Sora and Roxas exist in a unique duality in the Kingdom Hearts series… two distinct beings originally connected by a single heart and seeking control of their own destiny. As the “Nobody” that was created when Sora briefly became a Heartless, Roxas simply wanted to live his own life in his own way… but his will was at odds with the destiny Sora possessed. It was only when Roxas chose to yield his body and be absorbed into Sora’s purpose that he finally found what he was looking for… a life and meaning beyond simply existing.

Much like the struggle between Sora and Roxas, we will all find a war within us each day for control of our thoughts and actions, and this duality can make us feel like competing minds in one body trying to live two different lives. Fighting a war from within may seem impossible to win, and without the power of Christ it is a battle we are doomed to lose. But when we willingly submit our minds and bodies to the will of Christ in these times of conflict, a solution can be found… only by bending our knee to His Spirit and denying our desires do we become who we were truly meant to be.

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? James 4:1

I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:21-25

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Axel might’ve began his journey on the villains side in the Kingdom Hearts series, but he is the poster child for starting wrong yet still finishing strong. Despite serving Organization XIII and antagonizing Sora and his party for much of the series, he experienced a change of heart (which is hard to do when you are a Heartless) and chose to serve as an ally to those he once persecuted going forward. While his past left much to be desired, he was meant to wield a Keyblade of his own all along… and Axel’s redemptive journey gives hope to all who have “lost heart” due to the sins of their past.

If you are anything like me, it can be difficult to forget our “unworthy” past and serve the Lord in the presence of those who knew what we once were… but our redemption is meant to give hope to those who share a challenging backstory like ours and are searching for more than just forgiveness and absolution. We aren’t meant to simply embrace His grace and sit on the sidelines… we were given a fresh start as well as a Keyblade of our own so we can push back against the same darkness that once oppressed us and set our fellow Heartless free.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight. Colossians 1:21-22

“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Luke 7:41-43, 47

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The official Kingdom Hearts soundtracks for HD 2.5 ReMIX, Birth by Sleep, 358/2 Days, Dream Drop Distance, and HD 1.5 ReMIX are now available via the Square Enix Store. Each comes as a three CD set except for HD 2.5 ReMIX, which contains four CD's.

There are four soundtracks in total, including music from across seven games in the franchise. The music is created by composers such as Tsuyoshi Sekito, Yoko Shimomura, and Takeharu Ishimoto. Each is a re-release of products that originally debuted between 2011 and 2014, while the Birth by Sleep & 358/2 Days CD set also includes some extra music from the Japanese exclusive Birth by Sleep FINAL MIX release. The soundtracks for Birth by Sleep & 358/2 Days, Dream Drop Distance, and HD 1.5 ReMIX are available for $30.99 each, while the one for HD 2.5 ReMIX costs $42.99. Each is expected to ship sometime in September 2024.

Back in July 2024, Square Enix showed off some new hair clips themed around Halloween Town from Kingdom Hearts II. More recently, the company also announced the return of 4 metallic keychains shaped like the series' signature Keyblades.

The original soundtracks for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, Birth by Sleep, 358/2 Days, Dream Drop Distance, and HD 1.5 ReMIX are now available via the Square Enix online store. Each product is expected to release sometime in September, 2024.

The post Kingdom Hearts Game Soundtracks Come to Square Enix Store appeared first on Siliconera.

The PS2 is arguably the best console ever created with many popular franchises like Kingdom Hearts, Devil May Cry, and God of War taking root on the system. Other series really took off during this generation of consoles, like the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Here are the 10 best selling PS2 games, ranked by sales numbers.

10. Kingdom Hearts

The strange crossover between Disney and Square truly worked during the PS2 generation of consoles with over 5.9 million copies sold worldwide, as of 2007. Sora, Donald, and Goofy fought against dark creatures called the heartless in Disney worlds we all know and love like The Little Mermaid's Atlantica and Hercules' Olympus Coliseum. The action-RPG system is fast-paced, and lets you summon the likes of Dumbo and Genie to the battle. While the first game hasn't aged the best, the Kingdom Hearts franchise is still beloved worldwide.

9. Final Fantasy XII

After the success of the 10th entry, Final Fantasy XII took us back to the world of Ivalice, featuring kingdoms and olden-style language. It sold over 6 million copies, according to a 2009 interview with Yoshinori Kitase in Gendai. This entry in particular was different from other entries in the series, as it featured a real-time system similar to an MMO. "It was a triumph in many ways with its open world combat flow and groundbreaking (at the time) AI-manipulating gambit system," said our review for the remaster The Zodiac Age.

8. Tekken 5

Tekken 5 is also reported to have sold around 6 million units. This is the fighting game sequel that introduced the fan-favorite characters Asuka and Lili, in addition to the badass Dragunov and Raven. The game has an impressive 88 Metacritic score based on 62 reviews. "Better balancing, a ton of gameplay modes, smarter AI, and high-quality presentational elements are tough things to beat -- but Tekken 5 has all of them," said IGN's review when the game was released in 2005.

7. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

When you combine the reported sales of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Substance, you'll find that a total number of 7.03 million copies were picked up at stores. Launching in 2001, this game was a gigantic step in Hollywood-style storytelling within games. The second title also added a first-person camera for aiming down sights and the ability to hold foes up at gunpoint. Many love this game, despite a surprising switch of the main protagonist.

6. Grand Theft Auto III

Grand Theft Auto III revolutionized gaming when it first came out on October 22, 2001 because of its big open world mechanics and mature content. As a result, it sold around 8.3 million copies worldwide. I remember going around my friend's house at nine years old and being amazed at how open the game was, and freaked out by how many atrocities could be performed by the player. A remaster was released for this game, but the less said about that, the better.

5. Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy X was the best-selling PS2 game in the series at over 8.5 million copies, according to a 2013 press release. This was a big deal back in 2001. FFX was the first game in the RPG franchise to have voice acting with James Arnold Taylor as Tidus and Hedy Burress as Yuna. The elaborate love story between the two main characters also attracted many to the RPG. Composer Nobuo Uematsu also constructed a musical masterwork in the game's soundtrack, with standout tracks like "Movement in Green," "To Zanarkand," and of course, the epic battle theme.

4. Gran Turismo 4

The Gran Turismo series was huge during the PS2 generation, as its modern competitor Forza was yet to take shape. It drew 11.76 million racing fans to buy the game from store shelves in 2004. This game was praised for its fantastic graphics at the time and simulation mechanics. "Gran Turismo 4 is the Encyclopedia Britannica of driving, with more than 700 distinct sets of wheels to prove it, and introduces you to it with the restrained reverence of a martial arts instructor," said Eurogamer's review. "It wants you to win through training and discipline, not brute force and chrome elbows to the side paneling."

3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

The Grand Theft Auto series began to take over the industry with its next entry, Vice City. It sold a total of 14.2 million copies worldwide (according to the Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition book). This entry took us back to the '80s; the theming was exceptional, with a fantastic soundtrack and neon throughout the city everywhere. It also features an engaging narrative following Tommy Vercetti, voiced by Goodfellas actor Ray Liotta. "The game of fast cars and ruthless criminals packs more action and excitement into the first few hours than can be found in the entirety of most games," said IGN's 2003 review.

2. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec accelerated excitement from the PlayStation 2 fanbase even more, with almost 15 million copies sold in 2001 and beyond. It brought incredible visuals for racing enthusiasts at the time, and likely convinced many to take the leap from the PS1 to the PS2. The official website says the game added "impairing sunglare, shimmering heat waves, real-time reflections" and more to make this game as realistic as possible at the time. There was also an Arcade mode and a Simulation mode added to Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec to make it as appealing to a wide audience as possible.

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Arguably the best of the PS2 trilogy, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is on top of the best selling PS2 games list with 17.33 million copies reportedly purchased by PS2 players around the world, according to the Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition. Playing as Carl Johnson, you're living in the '90s, trying to save Carl's family after his mother was murdered and trying to flee corrupt cops who frame him for homicide. The game has an amazing 95% Metacritic average rating from 80 outlets.

Game Informer gave it a perfect score, saying "San Andreas breaks the video game mold and emerges as something far greater." (Via Metacritic) Despite a terrible remaster much later on, it seems to still hold a place in many fans' minds as one of the best in the series.

The post Best selling PS2 games, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Kingdom Hearts fans waited nearly 20 years for Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s adventures through Disney worlds to come to PC, which they finally did back in 2021 via the Epic Games Store. But some fans waited even longer for most of the series to come to Steam on June 13. Whatever floats your steamboat, PC players. Use…

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I could pretend I understand Square Enix's action-RPG series Kingdom Hearts, but I don't need to, 'cos what I do understand is how popular it is. Until fairly recently the nearly 15-game-strong series, where Disney characters cross over with Final Fantasy and go to war alongside a child wielding a key (I said I don't properly understand it), wasn't on PC. After some games arrived on the Epic Games Store in 2021, Squeenix have confirmed that multiple Kingdom Hearts games are coming to Steam next month, on June 13th. Unlucky for some, maybe, but not Donald Duck and Goofy, two of the main characters. Long has Goofy been seen as just a joke character in the minds of people people who didn't watch A Goofy Movie. Hopefully this brings his heroism to a wider audience.

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Lately, there has been chatter of Kingdom Hearts, everyone's favourite mash-up of Disney magic and Final Fantasy-esque action, getting a movie adaptation. These rumours come courtesy of Disney fan site The DisInsider and film industry insider DanielRPK, but I'm not here to discuss the validity of their claims. Rather, I want to talk about how if Disney really does want a Kingdom Hearts movie, it faces an incredibly steep uphill battle.

I can imagine pitches for a Kingdom Hearts movie adaptation have floated within Disney for a while, especially in more recent years. After decades of embarrassments, video game movies have been popping off lately, with the likes of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the Uncharted movie, and both Sonic the Hedgehog movies proving profitable for their respective IP holders. Kingdom Hearts is a big name, big enough for non-fans to recognize it, and its inclusion of beloved Disney characters would undoubtedly attract people who don't even know what a Sora is. However, I do not think you can meaningfully translate Kingdom Hearts from a video game into a movie; not without some audience-alienating compromises.

