Kingdom Hearts 2got quite a positive reception when it was released back in 2005, with fans and criticspraising its gameplay, presentation and story. However, this was no perfect game, since it also had some significant flaws.Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mixwas released two years later, an enhanced version that fixed most of the problems of the original game. But sadly, this new version was exclusive to Japan for many years.
The rest of the world finally got to play the Final Mix version whenKingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIXwas released in 2014. Every subsequent collection would feature this enhanced edition, while the original PS2 version was lost to time. Most fans claim that the additions of the Final Mix are the main reason as whyKingdom Hearts 2is considered the best game in the franchise. However, some newcomers may not know what most of these changes are.
10Recolored Enemies
Like In The Previous Game, Most Heartless Sport New Colors
One of the most famous changes in the Final Mix version of the firstKingdom Heartswas the new color schemes for the Heartless enemies. And this bizarre change returned forKingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix, where almost every Heartless was completely recolored.
Fans had the same criticisms as before. Most of the new color schemes made the Heartless look tacky and less intimidating, especially since they were also applied to huge bosses. Luckily, the Nobodies kept their original color schemes.
9Introduced Special Heartless
The Mushroom XIII Offered Fun New Mini-Games
LikeKingdom Hearts Final Mix, the enhanced edition ofKingdom Hearts 2added new special Heartless throughout the many Disney worlds. They force Sora to take part in entertaining mini-games. But this time, these Heartless have a more cohesive theme.
These are theMushroom XIII, a group of Heartlessthat are based on the different members of Organization XIII, the main antagonists of the game. Not only are they wearing the same black coats and sport each member’s distinctive number, but their mini-games also feature references to the boss fights against each member of the Organization. If Sora passes all thirteen tests, he will obtain theWinner’s ProofKeyblade.
8A New Drive Form
Sora Can Use His Powers From The First Game
TheDrive Formsare one of the best gameplay elements ofKingdom Hearts 2, allowing Sora to access different power-ups that let him wield two Keyblades at the same time. The Final Mix version added a new Drive Form that, despite lacking this dual-wielding aspect, was satisfying to use.
This is none other thanLimit Form, a Drive Form that gives Sora all of his abilities from the first game. This includes the classic Dodge Roll and combo modifiers (like Zantetsuken and Ripple Drive). Not only that, but he can also now perform the four iconic action abilities from his previous adventure: Sonic Rave, Last Arcanum, Strike Raid and Infinity.
7Gathering Puzzle Pieces
A Small But Entertaining New Gameplay Element
The worlds ofKingdom Hearts 2were criticized for being fairly linearand not presenting much room for exploration. In response, the Final Mix version included thePuzzle Pieces.This cute gameplay element incentivized the player to explore every corner of each world to find them.
These pieces worked exactly as intended, giving players a reason to go back to previous levels with new movement abilities. They can be used to assemble different puzzles that will reward players with a beautiful piece of art and some useful items for their adventure.
6A New Difficulty Level
Critical Mode Is One Of The Franchise’s Biggest Challenges
As beloved as the original version ofKingdom Hearts 2was, it was always criticized for being nowhere near as hard as its predecessor. As a result, Square Enix had the brilliant idea of adding a new difficulty setting to the Final Mix version that would present an intense challenge for even the most experienced players.
This new difficulty level was calledCritical Mode, and it would double the damage that Sora can both deal and receive, while also giving him less HP and magic, and making enemies much more aggressive. This harsh level of challenge was extremely well received by fans, andCritical Mode eventually became a staple for the rest of the franchise.
5The Player Fights Roxas
The Most Important Battle Is No Longer Relegated To A Cutscene
Roxasis one of the most important characters – if not the most important – in the story ofKingdom Hearts 2. So, when Sora eventually has an inner battle against him near the end of the game, the stakes are high. But the player never gets to fight Roxas, and this conflict is instead resolved entirely via cutscene. This was regarded as one of the most questionable decisions in this entire franchise.
The Final Mix version rectified this huge mistake by adding a boss fight against Roxas. The result was not only a satisfying boss battle, but also one of the best ones in the entire franchise, both in terms of challenge and spectacle.
4A New Area To Explore
The Cavern Of Remembrance Is One Of The Best Locations
Compared to the first game,Kingdom Hearts 2is much more focused on action and less on exploration or platforming. But this was somewhat corrected by a new area that is only featured in the Final Mix version: TheCavern of Remembrance,inside Radiant Garden.
This huge cave has it all: a beautiful atmosphere, aggressive variants of already infamous Heartless enemies, and an element of puzzle-solving. It even offers some satisfying platforming that takes advantage of the different methods of movement that Sora can earn throughout the game. To top it all off, players will find a collection of incredible and tough boss fights at the very end of the level. It is no wonder that the Cavern of Remembrance remains a fan favorite location in the franchise.
3Fight Organization XIII More Than Once
Absent Silhouettes and Data Battles Added To The Post-Game
The members ofOrganization XIIIare legendary characterswith memorable personalities and interesting boss battles. However, by the time the player gets to face them with the dynamic combat system ofKingdom Hearts 2, half of them are already dead. Even those which Sora faces in this game can only be fought once.
To fix this, the Final Mix version added two great new mechanics. First, theAbsent Silhouetteslet Sora face all the members of Organization XIII who had already met their demise in Castle Oblivion. Second, the 13Data Battlesfound in the Cavern of Remembrance let the player fight more powerful and more challenging versions of these characters as many times as they want.
2A New Mysterious, Challenging Secret Boss
The Lingering Will Is A True Test
Like inKingdom Hearts 1 Final Mix, Square Enix sawKingdom Hearts 2 Final Mixas an opportunity to add a brand-new secret boss fight. This would not only would present a big challenge for the players, but would also hint at important events from future games. This intriguing new character was theLingering Will, who is infamous for being one of the hardest bosses in the franchise.
Lingering Will can exclusively be fought in the Final Mix version. His battle is extremely difficult, with a lot of tricky moves and impressive techniques that had never been seen at that point in the series. Even the players who have managed to defeat all the Data Organization XIII members will have a tough time against this enemy. It was later revealed that the Lingering Will is related toTerra,one of the protagonists of the prequel,Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep.
1The Expanded Story Included A New Secret Ending
Everything Makes Much More Sense In This Version
It can be argued thatKingdom Hearts 2was the point at which the story of the franchise became convoluted and hard to follow. So it was a good move from Square Enix to animate and include new cutscenes for the Final Mix version that show relevant events and do a better job at explaining important plot points.
Now the player can get a glimpse of what the entire Organization XIII was doing when they were not bothering Sora, which is fascinating.Axel’s betrayal and Roxas’ backstory were also fleshed out more efficiently. But the most significant addition toKingdom Hearts 2’s Final Mixwas its brand-new secret ending, titled“Birth by Sleep.”This was an incredible cutscene with impressive animation that set the stage for the upcoming game,Birth by Sleep.
