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Differences between versions



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dlppictures

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So I've just bought the Japanese version of KHII and plan on making a thorough playthrough of all 3 versions and discover as many differences between the versions as possible.

And I'm not just talking about the obvious Final Mix changes like:
CoM Org member fights;
Roxas fight;
Lingering Sentiment/Will/Thought/Remnant;
etc...

I'm more interested in the little differences like in this video.

Of course, this video is a very exaggerated example, but still...

If anyone knows of any differences, I would be very appreciative of info. :)

I'll try to document my research as much as possible, be it through Youtube or something else, I will do what I can.

I refer to each version with an abreviation:
JP = Japanese PS2 version.
NA = North American PS2 version.
PAL = European and Australian PS2 version.
FM = Final Mix version.
JP 2.5 = Japanese PS3 version.
ENG 2.5 = English PS3 version.
2.5 = Both Japanese and English PS3 version.


What I've learned:

Misc

*O is Attack/Confirm in JP, FM & JP 2.5. X is Jump/Cancel.
X is Attack/Confirm in NA, PAL & ENG 2.5. O is Jump/Cancel.
*Some bosses don't attack Sora unless provoked in JP.
*Some unwinnable battles, that is supposed to show Sora and co, being overwhelmed, have special mechanics in JP. For instance, between 6 and 8 successive hits will imediately end the battle in JP, while in INT/FM you need 100 successive hits.
*Photos in Jiminy's Journal have Sora writing small notes on them in JP & FM.
*In NA Ansem's apprentices' names are misspelled. In PAL they are spelled correctly.
*In FM (most?) characters have updated models, to show more details. Since the game has been upscaled to HD, in 2.5 the models have been updated again.
*Both JP and ENG versions of 2.5 experience considerable load times.
*ENG 2.5 has consistent freezes on certain fights, as well as crashes that deal with using Limit Form.
* Some Keyblades have different stats and/or abilities in FM.
* Two new Keyblades have beed added in FM: Two Become One, by defeating Roxas, and Winner's Proof, by completing the Mushroom XIII sidequest.
* Some sound effects do not play properly in 2.5.

Spoiler Spoiler Show


World Specific

Twilight Town

*In FM and 2.5 you can fight the Lexaeus Absent Silhouette in the Sandlot.
*Flames surround Axel as he "dies" in JP, FM and JP 2.5. In NA, PAL and ENG 2.5 all flames have been removed.

Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden

*After Sephiroths introduction, in FM there is a bubble scene revealing the 'Cavern of Rememberance'
*'Cavern of Remembrance' bonus dungeon.
*In FM just before the Demyx battle, there are two new cutscenes.
*In JP, NA & PAL When fighting Demyx, you have to beat 10 water clones in 10 seconds. In FM & 2.5 you have 15 seconds.

Beast's Castle

*In FM and 2.5 you can fight the Marluxia Absent Silhouette in Beast's room.

Olympus Coliseum

*In FM and 2.5 You can fight the Zexion Absent Silhouette.
*When cutting of a head of the Hydra it bleeds green in JP. In NA, Pal, FM and 2.5 black smoke appears.

Disney Castle/Timeless River

*Daisy hits Donald after the events of Timeless River in JP. In NA, Pal, FM and 2.5 she just yells at him.

Port Royal

*Pirates have shotguns in JP, FM and JP 2.5, they are Crossbows in NA, Pal and ENG 2.5.
*When Will Turner says "You can't...(die) But I can." He points a gun to his head in JP, FM and JP 2.5. In NA, Pal and ENG 2.5 he lowers the gun down.
*In FM and 2.5 you can fight the Larxene Absent Silhouette, when reaching Isla de Muerta after saving the Interceptor.
*Jack is stabbed by Barbossa's sword in JP, FM and JP 2.5. In NA ,PAL and ENG 2.5 the sword is missing.
*Pirates run around flailing their arms when set on fire in JP, FM and JP 2.5. In NA, Pal and ENG 2.5, they cannot be set on fire, instead they are surrounded by smoke, they do still run around.
*In NA, Pal and ENG 2.5, the cannons at Port Royal have been stationed there by Commodore Norrington. In JP, FM and JP 2.5 they've been stationed there by Governor Swan.
Spoiler Spoiler Show


Agrabah

*In FM and 2.5 you can fight the Vexen Absent Silhouette, in the Peddlers shop.
*In JP, NA and PAL, after unlocking the three locks to the tower in 'Sandswept Ruins' you have 30 secs to reach the tower. In FM and 2.5, you have 45 secs.

