Kingdom Hearts 1.5 & 2.5 ReMix Review (Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 & PC)

Kingdom Hearts is, without a doubt, one of the select few franchises that single-handedly manages to check all of the right boxes without needing to accommodate a second white glove. While it is in possession of one of the most confusing storylines in video game history—a problem that has, with all due respect to Square, only gotten more complicated over time with one too many characters, side factions, and light-dark references—the series is, at least at its core, a magnificent episodic tale that continues to grow beyond the fundamental concepts of an entry-level RPG.

Originally, it might have been a simple tale about three star-crossed islanders on a journey to explore worlds beyond their homeland. But now, with the re-release of Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 ReMix, it’s a tapestry that holds a thousand crests and the space to host dozens of characters. It might be an ode to Walt Disney, but that isn’t to say that it’s a digestible flick. On the contrary, Kingdom Hearts has more threads, tangles, and knots than any other franchise on the market. Yet, there’s a general consensus here that frames a universal admiration of its universe. Yes, it takes a lot to pluck away at its cords and figure it out. But, it’s also a series that, despite being unnecessarily convoluted, is bursting at the seams with brilliantly crafted characters, scores and world-building facets.

With over a hundred hours of content to play through, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 & 2.5 ReMix gives you a total of six individual experiences to explore and check off—Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Re:Chain of Memories, 358/2 Days, Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix, and Re:coded, all of which amount to a large-scale adventure across the far reaches of the in-game universe. Mainline entries aside, you have a spin-off chapter that focuses on deck-building gameplay and card-based combat; a full-fledged port of an original PSP title; and two three-hour cinematic tales, both of which serve to sew the overarching narrative and to flesh out various backstories and character arcs.

Speaking of stories and characters, Kingdom Hearts tells the tale of Sora, a young boy who, after being torn from his world and being plunged into the darkness, inherits a Keyblade—a blade that, aside from being a rather unconventional weapon, serves as the ultimate tool for banishing Heartless, sealing magical doors, and restoring balance across vast worlds, all of which suffer from the sudden shift in power. With the light being dimmed and the darkness taking over, Sora, along with a duo of unlikely companions—Donald and Goofy—set out to restore order in the midst of a bleak pandemic. It goes a lot deeper than that — but you get the idea.

I get it. Kingdom Hearts is all rather overwhelming. As you have a tremendous amount of content to work through, it can feel awfully daunting to peek through the keyhole and construct a plausible narrative out of what feels like a haystack of a million blades of grass. That being said, it is a story that’s worth hearing out until the end, as it culminates in a globe-spanning epic that spans hundreds of pages, battles, and events that shape numerous side stories and collectively open the door for even more routes.

Storyline aside, the remastered series boasts some great features that hold up just as well as the original, with a dynamic progression system that’s packed with synergies, weapons, party formations, and items, as well as satisfying elemental and hack-and-slash-like combat, and of course, enough familiar worlds to keep die-hard fans of the Walt Disney universe engaged for the long haul. Aladdin; Hercules; Tarzan; Beauty and the Beast; Alice in Wonderland; Mulan; and The Nightmare Before Christmas, to list just a handful. The point is, Kingdom Hearts, as a series, isn’t short on content. What’s more, as it is clearly no stranger to experimenting with various mechanics and themes, it also provides a little something for everyone to dabble in. Don’t even get me started on Melody of Memory.

Underscored by a beautiful soundtrack and a treasure trove of heart-warming moments, Kingdom Hearts stands tall as a brilliant saga that is, while still rather challenging at times, highly regarded as one of the best entry-level RPGs on the market. Granted, the combat is a little clunky in the original chapter, with some wooden mechanics and some irritatingly tough battles that often require multiple attempts to master. That said, Kingdom Hearts is very much a series that, like a fine wine, only tends to get better with age. With the second mainline installment, for example, most of its original flaws are not as apparent, as it tightens up its combat, polishes its graphical flair, and makes the overall gameplay feel more refined and intuitive.

All in all, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 & 2.5 ReMix is an epic and meticulously crafted package that does everything and more to create a memorable journey that captures all of the elements and world-building features of an extraordinary RPG. While it might not be for everyone to enjoy, it does hit the nail on the head and provide a thoroughly enjoyable, highly versatile experience that can easily keep you invested for a lot longer than the average saga. Don’t see it as a mere ode to Disney, but as a genuinely gripping epic fantasy that blends its own concoction of world-building with Mickey Mouse.

Verdict

Kingdom Hearts 1.5 & 2.5 ReMix offers a definitive answer to all of your questions, all whilst finding the opportunity to sneak a few additional plot points and mind-warping scenarios into a seemingly endless tale. As a collection, it offers hundreds of hours of material, including lengthy cinematic side stories, short deck-building adventures, and of course, two gargantuan mainline entries that span dozens of Disney worlds. And that’s barely scraping the tip of the iceberg, to be honest.

If, by some chance, you have been keeping Kingdom Hearts on the back burner for the past several years, then consider this all-in-one package as the perfect place to start your journey. Again, it might seem like a bit of a headache, but if you can stick with it through to the bitter end, then you might just find the keyhole to a new long-lasting franchise that will keep you busy for years. And let’s be honest, once you embark on a journey like this, you won’t want to leave it. Heck, I don’t think Square will ever give you the option to.