Kingdom Hearts II

The Final Mix version of the game was later remastered in high definition and released globally as part of the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix collection for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. The third game in the Kingdom Hearts series, and takes place one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Sora, the protagonist of the first two games, returns to search for his lost friends while battling the sinister Organization XIII, a group of antagonists previously introduced in Chain of Memories. Like previous games, Kingdom Hearts II features a large cast of characters from Disney and Square Enix properties. Concepts for Kingdom Hearts II began during the end of development of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, with the game entering full development in 2003 and being announced at Tokyo Game Show 2003. Most of the first game's development team returned, including director Tetsuya Nomura, with the game being developed concurrently with Chain of Memories. In developing Kingdom Hearts II, the development team sought to address user feedback from the first game, give the player more freedom and options in combat and present a deeper and more mature plot. The game was released to a very positive reaction from critics; earning several awards upon release. Reviewers praised the visuals, soundtrack, voice acting, and emotional weight, but assessments of the gameplay and narrative were mixed. In both Japan and North America, it shipped more than one million copies within weeks of its release, with over four million worldwide by April 2007. It has been cited as one of the greatest video games of all time.

• Title — Kingdom Hearts II • Developer — Square Enix Product Development Division 1 • Publisher — Square Enix • Director — Tetsuya Nomura • Producer — * Shinji Hashimoto • Yoshinori Kitase • Programmer — * Hiroshi Harata • Kentaro Yasui • Artist — * Takayuki Odachi • Tetsuya Nomura • Writer — Kazushige Nojima • Composer — Yoko Shimomura • Series — Kingdom Hearts • Platforms — PlayStation 2 • Released — Final MixMarch 29, 2007 • Genre — Action role-playing, hack and slash • Modes — Single-player

• Illustration — Sora battles Sephiroth in Radiant Garden. The player uses the game menu at the bottom left of the screen to control Sora's actions and can monitor Sora's HP and MP gauges on the bottom right. The gameplay of Kingdom Hearts II is similar to the action RPG and hack and slash gameplay of the first Kingdom Hearts game, though developers made an effort to address some of the complaints of no map and camera bugs with the previous game. The player directly controls Sora from a third-person camera angle, though it is possible to switch to a first-person perspective by pressing the Select button. Most of the gameplay occurs on interconnected field maps where battles take place. The game is driven by a linear progression from one story event to the next, usually told via cutscenes, though there are numerous side-quests available that provide bonuses to characters. Like many traditional role-playing video games, Kingdom Hearts II features an experience point system which determines character development. As enemies are defeated, the player and allies gain experience to "level up", allowing them to grow stronger and gain access to new abilities. Combat in Kingdom Hearts II takes place in real-time and involves hack and slash elements with button presses which initiate attacks by the on-screen character. A role-playing game menu on the screen's bottom left, similar to those found in Final Fantasy games, provides other combat options, such as using magic or items, summoning beings to assist in battle, or executing combination attacks with other party members. A new feature is the "Reaction Command", special enemy-specific attacks that are triggered when the player presses the triangle button at the correct time during battle. Reaction Commands can be used to defeat regular enemies or avoid damage, and are sometimes necessary to complete a boss battle. In addition to the main character, two party members are usually present who also participate in combat. Although these characters are computer-controlled, the player is allowed to customize their behavior to a certain extent through the menu screen, such as attacking the same enemy Sora targets. In response to criticism, the "Gummi Ship" feature of the first game was re-imagined to be "more enjoyable". Although retaining its basic purpose of travel, the system was completely redone to resemble a combination of rail shooter and "Disney theme park ride". In the world map, the player now controls the Gummi Ship from a top-down view to fly to the world they wish to enter. Worlds are no longer open from the beginning—the player must unlock the routes to them by entering a new level, controlling the ship from a third-person point of view, and battling enemy ships. After the route is opened, travel to the world is unimpeded, unless it is blocked again due to a plot-related event. The player may also gain new Gummi Ships from completing routes, which is also a new feature.