Halloween Town

*In FM and 2.5 Sora gets a santa outfit when entering Christmas town. Donald gets a snowman outfit, and Goofy gets a reindeer outfit.
*In JP, NA & PAL Christmas Town uses the songs 'This is halloween' and 'Spooks of Halloween Town'. In FM & 2.5 the songs 'What a Surprise' and 'Happy Holidays' are played when in Christmas Town.

The World That Never Was
*A new boss fight with Roxas has been added in FM. The fight is also present in 2.5.
*When Xigbar starts the battle he combines his Arrowguns Sharpshooters in to a Sniper Rifle, and his sniper scope looks like an authentic scope in JP, FM and JP 2.5.
-In NA and PAL he doesn't combine his guns, he just rests one gun over the other, and the scope is just three purple lights pointing in the general direction his shots will go.
-In ENG 2.5 he combines the two arrowguns into a Sniper Rifle like in the Japanese versions, and the scope is three purple lights like the international versions.
*At 'Proof of Existence' when reading the tombstones in JP & FM, you get both the members title and their number. In NA, PAL and ENG 2.5 you only get their title.
*It is possible to hit Sa�x during his Desperation Move in JP. In NA, PAL, FM and 2.5 he is completely invulnerable during the move.
*Second Armoured Xemnas knocks Sora and Riku away thrice in JP, NA and PAL. In FM and 2.5 he only knocks them away twice.
*The Final Xemnas fight, both regular and Data, has a consistent glitch that tends to prevent Reaction Commands from triggering in 2.5.

COVERS
JP Cover
NA Cover
PAL Cover
FM Cover

Manuals
Scans of the the games' manuals (WARNING: Many large images)


Level up ability guides
Spoiler Spoiler Show


Spoiler Spoiler Show


Spoiler Spoiler Show


*Sources
GameFAQs: Kingdom Hearts II (PS2) Ability Guide by TitaniErtan
Kingdom Hearts II/Abilities �€” StrategyWiki, the video game walkthrough and strategy guide wiki
Level up and Bonus Chart! | KH-Vids | Your ultimate source for Kingdom Hearts media


Videos
Main menu differences. - YouTube
Station Heights Nobodies - YouTube
Boarding the train to Hydra battle - YouTube
Disney Castle to Twilight Town - YouTube
The Battle for Hollow Bastion - YouTube
The Final Stretch? - Youtube
Videos from others, since I haven't been able to record any 2.5 footage yet.
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 - What Needs to be Fixed? by Bizkit047
KH2 and KH2.5 Graphics Comparison (REMADE) by QwertycooleyGames

Update 14-03-17: With the release of 1.5+2.5 on PS4, KH2 is now in 60 fps. I have in other threads mentioned how I get motion sickness from watching 60 fps, so I am not able to give information from first hand experience.
Speedrunner Bizkit047 has a list of changes from all four games in the package, which he sometimes updates:
PS4 1.5 + 2.5 - Changes/etc - Pastebin.com

Current status - Sporadic updates when finding new info.
 
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flurryflames

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I will have to play the Final Mix game again. The only thing I noticed besides more cut scenes were in the japanese version. Also their dialogue when they yell are more expressive than in the english version.
 

dlppictures

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So finished recording the first hour of the JP version yesterday, and it worked great. :)
Then today I wanted to record the PAL version and after an hour I clicked the stop button, and what do I find?
Dang Pc only recorded sound, now I have to start the PAL playthrough over.

Oh well, it's only an hour.
 

flurryflames

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I would have to find a translated site for this game. It is the only way I will be able to play it. What is pal?
 

dlppictures

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flurryflames

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ajmrowland

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I will have to play the Final Mix game again. The only thing I noticed besides more cut scenes were in the japanese version. Also their dialogue when they yell are more expressive than in the english version.
Though the English VAs still have expression-for English actors.

Also, Jack getting stuck with a sword is in the JP and FM.

For some reason, Daisy still just yells at Donald in FM,

and Xigbar's Snipers combine in JP and FM.
 

ajmrowland

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I don't feel comfortable hooking up my PS2 to my computer. I have had problems with that. I rather play the japanese game and have a translated site so I know the controls so I don't accidently erase my game.

Does your PC monitor have an HDMI input? I have an HDMI-analog converter(and vice-versa). I dont really know if you mean anything like that cuz it's 6 am and I'm sleepless.
 

Jadentheman

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I don't feel comfortable hooking up my PS2 to my computer. I have had problems with that. I rather play the japanese game and have a translated site so I know the controls so I don't accidently erase my game.