You'd have to assume any Kingdom Hearts movie would be based on the original 2002 game which, despite the series' reputation for having extremely complicated lore, does feature a fairly simple storyline. A young boy named Sora sets out on an adventure spanning multiple Disney worlds, alongside Donald Duck and Goofy, to save the universe from dark monsters while searching for his missing friends. I'd say that's an apt and easy to understand summation of Kingdom Hearts' story, but it also barely scratches the surface. There is a lot going on in Kingdom Hearts; too much to condense into even a two-hour movie. Movie adaptations typically and understandably cut out chunks of their source material in order to fit their runtime, but when it comes to Kingdom Hearts, there's nothing you can cut without it feeling incredibly jarring.

One of the main draws of the series is getting to visit all these faithful recreations of worlds based on beloved Disney movies. The first game alone is full of gems, from the madcap world of Wonderland from Alice in Wonderland to the gothic streets of Halloween Town from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Besides some of its outlandish story beats, this is what general audiences know Kingdom Hearts for, so you'd think a movie would make this a big focus. The problem is you wouldn't be able to fit all of the first game's nine Disney worlds into a rough runtime of two hours. Plus, with how self-contained most of these worlds are, only occasionally nudging the main plot forward, jumping from one to the next would feel incredibly jarring, even if Disney cut the number down to, say, only three worlds. It'd feel like one of those old direct-to-video Disney sequels, like Atlantis 2, which claimed to be movies but were clearly hastily stitched together standalone episodes of a TV show that never got off the ground.

On top of that, making the Disney visits the priority risks giving little time to the elements original to Kingdom Hearts. In the game, the opening hour is spent introducing Sora, his friends, and his island home before it's all taken away from him. This is followed by his meeting with Donald and Goofy and learning about their quest, the threat of the Heartless, and the magical weapon known as the Keyblade. It's the kind of set-up you can't condense into the first 20 minutes of a feature-length film, not without it being haphazardly rushed or confusing to anyone who's not touched the games.

So, is the answer to prioritize those elements and maybe skip over the Disney world stuff? Well, no, because then you're eliminating an easy way of getting non-fans to watch the movie. I know some game fans wish the series would ditch the Disney element completely, but it's a key part of its identity. Take that away, and you have another typical Square Enix RPG. Even if a movie were to put less emphasis on them, Disney characters would still be present, but would your average Disney lover be willing to sit through a Kingdom Hearts movie if the only characters to make an appearance were Donald, Goofy, and maybe Mickey Mouse himself? I don't think so. Perhaps the only other alternative would be to completely overhaul the first game's story to better fit it into the style of a movie, but then you're left with something completely unrecognizable to fans.

No matter what, it feels like a direct movie adaptation is a no-win situation. It's why I think the smartest thing to do would be to follow Amazon and Bethesda's example with their Fallout TV show, and have a completely original plot set within the Kingdom Hearts universe. That way, you can craft a story that's perfectly suited to the medium of film, rather than awkwardly truncate roughly 30 to 40 hours of video game. Unfortunately, that's not entirely viable either, since it'd only really appeal to established fans. The average movie-going audience is far less likely to be intrigued, especially if it requires a deep understanding of Kingdom Hearts lore. Knowing this series, I can absolutely see a potential movie incorporating important plot points mandatory for understanding Kingdom Hearts 4 or something, like Square Enix did with the mobile games.

If anything, the structure of Kingdom Hearts would be a much better fit for a Disney+ TV show. In the games, each world acts like their own story arc, and can quite easily be condensed into one or two episodes. A show could even expand upon each world with new story elements. Die-hard fans already know there was a pilot for such a TV show back in 2003 that obviously never got the greenlight. If Disney wants to bring a new audience to the games, a Disney+ series would be a smart way of doing it.

I would not be surprised if this rumoured movie is real, but ultimately gets shot down before any actual progress is made for whatever reason. Some pitches simply never get off the ground. However, the current climate could embolden Disney to give it a shot. Cross-promotion works as evidenced by Amazon's aforementioned Fallout show increased sales and player counts for Bethesda's games.

That's not the only example; Nintendo's enjoyed a boost in sales thanks to the Mario movie (per this financial report), and The Last of Us saw renewed interest thanks to its own TV adaptation. A well-made movie combined with the launch of Kingdom Hearts 4, whenever that is, could be huge for Disney and Square Enix. I do not envy whoever is put in charge of such a project, though, because it is far too easy to get catastrophically wrong, resulting in a product that fails to sell Kingdom Hearts to potential new fans while angering the ones it already has.

The post Kingdom Hearts is near impossible to turn into a movie appeared first on Destructoid.

Let me be clear: I have never played a Final Fantasy game. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth may be out very soon, and the series may be one of the most influential in the history of video games, but I have never touched one. Aside from tangential knowledge gleaned against my will via the internet and coworkers, and what I’ve…

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