Transcript
WEBVTT
00:00:17.143 --> 00:00:21.843
Hello everyone, thinking of you wherever you are, and welcome back to The Other Castle.
00:00:21.843 --> 00:00:23.023
That was so romantic.
00:00:23.023 --> 00:00:24.823
This is The Other Castle, I'm Andrea.
00:00:24.823 --> 00:00:26.043
And my name is Tom.
00:00:26.043 --> 00:00:33.543
Here on The Other Castle, we do the plot, lore, and more behind all your favorite video games from the production, the creation, the release, and the actual game itself.
00:00:33.543 --> 00:00:34.023
Yes, we do.
00:00:34.023 --> 00:00:38.123
And if this is your first time listening to us, you can check us out at our website, theothercastlepodcast.com.
00:00:38.123 --> 00:00:39.883
That's the othercastlepodcast.com.
00:00:39.883 --> 00:00:44.763
It's got all of our episodes, links to our Instagram, our Discord, our item shop, and our Patreon.
00:00:45.043 --> 00:00:49.383
Yes, over on our Patreon, we do monthly episodes, both on and off season.
00:00:49.383 --> 00:00:54.583
You get early access during the season, and only $2 a month with a 7-day free trial.
00:00:54.583 --> 00:00:56.063
That's not too bad for...
00:00:56.063 --> 00:00:57.223
Not too shabby at all.
00:00:57.223 --> 00:00:59.383
For eight quarters!
00:00:59.383 --> 00:01:00.103
Every month.
00:01:00.103 --> 00:01:01.003
Every month.
00:01:01.003 --> 00:01:05.983
Well, anyway, so we are here to talk about Kingdom Hearts 2.
00:01:05.983 --> 00:01:06.983
I'm confused.
00:01:06.983 --> 00:01:07.963
Why are you so confused?
00:01:07.963 --> 00:01:09.583
Because I know it's not the second game.
00:01:09.583 --> 00:01:18.803
We covered Chain of Memories on the Patreon, so it's technically the third game, and they're doing this Final Fantasy stuff, where they're like, it's the second, but it's also the third, and it's like the sixth, but it's also the third.
00:01:19.483 --> 00:01:21.163
It's too much, man.
00:01:22.323 --> 00:01:26.763
Well, it's from the same company, so you can understand why they would have that kind of situation going on.
00:01:26.763 --> 00:01:30.643
Yeah, it's a full go figure, but let me have this.
00:01:32.403 --> 00:01:37.363
Well, the production of Kingdom Hearts 2 began almost immediately after the release of Kingdom Hearts 1.
00:01:37.363 --> 00:01:43.543
That happens so often with these good franchises, where they're like the first one ships and the team turns around and give us back to their desk.
00:01:43.543 --> 00:01:49.463
Yeah, after the release of Kingdom Hearts 1, they did release a final mix version, which we'll talk about here in a little bit.
00:01:49.463 --> 00:01:53.383
It was after the completion of that, that they began the production of Kingdom Hearts 2.
00:01:53.383 --> 00:01:54.503
Okay, gotcha.
00:01:54.503 --> 00:01:59.623
And the goal was to take the things people loved about the first game and polish out those aspects.
00:01:59.623 --> 00:02:01.563
That's a perfect way to approach the sequel.
00:02:01.563 --> 00:02:02.303
I get you.
00:02:02.303 --> 00:02:09.903
Not only that, they wanted to improve upon the areas people had issues with, such as the camera, some controls and the divisive gummi ship sections.
00:02:09.903 --> 00:02:11.183
Oh, you love the gummi ship.
00:02:11.283 --> 00:02:16.023
I love the gummi ship, and so does the creator and director Tetsuya Nomura.
00:02:16.023 --> 00:02:23.103
He wanted the new game to feel the same but different, refusing to reuse any assets or animations from the first game.
00:02:23.103 --> 00:02:31.703
Kingdom Hearts 2 was set to take place a year after the first one, and during development, the team came up with story ideas for what happened during that year in between.
00:02:31.703 --> 00:02:34.763
I know all about it because I'm on the Patreon.
