The Kingdom Hearts series finally made its way to Steam this month in a compilation so big we had to split it! Find out more in our Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review Part 1!
Kingdom Hearts is more than just a series that got its start in 2002 on the PlayStation 2. It’s a cultural phenomenon that became a household name thanks to one of the most convoluted-yet-cherished tales in gaming, its inclusion of tons of Disney/Square Enix franchises, and its myriad of gaming systems its story was told across. One elusive platform was the PC, until it finally hit the Epic Games Store in March of 2021. After a whopping three years of exclusivity, it’s finally made its way onto PC’s premier marketplace: Steam.
At long last, six cherished Kingdom Hearts can be experienced in KINGDOM HEARTS -HD 1.5 2.5 ReMIX- on PC.
Spread between Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind (DLC), these three packages contain (almost) every single iteration of the Kingdom Hearts experience. To get all of these ported to the computer platform with a modern operating system is a massive task, so corners were cut and compromises were made. As this franchise has delighted millions across two decades, we’re here to focus on how each title performs on PC, one-by-one. So is Kingdom Hearts finally unlocked for PC players or will this close the door on the franchise? Find out in our Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review.
Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review Part 1 – Kingdom Hearts
The game that started it all, Kingdom Hearts Final Mix is the definitive way to play the first game in the series. Now, this isn’t the chronological first game, so depending on if you want to play the series that way, this might not be your starting point. Considering this is the oldest game in these collections, experiencing it on a PC in 2024 comes with the expectation of jankiness, outdated textures, and any assortment of issues that have plagued the PC platform for years.
The extent of display options in most of this collection. While it supports high-end monitors/settings, it doesn’t do much to make use of them.
Functionally, Kingdom Hearts Final Mix is a miracle. Running with an unlocked framerate at just about any monitor resolution around, the first impression for the initial title in this collection is as positive as can be. Load screens are considerably faster than the original console’s, and the fresh coat of paint never results in visual bugs. From a technical standpoint, this is as good as one could hope for.
Get roasted by Kairi in up to 4K resolution.
Kingdom Hearts Final Mix supports keyboard and mouse as well as controllers in a quite suitable fashion. Strong camera movement is a must in action games, and while the default mouse sensitivity is sky-high, it’s easy to find a comfortable lower setting on the fly in the pause menu. Some of the keybinds, like M to pause, are a bit obtuse, but can be remapped as well. The only quality-of-life improvement in menu navigation I could suggest is making options clickable, but muscle memory with the arrow keys kicks in pretty quickly as well.
Kingdom Hearts Final Mix cutscenes run at 30fps, whereas the gameplay runs unlocked.
Some set expectations of video game remasters to polish up cutscenes, but simply upscaling these would make the game size gargantuan, whereas reanimating would be insanely expensive. Nevertheless, the Kingdom Hearts Final Mix cutscenes are passable – and any fan of the series knows that a large chunk of the games are comprised of these. The FMVs and scenes run without issue, so sit back and relax as roughly 33% of this game is made up of watching the screen.
Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review Part 1 – KH Re:Chain of Memories
Originally released on the Game Boy Advance and remastered a few years later, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories is a segue between KH1 and KH2. Taking place in Castle Oblivion, this entry differs from the rest as its gameplay is comprised of a card-based system. Having its action commence by playing cards, it’s more strategical and involved than any other Kingdom Hearts game.
Using a mouse to scroll through available cards in battles within Re:Chain of Memories might be the best way to do so yet.
Some video games benefit from being played on controller, due to having two sticks at your disposal. Others, like Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, are enhanced thanks to the mouse/keyboard. With the card system being a point of contention in previous versions, I can’t overstate how beneficial it is to have a scroll wheel to cycle through cards in this title’s combat. It’s a real game-changer in disposing your enemies with this special system.
Cutscenes really show their age with muddy textures in Re:Chain of Memories.
Sadly, this is the least visually-appealing offering in the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix collection. Whilst the moment-to-moment gameplay looks top-notch, this is the game that could have benefited from a bit more touching-up, as seen in the above screenshot. While this title isn’t necessarily held in the highest regard across the ten entries you can now play on PC, it’s still worth a play due to its vital plot points and enhanced combat.
Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review Part 1 – KH II Final Mix
In one of those rare cases where the sequel is better than the original, Kingdom Hearts II is an easy pick for as a fan favorite for many. With the most gripping intro in the series and tons of great Disney IPs like Pirates of the Caribbean, Mulan, and even Tron, this is essential playing and is likely to be at the top priority for anyone looking into this collection.
Tony Roxas’ Pro Skater 2: Twilight Town.
At this point, I got accustomed to the cutscene after cutscene nature of this franchise. However, the instant immersion and not needing to re-tell the previous games’ tales made for Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix to be a breeze to get into. The game looks great, plays great, and there’s no glaring issues as this appears to be the easiest transition to PC across Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix so far.
When KH2 tried to copy early 2000s youth culture…
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts Final Mix alone are enough to warrant the cost of entry – the premier titles in these collections take obvious precedence, and it turns out these ports are picture-perfect. But fans of the franchise are more involved in the whole picture, so there’s three more Kingdom Hearts entries to sift through in the plentiful product that is Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix.
Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review Part 1 – KH 358/2 Days
Up to this point, each game within Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix has been fully-playable. With Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, though, the Nintendo DS’ dual-screen gameplay couldn’t necessarily translate to consoles without an exorbitant remake. As such, this game is presented with every single cutscene, front-to-back. As Kingdom Hearts is so story-driven, this can be forgiven by those that are invested and want to experience that aspect at their desired pace.
Not only does this game contain every cutscene, it spares no expense by showing recaps and allowing you to chapter select at any point.
More akin to a visual novel than an action-RPG, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is simultaneously skippable by those wanting gameplay, and easily-accessible for the lore-hungry fans looking for the complete experience. It’s easy to navigate to a certain chapter, skip any fluff, or save your spot with its auto-save feature when you have to shut it off.
Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review Part 1 – Birth by Sleep Final Mix
The PSP was so ahead of its time, and an underrated Kingdom Hearts title hit the platform near the end of its cycle in Birth by Sleep. Serving as a prequel approximately 10 years before KH1, this game’s twist is its Commands system in the combat. This transcends the simplistic hack-and-slash fights in other Kingdom Hearts titles and makes for a deep RPG experience that I find the most fun in the franchise so far.
The Command Deck system is an absolute blast, comparable to a modern Final Fantasy’s combat in its visceral, engaging format.
While the DS Kingdom Hearts game couldn’t make the transition to PC, the PSP had the advantage of better hardware, resulting in a seamless transition to PC. Even though this isn’t a mainline Kingdom Hearts entry, I would still consider it a must-play in the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix collection even if you only signed up for KH1 and KH2.
Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review Part 1 – KH Re:coded
The final piece of the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix puzzle is Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, originally on late 2000’s mobile phones and eventually making its way to the Nintendo DS. Nearly identical to 358/2 Days in the scheme of being a cutscene compilation, this is more lore-essential viewing for those dying to know all things Kingdom Hearts.
Sora in a game within a game within a collection.
Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review Part 1 – Conclusion
Of the three collections in the Integrum Masterpiece, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix has all the essentials and the ones that the majority of fans grew up with. With an MSRP of $49.99 US for hundreds of hours of gameplay, it’s a no-brainer for anyone seeking the nostalgia, as these ports are of magnificent quality and polish – a rarity in the modern PC gaming landscape.
So, why should you play Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece?
- An unreal amount of content in this portion of the collection.
- Works excellently on a wide range of PC configurations.
- A great way to start the series for newcomers.
But why shouldn’t you play Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece?
- Two of the games are cutscenes only.
- Noted crashing issues on AMD graphics cards (especially RDNA 3).
A review code was kindly provided by Square Enix for the purpose of our Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece Review Part 1 Review. You can check out our other reviews here and if you haven’t already, be sure to join the Qualbert Discord to find out about the latest game and review updates!