One of the new features is a meter known as the "Drive Gauge". which has two functions: to transform Sora into a "Drive Form" or to summon a special character. While in a Drive Form, Sora bonds with party members to become more powerful and acquire different attributes; all but two Forms also allow the use of two Keyblades. When a Drive is executed, Sora's combat statistics are heightened. Drive Forms also give Sora new abilities that can be used in normal form, called "Growth Abilities". Sora's first two Drive Forms only combine power with one party member; later-obtained Drive Forms require him to bond with both party members. When allies are used in a Drive, they are temporarily removed from battle for its duration. Unlike the HP and MP gauges, the Drive Gauge is not refilled at save points. Like in the first game, Sora can summon a Disney character to aid him in battle. Summons will replace the two computer-controlled characters and fight alongside Sora for as long as the Drive Gauge allows, or until Sora's HP runs out. Instead of being limited to only one action, Summons now have a menu of their own and are capable of performing solo or cooperative actions with Sora, which are performed by pressing the triangle button. The Summon ability and each Drive Form are leveled up separately and by different criteria; obtaining higher levels allows for extended use and in the case of Drive Forms, access to new abilities.

Kingdom Hearts II begins one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories. The game's setting is a collection of various levels (referred to in-game as "worlds") that the player progresses through. As in the first game, the player can travel to various Disney-based locales, along with original worlds specifically created for the series. While Disney-based worlds were primarily derived from the Disney animated features canon in the first game, Kingdom Hearts II introduces worlds that are based on live-action franchises: Pirates of the Caribbean or Tron. Each world varies in appearance and setting, depending on the Disney film on which it is based. The graphics of the world and characters are meant to resemble the artwork and style of the environments and characters from their respective Disney films. Each world is disconnected from the others and exists separately; with few exceptions, players travel from one world to another via a Gummi Ship. Some worlds featured in the previous games reappear, but with new and expanded areas. New worlds are also introduced, with the Land of Dragons being based on Mulan, Beast's Castle on Beauty and the Beast, Timeless River on Steamboat Willie among other shorts from the Mickey Mouse film series, Port Royal on Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pride Lands on The Lion King, and Space Paranoids on Tron. Twilight Town, an original world first seen in Chain of Memories, has a greater role as the introductory world. The World That Never Was is a new world that serves as the headquarters of Organization XIII.

