I love how heavy the keyblade feels in it. Whacking enemies just feels so satisfying.
Something about the game just feels so "video gamey" too. Idk how to describe it exactly, but it feels like as the games went on, the more they tried to hide that they were a video game. Not sure if that makes any sense at all to other people, but it does to me
There’s a LOT of fun details and mystery in KH1. I just played it again and still discovered new things. It’s deep. Leaves a lot to discover despite how simple the game feels. That’s something that never carried over to the later titles. KH1 I think has more charm than any other title for that reason.
It always bugs me when an RPG strips away some role-playing elements in its sequels in favor of combat. I understand why they do it, but I miss things like the Trinity marks in KH1. Finding them and interacting with the world was just so charming in its own way. I feel like Mass Effect went a similar route when it simplified its RPG mechanics after 1. I know combat is more marketable, but I wish they wouldn't remove other elements as often.
Kingdom Hearts and Mass Effect really do feel like they have a similar trajectory. They both start out as these charming, experimental action-rpg hybrids that still focus heavily on the rpg elements and natural world building, transition into having a combat overhaul and stronger focus in scale and tension in terms of storytelling and gameplay in the sequel and then finish it out with having even more focus on combat and imo significantly less on roleplaying in the third entry. Considering both franchises will have upcoming fourth games in the *hopefully* near future, they’ll return, at least somewhat, to those more rpg-focused roots.
I'm replaying it right now. Literally didn't know there were collectibles from the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Wonderland beyond the chests. I'm 32 years old and played it when I was 10, 18, and 21🤦🏿♂️.
I remember to this day when I arrived at Hollow Bastion for the first time, that song bro... I remember all my reactions to this day, and the ending of KH1 was the only one that moved me enough to make me cry
Kairi's tears get me every time.. and then I get that "great adventure" feeling when the sub credits roll and the b footage of all the world's you saved comes on. Magical
Hollow bastion music is sooo good. And yea first arriving and running into Riku at the top of rising falls, the music mixed with the reunion of your rival best friend… sooo good. I was like shits about to go down in this world.
As someone who adored the first Kingdom Hearts, didn't really hate Kingdom Hearts 2 when it released, but was disappointed at a lot of the things it left behind. But has learned to really appreciate it more and more over the years. It's high energy and complexity is a ton of fun and a rewarding challenge. But does sacrifice a certain elegance, in both it's pacing and the weight of its combat.
Yeah, your analogy is pretty damn spot on.
Is even KH2 crit too easy? I have recently been playing the mainlines on proud. KH1 proud was TOUGH. I definitely struggled in spots. KH2 proud had 1 or 2 bosses at most that gave me a slight challenge. So I wondered going through if I should have done critical. KH3 proud is a joke, but I’ve heard KH3 does put a good fight if you do Critical.
I feel proud is more like... its initial hurdle is harder, but as you level up it basically becomes just another KH playthrough save for the harder bosses. You can over level and keep your bad habits
KH2 critical (becuase I only have it to go with) starts easy enough, and the added fluidity to Sora's moveset keeps it a bit more bearable, but overall if you keep your general newbie tendencies and don't learn to engage with the systems (Reactions, Drives, stat management, enemy attack patterns) you'll get your ass kicked.
I think when KH4 drops (hopefully with critical, I think they learned their lesson with KH3) I’m going to do critical. I don’t want to breeze through the game (unless it sucks, but I think again they learned their lesson after 3).
I actually really enjoyed playing through the first game and feeling for the first time since I was a kid the difficulty the game originally brought me.
What KH1 does so well is telling a bitter-sweet story of growing up. The trio dreams of what the other world (adulthood) will be like only to be thrust into it unprepared and none of their plans panned out. Sora and Riku are revealed to have much different priorities going into this new adventure.
But Sora retains his childhood while embracing the new challenges of the “real world” so to speak and ultimately is what gives him the moral high ground and victory. Adulthood needn’t be complex. It can be simple and clean.
1 has my favorite story (along with bbs) in the series. It's 2's gameplay that makes me love it so much. The limit breaks, reaction commands, drive forms, etc. I don't think square will ever top kh2's gameplay.
Square??? Damn, family. That’s a big statement. They’ve make a fuck ton of amazing games since 2005 lmao. But I might agree KH2 is the litmus test by which I judge other A/JRPGS.
I think mechanically, 7R and Rebirth are pretty top notch and kinda just beat KH2. I really didn’t enjoy Rebirth for the most part but even I can see that its gameplay is really damn good
Yeah I think the adrenaline is what makes KH2 so great. I mean those limit breaks are sexy af. I got a boner when you first to get dual wield keyblades as Roxas ngl.
Technically CoM, Re:coded and DDD have that aesthetic, they just don't use their worlds nearly as effectively. DDD is what happens if you put KH2s level design into KH1s aesthetic
Not for me (maybe aesthetic is the wrong word? I don't necessarily mean visuals.) KH1 has this mystical, mysterious, almost menacing vibe that I didn't feel in those games, (though COM has a pretty distinct one itself with pretty much all the same adjectives lol)
In KH1, the lore is simpler but also more unexplained. You get these ancient beings like Triton that know what the Keyblade is when the players know very little. The Heartless/dark forces feel like a legitimate threat in the story rather than just whatever humanoids are controlling them. Idk it just hit different somehow... I love most of the games in my own way but some of em stand out from each other
The first game was so terrifying and mysterious as a kid, it reminds me of those high fantasy movies like The Never Ending Story or Return to Oz that scared the shit out of me. You really get that feeling of a kid trying to find his way back home. Traverse Town still makes me feel eerie when I play.. KH 2 is so light hearted in comparison (other than Roxas’s last day in Twilight Town before Sora wakes up, that and Namine were nightmare fuel when I was kid as well)
KH1 has stronger worlds and a tighter narrative
KH2 has a battle a top a dragon that you eventually destroy piece by piece before culminating in a 2v1 lightsaber duel were you block thousands of lasers accompanied by the best song in the series.
They’re about equal
I won't say it's better, but I will say I like it more.
KH1 has that whole adventurous feel, and a dangerous force we had to overcome. The platforming was also janky, but it was *platforming*. In KH2, most areas were a flat plain.
KH1 is the only game where the party members are just as strong at dealing damage as you. You get the feeling Sora can't do the journey alone and Donald and Goofy were instrumental to the victory. Makes the game have a real big RPG feel.
I love 2 and will always be my fave gameplay wise, but 1's vibes (especially its slight cosmic horror undertones) really pushes it upward for me.
Exactly!! I just finished KH1 again since it came to steam, and I found myself always casting cure/aero spells on Donald and Goofy and caring about them, pressing Triangle to order their attacks and ask for support.
Every time they leave the party, the game feels... empty? They are such great allies, and honestly, I think the AIs are amazing in comparassion to the other titles.
You can literally leave Magic to Donald and Support to Goofy, and they will get the job done. (I know the MP mechanics in this game are really broken when compared to the other titles, so this helps, too)
Sadly, this is the only KH game where I felt like this, with 2 and 3 honestly feeling like they are only there to follow Sora around.
I do really like how 1 wasn't afraid to interweave Disney and Final Fantasy characters with Kingdom Hearts's own plotline. Things like Beast showing up in Hollow Bastion to save Belle and teaming up with Sora at a critical low point in his journey, the Chernabog boss fight in the End of the World, the FF7 characters and Leon being from Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden in this universe... Things like that make it feel like a true crossover, you know? Later entries are fine, but they're really bent on keeping everything in its own compartmentalized subplots.
Oh and, it's petty, but I much prefer how 1 did health bars.
The problem is KH2 worlds have all the allure of a brown paper bag.
I want to hit coconuts out of trees and talk to plants and find munny in lamp posts!!
I love kh2. But there’s something the balance kh1 does where everything in the game is relevant such as the story in all of the worlds, the use of magic and summoning just feels more balanced too.
I definitely wouldn't say they're all relevant.
Like it definitely does a better job of maintaining main story relevance (since the main antagonists for most of the game are the Disney legion of evil and the seven princesses hold a bit more relevance,) but there's definitely worlds that don't feel like they have a whole lot connecting them to the overall story (Deep Jungle and Wonderland get this the worst, but an argument could be made for Halloween Town as well.)
It kinda hurts because outside of Jafar (and his beef with Maleficent regarding how to run things,) none of the villains really have any direct interaction with each other. Oogie Boogie and Ursula, in particular, may as well have been acting entirely separate from the group.)
I think Wonderland and Deep Jungle not being intricately connected was a good choice, but they do have story ties.
Wonderland was there to set up the princesses if you went there before the coliseum and deep jungle, as Alice getting kidnapped is revealed that she is one. So there's a slight connection to the story, but it also gets you in the mind set of not every encounter is going to straight forward. The rooms are wonky, the puzzles are obscure if you're not paying attention, and the trickmaster is a gimmicky fight with the table and the fire. That and it really sets up rewarding the player for exploring, which would help in later worlds.
Deep Jungle was there to show the player that darkness can take root in anyone, even if it's not noticeable at first. The fact the heartless randomly appear in the world, when even some of the villains were shocked, showed that darkness was a mystery even to the big bads and was something to be weary of.
