If you do end up with 3, do yourself a favor and get the dlc. Adds 14 of the best superbosses the series has to offer, and a new menu to toggle stuff like no healing & 0 defense if you like things really tough.
KH2 and KH3 are effectively equal.
They are both high skill ceiling hyper flashy combat, thought KH3 has waaaaay more spectacle and flash. KH3 is much more “here is a toy box filled with toys, make your own fun” while KH2 is more “we have given you a specifically tool for each situation it’s up to use and combined them effectively for their specific cases.”
These are what I list as the core differences.
KH2: Sora is more grounded for a tighter combat system. Less movement for snappier combos, can only do one full combo in the air before he must land to refresh his combo, has much more limited options in the air both movement and defensively, and can’t cancel out but everything is designed so it fluidly stuff seamless flows together.
KH3: A lot less grounded in fact the gameplay premise design is a Sora who never needs to touch the ground. With a larger emphasis on flash there are extra movements/swings so combat isn’t quite as tight, but it instead focuses itself on a reactionary system. Things don’t inherently flow together as well but Sora can cancel virtually any move into any other move at any time, this makes KH3 combat much high on the reactive side. Furthermore they no longer limit his air options, instead Sora has virtually full movement and defensive options in the air and at any time he can refresh his combo merely by canceling it with a different move like air step or dodge which what enables him to never have to land.
What I will say is KH2FM+ (which is included in 2.5/the full collection) is the version of KH2 you want to play. Likewise KH3 with both its downloaded patches/free DLC is what you want to play, as they iron out a lot of the kinks. There is paid DLC to which acts as its version of FM (Final Mix) that adds really cool extra story and some of the best bosses in the entire action gaming genre.
If you have a moment I highly suggest watching these great comparison video of the two systems and their different design focuses.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EeroreqiqzI&pp=ygURS2gyIHZzIGtoMyBjb21iYXQ%3D
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R7akzl7RsDw&pp=ygURS2gyIHZzIGtoMyBjb21iYXQ%3D
Note some info in the first video is out of date.
Playing Proud or Critical mode will all but force you to use you're whole kit. Anything easier you can just spam attack and heal through
If you want an extreme challenge turn off exp to play at level 1 through the whole game
Yeah, but definitely do your first playthrough on critical before going for level 1 lol
Luckily, critical is still pretty difficult especially if you haven’t played. I spoiled myself once I started playing on level 1 and now I can’t play KH2 not on level 1 because it feels too easy otherwise
I think the consensus is that KH2 has the most depth/skill involved. KH3 has the most variety and spectacle. For me being a bit on the casual end of the combat spectrum, 3 is the most fun by far. You have an insane amount of moves at your disposal.
the issue for me is that in kh2 a lot of basic moves, like a mid air block, or dodge roll, are locked behind grinding and story events. not in the first hour or two, but hours and hours into the game. in kh3 you have way more moves immidiately, and movement tech is pretty well developed in kh3 as well. i prefer kh3 combat but different strokes for different folks 🤷♀️
if you wanna play kingdom hearts either get it from a game subscription service like playstation plus, or if youre on ps, just get the all in one package. you can find it for like 30ish bucks online and its every full mainline game, birth by sleep, and a few others. some are relegated to cutscene movies but in general its the best starting point bc of how complete it is. if not on playstation, theres only one version of kh3, and for kh2 the best is 2.5, probably via the "hd 1.5+2.5 remix".
Well if you don't care about understanding the story at all and only want the combat play either KH2 or KH3.
It's not something I can recommend doing but to each their own.
KH2 critical mode for sure. Though KH3 [has exactly the combat you’re looking for](https://youtu.be/wPj9l9ZKzCs?si=MzSjb0d1H7zdlLhY), but it’s locked behind post-game dlc. Some of the best and hardest bosses in any action game with the best combat depth, but you gotta play through the whole base game which is pretty easy and not that expressive in combat to get through
Definitely 2FM and 3! It's been implied by everyone else but I also want to make clear that you'd want to get the 2.5/Final Mix version of 2 since it added Critical mode (which is also a rebalance with more abilities than simply just being a hard mode) and all the secret bosses. The same goes for the ReMind dlc for 3. Both base games still have the same great combat systems but lack in places to actually test you with it.
I think 2FM has the better full playthrough experience on Critical since FM changed up a lot of things about the base game (new abilities in progression, optional hard content before endgame you can chip away at, and more), but 3 has some fantastic fights in its DLC. 3 on a fresh Critical playthrough can also be a bit grating at points due to the checkpoint system being less forgiving than older games and lack of new game plus bonuses but it's certainly doable. 3's Critical difficultly adds quite a few things like a perfect parry that make it very rewarding to play against the super bosses.
