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Found 6,086 results

  1. Square Enix have revealed new Kingdom Hearts II plushes of Naminé and Roxas that are available for pre-order from their Japanese, European, and North American storefronts. Both products are viewable via our galleries below alongside their Japan store pages. Several other available store pages are listed at this article's conclusion. Kingdom Hearts II Naminé Plush (¥4,180) - October 1st, 2022 shipment Kingdom Hearts II Roxas Plush (¥4,180) - October 1st, 2022 shipment Square Enix North America (January 2023 release windows): Naminé - $44.99 Roxas - $44.99 Aitai Kuji (September 2022 release windows): Naminé - ¥3,500 Roxas - ¥3,500 AmiAmi (Late September 2022 release windows): Naminé - Discounted price of ¥3,500 Roxas - Discounted price of ¥3,500 Square Enix Europe (January 13th, 2023 shipments): Naminé - €44.99 - January 13th, 2023 shipment Roxas - €44.99 - January 13th, 2023 shipment View full article
  2. Square Enix have revealed new Kingdom Hearts II plushes of Naminé and Roxas that are available for pre-order from their Japanese, European, and North American storefronts. Both products are viewable via our galleries below alongside their Japan store pages. Several other available store pages are listed at this article's conclusion. Kingdom Hearts II Naminé Plush (¥4,180) - October 1st, 2022 shipment Kingdom Hearts II Roxas Plush (¥4,180) - October 1st, 2022 shipment Square Enix North America (January 2023 release windows): Naminé - $44.99 Roxas - $44.99 Aitai Kuji (September 2022 release windows): Naminé - ¥3,500 Roxas - ¥3,500 AmiAmi (Late September 2022 release windows): Naminé - Discounted price of ¥3,500 Roxas - Discounted price of ¥3,500 Square Enix Europe (January 13th, 2023 shipments): Naminé - €44.99 - January 13th, 2023 shipment Roxas - €44.99 - January 13th, 2023 shipment
  3. Kingdom Hearts II is a widely beloved entry in the series, being many fans’ favorite. And, I believe it’s safe to assume that a significant degree of that love stems from it housing the best world in the franchise, Atlantica. Now, while Atlantica is one of the more well-liked worlds in the first game, its musical implementation in Kingdom Hearts II is masterful, causing many fans over the years to question why the entirety of the game and subsequent sequels didn’t play like this world. Unfortunately, we’ll likely never receive an answer to that prominent, collective fan inquiry, and we’ll have to keep replaying the 5 stellar musical numbers this area boasts. With it being the series’ 20th anniversary, I found it only fitting to reflect on the peak gameplay of the titles and rank the playable musicals from worst to best. 5. "Part of Your World" This is easily the most abhorred song of Atlantica, and part of why is because it doesn’t include the magnificent vocal talents or dancing of Donald and Goofy. Sora’s compatriots provide fantastic vocal and visual range, capturing the essence of these performances far more effectively than any of the other characters. It’s also the shortest song, further providing ample reason for this being on the bottom of the list. Lastly, the fact that players can simply obtain 5 Excellent ratings and skimp out on the rest of the track is unfortunate. Fans want to interact with these musical minigames more and not just view them as spectacles, despite how epic they are. 4. "Ursula’s Revenge" Ah, yes. The best boss battle of not only Kingdom Hearts II but the franchise as a whole. It’s almost depressing how the series hasn’t even come close to reaching the quality of this encounter. Still, that just goes to show how legendary it is. Ursula utilizes the power of King Triton’s trident and enlarges herself, becoming a genuinely threatening foe. Players have to time cleverly incorporated button presses aligned with Ursula’s ever-growing power, resulting in a climactic encounter that will leave you with an undeniably cathartic sense of delight. While Donald and Goofy don’t sing during this battle, the sheer well-induced terror of this scene nearly absolves that fault. If only Xemnas received such a similarly praiseworthy encounter… 3. "Under The Sea" "Under The Sea" boasts sublime metaphorical imagery throughout its duration. The right side of the screen hosts a gauge determining Ariel’s yearning for the outside world or accepted complacency with the life she’s come to know. The player’s performance determining the state of Ariel’s mentality illustrates a terrific relationship between their actions and results. Essentially, the effects of gameplay are transparently depicted in a manner affecting character growth. Further, the necessitated avoidance of Sebastian for success subtly implies his actual existence as a Darkling, serving as a corrupting influence on Ariel’s strained psyche. There is just an almost insane degree of storytelling depth poured into this performance, but the fact that there are still 2 more surpassing it is astounding. 2. "Swim This Way" Despite being the initial performance, "Swim This Way" expertly introduces players to the majesty of this world’s rhythm-based gameplay. Sebastian being the motivator for Sora, Ariel, and the others is a colossal reason for this monumental quality. As alluded to in the prior placement, it’s evident that Sebastian is a Darkling utilizing some manner of camouflage to veil his authentic, horrific appearance. His motives are still unclear, but Dark Road’s final update may finally shed light on this long-running point of contention the fanbase has possessed for over half a decade. Regardless, what makes this performance so noteworthy is Sebastian’s seemingly two-faced nature. While he is a force of corruption during "Under the Sea", his congenial deliverance of praise and motivation seems real here. And, if that’s the case, what is Sebastian enduring throughout this world’s story events? Are the influences of Sora and the gang combating the inherent darkness his existence comprises? It’s a simultaneously inspiring and fearsome thought. Aside from Sebastian, though, Sora’s use of magic and the entirety of the group dancing with one another is a wholesome, endearing sight. You’d be hard-pressed to identify a better first song in any rhythm game experience. 