YES YES, DEAR GOD YES! After just completing my trip back to the KH Universe in Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD ReMix (review to come shortly) I can’t possibly be more excited about this news. This update is going to include Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix (previously only a PSP game), and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (an odd DS only game), and will hopefully gear us all up for the impending release of Kingdom Hearts 3 (whenever that is).
Square Enix Press Release:
LOS ANGELES (Oct. 14, 2013) – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in the Americas, today announced at D23 Expo Japan that it has officially begun development for KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX. A follow up to the recently releasedKINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX, the title is slated for release next year in the Americas.
Adding further depth and detail to the KINGDOM HEARTS series, KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX is a fully remastered HD compilation of the PlayStation ®2 computer entertainment system titleKINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX and the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system title KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep FINAL MIX. Both, previously exclusive to the Japanese market, will be available for the first time in the Americas for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Theatrical cut-scenes from the Nintendo DS™ title KINGDOM HEARTS Re:coded will also be included in the compilation.
Picking up after KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX, players will be able to continue on their adventures with Sora, Donald Duck and Goofy, and also explore the origins of the KINGDOM HEARTS series with characters Terra, Aqua and Ventus – all with gorgeous high-definition visuals and enhanced gameplay mechanics. KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX will provide fans with the chance to replay the games of the celebrated franchise, and also lead into the highly anticipated KINGDOM HEARTS III, which is set to be released on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft.
The new announcement trailer can be viewed on YouTube and downloaded on the press site.
Related Links
Official Homepage: www.kingdomhearts.com
Official Facebook® Page: http://www.facebook.com/kingdomhearts
Official Twitter®: @KINGDOMHEARTS
KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX is not yet rated. Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings.
Thank god! I was nervous whether or not Square Enix was going to make this investment with KH III underway for PS4, but I’ve been playing thru KH 1.5 ReMix HD, and the polishing to the games has made it a great game to play again (and again, and again…). Also psyched that the remastered Birth By Sleep will be on there; had it for PSP, and it was a great game too.
The only bummer is that Re:coded is going to be done like 358/2 Days was on KH HD 1.5 ReMix (Just HD scenes, no gameplay). Honestly, I could have lived without 358/2 in the 1.5 ReMix, and they probably could have gotten away with selling a third collection that was playable with 358/2, Re:coded, and Dream Drop Distance; It just would have broken up the chronology of things a little bit.
I donno, I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the handheld games for the KH series. Obviously I played most of them just for the story, so I was actually pleased to hear they are handling them this way. To each their own I guess haha.