Kingdom Hearts II
| Kingdom Hearts II | |
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| File:Kh2logo0.jpg | |
| キングダムハーツII Kingudamu Hātsu Tsū | |
| Developer(s) | Square Enix |
| Publisher(s) |  Square Enix / Square Enix, Buena Vista GamesEurope/  Sony Computer Entertainment
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| Release date(s) | December 22, 2005
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| Genre | Action RPG |
| Game modes | Single player |
| Ratings | ESRB: Everyone 10+PEGI:  12+USK: 6+ OFLC:  PGELSPA: 11+ |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
Kingdom Hearts II is the sequel to Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and like the two previous games, focuses on Sora and his friends continued battle against Darkness. It also offers a number of improvements over the original with many new features, most notably Sora's Drive Form function, an improved camera, and in-battle options called Reaction Commands.
The theme song for the game is "Sanctuary" (Japanese version: "Passion") performed by Utada Hikaru.
It is the third game in the series & the fifth game in the timeline after Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories & Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.
Story
Kingdom Hearts II begins where Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days left off. Sora and his companions have been asleep for about a year, regaining their memories. When Sora awakens, he eventually arrives in Twilight Town, the place where a mysterious boy, Roxas, lived before he suddenly left. Gaining new clothes and powers, Sora began his journey anew, unaware of the events that have taken place in Chain of Memories. Sora continues his quest by unlocking paths to new worlds, learning of Nobodies and fighting the Heartless, as well as facing the remaining members of the mysterious Organization XIII. As the game progresses, Sora learns about Roxas and how much they have in common.
The story begins with the player in control of Roxas in Twilight Town. Roxas has recurring dreams of Sora's adventures while increasingly mysterious activities begin taking place in Twilight Town during Roxas' summer vacation. After obtaining the Keyblade to defend himself from the Nobodies, Roxas comes in contact with a young man in black named Axel. Axel appears to know Roxas, though Roxas has no recollection of him. Roxas eventually makes his way into an abandoned mansion where a girl named Naminé informs him that he is a Nobody, although he did not quite know what a Nobody was at that time. Finally, confronted by a mysterious, red-cloaked man called DiZ, Roxas discovers Sora, Donald, and Goofy sleeping in the hidden basement of the mansion. Roxas seems to merge with Sora. As Sora, Donald, and Goofy awake from their year-long slumber. Jiminy Cricket, who had previously chronicled the trio's adventures, finds that his journal is now completely blank, save for the note: "Thank Naminé" (which was written by Jiminy himself during Chain of Memories).
After meeting Pete, a new villain, and speaking with Yen Sid, the party is informed that they must once again visit many worlds to protect them from both the Heartless and the Nobodies in an attempt to stop Organization XIII. These include both old but greatly changed places, like Hollow Bastion, and brand new worlds the party has never encountered before. In the course of their travels, the Heartless, headed by a revived Maleficent and the Organization regain power, eventually forcing Sora to battle a massive army of a thousand Heartless that are attacking the restored town.
After the battle, Xemnas, the head of the Organization, reveals their ultimate goal: the Nobodies plan to create another Kingdom Hearts , a doorway to the heart of all worlds that will presumably allow the Nobodies to get their hearts back. After confronting and defeating more members of the Organization, Sora goes to the World That Never Was to settle the score with the Organization for good; he also finally reunites with his friends Riku and Kairi. Sora learns the truth about Roxas as well; he and Naminé are, respectively, Sora and Kairi's Nobodies, created when they lost their hearts in the original Kingdom Hearts game.
In the end, only Xemnas is left of the original thirteen members. Sora and Riku unite to defeat him, and his new Kingdom Hearts is closed. Sora and the others are returned to their homeworld of Destiny Islands. Although Sora has to say goodbye to Donald and Goofy, he knows in his heart that true friends are never gone. However, sometime later, Sora, Riku, and Kairi receive a letter from King Mickey after the credits. They proceed to read the letter, but the contents are left a mystery to the player, which are later revealed in the final release of Kingdom Hearts coded.
Your mom-
Censorship
Besides typical English translation and localization, the English version of Kingdom Hearts II differs from the original Japanese version in the content of gameplay and several scenes:
- When Sora battles the Hydra in Olympus Coliseum, green blood gushes out whenever Sora harms it. The green blood was changed to black and purple smoke in the English version, though the cutscene where Hercules was fighting it retains the green blood. The reason for this change is unknown, as even the original movie had the green blood.
- Xigbar's telescopic sight was changed from view with a cross-hair and black shading around the sides to three glowing circles.
- An attack animation was also altered; in the Japanese version, Xigbar combined his two hand-held guns to create a sniper rifle, which was used to shoot the player's party during the telescoping sight sequence. In the English version, Xigbar does not combine his guns, but twirls them around and shoots at Sora with a single gun, holding the other at his side.
- The death of Axel is slightly edited; in the original Japanese version, he bursts into flames during his suicide attack, and the flames are consuming his body as he fades away.
- Port Royal contains the most content edits. Cutscenes were edited to remove some of the violence, such as Will Turner threatening to commit suicide while aiming a gun at his head. While he still threatens to commit suicide, he does not aim a gun at his head.
- Undead Pirates do not catch fire when affected by Fire magic, though the Grim Reaper still does (Trying to light pirates on fire results in them running around smoking instead of burning). The pirate's muskets were modified to resemble crossbows, though the crossbows still fire with an audible musket shot sound effect. Also, whenever Sora's party is hit by fire attacks, they briefly catch on fire.
- In the original Japanese version, the blood on the cursed medallions remains throughout the game, but disappears after Barbossa and Will drop them into the chest. However, if one looks closely, blood is visible on the medallion while Sora is holding it.
- In the Japanese version, when Jack Sparrow is stabbed by Barbossa, the sword sticks out of his chest as he staggers back into the moonlight. In the English version, the sword has been removed.
- Dialogue in Port Royal was also edited: when Barbossa tells Elizabeth of their curse, he mentions lust and women, which is removed in the English version and replaced by "pleasurable company," this is, however, the line used in the movie.
FAIL
Worlds and Characters
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Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+
See Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+.
Trivia
- In the English version, Sora's Final Form varies from the official Guide from the pattern on his pants. If players look closely, the pattern resembles Sora's Master Form rather than its own design.
- In the official soundtrack disks, Organization XIII's theme is listed as "Organization XIII" on the back of the CD case, but if the songs were placed on an iPod or any other mp3 player that lists the name of the song, the title would read "Organization VIII". Possibly because the missing members were defeated prior to Kingdom Hearts II in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, though it is more likely a simple error.
- Kingdom Hearts II is the only main game in the Kingdom Hearts series to date that requires a combo finisher or magic to defeat a boss.
Packaging Artwork
- Kh2.jpg
North American Box Cover
- KHII JAP Box Cover.jpg
Japanese Box Cover
- KHII PAL Box Cover.jpg
PAL Box Cover