1. "A New Day is Dawning" Finally, we have reached the indisputably best track in the world; "A New Day is Dawning". The sheer, infectious joviality present from every participant in this massive ensemble performance is almost tear-jerking. After defeating Ursula, peace has been restored, and the sea’s denizens celebrate that occurrence, as well as Ariel’s eventual marriage to Prince Eric. King Triton smiling, Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s passionate singing, and the countless dancers emphasize the immense scale of these events. This is also the most challenging song to complete, with a steep score to achieve. Additionally, the remaining presence of the Sebastian icons that must be avoided informs the player that darkness still lurks within this world, and there’s no telling when it will sprout. When Atlantica returns in a future game, we’ll assuredly witness Sebastian’s tragic reveal as a Darkling. Still, until then, this song represents long-desired fulfilling tranquility. Alas, it also is a meta-textual metaphor for how the best world is nearing its end, and players will have to move on. After all, A New Day is Dawning. Not all of life can be enthusiastically joyful. So, while the conclusion of this world can be melancholic due to its qualitative nature ceasing, it teaches players the valuable lesson of how life lacks permanence. Change is always approaching from behind the corner, and despite its confrontations differing in timing for every individual, it’s inescapable. And that was indisputable Top 5 ranking for each Atlantica song in Kingdom Hearts II. Still, do you somehow disagree with this placement? And if so, what does your ranking look like? Let us know in the comments below!
  4. Kingdom Hearts II is a widely beloved entry in the series, being many fans’ favorite. And, I believe it’s safe to assume that a significant degree of that love stems from it housing the best world in the franchise, Atlantica. Now, while Atlantica is one of the more well-liked worlds in the first game, its musical implementation in Kingdom Hearts II is masterful, causing many fans over the years to question why the entirety of the game and subsequent sequels didn’t play like this world. Unfortunately, we’ll likely never receive an answer to that prominent, collective fan inquiry, and we’ll have to keep replaying the 5 stellar musical numbers this area boasts. With it being the series’ 20th anniversary, I found it only fitting to reflect on the peak gameplay of the titles and rank the playable musicals from worst to best. 5. "Part of Your World" This is easily the most abhorred song of Atlantica, and part of why is because it doesn’t include the magnificent vocal talents or dancing of Donald and Goofy. Sora’s compatriots provide fantastic vocal and visual range, capturing the essence of these performances far more effectively than any of the other characters. It’s also the shortest song, further providing ample reason for this being on the bottom of the list. Lastly, the fact that players can simply obtain 5 Excellent ratings and skimp out on the rest of the track is unfortunate. Fans want to interact with these musical minigames more and not just view them as spectacles, despite how epic they are. 4. "Ursula’s Revenge" Ah, yes. The best boss battle of not only Kingdom Hearts II but the franchise as a whole. It’s almost depressing how the series hasn’t even come close to reaching the quality of this encounter. Still, that just goes to show how legendary it is. Ursula utilizes the power of King Triton’s trident and enlarges herself, becoming a genuinely threatening foe. Players have to time cleverly incorporated button presses aligned with Ursula’s ever-growing power, resulting in a climactic encounter that will leave you with an undeniably cathartic sense of delight. While Donald and Goofy don’t sing during this battle, the sheer well-induced terror of this scene nearly absolves that fault. If only Xemnas received such a similarly praiseworthy encounter… 3. "Under The Sea" "Under The Sea" boasts sublime metaphorical imagery throughout its duration. The right side of the screen hosts a gauge determining Ariel’s yearning for the outside world or accepted complacency with the life she’s come to know. The player’s performance determining the state of Ariel’s mentality illustrates a terrific relationship between their actions and results. Essentially, the effects of gameplay are transparently depicted in a manner affecting character growth. Further, the necessitated avoidance of Sebastian for success subtly implies his actual existence as a Darkling, serving as a corrupting influence on Ariel’s strained psyche. There is just an almost insane degree of storytelling depth poured into this performance, but the fact that there are still 2 more surpassing it is astounding. 2. "Swim This Way" Despite being the initial performance, "Swim This Way" expertly introduces players to the majesty of this world’s rhythm-based gameplay. Sebastian being the motivator for Sora, Ariel, and the others is a colossal reason for this monumental quality. As alluded to in the prior placement, it’s evident that Sebastian is a Darkling utilizing some manner of camouflage to veil his authentic, horrific appearance. His motives are still unclear, but Dark Road’s final update may finally shed light on this long-running point of contention the fanbase has possessed for over half a decade. Regardless, what makes this performance so noteworthy is Sebastian’s seemingly two-faced nature. While he is a force of corruption during "Under the Sea", his congenial deliverance of praise and motivation seems real here. And, if that’s the case, what is Sebastian enduring throughout this world’s story events? Are the influences of Sora and the gang combating the inherent darkness his existence comprises? It’s a simultaneously inspiring and fearsome thought. Aside from Sebastian, though, Sora’s use of magic and the entirety of the group dancing with one another is a wholesome, endearing sight. You’d be hard-pressed to identify a better first song in any rhythm game experience. 