00:02:34.763 --> 00:02:37.303
Yes, that's how Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories was born.
00:02:38.883 --> 00:02:44.143
It was a Game Boy Advance exclusive title that, like Andrea said, we recently covered on our Patreon.
00:02:44.143 --> 00:02:49.683
It introduces characters and concepts that would go on to continue through the entire series.
00:02:49.683 --> 00:02:59.043
The reason they needed to fill in the gap was because the protagonist Sora was going to need to start from level one again, despite being a demigod by the end of the first adventure.
00:02:59.043 --> 00:02:59.683
I totally get that.
00:02:59.683 --> 00:03:05.503
It's such a pain in the ass to be like, how do we reset the skill tree when you've already gotten like way the fuck OP on the last round?
00:03:05.723 --> 00:03:07.343
Right, instead of just building on from that.
00:03:07.343 --> 00:03:08.643
Yeah, definitely.
00:03:08.643 --> 00:03:13.823
For the voice cast of the game, we had many return and several get replaced.
00:03:13.823 --> 00:03:18.503
Haley Joel Osment, Hayden Panatier, and David Gallagher return for Sora, Kairi, and Riku.
00:03:18.503 --> 00:03:19.583
Love that.
00:03:19.583 --> 00:03:27.463
They are joined by series newcomers, Jesse McCartney and Brittany Snow, both keeping with the tradition of hiring working child stars.
00:03:27.463 --> 00:03:29.623
Oh, beautiful soul Jesse McCartney.
00:03:29.623 --> 00:03:31.683
Yeah, exactly.
00:03:31.683 --> 00:03:32.363
Good for him.
00:03:32.363 --> 00:03:33.583
I thought he was a one hit wonder.
00:03:33.583 --> 00:03:35.003
I didn't realize he was like working.
00:03:35.243 --> 00:03:38.303
Well, it was like at the time he was up and coming.
00:03:38.303 --> 00:03:39.803
Okay, good for him.
00:03:39.803 --> 00:03:42.563
They play a couple of new characters that we're going to meet later.
00:03:42.563 --> 00:03:51.523
The Disney cast was once again largely played by their original voice actors, with the exception being the really big names like Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick and Robin Williams.
00:03:51.523 --> 00:03:52.083
Fair enough.
00:03:52.083 --> 00:03:58.003
They were all replaced by the actors who took over the characters for the television spinoff series of their respective films.
00:03:58.003 --> 00:03:58.983
That makes a lot of sense.
00:03:58.983 --> 00:04:04.483
So those are people that have already played the characters and are canonical in this world and understand the nuances.
00:04:04.483 --> 00:04:05.403
Totally makes sense.
00:04:05.403 --> 00:04:10.123
Yeah, and honestly, they spend more time with the characters than the big name actor does.
00:04:10.123 --> 00:04:11.643
Doing the episodic series.
00:04:11.643 --> 00:04:12.423
Yeah, definitely.
00:04:12.423 --> 00:04:13.163
Yeah.
00:04:13.163 --> 00:04:17.843
Sadly, they also recast a few actors despite their characters returning.
00:04:17.843 --> 00:04:24.123
David Boreanis did not return to play Leon, as he had just gotten cast in the TV series Bones and didn't have the time.
00:04:24.123 --> 00:04:25.543
They ran for so fucking long.
00:04:25.543 --> 00:04:27.863
I totally get why he was like, I'm going to work on that project.
00:04:27.863 --> 00:04:29.083
Right.
00:04:29.083 --> 00:04:31.803
Mandy Moore was replaced by Mina Savari as Aerith.
00:04:32.023 --> 00:04:33.283
I forgot she was in this.
00:04:33.283 --> 00:04:34.563
I think we all did.
00:04:34.563 --> 00:04:37.303
Sean Astin apparently played Hercules in the first game.
00:04:37.303 --> 00:04:38.043
Wow.
00:04:38.043 --> 00:04:38.243
Yeah.
00:04:38.243 --> 00:04:40.383
I didn't realize that until I was researching this one.
00:04:40.383 --> 00:04:41.383
Good for him.
00:04:41.383 --> 00:04:46.063
He was replaced by the OC's Tate Donovan, who was the actual voice of Hercules anyway.
