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🙏🏼
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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 UA-cam videos to help with the mushrooms. I’ve platted kh2 a few times now and would recommend it!
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.
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!
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
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.
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
I enjoy the Kingdom hearts series As much as anyone else, but I've noticed the game developers & writers always recycle the same disney stories over and over again. Hopefully if the K.H.S continues, they'll use new crossover not just solely Disney.
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
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.
This series start is older than FFX? Wow. That is crazy amazing, considering how advanced it seems to be. There isn't really any comparison for it to FFX, or any FF game, though, to be fair. I just thought it was interesting that it started before FFX (my favorite FF title).
I'm in the belief that KH1 set up a lineage that KH as a series has completely divulged from. A platformer mixed with action rpg elements, filled with unique world design and unique puzzles based on the games mechanics. Worlds felt like Metroid-vania style levels and the world's and stories within those world were so well designed and articulate in their structure. Kh2 set a new basis for KH. And as it's gone the heart has slowly drained from what KH1 brought to the table.
So growing up I never played KH even though I was both a Disney and FF fan. My dad was in the US Air Force and we lived overseas most of childhood and adolescence, for some reason this game was very difficult to get in the PX even when we lived in Japan. So I have no nostalgia for this franchise and just saw it through memes. I recently played it after the collection went on sale on the Epic Store. They are really good games. The first one has some clunkiness and the story is a little silly (in a fun way), but it was fun and I enjoyed my time with 1 and 2. The combat and characters are honestly great.
KH2 improved things but KH1 definitely has many merits too that are quite overlooked. However I still ever so slightly prefer 2... it was the perfect sequel, and I dont mean that lightly. Still in awe of how good that game turned out many years later.
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
I was playing KHFM last night and was in Atlantica. When I played this game as a teen, I used to love this level. But this time through, I found it annoying. I understand where you're coming from and agree with you. Near the end of the level, I found that I started to appreciate it more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
"Completing the game in less than 15 hours isn't that hard" Then there's me who got that achievement using the glitch that allows you to get that achievement for playing between 100 and 115 hours....
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
Spoil away all you want honestly. The game came out in 2002, if anyone here really watches this blind and cares about spoilers, it's on them for watching this.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 :)
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
5:12 Actually that HAS been answered. Sora's shoes are big because his whole body was intended to look and resemble Mickey Mouse and the style of classic Disney characters. So,, he's supposed to look like a fusion between anime protag and classic Disney cartoon. That's why/
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.
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
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"
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!
Loved the video, but I do hate how ff10's laugh scene is used as an example of bad voice acting. The acting was spot on, that's what the director asked for because in the context of the scene, it's meant to be forced and awkward and is performed the same in both japanese and english.
Said this to someone else's comment, I'm fully aware of the true intent of that scene in FFX as I'm actually a fan of it, it was used here as more of a reference to the meme it became online for people that don't really know the details behind it and they just assumed it was meant to be a "natural laugh" Apologies for the confusion, not great execution on my side.
@@reliableprez it's np! It just stood out to me because everything else you wrote was so accurate and had a ton of care behind the execution. Not that this ruined anything! This was an awesome retrospective and I'm subbing in hopes of getting more high quality content from you. I also watched your ff13 video and your 15 one. Excellent content.
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.
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
28:51 As soon as you started talking about voice acting I knew you were gonna use that damn clip. Seriously, stop using this clip as an example of bad voice acting, it is by all means the exact opposite. That scene is a very sad scene in which everyone in the party is pretty bummed out, especially Yuna, and Tidus tries to cheer up Yuna by forcing laughter, and then they both start forcibly laughing with the most fakest most horrendous laugh the world has ever seen, and immediately after they actually laugh for real at the situation. FFX voice acting has problems, mostly with pacing due to lines seemingly being recorded separately from one another and being very poorly spliced together in the game, but for the most part FFX has a very good voice acting, with most VAs sounding very well fit with their characters and with proper tone, imo only Seymour really stuck out as a really weird VA, it kinda sounds like he speaks super close to the mic and idk. But seriously, if I had a dollar for everytime this fucking scene was used as an example of bad voice acting I'd be rich, and that's so annoying lmao
In a similar comment I explained what I was going for with the inclusion of this scene and how it came off the wrong way form what I intended, that’s if you’re bothered to search for that comment but just know I am fully aware of the true purpose of that scene
28:51-28:56 omg I’m so sick of people using that scene as an example of bad voice acting by people who don’t know the context. The laugh was supposed to sound awkward and forced! 😖He found out his dad is literally the apocalypse and he’s trying to force laughter because he can’t deal with the depression and he’s desperate to try anything.
