Kingdom Hearts II - Officially Confirmed + Pictures

[Jalbrean]

Sweetness. Just two pics but more then we had.

After months (or has it been years) of rumors, speculation, unofficial confirmation and official confirmation that was, upon further consideration, found to be unofficial confirmation, Kingdom Hearts 2 has finally been confirmed... officially. And this time we've got pictures and even first details as printed in a Japanese magazine (which hasn't been officially published yet, but will be shortly).
The sequel to Disney and Square's first pairing (although, we should point out, it's now a pairing of Disney and "Square Enix") is titled Kingdom Hearts II. The game takes place a year following the events of the original and features what appears to be a slightly older Sora as its main character. Your adventures begin in Twilight Town this time around and will apparently involve a number of new characters in addition to old favorites.

A release date for the game has yet to be revealed, although we expect more details to be shared at Square Enix's press briefing scheduled for tomorrow in Tokyo. Stay tuned!

The first pictures of the sequel, available in this article's media page, were provided by some folks with early access to the upcoming issue of Jump magazine, the Japanese publication that managed to get the scoop.

Source: IGN.com

--edit--

New info. Kingdom Hearts for GBA!

Square Enix Announces Three Major Titles
09.25.03 - 4:33 AM

Square Enix has announced Kingdom Hearts 2 for PlayStation 2, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories for the Game Boy Advance as well as Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, pictured below, will be an entirely new DVD movie title, whose story will take place two years after the events of Final Fantasy VII and explore what has happened since Cloud and friends saved the world from Sephiroth and the meteor. It will also mark the return of popular FFVII protagonist Cloud Strife and his old foe Sephiroth. We will have more information on this, as well as the two Kingdom Hearts titles as the news becomes available - hopefully during this week's Tokyo Game Show.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children will be available sometime next year.

You can check Here for a few more pics of Kingdom Hearts that I didn't feel like putting up since they were big.

[SomethingBig]

I LOVE YOU.

[Advent Child]

*buys a GBA*
KINGDOM HEARTS!!!!

thanks for the news

[Jalbrean]

I'm trying to figure out if KH: Chain of memories is just a gba version of Kingdom Hearts. The screenshots I saw were in Wonderland...

None of the sites i've visited have really said.

[SomethingBig]

Advent of Children looks absolutely amazing. I think it would have been better if it was a game.

[Sefie1999AD]

You know, these news really annoy and disgust me, and here are the reasons:

1) Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children sounds like a rip-off sequel where cheesy plot elements like the former main villain being brought back to life are used. At this rate, (SPOILER)Aeris will probably be brought back in the sequel as well. FF7AC will be a movie, and we all know how badly FF: TSW messed up. Furthermore, it will probably be available exclusively for the Japanese, just like Kingdom Hearts Final Mix and Final Fantasy X International with Eternal Calm.

2) Why is Square doing this cashing trick of putting one storyline on multiple platforms? IMHO, it's just their loss for putting KH on PS2 and GBA platforms. Buying a PS2 was a lot already, but buying two platforms is totally out of question. I'll never buy a GBA, so I won't get to see what happens in KH: Chain of Memories. Why does Square have to do that? Why, oh why!? Can't they just release them both KH2 and KH: CoM on PS2 or port them for both PS2 and GBA?

And finally, what's up with Sora looking like a villain in that pic?

[lemonation]

Yeeeeeeeeiiiii!
I so happy!

[TheAbominatrix]

Originally posted by Sephiroth1999AD
You know, these news really annoy and disgust me, and here are the reasons:

1) Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children sounds like a rip-off sequel where cheesy plot elements like the former main villain being brought back to life are used. At this rate, (SPOILER)Aeris will probably be brought back in the sequel as well. FF7AC will be a movie, and we all know how badly FF: TSW messed up. Furthermore, it will probably be available exclusively for the Japanese, just like Kingdom Hearts Final Mix and Final Fantasy X International with Eternal Calm.

2) Why is Square doing this cashing trick of putting one storyline on multiple platforms? IMHO, it's just their loss for putting KH on PS2 and GBA platforms. Buying a PS2 was a lot already, but buying two platforms is totally out of question. I'll never buy a GBA, so I won't get to see what happens in KH: Chain of Memories. Why does Square have to do that? Why, oh why!? Can't they just release them both KH2 and KH: CoM on PS2 or port them for both PS2 and GBA?

