Walt Disney and Final Fantasy are, to some, a fairly intriguing culmination, yet to others, it’s a series of games that has amassed a large cult following. After my personal disappointment with the previous PS3 entry, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, (mainly due to its archaic combat system and unresponsive camera) I entered the world of the sequels hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

For those who’ve played the HD 1.5 Remix, things will feel instantly familiar. Much like the previous PS3 outing, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix includes two re-mastered entries in the series: Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, previously on PS2, and Birth by Sleep Final Mix from the PSP. To round it all off, there’s also a cinematic version of the Nintendo DS’ Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded too.

Kingdom Hearts II is the obvious draw here for both those who’ve already played the original and those new to the spiralling plot saga of the series. Following in the same vein as the original Kingdom Hearts, the sequel (and the accompanied spinoffs) all combine to produce the bewilderingly convoluted plot arch. Fixating, for the most part on Sora, you’ll experience the usual trek across a multitude of Disney films, along with a healthy dose of classic Square Enix characters on the way.

Much like other games of the era, progression can be slow at the start, particularly so for an action RPG; combat suffering the most. With moves unlocked via advancement, the starting couple of hours can feel a little cumbersome. Without a dedicated block or dodge ability, the first dozen or so battles can resemble a scene out of Benny Hill, with monsters chasing you in circles whilst you futilely attempt to avoid their attacks. As the game opens up however, more and more abilities become unlocked making it a much more viable and enjoyable experience. Much like the combat woes at the beginning, the story starts a little slowly too, mainly due to the jarring sections where you control Roxas for the first few hours. As if the plot were not ripped to shreds enough via being explained not only over three games, but sent further afar by also being on three different platforms. Keeping up interest in the relationship between Roxas and Sora still feels a little too much like a chore even after the somewhat disappointing conclusion.

At least in this way; the other portions of the overall package seem to make a little more sense, mainly in terms of both backstory and character progression. Whilst Kingdom Hearts II’s main story does do a decent enough job of fleshing out the main characters, there are still questions left unanswered; thankfully the other two games do a solid job of filling in the gaps.

Birth by Sleep (Final Mix) is another HD remake in a similar fashion from that of the HD 1.5 Remix. Having been originally developed for the PSP, there will inevitably be the immediate graphical downgrade that unfortunately is immediately noticeable. Despite this however, it’s clear to see that this entry has garnered a lot of love from the developers. The entire game has been fully re-mastered in HD and has received a bit of spit and polish in other areas too. A noticeable inclusion being the addition of a right thumbstick to control the camera with, something that will please many of those who came from the PSP version. Aside from the extra available buttons making the game entirely more playable, other changes are also present from the Japanese version. Extra bosses, new Keyblades and bonus scenes are all present in the ‘Final Mix’ version meaning more content all round.

Re: Coded is another additional extra following in the same vein as 358/2 Days from the previous collection. Much like its doppelganger, the tale unfolds in one long series of cutscenes with zero player interaction whatsoever. Whilst it may well have had a good old visual tweaking alongside its extra scenes, it’s certainly still the weakest portion of the group; despite its intentions of being a narratively focused expositional piece. The unfortunate truth is that the Kingdom Hearts saga is already so utterly convoluted with unnecessary filler and twists that the small revelations you do witness near the end of this three hour long ‘movie’, are simply not worth it and are likely only of interest to the most hardcore of fans.

As far as the gameplay holds up, it’ll all feel familiar to those who’ve delved into the series before. The extra thumbstick support on Birth by Sleep will be reason enough for many to jump straight in, but ultimately, it’s the graphical upgrades that are the selling point here. Inevitably, the newer the title and the more advanced the hardware it was developed on is, the better the game tends to look. Yet despite there being no true wow moments, each game does follow a distinct art style that holds up rather well. The environments can be a little lacking in Birth by Sleep, along with Terra’s rather disinterested voice acting, but aside from that, the visual upgrades will appeal to fans and newcomers alike.

Kingdom Hearts II will, understandably, be the main reason for buying the collection, and rightly so too. It’s simply a better game than the others and due to its popularity; it will likely have been played by more people too. For the less devout, the opportunity to play the myriad of other games that were released on the multitude of various consoles for the first time can only be a bonus too. If you weren’t an enormous fan of the originals, there’s only so much a lick of paint can alter your disposition by, and you won’t find anything drastically new here to draw you in either. If on the other hand, you are one of the many people that enjoyed fond memories of them; this Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix is the definitive way to enjoy the coming together of these titanic licences.