I've had to answer this so many times now lmao I used this scene due to it's "meme" reputation that people assume that's what voice acting sounded like back then (rather than actually realising why it's awkward), just bad execution on my part
I'm not sure why 358 and recoded aren't "playable" but you should absolutely go out of your way to play at least 358. It has very important story experiences that need to be experienced by playing, and cannot be replicated in a cutscene collection
I only bought a PS4 with The Story So Far a few months back. I have been playing the KH1 and 2 since they first came out. I only had a PS2, and I didn't live in Japan, so I only ever played the OG releases until a few months back. KH1 as it was originally released is a much better experience than KH2 (as it was originally released). Yes, KH2 offered more bells and whistles (and in the the Final Mixes, that is definitely the case), but everything in KH1 served the (tight and logical, comparatively speaking) narrative. Worlds, keychains, and abilities meant something and came at appropriate times. KH2FM is a blast, and there is a TON of post-game content, but most of it feels disconnected and random. And, even back then, it was incredibly frustrating to see certain worlds that continued over from KH1 (like Atlantica and Halloween Town, for example) completely ignore the events that happened in the first game and start the litany of retconning and contradictions that is the franchise today. Still, it was very fun and cool, but nowhere near as impactful.
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.
Honestly I loved sora in the first game. But with every entry afterwards I grew increasingly frustrated at the fact that he refused to learn his lessons, or even retain information for longer than a bird 🐦. Now I'm far more interested in playing as Riku, the one with actual character development.
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.
KH1 has a lot of things that can be considered outdated, but for every aspect that is outdated, there's still plenty of things that can be considered timeless.
Atlantica isn't that bad when you're revisiting the game and you already know where to go and what to do. But when it's your first playthrough it's pretty jarring. However, I'm pretty sure you only have to complete either Atlantica or Halloween Town to finish the game so it's technically optional.
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
Awesome video I am a fan of the series too. I would like to see the original kingdom hearts game to get a remake at some point just to polish it and improve it. I would still give the game an okay rating of probably 7.5/10 seeing how good it still is even with it being a bit dated and rigid at times. I have bought the game for each of it's rereleased and have finished it many times. It's likely that I will be playing and keeping up with the series for the rest of my existence. I started playing at like twelve or so.
But compared to the other final fantasy titles like 7 original kingdom hearts really doesn't need remaking just yet in my opinion remakes are for outdated games I think of games that were clunky and rough looking.... Again like ffvii with the irregular bodies ECT.
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!
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
By the way... Just wanted to let you know I bought kingdom hearts 1.5+2.5 recently and it started with your video haha. I had wanted to get it a year or so back but this video led to me actually buying it. A few hours in and I'm really enjoying myself my friend. I really like your videos. I hope they become big enough so you can spend more time on them. Jesus love you my friend. Have a nice day. :)
Oh that's awesome haha kinda wild but i'll take the credit lol there will be ups and downs but hopefully you can enjoy the series! If all goes well you might be done or plating Chain of Memories when that critique drops
@@reliableprez That would be awesome! You should critique all the games in order and I'll be following along haha. 😊 - I'd been meaning to play something a little more innocent and sweet recently haha. Might sound weird but just felt like it and this is the perfect game. Thanks again. 😊
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
The original tracks may be good, but the repetitively of the level music is nothing if not utterly ear gratingly awful. As someone who has come from the NieR 1.22 remake in 2021 and is currently backseat watching my girlfriend replay through KH, the shortcomings of both the original and the remaster of KH are VERY obvious and makes me question why more effort to bring such a mainstream series up to date wasn't made. If NieR could take the combat of Automata and apply that to it's remake, then KH has no excuse for the ancient combat, lousy camera and controls that it does have. Realistically it could do with a groundup remake if they ever want new players from the modern age of gaming to be invested in the series, not just the people hooked on their nostalgia for the PS2 or their unwavering dedication to Disney.