00:04:46.063 --> 00:04:47.503
That almost feels more appropriate.
00:04:47.503 --> 00:04:48.403
Right.
00:04:48.403 --> 00:04:54.023
There was also one more performer I had completely forgotten to mention in the first game who sadly was replaced in this one.
00:04:54.023 --> 00:04:54.883
Okay.
00:04:54.883 --> 00:04:59.783
The voice of the legendary Final Fantasy VII villain, Sephiroth.
00:04:59.783 --> 00:05:00.283
Oh, fun.
00:05:01.023 --> 00:05:08.043
In the first game, he was inexplicably played by Lance Bass from Nsync.
00:05:08.043 --> 00:05:10.303
No, you're lying.
00:05:10.303 --> 00:05:11.563
I am not lying at all.
00:05:11.563 --> 00:05:14.043
That's fucking ridiculous.
00:05:14.043 --> 00:05:17.763
What I would give to see him dressed up as Sephiroth.
00:05:17.763 --> 00:05:18.283
Why?
00:05:18.283 --> 00:05:19.623
Why was he Sephiroth?
00:05:19.623 --> 00:05:21.363
I have no idea.
00:05:21.363 --> 00:05:26.683
I think he was trying to get like some kind of acting thing going or kickstarting a voice career.
00:05:26.683 --> 00:05:28.563
He's like Justin Timberlake was in the social network.
00:05:28.663 --> 00:05:30.963
Let me do one, too.
00:05:30.963 --> 00:05:32.863
And Sephiroth is equivalent?
00:05:32.863 --> 00:05:33.663
I don't know.
00:05:33.663 --> 00:05:35.183
No, that's so weird.
00:05:35.183 --> 00:05:36.023
I think evil.
00:05:36.023 --> 00:05:37.603
I think Lance Bass.
00:05:37.603 --> 00:05:40.423
No, he's American Stint.
00:05:40.423 --> 00:05:41.283
I love him.
00:05:41.283 --> 00:05:42.423
Oh, good for him.
00:05:42.423 --> 00:05:43.603
That's fun.
00:05:43.603 --> 00:05:47.243
Well, needless to say, they waved bye bye bye to his interpretation.
00:05:47.243 --> 00:05:48.243
Shut up.
00:05:48.243 --> 00:05:52.383
Replacing him with Sephiroth's now long time performer, George Newburn.
00:05:52.383 --> 00:06:00.223
After a relatively fast turnaround time, Kingdom Hearts 2 released exclusively to PlayStation 2 on December 22nd, 2005 in Japan.
00:06:00.223 --> 00:06:06.063
Then in March of 2006 in the US, with Europe and Australia seeing it in September that same year.
00:06:06.063 --> 00:06:10.843
It released to critical and fan acclaim, selling 4 million copies in the first year.
00:06:10.843 --> 00:06:20.903
As per Kingdom Hearts tradition, a final mix was released, adding some quality of life updates, as well as new cutscenes to accommodate story ideas they developed after the game's release.
00:06:20.903 --> 00:06:22.443
Minor retconning is what I'm hearing.
00:06:22.643 --> 00:06:23.423
Yeah, definitely.
00:06:23.423 --> 00:06:25.663
That's exactly what it was.
00:06:25.663 --> 00:06:36.843
Over the years, it has been remastered into Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD remix, bringing it up to modern-day console standards and includes all the content from final mix as well.
00:06:36.843 --> 00:06:47.343
Since its release, it has solidified itself as the best action RPG of its kind, and maintains a top 10 spot on many all-time greatest games ever made lists.
00:06:47.343 --> 00:06:49.663
Would you say this is the best in the series?
00:06:49.663 --> 00:06:52.183
Hands down, far and away, no questions asked.
00:06:52.263 --> 00:06:54.103
Oh shit, okay, that's cool.
00:06:54.103 --> 00:07:00.963
Which makes it even more insane that we didn't see its official sequel for 14 years.
00:07:00.963 --> 00:07:02.383
Oof.
00:07:02.383 --> 00:07:06.743
I mean, yeah, though, first of all, licensing nightmare.
