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[KeyBladerXIII]

Step 1. Get Kingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5 when it comes out next year.

Step II. Get Kingdom Hearts 2.8 which will have been out by that time.

Step IX-6. Get Kingdom Hearts 3 when they get around to releasing it.

 

[HawthorneKitty]

I liked the meaning behind 358/2.

 

[Mailbox]

Okay, probably already answered in full, but i'll go into it too.

In terms of weird naming schemes, yeah Kh is weird. Its not impossible though so here it is:

Of the kh games we have:
1 [ps2]
chain of memories [gba](and the ps2 remake re:chain of memories)
2 [ps2]
358/2 days [ds](side story set around the time of chain of memories)
birth by sleep [psp] (prequel)
coded[old ass mobile] (remade on ds as re:coded) (also a side story, but super not important)
3D (dream drop distance)[3d](prequel to kh3. basically ruined the plot)
χ / unchained χ [pc browser/ mobile game] (takes place wayyy before everything.)

so on ps3 we never had a proper release of a new kh game. instead, we got a couple hd collections.
1.5 (includes 1, re:chain of memories, and cutscenes from 358/2 days)
and 2.5 (includes 2, birth by sleep, and cutscenes from re:coded)

now on ps4, prior to kh3's release, we're getting 2 more hd rereleases:
2.8 (3D and 2 new pieces of content. 0.2 birth by sleep(takes place after birth by sleep), and a movie called χ back cover detailing all the events of &#967

and 1.5 + 2.5 (literally everything in 1.5 and 2.5 but in 60fps)




so... basically to catch up in the series, just buy 1.5 + 2.5 and 2.8 and you are golden. only need 1 console too to experience the whole series now :3

 

[jett]

The people involved in Kingdom Hearts are all nutjobs.

 

[Ydelnae]

Reality is: every name until 3D made sense. Then Nomura messed up with the collections and Chi because he didn't think about them before. BBS had to be renamed fom 0 to 0.1 because Chi (which is now 0) wasn't planned. There being a collection called 2.5 and another one called 2.8 is a misstep.

The thing that comes out in March and the thing that comes out in January is all you need for KH3

But you have to play the thing that comes out in March before the thing that comes out in January because the thing that comes out in March contains all the HD collections that came out before the one that comes out in January and you need to play the collection that is coming out in March before the collection that comes out in January in order to understand the story.

2.8 has a movie for Chi so it probably doesn't need to be played.

Everything points to Back Cover being some sort of Reverse/Rebirth for Chi, where there are two sides of the same story. And Nomura said that UChi S2 is coming after BC, so the mobile game will still hold some sort of relevance storywise.

 

[StoneFox]

Not sure how it's that confusing. Bigger number means it comes after smaller number. 1.5, 2.5, 2.8, 3.

And when playing the collections, just go left to right.

 

[Inuhanyou]

Just play Kingdom Hearts 1.5, 2.5 and 2.8 in order. In the menu's go from left to right. Simple and to the point.

I think the reactions to the naming conventions are generally overreractions IMO. Its part and parcel for anime, manga, and Japanese games in general.

 

[Kaizer]

LOL, this thread title sounded like the beginning of a Seinfeld episode. "What's the deal with these Kingdom Hearts numbers!?!"

 

[hydrophilic attack]

I think I have cracked it.

The following games will come out on PS4

KH 1.5+2.5
KH 2.8
KH 3

Add it all up and you get

1.5+2.5+2.8+3 = 9.8, which you can neatly round off to 10

KH 10

It's pretty much confirmed they will release Kingdom Hearts on the Windows store.

 

[WooHooAlex]

The ridiculousness of the story and naming of KH games is half the charm at this point. Just embrace it.

 

[Saint Gregory]

Wait, there's stuff in KH 2.8 that won't be in the KH4 package? What the hell is going on with this series yo.

 

[Fenderman89]

Nomura happened

 

[Ydelnae]

Wait, there's stuff in KH 2.8 that won't be in the KH4 package? What the hell is going on with this series yo.

Two games and a movie. The KH1.5+2.5 package contains two of the three collections.

 

[Erekiddo]

LOL, this thread title sounded like the beginning of a Seinfeld episode. "What's the deal with these Kingdom Hearts numbers!?!"

.

 

[Pizza]

KH 1.5 is 1, and it's associated midquel games that fit between 1 and 2, so the numbering kiiiind of makes sense because after this game you're a small chunk of time before 2. 358 and Chain of Memories are both very much "side story" sort of games

2.5 is slightly sillier with one of the games being a (very important) prequel and the other being a (much less important) midquel before 3. So the 2 comes from KH2 with another half for the two side stories

2.8 seems asinine at a glance, but the number means something slightly different, if 1.5 drops you off a bit before 2, and 2.5 drops you a chunk of time before 3, then 2.8 is IMMEDIATELY before 3. Dream Drop Distance is after Re:Coded from 2.5 and is much less of a side story than the other DS games.

