The latest Famitsu weekly has arrived, and with it 15 glorious pages of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX scans to celebrate it's launch in Japan today! The scans show off the various changes and improvements made to Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix, and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.
Translations by Zephyr are below:
KINGDOM HEARTS Series Creator
Comments from Tetsuya Nomura
What are the highlights of KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX in the HD version?
Nomura: The maps and quality of production in KINGDOM HEARTS II are higher than KINGDOM HEARTS’s. Converting it to HD, the expression of characters on screen looks much better and situations are easier to understand. I think KINGDOM HEARTS II has gained a greater amount of benefits when it was converted to HD.
New elements have been added in the FINAL MIX version, please tell us what things to look forward to.
Nomura: The battle against Lingering Will. Throughout the series, it is considered the first or second most popular battle. Having to defeat it will be difficult but I want you to experience a glimpse of his strength even if you do not win. Depending whether or not you fight him, your perception for KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep may change. KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep FINAL MIX is in the KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX collection and fighting Lingering Will in KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX will make you want to play KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep.
What are the highlights of KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep in the HD version?
Nomura: It was a game for a portable system and it is now in HD. In a sense, there is a bigger impact than the HD version for KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX concerning its console system. It is now definitely cleaner and convinces you to believe it’s brand new. As for the story, there are three main characters with many impressive cutscenes and none watered down. Suffice to say, there is a secret movie. I think because it has become close to the heart of the series, I want you to watch it in HD by all means.
New elements have been added in the FINAL MIX version, please tell us what things to look forward to.
Nomura: The secret episode. To make up for the lackness in the secret movie, it can now be played as an episode. For the pace of the story and battles, I thought it was a good idea to put it. By the way, the message of KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep Volume II appears at the end and it indicates it would expand on the story of Aqua in the Realm of Darkness. In those 10 years, it doesn’t necessarily mean she always wandered in the Realm of Darkness and there has been a story for Aqua’s experiences. And, the episode also shows “A fragmentary passage” where it was cut off. I hope we will have the chance to discuss about it somewhere.
What are the highlights of KINGDOM HEARTS Re:coded in the HD version?
Nomura: The entire thing. Even the events where text is displayed, a voice actor narrates those lines, and I think the impression is quite different. Also for example, in Alice’s world, dialogue texts read “da-na” but the voice actor reads it as “da-nya”. We have tried to incorporate and reflect upon the original movie.* I think this work has a variety of discoveries, Disney Worlds, battle scenes, and by putting a narrator, I was very careful on how these were all connected in this film as much as possible.
*Nomura is referring to unique accents on how words are expressed in characters.
Please tell us about the additional cutscenes.
Nomura: There are two new scenes and one of them talks about the Foreteller’s Script from KINGDOM HEARTS chi. Many people have the impression that KINGDOM HEARTS chi is separate from the main series but I wanted to tell you that because this element is in KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX, there is a connection and that was my intention. There is another scene that happens before when Lea wakes in KINGDOM HEARTS 3D. As you have these insights and think about a variety of questions and mysteries, please try to use your imagination.
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