1. "A New Day is Dawning" Finally, we have reached the indisputably best track in the world; "A New Day is Dawning". The sheer, infectious joviality present from every participant in this massive ensemble performance is almost tear-jerking. After defeating Ursula, peace has been restored, and the sea’s denizens celebrate that occurrence, as well as Ariel’s eventual marriage to Prince Eric. King Triton smiling, Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s passionate singing, and the countless dancers emphasize the immense scale of these events. This is also the most challenging song to complete, with a steep score to achieve. Additionally, the remaining presence of the Sebastian icons that must be avoided informs the player that darkness still lurks within this world, and there’s no telling when it will sprout. When Atlantica returns in a future game, we’ll assuredly witness Sebastian’s tragic reveal as a Darkling. Still, until then, this song represents long-desired fulfilling tranquility. Alas, it also is a meta-textual metaphor for how the best world is nearing its end, and players will have to move on. After all, A New Day is Dawning. Not all of life can be enthusiastically joyful. So, while the conclusion of this world can be melancholic due to its qualitative nature ceasing, it teaches players the valuable lesson of how life lacks permanence. Change is always approaching from behind the corner, and despite its confrontations differing in timing for every individual, it’s inescapable. And that was indisputable Top 5 ranking for each Atlantica song in Kingdom Hearts II. Still, do you somehow disagree with this placement? And if so, what does your ranking look like? Let us know in the comments below! View full article
  5. Out of the three protagonists, she’s the least involved in the story, and she doesn’t have connection with Xehanort like the other two does. her visits to some worlds, like Dwarf woodlands & Neverland. It felt like filler, she doesn’t have her own exclusive rival like the other two, she doesn’t develop much as a character, her bosses are mostly Rehashed bosses that we already fought using Ven and Terra (fighting Terranort wouldn’t have changed the outcome, cause all it accomplished is her getting trapped in the Realm of Darkness while Terranort is back to Radiant Garden like nothing happens, since he landed there the first time even if Aqua didn’t fight him). Edit: on the bright side, her story in the Realm of Darkness is much better than all of her BBS story.
  6. Hey, everyone, how's it going!? Happy New Year! It's been more than a hot minute since I was last on here, so I decided to log in to see how things have been! Of course, keeping updated with the Kingdom Hearts news, though things have been quiet as of late! But with the Anniversary steadily approaching, we're sure to be in for a flood of news soon! Anyways, I was listening to some tracks from the series, and then Fate Of The Unknown came up, which is one of my favorite compositions of the franchise! (Seriously, Yoko did something special with this one!) And with that, I felt nostalgic and pulled up the secret ending for Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejYttnAXfEY&ab_channel=TheRoxasXIIIK It's crazy that this is from so long ago yet it still holds up so amazingly well! Remember when we all thought that this was Kingdom Hearts III? When we were all confused as to why Roxas was with two other strangers? So many thoughts and questions rolled in my mind back in the day, and honestly, this still gives me goosebumps every time I watch it! I love how dark it is and that this was basically the endgame for Birth By Sleep years before it released! Birth By Sleep is one of my favorite entries in the franchise, so every time I look at this secret ending, I smile at all the foreshadowing and just the awesome buildup and mystery this brought us during our wait for Kingdom Hearts III! Ah, memories! What did you all think when you saw this secret ending for the very first time?
  7. We know ultimately that it’s all Three Terra, Aqua & Ventus. but Imo It’s Ventus. 1. the Game starts with Ventus as He Dives to the Heart (just like Sora and Roxas), and he’s mainly the Main controllable character in the Prologue. 2. Most artworks of BBS has Ventus sitting in the center 3. The story of Birth by Sleep is mostly about Xehanort wanting to forge The X-blade (Ventus) in order to take control of kingdom hearts. the only reason he even needs a younger body (Terra) is just to make sure he can see his plans come to fruition before his old body gives out. 4. Vanitas and the Unversed came from Ventus, Xehanort tasks Vanitas to spread his Unversed everywhere just to lure Ventus to the outside world, and it also forced Eraqus to send Terra and Aqua to the outside world as well. 5. Ventus has a big connection with Sora and Master Xehanort. 6. He’s at the center of every conflict, everyone is either after him or worried about him. Terra and Aqua trying to protect him, Eraqus is trying to dispose of him for the sake of the world, Xehanort wants him for his big plan, Vanitas wants to fuse with him to obtain the legendary χ-blade. 7. He saves worlds and many people on his journey, and he doesn’t leave any mess behind (similar to Aqua). 8. He Has the most epic flashy cinematic final boss battle among the Wayfinder trio. 9. His heroic sacrifice stopped the X-blade for good. 10. Ventus goes through character development and even faces his obstacles and conquers them, he faces Vanitas and succeeds in destroying the X-blade and ruins Xehanort’s plan (Terra meanwhile does also have some character development in his story, but he fails in conquering his obstacles and gets possessed by the villain and becomes the main antagonist of the Series. and Aqua is like the hero of the trio, but she doesn’t go through a clear character development until the sequel game 0.2, and also in her debuted game she like Terra, failed in conquering her obstacles cause she couldn’t save Ventus from the X-blade, and she let Xehanort roam free with Terra’s body)
  8. In Japan today, the broadcaster TV Asahi hosted a special program called “50,000 people vote for it! Video game general election”. As its name implies, 50,000 individuals from across Japan voted on which games were their favorites of all time, with the results having been steadily rolling out from #100 to #1. Aside from TV, the program's official Twitter account has also been sharing the announcements. As it turns out, the original Kingdom Hearts was voted the top 49th game of all time, and Kingdom Hearts II was voted to be the top 16th game of all time. Several other Square Enix games also made notable placements, like Dragon Quest V being ranked #2, Final Fantasy VII being ranked third, and much more. Congratulations to Square Enix for these lofty voting rankings.