2.8 is all the most recent stuff that super ties into 3, the last game in this arc. Hence "final chapter prologue." Playing DDD and watching X would bring you to about 2.8 numerically, and 0.2 should bring you up to immediately before 3 narratively.


For an outsider looking in, the numbers are asinine and lead to 6.8, but the KH series always has stupid titles with subtle actual meanings behind them

I think I have cracked it.

The following games will come out on PS4

KH 1.5+2.5
KH 2.8
KH 3

Add it all up and you get

1.5+2.5+2.8+3 = 9.8, which you can neatly round off to 10

KH 10

It's pretty much confirmed they will release Kingdom Hearts on the Windows store.

Lol @ the windows store bit but your math is actually sound

Each collection has three games, and together all ten kingdom hearts games (if you add 0.2 as it's own number) add up to Kingom Hearts 10

 

[LegendofLex]

Seriously, I've been out of the Kingdom Hearts loop for a while and while trying to look up what recent games came out, I'm assulted with cryptic numbers.

1.5? 2.5? 358/2? I haven't played one since the original and don't really know what these are.

1.5 = Kingdom Hearts 1, plus some stuff that comes after it and before 2
2.5 = Kingdom Hearts 2, plus some stuff that comes after it and before 3 (one of the titles included is a flashback)
2.8 "Final Chapter Prologue" = Stuff that comes after the stuff in 2.5 and before 3 (one of the titles included is a flashback), all of it directly anticipating the story in 3

 

[raven777]

Wait, there's stuff in KH 2.8 that won't be in the KH4 package? What the hell is going on with this series yo.

nothing overlaps between KH 2.8 and 1.5+2.5.

 

[The Last One]

Yes, the numbers are fucking confusing. I'll try to help people new to the series. So if you're playing it for the first time I recommend going for the release date order. Like this:

1st - Kingdom Hearts I (KH I.5)
2nd - Kingdom Hearts Chain Of Memories (KH I.5)
3rd - Kingdom Hearts II (KH II.5)
4th - Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days (KH I.5)
5th - Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (KH II.5)
6th - Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded (KH II.5)
7th - Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance (KH II.8)
8th and 9th - Kingdom Hearts 0.2 and Kingdom Hearts Unchained X (KH II.8)

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Don't bother catching up with everything. KH1, KH2, and BBS are the tentpole games in the franchise (and CoM and DDD, but you're better off just reading a summary of those games' events instead of playing them).

 

[DNAbro]

Don't bother catching up with everything. KH1, KH2, and BBS are the tentpole games in the franchise (and CoM and DDD, but you're better off just reading a summary of those games' events instead of playing them).

nah play DDD. Especially with the remaster coming out. Also good luck to anyone trying to understand DDD.

 

[Inuhanyou]

Don't bother catching up with everything. KH1, KH2, and BBS are the tentpole games in the franchise (and CoM and DDD, but you're better off just reading a summary of those games' events instead of playing them).

Ignore this man. Playing the games is the entire reason why you should even care about KH3.

 

[Ydelnae]

Don't bother catching up with everything. KH1, KH2, and BBS are the tentpole games in the franchise (and CoM and DDD, but you're better off just reading a summary of those games' events instead of playing them).

Good luck reading a summary of DDD and understanding the reveal arc.

 

[Napalm_Frank]

Makes you wonder of Disney should keep SE marketing team on a tighter leash or should SE marketing team keep Nomura on a tighter leash.

 

[Saint Gregory]

nothing overlaps between KH 2.8 and 1.5+2.5.

I understand that now after reading the breakdown of each game above but why couldn't they just get all of this stuff into a single package? I'm so lost on what's going on with the main storyline that I doubt I'll be able to follow what's going on in KH3. It won't hurt my enjoyment though... I hope.

 

[raven777]

I understand that now after reading the breakdown of each game above but why couldn't they just get all of this stuff into a single package? I'm so lost on what's going on with the main storyline that I doubt I'll be able to follow what's going on in KH3. It won't hurt my enjoyment though... I hope.

cause 2.8 is $60 and 1.5+2.5 is $50.

 

[SenkiDala]

When they all got first released yes it was complicated (Kingdom Hearts 0.2, Birth By Sleep, Dream Drop Distance, etc), but now it's becoming ok!

As a person who just played 20 minutes of the first one on PS2 back then, and never had the chance to keep playing it I'll jump on those compilations.

1: Play KH 1.5
2: Play KH 2.5
3: Play KH 2.8 (we're almost to "3"!)
4: Play KH 3

Really glad they announced a 1.5+2.5 version at the PGW, I'll be able to play all the series on PS4!

 

[MADGAME]

KH 0 is BBS and that's included in KH II.5 though.

KH Unchained X is the KH -1 and it's included in II.8.

Brain hurts...

LMAO so this is why they taught us algebra way back when.

 

[Pizza]

Honestly 1.5+2.5 is a really good port of two $60 remastered, is a steal, and not necessarily a good $$$ for game vaule to compare 2.8 to

2.8's got a ground-up PS4 remake of a 3DS game, a brand new prologue game that's an unknown length, and a feature length prequel cgi movie.