@@reliableprez I hope so. I actually expected the worst from ToyLogic ON NieR until I heard Platinum was involved. Hopefully they'll be able to assemble a similarly motivated and talented team to work a similar kind of magic on KH. (Just imagine if they brought Studio Monaca to redo the soundtrack though... That would be next level.)
Using the Laughing scene from FF X is an utterly stupid example to use when talking about shoddy voice acting of games in the early days. Haven't played the game myself but even I know it's awkward on purpose. Lovely video otherwise.
Oh yeah it’s 100% meant to be awkward on purpose (I actually like the scene for what it is), it’s inclusion in this video was more of a joke for its online meme reputation of being bad voice acting
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!
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
I love the video and thank you for enjoy Atlântica (a little bit ahahah) but I really enjoy it’s a very unpopular opinion but it’s my favorite world because I love to use magic so it’s my jam and the music a tear
I hate that you put in the tidus laugh when mentioning bad voice acting... I seriously hope nobody really considered that bad, as it's meant to be awkward on purpose.
This was an awesome retrospective and it makes me want to go snag these on the Epic Store even though I already have them on PS4. 🤣 I can't wait to see your other retrospectives.
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!
Amazing video! I completely agree with everything you said including Atlantica world lol 😂 can't wait to see your future KH videos and I'm currently watching your older FF videos. Cough cough 358/2 days and re:coded can be easy played now days via emulation cough cough wink wink 😏🤣 Can't wait to hear your thoughts about Re:Chain of Memories. Take your time ;)
I have to say kingdom hearts has become a lot more popular than Legend of Zelda, Metroid, StarFox, Earthbound,Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog!But now we have games like Xenoblade Chronicles and Kid icarus Uprising That can’t compete with Kingdom Heart!
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🙏🏼
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
Not considered "hard"??? Have you ever tried to play on proud mode lvl 1 no exp??? xD
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.
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.
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
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
Editing that segment was so hard trying to pick the right track for the feels😂
Especially the Dearly Beloved versions. I use them right before a test to clear my stress.
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
Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes this 1000 fucking percent PREACH IT 👏 🙌 🙏
Get help
no seriously if you respond this way to video game music you genuinely need some form of therapy
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.
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
@@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
@@thatoneblackdude3333 Not to spoil anything but yes...I agree with you on this
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
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.
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.
I see what you did there😏
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!
Appreciate the hype up🙏🏼 more content to come with time
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.
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.
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.
I hated playing in AIW simply for it's tricky obscured tree entrances and tough card army battle, I'd would lose so much.
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
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
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
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
KH1 platinum was a chore, but CoM is looking even worse🙃
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 UA-cam videos to help with the mushrooms. I’ve platted kh2 a few times now and would recommend it!
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.
Easily one of the games I want to play the most down the line based on reputation
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!
@@princessaria Nobuo Uematsu is the composer, maybe you're referring to Tetsuya Nomura
@@cloudfoxdie Composer? So he was the true composer all along!
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
13:17
"We will get into that later..."
*Sees Sephiroth the boss who makes people cry*
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.
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
I enjoy the Kingdom hearts series
As much as anyone else, but I've noticed the game developers & writers always recycle the same disney stories over and over again.
Hopefully if the K.H.S continues, they'll use new crossover not just solely Disney.
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
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.
This series start is older than FFX? Wow. That is crazy amazing, considering how advanced it seems to be. There isn't really any comparison for it to FFX, or any FF game, though, to be fair. I just thought it was interesting that it started before FFX (my favorite FF title).
I'm in the belief that KH1 set up a lineage that KH as a series has completely divulged from. A platformer mixed with action rpg elements, filled with unique world design and unique puzzles based on the games mechanics. Worlds felt like Metroid-vania style levels and the world's and stories within those world were so well designed and articulate in their structure.
Kh2 set a new basis for KH. And as it's gone the heart has slowly drained from what KH1 brought to the table.