  9. In Japan today, the broadcaster TV Asahi hosted a special program called “50,000 people vote for it! Video game general election”. As its name implies, 50,000 individuals from across Japan voted on which games were their favorites of all time, with the results having been steadily rolling out from #100 to #1. Aside from TV, the program's official Twitter account has also been sharing the announcements. As it turns out, the original Kingdom Hearts was voted the top 49th game of all time, and Kingdom Hearts II was voted to be the top 16th game of all time. Several other Square Enix games also made notable placements, like Dragon Quest V being ranked #2, Final Fantasy VII being ranked third, and much more. Congratulations to Square Enix for these lofty voting rankings. View full article
  10. How do I beat roxas its so hard pls help me
  11. Man... I had totally forgot about this place after almost 8-9 years since I last logged in. I remember it use to be booming with all kinds of posts years ago. I guess it died down a bunch since then. 1.) Introduction and Explanation Anywho, for those who don't know me. I'm the crazy guy that attempted, Raged hard, raged some more, almost lost my sanity, completed, and proved to everyone on gamefaqs over 8-9ish years ago that it's 100% possible, and legit to be able to complete BOTH (Well... Now 3 is added as well, so more than 2)(NAMELY 2.5, and reasons will be listed next) Kingdom Hearts games at Level 1 Proud Mode for KH1.5(which, if you DIDN'T know, because of the way the mechanics work, Proud mode is actually the harder difficulty for a Level 1 run in KH1.5 instead of Critical because you ALWAYS do chip damage in Proud. Critical is actually a little easier because Sora can do more damage in that difficulty) and Critical Mode(2.5 + 3), but not just complete them at Level 1; (that's been done by a handful of people. However, everybody that has completed the Lvl 1 run always labels their run "complete" Yet, they all stopped at SILVER Crown.) But, I decided, and wanted to take it all a step further, and be the standout of them all. As well as debunking the most ridiculous, yet shockingly widespread belief beyond the masses: the before thought "Impossible" Holy Grail of Kingdom Heart challenges: Completing Level 1 critical mode... AS WELL as obtaining 100% completion in the Jiminy Journal, including completion of EVERY Mushroom XIII challenges, and actually having the GOLD Crown! Which was considered literally impossible. (Yeah, I know. Insane, isn't it?) 2.) The False Rumor And The Mission To Prove The World Wrong To actually 100% the Jiminy Journal, and Obtain Gold Crown in 2.5 which involves the Mushroom XIII challenges. Everybody, and their momma back then swore, and pushed the notion of "You can't complete atleast 1 or 2 of the mushroom challenges (most notably, Agrabah mushroom, Twilight Town, and Port Royal mushroom, respectively) without leveling up, it's totally impossible" As well as the old fable of "It's impossible to get Ultima Weapon in 1.5 at Level 1 because you don't get lucky strike abilities to grind synthesis materials without leveling" etc. Nah, it's all do-able. A huge pain in the ass? Yes. Definitely. But, achievable. 3.) Hype Yourself Up/Believe In Your Ability Like myself before attempting, I'm sure most people would just shake their head, and say to themselves "nope. Never. Cant do it" I was that guy. Then one day, I told myself "Hey... they put the option to void any EXP gain.. I'm gonna try it.. Let's see what happens, and how it goes at level 1. I mean, it can't be IMPOSSIBLE; They obviously added it as a feature for a reason." 4.) The Beginning of Doubt Of course, I begin. I start treading along, beginning my journey into my first attempt into a Kingdom Hearts game without leveling up. Everything goes smoothly, up until you start getting demolished left, and right every second, and the bosses annihilate you in a single hit. Making you re-evaluate, and question your ability, and if you can do it. 5.) Opening Your Perception/Total Realization The KH series, AND the series' difficulty as a whole; drastically, and dramatically changed for me once my eyes opened, and I seen the blatant "slap you in the face" obvious, and stopped trying to play Kingdom Hearts like an Action/Adventure RPG like a normal/casual playthrough would basically literally be. Instead, gaining the Square Enix perspective, and knowing their past; made me realize that it's supposed to actually be played like, (and get ready for a mind blown moment) a friggin' Turn Based RPG... Honestly, I think once you guys get this realization, and mindset in your head like I did while you're playing through; every one of you, and I mean EVERYONE of you guys, no matter how "gud" you ARE or AREN'T at the Kingdom Hearts games in a casual, normal playthrough. You can be absolute dirt at the (falsely assumed random, seemingly "unpredictable", ever-constant flow of combat) but start trying to take a slightly different approach/('s) towards the way you actually play games like this, and even open up your mind, and perceive, and acknowledge the gameplay in a different way altogether than what you, and probably, most people normally would have absolutely no idea or even fathom that there's more to, and many more ways to go into a Kingdom Hearts game than the basic, "normal" DmC-esque style combat that we all experience/('d) and most of us, are even conditioned to. 6.) Breaking Old Habits/Adopting New Ones However, once you change the perception/habits you have of the game already, and change the rules ever so slightly, and subtly to merely change towards a playstyle that of the old-school, traditional turn based