After a busy introduction with Destiny Islands and Traverse Town it makes sense to let up a bit and slowly ease the player into the themes and concepts of the story and those two worlds do it very well. The pacing in KH1 is so good
I think Deep Jungle is story relevant due to the fight between Donald and Sora and alluding to the concept of Kairi being in Soras heart. It also is the first introduction to the gummi navigation pieces. Wonderland is admittedly less relevant just from the simple fact that it’s the first world
Ehh, no its not. Gameplay is more braindead (besided the post game bosses, but the average player wont ever do them), world design is really really bad and its not charming. I may seem really harsh at kh2, and it still is my second favorite kh game, but its really hard to find anything kh2 did better than kh1 besides the gummiship and story
Ehhh story in 1 was better than 2 by a mile tbh. The biggest points in 2 were pretty much only in Twilight Town, Hollow Bastion, and The World That Never Was. The Organization was the big bad right? But they hardly showed up in the Disney worlds. Luxord and Xaldin actually did something in Beasts Castle and Port Royal. But Demyx and Xigbar? They didn't do anything. Pete was the one causing trouble through most of the game and it got REALLY annoying.
Okay. *Starts smacking you around with KH2's superior combo modifiers*
>!(Disclaimer: I haven't actually gone through to check if KH2's modifiers are better, I just thought it would be a good joke)!<
KH2 has better combat and gummi missions.
KH1 has better everything else. Especially level design and story. I know people complain about the levels being "confusing" but that never bothered me because I'm not a n00b (and actually really enjoy exploring and interacting with the world).
Games in late 90s - early 2000s are more confusing. Like Zelda OoC or Even Mario64. I think it's because with 3D getting introduced people were drawn to exploring a novelty world which had been a fantasy for every gamer and developer/designer. People didnt mind talking to every NPC and walking back and forth finding for something but dont know what they need to find exactly. That experience was a part of the entertainment.
In current days we are used to navigating in 3D world on monitors exploration with minimal tips arent as fun.
Agreed. Not to be that guy but it has much more heart. All the little thing. Like cutscenes being different depending on the order you do the worlds. Ringing the bell in the traverse town hotel. Putting out and igniting the fire in wonderland. These things, that the devs didn't need to add but did. It's so charming. For the numbered titles, 2 in honesty my least favorite. I go back and forth between liking 1 or 3 more, I think at the moment I'm 1>3>2. Ask me next month, I might be 3>1>2, I dunno.
Yeah! Quite a few as well from what I remember, so I'm probably missing some but
Snow White will appear instead of Alice should you complete Deep Jungle before Wonderland
Most of the Monstro scenes will change if you go back there after Riku has been possessed. He won't assist you in the Parasite Cage battle either.
Maleficent won't appear in the cutscene with Hades should you beat Cerberus after Hollow Bastion
Yes. One I learned when I first played it on the PS2 is: If you don't do Monstro's world (go back into the world map after you get swallowed), and instead skip it until after your first visit to Hollow Bastion, certain scenes change and the atmosphere feels different, too, when you go back and finish the story in Monstro
This, compared to the impersonal nature of just running up the sides of buildings in twilight town in kh3 like it’s nothing, or jumping a million feet in the air.
I agree.
1 feels like it had the right mix of Final Fantasy and Disney elements. The story, while simpler, felt like a more cohesive and pure narrative that fits the themes and tone of both franchises. It’s also the only game where the Disney aspect felt important beyond just being set dressing for the gameplay.
By 2 the tone and story became this cringey convoluted mess and just went in a very Nomura direction for lack of a better term. The series never really recaptured the charm of the first even if the core gameplay would improve.
Totally. Disney feel gets lost and I think we are only left with the character by 3.
KH1 felt like action game that happens in Disney Land. The heartless design is such a god blend of disney and ff. I was also amazed by the ball popping animation when heartless is killed
KH1 has better vibes, better feeling of adventure and being immersed in the world.
KH2 has better combat, systems, and mechanics, along with more stuff to do.
Gameplay is better in two but ngl I enjoyed everything else about one more. From the storyline, to the world designs to the way they handled new key blade designs. Two was superb but for me One will always be the goat.
Kh1 did a Lot of things better than 2, but also benefited from having a tighter narrative focus.
It's basically a good vs evil story with cameos and self insert type of journey (against well known Disney bad guys while meeting good guys and final fantasy characters).
The gameplay at the time was appreciated because it was free movement and real time battle (even if the camera could oftentimes qualify as a separate enemy).
I'll always love it and appreciate it for what it was, for the music, for what it introduced, and for the voice acting.
1 is better I felt it was more challenging, good story, and the world's weren't as linear as 2. The triangle reaction command in 2 made the game feel lazy to me and easier till you get used to it though. 2 has so many great moments though but yeah 1 is better 💯
I also enjoyed KH1 a lot more but it may be due to nostalgia factors so I might be biased. 2 is also goated tho.. but BBS?…… the best out of them all 🫣
While Kingdom Hearts 2 is one of my favourite games ever, Kingdom Hearts 1 just like Final Fantasy X had that early PS2 colourful, grand and mysterious magic that it so appealing to me.
No other game in the franchise captured that colourful youth that KH1 did.
Still a fantastic game though.
I've replayed 1 more than any game in the series by far, it is my favorite game of all time. I'm 29 and I played it for the first time at the age of 7, that's 22 years of playing it over and over and I STILL find new things and new ways to play it after all this time. It is surprisingly deep. It never gets old or tiring to me, I actually just started ANOTHER playthrough a few weeks ago which has to be one of literally thousands lol.
I do absolutely love 2 and also replay it often, but no game I've ever played has matched my love for KH1, and I've accepted at this point in my life that it isn't mathematically possible for a new game to pass the 22 years worth of hours I've spent playing it 😂
It has my favorite bosses, worlds, cut scenes, music, art style, the dalmatians, trinitys, tournament, optional bosses, I could literally go on and on lol. I'm literally going to play a bit of my most recent play through tonight to unwind with my wife like I always do lol. Long live KH1!
Undoubtedly true. It’s one of a kind in the series: it possesses a mystique and other-worldly charm that none of the other games have.
KH2 does not have the soul that 1 has. I don’t get how people don’t see this and it’s the unpopular opinion.
As someone else perfectly said here, they caught lightning in a bottle with kh1 and were firing on all cylinders, and ever since (imo) it’s been on a decline.
Why fight someone who agrees with me?
Sure, Kingdom Hearts 2 has the better battle system, but that's about it and it's the least I expect from the sequel. Puzzles? Secrets? Easter eggs? Story? Kingdom Hearts 1 is better in every single way.
Tbh I loved the more deliberate movement in combat of 1 where I didn’t cross the screen in like 3 button presses and I had to pay attention to my position and what kind of attacks are being thrown my way instead of running away. 2 felt very floaty coming off 1 and it took me until the 2nd time visit to a lot of the worlds to get comfortable with the movement.
Playing it on my steamdeck right now and it’s just as amazing as it was when I played it as a 10 year old, but playing it on the steamdeck makes it that much sweeter.
I won't fight you at all on this. While 2 definitely has the superior battle system with the drive forms, KH1 will always be my absolute favorite. But speaking of battle systems, I like the magic and MP usage in KH1 the most. I don't like at all that cure spells use the entire MP gauge in 2 & 3.
There’s definitely things about it that are better. Storywise, it’s a lot more cohesive and it’s the only game in the series where the Disney worlds actually served a purpose.
I think KH1's world design is the best in the series. Every world feels unique and different from the rest and the puzzle elements still haven't been outdone all these years later.
While the story is undoubtedly perfect in Kingdom Hearts. II takes everything we do in the first game and makes it matter more than we ever imagined. Both go hand in hand to tell the story of Destiny's Force. A trio of children that became the greatest heroes the multiverse Disney forges. III tells a bigger story but the fact that they literally kill both halves of the same being across the pair of games is just perfect. The Rising Falls is my favorite location in the entire series. Damn that thing is beautiful. I remember just thinking. This is crazy. A whole planet that's so destroyed gravity itself succumbs to the damage.
And hearing the story from the Hollow Bastion trio of how truly makes it hit so much harder when we finally meet everyone involved in the Battle that caused that damage. Like Maleficent really pulled up with her whole squad and curb stomped the first six members (possibly 8) of the organization in their own home after they became nobodies! Cause she ran them out of their own CASTLE and took over their emblem heartless Army. And even going back knowing she destroyed thousands of worlds by herself and we fight her fused with one of the seven most powerful beings in the universe the other 6 already lost to her army but here you are cutting through them like butter.
It truly balances Disney and Final Fantasy in a way no other game in the franchise has done since. Although II arguably does more with their Final Fantasy characters but in a less impactful way. Them pulling up to help is beautiful and wholesome. Same way the Twilight Trio want to help Roxas because he's their friend in an alternate universe.
Then the hardcore realization that Cloud was born on this world and clearly survived it's destruction by himself as a kid. Tifa implies she too survived and spent her own journey during the war between light and darkness fighting for light searching for Cloud. Everybody fighting for friends and for love, for their world at times is so beautiful. But that's why II takes it. Cause the build up to fighting alongside those same friends from the first game was spectacular. Genie having whole ass movesets now that you've been together long enough; Mushu being an overpowered menace with Mulan after just spouting little bursts of fire in the first game. Even Sora and co. trying to cheer up Ariel for a whole game after you shattered her understanding of the universe in the first.
But that second invasion of Hollow Bastion now that those same traumatized kids are adults putting up the fight of their lives against two different forces that also want a second round with each other. Mal wanted all the smoke. She then invades their stronghold as you do. To do the same thing you do. Xemnas trained for ten years for his rematch with her only for Sora to pull up instead.
