Kingdom Hearts II
The North American cover pictures the main characters of the game, including Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing video games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square) Donald Duck is a cartoon character from The Walt Disney Company. Goofy is an Animated cartoon character from Walt Disney 's Mickey Mouse universe.
Developer(s)	Square Enix
Publisher(s)	Square Enix Buena Vista Games
Designer(s)	Shinji Hashimoto (game producer) Yoshinori Kitase (game co-producer) Tetsuya Nomura (game director, concept designer) Kazushige Nojima (scenario writer) Yoko Shimomura (composer)[1]
Series	Kingdom Hearts
Aspect ratio	480i (SDTV)
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date	JP December 22, 2005 NA March 28, 2006 PAL September 29, 2006[1] INT March 29, 2007 — as Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix
Genre(s)	Action role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	CERO: A (All Ages) ESRB: Everyone 10+ PEGI: 12+ OFLC: PG
Media	1 DVD-ROM
Input methods	DualShock 2

Kingdom Hearts II (キングダムハーツII, Kingudamu Hātsu Tsū^?) is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Square Enix and Buena Vista Games (now Disney Interactive Studios) in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its Console role-playing game franchises which include the Final Fantasy series the Dragon is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its Console role-playing game franchises which include the Final Fantasy series the Dragon Disney Interactive Studios Inc (initially Walt Disney Computer Software, later Disney Interactive and Buena Vista Games Inc A "game designer" is a person who designs Video games or one who designs traditional games such as Board games Video Games Designer A video game designer A game producer is the person in charge of overseeing development of a Video game. is a Japanese Game producer, Scenario writer and a former Game director working for Square Enix (previously Square) (born October 8, 1970) is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix (formerly Square) A game director is a person who is in charge of significant creative aspects of a Video game. is a Japanese game Scenario writer and is the founder of Stellavista Ltd A scenario (from Italian, that which is pinned to the scenery) is a synthetic description of an event or series of actions and events is a Japanese Video game music Composer and Musician. Biography Early life Yoko Shimomura was born in Hyōgo Prefecture A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance is a series of Action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square) The aspect ratio of a Shape is the ratio of its longer Dimension to its shorter dimension 480i is the shorthand name for a video mode The i, which is sometimes uppercase stands for Interlaced, the 480 for a vertical frame resolution In Computing, a platform describes some sort of Hardware architecture or Software framework (including Application frameworks, that allows For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The PAL region is a Video game publication territory which covers Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and varying European countries Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. In Video games an international version is a relocalized version of a previously released title in its native territory that has gained additional features and Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction An action role-playing game or action RPG is a common name for a type of computer or video game which is closely linked to the Console role-playing game genre In video gaming, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of Video games into suitability-related groups The ( CERO) is the Organization that rates video games and Computer Software in Japan with levels of rating that informs the customer The Entertainment Software Rating Board ( ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, Advertising guidelines and Pan European Game Information ( PEGI) is a European Video game content rating system. The Office of Film and Literature Classification is a Statutory Censorship and classification body which provides day to day administrative support for the Classification Digital media (as opposed to analog media) usually refers to Electronic media that work on digital Codes. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is The DualShock (officially DUALSHOCK and occasionally referred to as Dual Shock) is a line of vibration-feedback An action role-playing game or action RPG is a common name for a type of computer or video game which is closely linked to the Console role-playing game genre A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its Console role-playing game franchises which include the Final Fantasy series the Dragon A video game publisher is a company that publishes Video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a Video game developer Disney Interactive Studios Inc (initially Walt Disney Computer Software, later Disney Interactive and Buena Vista Games Inc Events March 6 &mdash The television show 60 Minutes tackles issues within Video game controversy. ( SCEI) is a Japanese Video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry mostly in Video game consoles and is a full Kingdom Hearts II is the sequel to the 2002 Disney Interactive and Square collaboration, Kingdom Hearts, which combined Disney and Square elements into an action role-playing game. A sequel is a work in Literature, Film, or other media that portrays events following those of a previous work Events Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Will Wright of Maxis was a Japanese Video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. is an Action role-playing game developed and published by Squaresoft (now Square Enix) in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 Video game console The game's popularity has resulted in a novel and manga series based upon it and an international version called Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, released in March 2007. A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly In Video games an international version is a relocalized version of a previously released title in its native territory that has gained additional features and ^[2]

Kingdom Hearts II is the third game in the Kingdom Hearts series. is a series of Action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square) It picks up one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. is an Action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Japanese studio Jupiter and published by Square Enix in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance ^[3] Sora, the protagonist of the first two games, returns to search for his lost friends. Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing video games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square) ^[4] Like the previous installments, this game features a large cast of characters from Disney films and Final Fantasy games. Organization XIII, a group introduced in Chain of Memories, also reappears to impede Sora's progress. WE DO NOT ACCEPT SPECULATION ANY CHANGE OF ELEMENTS TITLES WEAPONS OR NAMES WITHOUT RELIABLE SOURCING WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REVERTED

