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Right! Like to ever suggest seriously starting off with the mobile games because they're technically prequels is kind of a crazy. They do explain a few details of the current story, but like you said, so much of it is really setting up for future events and storylines lol (which I think is kind of fun, but definitely not where people should start 😂😂)

@@smugaru Mhm! Chronological order only really makes sense if you're *already* familiar with the story as a whole (and therefore don't need a "recommended order" in the first place) and just want to see everything unfold as it happened, but that would require so much time and effort that unless there was someone in the KH community doing such a monumental project for us there's not much point (Many thanks to Everglow for being exactly that someone!)

@numbug1234 Yeah, that's ultimately the point I land on. But there seem to be some people who insist that chronological order will make more sense, and that all narratives should be presented that way, and thus, there's an argument for a preferred or "recommend order" lol The story was very clearly written a certain way, and it was released that way. Considering that we now have all the games/stories more easily accessible now, I can't in good faith recommend anything other than release order for someone new, lol. I just feel like some people want to mind game the series and get ahead of all of the mysteries, as if it'll be too difficult to understand normally.

@@DaggerfallHash Oohh, definitely check out re:coded when you have the time. It is a lot of fun to play! 😁

Not the Vcast now. In that case I left out the TCG too lmao😂😂😂

@yourcollegedebt8384 The eliminators being as cracked as they are for a simple pallette swap, is one of the wildest things. They're low key one of the scariest non boss heartless to deal with, lmao😭😂

Did I delete it? I honestly can't remember doing that if I did. My apologies. What mods do you recommend?

@smugaru oh dw about it. i'm assuming it was yt. i noticed my comment got deleted when i tried editing it. so i didn't know if u deleted it or if yt was acting up. but i at least wanted to leave something in case it was u so i could figure out the reason. but yeah don't sweat it okay my mods non lua mods: HD textures HD environments Modern subtitles uncensored aqua (basically the devs censored her back cuz they thought it showed too much. this is to restore it) Japanese voices (if u want a little verity) Japanese ver names for commands (if u want a little verity better battle system ( just thought of putting it here anyway) remastered ost original sxf/vanilla unversed (if u want the original style) lua mods: title screen skip soft reset exp walker always enabled (u can also set exp per step. and it helps a LOT with grinding cuz this game is very grindy for level 99) easy fruit ball (just cuz of how annoying it is) play as armoured versions/without helmet early/unused key blades (it doesn't replace anything it adds them) OR if u have finished the game obtain all keyblades. which gives u every keyblade even the ones u can't get as a cirtain character quick command level up (if u think it's too slow) auto attack (hold x to attack) no command cooldown (if u want better flow) open command board anywhere (so basically u don't need to be at a save point) 100% drop rate (not really needed but nice to have) warp to overworld map (so go to overworld without a save point) improved Player Animation and Movement Speed (for better flow) and finally Disable Overworld Automatic (which means ur character wont go on the line connecting the worlds. not needed but it is a bit annoying

@Faming59 Oohhh!! Oh wow, ok. I will definitely be making note of these! Now I get why you were frustrated because you gave a lot of suggestions, hahaha. If I ever decide to play BBS again, I'll have to try some of these out. Thank you!

@@smugaru no prob! i think i found out why it kept getting deleted. it was cuz i was pointing u and other people in the direction of a youtuber who makes lua mods. to my knowledge they are the only one who makes them so that was the only reason why i did it. when i removed it then it stayed. so sucks. but yeah if u ever play bbs again i hope u have fun! these mods make it the best experience. i'm a big fan of modding so i'm happy to make these suggestions!

When you say story order do you mean chronological order, like, the order the story happens? I don't disagree that it will explain everything, I just feel like it could explain too much and leave you with less tension or little to figure out yourself. For me that's a little dull (and that's just me lol) The stories try to make connections to other points across the series and I personally feel these moments are stronger when it's not all explained right away. Trying to piece the story together yourself, and then having it make sense in the next game was a part of the enjoyment for me.

