Square Enix had a bunch of games featured at PAX East, but we were actually able to nail down an exclusive interview and see a hands-off demo of the upcoming Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX. For those that are fans of this series, but are confused on the order of the games, you may want to first read this blog that I wrote earlier explaining the order of the series. A hands-off demo means that Square Enix had a representative that showed us parts of the game. We were allowed to ask questions, but no photographs or video could be taken. We did learn a lot about the game though:
What is included in Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX?
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX is a 3-in-1 game that incorporates , Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories, and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. Kingdom Hearts Final Mix was originally a Japanese-only exclusive released in 2002, so this is the first time it has been released in North America. Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories was released for Gameboy Advance and PS2, but will be remastered. Unfortunately, only the remastered cutscenes from Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days will be included. When ‘playing’ 358/2 Days, you will enter a theatrical mode and essentially just watch the videos. The cutscenes from 358/2 Days are about 3 to 4 hours long in total.
What has been remastered or has changed in this version of the games?
The audio and visuals have been greatly re-touched for most of the gameplay. Some of the cutscenes from 358/2 Days even had to be re-done entirely in order to be up to par with the rest of the game.
Are there any differences between the old and the new games such as new levels or enemies?
With the re-touching, some of the enemies have different color schemes. There are also 7 or 8 new heartless enemies that will be introduced, as well as a new hooded secret boss known as ‘Unknown’. The Square Enix representative also believed that more cutscenes have been added to Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, but he could not completely confirm this. Minor mechanical additions were added, such as the ability to skip cutscenes (and it appeared that new abilities were added that were not originally part of the game).
Are the 3 games seamlessly integrated? Or are the separate?
No, they are not seamlessly integrated. When you start the game, you will be brought to the main menu. All 3 game options will be there to choose and you select which game you want to play. You do not need to complete a game in order to start the next one. You could be midway through Final Mix and choose to start Re: Chain of Memories if you want.
Will it be compatible with the PS3 Trophy System?
Yes, being on the PS3 means that we have added trophy achievements to the game. However, I am unsure how the trophies will work for 358/2 Days.
Release date?
At the moment, there has been no specific release date announced yet, but we can tell you that it will be in the Fall of 2013. The game was released in Japan a couple weeks ago.
Will we see an appearance on the PS Vita?
At the moment, the only confirmed console is PS3.
Price point?
The game will retail for $39.99 and will include all 3 games.
We were given a preview demo of Final Mix and a cutscene from 358/2 Days. I have to say, the remastering looks awesome. Square Enix has clearly been working hard to bring these games to a higher standard. A couple other questions were asked about the possibility of a Kingdom Hearts 1 remake or Kingdom Hearts 3 were in the works, but the representative could only tell us that nothing has been confirmed.
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