So growing up I never played KH even though I was both a Disney and FF fan. My dad was in the US Air Force and we lived overseas most of childhood and adolescence, for some reason this game was very difficult to get in the PX even when we lived in Japan. So I have no nostalgia for this franchise and just saw it through memes. I recently played it after the collection went on sale on the Epic Store. They are really good games. The first one has some clunkiness and the story is a little silly (in a fun way), but it was fun and I enjoyed my time with 1 and 2. The combat and characters are honestly great.
Second time I played KH1 I stayed on Destiny Island until I was level 50 it took me FOREVER lol but totally worth it
KH2 improved things but KH1 definitely has many merits too that are quite overlooked. However I still ever so slightly prefer 2... it was the perfect sequel, and I dont mean that lightly. Still in awe of how good that game turned out many years later.
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
I was playing KHFM last night and was in Atlantica. When I played this game as a teen, I used to love this level. But this time through, I found it annoying. I understand where you're coming from and agree with you. Near the end of the level, I found that I started to appreciate it more.
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.
Seeing you cover the Persona franchise would be excellent, considering how well you did with Kingdom Hearts!
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.
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.
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.
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!
"Completing the game in less than 15 hours isn't that hard" Then there's me who got that achievement using the glitch that allows you to get that achievement for playing between 100 and 115 hours....
Gotcha Back. Like sub and comment for you.
I just love this franchise
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
Spoil away all you want honestly. The game came out in 2002, if anyone here really watches this blind and cares about spoilers, it's on them for watching this.
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.
I mean, we all know why Sora’s shoes are so huge. Kairi likes Sora’s big…personality.
Some would argue that kingdom hearts 358/2 days is a numbered entry
Underrated
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
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.
I was waiting for this! Thanks a lot, KH is amazing💖
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.
Somewhere deep down Kingdom Hearts will always give me the feels. Why we got to get old man.
Gosh traverse town theme brings back memories of getting up before school to sneak in some play time
i didn't realize until now that there are only four original characters in this game, that's crazy
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 :)
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
Simple and clean is the way that this video is making me feel tonight.
5:12 Actually that HAS been answered. Sora's shoes are big because his whole body was intended to look and resemble Mickey Mouse and the style of classic Disney characters. So,, he's supposed to look like a fusion between anime protag and classic Disney cartoon. That's why/
Damn I actually forgot this bit totally lol
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.
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
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"
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!
Loved the video, but I do hate how ff10's laugh scene is used as an example of bad voice acting. The acting was spot on, that's what the director asked for because in the context of the scene, it's meant to be forced and awkward and is performed the same in both japanese and english.
Said this to someone else's comment, I'm fully aware of the true intent of that scene in FFX as I'm actually a fan of it, it was used here as more of a reference to the meme it became online for people that don't really know the details behind it and they just assumed it was meant to be a "natural laugh"
Apologies for the confusion, not great execution on my side.
@@reliableprez it's np! It just stood out to me because everything else you wrote was so accurate and had a ton of care behind the execution. Not that this ruined anything! This was an awesome retrospective and I'm subbing in hopes of getting more high quality content from you. I also watched your ff13 video and your 15 one. Excellent content.
@@caprat7357 Really appreciate that! Glad you enjoyed the content so far
Everything you mentioned is spot on! Awesome video
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.
Appreciate that! CoM Video hopefully next month if all goes well
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
Not too long dw, just a good insight
Oh nnnooo I’ve found my favorite video title!!
28:51 As soon as you started talking about voice acting I knew you were gonna use that damn clip. Seriously, stop using this clip as an example of bad voice acting, it is by all means the exact opposite. That scene is a very sad scene in which everyone in the party is pretty bummed out, especially Yuna, and Tidus tries to cheer up Yuna by forcing laughter, and then they both start forcibly laughing with the most fakest most horrendous laugh the world has ever seen, and immediately after they actually laugh for real at the situation. FFX voice acting has problems, mostly with pacing due to lines seemingly being recorded separately from one another and being very poorly spliced together in the game, but for the most part FFX has a very good voice acting, with most VAs sounding very well fit with their characters and with proper tone, imo only Seymour really stuck out as a really weird VA, it kinda sounds like he speaks super close to the mic and idk.