The three protagonists are Sora, a 15-year-old boy chosen as a wielder of the Keyblade—a mystical key-shaped weapon that can combat darkness; Donald Duck, the court magician of Disney Castle; and Goofy, the captain of the Disney Castle guards. Both Donald and Goofy are under orders from their missing king, Mickey Mouse, to accompany Sora and his Keyblade. Other original characters include Riku, who is briefly playable at the game's climax, and Kairi, who are Sora's friends from his home world of Destiny Islands; Roxas, a boy who can also wield the Keyblade and is playable in the game's beginning sequence; Naminé, a girl with the power to manipulate memories; and DiZ, a man clad in red robes with a vendetta against Organization XIII, and is later revealed to be Ansem the Wise, Xehanort's mentor. As in the previous games, characters from both Disney and Square Enix works appear. While some return from Kingdom Hearts, additional Disney characters are introduced, such as Scrooge McDuck and several characters from Disney films in their home worlds. Pete appears as a persistent enemy who works with the resurrected Maleficent. Nearly twenty characters from Final Fantasy games appear, notably Auron from Final Fantasy X, Squall Leonhart from Final Fantasy VIII, and Cloud Strife, Sephiroth, and Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy VII. Other new characters to the series are Vivi Ornitier from Final Fantasy IX, Seifer Almasy from Final Fantasy VIII, and Setzer Gabbiani from Final Fantasy VI. The worlds that Sora explores often have an optional party character from the film which the world is based on. These party members include Fa Mulan, a woman who passes as a man to take her ailing father's place in the army; Jack Sparrow, a pirate who seeks to reclaim his ship, the Black Pearl; Simba, a self-exiled lion and the rightful king of the Pride Lands; and Tron, a security program in Hollow Bastion's computer network who seeks to end the dictatorship of the Master Control Program. Organization XIII, a group of powerful Nobodies—the "empty shells" left over when a strong-hearted person becomes a Heartless—introduced in Chain of Memories, is established as the primary group of antagonists early on. Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, serves as the main antagonist and final boss of the game. Villains unique to the worlds are prevalent and are often presented as challenges that Sora's group must overcome.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy have spent the past year in suspended animation to restore their lost memories. Meanwhile, Roxas, Sora's Nobody, is unknowingly trapped in a virtual simulation of Twilight Town created by DiZ to protect him from Organization XIII until Sora awakens. DiZ's plan is threatened when Nobodies led by Axel, Roxas's former friend in Organization XIII, infiltrate the virtual town to retrieve him. Roxas repels the Nobodies before merging with Sora. After awakening, Sora, Donald, and Goofy meet King Mickey and Yen Sid, who send them on a new journey to find Riku and uncover Organization XIII's plans. Meanwhile, Maleficent is resurrected and reunites with Pete to continue her quest for power. Sora travels to both familiar and unfamiliar worlds, resolving conflicts caused by Organization XIII, the Heartless, and various local villains. During a visit to Hollow Bastion, the group reunites with Mickey, who reveals that the "Ansem" they previously defeated was an impostor who was actually the Heartless of a man named Xehanort, and that Xehanort's Nobody, Xemnas, leads Organization XIII. The Organization reveals that it seeks to create its own Kingdom Hearts from the hearts Sora releases from defeated Heartless, believing its power will restore the members' lost hearts. They also abduct Kairi to use as leverage against Sora. As Sora revisits the worlds to resolve lingering problems while searching for a route to Organization XIII's stronghold in the World That Never Was, he is secretly aided by a hooded figure he believes to be Riku. Following a lead, Sora, Donald, and Goofy travel through Twilight Town to reach the World That Never Was, where Axel sacrifices himself to help them proceed. Sora reunites with Kairi and Riku, learning that Riku assumed the appearance of Xehanort's Heartless after unleashing his power to subdue Roxas. Mickey encounters DiZ, who reveals himself to be the real Ansem, Xehanort's mentor. Ansem uses a device to dissipate some of Kingdom Hearts' power, but it overloads and explodes, apparently killing him while restoring Riku's original appearance. At the Castle That Never Was, Sora and his allies defeat Xemnas, who draws on the remnants of Kingdom Hearts during the battle. During the battle, Sora and Riku become trapped in the Realm of Darkness, where they discover a letter from Kairi that opens a portal back to the Destiny Islands, allowing them to reunite with their friends. In a post-credits scene, Sora, Kairi, and Riku receive a letter from Mickey, the contents of which are hidden from the player.

Nomura had plans for a sequel when working on the first Kingdom Hearts. Development plans for Kingdom Hearts II began around the completion of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, but specific details were undecided until July 2003. Nomura noted several obstacles to clear before development could begin on a sequel. One such obstacle was the development team's desire to showcase Mickey Mouse more, which required Disney's approval. The game was developed by Square Enix's Product Development Division 1, with most of the original staff from the first game. The game was originally supposed to have been released after Kingdom Hearts. Nomura had planned for the sequel to take place a year after the first and originally intended for the events of that year to be left unexplained. To bridge the gap between the two games, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was developed. To explain the loss of all the abilities from the first game at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II, Nomura had Sora's memories scrambled in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. • Illustration — The Gummi Ship segments were redesigned for Kingdom Hearts II. Many aspects of the gameplay were reworked for the sequel. Some changes were made due to user feedback and others were meant to be included in previous games but were omitted either because of time or technological constraints. The camera was switched to the right analog stick of the DualShock controller instead of the shoulder buttons and the Gummi Ship travel was reworked. The combat system was completely redone and did not use any animations from the first game. Because Sora had matured, Nomura wanted his fighting style to reflect that. Other changes included more integration between exploration and battles. The variations in combat styles associated with each Drive Form and the introduction of the Reaction Command were added to give players more choices in battles. The inclusion of worlds based on live-action Disney films was aided by technology that generated the character models from live-action pictures.