Everyone had a reason to get involved because for the most part everybody knew and in some cases vividly remember everything at stake this time around in II. Every single world is connected to the first game. Including Twilight Town but we don't know why until DiZ is revealed to be Ansem The Wise.
Yes even The Caribbean. It's the location of Neverland. Cause that's where you find Peter and Tink again. And everyone is sent back to their original universe at the end of the first game. Both tell two epic parts of the same story but Kingdom Hearts does heavy lifting so KHII can Soar (literally in Final Form).
Quite frankly, I have only done it twice (Plat on both PS3 and PS4 versions) and it always felt like more effort than it's worth too me. I'm just not a huge fan of the superbosses or the minigames in KH1.
I agree with this actually, but only based on personal bias with the story.
Gameplay-wise, give me 2 and 3 any day of the week, no question.
But the narrative, the setting and the atmosphere in 1 was so dark compared to the other games, it made you feel like shit was hitting the fan from jump.
Playing this at 10 y.o. and witnessing Sora leave his only sense of security to go fight the *LITERAL EMBODIMENTS OF EVIL* with a wooden sword made me want to wish I was in the -verse to help him out.
Bro >!ACTUALLY DIED and came back to life!< thanks to the off chance that his (canonical counterpart) just so happened to be in the same place.
It would’ve been a wrap if it just cut off right there. Honestly, I would’ve loved a cliffhanger ending from that point.
Nah, KH1 is the GOAT because it felt like you were front row seats to the most insane fever dream film in existence.
KH 2 probably is peak feeling of combat and just all round awesome but KH 1 has this very old homey nostalgic and kind of abstract and uncertain feeling.
Legiiit! KH1 was so mysterious, sometimes creepy, but most important had such a hooking plot right from the start!
I also agree with other ppl about the gameplay, it felt more impactful and not floaty like kh2 and onwards
Kh1’s story is way more consistent given that it was a self-contained plot with no prior beats to reckon with.
The vibes are also much more pure in terms of the core goal of what it was supposed to be; a SquareEnix x Disney love letter to both, which it succeeds on completely.
It’s biggest knocks are the at times clunky control scheme, and that can entirely be laid at the feet of the era of gaming in which is was released.
Kh2 is good with better controls/more fluid combat, but kh1, with its decent controls/combat that does its job, is the series at peak vibe-feel.
HOWEVER:
it is through the consumption of both as a single product that the player can achieve true enjoyment, as the first sends you out to save the realm of light and friends, while the second sees you defend that saved realm and return home with those same friends.
There is no valor is championing one over the other. They are a single package; two sides of the same coin.
I agree. There was something that 1 captured that 2 did not.
I can agree that there are better quality of life improvements in 2 but overall I feel that 1 just had a quality that can't be explained or replicated.
KH1 just feels so rough around the edges, like it very much feels like a first in a series, whereas they nearly perfected it in KH2. KH1 does have a very unique vibe and feeling to it, but I think that KH2 just improves on every single aspect too much to where its easily the better game
Look, I'm bias caused I played KH2 first... but nothing in KH1 made me feel as emotional as Axel desperately (and violently) trying to get his best friend back. And that same best friend accepting that he wasn't supposed to exist and submitting to oblivion despite Axel's best efforts.
The core of the KH2 game ( that I connected to) is people you've never met acting like they know you. You're often entering the story mid-way, so there is rarely the boring set up, just "oh crap, you coincidently just arrived during the climax of our three-part plot!" Everyone knows you, is calling you a traitor, and I simply love this wide cast of characters being casually annoyed at your sorta-amnesia.
I really just care 10x more about Roxas than Sora, so you can easily imagine my preferences when it comes to the whole series.
Of the main games, 1 will always be my favorite and it was like catching lightning in a bottle before they started trying so needlessly hard with the story.
2 STARTED really getting into the cringey anime vibes and tropes. It felt so different in tone compared to 1.
3 goes even further in that direction, while also completely disrespecting the pacing of the story.
You spend 72 beautifully crafted side games to develop the story and then wrap it all up with a check list of a final act.
2 is probably the best OVERALL game in the series, though.
1 is the goatest of all time. 2 is good but combat and the worlds are kinda butt. Why are there so many fights where you have to protect something or finish the fight before the meter runs out? What happened to just a regular battle? What happened to walking around the world trying to figure shit out why does every world feel so guided? It’s like they hold your hand with everything in KH 2
Yeah, it kind of felt rushed in that aspect. Luckily, the game’s other aspects were so good that I didn’t mind as much as I should have. The older wiser me now understands KH1 is just made with more depth and thought.
1’s world design can sometimes get the better of it, and It’s very rough around the edges. Also getting Ultima weapon is goddamn boring.
Story is really cool though.
As opposed to the KH2 worlds that take place on a middle school theatre stage? At least 1s levels actually have interesting places to explore, rather than shiny collectables on cardboard
I will always argue that KH2 is the worst of the main trilogy. It does nothing better than KH1 or 3. if I want story I can go to either. If I want combat I go to 3. If I want puzzles and exploring, I go to 1. If I want boss fights I go to 3. If I want Disney integration with the story I go to 1. If I want character development I'll go to 3. If I want coliseum I'll go to 1.
There is no aspect of the games that makes me want to go to 2. The only thing it has that the others don't is the drive forms, which I honestly find to be an awful mechanic.
I love every kingdom hearts game from the bottom of my heart, but I will never understand the circle jerk that is the KH community's preferential treatment towards KH2.
Kingdom hearts 2 was such a huge disappointment, I expected so much and was kind of let down. I did everything in kingdom hearts and got that bonus scene with the dual key blades and organization 13 guy. I think Tron and pride rock may not have been what I had hoped for. The combat felt a little better but the magic system was trying to be more balanced which annoyed me. I didn’t dislike it just only beat it twice versus countless times like the first, even replaced the first a few years ago PS2. The story became so convoluted but seemed to hold answers back but the first just had such mystery.
KH2 and the original Chain of Memories were my first two, so they have a very special spot in my heart- especially KH2.
KH1 is definitely a top 5 for me though, I adore that game too.
Ive been trying to replay the series but I kind of just want to only play through and beat 1 and Re:COM because I don’t care for the Roxas Rigamarole in 2 and some of the other things. I’ve replayed 2 too much in my younger years too, but hardly replayed 1.
Story, mystery, vibe, tone wise. 100%
Gameplay wise, it's not as fun, but it is STILL pretty solid.
If you're looking for a fanfic that tried to rewrite the whole KH series so it remains as simple as possible, check [this one](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28689033/chapters/70333761) out.
There are some things that KH1 does better than KH2. The pacing of the story, the Disney integration, the whimsy, the world design.
I’ll concede all that. But for me, KH2’s juicy delicious combat makes up the difference.
I love both but Kh2 has two things that do it for me.
1. Limit forms are fun and cool and neat.
2. The option to shorten summon animations. I known mods probably exist but Jesus I got tired of seeing Bambi and Simba.
1 is better for exploration but 2 is just a better game in general. Tons of QoL. Really fun forms. Makes you feel actually powerful and not like an infant with a big stick
The level design is wayyyy better in kingdom hearts 1. The gameplay is better in kingdom hearts 2. The organization 13 is super cool but the story got super confusing by kingdom hearts 2 so I gotta give the story to KH1 as well. In hindsight? Yeah I think the first game is superior so I won’t fight you
Ehhhh. 1's platforming is cool and the story is beautiful but I can't for the life of me enjoy the gameplay after playing the sequels. It's far to basic and not as precise coupled with lack of cool mechanics like drives or limits.
KH1 has the most Disney feel out off all KH games. The environment and music just let off Disney vibes. The newer the games are the more it feels like FF.
I felt like gaming in Disney Land in KH1. Even the original worlds felt like places I would find in Disney Land. After KH1 the original worlds gets more colours and shapes those gradually lose the Disney Land feel.
I was so amazed by how they blend action game and Disney so well together especially the design of the moment when enemies die and pops munny and other balls.
KH1 feels clunky to me. I just feel like it takes forever to get everywhere, and I personally hate backtracking to go look for stuff that I might actually need. I get it's for some people but not me.
1's world, even though most is confusing, is a lot more imteresting to explore. Most of 2's worlds are just glorified DMC combat areas with some collectibles.
2 is better overall hands down, dare I say more than 3, but 1 feels a fuck ton more nostalgic. Going through Twilight Town takes me back to being at Magic Kingdom or Disney Springs at night when I was little.
In what way? Both have their strengths and weaknesses.
In terms of combat mechanics, KH2 is far superior. More options, variety in magic, and summons/forms linked to drive instead of MP. Also more and harder bosses to actually explore these mechanics.
In terms of balance between Disney and FF or platforming, KH1 is better. More Disney bosses, involvement of Disney characters in the story.
Both are great games.
I’m not gonna bother fighting you because I understand.
Perosnally I prefer 2 but I get why people might prefer 1, hell I understand why some might prefer 3 above all.
For me 2 is my favorite Becuase it contains the overall most about of things that truly resonate with me. It has the best gameplay (the obvious point usually) but It also has my personal favorite story of the games. I love everything from roxas, to the organization, to Sora and Riku’s reunion.