But seriously, if I had a dollar for everytime this fucking scene was used as an example of bad voice acting I'd be rich, and that's so annoying lmao
In a similar comment I explained what I was going for with the inclusion of this scene and how it came off the wrong way form what I intended, that’s if you’re bothered to search for that comment but just know I am fully aware of the true purpose of that scene
Just a comment for the agg-gods.
Eyy appreciate that!
28:51-28:56 omg I’m so sick of people using that scene as an example of bad voice acting by people who don’t know the context. The laugh was supposed to sound awkward and forced! 😖He found out his dad is literally the apocalypse and he’s trying to force laughter because he can’t deal with the depression and he’s desperate to try anything.
I've had to answer this so many times now lmao I used this scene due to it's "meme" reputation that people assume that's what voice acting sounded like back then (rather than actually realising why it's awkward), just bad execution on my part
I'm not sure why 358 and recoded aren't "playable" but you should absolutely go out of your way to play at least 358. It has very important story experiences that need to be experienced by playing, and cannot be replicated in a cutscene collection
Oh dw I Played 358/2 multiple times before but in this series of critiques I will only cover the games that can be played without having to emulate
darkness within darkness within the darkest darkness
I only bought a PS4 with The Story So Far a few months back. I have been playing the KH1 and 2 since they first came out. I only had a PS2, and I didn't live in Japan, so I only ever played the OG releases until a few months back. KH1 as it was originally released is a much better experience than KH2 (as it was originally released). Yes, KH2 offered more bells and whistles (and in the the Final Mixes, that is definitely the case), but everything in KH1 served the (tight and logical, comparatively speaking) narrative. Worlds, keychains, and abilities meant something and came at appropriate times. KH2FM is a blast, and there is a TON of post-game content, but most of it feels disconnected and random. And, even back then, it was incredibly frustrating to see certain worlds that continued over from KH1 (like Atlantica and Halloween Town, for example) completely ignore the events that happened in the first game and start the litany of retconning and contradictions that is the franchise today. Still, it was very fun and cool, but nowhere near as impactful.
@Motor City Nerds will love this!
Have you heard Trails series? pretty exellent JRPG series. Happy Christmas!
Been wanting to get into it since 2020! Still need to find the time but for sure it's a big one I want to start eventually
I really wish this game had new game plus
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.
Honestly I loved sora in the first game. But with every entry afterwards I grew increasingly frustrated at the fact that he refused to learn his lessons, or even retain information for longer than a bird 🐦. Now I'm far more interested in playing as Riku, the one with actual character development.
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.
KH1 has a lot of things that can be considered outdated, but for every aspect that is outdated, there's still plenty of things that can be considered timeless.
Subbed!
Atlantica isn't that bad when you're revisiting the game and you already know where to go and what to do. But when it's your first playthrough it's pretty jarring.
However, I'm pretty sure you only have to complete either Atlantica or Halloween Town to finish the game so it's technically optional.
really enjoyed this video man !
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
CoM is next here too, trying to 100% should be real real interesting...
Me too! When Sora got released in smash I was also gonna hop on emulation to play the 1st. And I was already hooked!
Awesome video I am a fan of the series too. I would like to see the original kingdom hearts game to get a remake at some point just to polish it and improve it. I would still give the game an okay rating of probably 7.5/10 seeing how good it still is even with it being a bit dated and rigid at times. I have bought the game for each of it's rereleased and have finished it many times. It's likely that I will be playing and keeping up with the series for the rest of my existence. I started playing at like twelve or so.
But compared to the other final fantasy titles like 7 original kingdom hearts really doesn't need remaking just yet in my opinion remakes are for outdated games I think of games that were clunky and rough looking.... Again like ffvii with the irregular bodies ECT.
100% we will get a remake of kh1 eventually, possibly even before the next main line entry
34:19
THAT'S how you're supposed to get on the last hippo????????
lmao
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!
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
By the way... Just wanted to let you know I bought kingdom hearts 1.5+2.5 recently and it started with your video haha. I had wanted to get it a year or so back but this video led to me actually buying it. A few hours in and I'm really enjoying myself my friend. I really like your videos. I hope they become big enough so you can spend more time on them. Jesus love you my friend. Have a nice day. :)
Oh that's awesome haha kinda wild but i'll take the credit lol there will be ups and downs but hopefully you can enjoy the series!