The game was well-received, earning year-end awards from numerous video gaming websites. Video game journalism is a branch of Journalism concerned with the reporting and discussion of Video games. In Japan, it shipped more than one million copies within a week of its release. ^[5] One month after its North American release, it had sold over one million copies and was the second best-selling game of 2006. ^[6] As of December 2006, Kingdom Hearts II had shipped more than 3. 5 million copies worldwide. ^[7][8]

Gameplay

See also: Gameplay of Kingdom Hearts

Sora in Valor Form, one of the Drive Forms introduced in Kingdom Hearts II

The gameplay of Kingdom Hearts II is similar to that of Kingdom Hearts,^[9] though developers made an effort to address complaints with the previous game. is an Action role-playing game developed and published by Squaresoft (now Square Enix) in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 Video game console ^[10] The player directly controls Sora from a third person camera angle,^[11] though first person perspective is available. Grammatical person, in Linguistics, is deictic reference to a participant in an event such as the speaker the Addressee, or others Most 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 in the form of a cut scene, though there are numerous side quests available that provide bonuses to the characters. A cut scene is a sequence in a Video game over which the player has little or no control often breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot present A quest in Role playing games, including Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs is a Task that a player-controlled character

Like many traditional role-playing games, Kingdom Hearts II features an experience point system which determines character development. ^[12] As enemies are defeated, the player gains experience which culminates in a "level up," where the player characters grows stronger and gains access to new abilities. A player character or playable character (PC is a Fictional character in a Video game or Role playing game who is controlled or controllable A statistic (or stat) in Role-playing games is a piece of Data which represents a particular aspect of a Fictional character. ^[13] As in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II allows a certain degree of character customization through a short tutorial found at the beginning of the game.

Combat in Kingdom Hearts II is in real time and involves button presses which initiate attacks by the on-screen character. Also, a role-playing game menu, similar to those found in Final Fantasy games, found at the bottom left of the screen provides other combat options such as using magic, summoning beings to assist in battle or executing combination attacks with other party members. ^[13] 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. ^[14] Reaction Commands can be used to defeat regular enemies or avoid damage and are sometimes necessary to complete a boss battle. ^[12] In addition to the main character, two party members are usually present who also participate in combat. ^[9] Though 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". ^[10] Although retaining its basic purpose of travel, the previous system was completely redone to resemble a combination of rail shooter and "Disney theme park ride". A shoot-'em-up (also known as shmup) is a Video game genre of Shooter game in which the player controls a vehicle or character and fights large ^[10] In the world map, the player must now control the Gummi Ship from a top-down view and fly to the world the player wishes 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. ^[13] After the route is unlocked, travel to the world is unimpeded, unless it is blocked through a plot event.

Drive Gauge

One of the new features is a meter known as the Drive Gauge. Unlike Hit Points and Magic, the Drive Gauge is not recharged at a Save Point. ^[13] The Drive Gauge serves two functions: to transform into a "Drive Form" or to summon a special character. While in Drive Form, Sora bonds with party members to become more powerful and acquire different attributes;^[15] some Forms also allow the use of two Keyblades. While in a Drive Form, Sora's combat statistics are heightened, though one Form reduces certain statistics. Drive Forms also give Sora new abilities that can be used outside of battle. At first, his Drive Forms only combine power with one party member; as he gains new ones, he can bond with both party members. When allies are used in a Drive Form, they are temporarily removed from battle for its duration.

Like the first game, Sora can summon a Disney character to aid him in battle. ^[14] A summoned character will replace the two computer-controlled characters and fight alongside Sora for as long as the Drive Gauge allows. Also, instead of being limited to only one action, summoned characters now have a menu of their own and are capable of performing solo actions or cooperative actions with Sora. 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. ^[12]