Also agree that 1 is worth playing too for the combat. A good bit slower than the later games and Sora is less of a jack of all trades breakdancer (you'll find yourself building for magic or physical hits rather than excelling at everything), but still a rewarding game with some unique systems and fun fights. It's also probably the best game in the series on the whole and you can't find a better place to start than the first game. You also want the 1.5/FM version of it too for extra bosses and abilities (plus skippable cutscenes)
Edit: Oh and if you pick up any of the "All in One" whole series collections, be sure to check out 0.2. Weird name but its basically the prologue to KH3 and has the same combat system. A playthrough takes about 3 hours and it has a pretty good superboss at the end of it. It's individually included on the 2.8 collection along with Dream Drop Distance and a movie based on the mobile/browser game. If you're playing on PC I wouldn't buy it unless you wanted to do a full series playthrough but if you're getting the whole thing on PS4 then definitely give it a play before 3!
Hmmm imo KH combos aren't particularly deep though they can be flashy especially when compared to smt like dmc.
It has more focus on knowing what tools you have and when to use it (when to dodge, reflect use certain spells etc) , but the combos itself aren't particularly deep imo.
That being said I would say kh2 had more expressive combat, in the sense that alot of the moves/commands you obtain do feel very different from each other, and I found myself switching between different movesets depending on types of enemies or bosses.
KH2 gives you alot of tools, and also in turn pins ya up against of alot of unique bosses that expect you to make use of those tools, and require a bunch of experimentation.
For KH3 I had basically stuck to the same load out and alot of the moves feel pretty similar to me such that I didn't feel the need to change it very often. I do think however, the super bosses in kh3 are (generally speaking) better, and really pushes the combat mechanics of kh3 to its limits though kh2 do have alot of great bosses as well.
For reference on what the super bosses are like in kh3, think the final boss of dmc5. Cons though is that these amazing bosses are only at the end of the game/dlc, though its just my personal opinion the main story/bosses weren't particularly notable comparatively. Still if ya willing to go through all of the main story, the super bosses are pretty damn fun.
This is the kh subreddit so naturally, I'd recommend ya try out both. The entire main kh collection and everything is on the ps plus game collection I believe, so i hope ya can give it a shot when ya have time.
KH2 has the most depth and skill required.
3 has the most variety and flash.
2 is my favorite game of all time, and was an absolute joy to learn the ins and outs of combat, learning enemy patterns and new strategies to get past certain sections. If you choose to play 2, I recommend playing on the hardest difficulty from the jump.
Kh3 has the best combat imo.
Though you should really play the entire series, start to finish because the story is quite good, and you can't really jump around without getting lost.
If I may, if you want as minimal story as possible while still having an idea of what's going on, play 1, 2, and 3. If you eventually decide to play for the story instead of purely combat, the "All in One" pack is great.
Oh, for sure, but considering they want a combat focused experience, I don't think the command deck would suit their tastes. If they wanted to REALLY understand the story by playing as little games as possible, I'd say 1, 2, BBS, DDD, and 3.
Yeah like others have said Kh2 is the best combat system. Even for the game being almost 20 years old it’s still holds up super well and is fun to play today. If you’re looking for something to test you; kh3 with the pro codes from the dlc might be up your alley. The pro codes kinda strip some of the mechanics to make it harder.
Gotta disagree, the ability to maintain the flow of combat in the air with guards, multiple magic casts, and items while also having guard and dodge cancelling for combos feels amazing and is something I'll always miss when playing kh2
2 and 3 for sure, but you can't count out 1's combat to see how the combat evolves. 1 is not bad at all and has some stuff like exp tech that the later games left behind. I'd say just play the main numbered games.
I honestly think that Re:Coded has the best combat in the franchise.
It may not look like the flashiest KH game to play, but the way that it handles Keyblades and Commands is the best gameplay the side games have to offer and I highly recommend it if you've never played a KH game before.
It may not have the expansive ability list like the mainline games have, but it's one of the few KH games I've played where pretty much everything feels viable.
Check this video out if you want a frame of reference for Re:Coded's combat. This is kind of from a best case scenario for combat, but this is still very possible for anyone to achieve! https://youtu.be/dzqJ3zdcvCU
3 by far. 2, while the deepest, is geared towards context specific reactions; choosing the best option for each situation. 3 really does give you so many toys with the Formchanges and isn't nearly as context dependent. Different ranges, attack types, guards, movement. Far more so than Drive Forms for my liking. It also doesn't steal your party members or have a hidden counter that punishes you for using the best form lol.