If all goes well you might be done or plating Chain of Memories when that critique drops
@@reliableprez That would be awesome! You should critique all the games in order and I'll be following along haha. 😊 - I'd been meaning to play something a little more innocent and sweet recently haha. Might sound weird but just felt like it and this is the perfect game. Thanks again. 😊
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
The original tracks may be good, but the repetitively of the level music is nothing if not utterly ear gratingly awful. As someone who has come from the NieR 1.22 remake in 2021 and is currently backseat watching my girlfriend replay through KH, the shortcomings of both the original and the remaster of KH are VERY obvious and makes me question why more effort to bring such a mainstream series up to date wasn't made. If NieR could take the combat of Automata and apply that to it's remake, then KH has no excuse for the ancient combat, lousy camera and controls that it does have.
Realistically it could do with a groundup remake if they ever want new players from the modern age of gaming to be invested in the series, not just the people hooked on their nostalgia for the PS2 or their unwavering dedication to Disney.
KH remake will 100% happen eventually, it's just a matter of time
@@reliableprez I hope so. I actually expected the worst from ToyLogic ON NieR until I heard Platinum was involved. Hopefully they'll be able to assemble a similarly motivated and talented team to work a similar kind of magic on KH. (Just imagine if they brought Studio Monaca to redo the soundtrack though... That would be next level.)
Using the Laughing scene from FF X is an utterly stupid example to use when talking about shoddy voice acting of games in the early days. Haven't played the game myself but even I know it's awkward on purpose. Lovely video otherwise.
Oh yeah it’s 100% meant to be awkward on purpose (I actually like the scene for what it is), it’s inclusion in this video was more of a joke for its online meme reputation of being bad voice acting
@@reliableprez Didn't unfortunately come across that way exactly, to me at least.
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!
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
So glad to see a video for one of my favourite game franchises ♥
More of the franchise to come
You cant just put tidus laugh randomly in the video you have to prepare our poor hearts
But it works better with the element of surprise
Wow amazing video!! I would love to see your opinon on the persona series
All in future plans
Nice deep dive
I love the video and thank you for enjoy Atlântica (a little bit ahahah) but I really enjoy it’s a very unpopular opinion but it’s my favorite world because I love to use magic so it’s my jam and the music a tear
Atlantica is just a vibe😂 regardless if it’s bad or good for people lol
@@reliableprez yes you right it gives a good or bad or a nightmare for some 🙂😂
Great Video man. I don't know if the audio at 1:56 was intentional but it was kinda loud on my earphones. 10/10, great content though.
Totally accidental, rendered the video 3 times but still couldn’t get rid of it, apologies
@@reliableprez no worries man 😬 happens to me too! looking forward to more stuff
I hate that you put in the tidus laugh when mentioning bad voice acting... I seriously hope nobody really considered that bad, as it's meant to be awkward on purpose.
I know I know, just bad execution on my side, fully aware of why it’s like that in the actual game
@@reliableprez don't worry not only you, just seen that joke too much >.
No cap kh1 got me throwing my controller on the gummi ship
Lmao
Yay finally :D
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
There’s soo many games to cover, dw we got enough to talk about for years😂 (Yes FF IX Is defo one to do)
This was an awesome retrospective and it makes me want to go snag these on the Epic Store even though I already have them on PS4. 🤣 I can't wait to see your other retrospectives.
I meannnn totally different Experiance right👀 (not really but just tell yourself that)
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!
LETS DO IT! Just play them all again lol
Amazing video! I completely agree with everything you said including Atlantica world lol 😂 can't wait to see your future KH videos and I'm currently watching your older FF videos. Cough cough 358/2 days and re:coded can be easy played now days via emulation cough cough wink wink 😏🤣 Can't wait to hear your thoughts about Re:Chain of Memories. Take your time ;)
Super video! Keep itup
I have to say kingdom hearts has become a lot more popular than Legend of Zelda, Metroid, StarFox, Earthbound,Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog!But now we have games like Xenoblade Chronicles and Kid icarus Uprising That can’t compete with Kingdom Heart!