it's pretty good! I love the way you explain and articulate everything (it's super clear and with good pace! plus you got a nice voice), the love you show regarding the game (which touches fans like me), and also the level of objective comments you add just for everyone's awareness and freedom to have the opinion they want to have. I hope you make new KH videos soon! I gotta say the work is worth it :D Thank you!!!

[@reliableprez]

Really appreciate the feedback, glad to see people seem to be enjoying the video so far

[@deademcee]

Great video. Such a classic game. Oh and 358/2 and recoded available thru emulation pretty easily. Not to add it on but they’re relatively easily accessible. Just in case you wanna dive deeper into those.

[@jaydog1780]

Great video. I'm really impressed that you talked about the Sora and Riku dynamic in the story. When most fans talk about KH 1, they don't really mention how much growth Sora had over the story. The game is a little subtle about it so I guess that's a reason why people don't notice it. Riku wanting to grow up fast, and be the hero of the story while not realizing what that actually means is the perfect foil for Sora. Looking back on the opening segment on Destiny Island, I'm not sure if adding more scenes would benefit player engagement. I understand that fleshing out the trio more and getting to know them better is a benefit in the long run but the problem is that the pacing would be pretty off by that point. Personally, I would also want more scenes with the three of them too, but I bet most people playing for the first time would get bored pretty easily and would want to get to the plot faster. The Destiny Island stuff is already pretty long as it is, and I'm not sure if making it longer would be better or a detriment.

[@AThingAmajig]

Alright, I'm so glad this video got recommended to me. When Sora got announced for smash, I decided I was finally going to do a playthrough of kingdom hearts 2, the first game in the series for me, because I'm so emotionally attached to it. I decided I was going to stream it to a few of my friends who hadn't ever seen anything from the series before, and I wound up going from that onto the othe rgames because they were interested. I'd never played BBS or KH1, and I'm finished with Critical BBS (Not all side content) and I just finally beat Dark Riku. I really didn't expect to get the level of enjoyment I have out of the game, but I share a lot of opinions with you about the early game being dryer, etc. I love the game so far though, and I'm planning on 100%ing the series. CoM next, wish me luck lmao

[@reliableprez]

CoM is next here too, trying to 100% should be real real interesting...

[@medecko4394]

Me too! When Sora got released in smash I was also gonna hop on emulation to play the 1st. And I was already hooked!

[@bewilderedbunnny]

antlantica is one of my favorites as an adult, but as a child I could never make it past Ursula, which led to me quitting and restarting the entire game a couple of months later several times

[@talala5883]

Kh1 is my favourite because every world just feels unique both story and the layout, it never felt repetitive like other games in the franchise

[@RYUJJ4]

Ya i'm looking forward to the rest of the series that you'll be doing over time :D

[@BrennySpain]

The side content in any kingdom hearts game after you beat the story is the absolute best I think! So much fun.

[@philgaimz9847]

i didn't realize until now that there are only four original characters in this game, that's crazy

[@CMRetroGaming]

Just started playing a few weeks ago. KH has been on my backlog for along, long time. The grinding and finding the proper gems for synthesizing is driving me nuts. But overall I'm loving the game.

[@zooweemama3620]

When I first played this, I didn’t have a memory card with my PS2 so I couldn’t save my progress and I would end up having to restart so much but honestly I didn’t even mind cos I just like the music so much especially the traverse town theme song. Every time I hear it I feel like like an old friend is coming by for a visit it’s so weird

[@kuriatsu]

