Top Songs from KH2.5

Some time ago, I took a break from the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix, which wasn’t released in my part of the globe until about a decade after its release in Japan.  While I enjoyed the game immensely, I never could come up with a good topic in order to write about it, so I put off a post for the game.  You see, I beat the game, but I still had more extras to complete, and I was growing a bit tired of this good, but large, adventure.  I ended up quitting for a time to play Ni no Kuni, and then Portal 1 and 2, and then Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns….  So, in the end, I didn’t end up returning to this game as soon as I planned.  And so I decided I may as well at least get the music post over and done with.  What a good attitude I have.  And so I share with you all my top five songs from Kingdom Hearts 2 (with only one exclusively from Final Mix).

5. The Thirteenth Reflection is a new song only found in the Final Mix version of the game, and it plays when you fight the Absent Silhouettes. I don’t really know what they are.  All I know is you get to fight members of Organization XIII again, which is cool.  This song is rather epic, and it makes the battle feel rather dire.

4. This song plays in the Beast’s Castle. I am biased towards this level, as I love Beauty and the Beast.  It’s also simply a great level.  It’s an awesome song to listen to while exploring a massive castle owned by a rather grouchy, well, beast.  It starts off subdued as you wander its silent halls in reluctant trepidation, turning more energetic as your determination grows to unlock its secrets.  In case you didn’t notice, I write artsy to make up for not knowing how to describe music.

3. The Thirteenth Struggle was the music that played in Chain of Memories when you fought members of Organization XIII. As far as I recall, this mainly plays in KH2 when you fight Axel.  This song is pretty awesome and epic.  No more needs to be said.

2. The World That Never Was is a chilling world that exists (or doesn’t exist, to be more precise) in a perpetual state of nighttime, its source of light the heart-shaped moon in the sky, Kingdom Hearts, and the neon signs. Home of the emotionless Nobodies, this world’s theme is rather ethereal and fills me with a strange sense of sorrow.  I guess it’s a good thing Nobodies can’t feel.  Sniff, so sad and spooky.  Beautiful song.

1. Sanctuary was an easy pick for my favorite song from the game. Sung by the lovely Utada Hikaru, while the first game has Simple and Clean, this game has Sanctuary.  This song is awesome, and it gives me chills just listening to it.  (On second thought, I might just return to KH2, after all….)  Now, like Simple and Clean, the words don’t make much sense, though some of it is sung backwards.  No joke.

The World That Never Had Ducks