Plot

Setting

Further information: Universe of Kingdom Hearts

The setting of Kingdom Hearts II is a collection of various levels that the player progresses through. Square Enix 's and Disney 's Kingdom Hearts series of video games takes place in an unnamed Outer space -like fictional universe with numerous self-contained Each level in Kingdom Hearts is referred to as a "world". As in the first Kingdom Hearts game, Kingdom Hearts II allows the player to travel to locales from various Disney fictions, along with original worlds specifically created for the series. In the first game, Disney based worlds were primarily derived from the Disney animated features canon. Kingdom Hearts II introduces worlds that are based on Disney live-action films as well. This is a list of live-action films produced by Walt Disney Productions and its successor label Walt Disney Pictures. ^[16][17] As in the first game, 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 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 of the worlds featured in the previous games reappear, but with new and expanded areas. There are also new worlds that are introduced and include the Land of Dragons, a fictionalized account of ancient China from the film Mulan; Beast's Castle, a 1800s-style castle based on French architecture from Beauty and the Beast; Timeless River, a past version of Disney Castle that features Steamboat Willie-style animation; Port Royal, from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; Pride Land, a great savanna from The Lion King; and Space Paranoids, a digital world within Hollow Bastion's computer network based on Tron. Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era Mulan is a 1998 Animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and released by Walt Disney Pictures on June 19 1998 BATB redirects here If you were looking for Back at the Barnyard which is abbreviated as BATB see here. Steamboat Willie ( 1928) is an Animated cartoon featuring Mickey Mouse released on November 18, 1928. Port Royal, Jamaica was the centre of Shipping Commerce in the Islands of the Greater Antilles which make up the northeastern For the video game see Pirates of the Caribbean The Curse of the Black Pearl (video game Pirates of the Caribbean The Curse of the Black The Lion King is a 1994 American animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, released in theaters on June 15 1994 Tron is a 1982 Disney Science fiction film starring Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn (and his counterpart inside the electronic world 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. ^[12]

Characters

Further information: Characters of Kingdom Hearts

Leon and Cloud in Hollow Bastion

The three main characters in the game are Sora, a fifteen year old boy who was chosen as master of the Keyblade, a mystical key-shaped weapon with the power to combat darkness; Donald, the court magician of Disney Castle; and Goofy, the captain of the Disney Castle guard. Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing video games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square) is the main Protagonist of Squaresoft 's (now Square Enix) role-playing game Final Fantasy VIII. is the main Protagonist in Square 's (now Square Enix 's role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and several of its sequels and spin-offs Donald Duck is a cartoon character from The Walt Disney Company. Goofy is an Animated cartoon character from Walt Disney 's Mickey Mouse universe. ^[12] Both Donald and Goofy were ordered to find and stay with the "key",^[18] which was revealed to be the Keyblade. They befriended Sora during their journey in Kingdom Hearts and they draw strength from this friendship. Other original characters include Riku and Kairi, Sora's friends from his home world, Destiny Islands; Roxas, a mysterious boy who can wield the Keyblade; and DiZ, a man in red robes with a vendetta against Organization XIII.

As in the previous installments, there are numerous appearances of characters from both Disney and Square Enix works. While some make a return from Kingdom Hearts, new characters from Disney fiction are also introduced, such as Scar from The Lion King and Scrooge McDuck. Scar is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney Pictures ' popular 1994 Animated movie The Lion King. The Lion King is a 1994 American animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, released in theaters on June 15 1994 Scrooge McDuck or Uncle Scrooge is a fictional Pete appears as a persistent enemy who works with the resurrected Maleficent. Pete (also known by variations of his name including Mighty Pete, Peg-Leg Pete, Bad Pete, Big Pete, Big Bad Pete, Black Maleficent is a dark Fairy and the self-proclaimed "mistress of all evil" and main antagonist in Walt Disney 's 1959 adaptation of Sleeping Seventeen characters from Final Fantasy games appear, notably, Auron of Final Fantasy X and the return of Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife, and Sephiroth. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) and the tenth installment in the Final Fantasy series is the main Protagonist of Squaresoft 's (now Square Enix) role-playing game Final Fantasy VIII. is the main Protagonist in Square 's (now Square Enix 's role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and several of its sequels and spin-offs is a Fictional character and recurring villain in Square 's (now Square Enix) role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. It was stated that although the first game strictly stuck to characters Nomura designed, this time around they were going to "take some risks"; implying characters not directly designed by Nomura might make an appearance. (born October 8, 1970) is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix (formerly Square) ^[19] This led to Vivi of Final Fantasy IX and Setzer of Final Fantasy VI appearing in Twilight Town. This is a list of characters in the PlayStation role-playing game Final Fantasy IX. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) and the ninth installment in the Final Fantasy series Square Co Ltd 's Console role-playing game Final Fantasy VI features fourteen permanent Player characters the largest number of any game also known as Final Fantasy III for English audiences when it was first released is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now