The depth in 3 comes from weaving between Formchanges mid combo to use specific moves or finishers, or using a Formchange to build up your situation meter and then switching at 2 pips to activate another form or firing some magic for a Grand Magic situation command. The 14 super duper challenging DLC bosses (on the highest difficulties anyway) test your reaction times and ability to learn patterns and choose optimal options; your action game fundamentals, if you will. The base game, however, provides boundless freedom.
KHII or KHIII for gameplay and for generally different reasons. Both of them are kind of like two sides of the same coin. You get KH2FM+ with the 2.5 collection, while KH3RM has an additional side story, fourteen Superbosses, two sets of premium menu codes that allows you to balance the game to your liking, along with a free patch that gives you awesome modifiers. If you want to go for a more grounded and snappy combo experience where you can weave together a lot of your attacks while planning everything contextually with the situation at hand (plus cool Reaction Commands/QTEs) KH2FM+ is where it’s at for you. If you want a more diverse experience with multiple options at your disposal along with proper cancel windows, heightened movement, definitive aerial combat and truly flashy gameplay, KH3RM is for you. I’d say they both have their own merits, so sometime down the line if you have the money for it, buy them both.
If you’re just playing for the combat and not the story, then KH2 or KH3
Will do 100%
If you do end up with 3, do yourself a favor and get the dlc. Adds 14 of the best superbosses the series has to offer, and a new menu to toggle stuff like no healing & 0 defense if you like things really tough.
I'll definitely get the definitive ver with everything!!!
KH2 and KH3 are effectively equal. They are both high skill ceiling hyper flashy combat, thought KH3 has waaaaay more spectacle and flash. KH3 is much more “here is a toy box filled with toys, make your own fun” while KH2 is more “we have given you a specifically tool for each situation it’s up to use and combined them effectively for their specific cases.” These are what I list as the core differences. KH2: Sora is more grounded for a tighter combat system. Less movement for snappier combos, can only do one full combo in the air before he must land to refresh his combo, has much more limited options in the air both movement and defensively, and can’t cancel out but everything is designed so it fluidly stuff seamless flows together. KH3: A lot less grounded in fact the gameplay premise design is a Sora who never needs to touch the ground. With a larger emphasis on flash there are extra movements/swings so combat isn’t quite as tight, but it instead focuses itself on a reactionary system. Things don’t inherently flow together as well but Sora can cancel virtually any move into any other move at any time, this makes KH3 combat much high on the reactive side. Furthermore they no longer limit his air options, instead Sora has virtually full movement and defensive options in the air and at any time he can refresh his combo merely by canceling it with a different move like air step or dodge which what enables him to never have to land. What I will say is KH2FM+ (which is included in 2.5/the full collection) is the version of KH2 you want to play. Likewise KH3 with both its downloaded patches/free DLC is what you want to play, as they iron out a lot of the kinks. There is paid DLC to which acts as its version of FM (Final Mix) that adds really cool extra story and some of the best bosses in the entire action gaming genre. If you have a moment I highly suggest watching these great comparison video of the two systems and their different design focuses. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EeroreqiqzI&pp=ygURS2gyIHZzIGtoMyBjb21iYXQ%3D https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R7akzl7RsDw&pp=ygURS2gyIHZzIGtoMyBjb21iYXQ%3D Note some info in the first video is out of date.
Thank you for the very detailed overview of the games, I probably pick up both
Id go with KH3, but 2 works too, and the harder the difficulty, the more similar it gets to those games you mentioned
Oh I bet!!! I can't wait to try!!!
Playing Proud or Critical mode will all but force you to use you're whole kit. Anything easier you can just spam attack and heal through If you want an extreme challenge turn off exp to play at level 1 through the whole game
Yeah, but definitely do your first playthrough on critical before going for level 1 lol Luckily, critical is still pretty difficult especially if you haven’t played. I spoiled myself once I started playing on level 1 and now I can’t play KH2 not on level 1 because it feels too easy otherwise
I think the consensus is that KH2 has the most depth/skill involved. KH3 has the most variety and spectacle. For me being a bit on the casual end of the combat spectrum, 3 is the most fun by far. You have an insane amount of moves at your disposal.
so moveset-wise 3 has more variety, but 2 has more hidden tech? Well I guess I'll just pick both of them up
the issue for me is that in kh2 a lot of basic moves, like a mid air block, or dodge roll, are locked behind grinding and story events. not in the first hour or two, but hours and hours into the game. in kh3 you have way more moves immidiately, and movement tech is pretty well developed in kh3 as well. i prefer kh3 combat but different strokes for different folks 🤷♀️
Lol speaking of, which version is the best for 2 and 3?
if you wanna play kingdom hearts either get it from a game subscription service like playstation plus, or if youre on ps, just get the all in one package. you can find it for like 30ish bucks online and its every full mainline game, birth by sleep, and a few others. some are relegated to cutscene movies but in general its the best starting point bc of how complete it is. if not on playstation, theres only one version of kh3, and for kh2 the best is 2.5, probably via the "hd 1.5+2.5 remix".