views, and start planning strategies, and changing your playstyle around a "turn-based rpg mindset" instead of our pre-conditioned, already accustomed, and comfortable free flow combat that most of us are already "comfortable" with or use to. 7.) Acknowledge Game Mechanics/Learn Everything Any of you guys without a doubt in my mind would be able to Level 1 the game as it then becomes almost trivially easy once you decide to perceive KH in just a slightly different way (Turn Based instead of Free Combat) and start to play in an entirely different way accordingly (Having a turn based view/play style really helps not only by helping you learn to better/more accurately time your attacks, guards, dodge rolls, reflects, and etc. But, also makes you a lot more aware, and attentive as you're going to be learning to take it slow, and not rush battles, but to stay on your toes, closely watch for any, even if very subtle visual clues: motions with an enemy's hands, AND their body language. As well as listening for any audio clues or catch phrases; these are everything you are looking for to expect, and anticipate the next move of your opponent. Get a hit in when you can, and defend all the counter attacks that will be delivered back afterwards. Learn the timing to perfect guard; it's going to be the key to your survival, and the timing of each attack you learn never changes. So you don't have to ever expect or assume that a certain attack is ever going to be slower/faster than when previously used. You finally learn the timing for perfect guarding an attack, and you'll always be able to perfect guard it, as it will never be change the rate of speed. 8.) Truth of Developer's 100% Intended Game Design And The Public's Blindness So yes. After stating this, and the way certain mechanics work. Know it or not, even believe it or not. Even though it does EVERYTHING to make you "think" it's an action RPG. Which is semi-true, and fully the case to the masses. It was fully meant, and intended as a Turn Based RPG, and I'm going to open your eyes, and convince you. 9.) How The Kingdom Hearts Series Hides It's True Intended Design, and Disguises Itself As An Action RPG Any casual player gets the action RPG style in a normal playthrough. Just as every first time, 2nd time, etc. player always does. Nothing about the gameplay comes off as "turn based". And is more than often considered the polar opposite of a Turn Based game. Which, was presented this way to appeal to a wider audience such as younger aged, Disney lovers who didn't grow up with RPGs, or just jumped into the game world. As leveling makes it where you literally never have to learn or even use guard, reflect or parry the counters you receive if you really never even wanted to. As taking damage is hardly worrisome, or trivial, and easily tended to with a Cure, and Potions. You can even just carelessly attack, and attack anytime you want. Even if it isn't the best time, and you take a hit. You can still beat the game, and everything in it regardless. - No Turn Based Elements seen/felt whatsoever 10.) Awakening Into Reality/Acknowledging The Hidden Truth: Turn-Based Gameplay In comparison, Level 1: Any hit you take can 1 shot you. If you get caught in a combo attack, you WILL die. There's no possible way to constantly spam attacks, and tank hits. You gotta learn how to properly utilize things that you probably hardly, if ever even used: Guard, Reflect, Dodge Roll, Aerial Recovery, etc. and to learn timing. All this coupled along with the Revenge Counter mechanic (Which, I will explain in more detail below) is how it becomes a Turn Based game; as there is only a certain amount of attacks you can deliver before the enemy counters. - Turn Based RPG 11.) Notice The Signs/Process Everything/Uncover The Veil The first mentioned; is the game probably 90% or more of the masses experience, and perceive. People just don't see the alternative, and it's funny because I just seen a thread on another forum where the OP literally posted "I absolutely love Kingdom Hearts, because it's not just another cliche Turn Based RPG. I despise them." That was almost laughable, and cringe to read, and goes to show just how many people can overlook major things that are hidden in plain sight. However, if one is to attempt a Level 1 run, and play Kingdom Hearts the true way the developers intended; fact is, it's nothing more than a regular Square-Enix FF style "TURN BASED RPG" with complete movement, and control of character at all times. 12.) The Main Mechanics And Physics: The Enemy's "Revenge Counter" Seriously, when you get down into the physics, mechanics, and all the equations that go into every single boss fight, you begin to see it. Just ONE example is this: You're in the middle of a fight, let's say with Data Roxas; just for an example. Soon as the battle begins, and you gain control of Sora, you need to cast a reflect to counter Roxas' Keyblade Spin. After the successful reflect you are granted a small window where you're allowed to attack, and land up to (and let's just say for instance in this example, maybe 3-4 hits) 3-4 hits on Roxas before he is scripted to automatically counter attack. These counter attacks are termed "Revenge Counter" or just simply "RC" abbreviated. if you ever see the term in guides or posts, or in future research, but didn't know what it meant. 