The various worlds that Sora explores often have an optional party character from the fiction on which the world is based. Such party members include Fa Mulan, the woman who passes as a man in order to take her ailing father's place in the army; Jack Sparrow, a pirate who seeks to reclaim his ship, the Black Pearl; Simba, the self-exiled lion who is the rightful king of the Pride Land; and Tron, a security program in Hollow Bastion's computer network who seeks to end the dictatorship of the Master Control Program. Fa Mulan is the Protagonist of the 1998 Disney animated film Captain Jack Sparrow is a Fictional character from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise who is portrayed by Johnny Depp. The Black Pearl, originally HEIC Wicked Wench, is a fictional ship in Pirates of the Caribbean The Curse of the Black Pearl, Simba is a fictional Lion character and the Protagonist of one of Disney's most famous Animated feature films The Lion King Tron is a 1982 Disney Science fiction film starring Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn (and his counterpart inside the electronic world ^[12]

Unlike Kingdom Hearts where Xehanort's Heartless was revealed in the final stages of the game to be the true antagonist, Organization XIII, a group of beings without hearts, was established as the main threat early on. WE DO NOT ACCEPT SPECULATION ANY CHANGE OF ELEMENTS TITLES WEAPONS OR NAMES WITHOUT RELIABLE SOURCING WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REVERTED Organization XIII controls both the Heartless, corrupted hearts that have become monsters, and Nobodies, the bodies left over when Heartless are created. Villains unique to the worlds are still prevalent and are often presented as challenges that Sora must overcome.

Story

Kingdom Hearts II begins one year after Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Sora, Donald and Goofy have been asleep for the past year to regain their lost memories. Meanwhile, Roxas is trapped in a virtual simulation of Twilight Town created by DiZ so that Roxas, the Nobody of Sora,^[20] may merge with his original self to restore Sora's power. ^[21] This is done as part of DiZ's revenge on Organization XIII. ^[22][23] DiZ's plans are threatened when Organization XIII's Nobodies infiltrate the virtual town, but Roxas finally merges with Sora. Sora, Donald and Goofy wake up in the real Twilight Town and King Mickey Mouse and Yen Sid send them on another journey. Yen Sid is the nickname of the fictional sorcerer in The Sorcerer's Apprentice, one of the segments from Disney's Fantasia. Their goal is to find Riku and stop the plans of Organization XIII, who control the Nobodies—the body left over when a heart is turned into a Heartless. Sora also receives a new set of clothes that allow him to fuse with party members to gain special abilities, known as Drive Form. Afterwards, Maleficent is resurrected and joins with Pete to continue her quest for power.

Sora travels to many Disney-themed worlds, both old and new, and resolves the troubles caused by Organization XIII, the Heartless, Maleficent and Pete, and local villains. Square Enix 's and Disney 's Kingdom Hearts series of video games takes place in an unnamed Outer space -like fictional universe with numerous self-contained Meanwhile, Kairi is kidnapped by Organization XIII. During a visit to Hollow Bastion, they again meet King Mickey, who reveals the true nature of Ansem, the antagonist of Kingdom Hearts. Square Enix 's and Disney 's Kingdom Hearts series of video games takes place in an unnamed Outer space -like fictional universe with numerous self-contained The Ansem who Sora defeated was actually the Heartless of Xehanort, a student of Ansem the Wise. Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, reveals himself to be the Nobody of Xehanort. ^[24][25] Organization XIII's plan is revealed: they seek the power of Kingdom Hearts, which is the sum of all the hearts that Sora released by destroying the Heartless with his Keyblade. ^[26] Sora then revisits the worlds to solve lingering problems and new complications, while seeking a path to Organization XIII's base of operations.

Through a passageway in the virtual Twilight Town, Sora, Donald, and Goofy arrive at the World That Never Was, the headquarters of Organization XIII, with Kingdom Hearts looming overhead. There, Sora finds Kairi and Riku, who reveals the nature of Sora's and Roxas' relationship. Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing video games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square) Mickey meets DiZ, who reveals himself to be Ansem the Wise. ^[27] Ansem the Wise uses a device that dissipates some of Kingdom Hearts' power, but a system overload causes the machine to explode and kill Ansem. ^[28] At the top of Organization XIII's castle, Sora and his friends battle Xemnas, who uses the remnants of Kingdom Hearts to power his multiple forms. ^[29] After Xemnas' death, Sora and Riku are reunited with their friends at Destiny Islands, their home. Square Enix 's and Disney 's Kingdom Hearts series of video games takes place in an unnamed Outer space -like fictional universe with numerous self-contained ^[30] The game concludes as Sora, Kairi and Riku read a mysterious letter stamped with King Mickey's seal, the contents of which are hidden from the player.