@@smugaru yeah the order the story happens. but i get that. for me i like going through a story start to finish. i do like figuring stuff out too as it goes along. but really the only things that are a mystery when going release date chronologically is bbs, 0.2 and days. the rest of the series is in story order. bbs was a in the past game. before kh 1, kh days was just roxas's story which came out after the first game and kh 0.2 happens the same time as kh 1. ik recoded is a thing but that story is pretty non relevant to the series. but besides those games all the others are in story order. so like kh1, kh chain, kh 2, kh ddd and kh 3. one straight story line. when i meant understanding stuff i didn't mean the story itself. just the little pieces. like kiri in kh1 reviving sora from being a heartless. it never gets explained until kh bbs with aqua putting some sort of magic on her necklace which was the light that revived sora and to this day not a lot of people actually know this at least from what i have seen

@Faming59 Ahh, ok. Thank you for explaining. Yeah, I get that haha. There are still a lot of little details that I really wish they'd explain in more detail 😂

@@smugaru yeeaaah same. like most small stuff gets explained but since the explanation happens out of order and is subtle so it's hard to pick out on it. cuz like the kiri thing unless u played kh bbs and then kh 1 right after you will probably not realize it's connected unless it's already in ur mind

@mediumChungus69 That's fair. Having the general knowledge of the story and plot is more than good enough. The bosses in this game can go kinda crazy when you're not expecting it, lmao 😭😂

@The_13th_Voyager Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're right. We were talking about it lol! 😂

@KsjsLwkek-mx9ed A video explaining a recommended play order for first-time Kingdom Hearts players? 😅

@AngelAOOrtiz Final Mix was just the name used for what's essentially the enhanced edition of that game, like what we'd call like a "game of the year" or "deluxe edition" now. The differences were mainly adjusted stats, abilities, additional bosses, and reskinning enemies. Final Mix is the standard version that's available to buy now, though. The Remix collections are basically remastered versions of the games, so Remaster + Final Mix = Remix lol

I get what you're saying about the KH2 secret ending, but it's more so just a plot point that's completely out of context to the rest of the story that they went with, and we don't see the conclusion. So, like kind of spoilery, but not really. After lurking around reddit and reading other interviews with Nomura, I kind of don't take the KH 1 & 2 secret endings too seriously anymore. It seems like they were just made to look cool and then they decided to incorporate parts of it into the actual games. It wasn't all as intricately planned out as it seemed lol. I think a lot of the hang ups now stem from just a difference of perspective of how we consume narratives. I don't interpret release order as really spoiling things like BBS or Days. We don't know what the story is going to be going into those games. They have a beginning, middle, and end that are still worth experiencing even with the little info the main games give you beforehand. I see them as being more supportive and helping fill in more context and lore for the established story so far. Also, I think it's more a coincidence that both of them happened to be tragedies lol

@user-pi3ip4ss6g I looked up an old Q&A with Nomura for the Days launch, and he mentioned something to the effect that they felt it made sense properly introducing Roxas in this game as they were introducing the series to a new system (the DS.) I respect people whose first game was Days. I do still think it's a very dense watch prior to KH2 for newcomers, but I'm not stopping anyone from doing it, lol.

@@smugaru yeah i agree but if you play the prologue first it’s a good experience also your one of my fav CZcamsrs

@user-pi3ip4ss6g That's pretty reasonable. I could see Days being inserted after the prologue as like a really long flashback sequence. I'm also really curious about the opinions of newcomers playing along with their friends who suggest chronological order instead of release order (especially someone being convinced to start with BBS lol 😂) Also, thank you so much! I feel guilty for not being more motivated to create videos regularly, but that really made my day 💛💛💛

@pokyspy The Disney worlds early on are more of a recap for sure, but they ultimately aren't that important. The focus is more on the castle oblivion story. Once you get further in, it'll get more interesting.

@smugaru thank you I am mentally fighting to not just look up cutscenes

@pokyspy No need to force it either. If you're not digging the gameplay or just aren't in the mood to play it right now, there's no shame in watching the cutscenes so you can get to KH2, lol.

@multigrandmarquis I need to get back to playing the GBA version. It's good, and I get why people prefer it over the remake, lol. It would be really nice to see them revisit KH with pixel art because it still looks remarkably pretty, too

I'm so glad they made air blocking an actual mechanic for KH3. It's one of the many things I really like about it. And you're right. I played Recoded first, and that's ultimately what threw me for such a loop the first time I played BBS. I was expecting it to play better than the DS game lol 😅

@vroom7815 I get that, and I realize that my perspective is tied heavily to how I experienced the games. The narrative just hits differently. It's not that it isn't still sad or nostalgic in release order (I would say it's even more nostalgic in release order), but it all kind of hit you in retrospect when you're thinking back and connecting all the dots. I would also argue hopelessness regarding the fates of the characters was the intention, lol😅 In chronological order, it certainly works, but it clearly wasn't written in that way. To me, it just feels more regressive, and like, it doesn't even give you a chance to figure anything out yourself.