13.1) Explaining "Revenge Counters" And "Revenge Values"/Looping Bosses And Minimizing Danger Ah, Revenge Counter. The key to winning, and main mechanic of a level 1 run tbh. Every enemy has always been scripted to counter attack after a few hits, and this was so everybody at level 100 with Sora couldn't just endlessly wail on an opponent non-stop, and make it even easier than what it already was to begin with. Now, once you actually learn about, and study the revenge counter mechanic, and how each enemy works; you actually can use it 100% in your favor in completing, hell, I'd even go so far as to say even almost cheesing a Lvl 1 crit run. As in, learn to read the small signals before attacks. Nothing is unpredictable. There's ALWAYS a signal/warning. Learn how many hits you can throw before they counter attack Sora. 13.2) Deeper Breakdown Of "Revenge" Mechanics/Examples Of "Baiting" Attacks These hits, the attacks, the number, whatever you're most comfortable calling it; for future reference or research of your own are termed "Revenge Values" or simply "RV" if abbreviated. After you learn how many hits you can land (the number of hits it takes to bait an RC is the opponent's RV) learn the timing to guard the counter attack/(s) after, and retaliating in the enemy's small, brief recovery window. All you do is, count your hits, after you land that 4th hit (or whatever number of hits the current boss' Revenge Counter activates) you need to automatically hit guard so you can negate his RC, and guard his other 2-3 hits he dishes out before leaving another open window to land another 3-4 hits on him. It's literally rinse, and repeat: Attack 3-4 times to force or "bait" the enemy to counter attack-> Guard incoming revenge counter attacks from the enemy -> Throw another 3-4 strikes to hit his Revenge Value again to force another auto-counter. And it's just repeat steps over again. Essentially, what you're trying to do is put an enemy into a neverending loop that you can fully predict. You will see evidence of this in every fight in every video I'm going to post below. You pay attention, and you'll notice that I'll always hit an X amount of times (factor of X is the actual RV. Determined differently with each enemy. Could be 6 hits, like Marluxia's RV. Could be only 4 hits like Roxas' RV) but I ALWAYS land no more, and (hopefully) no less than the exact number of attacks needed to bait them into a RC, and guard it. 14.) Always Land The Exact Revenge Values. No More Any attempt to, or if you accidentally deliver an extra attack that is higher than the actual RV, you might as well retry; because you're not going to be guarding that counter, get caught in a combo you can't escape, and face the 1 hit death. Just follow those simple steps, and it then repeats the pattern if you're doing it correctly, and won't be unpredictable. What you're really trying to do is just try to keep everything in a never-ending loop so any unpredictability, and danger is eliminated. 15.) Explanation of "I-Frames" and How To Use Them For An Advantage Also, another biggie is learning I-Frames. Or, "Invincibility Frames" meaning the tiny few frames where Sora is invincible for instance: when you use a Drive Form, there are a few brief seconds of frames where you will not take any damage in the middle of using a form. Or using a skill like Donald's Duck Flare, and using it to your advantage, as you will see me do a bunch against Lingering Will at Level 1 to avoid being skill/attack/item locked, whip locked, and to stay safe during his DM or "Desperation Move" (Every boss has a DM which is expressed by the screen going dark, and the boss does their "finisher" per se.) 16.) The Biggest Slept On/Underestimated Skills In The Game: Reflect/ra/ga And Guard To probably over 90% of the KH community that sleeps on, and probably have never once used the spell Reflect-Reflectga. You have no idea just how busted, how necessary it is, and how brokenly powerful that spell is. Especially in a Level 1 run. It's pretty much an absolute MUST in it to do any real damage at that level. Not only that, but if you're not a master or not use to timing your guard precisely yet, Reflect/ga is an alternative that is safe, and don't need to be facing any particular direction to guard anything. Only downside to spamming reflect constantly instead of mixing up guards, and reflects is that if you don't rely on using guard, and spam reflect instead; you're going to be struggling to keep, and have MP when you want/need it. 17.) Short Summary/Review Of Everything So Far/Convinced Yet? Convinced yet? Literally. Turn-Based RPG. Except think of each of your 3-4 chain attacks as a "turn" and you know that as soon as you land your 4th keyblade hit, your turn is over, and it's automatically going to be the opponent's "turn", and since you're expecting this, and know this, you block perfectly in time with his counter attacks, and learn their pattern. The key is to try to just keep it in a constant, simple, loop-ish kinda fight. Making sure to force the counter attack yourself so you know precisely when to guard; rather than having to randomly guess/pray when their next attack is going to be, and if you're going to be able to read it quick enough. 