Audio

Kingdom Hearts II incorporated Sony's "S-FORCE" ATRAC3 decoding middleware. Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding ( ATRAC) is a family of proprietary audio compression algorithms developed by Sony. The game is capable of monaural, stereo, and Dolby Pro Logic II audio profiles which allow it use either one, two, four, or five channel sound. Monaural (often shortened to mono) sound reproduction is single-channel Stereophonic sound, commonly called stereo, is the reproduction of Sound, using two or more independent audio channels through a Symmetrical Dolby Pro Logic is a Surround sound processing technology designed to decode soundtracks encoded with Dolby Surround. ^[13] Like the first installment, the game features music by Yoko Shimomura and Utada Hikaru, and an all-star voice cast. is a Japanese Video game music Composer and Musician. Biography Early life Yoko Shimomura was born in Hyōgo Prefecture also known by her fans as, is a Singer-songwriter, Arranger and Record producer in Japan. All-star (also allstar or all star) is a term with meanings in both the worlds of Sports and

Cover of the Kingdom Hearts II soundtrack

Musical score

Further information: Music of Kingdom Hearts

The original soundtrack CD for Kingdom Hearts II, composed by Shimomura,^[31] was released on January 25, 2006. The music of the video game series Kingdom Hearts was composed by Yoko Shimomura with orchestral music arranged by Kaoru Wada. Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The opening orchestration and ending credits theme were arranged and orchestrated by Kaoru Wada and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. is a Japanese music composer music arranger conductor music orchestrator and pianist from Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture[http //www The claims to be the oldest classical orchestra in Japan having been founded in Nagoya in 1911 ^[31] The main vocal theme for the original Japanese release was "Passion", written and performed by Utada. The English version of "Passion", "Sanctuary", was used in the Western releases. Utada's involvement was announced on July 29, 2005. Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[32] According to Nomura, the vocal theme ties in even more closely with the game's story than "Hikari" ("Simple And Clean") did with Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. " Colors " is Utada Hikaru 's 12th Japanese-language single (14th overall and is the only single she released in 2003. ^[33] The CD single for "Passion" was released on December 14, 2005^[34] and Sanctuary was first previewed on MTV. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. MTV ( Music Television) is an American Cable television network based in New York City. com early in 2006. ^[35]

Voice cast

See also: Characters of Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts II features well-known voice actors for both the Japanese and English versions. Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing video games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square) 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. ( February 19, 1988 -) is a Japanese voice actor born in Tokyo. Haley Joel Osment (born April 10, 1988) is an Academy Award -nominated American Actor. is a male Seiyū and Actor. He is represented by Gekidan Himawari for other people called David/Dave Gallagher see Gallagher David Gallagher (born February 9, 1985) is an American (born February 12, 1989) is a Japanese actress born in Kanagawa Prefecture. Hayden Leslie Panettiere (born August 21 1989 is an American actress and singer New voice actors included Kōki Uchiyama and Jesse McCartney as Roxas, Iku Nakahara and Brittany Snow as Naminé, and Genzō Wakayama and Christopher Lee as DiZ. ( August 16, 1990 -) is a Japanese Actor and Seiyū from Saitama Prefecture. Jesse McCartney (born Iku Nakahara is a Japanese Voice actress best known for her role as Naminé in the video game Kingdom Hearts II Brittany Anne Snow (born March 9, 1986) is an American television and film actress most known for The Pacifier, John is a Japanese Actor, voice actor, and Disc jockey. Born on September 27[[ 932]] in Karafuto, he moved to Sapporo as a youth Christopher Frank Carandini Lee CBE, CStJ (born 27 May 1922 is a two-time Screen Actors Guild Award-nominated Saturn Award-winning English Actor ^[36][15] A special effort was made to preserve the original voice actors from the Disney movies used in Kingdom Hearts II. Many actors reprised their animated Disney roles for the game, including American actors, Ming-Na, James Woods, and Zach Braff,^[15] and Japanese actors, Takashi Aoyagi, Kōichi Yamadera, Yū Shimaka, and Hiroshi Fujioka. Ming-Na Wen ( born November 20, 1963) is a Chinese -born American Actress. James Howard Woods (born April 18 1947) is a two-time Academy Award -nominated Emmy Award -winning and Golden Globe -winning American Zachary Israel "Zach" Braff (born April 6, 1975) is an Independent Spirit Award -winning American Television and Film Takashi Aoyagi is a Japanese actor best known as the Japanese voice of Mickey Mouse in Kingdom Hearts. ( June 17, 1961 -) is a Japanese Seiyū, Actor and Tarento from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. ( May 6, 1946 -) is a male Seiyū from Nagano Prefecture. He was formerly affiliated with Production Baobab, and is now affiliated with is a Japanese Actor best known for playing the hero Takeshi Hongo in the influential Tokusatsu Superhero series Kamen Rider Some voice actors from the related television series or direct-to-video sequels were chosen over original voice actors, where applicable (e. g. Robert Costanzo as Philoctetes rather than Danny DeVito). Robert Costanzo is an American Character actor. He has an acting career spanning over thirty years and is often found playing surly New York types such Daniel Michael DeVito Jr (born November 17 1944 is an American Actor, director and producer, who first gained prominence for his portrayal Some characters were given new voice actors in the English version; Aerith, Leon, and Hercules, who were originally voiced by Mandy Moore, David Boreanaz, and Sean Astin in the first game,^[37] are now voiced by Mena Suvari, Doug Erholtz, and Tate Donovan (Hercules' original voice actor). Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore (born April 10 1984 is an American pop Singer, Songwriter, Actor, and Fashion designer David Paul Boreanaz (born May 16, 1969) is an American film and television actor Sean Astin (born February 25, 1971) is an American Film Actor, director, and Oscar -nominated producer best Mena Adrienne Suvari (born February 13, 1979) is an American Actress, model, Fashion designer and Spokeswoman. Douglas J Erholtz (Born February 21, 1971) is an American voice actor who is known to be a good friend of Yuri Lowenthal. Tate Buckley Donovan (born September 25, 1963) is an American Film and Television Actor and director. ^[36]

