Kingdom Hearts is back in the broader public consciousness (we know it never leaves the minds of sickos) with Kingdom Hearts IV getting a new trailer last month, and that means it’s as good a time as any to remind you that Kingdom Hearts II is the best one. 20 years later, the PS2 classic remains a pitch-perfect summation of the best parts of Square Enix’s Disney and Final Fantasy mash-up. If you don’t want to take my word for it, ask Guillaume Broche, creative director of Game of the Year winner Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Broche appeared on an episode of Jeux Vidéo Club, French YouTube channel Konbini’s show in which people walk through a video game store and tell stories about the games that inspired them. In it, Broche talks about how Kingdom Hearts II is one of his favorite games.
“I think [Kingdom Hearts II is] in my top 5 games of all time,” he says as translated through Konbini’s video translation. “Truly exceptional. […] There’s really something about that gameplay that I’ve been looking for ever since Kingdom Hearts II. Kingdom Hearts III is pretty good, but it didn’t manage to recapture everything [II] did in terms of gameplay, which was exceptional. There was a real depth to it. You could spend 150 hours in the game, actually. Seriously, if you like action RPGs with cool systems, play this game.”
Though Broche recommends anyone play the game if they like action RPGs, Kingdom Hearts is a series that you probably shouldn’t just jump into with the second entry, even if someone says it’s the best in the series. The series’ 20 years of stories are all deeply intertwined, to the point where Kingdom Hearts IV is including characters from games you can’t even play anymore. Yes, Kingdom Hearts II is the best one, but eat your veggies and play the first game and Chain of Memories first.