00:07:06.743 --> 00:07:07.043
Right.
00:07:07.043 --> 00:07:13.223
It's only gotten worse as we moved farther and farther away from the earlier days of this franchise.
00:07:13.223 --> 00:07:16.143
It's an absolute licensing shit show.
00:07:16.143 --> 00:07:21.863
Second of all, they announced Kingdom Hearts 4 two years ago and haven't said a goddamn thing since then.
00:07:22.303 --> 00:07:24.503
So I'm not surprised at a slow turnaround.
00:07:24.503 --> 00:07:25.003
Right.
00:07:25.003 --> 00:07:29.383
Seriously, I don't know why this series of all series takes so long.
00:07:29.383 --> 00:07:31.863
Yes, there have been a bunch of games in between.
00:07:32.223 --> 00:07:37.583
Oh, well, you're like, well, um, actually, they put out a bunch of dumb shit in different places.
00:07:37.583 --> 00:07:42.503
But it just made everything more complicated once Kingdom Hearts 3 actually came out.
00:07:42.503 --> 00:07:44.203
In my opinion.
00:07:44.203 --> 00:07:47.903
I don't want to like say that's a fact, but I say it's a fact.
00:07:48.883 --> 00:07:50.563
Fuck it, I have no stake in this.
00:07:50.563 --> 00:07:52.383
That is a goddamn fact.
00:07:53.763 --> 00:07:59.943
Well, outside of shameless self-promotion, I do suggest having the first game fresh in your mind going into this episode.
00:07:59.943 --> 00:08:04.943
So if you haven't played the first one in a while, you can go listen to our episode on the OG Kingdom Hearts.
00:08:04.943 --> 00:08:06.863
It's season six, episode two of our show.
00:08:06.863 --> 00:08:08.083
I feel so long ago.
00:08:08.083 --> 00:08:09.903
I know, right?
00:08:09.903 --> 00:08:16.263
Otherwise, it's time once again to get way too emotionally invested in a bunch of 14 year olds goombas.
00:08:17.083 --> 00:08:18.803
That's so creepy to say.
00:08:18.803 --> 00:08:23.283
Because this is Kingdom Hearts 2.
00:08:23.283 --> 00:08:29.343
The game's opening credits are a stunning pre-rendered cut scene recapping the events of the first game.
00:08:29.343 --> 00:08:37.363
Set to this one's theme song, Sanctuary by Hikaru Utada, the same artist who performed Simple and Clean, which was the theme for the first Kingdom Hearts.
00:08:37.363 --> 00:08:38.543
She has such a beautiful voice.
00:08:38.543 --> 00:08:39.543
Incredible voice.
00:08:39.543 --> 00:08:40.903
And I love this song.
00:08:40.903 --> 00:08:43.863
Honestly, it arguably rivals the impact of Simple and Clean to me.
00:08:45.143 --> 00:08:57.483
The cut scene finishes out the events of Kingdom Hearts 1, showing the character Kairi age a few years, and then transitions into scenes from Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, as Kingdom Hearts 2 picks up after the conclusion of that game.
00:08:57.483 --> 00:09:06.103
Chain of Memories did sell well for a Game Boy Advance game, but selling well for a Game Boy Advance game was still under a million copies in the US.
00:09:06.103 --> 00:09:14.643
That's so funny, because Game Boy was such a juggernaut and moved so many units because it was so revolutionary, and then with the Advance generation, they were like, meh.
00:09:15.783 --> 00:09:26.523
The flashback sections from that game highlight a blonde girl in a stark white room, drawing pictures of Sora and his friends running through Castle Oblivion, the setting of Chain of Memories.
00:09:26.523 --> 00:09:32.783
Fortunately, Chain of Memories is not essential playing, but it really helps to clarify everything.
00:09:32.783 --> 00:09:39.663
The cutscene also features a bunch of characters in long black cloaks battling against Sora, Donald, and Goofy.
00:09:39.663 --> 00:09:44.303
It culminates in Sora entering the white room, interrupting the blonde girl's coloring.
00:09:44.303 --> 00:09:49.903
On her doodle pad, we see an image of Sora floating inside a glass lotus blossom.