Like the first game, Kingdom Hearts II features music by Yoko Shimomura and Hikaru Utada. Shimomura built upon the foundation of the first game, which she felt was an easier creative process; she considered blending Disney elements with the darker nature of the original Kingdom Hearts more difficult. The musical-style songs feature Japanese and English lyrics depending on the game's region, something Shimomura felt completely changed the scenes' atmosphere. Several songs from the previous games reappear; for example, "Twilight Town", which Shimomura originally composed for Chain of Memories, is featured. The Original Soundtrack for Kingdom Hearts II was composed by Shimomura and released on January 25, 2006. The opening orchestration and ending credits theme were arranged and orchestrated by Kaoru Wada and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. The main vocal theme for the original Japanese release is "Passion", written and performed by Utada. An English version titled "Sanctuary" was used in Western releases. Utada began working on "Passion" in 2003, and while creating it, the developers approached them about singing the theme song for Kingdom Hearts II. Nomura wanted Utada to return in part because he was aware that fans associated them with the franchise. Compared to the previous theme, he provided Utada more detailed story notes with an emphasis on Sora and Riku's reunion. The developers also provided sketches and video of the ending segment the song would play. Having worked on the previous game, Utada could more easily visualize how the song connected to the scene and aimed to match the impact of "Hikari". After Utada completed the song, the developers adjusted the final movie to ensure the content syncronized with the music. Utada's involvement was announced on July 29, 2005. Prior to the announcement, Nomura declined to comment on whether Utada would return for the sequel. The CD single for "Passion" was released on December 14, 2005, and "Sanctuary" was first previewed on MTV's official website in early 2006.

Kingdom Hearts II features well-known voice actors for both the Japanese and English versions. Many of the original voice actors from the first Kingdom Hearts reprised their roles; Miyu Irino and Haley Joel Osment as Sora, Mamoru Miyano and David Gallagher as Riku, and Risa Uchida and Hayden Panettiere as Kairi. Voice actors new to series include Koki Uchiyama and Jesse McCartney as Roxas, Iku Nakahara and Brittany Snow as Naminé, and Genzō Wakayama and Christopher Lee as DiZ. Osment recalled that the producers provided the voice actors a flow chart of the plot in order to help them understand the story's complexity. Irino, Miyano, and Uchida learned of Kingdom Hearts II during the winter of 2004 while recording commercials for Chain of Memories. The three recorded most of their parts separately, with only a few scenes done together. They all did their original Kingdom Hearts roles early in their careers and felt more seasoned for the sequel. Their voices had matured since they voiced the first game, which led Irino and Uchida to replicate their voices from before—both were in junior high at the time—because the sequel takes place only a year after the original. However, the production staff instructed Irino to use his normal voice in order to portray the character as stronger rather than younger. While Irino still aimed to keep Sora innocent and optimistic, the character required more complex emotions compared to the first game. Similarly, Uchida aimed to convey more strength since Kairi took a more active role this time. Conversely, Miyano leaned into his deeper voice more to match an adult Riku. However, the production staff had him tone it down since the character had aged only a year. The English voice cast also noted differences from the original game. Panettiere felt the sequel had evolved from the first. A difficult scene for her require Panettiere to record it multiple times in order to convey the right emotion. Gallagher considered Riku a dark character, which he aimed to portray well. A special effort was made to preserve the official voice actors from the Disney films used in Kingdom Hearts II. Many actors reprised their Disney roles for the game, including Ming-Na Wen as Mulan, James Woods as Hades, Bruce Boxleitner as Tron, Chris Sarandon as Jack Skellington, Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts, Kenneth Mars as King Triton, and Zach Braff as Chicken Little. Some voice actors from the related television series or direct-to-video sequels were chosen over original voice actors where applicable, such as Robert Costanzo as Philoctetes rather than Danny DeVito or Cam Clarke as Simba instead of Matthew Broderick. Some characters were given new voice actors in the English version; Ansem, Aerith Gainsborough, Squall Leonhart, Sephiroth, and Hercules, who were originally voiced by Billy Zane, Mandy Moore, David Boreanaz, Lance Bass, and Sean Astin respectively in the first game, were voiced by Richard Epcar, Mena Suvari, Doug Erholtz, George Newbern, and Tate Donovan (Hercules' original voice actor), and newcomer Tifa Lockhart was voiced by Rachael Leigh Cook.