18.) Opening Up Your Mindset/Perception/Planning Strategies Toward The Hidden Turn-Based Gameplay Is Key This was the biggest, and most obvious "eye-opening" realization that helped me tremendously once I started looking at it as a Turn Based game. Respectfully like most of Square Enix's works prior. Which, I believe if most people started having that mindset of playing it like it's turn-based, just about everyone that truly wanted to would be able to complete the level 1 challenge a lot easier than ever initially thought. Literally every boss has their own respectful number of attacks they can receive before being scripted to auto-counter attack. Don't matter who you're facing. Don't care if it's a regular ol' Heartless, and Nobody, or if it's the friggin' One-Winged Angel, Sephiroth or the "Seemingly impossible, even at Level 100" Lingering Will himself... They all can be read, and baited into an auto-counter. All of them. 19.) Outro/Final Messages/My Video Proof If anyone is interested in watching a few of my Level 1 Crit 2.5 Organization fights for entertainment or maybe to study for your own future level 1 run, I'm going to be posting links to them below. I just wish like hell that I had a good camera back then... I'm so sorry, and apologize from the bottom of my soul about the quality, but... It's literally all I had. My crap phone camera, and setting it up to point directly at my TV while I'm actually playing live in the moment, as you can probably tell by the noise of all the button mashing but, at that time, all I was worried about was having proof so all the board back then stopped saying that I was a liar, and showing that I actually did it... Recorded most of the highlight battles anyway Level 1 Crit Run .vs Sephiroth - https://youtu.be/GtBcldOxgIg Level 1 Crit Run .vs Marluxia - https://youtu.be/mDz2O8CZxFo Level 1 Crit Run .vs Larxene (THIS BITCH RIGHT HERE...) - https://youtu.be/nf684D52Mwc Level 1 Crit Run .vs Axel (w/ Restrictions) - https://youtu.be/vztQYNIeT4U Level 1 Crit Run .vs Lexaeus (No Damage) - https://youtu.be/ad58PWJmt80 Level 1 Crit Run .vs Roxas (w/ Restrictions) - https://youtu.be/TTaMJpxxxJM Level 1 Crit Run .vs Lingering Will + Silver Crown (Evidence of me using I-Frames to my advantage, and how you can utilize it) - https://youtu.be/dTm215sIhmI Obtaining Crown From All Data Battles Lvl 1 - https://youtu.be/IydQ7qub5-w Obtaining The Elusive and "Impossible" Gold Crown Lvl 1 Proof - https://youtu.be/YdbUuJd5JM8 Then the creme de la creme. 100% Jiminy Journal At Level 1 Proof - https://youtu.be/I0d1_Ec_UdY Bonus: My proof of getting Ultima Weapon on Level 1 PROUD Mode (Ultra Difficult) in KH 1.5 (Was hilariously, also considered impossible at first) - https://youtu.be/ye2ZsgQWI_Y 20.) Final Words Of Encouragement/Faith In You All Hope others may find help, and for others, even courage to attempt this challenge. If anyone is interested in trying it, and maybe have questions, I'd be more than happy to help out in any way that I possibly can, and any feedback, comments, questions, and anything is welcome, and wanted. Thanks guys! Like I said earlier, don't ever doubt yourself in anything. If myself, of all people can beat every KH game at Level 1; then I KNOW for a FACT anybody at all can. I promise you. As for the brave souls that will be attempting this seemingly impossible task anytime in the upcoming future, I leave you all with 1 final, and important message: "May Your Heart, Be Your Guiding Key"
  12. Square Enix has revealed two brand new Kingdom Hearts-themed plushes on their Tokyo Game Show 2021 Online website. These plushes are of Kingdom Hearts II Sora in his Halloween Town attire and Christmas Town attire, the latter being exclusively from the Final Mix version of the title. No pricing for either of these plushes is currently stated, but both plushes will be available to pre-order from the Square Enix E-store on September 30, 2021. You can view the images available for the 2 plushes below. We will update these galleries with more and better quality images once more official ones are provided. UPDATE (September 30th, 2021): Kingdom Hearts II Sora Halloween Town and Sora Christmas Town Plushies are now available for pre-order on the Square Enix E-Store. Kingdom Hearts II Sora Halloween Town plush Kingdom Hearts II Sora Christmas Town plush Both plushies will cost ¥4,180 each (about $37) and will be available on February 5th, 2022 in Japan. Do you find these plushes appealing, and would you add them to your potentially already existing collection? Let us know in the comments below! Credit to aibo on Twitter for the news.
  13. Square Enix has revealed two brand new Kingdom Hearts-themed plushes on their Tokyo Game Show 2021 Online website. These plushes are of Kingdom Hearts II Sora in his Halloween Town attire and Christmas Town attire, the latter being exclusively from the Final Mix version of the title. No pricing for either of these plushes is currently stated, but both plushes will be available to pre-order from the Square Enix E-store on September 30, 2021. You can view the images available for the 2 plushes below. We will update these galleries with more and better quality images once more official ones are provided. UPDATE (September 30th, 2021): Kingdom Hearts II Sora Halloween Town and Sora Christmas Town Plushies are now available for pre-order on the Square Enix E-Store. Kingdom Hearts II Sora Halloween Town plush Kingdom Hearts II Sora Christmas Town plush Both plushies will cost ¥4,180 each (about $37) and will be available on February 5th, 2022 in Japan. Do you find these plushes appealing, and would you add them to your potentially already existing collection? Let us know in the comments below! Credit to aibo on Twitter for the news. View full article
  14. The next of the side games is the prequel to KH1, Birth By Sleep! I hope you all like it! Instagram: chris.arts5 Twitter: Arcanekeyblade5
  15. Good Smile Company have announced the next Kingdom Hearts Nendoroid figure. The newest one is Kingdom Hearts II Riku. The figure is available for pre-order on Good Smile's Japan site for ¥4,800 (about $46.00) and on the North America site for $45.99. It will be available in June 2021 for Japan and July 2021 for North America. You can check out the description and gallery below. Kingdom Hearts II Sora Nendoroid will be releasing in May in Japan and June in North America. Thanks to @gsc_kahotan for the info! We will update the article when more information of the figure is available!
