Developer: Square-Enix

Publisher: Square-Enix

Platform: PlayStation 4

ESRB Rating: E10+

Release Date: January 24th, 2017

MRSP: $59.99

A retail copy was purchased by the reviewer for this review.

“Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue” is the newest collection that provides set up for the highly anticipated Kingdom Hearts 3. What makes this compilation standout from the previous ones is the inclusion of “A Fragmentary Passage:” a small demo that essentially gives us a small glimpse of what Kingdom Hearts 3 will be. But is this collection worth it? Well, let’s dive in deep and find out!

Upon loading up the game you’re given three choices. Given that you’ve played the prior installments, I would recommend starting with Dream Drop Distance, followed by 0.2 and to end it off the movie Kingdom Hearts χ (Chi) Back Cover.
Dream Drop Distance is just as you remember, but it does have a few enhancements here and there that make it much more enjoyable. For starters, it has a native resolution of  1080p, and even plays at 60fps, making this the first Kingdom Hearts game on console to officially run at a native 1080p 60fps. Aside from the graphical enhancements, there were a few new Dream Eaters added to the game. I should like to note that, while I did not encounter this problem myself, a few players did report the game freezing on them occasionally. The combat does feel much more responsive on the PS4, and flow motion feels much more immersive and spectacular due to the higher framerate. If you’re playing Dream Drop Distance for the first time, or if you’re a veteran player, the HD version is a welcomed addition that you will enjoy. The voice acting and soundtrack is just as great as ever.

Next we have “Kingdom Hearts 0.2 A fragmentary passage,” the main draw of this collection. This game details what exactly happened to Aqua after Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep. As a glimpse into what Kingdom Hearts 3 will play like I was very impressed. Not only does the game run at 1080p, it also targets 60fps; unfortunately enough, the framerate does drop occasionally. Mind you, I did play this on the PS4 Pro, so the game may not be the 60fps on the base PS4.

The combat is where this game truly shines. The layout and menu screen for the combat is very reminiscent of Kingdom Hearts 2, but only on the surface. Once you perform combos or deal damage, a small bar appears at the top of the menu; when maxed out, you can perform a super attack based on fire, ice or lighting magic. You can also perform standard combos with your Keyblade to access a form for Aqua to perform special attacks. Shotlock from Birth By Sleep also makes a return as flow motion from Dream Drop Distance. Blizzard can be used to make rails that can trigger flow motion rail grinding to quickly get through the environment.Seeing Yoko Shimomura work her magic again never gets old, as  the music in this demo left me craving more.

The only true negative is the fact that it is extremely short. 0.2 can be completed within 2-3 hours. The game does offer objectives to extend replay value, but aside from changing Aqua’s appearance or getting trophies, there’s isn’t much other to offer players. Nonetheless, if you’re itching to see what Kingdom Hearts 3 will play like, 0.2 is a perfect thing to hold you over.

Lastly we have Kingdom Hearts χ (Chi) Back Cover. This is simply a movie telling the events of the PC Browser game Kingdom Hearts χ (Chi) that was released last year. There’s quite a lot of information here that expands upon story details mentioned in earlier games. And seeing it all flow together in a movie like format is pretty nice if you want to take a break from the combat of the other games.

In conclusion, Kingdom Hearts 2.8 is a fine collection for the series. The only true problem is that, in comparison to the previous collections, it does comparatively offer the least amount of content, especially given that they’re asking for the full price of $60. I would honestly suggest you wait for a price drop in order to get more value for what you pay.

8/10
+Playable Aqua
+Great soundtrack
+Amazingly fluid combat
+Mickey actually heals you unlike Donald

– Little content for a collection
– Doesn’t feel worth the full price