An unlockable trailer in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts Final Mix hinted at the possibility of a sequel. Rumors were spurred in Japan in March 2003 when video game website Quiter reported that an anonymous internal source at Square confirmed that development of Kingdom Hearts II had begun. Later that year, Buena Vista Games and Square Enix jointly announced at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2003 that Kingdom Hearts II, along with Chain of Memories, were in production. Initial plot details placed Kingdom Hearts II after Chain of Memories, which takes place directly after the first game, and included the return of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as well as new costumes. Information about Mickey Mouse's involvement was kept to a minimum. Square Enix aimed to co-publish the game with Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 in 2004 or later. At the 2004 Square Enix E3 Press conference, producer Shinji Hashimoto said that many mysteries of the first game would be answered. Although the game was announced in September 2003, a release date was not set until two years later. Regarding the period of silence, Nomura admitted that the game was announced too early and information was not publicized until a debut period was in sight. As the release date approached, Square Enix would incrementally reveal a few new characters via trailers at trade presentations. Square Enix launched the official Japanese website in May 2005, followed by the English website in December 2005. The websites featured videos and information regarding characters and worlds. Following the launch of the Japanese website, Kingdom Hearts II began receiving coverage in Japan's prominent video game publications. Commercials aired in Japan that highlighted the numerous Disney characters. In July 2005, the company promoted the game, among several others, at its annual Square Enix Party at the Makuhari Messe center in Chiba, Japan. Attendees could play a demo version of Kingdom Hearts II. While Square Enix aimed for a winter holiday release date in North America, the window was pushed back a few months. The company dedicated US$3 million to Kingdom Hearts IIs North American launch campaign, which included print and TV advertisements that focused on the variety of characters and worlds. Disney reviewed the campaign details to ensure it was not advertised in venues and on networks associated with sexual overtones or violence. The week before the North American release, Square Enix held a launch party at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California. To promote the game, the English voice cast in attendance gave media interviews, demo stations were available to play, and game footage was screened. Square Enix published Kingdom Hearts II three regions (Japan, North America, and PAL regions), which differ nominally in content editing and localization. In the North American version, enemy weapons that resembled guns were altered due to concerns of content ratings. The European and Australian PAL releases were reformatted to run at 50 Hz to fit the screen resolution size of PAL encoding systems. The company later released enhanced versions with additional content.

Similar to the first game, Kingdom Hearts II received an enhanced version with additional content titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. Final Mix was first released exclusively in Japan on March 29, 2007, as a two-disc set: Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+. The first disc contains Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix while the second contains Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, a full 3D remake of Chain of Memories for the PlayStation 2. Re:Chain of Memories retains the card-based combat system from the Game Boy Advance version and incorporates Reaction Commands from Kingdom Hearts II. Like Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, the two games serve as a canonical update to the series. The book Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was included with the game for those who reserved a copy. Production of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix began after the original North American and European versions were localized. When Kingdom Hearts II released in North America, both Nomura and Hashimoto publicly commented that the company had no intention of creating a Final Mix version; Hashimoto indicated that they were instead focused on localizing it for Europe. Despite Kingdom Hearts Final Mixs success, Nomura did not plan to produce a Final Mix version of the sequel; he wanted its initial release to be a complete version that included the English voice tracks. However, Nomura had to omit content due to delays with the English voice recording and the game file's size approaching the disc's storage capacity. Based on Amazon.com figures, Final Mix+ was the best-selling PlayStation 2 game during the week of its release in Japan. Square Enix later re-released Final Mix+ in June 2008 as part of its "Ultimate Hits" budget line of best sellers.

Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix was released outside Japan for the first time as part of the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix collection. In the credits of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, clips of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix appeared, hinting at its inclusion in another collection. On October 14, 2013, Square Enix announced the second compilation exclusively for the PlayStation 3. It includes both Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix in HD as well as trophy support. The collection includes HD cinematic scenes from Kingdom Hearts Re:coded and was published in Japan on October 2, 2014. Releases in other territories followed two months later: North America on December 2, 2014, Australia on December 4, 2014, and Europe on December 5, 2014.

Prior to the game's release, an Ultimania book titled Kingdom Hearts Series Ultimania α ~Introduction of Kingdom Hearts II~ came out. It provides extended information on the first two Kingdom Hearts games, as well as information on the unreleased Kingdom Hearts II. After the release of the game, Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania, which focuses on the game itself, came out. Another book, titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ Ultimania, was released after the Final Mix version came out. Released along with Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was a hardback book which includes game information, visuals by Shiro Amano, and a director interview. In North America, BradyGames published two strategy guides: a standard guide and a limited-edition version. The latter was available in four different covers and included a copy of Jiminy's Journal along with 400 stickers. While Square Enix produced a range of Kingdom Hearts toys in Japan, the company did not export them due to licensing restrictions on Disney properties. Similar to the previous two games, Square Enix published a manga adaptation in its Monthly Shōnen Gangan magazine with Shiro Amano returning to draw the series. Serialization began in 2006 but went on hiatus while Amano shifted focus to the Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days manga. The Kingdom Hearts II manga resumed in October 2012 and continued until May 2015. During the adaptation's run in Monthly Shōnen Gangan, Square Enix released the manga as ten standalone volumes in Japan. The first was published in December 2006. Tokyopop published the first two volumes in North America; the first in July 2007 and the second the following year in May. Spanish language versions were published by Planeta DeAgostini. After the original serialization resumed in 2012, Yen Press obtained the North American publishing rights in 2013 as Tokyo Pop had shutdown its operations in that region in 2011. Yen Press published the fourth volume in May 2017. The game has been novelized by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. The first volume, titled "Roxas—Seven Days", was released on April 22, 2006 and covers Roxas' story to when Sora wakes up and leaves Twilight Town. The novel depicts extra scenes that were added in the Final Mix version, such as interaction between Organization XIII members and between Axel, Naminé, and Riku. The second book, "The Destruction of Hollow Bastion", was released on July 16, 2006, the third book, "Tears of Nobody", revolving around Roxas' past, was released on September 29, 2006, and the fourth book, "Anthem—Meet Again/Axel Last Stand", came out in February 2007. Yen Press later localized the volumes into a single omnibus for a Western release titled Kingdom Hearts II: The Novel. In 2021, the publisher included it in a compilation, Kingdom Hearts: The Complete Novel, of all the series' localized light novels.

Within a week of its Japanese release, Kingdom Hearts II shipped one million copies, selling almost 730,000 copies. The NPD Group reported that Kingdom Hearts II was the highest-selling console game in North America during March 2006 with 614,000 copies. In the month after its release in North America, Kingdom Hearts II sold an estimated one million copies. GameStop listed the game as their best-selling title for the first quarter of 2006. The game was also on IGN's "Top 10 Sellers in 2006". By December 2006, over 3.5 million copies of Kingdom Hearts II had been shipped worldwide with 700,000 in PAL regions, 1.1 million in Japan, and 1.7 million in North America. By March 31, 2007, Square Enix had shipped over 4 million units worldwide.