They really do! I hope Square considers working with them again during this new KH era 👀

@OkeOke-zs5ju Yes! All of the background music I used for this video is from Kingdom Hearts games. There are a lot of really good tracks throughout the series! 😁

@@smugaru nice, I just got it

@lowisca That was definitely my experience, too. Terra and Ven were definitely like the test runs. By the time I got to Aqua, it felt like I finally knew something, lol. I was probably using a melding guide by that point, too. I actually really like the idea of the melding system, honestly. Any serious complaints I had were with the lack of fluidity and how busted the enemies feel in relation lol. The game has a lot of ideas and systems that I really appreciate. Shotlocks are one of my favorite additions haha.

@@smugaru yeah Aqua was my favorite from all of them, not just because of that, but her story feels more well connected and in the end you know there is more. Ven was interesting, and Terra.. only at the very end, cause most of the times he'd be like "I need to control my darkness *loses control*" and he just constantly reminds of that to a point that the character is just that, a big loop of him constantly reminding he has to be good then fucking it up.

@@lowisca Truuuee. The times I've played BBS I've done Aqua last, and I feel like it makes it more poignant because of her getting so much more story than Terra or even Ven. And like you said it helps tie everything together more and shows just how crappy a hand they were dealt. You really feel bad for all of them. She's literally the last bit of glue holding the group together at the end.

@jacksheehy4862 Personally, I would say it's worth it. There is fun to be had, but obviously, you'll have to be in the right headspace for it. I would suggest at least checking out the first game. The story is simple, and gameplay still holds up despite it being older, a bit slower, and definitely less convenient than the rest of the series, lol. Some people say start with KH2. It's a bit quicker and flasher, and overall, it has held up as a very strong sequel. Regardless of where or what you choose to play, all of the stories are connected and relevant, so at least try to watch story summaries for any games you don't want to play (in release order of course😁)

@seanvalsean4429 I would suggest checking them out around KH3, either right before, during, or afterward. KHUx can be before and then Dark Road after KH3. X backcover is kind of the beginning of it, though, and gives just enough to get started before KH3.

@noticyangel5046 You're very welcome. When in doubt, release order goes for just about anything as long as you can actually access the thing, lol. Square Enix have also finally made this statement themselves. Since we have all of the games bundled or stories accessible, definitely do release order for your initial playthrough.

@@Authentic1313 Sure, let me know how it goes! 😁👌

@phycosaber179 How deep is "too deep"? Unless you're like sitting through the end credits, you could just put it on pause for now, lol 😂. I mean, people have started with birth by sleep. I'd suggest moving to KH 1 next and going from there.

@@smugaru yeah i am almost half way through will play KH1 next then go by release order

@phycosaber179 Halfway through isn't too bad if you do decide to pause BBS. KH 1 is definitely a change of pace with the gameplay. Hopefully, it won't throw you off too much, lol.

I agree. Letting a story build up mysteries and reveals is more engaging (if done well). What I find so odd though are the people who treat this particular layered narrative as if it's a weird or uncommon way to tell stories lol. It's not even like a majority of the story isn't being told chronologically anyway😂

@@smugaru well if anyone watches anime im sure they will appreciate the convoluted aspect of plot lines lol.

@@dolphinitely_bro3944 And that's the other thing! Kingdom Hearts is absolutely anime. And I'm sure some of the people who argue in favor of chronological order have no problem watching some these lengthy series lmao😂

@@MaxNuttall-dy8ex What did you think of it? Did you have some fun? 👀😅

@@smugaru it's actually pretty fun. I don't understand the story though.

@MaxNuttall-dy8ex Yeah, I think KH3 is probably one of my favorites to just play. It's a lot of fun! If you're ever curious to understand what's going on (and have time), maybe check out the other games or find a good summary. If you like music rhythm games, the melody of memory game is probably the best summary lol😂

@SadBreads Yes, it does! The story so far bundle is two discs: 1.5+2.5 collection on the first one, and 2.8 collection is the second disc. You'd only be missing KH3 and melody of memory

@TheAzulmagia I definitely agree with that. The story and locations will always stay the weakest elements. It was already a little tiresome back at CoM. The system sectors were really the only new addition. They're cool, but even they became kinda samey lol.

