Is Kingdom Hearts 1 Overshadowed by Kingdom Hearts 2?

[Regular Pat 32]

Howdy guys! A few months ago, I started working on a mini dissertation on why KH1 is my favorite game of the series. Eventually, as I started to juxtapose it more and more with KH2, it started to become more of a debate type of thing. Originally it was just going to be a text post, but I figured people would be more likely to watch an incredibly long video instead of read an incredibly long text post (if only .01% more likely.) 

I put a lot of time into it and I'd love if it sparked some discussion; the goal wasn't to ruffle any feathers or trash KH2 (I love both, and 3), but more so to justify and explain my opinion in a world where it seems like KH2 is the dominant and premier example of a KH game.

 

 

[WakelessDream 2,278]

Thanks for sharing this!  I think I'm of the crowd who ultimately prefers Kingdom Hearts II myself, but you did make some pretty good points. I especially agree with the worlds feeling a bit more integrated story-wise in the first game, and to that extent having Disney villains, especially Pete and Maleficent seem more like a threat. 

I don't think the original Kingdom Hearts is necessarily overshadowed by its successor. In fact there are a lot of people today who still hold it in the highest regard, I think that both do things well, and both have their areas they could have improved on. I know that's a really neutral way to go, but I enjoy both for what they are, so it's difficult for me to rank them over each other.  

[VisitJoan 2,713]

I have to say, I kinda do like KH2 more than KH1.  It just has a better original story, more unique characters, more plot twists - I just enjoy that kind of thing more.  But if you like KH better, then that’s cool too.

[RugratsNappiesFanatic 38]

this is probably one of the biggest debates of my life to be honest. both kh1 and kh2 are great for different reasons, but if I'm being really honest, I always thought the second game was better and is still my favourite game in the series. especially the final mix version. it just has so much to offer overall and I can get lost in hours on end going all the way up to level 99 and fighting the data organisation battles, plus the story was so much more involving and had a lot of really interesting characters thrown into the mix. the whole prologue where you play as roxas was incredibly well done and never felt boring either. I liked seeing flashbacks to the first game whenever you completed a certain day. the ending was just amazing too and would've been the perfect end to the series if they didn't continue it. and believe me from there that's where things get really all over the place. as well the fact that I never played chain of memories on the GBA at the time but played it soon afterwards. but definitely much prefer the ps2 version even though the card gameplay gets very tedious at times. overall the second game will always probably be my favourite game in the series unless something else tops it. (4th game maybe?...)

[Regular Pat 32]

First off, I appreciate the decorum from everyone haha, it's refreshing to have these types of respectful disagreements on the Internet. Everyone's got different pros and cons that weigh more or less for them. That's like, what art's all about, man. As I brought up in the vid, I love the beginning/middle/end of 2, that's like peak Kingdom Hearts stuff right there. At the end of the day, I enjoy the in-between stuff in 1 much more than the equivalent stuff in 2, which is what puts 1 on top for me, among other factors.

And yeah, WakelessDream, I do see people out there who prefer 1, but it seems like all of the big KH "pundits" on YouTube, so to speak, favor 2. I'm aiming to be the crazy old man who yells at the clouds about how much more he likes KH1 lol

[Dagesh Lene 366]

I agree with just about everything you said in this video.  I do think that Kingdom Hearts II is the best game in the series overall, but that doesn't mean that it is my favorite.  Kingdom Hearts II does have a strong story, a perfect ending that makes me smile every time I watch it, and the best combat in the entire series, which makes it the most fun out of all of the games in the series to play.  However, I think that Kingdom Hearts 1 has better world designs and a better story.  It uses the Disney and Square-Enix characters perfectly (after Kingdom Hearts 1, the Disney and Square-Enix characters started to become less important to the overall story as the Kingdom Hearts series started to become its own thing, which isn't a bad thing, I just liked how well they were integrated into the story in the first game), and it makes the Heartless actually feel like a threat (something that I don't think any of the games that followed managed to do except for a few moments, such as the Battle of Hollow Bastion in Kingdom Hearts II and the multiple battles against the swarms of Heartless, Nobodies, and Unversed at the Keyblade Graveyard in Kingdom Hearts III).  In the end, I love all of the games in the Kingdom Hearts series, but Kingdom Hearts 1 is my favorite for being exactly what Square-Enix wanted it to be: a cross between Disney and Final Fantasy.

Edited October 3, 2019 by Dagesh Lene

[Dustin Lübbers 933]

3 hours ago, Dagesh Lene said:

I agree with just about everything you said in this video.  I do think that Kingdom Hearts II is the best game in the series overall, but that doesn't mean that it is my favorite.  Kingdom Hearts II does have a strong story, a perfect ending that makes me smile every time I watch it, and the best combat in the entire series, which makes it the most fun out of all of the games in the series to play.  However, I think that Kingdom Hearts 1 has better world designs and a better story.  It uses the Disney and Square-Enix characters perfectly (after Kingdom Hearts 1, the Disney and Square-Enix characters started to become less important to the overall story as the Kingdom Hearts series started to become its own thing, which isn't a bad thing, I just liked how well they were integrated into the story in the first game), and it makes the Heartless actually feel like a threat (something that I don't think any of the games that followed managed to do except for a few moments, such as the Battle of Hollow Bastion in Kingdom Hearts II and the multiple battles against the swarms of Heartless, Nobodies, and Unversed at the Keyblade Graveyard in Kingdom Hearts III).  In the end, I love all of the games in the Kingdom Hearts series, but Kingdom Hearts 1 is my favorite for being exactly what Square-Enix wanted it to be: a cross between Disney and Final Fantasy.

Yea for me its kingdom hearts 1 all the way because its just 100% exactly what it needs and wants to be and just a perfect crossover overall and it takes libertys with the story Something that has come back with kh3 a bit but was still also just excellent in the first

Edited October 3, 2019 by Dustin Lübbers

[Moogle13 55]

Out of the numbered games, I'm a fan of 2, but good points were made as others said. Of course I'm over here just being a lonely fan of BBS moreso than the others in the series. 2 is the big one, the one where people's favourite fights, music, plot twist, characters and moments happened, but we shouldn't overlook 1, which gave the series a good start and allowed us to have 2 and, more importantly to me, BBS. But all KH games are good and I adore them!

[Dagesh Lene 366]

18 hours ago, Moogle13 said:

Out of the numbered games, I'm a fan of 2, but good points were made as others said. Of course I'm over here just being a lonely fan of BBS moreso than the others in the series. 2 is the big one, the one where people's favourite fights, music, plot twist, characters and moments happened, but we shouldn't overlook 1, which gave the series a good start and allowed us to have 2 and, more importantly to me, BBS. But all KH games are good and I adore them!

I'm a big fan of BbS too.  I think it is right up there with the numbered titles.  However, I do like the numbered titles a bit more.  It is really close though.  That just goes to show how good all of these games are.