  16. Good Smile Company have announced the next Kingdom Hearts Nendoroid figure. The newest one is Kingdom Hearts II Riku. The figure is available for pre-order on Good Smile's Japan site for ¥4,800 (about $46.00) and on the North America site for $45.99. It will be available in June 2021 for Japan and July 2021 for North America. You can check out the description and gallery below. Kingdom Hearts II Sora Nendoroid will be releasing in May in Japan and June in North America. Thanks to @gsc_kahotan for the info! We will update the article when more information of the figure is available! View full article
  17. A minimal illustration I made on my personal account https://www.instagram.com/p/6nQUwPgx0D/

    © https://www.instagram.com/david.fbx/

  18. Found this deleted video on YouTube. This kind of feels like KH crossed over with Assassin's Creed. Kingdom Hearts and Assassin’s Creed.mp4
  19. The entertainment website otocoto have published a column by strategist Shuji Utsumi, who wrote about his involvement in the Kingdom Hearts project and how it came to be approved by Disney. Utsumi joined Disney in 2000 and became the Asia-Pacific representative at Disney Interactive. At the time, he was surprised to learn that Kingdom Hearts was more of an experimental project that hadn't received an official approval by Disney – something Squaresoft was not aware of as they eagerly worked on it. Disney Japan did not have a license to work with a completely new world, and the act of incorporating multiple Disney titles into a single work was unprecedented at Disney. There existed no Mickey Mouse style guide for 3D modeling, and there was no one on the Japanese side who could judge this project, which seems to be the reason why even the head office did not have the authorization to work on it. Some of Disney's veteran staff in Japan advised Utsumi to stop the project early, saying "no way that's gonna work". At the time, he never dreamed that he would present it to Eisner and obtain approval for its commercialization. In the early 2000's, Eisner decided to come to Japan after a long time. Disney Japan representatives were to present a performance report to Eisner, and the Division Managing Director was to give the business report. Utsumi was also a member of the presentation. On the day of the presentation, more than 100 people from both Japanese and American management attended, but everyone's attention was set on Eisner. Eisner sat in the front seat and asked each presenter one question after another. Utsumi says that meetings at Disney without Eisner were completely different. He described Eisner as an "Ancient Chinese Emperor". Utsumi's presentation on that day also included Kingdom Hearts, which he was concerned about. However, it was worth doing well, and the session went smoothly in the end, with Eisner's encouragement and official approval to continue the project. After the presentation, many Disney executives and staff smiled and even asked for Utsumi for a handshake. Thanks to KH13 News Writer @Ryuji_Shiryu for his help translating the column! For more details on the history of Kingdom Hearts, watch KH13's "The Road to Kingdom Hearts III", a 48-minute documentary-style film directed by @HaakonHawk in collaboration with SarahKey, KZXcellent, and other content creators from the fan community. Starting with the first game's inception, the film moves over to how the franchise director Tetsuya Nomura got involved, the famous elevator story, character licensing, voice actors, the announcement of Kingdom Hearts III at E3 2013, and much much more.
  20. The entertainment website otocoto have published a column by strategist Shuji Utsumi, who wrote about his involvement in the Kingdom Hearts project and how it came to be approved by Disney. Utsumi joined Disney in 2000 and became the Asia-Pacific representative at Disney Interactive. At the time, he was surprised to learn that Kingdom Hearts was more of an experimental project that hadn't received an official approval by Disney – something Squaresoft was not aware of as they eagerly worked on it. Disney Japan did not have a license to work with a completely new world, and the act of incorporating multiple Disney titles into a single work was unprecedented at Disney. There existed no Mickey Mouse style guide for 3D modeling, and there was no one on the Japanese side who could judge this project, which seems to be the reason why even the head office did not have the authorization to work on it. Some of Disney's veteran staff in Japan advised Utsumi to stop the project early, saying "no way that's gonna work". At the time, he never dreamed that he would present it to Eisner and obtain approval for its commercialization. In the early 2000's, Eisner decided to come to Japan after a long time. Disney Japan representatives were to present a performance report to Eisner, and the Division Managing Director was to give the business report. Utsumi was also a member of the presentation. On the day of the presentation, more than 100 people from both Japanese and American management attended, but everyone's attention was set on Eisner. Eisner sat in the front seat and asked each presenter one question after another. Utsumi says that meetings at Disney without Eisner were completely different. He described Eisner as an "Ancient Chinese Emperor". Utsumi's presentation on that day also included Kingdom Hearts, which he was concerned about. However, it was worth doing well, and the session went smoothly in the end, with Eisner's encouragement and official approval to continue the project. After the presentation, many Disney executives and staff smiled and even asked for Utsumi for a handshake. Thanks to KH13 News Writer @Ryuji_Shiryu for his help translating the column! For more details on the history of Kingdom Hearts, watch KH13's "The Road to Kingdom Hearts III", a 48-minute documentary-style film directed by @HaakonHawk in collaboration with SarahKey, KZXcellent, and other content creators from the fan community. Starting with the first game's inception, the film moves over to how the franchise director Tetsuya Nomura got involved, the famous elevator story, character licensing, voice actors, the announcement of Kingdom Hearts III at E3 2013, and much much more. View full article
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