@@RememberPluto Oh really? Why do you say that?! 😂🙈

@smugaru because I only really used slow and stop and cure much like other kh games and it made fight incredibly difficult

@RememberPluto Oh gosh. I mean, how were you supposed to know, though? lol. That's what I like about this game; you feel rewarded for experimenting with commands and keyblades. A lot of the commands stay pretty viable too. But hey, now you know if you ever decide to revisit it 😂

@galakticboss I meeeaan... real talk, you're probably right, lol. It would have made things so much clearer. I love a subtitle as much as the next person, but like, they could have used both 😂

@joshuaevans4301 I'm glad you're enjoying them so far! I still have my opinions about Days before/after KH2 lol. More people will probably be exposed to it in this "remix" order now than who originally would have in release order😂 It is really interesting that Square Enix has recently clarified their stance on the play order, but probably won't ever change the collection order.

@CaptainCJ97 I guess in my mind, with them both taking place in the Polynesian region, it made sense. I don't know how they'd literally come together. It would probably require some time travel nonsense, but just the concept on its own seemed really fun to me lol 😆

Honestly? I'm convinced it was for marketing purposes. Also, Square Enix themselves have recently stated release order, finally. But I think it was done so that 1.5 and 2.5 would each contain 3 equal titles, not really for narrative structure lol.

@epictoe7179 You must play card game!! jk😜 Just watch the story at least, maybe play it later, if you want lol 😆

This isn't for psp or an emulator unfortunately, just the native pc version, sorry 😭😭

@DragonautMK So true. And it sucks because by reducing the game to cutscenes for the collection, it honestly becomes a skip because the story on its own isn't very good. The game is definitely worth playing, and having actual gameplay makes the story at least somewhat compelling initially.

@felix_explr7161 That's not a bad idea, but unfortunately, at the moment, this mod, among many others don't currently work as of the Steam release. If you'd still like instructions, I don't mind typing them here, or you could DM me on reddit. It would probably make more sense to just wait until it's known when they work though😔

@@smugaru sure whats your Reddit? I saw on the Battle mod it mentioned it works on steam

@@felix_explr7161 my reddit is u/smugaru_ same on twitter if that works for you instead. I'm not seeing on nexus mod where it says it works on steam yet. I could be seeing the wrong thing, but I don't mind helping you with downloading the mod.

@@smugaruwhat did steam release?

@val3nt358 From my understanding, for the release of Kingdom Hearts on steam, the PC versions were updated (I know one of the things was the AI upscaled textures), and it broke this mod and several others. The update simultaneously dropped for the original epic games versions, also breaking the mods for that. I am aware there was a new update a few days ago, but I don't know what it's all about.

@BitsuArtcrest I can get that. I think that's something bound to happen with a series or narrative that lasts as long as KH has, lol 😆

@@smugaru i even google searched when KH will possibly end

@BitsuArtcrest Oh, if it's gonna be introduced to the Star Wars and Marvel crowd... it's gonna be a while lol 🤣

@@smugaru oh god

@@bitsuuuuuu 😂😂😂

Truuuee. I wouldn't be opposed to a KHUX remake, just sayin lol👀👀

@AubreyTheKing It is interesting to think about. When I was researching an interview for 1.5 remix, I definitely got the impression that they would have done it if they had the time then. I really do hope they consider trying again. I do wonder if it's feasible to outsource a remake that just has to be monitored. It wouldn't need to be a drastic remake in terms of graphics. The cutscenes are done, and it would be really cool to have the remake resemble that "old" art style 😅

@gaelg.c3256 Yeah, I would agree with that for sure. Something other than bending over backwards for trophies lol. Also, some actual multiplayer 👀😂

@turboshell Ahhh, ok, that does help a lot. Typically, I would view something as a spin-off by how removed the story is + how different the gameplay is comparatively, but you've made a good point. Persona is a series I'm not too familiar with myself, so I can't comment much, but that's actually really cool to learn. I have seen those particular games and would immediately agree to call them spin-offs. I had no idea they were directly related to their main stories, though 👀 I guess in my mind, when something is labeled a spin-off (especially games), it makes it easier to dismiss. And I really just think the story of CoM is worth it for someone playing the series, even if only to watch the cutscenes.

@@smugaru every mainline persona game is self contained, kinda like final fantasy, so spin-offs are what they use to expand on ideas from a specific game and add onto the story rather than the ordinary sequels, which I think is cool and I believe final fantasy does that too? I haven’t played any of those games yet but I do know there’s several final fantasy 7 games

@turboshell Yeah, Persona is definitely something I want to check out eventually. There's like a whole series related to just FF7, which I always thought was so interesting (only FF game I've played is chocobo tales, lmao) It would be interesting if Kingdom Hearts possibly explored more ideas in some self-contained spin offs 👀😅