Kingdom Hearts II was met with "generally positive" reviews upon release according to the review aggregator website Metacritic. Like its predecessors, the gameplay received mixed reviews. The refined combat system was praised, with the drive forms, limit breaks, and combos being said to add depth, variety, and excitement. Andrew Reiner of Game Informer called the combo potential "divine", claiming that it surpassed God of Wars intensity. Carrie Gouskos of GameSpot and Luke Albiges of Eurogamer highlighted the game's accessibility, with Gouskos saying that the ease of customization allowed for both deep and shallow gameplay experiences, and Reiner noted the dynamic controls, which he said instilled confidence and comfort. Gouskos and IGNs Jeff Haynes criticized the combat's decreased difficulty, with Haynes remarking that the effectiveness of basic attacks sidelined offensive magic, and observed that the large amount of health orbs released by enemies during battle rendered healing items redundant. However, Gouskos regarded the approach to be an improvement upon the original game, which she felt derived difficulty from "backtracking, tediousness, and confusion". Louis Bedigian of GameZone also concluded that the game would not be challenging to players experienced with action RPGs from the SNES and PlayStation eras. Patrick Gann of RPGFan deemed the partner artificial intelligence to be superior to the first game, whereas Haynes denounced it as "absolutely terrible", attributing this to the omitted ability to issue AI commands. The quick time events were a generally welcomed addition, with Albiges regarding their quality and impact to be on par with the knife fight scene in Resident Evil 4. Bedigian declared the game to be the first instance of quick time events being successfully implemented, and admired the resulting actions as "some of the most beautiful polygon sequences seen on PlayStation 2". While Russ Fischer of GameRevolution deemed their lenient mechanics compared to God of War to be a saving grace, he and Gann acknowledged that the lack of skill required for their execution may be a drawback for hardcore gamers. Bryan Intihar and Shane Bettenhausen of Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) spoke positively of the boss fights, with Bettenhausen saying that the quick time events enhanced their dynamic feeling. Eric Bratcher of GamesRadar+ was also excited by most of the boss battles, though considered a few of them "straight-up lame". Gouskos described the bosses as interesting and well conceived, but observed that the strategies for defeating them hardly differed from that of regular enemies. Reviewers complimented the camera's increased responsiveness, which Haynes attributed to the altered control method from the shoulder buttons to the right thumbstick. Contrariwise, Gerald Villoria of GameSpy and Gann did not see any improvement, with Villoria occasionally struggling with forced and awkward camera positions. James Mielke (writing for EGM) and Gann dismissed the first-person mode as unhelpful, with Mielke warning that the inability to see Sora's Keyblade was disorienting. The RPG elements were described as light, with Haynes calling them a "casualty" of the increased emphasis on combat; he remarked that items were "practically useless" due to a lack of need to use them in certain places as in the first game. Although Albiges considered the quality of the locales to be consistently high (singling out Port Royal for praise), others lamented the decreased size and increased linearity of the worlds, with Haynes particularly describing Halloween Town and Atlantica as "shadows of their former selves". While the assortment of minigames in the Hundred Acre Wood was said to be improved from the first game, the transition of Atlantica from an action set-piece to a series of rhythm minigames was derided. Bratcher and Gann were relieved by the absence of the scavenger hunt-type quests from the first game. The Gummi Ship segments were widely agreed to be an improvement over those of the first game. Comparisons were drawn to Star Fox, Panzer Dragoon, Gradius, R-Type, Einhänder, and the recent works of Cave. Although Gouskos and PALGNs Phil Larsen acknowledged the improved execution, they were still overall unimpressed, though Larsen singled out the battle against a giant pirate ship as a highlight. Villoria considered the shipbuilding interface to have been greatly improved, whereas Fischer and Gann still found it obtuse and confusing. The visuals were lauded, with Mielke and Albiges considering them among the PlayStation 2's best, and Villoria putting them on par with Square's best productions. The environmental renderings were praised, with special mention going to the Space Paranoids, Timeless River, and Port Royal worlds. The character models and animations were complimented; Villoria and Gann singled out the Pirates of the Caribbean characters for their realistic quality, and Gann declared the facial designs to be the best he had seen on the PlayStation 2. Haynes admired the main characters' changing appearance depending on the world they are visiting, and Villoria noted that the enemies were also visually adapted to their environments, which he said granted them personality. The full-motion videos were admired by