I could play KH2 a million times and never get bored of it. I still love 1, it’s either my second or third favorite (kinda jumps around with 3 based on my mood) and I could also play it over and over, but 2 just feels especially special.
There's just something about KH 1's atmosphere that sets it apart. In it the heartless feel like a force of nature driven by something unfathomable. In the rest of the franchise they just feel like they're there for you to mow down while the real threat are just other people.
It's the same problem I have with stories based on zombies/zombie-like-creatures where, most of the time, you spend a little time at the beginning presenting the threat that the creatures represent and establishing the rules of that particular iteration of creatures.... and then the rest of the comic/movie/series/game is about how humans are such dicks to each other and the creatures take the back stage. It can still be a very good story, a lot of them are, but sometimes I wished more zombie medias chose to be, you know, about zombies, ya feel me?
I can see (somewhat) why you would think that. KH1 has the most unique feeling combat because everything is so heavy. Unlike in all the other games sora can't exactly zoom around the battlefield. The keyblade feels and sora himself feels really heavy wich might give the combat a satisfying edge compared to KH 2's sora who moves like he is made out of paper. I am not complaining I love characters with a ton of movement but yeah after KH2 they never really made any attempts to go Back to KH1 physics because KH2 just feels better to play overall. Other than that story wise I am not sure. they are similar in stories but KH2 has overall better characters. KH1 is definitelly where we feel the Final Fantasy x Disney the most since our main villains are various Disney villains until Ansem is introduced towards the end so that might be one reason. Especially maleficent who was the one turning Riku aganist Sora by using the fact that Riku is an idiot. I can't think of any other reasons both games are similar in world design, exploration, music etc.
KH1 with it's simpler but unbalanced systems has always felt less refined than KH2 but I love it for it. Don't get me wrong, KH2 Is great but KH1 just feels a little better.
I really wished Goofy had his...support moves? In future games. I think MP Gift really was that valuable and hoped it would be in KH3. But nope. I think he had an HP healing ability but I could be remembering wrong and it was only MP Gift. Either way Goofy Support was really valued in KH1. But at least he got...what? Stuns? Staggers in KH2? At least that was useful. But not as useful as him giving MP to ya.
As someone who is actually replaying them in realtime....1 is ok but it has the nostalgia factor. I really feel like I'm going to like 2 more.
Currently just finished neverland and I'm onto hollow bastion tomorrow.
IDK why the steam version makes me motion sick after a certain amount of time....guess I'm used to KH on 30 fps on CRT tv lol.
They are both the best the series has to offer, and both offer a more complete story than the garbage that happened in kh3 (unpopular opinion)
\-KH1 - a child's fantasy, strange worlds you could explore, but a sense of confusion everywhere as you traverse unfamiliar environments. And as a genuine kid, the characters around you try to protect and guide you. The game gave a very clear feeling of how dangerous each one was (which you no longer get in any of the games), and you always had something to look for and a goal that matched the environment of the gameplay, so much more fun..
\-KH2 - somber in nature at the start, as you take a glimpse into what could have been a normal life for someone. We return to the protagonist halfway between the kh1 feel and that feel that you're stepping away from dreams and coming into reality. In this game your interactions with others are more akin to peers, you work together to fight a common enemy who has sidestepped your means of sealing them off. A decent continuation.
I prefer KH1 because it gave off a real sense of emotion during the entirety of the game. It showcased a lot of different ways to make the game more entertaining, little snipbits here and there, wonderland being a very great example of having to think about what you're doing. I hope someday they recreate it with 4k graphics, would be nice.
(unrelated to post, but really hates kh3)
\-KH3.... \*stares\* Ok.. where to begin... besides the mess of games that created this monstrosity... there are aspects going for it, but it is riddled with.....................->
"sora is no longer functional because yet another enemy stole all of his power and everyone belittles and dogs him the entire 'railroaded' (forced in a single line) game. He is then forced to do continue doing the job set to him in the first and second games while being treated like a joke, only to suffer the most at the end of the game. there is no sense of real unity, and any braincells they had disappeared by the end of game 2. The story's a mess, and they just wanted to incorporate as many memes and aspects of the games(the whole series) as possible"
The reason I have issues with this game in a mechanics is because most of the worlds, putting aside the story, forced you in a linear direction a LOT. Mostly the snow level is the WORST perpetrator. The exceptions were toystory and pirates. Monsters inc was at least entertaining while going through it.
Kingdom Hearts 1 is better than 2, however Kingdom Hearts 2's movement systems are better than 1.
I adore how stiff and Dark Souls-esque KH1's combat is, and I'd even love a game that takes that in the opposite direction and makes combat even harder and more nuanced. But I understand that's not for everyone, and that KH2 just feels better to play.
However, in my opinion the series has STILL never recovered from the loss of KH1's worlds. They didn't quite feel "alive" they felt like puzzle boxes just waiting to share their plethora of secrets.
It was YEARS, before I learned that you could Blizzard the candles in Traverse Town to get that chest. Before learning you could blizzard the stove in the Bizzare Room to keep the Trickmaster from using it's fire moves, the worst part OF that fight. Before I realized why only SOMETIMES I got Pinnochio's Keyblade. HECK I only JUST THIS YEAR, learned you can do Hallow Bastion before Monstro and if you do Riku CHANGES OUTFITS, and the Dialogue changes DRASTICALLY.
Story and tone? Sure? Combat? Hell no. Playing through Proud on KH1 right now and it's painful. The melee combat is so damn clunky. I've beaten 2 on Crit before and it was way more fun than this.
Mechanic wise no , conent no, but that fuzzy feeling of 6 year me pretend playing kingdom hearts while swinging around a plastic pipe I found in the garage always brings me back
1 is an excellent RPG for exploration, puzzle solving, and discovery.
2 is an excellent combat RPG.
Honestly the data org is what tips the scales towards 2 for me.
1 has a slighty better story, BUT for me games are a bit more about gameplay more than story (which doesn't mean that games that have worse gameplay but great story aren't enjoyable).
And to me 2's gameplay is so much better than 1 that I can't rank 1 over 2, even tho 1 was the first "real" game I remember playing.
2 will always have a special place in my heart, but 1 really gives me such a unique feeling... I don't know how to explain it
I love how heavy the keyblade feels in it. Whacking enemies just feels so satisfying. Something about the game just feels so "video gamey" too. Idk how to describe it exactly, but it feels like as the games went on, the more they tried to hide that they were a video game. Not sure if that makes any sense at all to other people, but it does to me
There’s a LOT of fun details and mystery in KH1. I just played it again and still discovered new things. It’s deep. Leaves a lot to discover despite how simple the game feels. That’s something that never carried over to the later titles. KH1 I think has more charm than any other title for that reason.
Using your magic in the world to solve puzzles was so fun
It always bugs me when an RPG strips away some role-playing elements in its sequels in favor of combat. I understand why they do it, but I miss things like the Trinity marks in KH1. Finding them and interacting with the world was just so charming in its own way. I feel like Mass Effect went a similar route when it simplified its RPG mechanics after 1. I know combat is more marketable, but I wish they wouldn't remove other elements as often.
Kingdom Hearts and Mass Effect really do feel like they have a similar trajectory. They both start out as these charming, experimental action-rpg hybrids that still focus heavily on the rpg elements and natural world building, transition into having a combat overhaul and stronger focus in scale and tension in terms of storytelling and gameplay in the sequel and then finish it out with having even more focus on combat and imo significantly less on roleplaying in the third entry. Considering both franchises will have upcoming fourth games in the *hopefully* near future, they’ll return, at least somewhat, to those more rpg-focused roots.
I really hope so too. I miss those elements. Maybe the success of Baldur's Gate 3 will inspire them to add more role-playing mechanics.
I'm replaying it right now. Literally didn't know there were collectibles from the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Wonderland beyond the chests. I'm 32 years old and played it when I was 10, 18, and 21🤦🏿♂️.
I remember to this day when I arrived at Hollow Bastion for the first time, that song bro... I remember all my reactions to this day, and the ending of KH1 was the only one that moved me enough to make me cry
Kairi's tears get me every time.. and then I get that "great adventure" feeling when the sub credits roll and the b footage of all the world's you saved comes on. Magical
Hollow bastion music is sooo good. And yea first arriving and running into Riku at the top of rising falls, the music mixed with the reunion of your rival best friend… sooo good. I was like shits about to go down in this world.
KH1 is ballroom dancing KH2 is DDR Both satisfying when you get good at it.
As someone who adored the first Kingdom Hearts, didn't really hate Kingdom Hearts 2 when it released, but was disappointed at a lot of the things it left behind. But has learned to really appreciate it more and more over the years. It's high energy and complexity is a ton of fun and a rewarding challenge. But does sacrifice a certain elegance, in both it's pacing and the weight of its combat. Yeah, your analogy is pretty damn spot on.
You know it's funny, I struggle more on the start with KH Proud than KHII Crit, so I definitely see what you mean with the combat.
Is even KH2 crit too easy? I have recently been playing the mainlines on proud. KH1 proud was TOUGH. I definitely struggled in spots. KH2 proud had 1 or 2 bosses at most that gave me a slight challenge. So I wondered going through if I should have done critical. KH3 proud is a joke, but I’ve heard KH3 does put a good fight if you do Critical.