Development

The Gummi Ship was redesigned for Kingdom Hearts II.

Development plans for Kingdom Hearts II began around the completion of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, but specific details were undecided until July 2003. is an Action role-playing game developed and published by Squaresoft (now Square Enix) in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 Video game console ^[38] Nomura has stated there were 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. ^[39] The development team consisted of most of the original staff from the first game. ^[40] To explain the loss of all the abilities from the first Kingdom Hearts at the beginning of this game, Tetsuya Nomura had Sora's memories scrambled in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. ^[41]

Many aspects of the gameplay were reworked for this installment. 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. ^[10] 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 DualShock (officially DUALSHOCK and occasionally referred to as Dual Shock) is a line of vibration-feedback The combat system was completely redone and did not use any animations from the first game. Nomura stated that because Sora had matured, he wanted his fighting style to reflect that. ^[17] Other changes included more integration between exploration and battles. ^[42] The variations in combat styles associated with each Drive Form and the addition of the Reaction Command were added to give players more choices in battles. ^[10] The inclusion of worlds based on live-action Disney films was aided by technology that generated the character models from live-action pictures. ^[42]

Xigbar's telescopic sight view and his weapons have been altered from the Japanese version (top) to the English version (bottom). A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a device used to give additional accuracy using a point of aim for Firearms Airguns and Crossbows

Content editing

Besides typical English translation and localization, the English version of Kingdom Hearts II differs from the original Japanese version in the content of gameplay and several scenes. The Hydra boss in Olympus Coliseum had its green blood from the original Japanese version (which was taken from the film) changed into black and purple smoke in the English version. In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra ( Greek: ( was an ancient nameless serpent -like Chthonic water beast that possessed numerous A boss is a computer-controlled opponent which is found in Video games Their purpose is to test the skills that the player has accumulated over the course of a game An earlier cut scene retains the green blood.

Xigbar's telescopic sight was changed from view with a crosshair and black shading around the sides to three glowing circles. WE DO NOT ACCEPT SPECULATION ANY CHANGE OF ELEMENTS TITLES WEAPONS OR NAMES WITHOUT RELIABLE SOURCING WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REVERTED A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a device used to give additional accuracy using a point of aim for Firearms Airguns and Crossbows A crosshair or reticle is a shape superimposed on an image that is used for precise alignment of a device most notably that of a Scope rifle. ^[11] An attack animation was also altered; in the Japanese version, Xigbar combined his two hand-held guns to create a sniper rifle, which was used to shoot the player's party during the telescoping sight sequence. In the English version, Xigbar does not combine his guns, but twirls them around and shoots at Sora with a single gun. The death of Organization XIII member Axel was slightly edited; in the original, he caught fire during his suicide attack. WE DO NOT ACCEPT SPECULATION ANY CHANGE OF ELEMENTS TITLES WEAPONS OR NAMES WITHOUT RELIABLE SOURCING WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REVERTED

Port Royal contains the most content edits. Cut scenes were edited to remove some of the violence, such as William Turner threatening to commit suicide while aiming a gun at his head. ^[11] Unlike the Japanese version, Undead Pirates do not catch fire when affected by Fire magic and their muskets were modified to resemble crossbows. ^[43]

Promotion

An unlockable trailer in the first Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts Final Mix hinted at the possibility of a sequel. Rumors for a sequel on the PlayStation 2 were spurred in Japan when the Japanese videogame site, Quiter, stated that "an internal (and anonymous source) at Square Japan" confirmed that development of Kingdom Hearts II had begun. ^[44] It was not until Kingdom Hearts II was announced, along with Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2003^[45] that rumors were confirmed. The is a Video game Expo / convention held in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. Initial details were that it would take place some time after Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, which takes place directly after the first game. Other details included the return of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as well as new costumes. Information about Mickey Mouse's involvement was kept to a minimum. Mickey Mouse is a comic animal Cartoon character who has become an icon for The Walt Disney Company. ^[38][46] Aside from the game trailer and various screen shots, information regarding the game was kept secret for an extended period of time.

