With Kingdom Hearts III still somewhere off in the distant horizon,
Square Enix has been steadily releasing collections
of past titles in the Kingdom Hearts series.
While Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 cover most of the previous games,
some of the more recent titles have still been missing.
Now Square Enix is tying up some more loose ends
with Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue for the PlayStation 4.
The package includes an HD update for Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
which originally appeared on the Nintendo 3DS in 2012,
Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover,
a mobile game that has now been remade into a movie,
and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep 0.2 - A Fragmentary Passage
which is a brand new game.
Just like previous HD collections, Kingdom Hearts 2.8’s visuals look great.
Character models are crisp and the environments look sharp.
Dream Drop Distance runs at a smooth 60 frames per second
and even Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover
looks better than similar movies in the other collections.
However, Birth by Sleep 0.2 - A Fragmentary Passage is the true stand-out.
Birth by Sleep 0.2 is a completely new playable episode
that links to the story of Kingdom Hearts III.
It takes place after the story of Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep,
played from the perspective of Aqua.
It took us a little under three hours to complete the episode,
but thankfully, finishing it unlocks a critical difficulty setting
and new game+ for those who want to replay.
Designed from the ground-up for current hardware,
Birth by Sleep 0.2 is a marvel to behold.
Character models are more detailed and lifelike than ever before,
and the locations you visit on your journey ooze with style and color.
Spells like Thunder and Blizzard are bright and vibrant
as electricity surges through enemies or crystals of ice decorate the air.
It also runs at a higher frame rate than titles in the past,
but not at a consistent 60 frames per second.
While the new title feels very similar to the original Birth by Sleep
in terms of combat and gameplay,
there’s enough good there to keep it from feeling stale.
Battle systems like Shotlock and Situation Commands make a welcome return
and there are a few encounters that change up the pace.
However, a new change is the Wardrobe system.
By completing certain objectives like killing a specific number of heartless
or finishing a boss fight on critical difficulty,
you can unlock new cosmetic items for Aqua.
New patterns, colors, and accessories
like wings and cat ears are available to earn.
Even Minnie Mouse ears can be unlocked,
adding some lighthearted customization to the series.
Though it may be short, Birth by Sleep 0.2 - A Fragmentary Passage
is a blast to play through.
It keeps the solid gameplay from Birth by Sleep
while adding a few new fun systems to explore.
It provides some additional context on past events
and has a few surprises that leave us wanting more.
If this is any indication of what Kingdom Hearts III has in store,
we couldn’t be more excited.
Although Birth by Sleep 0.2 may be the best showcase for the future of the series,
Dream Drop Distance is nothing to snooze on.
Dream Drop Distance HD takes the tried and true formula from past games
and adds Dream Eaters and the Drop mechanic.
Dream Eaters are colorful monsters you create
that fight alongside you on your journey.
There are several different types,
and each one has its own skill tree you can explore as it levels up.
They can also unlock abilities for Sora and Riku
like a new magic spell or a passive bonus.
Taking care of Dream Eaters is important too.
Petting them, feeding them, and doing activities like popping balloons
gives Dream Eaters more experience and other benefits.
The Drop system essentially has you switching
between Sora and Riku throughout the game.
Each character has a time limit counting down as you play,
and when it runs out, you’re forced to change characters
regardless of what you’re doing.
Thankfully, there are items that allow you to extend your time
if you want to finish a world with a certain character
or if you’re in a boss fight.
Likewise, you can also change characters at any save point.
In order to get the full story,
you'll need to complete all the worlds as both characters,
but at least each protagonist encounters different events
to keep the repetition from getting too stale.
Rounding out the collection is Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover.
Similar to 358/2 Days and Re:coded,
Square Enix has decided to turn this smaller game into a series of cut-scenes.
The story serves as a decent prequel to the entire Kingdom Hearts franchise,
and since the gameplay of the original mobile game isn’t all that interesting,
Square Enix made the right call with this quick summary.
Though it’s a little shorter compared to its predecessors,
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a collection worthy of your time.
The HD treatment on Dream Drop Distance is excellent.
Birth by Sleep 0.2 - A Fragmentary Passage
is a gorgeous prologue to Kingdom Hearts III,
and while Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover is the weakest link in the collection,
it lets fans efficiently catch up on that chapter of the story.
While it may just be an appetizer, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
is a fine example of why we’re still excited for the future of the franchise.
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