Actually you can use a memory card exploit to get ESR on your PS2. Once you do that download the patch, apply it to your ISO, then apply ESR, then burn onto a disc and play on your PS2. It's really easy and it doesn't break your PS2.
 

dlppictures

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Weekly update 02.

I haven't had much time to play this week, but I did realise that I didn't check out my covers.
Turns out that those are different too.

Imageshack - 62021425.jpg
Imageshack - paluw.jpg
Imageshack - 46510533.jpg

And when I find time I need to check the manuals too.
From a quick look the JP manual is 23 pages thick, and the character pages are on page 6 & 7.
PAL is 33 pages thick before "Online Registration" and such, character pages are page 10 & 11.
FM is 19 pages thick before RE:CoM, characters on page 4.
Really makes me wonder if the US version is any different too?

I never noticed any of those changes at all >_>

Well, that is exactly why I'm doing this experiment, to find as many differences as possible. :)
 
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ajmrowland

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I've never seen that second cover....well, the back image anyway. For the US edition, it's just sort of like the KH1 rear cover with just Sora's face.

and why the fuck is japan the only country that acknowledges the cast on the rear cover?
 

Tailikku1

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In the Japanese version, wheneverthe Hydra loses a head, it bleeds green blood like in it's film of origin. In the International and FM versions, it's head vanishes in a dark purple fog.
 

XIII RoXaS XIII

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this kind relates to this topic but this i have been wondering for a long time... the added scenes in KH2fm are muted when a play on my chipped ps2 but when i watch them on youtube they are in japanese with jap subs. i know KH2fm is has English audio with jap subs but i just want to know how youtube got the japanese audio in these scenes.

also i should mention that not all is muted just the VA. sound effects such as opening dark corridors can still be heard in these scenes.
 

dlppictures

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Weekly update 03

Okay so my PC broke down, and I thus I haven't been able to do too much this week, but I did finish reading through my manuals.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tVzQz6719WF86bNqy8R2YIs_cglOfU03MGFQXlSyVgI/edit
(Dunno if this works, never tried sharing a Google doc before.)


this kind relates to this topic but this i have been wondering for a long time... the added scenes in KH2fm are muted when a play on my chipped ps2 but when i watch them on youtube they are in japanese with jap subs. i know KH2fm is has English audio with jap subs but i just want to know how youtube got the japanese audio in these scenes.

In theater mode, after you finish the game, you can choose to watch the cutscenes again with either English or Japanese voices.

I don't know if you HAVE to beat RE:CoM before the Japanese voices are unlocked, I have heard several sources state that, but since I played that before KHIIFM I would have already unlocked them so...
Yeah I don't know.
 

ajmrowland

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I don't feel comfortable hooking up my PS2 to my computer. I have had problems with that. I rather play the japanese game and have a translated site so I know the controls so I don't accidently erase my game.

You dont hook anything up. If you have a DVD burner, or a way for you ps2 to read USB, you simply rip the game and follow video instructions to patch it. then burn said dvd, or other output.

in the international and Final mix editions, Roxas's models have higher resolution textures. Most noticeable in the checker pattern on his shirt.
 

dlppictures

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I got my hands on a temporary computer so I continued to play.

I immediately noticed a difference between JP and PAL when fighting the Nobodies at the station in Twilight Town as Sora.
I made some backup save files and began testing 3 different scenarios I could think off.

1. If I don't attack nor get hit, how long will the fight be?
2. If I do get hit, how much pounding can Sora take?
3. If I go all out, will the battle be shorter? Or longer?

[video=youtube;dlzk1WuL3gc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlzk1WuL3gc[/video]

Results for people who don't feel like watching the whole video.

1. JP 3 minutes, Pal & FM 90 seconds.
2. Same on all three, if Sora reaches 30% HP the battle ends.
3. JP battle ends after 6 succesful hits. Unable to find an answer to PAL & FM as the timer ran out.

I remember reading a changelog for FM from way back when that was released, stating that these kinds of battles were changed to last from 1 min 45 sec, to 1 min 30 sec, or land 100 succesful hits.
While I can confirm that the battle is in fact 1 min 30 sec, in FM. I cannot confirm the 100 hits (as my very best attempt was 61 hits) nor the 1 min 45 sec.
When I searched for that changelog again earlier today, there was no mention of 1 min 45 sec, at all so maybe that was fake information someone had stated? Or maybe the US version has it? Though I honestly can't see why that would be changed for the EU release?

The Changelog that I could find today.
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix - Kingdom Hearts Wiki, the Kingdom Hearts encyclopedia
 
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