At the 2004 Square Enix E3 Press conference, the producer, Shinji Hashimoto, stated many mysteries of the first game would be answered. ^[47] Square Enix launched the official Japanese website in May 2005,^[48] followed by the English website in December 2005. ^[49] The websites featured videos and information regarding characters and worlds. Commercials were aired in Japan which highlighted the numerous Disney characters in the game. ^[50] Though the game was announced in September 2003, a release date for the game was not set until September 2005. ^[51] Nomura stated the game was announced too early and that information regarding the game was not released until a debut period was in sight. ^[52]

Reception

Kingdom Hearts II was generally well-received, garnering positive reviews and sales figures. X-Play (previously GameSpot TV and Extended Play) is a TV program about Video games known for its reviews and Metacritic is a Website that collates reviews of music Albums games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and Books. Game Rankings is a Website which keeps track of Video game reviews from other sites and combines them to present an average rating for each game Within a week of its Japanese release, Kingdom Hearts II shipped 1 million copies,^[5] selling almost 730,000 copies. ^[61] The NPD Group reported Kingdom Hearts II was the highest-selling console game in North America during March 2006, with 614,000 copies. The NPD Group Inc (formerly National Purchase Diary) is a leading global market research company founded in 1967 and provides consumer and retail information to manufacturers ^[62] In the month after its release in North America, Kingdom Hearts II sold an estimated 1 million copies. ^[63] GameStop listed the game as their best-selling title for the first quarter of 2006. GameStop Corporation ( is the world's largest Video game and entertainment software retailer ^[64] The game was also in IGN's "Top 10 Sellers in 2006". IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video ^[65] As of December 2006, Kingdom Hearts II had shipped over 3. 5 million worldwide with . 7 million in PAL regions, 1. The PAL region is a Video game publication territory which covers Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and varying European countries 1 million in Japan, and 1. 7 million in North America. ^[7][8]

Critical response

The game has received numerous awards and high ratings among reviews. It tied with Resident Evil 4 as Famitsu's Game of the Year 2005. Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as, is a Third-person shooter Video game and the sixth installment in the Resident Evil (formerly Famicom Tsushin) is a Japanese Video game magazine published by Enterbrain Inc ^[66] Famitsu 's readers ranked the game 29th on Famitsu 's All Time Top 100,^[67] ten places below the first game of the series. It was ranked number one for IGN's Reader's Choice for PS2 games. IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video ^[65] Eurogamer ranked it 34th on their "Top 50 Games of 2006". ^[68] Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded it "Best Sequel" of 2006. Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American Video game magazine. ^[69] Game Informer listed it among the "Top 50 games of 2006". Game Informer (often abbreviated to GI) is an American -based monthly magazine featuring articles news strategy and reviews of ^[70] Kingdom Hearts II also received a near-perfect score, 39/40, from the Japanese game magazine Famitsu, known for its extremely harsh grading. ^[55]

Critics commended many aspects of the game. GameSpy praised the quality of the voice acting and cited the graphics as "on par with the best of Square's productions to date. GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related "^[57] They also commented on the realistic and accurate character models for the characters based on the Pirates of the Caribbean. IGN rated the graphics a 9/10 and stated the "worlds look very much like their filmed counterparts. "^[58] Japanese gaming site, Gpara. com also praised the look of the worlds. ^[71] G4TV awarded Kingdom Hearts II "Best Voice Over" and "Best Soundtrack" in their 2006 G-phoria Awards. G4 is an American cable and satellite Television channel originally geared toward male viewers aged 12&ndash34 devoted to the world of ^[72]

Like its predecessors, the gameplay received mixed reviews. Many compliments were directed at the new camera controls and combat interactions between party members. GamePro stated the beginning is "sluggishly slow", but praised the action-oriented combat. ^[73] GameSpot agreed that the fixed camera system and new gameplay dynamics improved the experience, but stated the game was far too easy and there was too much button mashing. ^[56] IGN also commented on the button mashing aspect of the gameplay and criticized the party member AI, citing it as "absolutely terrible", but praised the story, presentation, and new battle features. Game artificial intelligence refers to techniques used in computer and video games to produce the Illusion of intelligence in the behavior of Non-player ^[58] Gpara. com had positive comments about the ease of combo attacks and complimented on the steady pacing of the story and gameplay. ^[71]

