What makes KH 2.8HD enjoyable more than most would expect is how it properly comes full circle with the story. Playing 1.5 and 2.5 leaves many questions that don't get answered until KH3D. This may come as a bit of a shock considering KH3D was a 3DS exclusive prior. Because of that, some fans haven't fully experienced what's out there for Sora and Riku's journey leading up to KH3. As a fan, this was a great way to start the New Year. As a gamer, watching a series like Kingdom Hearts evolve into what's included in this release is what we could hope for in other franchises.

While it’s not the new Kingdom Hearts game that many may have wanted, it’s much more than just a simple collection of old titles or some cheap cash-in. It’s a bridge to what awaits, and I can’t help but feel excited after watching the credits roll for the umpteenth time.

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 is thoroughly enjoyable, even as a newcomer, but it requires a lot of homework via YouTube clips and Wiki. The characters are varied and vibrant, and the lineup includes some classic headliners. It's a great taste of what's to come in Kingdom Hearts III, but I feel it's priced a bit high for what it delivers.

Of all of the HD remastered packs of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, 2.8 is probably the one with the least gameplay hours, but the one that fans will want to have the most, because of the innovative Birt By Sleep 0.2. This A Fragmentary Passage is 3 hours long and is more a visual and gameplay prelude of what we'll have in KH3.

Kingdom Hearts fans - particularly those who can justify the game's astronomical price point of $60 for about five hours of new content - will definitely enjoy their brief time with Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue.

At this point you’re probably wondering: if 2.8’s best bit is that brief, is 2.8 even worth it? Honestly, you’ll have to follow your heart on that one. [April 2016, p77]

This is the most disappointed that I’ve been with Square Enix for quite some time.