00:09:49.903 --> 00:09:56.843
Sora is standing in front of her, and then the glass blossom sprouts around him, encasing him inside.
00:09:56.843 --> 00:10:01.783
Sora goes to sleep, falling backwards into white nothingness.
00:10:01.783 --> 00:10:06.323
He flies over an ocean and lands on Destiny Island.
00:10:06.323 --> 00:10:09.723
Sora and Kairi are shown lying on the beach, holding hands.
00:10:10.703 --> 00:10:13.603
Eyes closed as the sun is setting.
00:10:13.603 --> 00:10:20.023
The camera lowers further, revealing Sora is also holding Riku's hand, who is laying on his other side.
00:10:21.143 --> 00:10:30.763
The music swells, and a person crashes down onto the sleeping trio, falling deep into water, just as Sora did at the outset of the first game.
00:10:30.763 --> 00:10:32.643
But it's not Sora.
00:10:32.643 --> 00:10:34.523
It's a different boy.
00:10:34.523 --> 00:10:40.463
He has blonde hair, and he's wearing an all-white outfit with a red collar over a black shirt.
00:10:40.463 --> 00:10:44.803
He keeps sinking further, eventually riding himself.
00:10:44.803 --> 00:10:49.703
He lands on a stained glass surface, just as Sora had done at the start of his adventure.
00:10:49.703 --> 00:10:57.603
When Sora landed on his platform, it depicted Snow White and the seven dwarves, along with a few other Disney characters.
00:10:57.603 --> 00:11:08.763
This time, it's another side, another story, as the blonde-haired kid lands on a platform depicting Sora, Donald, Goofy, Kairi, and Riku.
00:11:08.763 --> 00:11:13.283
He looks up into the sky, and the scene transitions into a new location.
00:11:13.283 --> 00:11:16.583
It's a dark, dreary beach environment.
00:11:16.583 --> 00:11:18.083
But it's not an ocean.
00:11:18.083 --> 00:11:18.823
It's a lake.
00:11:18.823 --> 00:11:21.183
Motherfucker!
00:11:21.183 --> 00:11:23.243
Why are you like this?
00:11:23.243 --> 00:11:25.003
You fucking hate when I say this to you.
00:11:25.003 --> 00:11:30.003
I'll say this to you just for funsies in the car, and you're like, I'm gonna kick you out right now, and you're gonna walk home.
00:11:30.003 --> 00:11:31.083
I couldn't resist.
00:11:31.083 --> 00:11:31.643
I'm sorry.
00:11:31.643 --> 00:11:32.983
You really could have, but you didn't.
00:11:33.683 --> 00:11:39.243
Big black rocky structures rise out of the lake like so many abstract sculptures.
00:11:39.243 --> 00:11:48.783
A man in a long black leather hooded cloak with metal tassels and a long full front zipper sits on a rock, looking out at the gloomy shore.
00:11:48.783 --> 00:11:53.723
A dark portal appears nearby, and another cloaked person approaches the one sitting.
00:11:53.723 --> 00:11:59.183
The sitting man speaks vaguely, playing the pronoun game, saying, he's been to see him.
00:11:59.183 --> 00:12:00.383
He looks just like you.
00:12:00.383 --> 00:12:06.203
Silently, but with subtitles, the new arrival asks the sitting man who he is.
00:12:06.203 --> 00:12:09.023
The sitting man says that his name is irrelevant.
00:12:09.023 --> 00:12:13.703
Then he turns the question around and asks if the new arrival remembers their true name.
00:12:13.703 --> 00:12:20.703
They think on it, then say, my true name is, but the scene ends before they say.
00:12:20.703 --> 00:12:27.743
Instead, we transition to the sound of Kairi saying, Sora, she's waking Sora up from his nap on the beach.
00:12:27.743 --> 00:12:32.243
It's like we're watching the scene through a shitty CRT TV that is glitching, though.
00:12:32.243 --> 00:12:32.843
Oh, no.
00:12:32.843 --> 00:12:37.223
Like a VHS tape that's been damaged as the screen freaks out from time to time.