I've got a bunch of things to say about this video. First I want to get this out of the way. I liked, subscribed and I am commenting. I watched it all the way up to the very last second. Firstly, I can't say I agree with your assessment of Atlantica, but I agree with where you're coming from. having to adapt on the fly to situations in KH1 was a really difficult thing for me to actually do. I first started playing KH1 when I was about 13 or 14, and I was in my "old grumpy and important" phase, like you do when you're young. However, the thing is that in atlantica, deep jungle and monstro, I encountered the same problem you mentioned. (paraphrasing)"They were cool the first time but when you get lost and have to do things 5+ times it gets stale" and I encountered that for days(I wasn't the brightest kid in the lot) That being said I do agree with monstro, it is not a side mission it really does matter to the overall story because it shows how far Riku was willing to go for the purposes of saving Kairi with trying and failing(due to his own morality at the time) at taking his first heart from Pinocchio, only for the first heart he takes is kinda his own. I completely agree with your assessment of "is it possible for me to go back" and "am I really the same person" I really liked that when I first played the game back in late 2002, but I haven't been able to verbalize it until I saw your review a few minutes ago. I feel that above all the things you said with the problems the game had though is one critical thing. You could not skip cutscenes in KH1 on PS2. I do also want to comment, that the unknown coated warrior was not in the original PS2 entry but it works with the review I think :) But I'm also too literal so when you said the original title I took that as the 2002 version, if I misunderstood, I apologize. The music I completely agree with, it is absolutely something that takes me way back to when I first played the games, its absolutely something amazing. For a series to recommend, I do recommend Persona, SMT core series(Though keep in mind both will trounce you time and time and time again) but I also recommend pacing yourself. Persona is part of SMT, and SMT arguably spans more games than Mario, so I would advise that you pace yourself and choose a series to introduce it to yourself. I recommend persona 4 the golden. But most SMT games do take anywhere from 60-150 hours to play on normal mode. Another series I would recommend is Drakkenier. Those being Drakengard, Drakengard 3(2 is non-canon apparently), Nier 1.22, and Nier automata. Drakengard 1 and 3 are not the best of games unless your going strictly by story and none of the 4 games are child friendly in any way shape or form so I don't know if thats an aspect that you look for. Nier 1.22 is one of those games that is going to take a LONG time to beat, as is automata. I do also particularly recommend Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. It is a fantastic beginner RPG that is also known as Final Fantasy USA. Its pretty predictable but its a lot of fun and the USA's music is amazing. Thank you for the review, and I'll be checking out your next one and a few others that you've made. Have a good one :)

[@reliableprez]

Appreciate the feedback and support, also a lot of the recommendations are things I have definitely considered so it's just a matter of time now. Hope to see you around in future videos

[@obeserob5027]

5:12 it actually has. In the manga for kh1 sora takes off his shoes and... Well let's just say the size of the shoe certainly fits

[@deathrainbows9723]

I agree with many of your points! I was so surprised when I realized that there really are only 4 original characters in the game 😅 I actually played through the original on the PS2, and your review of the gameplay remains mostly true. I barely used summons until Hollow Bastion, relying on Strike Raid or other abilities. Took me until Deep Jungle to realize you could customize (I was like 9!). KH is really a bit of a nostalgia trip, but despite the janky combat I remember how fun it was (though the camera did make me very frustrated at times). Thanks for creating this retrospective, and I look forward to the next one 🙂

[@shonen_x_trash2488]

I like atlantica in theory for the same reasons as you- but I have a theory on why I and a lot of people feel like it's a slog: enemies. Because they have the z-axis to work with the map is overloaded with enemies, and clearing them all to explore 1 area uninhibited once is a chore. Most RPG players will have to do this more than once and they have to wrestle with the controls in combat. So they tell themselves they hate the controls, not the shitton of enemies that causes them to hate the controls.

[@enbyarchmage]

TL;DR: Loved the video! 😍 Over the years I had been feeling kinda guilty for liking a series as quirky (to say the least) as KH, but in less than an hour you've managed to not only take almost all of my guilt away, but also make me love the series even more. Long version (and I mean it): The power of this series to stick with a person for years is no joke. When I first came in contact with it as a child, I knew almost no English. To make matters worse, the first KH game I played was KH2, so the story made almost no sense at all. But despite all of that I ended up really liking the game, in large part because of the worlds - notably Twilight Town, Hollow Bastion, Space Paranoids and TWTNW - and the music. Seriously, Dearly Beloved was one of the main reasons that the series remained in my memory for so long. For some reason, that simple song has always pushed me to the verge of crying, even when I was a child. Since that time, it makes me feel as if I'm remembering fond memories from some sort of past life, you know? After I became fluent in English, I never seriously considered playing the other games in the series (or even replaying KH2) until after the pandemic started, in part due to the guilt that I mentioned in the TLDR. The fact that we were almost literally living in the End of the World changed my mind. In times like these, why bother caring about the opinions that others have on matters as trivial as my taste in videogames? I made the right choice: the series (at least the 1.5+2.5 part of it, haven't played the others) turned out to be way better than I thought! It was well worth the years of waiting, as well as the money I spent on it. Please don't be afraid to play KH if you haven't yet, my fellow viewers! If you don't like it, that's OK, we all have our reasons to like or dislike things. In any case, may your hearts be your guiding keys 😉

[@reliableprez]

Love to see this, just enjoy it despite what it might come off as initially and if you weren't fluent in English before then WOW this is a perfectly articulated comment. Appreciate the feeback

[@Altalune01]

The question about the shoes has been answered actually. It's just that Sora is just a reference to Mickey as Mickey was originally planned to be the main character but Disney said no.

[@nicetry9177]

This game is so amazing. I’m still playing to this day.

