Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] Impression

For a series with as much pedigree as Kingdom Hearts, having so many of its adventures together in one collection is a welcome opportunity to revisit it all.

Kingdom Hearts has always been a special series to me. Bringing together the worlds of Disney and the characters of Final Fantasy with Square Enix’s own original cast created a fantastic mix that has made the games iconic to this day. With Kingdom Hearts IV on the horizon, Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] arrives at a great time, giving fans and newcomers alike a chance to revisit the series. Together, the games and cinematics cover the series up to its current point, while the native versions on modern hardware let these older games benefit from higher resolutions and improved performance. For a series with as much pedigree as Kingdom Hearts, having so many of its adventures together in one collection is a welcome opportunity to revisit it all.

This is an absolutely massive release, combining three separate compilations into one. Kingdom Hearts -HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX- includes Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix, along with HD movie compilations for Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue adds Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep –A Fragmentary Passage–, and the Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover movie. Finally, Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind brings everything up to the current point in the main story. It is certainly a mouthful, but the sheer amount of content here is a great reminder of just how much history this series has amassed over the years.

Three Keyblades, one goal.

Kingdom Hearts Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix are the classic PS2 adventures, and are both excellent games in their own right. The satisfying combat, memorable Disney worlds, and strong sense of adventure have aged incredibly well, and it’s easy to see why these games became so beloved in the first place. Since both were originally PS2 games, the graphics aren’t dramatically different from the previous HD collections, but they still look quite good for their age. The much faster load times on modern hardware make a noticeable difference, and both games are as enjoyable to revisit now as they were years ago. Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, the PS2 remake of the original Chain of Memories, also holds up well, with its card-based combat remaining an interesting change of pace. Exploring the strange halls of Castle Oblivion is just as enjoyable as ever, especially as each floor brings another classic world into the mix.

The collection also includes Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, originally released on the PSP and Nintendo 3DS, respectively. While some may look at these as side entries, they are every bit as important to the main series and are absolutely essential for understanding the larger story. Players who missed either game on their original platforms should absolutely pick them up here, as both are great adventures in their own right. The graphics have not changed dramatically from the previous HD releases due to their portable origins, but the faster load times are certainly welcome. Birth by Sleep stands out with its Command Deck and unique fighting styles for Terra, Ventus, and Aqua, while Dream Drop Distance lets Sora and Riku recruit Dream Eaters, turning creatures into companions that can fight alongside them. Both games are innovative from a gameplay perspective and are great additions to the series overall.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded are also part of the collection, though both are presented as HD movie compilations. That is understandable given how different the original DS versions were, but it is still a little unfortunate not to have the full games here. Both found incredibly creative ways to work within the DS’s limitations, with gameplay that was quite different from the other entries in the series. A proper port may have been difficult to pull off, but being able to play these games today would have been a great addition to the collection. Even as movies, however, both are extremely important to the overall story and worth watching for anyone catching up on the series. 358/2 Days is especially important, as its story fills in the events leading directly into Kingdom Hearts II and provides essential context for several of its characters.

Kingdom Hearts III brings the spectacle.

The biggest upgrades in the collection come with Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep –A Fragmentary Passage– and especially Kingdom Hearts III. Both already looked and played great on PS4, but the jump to modern hardware makes them look even better. 0.2 Birth by Sleep –A Fragmentary Passage– still serves as a fantastic bridge between Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts III, while Kingdom Hearts III is a cinematic masterpiece that feels right at home on current hardware. Worlds like Toy Box, Arendelle, the Caribbean, and San Fransokyo look fantastic, and the higher resolutions and smoother frame rates are a welcome addition. With the Re Mind DLC included as well, these games bring the series to its current point in the story.

Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] is an incredible opportunity to revisit a series that has evolved so much over the years. From the classic PS2 adventures to the portable games and eventually the spectacular presentation of Kingdom Hearts III, the collection showcases just how much the series has evolved. Having these different chapters side by side also makes the connections between them much easier to appreciate, especially with games like Birth by Sleep, Re:Chain of Memories, and Dream Drop Distance providing so much important context for the larger story. Going through these games again has reminded me why Kingdom Hearts has remained so important to me, and it has made me even more excited for Kingdom Hearts IV.

Disclosure: This article is based on a copy of the game provided by the publisher.