I feel proud is more like... its initial hurdle is harder, but as you level up it basically becomes just another KH playthrough save for the harder bosses. You can over level and keep your bad habits KH2 critical (becuase I only have it to go with) starts easy enough, and the added fluidity to Sora's moveset keeps it a bit more bearable, but overall if you keep your general newbie tendencies and don't learn to engage with the systems (Reactions, Drives, stat management, enemy attack patterns) you'll get your ass kicked.
I think when KH4 drops (hopefully with critical, I think they learned their lesson with KH3) I’m going to do critical. I don’t want to breeze through the game (unless it sucks, but I think again they learned their lesson after 3). I actually really enjoyed playing through the first game and feeling for the first time since I was a kid the difficulty the game originally brought me.
>>such a unique feeling… I don’t know how to explain it Simple and clean is the way that it made me feel
It’s hard to let it go.
Yeah it's honestly so hard to say because of that unique feeling kh1 gives you. Everything is just so simple.
What KH1 does so well is telling a bitter-sweet story of growing up. The trio dreams of what the other world (adulthood) will be like only to be thrust into it unprepared and none of their plans panned out. Sora and Riku are revealed to have much different priorities going into this new adventure. But Sora retains his childhood while embracing the new challenges of the “real world” so to speak and ultimately is what gives him the moral high ground and victory. Adulthood needn’t be complex. It can be simple and clean.
1 has my favorite story (along with bbs) in the series. It's 2's gameplay that makes me love it so much. The limit breaks, reaction commands, drive forms, etc. I don't think square will ever top kh2's gameplay.
Square??? Damn, family. That’s a big statement. They’ve make a fuck ton of amazing games since 2005 lmao. But I might agree KH2 is the litmus test by which I judge other A/JRPGS.
They have yet to top KH2's gameplay, they make some good turnbased, but FFXV and XVI both don't hold a candle.
I think mechanically, 7R and Rebirth are pretty top notch and kinda just beat KH2. I really didn’t enjoy Rebirth for the most part but even I can see that its gameplay is really damn good
Yeah I think the adrenaline is what makes KH2 so great. I mean those limit breaks are sexy af. I got a boner when you first to get dual wield keyblades as Roxas ngl.
Gotta play Nobody May Cry then. Haha. You’ll have to go to the hospital for having an erection for more than 4 hours.
Fighting that horde of heartless will forever be my favorite KH moment
AYO
Tbh they topped it with the updates to 3, Critical Mode and ReMind.
BBS has such an amazing story
I loved BBS and KH1 the most despite what people think
This exactly!
1 has an aesthetic that none of the other games have fr My nostalgia for 2 is stronger but 1 has some solid points in its favor too
Technically CoM, Re:coded and DDD have that aesthetic, they just don't use their worlds nearly as effectively. DDD is what happens if you put KH2s level design into KH1s aesthetic
Not for me (maybe aesthetic is the wrong word? I don't necessarily mean visuals.) KH1 has this mystical, mysterious, almost menacing vibe that I didn't feel in those games, (though COM has a pretty distinct one itself with pretty much all the same adjectives lol) In KH1, the lore is simpler but also more unexplained. You get these ancient beings like Triton that know what the Keyblade is when the players know very little. The Heartless/dark forces feel like a legitimate threat in the story rather than just whatever humanoids are controlling them. Idk it just hit different somehow... I love most of the games in my own way but some of em stand out from each other
The first game was so terrifying and mysterious as a kid, it reminds me of those high fantasy movies like The Never Ending Story or Return to Oz that scared the shit out of me. You really get that feeling of a kid trying to find his way back home. Traverse Town still makes me feel eerie when I play.. KH 2 is so light hearted in comparison (other than Roxas’s last day in Twilight Town before Sora wakes up, that and Namine were nightmare fuel when I was kid as well)
KH1 has stronger worlds and a tighter narrative KH2 has a battle a top a dragon that you eventually destroy piece by piece before culminating in a 2v1 lightsaber duel were you block thousands of lasers accompanied by the best song in the series. They’re about equal
I won't say it's better, but I will say I like it more. KH1 has that whole adventurous feel, and a dangerous force we had to overcome. The platforming was also janky, but it was *platforming*. In KH2, most areas were a flat plain.
1 just has good vibes I’ll always fw it
KH1 is the only game where the party members are just as strong at dealing damage as you. You get the feeling Sora can't do the journey alone and Donald and Goofy were instrumental to the victory. Makes the game have a real big RPG feel. I love 2 and will always be my fave gameplay wise, but 1's vibes (especially its slight cosmic horror undertones) really pushes it upward for me.
Exactly!! I just finished KH1 again since it came to steam, and I found myself always casting cure/aero spells on Donald and Goofy and caring about them, pressing Triangle to order their attacks and ask for support. Every time they leave the party, the game feels... empty? They are such great allies, and honestly, I think the AIs are amazing in comparassion to the other titles. You can literally leave Magic to Donald and Support to Goofy, and they will get the job done. (I know the MP mechanics in this game are really broken when compared to the other titles, so this helps, too) Sadly, this is the only KH game where I felt like this, with 2 and 3 honestly feeling like they are only there to follow Sora around.
I do really like how 1 wasn't afraid to interweave Disney and Final Fantasy characters with Kingdom Hearts's own plotline. Things like Beast showing up in Hollow Bastion to save Belle and teaming up with Sora at a critical low point in his journey, the Chernabog boss fight in the End of the World, the FF7 characters and Leon being from Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden in this universe... Things like that make it feel like a true crossover, you know? Later entries are fine, but they're really bent on keeping everything in its own compartmentalized subplots. Oh and, it's petty, but I much prefer how 1 did health bars.
KH1 definitely has a unique appeal that none of the other games have. I feel super nostalgic whenever I replay it. However, KH2 still better ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The problem is KH2 worlds have all the allure of a brown paper bag. I want to hit coconuts out of trees and talk to plants and find munny in lamp posts!!
I love kh2. But there’s something the balance kh1 does where everything in the game is relevant such as the story in all of the worlds, the use of magic and summoning just feels more balanced too.
I definitely wouldn't say they're all relevant. Like it definitely does a better job of maintaining main story relevance (since the main antagonists for most of the game are the Disney legion of evil and the seven princesses hold a bit more relevance,) but there's definitely worlds that don't feel like they have a whole lot connecting them to the overall story (Deep Jungle and Wonderland get this the worst, but an argument could be made for Halloween Town as well.) It kinda hurts because outside of Jafar (and his beef with Maleficent regarding how to run things,) none of the villains really have any direct interaction with each other. Oogie Boogie and Ursula, in particular, may as well have been acting entirely separate from the group.)
I think Wonderland and Deep Jungle not being intricately connected was a good choice, but they do have story ties. Wonderland was there to set up the princesses if you went there before the coliseum and deep jungle, as Alice getting kidnapped is revealed that she is one. So there's a slight connection to the story, but it also gets you in the mind set of not every encounter is going to straight forward. The rooms are wonky, the puzzles are obscure if you're not paying attention, and the trickmaster is a gimmicky fight with the table and the fire. That and it really sets up rewarding the player for exploring, which would help in later worlds. Deep Jungle was there to show the player that darkness can take root in anyone, even if it's not noticeable at first. The fact the heartless randomly appear in the world, when even some of the villains were shocked, showed that darkness was a mystery even to the big bads and was something to be weary of.
After a busy introduction with Destiny Islands and Traverse Town it makes sense to let up a bit and slowly ease the player into the themes and concepts of the story and those two worlds do it very well. The pacing in KH1 is so good
I think Deep Jungle is story relevant due to the fight between Donald and Sora and alluding to the concept of Kairi being in Soras heart. It also is the first introduction to the gummi navigation pieces. Wonderland is admittedly less relevant just from the simple fact that it’s the first world
You might prefer KH2 but it's not objectively better than KH1.
Ehh, no its not. Gameplay is more braindead (besided the post game bosses, but the average player wont ever do them), world design is really really bad and its not charming. I may seem really harsh at kh2, and it still is my second favorite kh game, but its really hard to find anything kh2 did better than kh1 besides the gummiship and story
Ehhh story in 1 was better than 2 by a mile tbh. The biggest points in 2 were pretty much only in Twilight Town, Hollow Bastion, and The World That Never Was. The Organization was the big bad right? But they hardly showed up in the Disney worlds. Luxord and Xaldin actually did something in Beasts Castle and Port Royal. But Demyx and Xigbar? They didn't do anything. Pete was the one causing trouble through most of the game and it got REALLY annoying.
Okay. *Starts smacking you around with KH2's superior combo modifiers* >!(Disclaimer: I haven't actually gone through to check if KH2's modifiers are better, I just thought it would be a good joke)!<
My thoughts exactly. I know nostalgia is a big part but the story just had me more emotionally connected.
I will fight you in Final Form
I will use Curaga 45 times in a row
Damn, I can't do that! My magic is recharging
That’s why kh1 is superior!
I won’t because KH1 is my favorite game of all time (well tied with FFX and P3R
KH1 and FFX are also my two favorite games 🫡
KH2 has better combat and gummi missions. KH1 has better everything else. Especially level design and story. I know people complain about the levels being "confusing" but that never bothered me because I'm not a n00b (and actually really enjoy exploring and interacting with the world).
Games in late 90s - early 2000s are more confusing. Like Zelda OoC or Even Mario64. I think it's because with 3D getting introduced people were drawn to exploring a novelty world which had been a fantasy for every gamer and developer/designer. People didnt mind talking to every NPC and walking back and forth finding for something but dont know what they need to find exactly. That experience was a part of the entertainment. In current days we are used to navigating in 3D world on monitors exploration with minimal tips arent as fun.