And finally, what's up with Sora looking like a villain in that pic?

Amen.

[Advent Child]

I agree with the FFVII movie thing, but I think the GBA game is a very different game. The screenshots don't look like it's played the same way. (I don't mean just the graphics) it's not just a console port. Also not many people buy gaming systems for just one game. They are selling the GBA game to GBA owners, and the PS2 game to PS2 owners. People don't need both.

[eternalshiva]

*clutches chest* *dies*

*huggles Jalbrean* I made you my new God *throws out beliefs*

What do you mean he looks like a villain? more like has a cool new outfit. Who wants to stay in the same clothes for years?

Who's the blonde kid? Tidus? Obviously Kairi is a player in there *continues to ask questions that Jalbrean doesn't really have the answer for*

*has another heart attack*

EDIT: look what I found! Looks like on the little date thing its coming out in 2004 in Japan ... That means about 2005 US/CANADA eh? *explodes* I hope the little pirate dude is in the game *is lying*



and on GBA? Makes me want to get one ...



source: www.ansemreport.com

[Sefie1999AD]

Originally posted by eternalshiva
What do you mean he looks like a villain? more like has a cool new outfit. Who wants to stay in the same clothes for years?

It's not about his clothes. It's about his face. Just look at this picture:



He looks really evil there. Almost like he's turned into a Heartless. Devious smile, evil-looking eyes etc.

Also not many people buy gaming systems for just one game. They are selling the GBA game to GBA owners, and the PS2 game to PS2 owners. People don't need both.

Well, that's the problem. For those who only have a GBA, they'll get to experience only KH: CoM and neither KH nor KH2. And for those who only have a PS2, they only get KH and KH2, not KH: CoM. Very few people have both PS2 and GBA platforms, so most of the people will miss at least some parts of the storyline due to the series and storyline being split across many platforms. That's what I'm angry about. Of course, buying a GBA or a PS2 would fix that problem, but as you said, not many people buy gaming systems for just one game.

[eternalshiva]

well, he did turn into a heartless at one point in the game, maybe he suffers from the effects? ;p

Donald looks like he's evil too but merp, he looked like that in the promos for KH also.

To me it looks like Sora is just grinning in a weird way like *yeah this is gonna rock!*

Plus I have a theory that sora lost his memory or something in this one and that's why one of the unkowns says "he looks just like you" and that Kairi goes "I can't hear his voice anymore" etc etc...

? ?

[Jalbrean]

You're more right then you know Sephrioth.

September 26, 2003 - As we originally reported yesterday, Square Enix held a press conference this afternoon to officially announce two of its biggest games for 2004. The first, dubbed Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, was unveiled exclusively for the Game Boy Advance; and despite what was assumed earlier, is a direct sequel to last year's big PS2 RPG (taking place immediately after the events of the first game). The game will feature Sora, Donald, and Goofy, and sport some of the most amazing CG movies ever created for the GBA. Expect it in 2004.

The second title, Kingdom Hearts II, is slated for the PlayStation 2 and takes place several years after the end of Chain of Memories. Sora, Donald, and Goofy are joined by a Jedi-cloaked Mickey Mouse as they continue their adventure into other worlds and battle the forces of an evil mummy-wrapped ruler. Whether or not Mickey will be a part of the battle team, however, remains to be seen -- as the footage we were shown was strictly taken from cut scenes without a hint of gameplay; Though it was revealed that Sora and other characters will see costume redesigns to solidify the game's more advanced timeline.

Square Enix dev-team members have already been credited as saying that Kingdom Hearts II will answer several of the other games' lingering mysteries and expand upon the identity of the mysterious figure seen in the special video ending from Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. It will be co-published by Buena Vista Games and be released "sometime in 2004 and onward."

We honestly wish that we could show you the five minutes-plus worth of trailer footage that Square Enix presented along with its announcement, but cameras were barred from filming these segments. But fear not IGN faithful, we're expecting more on Kingdom Hearts II fairly shortly

To get the full story we'll have to play both Chain of Memories and KH II.

[eternalshiva]

so I SHOULD get a GBA eh? *grumbles* maybe I will just cheat and read up on it >.< save some cash heh

[Jalbrean]

I plan on just playing it on my gameboy advance emulator. No need for me to buy a handheld to get the story.

I really wish Square-Enix wouldn't do this. Forcing your core audience that bought the original on PS2 to buy a GBA to continue the story is annoying.