Versions and merchandise

Further information: List of Kingdom Hearts media

Kingdom Hearts II has been released in four different versions. Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square The first three are the normal regional releases in Japan, North America, and PAL, which only differ nominally in content editing and localization. PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is a colour -encoding system used in Broadcast television systems in large parts of the world The European PAL release was reformatted to run at 50 Hz to fit the definition size of PAL. ^[74] The fourth version has additional content and was released under the title Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. Like the previous titles, both Square and Disney released numerous types of merchandise before and after the release of the game. Merchandise ranged from toys and figurines to clothing items and books. The game has also been adapted into both manga and novel series. Prior to the release of the game, an Ultimania book titled Kingdom Hearts Series Ultimania α ~Introduction of Kingdom Hearts II~ was released that provides extended information on the first two Kingdom Hearts games, as well as information on the unreleased Kingdom Hearts II. DigiCube Co Ltd (株式会社デジキューブ Kabushiki-gaisha Dejikyūbu) was a Japanese company established as a subsidiary of Software developer ^[75] After the release of the game, Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania was released and focuses on the game itself. Another book, titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ Ultimania, was released after the Final Mix version was released. 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. ^[76] In North America, Brady Games released two strategy guides—one a standard guide and the other a limited edition version. BradyGames is a publishing company in the United States operating as an Imprint of Dorling Kindersley, which specialises in Video game The limited edition was available in four different covers and included a copy of Jiminy's Journal along with 400 stickers. ^[77]

Final Mix+

Cover of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+

Because the first game was re-released, there was speculation whether Tetsuya Nomura would do the same with Kingdom Hearts II. (born October 8, 1970) is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix (formerly Square) ^[78] In a Weekly Shonen Jump interview with Nomura, he expressed interest in a possible international version of Kingdom Hearts II, although there were no definite plans. sometimes known as Weekly Jump and better known as Shōnen Jump, is one of the longest-running weekly Manga compilations in Japan In Video games an international version is a relocalized version of a previously released title in its native territory that has gained additional features and He said that should a "Final Mix" version arise, he had a "trump card" in mind, with such features as the Mushroom Heartless found in the first Kingdom Hearts. ^[33] In September 2006, Square Enix announced they would develop Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, featuring new scenes and gameplay elements. Like the first re-release, this version would combine American audio with Japanese text.

Kingdom Hearts II was re-released in Japan on March 29, 2007^[2] as a 2-disc set titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The first disc contains Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, with a new secret movie and additional battles and items. ^[79] The second disc contains Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, a 3D PS2 version remake of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories with extra scenes and voice acting. is an Action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Japanese studio Jupiter and published by Square Enix in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance The battle system maintains the card gameplay, with the addition of Reaction Commands from Kingdom Hearts II. ^[80] The two games also serve as a canonical update to the series. This article is not about Literary canons of influential works of fiction but about the concept of a canon which defines the world of a particular fictional series The book, Kingdom Hearts -Another Report-, was included along with the game for those who reserved a copy. ^[76] Based on Amazon.com figures, Final Mix+ was the number one PlayStation 2 game in sales during the week of its release in Japan. Amazoncom Inc ( is an American electronic commerce ( E-commerce) company in Seattle Washington. ^[81]

Cover of the first volume of the Kingdom Hearts II manga

Printed adaptations

A manga series started its serialization in the June 2006 issue (released on May 12) of the magazine Monthly Shonen Gangan, published by Square Enix. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Gangan Comics is a Manga Imprint of Square Enix (originally Enix) is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its Console role-playing game franchises which include the Final Fantasy series the Dragon The artist is Shiro Amano, who also did the Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories manga series. is a Japanese Mangaka who has worked on several projects including his adaption on the popular ''Kingdom Hearts'' series. is an Action role-playing game developed and published by Squaresoft (now Square Enix) in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 Video game console is an Action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Japanese studio Jupiter and published by Square Enix in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance The first volume was released in Japan in December 2006. ^[82] Tokyopop licensed the manga and released volume one in North America on July 3, 2007. For the music movie see Tokyo Pop. Tokyopop, stylized TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor licensor Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[83] The game has also been novelized by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. is a Japanese Mangaka who has worked on several projects including his adaption on the popular ''Kingdom Hearts'' series. The first volume, titled "Roxas—Seven Days", was released on April 22, 2006^[84] and covers Roxas' story to when Sora wakes up and leaves Twilight Town. Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. 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. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[85] The third book, "Tears of Nobody," revolving around Roxas' past, was released on September 29, 2006,^[86] and the fourth, "Anthem-Meet Again/Axel Last Stand," came out in February 2007. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[87]

References

External links

• Official Japanese site
• Official North American site
• Official European site
• Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ Japanese Site
• Article on Kingdom Hearts II's educational benefits