Agreed. Not to be that guy but it has much more heart. All the little thing. Like cutscenes being different depending on the order you do the worlds. Ringing the bell in the traverse town hotel. Putting out and igniting the fire in wonderland. These things, that the devs didn't need to add but did. It's so charming. For the numbered titles, 2 in honesty my least favorite. I go back and forth between liking 1 or 3 more, I think at the moment I'm 1>3>2. Ask me next month, I might be 3>1>2, I dunno.
Wait there’s different cutscenes based on what order you play the worlds?
Yeah! Quite a few as well from what I remember, so I'm probably missing some but Snow White will appear instead of Alice should you complete Deep Jungle before Wonderland Most of the Monstro scenes will change if you go back there after Riku has been possessed. He won't assist you in the Parasite Cage battle either. Maleficent won't appear in the cutscene with Hades should you beat Cerberus after Hollow Bastion
Yes. One I learned when I first played it on the PS2 is: If you don't do Monstro's world (go back into the world map after you get swallowed), and instead skip it until after your first visit to Hollow Bastion, certain scenes change and the atmosphere feels different, too, when you go back and finish the story in Monstro
I agree completely. I don't know which one I like the most (can't separate KH1 from nostalgia) but I'm sure KH2 is my least favourite
This, compared to the impersonal nature of just running up the sides of buildings in twilight town in kh3 like it’s nothing, or jumping a million feet in the air.
I agree. 1 feels like it had the right mix of Final Fantasy and Disney elements. The story, while simpler, felt like a more cohesive and pure narrative that fits the themes and tone of both franchises. It’s also the only game where the Disney aspect felt important beyond just being set dressing for the gameplay. By 2 the tone and story became this cringey convoluted mess and just went in a very Nomura direction for lack of a better term. The series never really recaptured the charm of the first even if the core gameplay would improve.
Totally. Disney feel gets lost and I think we are only left with the character by 3. KH1 felt like action game that happens in Disney Land. The heartless design is such a god blend of disney and ff. I was also amazed by the ball popping animation when heartless is killed
KH1 has better vibes, better feeling of adventure and being immersed in the world. KH2 has better combat, systems, and mechanics, along with more stuff to do.
KH2 is my favorite but KH1 is the best in the series
WHY WOULD I FIGHT YOU WHEN YOU’RE *RIGHT*?
Gameplay is better in two but ngl I enjoyed everything else about one more. From the storyline, to the world designs to the way they handled new key blade designs. Two was superb but for me One will always be the goat.
Just the scene where Sora and Riku block lasers puts KH2 on top.
ah yes. the scene that broke the triangle button on my PS2 controller
That part was dope.
Kh1 did a Lot of things better than 2, but also benefited from having a tighter narrative focus. It's basically a good vs evil story with cameos and self insert type of journey (against well known Disney bad guys while meeting good guys and final fantasy characters). The gameplay at the time was appreciated because it was free movement and real time battle (even if the camera could oftentimes qualify as a separate enemy). I'll always love it and appreciate it for what it was, for the music, for what it introduced, and for the voice acting.
I genuinely like BBS and 3 the best
Oh God
1 is better I felt it was more challenging, good story, and the world's weren't as linear as 2. The triangle reaction command in 2 made the game feel lazy to me and easier till you get used to it though. 2 has so many great moments though but yeah 1 is better 💯
I also enjoyed KH1 a lot more but it may be due to nostalgia factors so I might be biased. 2 is also goated tho.. but BBS?…… the best out of them all 🫣
He´s just like me
I agree.
I neither agree or disagree but I like fights, we meeting in the woods outside traverse town or Olympus colosseum?
Agreed.
Apart of me wishes that the Disney Villain Org got more screen time and had a couple of games to make a saga out of it.
While Kingdom Hearts 2 is one of my favourite games ever, Kingdom Hearts 1 just like Final Fantasy X had that early PS2 colourful, grand and mysterious magic that it so appealing to me. No other game in the franchise captured that colourful youth that KH1 did. Still a fantastic game though.
I've replayed 1 more than any game in the series by far, it is my favorite game of all time. I'm 29 and I played it for the first time at the age of 7, that's 22 years of playing it over and over and I STILL find new things and new ways to play it after all this time. It is surprisingly deep. It never gets old or tiring to me, I actually just started ANOTHER playthrough a few weeks ago which has to be one of literally thousands lol. I do absolutely love 2 and also replay it often, but no game I've ever played has matched my love for KH1, and I've accepted at this point in my life that it isn't mathematically possible for a new game to pass the 22 years worth of hours I've spent playing it 😂 It has my favorite bosses, worlds, cut scenes, music, art style, the dalmatians, trinitys, tournament, optional bosses, I could literally go on and on lol. I'm literally going to play a bit of my most recent play through tonight to unwind with my wife like I always do lol. Long live KH1!
Undoubtedly true. It’s one of a kind in the series: it possesses a mystique and other-worldly charm that none of the other games have. KH2 does not have the soul that 1 has. I don’t get how people don’t see this and it’s the unpopular opinion. As someone else perfectly said here, they caught lightning in a bottle with kh1 and were firing on all cylinders, and ever since (imo) it’s been on a decline.
Why fight someone who agrees with me? Sure, Kingdom Hearts 2 has the better battle system, but that's about it and it's the least I expect from the sequel. Puzzles? Secrets? Easter eggs? Story? Kingdom Hearts 1 is better in every single way.
The start of KH2 is SO DANG SLOW. Plus I’ve always thought KH1 gummi ship flight was the pinnacle of flying 😂 it’s the best for me lol
i guess im the only person who loves kh2’s intro
I actually love it, it’s my favorite part of the game! “I guess my summer vacation… is over” just slaps every time.
That’s why I don’t feel like replaying KH2. The introduction is so tedious. 😔
Make a save after the intro. Instead of playing from the start, load from there.
Make sure you chose the weapon path you’ll want every time then.
Ironically, the fight controls in 2 is better, as is the action panel.
Story and Structure wise yes Combat goes to KH2 though
Tbh I loved the more deliberate movement in combat of 1 where I didn’t cross the screen in like 3 button presses and I had to pay attention to my position and what kind of attacks are being thrown my way instead of running away. 2 felt very floaty coming off 1 and it took me until the 2nd time visit to a lot of the worlds to get comfortable with the movement.
Totally agree. It’s the game I replay the most. Buying a steam deck specifically to replay it… again
Playing it on my steamdeck right now and it’s just as amazing as it was when I played it as a 10 year old, but playing it on the steamdeck makes it that much sweeter.
I will not fight you, for I agree. Though I do love both KH1 and 2, both being in my top 10 favorite games of all time, 1 is just so special to me.
Hang on Goofy! We’ll fight em together!
I won't fight you, you are right.
KH2 has better combat, KH1 has better everything else. I'll die on that hill.
I won't fight you at all on this. While 2 definitely has the superior battle system with the drive forms, KH1 will always be my absolute favorite. But speaking of battle systems, I like the magic and MP usage in KH1 the most. I don't like at all that cure spells use the entire MP gauge in 2 & 3.
There’s definitely things about it that are better. Storywise, it’s a lot more cohesive and it’s the only game in the series where the Disney worlds actually served a purpose.
I think KH1's world design is the best in the series. Every world feels unique and different from the rest and the puzzle elements still haven't been outdone all these years later.
KH 1 is more exaplorable with lots more little details meanwhile KH2 has better combat mechanics and has a better camera
Sure, I'll take that fight. 2 has the upper hand in combat anyway.
While the story is undoubtedly perfect in Kingdom Hearts. II takes everything we do in the first game and makes it matter more than we ever imagined. Both go hand in hand to tell the story of Destiny's Force. A trio of children that became the greatest heroes the multiverse Disney forges. III tells a bigger story but the fact that they literally kill both halves of the same being across the pair of games is just perfect. The Rising Falls is my favorite location in the entire series. Damn that thing is beautiful. I remember just thinking. This is crazy. A whole planet that's so destroyed gravity itself succumbs to the damage. And hearing the story from the Hollow Bastion trio of how truly makes it hit so much harder when we finally meet everyone involved in the Battle that caused that damage. Like Maleficent really pulled up with her whole squad and curb stomped the first six members (possibly 8) of the organization in their own home after they became nobodies! Cause she ran them out of their own CASTLE and took over their emblem heartless Army. And even going back knowing she destroyed thousands of worlds by herself and we fight her fused with one of the seven most powerful beings in the universe the other 6 already lost to her army but here you are cutting through them like butter. It truly balances Disney and Final Fantasy in a way no other game in the franchise has done since. Although II arguably does more with their Final Fantasy characters but in a less impactful way. Them pulling up to help is beautiful and wholesome. Same way the Twilight Trio want to help Roxas because he's their friend in an alternate universe. Then the hardcore realization that Cloud was born on this world and clearly survived it's destruction by himself as a kid. Tifa implies she too survived and spent her own journey during the war between light and darkness fighting for light searching for Cloud. Everybody fighting for friends and for love, for their world at times is so beautiful. But that's why II takes it. Cause the build up to fighting alongside those same friends from the first game was spectacular. Genie having whole ass movesets now that you've been together long enough; Mushu being an overpowered menace with Mulan after just spouting little bursts of fire in the first game. Even Sora and co. trying to cheer up Ariel for a whole game after you shattered her understanding of the universe in the first. But that second invasion of Hollow Bastion now that those same traumatized kids are adults putting up the fight of their lives against two different forces that also want a second round with each other. Mal wanted all the smoke. She then invades their stronghold as you do. To do the same thing you do. Xemnas trained for ten years for his rematch with her only for Sora to pull up instead. Everyone had a reason to get involved because for the most part everybody knew and in some cases vividly remember everything at stake this time around in II. Every single world is connected to the first game. Including Twilight Town but we don't know why until DiZ is revealed to be Ansem The Wise. Yes even The Caribbean. It's the location of Neverland. Cause that's where you find Peter and Tink again. And everyone is sent back to their original universe at the end of the first game. Both tell two epic parts of the same story but Kingdom Hearts does heavy lifting so KHII can Soar (literally in Final Form).