[@WeirdProductionss]

I have played every KH game at least 3 times through, but KH1 is easily 10+. I'm stoked I found this and looking forward to the full series. 5 mins in and you earned a subscriber who is gonna click on your videos the second they are uploaded. Good shit homie EDIT: Minus one star for you liking Atlantica. You're sick.

[@reliableprez]

Appreciate that! CoM Video hopefully next month if all goes well

[@TheGoofyBorn]

I did this same thing when my boy finally got into Smash. Started going through the games on the collection again and I'm currently on 3 (didn't one hundred percent BBS or 3D, I didn't enjoy them as much) and I had the same fear for KH1 being a stinker that I was just super nostalgic for Key word for this game was just charm imo. The younger Sora, the beginning of the the party's journey and friendship, the easy to digest lore, it all just hits different. 2 is still my favorite combat wise, but I honestly had the most fun playing through this one again and I honestly can't really even explain why. Anyway, looking forward to watching you go through the rest, you've earned yourself a new subscriber, friend! Great video.

[@reliableprez]

Did you 100% CoM and KH2 tho👀

[@TheGoofyBorn]

@@reliableprez bruh CoM was pain to 100%. KH2 I always do my man, that one is actually fun aside from some of the Mushroom XIII

[@BrennySpain]

I had actually never heard of the nightmare before Christmas until I actually played kh1 as a kid. And it’s surprising to because Tim Burton was my favourite director/producer as a kid. So glad I finally discoverered it!

[@BrennySpain]

Kingdom hearts 1 just has to be my favourite game in the series. Especially story-wise and how it was such a great start to everything! I mean I love kh2 and every other game afterwards but to me the first original game just has this real edge over all the others!

[@SeHaryu]

I'm just happy I fell in love with this series. KH3 was my first game and it led me to play previous games, too. I hope I played KH series when I was little, but better late than never!

[@Coreisus]

I remember seeing my buddy playing 358/2 Days and being really hyped when I opened up the KH1.5+2.5 Remix and saw it on the main menu....... Then immediately stopped caring when I realised it was just the cinematics.....

[@BJ-zd2or]

Kingdom Hearts is a innocent game, 2002 I got the game, and playing it again or last year made me realise something. It's a special game different, and when I played KH2 of the intro it didnt hit me, it should but I still like it the sequal, when I placed the first one in I notice a difference. The intro was most spoken and even Pewdiepie at that part I notice got a bit teary, that was in 2013 when he played the game. But you can see that when saw surrounded by the birds and looks up with innocence and taking all in with enthusiasm and wonder. It shows how childhood is with love, friendship, and just being ourselves. All I say is that in adulthood, we can still have something that is good and joyful. This is a good game and never will leave me, no matter how many sequals they make. This one holds a special place of understanding childhood.

[@Reaperx420]

From me you got a like a comment and a subscription, good video i like the content and the layout and you actually concentrate on the things that truly matter in this game leaving a nice feeling of respect! Thank you

[@GuadianWolfJilly2]

This is still my favorite and only game I actually liked/loved in the franchise. This was peak Kingdom Hearts for me and one of my favorite games of all time.

[@Killer-hy9ly]

I do agree that the final fight is less engaging of a boss than xemnas and other more one on one encounters in the series but there is still the visual significance of the boss itself, throughout the fight we believe Ansem is In control of the darkness shielding him using it for offense and boosting his powers and while that was true to an extent in the final phase we see the truth, he has fully embraced the power but it has turned into its puppet forcing us to wonder how much of Ansem is still there if he ever was. There's also the fact that world of chaos is shaped like a warship showing us the darkness can freely move in, out and between worlds. Btw, awesome video. I played this as my first KH game and I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the series👍

[@enyalieTheWriter]

1 video I saw from ya and realy loved it. I didnt played KH 1 in a while, and right now my PS4 is starting and im happy to play oit again and relief that moments. Also you had so many cool points in this video and I just enjoyed watching it. But comon not even 1 sentence about the freeking house, I love the house boss but, omg it was so painfull when you fell off somewhere xD

[@thebakedmemester5208]

this is actually one of the best reviews ive seen on kingdom hearts definitely subbing

[@soulofexistence]

I can see this channel growing a lot in the near future PD: I'd love to see a Final Fantasy IX video, a bit of an underrated FF title in my opinion

[@reliableprez]

There’s soo many games to cover, dw we got enough to talk about for years😂 (Yes FF IX Is defo one to do)

[@wigymbertdieujuste4769]

This is deff one of the better video essays I’ve heard

[@PeterGargan]

This is the first video of yours I've seen and I'm hoping to stick around as I greatly enjoyed this, been revisiting KH1 myself recently and it's still one of my personal favourites!

[@reliableprez]

Glad you enjoyed, more to come with time