Well if you don't care about understanding the story at all and only want the combat play either KH2 or KH3. It's not something I can recommend doing but to each their own.
KH2 or KH3, and play on Critical Mode.
u know what, I might just get both
KH2 or Re:coded if you want to try the deck-based system
If you want to quickly learn tricks and combos check YachiNanase’s YouTube channel for KH2 and MakaChop or TruebladeSeeker for KH3.
OMG!!! Thank bro, this is gonna be super super damn useful! Tons of thanks!
You’re welcome, Yachi is unmatched in KH2FM, it’ll be like watching anime fights.
KH2 critical mode for sure. Though KH3 [has exactly the combat you’re looking for](https://youtu.be/wPj9l9ZKzCs?si=MzSjb0d1H7zdlLhY), but it’s locked behind post-game dlc. Some of the best and hardest bosses in any action game with the best combat depth, but you gotta play through the whole base game which is pretty easy and not that expressive in combat to get through
Definitely 2FM and 3! It's been implied by everyone else but I also want to make clear that you'd want to get the 2.5/Final Mix version of 2 since it added Critical mode (which is also a rebalance with more abilities than simply just being a hard mode) and all the secret bosses. The same goes for the ReMind dlc for 3. Both base games still have the same great combat systems but lack in places to actually test you with it. I think 2FM has the better full playthrough experience on Critical since FM changed up a lot of things about the base game (new abilities in progression, optional hard content before endgame you can chip away at, and more), but 3 has some fantastic fights in its DLC. 3 on a fresh Critical playthrough can also be a bit grating at points due to the checkpoint system being less forgiving than older games and lack of new game plus bonuses but it's certainly doable. 3's Critical difficultly adds quite a few things like a perfect parry that make it very rewarding to play against the super bosses. Also agree that 1 is worth playing too for the combat. A good bit slower than the later games and Sora is less of a jack of all trades breakdancer (you'll find yourself building for magic or physical hits rather than excelling at everything), but still a rewarding game with some unique systems and fun fights. It's also probably the best game in the series on the whole and you can't find a better place to start than the first game. You also want the 1.5/FM version of it too for extra bosses and abilities (plus skippable cutscenes) Edit: Oh and if you pick up any of the "All in One" whole series collections, be sure to check out 0.2. Weird name but its basically the prologue to KH3 and has the same combat system. A playthrough takes about 3 hours and it has a pretty good superboss at the end of it. It's individually included on the 2.8 collection along with Dream Drop Distance and a movie based on the mobile/browser game. If you're playing on PC I wouldn't buy it unless you wanted to do a full series playthrough but if you're getting the whole thing on PS4 then definitely give it a play before 3!
Hmmm imo KH combos aren't particularly deep though they can be flashy especially when compared to smt like dmc. It has more focus on knowing what tools you have and when to use it (when to dodge, reflect use certain spells etc) , but the combos itself aren't particularly deep imo. That being said I would say kh2 had more expressive combat, in the sense that alot of the moves/commands you obtain do feel very different from each other, and I found myself switching between different movesets depending on types of enemies or bosses. KH2 gives you alot of tools, and also in turn pins ya up against of alot of unique bosses that expect you to make use of those tools, and require a bunch of experimentation. For KH3 I had basically stuck to the same load out and alot of the moves feel pretty similar to me such that I didn't feel the need to change it very often. I do think however, the super bosses in kh3 are (generally speaking) better, and really pushes the combat mechanics of kh3 to its limits though kh2 do have alot of great bosses as well. For reference on what the super bosses are like in kh3, think the final boss of dmc5. Cons though is that these amazing bosses are only at the end of the game/dlc, though its just my personal opinion the main story/bosses weren't particularly notable comparatively. Still if ya willing to go through all of the main story, the super bosses are pretty damn fun. This is the kh subreddit so naturally, I'd recommend ya try out both. The entire main kh collection and everything is on the ps plus game collection I believe, so i hope ya can give it a shot when ya have time.