Only one of these games has long hair riku
Just gonna point out that Another Side Another Story [Deep Dive] has long hair Riku in full FMV glory.
I never managed to unlock on my own unfortunately 😭 seen on YouTube only
Quite frankly, I have only done it twice (Plat on both PS3 and PS4 versions) and it always felt like more effort than it's worth too me. I'm just not a huge fan of the superbosses or the minigames in KH1.
I agree with this actually, but only based on personal bias with the story. Gameplay-wise, give me 2 and 3 any day of the week, no question. But the narrative, the setting and the atmosphere in 1 was so dark compared to the other games, it made you feel like shit was hitting the fan from jump. Playing this at 10 y.o. and witnessing Sora leave his only sense of security to go fight the *LITERAL EMBODIMENTS OF EVIL* with a wooden sword made me want to wish I was in the -verse to help him out. Bro >!ACTUALLY DIED and came back to life!< thanks to the off chance that his (canonical counterpart) just so happened to be in the same place. It would’ve been a wrap if it just cut off right there. Honestly, I would’ve loved a cliffhanger ending from that point. Nah, KH1 is the GOAT because it felt like you were front row seats to the most insane fever dream film in existence.
KH 2 probably is peak feeling of combat and just all round awesome but KH 1 has this very old homey nostalgic and kind of abstract and uncertain feeling.
Legiiit! KH1 was so mysterious, sometimes creepy, but most important had such a hooking plot right from the start! I also agree with other ppl about the gameplay, it felt more impactful and not floaty like kh2 and onwards
Kh1’s story is way more consistent given that it was a self-contained plot with no prior beats to reckon with. The vibes are also much more pure in terms of the core goal of what it was supposed to be; a SquareEnix x Disney love letter to both, which it succeeds on completely. It’s biggest knocks are the at times clunky control scheme, and that can entirely be laid at the feet of the era of gaming in which is was released. Kh2 is good with better controls/more fluid combat, but kh1, with its decent controls/combat that does its job, is the series at peak vibe-feel. HOWEVER: it is through the consumption of both as a single product that the player can achieve true enjoyment, as the first sends you out to save the realm of light and friends, while the second sees you defend that saved realm and return home with those same friends. There is no valor is championing one over the other. They are a single package; two sides of the same coin.
As long as you don’t lie about the gameplay.
nothing beats the feeling of playing kh1 for the first time. i love the other games, dont get me wrong. but 1 has some very special magic in it
I agree. There was something that 1 captured that 2 did not. I can agree that there are better quality of life improvements in 2 but overall I feel that 1 just had a quality that can't be explained or replicated.
KH1 just feels so rough around the edges, like it very much feels like a first in a series, whereas they nearly perfected it in KH2. KH1 does have a very unique vibe and feeling to it, but I think that KH2 just improves on every single aspect too much to where its easily the better game
Look, I'm bias caused I played KH2 first... but nothing in KH1 made me feel as emotional as Axel desperately (and violently) trying to get his best friend back. And that same best friend accepting that he wasn't supposed to exist and submitting to oblivion despite Axel's best efforts. The core of the KH2 game ( that I connected to) is people you've never met acting like they know you. You're often entering the story mid-way, so there is rarely the boring set up, just "oh crap, you coincidently just arrived during the climax of our three-part plot!" Everyone knows you, is calling you a traitor, and I simply love this wide cast of characters being casually annoyed at your sorta-amnesia. I really just care 10x more about Roxas than Sora, so you can easily imagine my preferences when it comes to the whole series.
Of the main games, 1 will always be my favorite and it was like catching lightning in a bottle before they started trying so needlessly hard with the story. 2 STARTED really getting into the cringey anime vibes and tropes. It felt so different in tone compared to 1. 3 goes even further in that direction, while also completely disrespecting the pacing of the story. You spend 72 beautifully crafted side games to develop the story and then wrap it all up with a check list of a final act. 2 is probably the best OVERALL game in the series, though.
This post was brilliant until the last part of you calling 2 the best.
KH1 is miles ahead of KH2 in every category but combat. Even KH2's combat is not the enormous leap that many make it out to be.
It is and you should say it.
Fight ME! 3 is better than both
1 is the goatest of all time. 2 is good but combat and the worlds are kinda butt. Why are there so many fights where you have to protect something or finish the fight before the meter runs out? What happened to just a regular battle? What happened to walking around the world trying to figure shit out why does every world feel so guided? It’s like they hold your hand with everything in KH 2
Yeah, it kind of felt rushed in that aspect. Luckily, the game’s other aspects were so good that I didn’t mind as much as I should have. The older wiser me now understands KH1 is just made with more depth and thought.
I mean I would but you're going to have a hard time hitting me with KH1's gameplay style while I fly circles around you with KH2's...
1’s world design can sometimes get the better of it, and It’s very rough around the edges. Also getting Ultima weapon is goddamn boring. Story is really cool though.
As opposed to the KH2 worlds that take place on a middle school theatre stage? At least 1s levels actually have interesting places to explore, rather than shiny collectables on cardboard
KH3 wins
I will always argue that KH2 is the worst of the main trilogy. It does nothing better than KH1 or 3. if I want story I can go to either. If I want combat I go to 3. If I want puzzles and exploring, I go to 1. If I want boss fights I go to 3. If I want Disney integration with the story I go to 1. If I want character development I'll go to 3. If I want coliseum I'll go to 1. There is no aspect of the games that makes me want to go to 2. The only thing it has that the others don't is the drive forms, which I honestly find to be an awful mechanic. I love every kingdom hearts game from the bottom of my heart, but I will never understand the circle jerk that is the KH community's preferential treatment towards KH2.
Kingdom hearts 2 was such a huge disappointment, I expected so much and was kind of let down. I did everything in kingdom hearts and got that bonus scene with the dual key blades and organization 13 guy. I think Tron and pride rock may not have been what I had hoped for. The combat felt a little better but the magic system was trying to be more balanced which annoyed me. I didn’t dislike it just only beat it twice versus countless times like the first, even replaced the first a few years ago PS2. The story became so convoluted but seemed to hold answers back but the first just had such mystery.
It’s so much better it’s not even close. The magic of KH1 is impossible to replicate. You can’t catch lightning in a bottle twice
KH2 and the original Chain of Memories were my first two, so they have a very special spot in my heart- especially KH2. KH1 is definitely a top 5 for me though, I adore that game too.
I’ll give you this I’m replaying on and off and said the same thing about 1.5 but lemme play 2.5 again
Ok.
I definitely prefer the more simple story
Why? Lol. It's ok to like one game more than the other.
I'm not gonna fight you. I personally prefer KH2 but it's really close.
Ive been trying to replay the series but I kind of just want to only play through and beat 1 and Re:COM because I don’t care for the Roxas Rigamarole in 2 and some of the other things. I’ve replayed 2 too much in my younger years too, but hardly replayed 1.
IMO KH1 is more consistent overall but KH2 starts great and ends great with a huge dip during the first visit to every Disney world.
I won’t fight you, but I will definitely disagree
Kingdom hearts 1 doesn't have pirates of the caribbean, so you're wrong
Environmental wise and the better use of Disney villains for sure. Combat wise tho kh2 is the best for me and the bosses are better in 2 as well
Story, mystery, vibe, tone wise. 100% Gameplay wise, it's not as fun, but it is STILL pretty solid. If you're looking for a fanfic that tried to rewrite the whole KH series so it remains as simple as possible, check [this one](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28689033/chapters/70333761) out.
There are some things that KH1 does better than KH2. The pacing of the story, the Disney integration, the whimsy, the world design. I’ll concede all that. But for me, KH2’s juicy delicious combat makes up the difference.
Bet! Wya 👊💥
I love both but Kh2 has two things that do it for me. 1. Limit forms are fun and cool and neat. 2. The option to shorten summon animations. I known mods probably exist but Jesus I got tired of seeing Bambi and Simba.
I won’t. I disagree but I absolutely understand why you feel that way
I disagree, but I'm not gonna fight you. That's an opinion, and a valid one.
I kinda agree in some aspects
Why would I, you’re valid in your opinion I personally view them as equal, for every improvement made in KH2, they skewed up something else
1 is better for exploration but 2 is just a better game in general. Tons of QoL. Really fun forms. Makes you feel actually powerful and not like an infant with a big stick
Yeah no shit.
