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Nomura: 'It'd be unusual' if Kingdom Hearts II HD didn't happen
"It'd be unusual" for there not to be an HD update for Kingdom Hearts II, series director Tetsuya Nomura told Famitsu magazine. As Gematsu reports, following last month's announcement of 1.5 HD Remix, Nomura admitted a second HD update for the Kingdom Hearts series is probably going to happen.With Kingdom Hearts, Chain of Memories, and 358/2 Days being bundled in 1.5 HD Remix, we'd wager our limited edition Goofy figurine on a second update including the remaining major releases, namely Kingdom Hearts II, the PSP's Birth by Sleep, and the recent 3DS game 3D: Dream Drop Distance.Nomura also dished a few more details on 1.5 HD Remix. Rather than upscaling old character models, the update will simply feature those used in Dream Drop Distance. Also, the gameplay is being tweaked to be closer to Kingdom Hearts II's - which should mean there's no need to fear the return of the first entry's temperamental camera.
Metareview - Kingdom Hearts II
A Final Fantasy and Disney Kingdom RPG mash-up? The idea sounded wack at first, but when the original Kingdom Hearts debuted back in 2002, it worked, proving once again that Square Enix could do no wrong (at least, in the RPG realm). Now, the motley crew is back and being heralded by critics — well, most of them... Gaming Age (100/100) - "Kingdom Hearts 2 is a shining example of the "fix what's broken and improve what isn't" mindset. And though the game still has its flaws, they're relatively minor by comparison, a drastic improvement upon its predecessor in all regards." Game Informer (90/100) - "Kingdom Hearts II is a remarkable journey and another Square-Enix masterpiece" [April 2006, p.120]. IGN (76/100) - "Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful title with a great story and fantastic presentation, but because of its major combat flaws (and that fact that it turns its back on exploration and most RPG elements), it does the game a great disservice."
Xbox retail confidence sags; PS2 powers on
An executive VP with Vivendi Europe feels that retail confidence in the original Xbox is flagging with MS needing to work with publishers "to help generate some impetus."With Microsoft's primary and first-party focus squarely set on the next generation, the 360's predecessor may be feeling some neglect since saves aren't transferable and exclusive titles are elusive.The Vivendi VP also noted that the PS2 still has a lot of life left in it, which we're inclined to believe with all the triple-A games still to come to the West, including Kingdom Hearts II, Okami, Final Fantasy XII, and God of War 2. You gotta love the PS3's 100% backward compatibility (or 99.9% BC, give or take a couple of titles). Emulation profiles can only do so much.[Via Evil Avatar]