1.5+2.5 is a fucking steal at $50 but I still feel justified in dropping $60 on the DDD remaster. Game looked fucking nuts but I wasn't about to play a 3DS kingdom hearts game

 

[magawolaz]

It's dumb but doesn't bother me.

All those other latin names though... like Noctis Lucis Caelum... now that's some cringey shit
(Probably because my first language comes from latin and it just sounds stupid )

 

[Pizza]

To be honest, I think KH may be a game that could be worth playing out of release order

Playing it as

X, BBS, 1, CoM, 358, 2, Coded, DDD, 0.2, 3

Would take some of the narrative mystery from the series, but sacrificing that gives you a much clearer picture of what the fuck is actually happening for ten games

 

[WooHooAlex]

Don't bother catching up with everything. KH1, KH2, and BBS are the tentpole games in the franchise (and CoM and DDD, but you're better off just reading a summary of those games' events instead of playing them).

I actually think Kingdom Hearts is one of the very few current series where every game is pretty much mandatory if you want to get into it. Its best to start with KH1 and just work your way through in order of release.

Chain of Memories picks up right where KH1 ends, and bridges the gap between 1 & 2. Without it, Kingdom Hearts 2 is pretty damn confusing.

 

[JSevere]

It's not really complicated. 1.5 is the collection that includes KH1 and the game that comes immediately after it. 2.5 is the collection that includes KH2 and the game that comes immediately after it. 1.5+2.5 is them both. 2.8 is the collection that follows 2.5 with the last stuff you need to know before you play KH3. Pretty simple.

358/2 Days has its name for story reasons.

Spoiler

It follows Roxas' 358 days in the Organization through the eyes of two forms of Sora, him and Xion.

 

[DigtialT]

1.5, 2.5, and 2.8 are just collections of all the previous games. And yes, all you need to fully catch up is the "1.5+2.5" collection on PS4 when that comes out and 2.8.

 

[hemo memo]

Step 1. Get Kingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5 when it comes out next year.

Step II. Get Kingdom Hearts 2.8 which will have been out by that time.

Step IX-6. Get Kingdom Hearts 3 when they get around to releasing it.

Step 1- Buy Kingdom Hearts 3 when it comes out
Step 2- Watch a story recap
Step 3- get confused of what you just watched
Step 4- play Kingdom Hearts 3 for the gameplay and enjoy it.

 

[bobawesome]

Kingdom Hearts = teh penguin of d00m

 

[privitsan02]

Why not, and I know this a crazy thought, release everything in one package? It's not even like the collections have all the games. They have literally just included the cutscenes for some.

Oh wait, can't milk the franchise that way. Silly me Square Enix, I apologize...

Best wishes.

 

[Goro Majima]

In my ideal fantasy world, KH3 will end with a semi-soft reboot to the series just to streamline the overall story. I guess they don't have to since they're going to be all released on PS4 but the story just feels kinda messy.

I'm going to try to go through all these again just to get my head on straight with the fiction.

 

[fernoca]

Is Square Enix been Square Enix.
They're trying to top 'Dissidia 012 [duodecim] Final Fantasy', which was the second game in that series.

But yeah, play 1.5, 2.5 and 2.8 and you'll be set.

 

[Napalm_Frank]

In my ideal fantasy world, KH3 will end with a semi-soft reboot to the series just to streamline the overall story. I guess they don't have to since they're going to be all released on PS4 but the story just feels kinda messy.

I'm going to try to go through all these again just to get my head on straight with the fiction.

After all the platform jumping and funky names/release schedules (releasing 2.8 before 1.5+2.5? whyyy) I can only hope KH3 manages to do well enough for there to be an actual future for that possible soft reboot :d

 

[Veritigo_X]

Just don't ask, man.

 

[Polioliolio]

Fuck 2.8

It makes it sound like you're getting Kingdom Hearts 2 with it, which is really confusing since there's that 1.5 and 2.5 coming out.

 

[Ydelnae]

Here, have this graph:

 

[Real_Madrid]

As someone who never played a KH game and knows nothing about it, it's just very very confusing.
I don't think they're going to get a lot of new players with their weird names and overall strange remasters, because there's even another one on the way(?).

 

[GoldCrusader]

I never had any problems with KH games names. I think they are all pretty much playable on their own anyway. I myself played them in pretty much pure disorder.

Also it's simple it's 1.5 then 2.5 then 2.8. Easy.

 

[Dynasty8]

Here, have this graph:

 

[Puruzi]

hurr hurr so confusing and complicated, omg omg smh.

Lmao

I don't understand why people keep pretending this is super hard.

 

[Real_Madrid]

Here, have this graph:

This can't be serious.

 

[Erekiddo]

Lmao

I don't understand why people keep pretending this is super hard.

2 naysayers out of 98 replies. You two are definitely in the minority here.

 

[Puruzi]

2 naysayers out of 98 replies. You two are definitely in the minority here.

That's sad. Just play the games in release order, done. This isn't rocket science.

 

[LegendofLex]

This can't be serious.

That graph is 100% accurate.