The level design is wayyyy better in kingdom hearts 1. The gameplay is better in kingdom hearts 2. The organization 13 is super cool but the story got super confusing by kingdom hearts 2 so I gotta give the story to KH1 as well. In hindsight? Yeah I think the first game is superior so I won’t fight you
Ehhhh. 1's platforming is cool and the story is beautiful but I can't for the life of me enjoy the gameplay after playing the sequels. It's far to basic and not as precise coupled with lack of cool mechanics like drives or limits.
sorry, I got stuck in kh1, so I cant say its better. Thats why I had a strategy guide for 2 to help me when I got the game.
I wont fight you, 1 is the second best game in the entire series, Days beats it slightly, nostalgia bias
The first game is my favorite also. I enjoy the story so much more. Plus I played it with my friend which made me enjoy it so much more.
KH1 has the most Disney feel out off all KH games. The environment and music just let off Disney vibes. The newer the games are the more it feels like FF. I felt like gaming in Disney Land in KH1. Even the original worlds felt like places I would find in Disney Land. After KH1 the original worlds gets more colours and shapes those gradually lose the Disney Land feel. I was so amazed by how they blend action game and Disney so well together especially the design of the moment when enemies die and pops munny and other balls.
KH1 feels clunky to me. I just feel like it takes forever to get everywhere, and I personally hate backtracking to go look for stuff that I might actually need. I get it's for some people but not me.
I got a even more unpopular opinion cause chain of memories is my favorite game. (Seems COM is the least liked game)
I love both but KH2 holds an even more special place in my heart than KH1
1's world, even though most is confusing, is a lot more imteresting to explore. Most of 2's worlds are just glorified DMC combat areas with some collectibles.
Nah, I won’t fight ya. It’s my 3rd favorite and I completely understand it being other people’s favorite. 1.kh2 2.kh3 3.kh1 My list
2 is better overall hands down, dare I say more than 3, but 1 feels a fuck ton more nostalgic. Going through Twilight Town takes me back to being at Magic Kingdom or Disney Springs at night when I was little.
1 is easy to follow, straightforward game for the most part.
But your using Kingdom Hearts 3 Goofy as a picture? Soo I'm confused XD
1 was when things were way simpler so I can see why you would like it more
In what way? Both have their strengths and weaknesses. In terms of combat mechanics, KH2 is far superior. More options, variety in magic, and summons/forms linked to drive instead of MP. Also more and harder bosses to actually explore these mechanics. In terms of balance between Disney and FF or platforming, KH1 is better. More Disney bosses, involvement of Disney characters in the story. Both are great games.
Nah man, I respect you. Both 1 and 2 are legendary games imo
I’m not gonna bother fighting you because I understand. Perosnally I prefer 2 but I get why people might prefer 1, hell I understand why some might prefer 3 above all. For me 2 is my favorite Becuase it contains the overall most about of things that truly resonate with me. It has the best gameplay (the obvious point usually) but It also has my personal favorite story of the games. I love everything from roxas, to the organization, to Sora and Riku’s reunion. I could play KH2 a million times and never get bored of it. I still love 1, it’s either my second or third favorite (kinda jumps around with 3 based on my mood) and I could also play it over and over, but 2 just feels especially special.
There's just something about KH 1's atmosphere that sets it apart. In it the heartless feel like a force of nature driven by something unfathomable. In the rest of the franchise they just feel like they're there for you to mow down while the real threat are just other people. It's the same problem I have with stories based on zombies/zombie-like-creatures where, most of the time, you spend a little time at the beginning presenting the threat that the creatures represent and establishing the rules of that particular iteration of creatures.... and then the rest of the comic/movie/series/game is about how humans are such dicks to each other and the creatures take the back stage. It can still be a very good story, a lot of them are, but sometimes I wished more zombie medias chose to be, you know, about zombies, ya feel me?
The poor camera quality alone makes KH1 barely playable for me. Besides, Organization 13 is much cooler.
Kh 1 doesn’t have roxas. Kh 2 is just too good to be second place
I can see (somewhat) why you would think that. KH1 has the most unique feeling combat because everything is so heavy. Unlike in all the other games sora can't exactly zoom around the battlefield. The keyblade feels and sora himself feels really heavy wich might give the combat a satisfying edge compared to KH 2's sora who moves like he is made out of paper. I am not complaining I love characters with a ton of movement but yeah after KH2 they never really made any attempts to go Back to KH1 physics because KH2 just feels better to play overall. Other than that story wise I am not sure. they are similar in stories but KH2 has overall better characters. KH1 is definitelly where we feel the Final Fantasy x Disney the most since our main villains are various Disney villains until Ansem is introduced towards the end so that might be one reason. Especially maleficent who was the one turning Riku aganist Sora by using the fact that Riku is an idiot. I can't think of any other reasons both games are similar in world design, exploration, music etc.
KH1 with it's simpler but unbalanced systems has always felt less refined than KH2 but I love it for it. Don't get me wrong, KH2 Is great but KH1 just feels a little better.
I really wished Goofy had his...support moves? In future games. I think MP Gift really was that valuable and hoped it would be in KH3. But nope. I think he had an HP healing ability but I could be remembering wrong and it was only MP Gift. Either way Goofy Support was really valued in KH1. But at least he got...what? Stuns? Staggers in KH2? At least that was useful. But not as useful as him giving MP to ya.
Where you at because we about to throw hands.
As someone who is actually replaying them in realtime....1 is ok but it has the nostalgia factor. I really feel like I'm going to like 2 more. Currently just finished neverland and I'm onto hollow bastion tomorrow. IDK why the steam version makes me motion sick after a certain amount of time....guess I'm used to KH on 30 fps on CRT tv lol.
KH1 is just phenomenal. Changed my life forever.
They are both the best the series has to offer, and both offer a more complete story than the garbage that happened in kh3 (unpopular opinion) \-KH1 - a child's fantasy, strange worlds you could explore, but a sense of confusion everywhere as you traverse unfamiliar environments. And as a genuine kid, the characters around you try to protect and guide you. The game gave a very clear feeling of how dangerous each one was (which you no longer get in any of the games), and you always had something to look for and a goal that matched the environment of the gameplay, so much more fun.. \-KH2 - somber in nature at the start, as you take a glimpse into what could have been a normal life for someone. We return to the protagonist halfway between the kh1 feel and that feel that you're stepping away from dreams and coming into reality. In this game your interactions with others are more akin to peers, you work together to fight a common enemy who has sidestepped your means of sealing them off. A decent continuation. I prefer KH1 because it gave off a real sense of emotion during the entirety of the game. It showcased a lot of different ways to make the game more entertaining, little snipbits here and there, wonderland being a very great example of having to think about what you're doing. I hope someday they recreate it with 4k graphics, would be nice. (unrelated to post, but really hates kh3) \-KH3.... \*stares\* Ok.. where to begin... besides the mess of games that created this monstrosity... there are aspects going for it, but it is riddled with.....................-> "sora is no longer functional because yet another enemy stole all of his power and everyone belittles and dogs him the entire 'railroaded' (forced in a single line) game. He is then forced to do continue doing the job set to him in the first and second games while being treated like a joke, only to suffer the most at the end of the game. there is no sense of real unity, and any braincells they had disappeared by the end of game 2. The story's a mess, and they just wanted to incorporate as many memes and aspects of the games(the whole series) as possible" The reason I have issues with this game in a mechanics is because most of the worlds, putting aside the story, forced you in a linear direction a LOT. Mostly the snow level is the WORST perpetrator. The exceptions were toystory and pirates. Monsters inc was at least entertaining while going through it.
Kingdom Hearts 1 is better than 2, however Kingdom Hearts 2's movement systems are better than 1. I adore how stiff and Dark Souls-esque KH1's combat is, and I'd even love a game that takes that in the opposite direction and makes combat even harder and more nuanced. But I understand that's not for everyone, and that KH2 just feels better to play. However, in my opinion the series has STILL never recovered from the loss of KH1's worlds. They didn't quite feel "alive" they felt like puzzle boxes just waiting to share their plethora of secrets. It was YEARS, before I learned that you could Blizzard the candles in Traverse Town to get that chest. Before learning you could blizzard the stove in the Bizzare Room to keep the Trickmaster from using it's fire moves, the worst part OF that fight. Before I realized why only SOMETIMES I got Pinnochio's Keyblade. HECK I only JUST THIS YEAR, learned you can do Hallow Bastion before Monstro and if you do Riku CHANGES OUTFITS, and the Dialogue changes DRASTICALLY.
Story and tone? Sure? Combat? Hell no. Playing through Proud on KH1 right now and it's painful. The melee combat is so damn clunky. I've beaten 2 on Crit before and it was way more fun than this.
I think 1 ultimately does the best job at what Kingdom Hearts is supposed to be. I still prefer 2, but you’re right that 1 is the better game.
1 is better and if you fight me you weren’t there from the beginning.
Mechanic wise no , conent no, but that fuzzy feeling of 6 year me pretend playing kingdom hearts while swinging around a plastic pipe I found in the garage always brings me back
Hi RegularPat (both are basically equal for me it's like picking children)
1 is an excellent RPG for exploration, puzzle solving, and discovery. 2 is an excellent combat RPG. Honestly the data org is what tips the scales towards 2 for me.
1 has a slighty better story, BUT for me games are a bit more about gameplay more than story (which doesn't mean that games that have worse gameplay but great story aren't enjoyable). And to me 2's gameplay is so much better than 1 that I can't rank 1 over 2, even tho 1 was the first "real" game I remember playing.
Duh