00:12:37.223 --> 00:12:40.523
Because this is also just a cut scene straight out of the first game.
00:12:40.523 --> 00:12:44.683
As if the VHS tape had been recorded over, but the old shit is still there.
00:12:44.683 --> 00:12:47.503
I appreciate that you're like, the team did not want to reuse assets.
00:12:47.503 --> 00:12:51.303
Except for this instance, where we put a filter over it.
00:12:51.303 --> 00:12:53.923
Okay, in this instance, yes, they do.
00:12:53.923 --> 00:12:57.323
But we made it a little, we copied homework and we changed it a little bit.
00:12:57.323 --> 00:12:59.083
But in the gameplay itself.
00:12:59.083 --> 00:12:59.443
Got you.
00:12:59.983 --> 00:13:05.523
It shows the majority of the time that Sora spent on Destiny Island in short quick bursts.
00:13:05.523 --> 00:13:11.863
Suddenly the scene ends and you wake as the blonde haired kid, lying in bed in his childhood home.
00:13:11.863 --> 00:13:16.143
You sit up wearing a casual version of the white and black outfit from before.
00:13:16.143 --> 00:13:19.423
You rub your head saying that it was another dream about him.
00:13:19.423 --> 00:13:23.103
You have no idea who he is or why you keep dreaming about him.
00:13:23.103 --> 00:13:26.663
Your thought is interrupted by the sound of bells ringing in the hour from outside.
00:13:27.463 --> 00:13:38.663
You open your window to reveal a bustling little burgh, complete with a whimsical as fuck clock tower, and a train station with a locomotive pulling in as the name Twilight Town appears on screen.
00:13:38.663 --> 00:13:40.903
We are taken to a new location.
00:13:40.903 --> 00:13:50.263
You're in your full outfit now, sitting in a little side-alley kids clubhouse kind of place, complete with a dartboard, a dirty old couch, and wooden crates to sit on.
00:13:50.263 --> 00:13:52.403
With you are three others.
00:13:52.403 --> 00:13:53.843
Original characters to Kingdom Hearts.
00:13:54.983 --> 00:14:00.763
There's a taller blonde boy in camo pants and a vest over a black tank top named Hayner.
00:14:00.763 --> 00:14:06.823
A husky brunette boy wearing a headband and a red tank top that says Dog Street named Pence.
00:14:06.823 --> 00:14:08.463
He's the edgy one.
00:14:08.463 --> 00:14:14.283
And a young girl with brown hair wearing an orange tank top and khaki pants named Olette.
00:14:14.283 --> 00:14:19.643
They're all talking with each other animatedly while you appear to be having a crisis looking at your hands in confusion.
00:14:20.943 --> 00:14:28.403
I love that trope of a friend group where they're like, we have plans, we're children, and one's like, I am having a fucking meltdown.
00:14:29.983 --> 00:14:34.743
The other three are talking about a guy named Cypher, which is a character from Final Fantasy 8.
00:14:34.743 --> 00:14:37.963
Hayner gets your attention by calling your name Roxas.
00:14:37.963 --> 00:14:41.843
Shit is going missing in town and Cypher has beef with your crew.
00:14:41.843 --> 00:14:48.763
So he's going around telling everyone, you guys are the ones stealing stuff, which doesn't sit right with any of you because you're not the one stealing.
00:14:48.943 --> 00:14:50.363
That sucks.
00:14:50.363 --> 00:14:54.263
Hayner says this is the greatest injustice in history.
00:14:54.263 --> 00:14:56.183
And Cypher is going to pay.
00:14:56.183 --> 00:14:57.383
Good.
00:14:57.383 --> 00:14:59.463
You suggest finding the real thieves.
00:14:59.463 --> 00:15:02.183
That's really the only way to clear your names.
00:15:02.183 --> 00:15:07.903
Hayner says that's a great idea and suggests spreading out around town to see if you can figure out who it is.
00:15:07.903 --> 00:15:13.043
Just before leaving, Pentz says, Oh no, our are gone.
00:15:13.043 --> 00:15:16.083
Hayner replies, all of our are gone?
00:15:16.083 --> 00:15:17.663
And no, your speakers aren't glitching.