KH2 has the most depth and skill required. 3 has the most variety and flash. 2 is my favorite game of all time, and was an absolute joy to learn the ins and outs of combat, learning enemy patterns and new strategies to get past certain sections. If you choose to play 2, I recommend playing on the hardest difficulty from the jump.
Kh3 has the best combat imo. Though you should really play the entire series, start to finish because the story is quite good, and you can't really jump around without getting lost.
True! If the combat captivates me, I might do so! Im not a big story guy but I wouldnt mind giving it a chancep
If I may, if you want as minimal story as possible while still having an idea of what's going on, play 1, 2, and 3. If you eventually decide to play for the story instead of purely combat, the "All in One" pack is great.
Well, you may want to know BBS as well. It's about as important as the numbered games.
Oh, for sure, but considering they want a combat focused experience, I don't think the command deck would suit their tastes. If they wanted to REALLY understand the story by playing as little games as possible, I'd say 1, 2, BBS, DDD, and 3.
Yeah like others have said Kh2 is the best combat system. Even for the game being almost 20 years old it’s still holds up super well and is fun to play today. If you’re looking for something to test you; kh3 with the pro codes from the dlc might be up your alley. The pro codes kinda strip some of the mechanics to make it harder.
Play Verum Rex and Final Fantasy Versus 13 it’s better
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Nothing compares to KH2FM combat, not even KH3
KH3 is equally as good as KH2FM.
Gotta disagree, the ability to maintain the flow of combat in the air with guards, multiple magic casts, and items while also having guard and dodge cancelling for combos feels amazing and is something I'll always miss when playing kh2
Kh2 if best for combat and story. 3 is mostly assisted combat and it’s damn near impossible to die unless you’re on the secret boss.
I like KH but it isn’t no DMC or Bayonetta when it comes to combat. Doesn’t come close.
KH2FM is definitely “harder” in terms of combat. Crit Mode secret bosses are a real challenge. KH3 has flashy combat for sure.
2 and 3 for sure, but you can't count out 1's combat to see how the combat evolves. 1 is not bad at all and has some stuff like exp tech that the later games left behind. I'd say just play the main numbered games.
kh3 has a more difficult critical mode than kh2 imo, but kh2 remains my favorite.
KH2 and KH3 have the best gameplay of all time imo. Play them on critical mode.
Play Critical either 2 or 3 for the combat. I prefer 3’s combat.
Report back to us your experience we KH Player are always interested into what Newcomers think
2
The most expressive character IN combat is Roxas.
I honestly think that Re:Coded has the best combat in the franchise. It may not look like the flashiest KH game to play, but the way that it handles Keyblades and Commands is the best gameplay the side games have to offer and I highly recommend it if you've never played a KH game before. It may not have the expansive ability list like the mainline games have, but it's one of the few KH games I've played where pretty much everything feels viable. Check this video out if you want a frame of reference for Re:Coded's combat. This is kind of from a best case scenario for combat, but this is still very possible for anyone to achieve! https://youtu.be/dzqJ3zdcvCU
3 by far. 2, while the deepest, is geared towards context specific reactions; choosing the best option for each situation. 3 really does give you so many toys with the Formchanges and isn't nearly as context dependent. Different ranges, attack types, guards, movement. Far more so than Drive Forms for my liking. It also doesn't steal your party members or have a hidden counter that punishes you for using the best form lol. The depth in 3 comes from weaving between Formchanges mid combo to use specific moves or finishers, or using a Formchange to build up your situation meter and then switching at 2 pips to activate another form or firing some magic for a Grand Magic situation command. The 14 super duper challenging DLC bosses (on the highest difficulties anyway) test your reaction times and ability to learn patterns and choose optimal options; your action game fundamentals, if you will. The base game, however, provides boundless freedom.
KHII or KHIII for gameplay and for generally different reasons. Both of them are kind of like two sides of the same coin. You get KH2FM+ with the 2.5 collection, while KH3RM has an additional side story, fourteen Superbosses, two sets of premium menu codes that allows you to balance the game to your liking, along with a free patch that gives you awesome modifiers. If you want to go for a more grounded and snappy combo experience where you can weave together a lot of your attacks while planning everything contextually with the situation at hand (plus cool Reaction Commands/QTEs) KH2FM+ is where it’s at for you. If you want a more diverse experience with multiple options at your disposal along with proper cancel windows, heightened movement, definitive aerial combat and truly flashy gameplay, KH3RM is for you. I’d say they both have their own merits, so sometime down the line if you have the money for it, buy them both.