After nearly an endless time of other things keeping me busy otherwise (among them the real chore to platinum Re: Chain of Memories), I finally got to start up my copy of HD 2.5 Remix yesterday on January 4 (I got the game on December 8, just for comparison, lol).
Since I already know the story inside and out I went right ahead and started with the Re: Coded movie...and was really positively surprised.
They did so much better with this one compared to the Days movie in 1.5 and seeing the story in this condensed form made me even more wonder why so many people feel the need to dismiss/diss on Re: Coded.
This story has one of the best integrations of Disney characters after KH 1, with Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Jiminy, Pete and Maleficent all taking forefront roles nearly equal to Data-Sora and Data-Riku.
The atmosphere in the scenes where Data-Sora regains his Keyblade, Donald and Goofy recplicate his "famous" friends-are-my-power speech and declaring to see im as a real person despite Pete saying otherwise and Mickey not so cryptically hinting at Data-Sora growing his own heart was captured very beautifully and using DDD's "Link to all"-music for this one hit the bullseye.
Data-Sora "debugging" Data-Riku's data and especially their interactions connected to it are really something that I would have liked to see more in the other entires of the series, especially in BBS which lacks seriously in interactions between the main characters that isn't plot induced stupidity in order to make sure Xehanort's plan goes smoothly.
The whole Castle Oblivion-episode was also a great mix of chilling and somewhat sad impressions, in no small parts because of Jesse McCartney's great acting as Data-Roxas and HJO bouncing off it equally intense with portraying Data-Sora's reactions.
In the regular ending, using "Destiny's Union" from BBS as the music when Mickey and Data-Sora dive into the hurtful memories and see all the people in torment gave me actual goosebumps so fitting was it for the events playing out.
After watching that rollercoaster I started up KH II Final Mix for the first time today, right now doing oddjobs with Roxas and deliver some mail to some lulzy pigeons.
First impressions are: "Wow, how pretty".
Everything so far's really smooth and Roxas' new model really stands out as vastly improved over the one from the original KH II. You can even make out the little details on the checkerboard patterns situated on his clothes and his X-shaped zipper pull actually shines in Twilight Town's sunlight.