Albiges, Gann, and Bedigian, and compared by Gann to those of Final Fantasy XII. Gann was also impressed by the special effects applied in the dream sequences during the prologue, and claimed to be impacted by the "artistic flair that combined the binary/data/static effect with the heartfelt scenes from the first title". Reviewers praised the soundtrack, which Bedigian described as "An impeccable, unforgettable mixture of classic Disney tracks and new Square Enix themes". He added that despite the limited nostalgic value of the Disney tunes, they "never get tiring, slightly repetitive, or seem out of place". Gouskos remarked that the presence of some songs from The Little Mermaid were the redeeming quality of the Atlantica rhythm minigames, and she considered the music's infectiousness to be "a tribute to how well the music was adapted and integrated into the gameplay". Larsen only criticized some repetitiveness, but noted that the fast-paced action made this hardly noticeable. However, Villoria and Gann were less than impressed; Villoria felt that the soundtrack did not meet the high standard set by the first game, while Gann complained of the synth quality and recycled tracks from the first game. Gann considered the live orchestral and piano recordings to be the best tracks. Mielke (writing for 1Up.com) and Larsen spoke positively of the theme song "Sanctuary", with Mielke calling it "a sublime contribution that grows with each listen" and Larsen deeming it to "have been perfectly crafted to both set and build from the atmosphere of the game". Gann, however, faulted what he perceived to be a rushed localization from the equivalent Japanese track "Passion". He elaborated that "Full harmonic backup parts have been cut, and Utada's stand-alone melody sounds flat in English. She stretches syllables to make up for the bouncy melody of the very syllabic Japanese version". The voice acting was generally commended for its quality and the prestige of its cast. Christopher Lee's presence in particular was singled out as commanding and show-stealing. Gouskos determined the overall voice acting quality to be excellent, saying that the use of lines from the original Disney films enhanced the sense of immersion, although she identified "one or two bad apples among the bunch", describing Jasmine as "screechy". Additionally, she noted that the Square characters were not given an equal level of treatment to the Disney characters; she deplored the "aloof" dialogue for the Square characters, singling out an instance in which Final Fantasy VIII antagonist Seifer declares "We totally owned you lamers!". Larsen praised the voice actors' effort, but said that the cutscenes felt longer than they are due to the timing of the spoken dialogue. Haynes felt that many lines fell flat and the incorporation of film dialogue was awkward. Mielke and Bratcher respectively deemed Mena Suvari's performance as Aerith "pretty dry" and "all wrong". The absence of the actors from Pirates of the Caribbean was a source of disappointment, with EGM describing the sound-alike actor for Jack Sparrow as "iffy at best". Responses to the narrative were varied, with some reviewers cautioning that the plot would be confusing to those who had not played the previous games. Haynes, however, assured that the Journal feature provided sufficient context, and added that it had been improved from the first game. Proponents of the story include Intihar, Bedigian, and Gann, with Bedigian declaring that the game "should be the benchmark of RPG storytelling". Villoria and Gann said that the frequent cameos were well-handled, and pointed out that the inclusion of Square characters not created by Nomura was an interesting risk, though Mielke occasionally felt that the cameos were excessive. Gann considered the plot to be more cohesive than that of the first, as the Disney worlds held more relevance to the story. Reiner promised that the story would "give you shivers and make your heart leap" despite not being as powerful as the first game. Mielke complimented Nomura's "eye for epic drama" previously observed in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, which he said "touches you where games like, say, God of War never will". Gouskos said that the interactions with the frequently changing cast of characters made up for the game's lack of challenge. Bettenhausen faulted what he perceived to be a clumsy blend of the serious Square-style narrative and whimsical Disney worlds. Larsen deemed several lines and scenes unnecessary, and noted a tendency of the characters' more serious speeches to take on an obscure "Matrix sequel-esque" quality. Fischer, likening the general plot to "a long episode of Quantum Leap with permanent guest stars Donald and Goofy", described the storyline as linear and somewhat nonsensical, but "endearing and twisty" enough to hold players' attention. Bettenhausen and GamePros Bones regarded the prologue as dull and slow, though Reiner lauded its "devilish" plot twist for potentially casting doubt on a desire for Sora's return. Reiner and Fischer were disappointed by the amount of recycled Disney content from the first game; Reiner, describing most of the Disney-based conflicts as "tacked on" diversions, suggested that Disney restricted Square Enix's ability to create new content.