History YMMV / KingdomHearts02BirthBySleepAFragmentaryPassage

* [[AwesomeBosses/VideoGames Best Boss Ever]]: Zodiac Aqua is comparable to Lingering Will in how she's an entirely reactive boss whose moves follow a pattern and offer distinct tells of what you can and cannot block versus what you must dodge, counterattack, or Counter Blast, making besting her a pure test of the player's memory and reflexes. She's outrageously difficult and provides almost no room for error, especially on Critical, but beating her after hours of repeated failures can be immensely satisfying. It's doubly impressive for being an AuthorsSavingThrow for the development team, who in their previous installments relied on AIRoulette bonus boss design that was poorly received.
* BrokenBase: While many loved the BonusBoss for reducing many of the random elements and reliance on {{Game Breaker}}s that plagued ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth by Sleep]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance Dream Drop Distance]]'', others consider it to be one of the weakest examples. Complaints leveled against it include forcing the player to only be able to combat it one highly specific way, heavy abuse of TrialAndErrorGameplay, relying on certain mechanics that the game [[GuideDangIt never even hints at]] (such as jumping out of a guard), and [[DamageSpongeBoss lasting entirely too long]].

* AuthorsSavingThrow:
** When Mickey and Aqua end up on [[spoiler:the other side of the door to Kingdom Hearts seen in [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI the first game]]]], Mickey explains to Aqua that [[spoiler:it's not the true Kingdom Hearts they saw in ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth by Sleep]]'' but a smaller, incomplete one created from the hearts of many worlds]], thus partially clearing up some confusion about the titular MacGuffinLocation without the need for [[AllThereInTheManual supplemental material provided by]] Creator/TetsuyaNomura. [[note]]By comparison, the "Kingdom Hearts" seen in ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII II]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 Days]]'' is formed from the hearts of people collected by the Heartless and later released by the Keyblade.[[/note]]
** The game explains where Mickey was during the first game, something that was previously left unexplored. [[spoiler:He went to Destiny Islands shortly before it fell because he knew it would be his chance to enter the Realm of Darkness. This also explains how he knew who Sora and Riku were and how he had the opportunity to speak to Sora as the voice heard in Dive to the Heart.]] It also explains why Mickey appeared wearing only [[WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts his classic red pants]] during his cameo at the ending of the first game, when all future games gave him proper clothes. [[spoiler:A Demon Tide attack destroyed the clothes he was wearing at the time.]]
** ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth by Sleep]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance Dream Drop Distance]]'' were roundly criticized for featuring {{bonus boss}}es [[AIRoulette whose attacks were unpredictable]] and/or relied heavily on the player abusing invincibility frames and GameBreaker attacks rather than responding to the boss's fighting style. ''0.2'' offers a return to more reactive boss design, easing many fears of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII III]]'' being more of the same.
** Fans of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII II]]'' are happy that ''0.2'' is hinting at the return of the "Revenge Value" mechanic (where [[CycleOfHurting stunlocking]] a boss raises a hidden value that would allow it to break the lock and retaliate) through Phantom Aqua. Revenge Value has yet to appear in a ''Kingdom Hearts'' title since its introduction in ''II''; ''Birth by Sleep'' and ''Dream Drop Distance'' would instead have bosses break out of stunlock [[AIRoulette at random and slightly-less-random times]], respectively.
** A common complaint about more recent ''KH'' games has been how the Disney worlds can feel like {{Padding}}, featuring BroadStrokes summary of their films' plots without affecting the overarching OriginalGeneration plot--which wasn't true in the first game. In ''0.2''[='s=] ending, [[spoiler:Yen Sid instructs Sora to go train with Hercules to help fully unlock the potential he lost at the end of ''3D'' due to Xehanort's interference]].
** Another common complaint post-''Dream Drop Distance'' was the implication that Terra's HeroicResolve (and, by extension, Eraqus's ObiWanMoment on his behalf) from ''Blank Points'' was simply DiabolusExMachina'd away in Xehanort's favor. [[spoiler:Here, it turns out Terra(/Eraqus)'s FightingFromTheInside has actually gotten ''stronger'' (to the point where Terra even uses one of Eraqus's attacks to temporarily dispel Xehanort's control), thus giving him(/them) a refreshing, if slight, victory over Xehanort.]]

** By game launch the graphics improved ''considerably'', suggesting that the E3 graphics were indeed unfinished; however, there's still a slight UncannyValley, doll-like quality to the characters at times.
* UncannyValley: The switch to Unreal Engine 4 brings [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome incredibly detailed visuals and special effects]], but the lighting effects tend to emphasize the oddly smooth, doll-like skin on the character models.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: The reaction some fans have to this game, which is just plain ''depressing''. Granted, DoomedByCanon is in full effect since it takes place before the first game, but it's still a title that shows how lonely and broken Aqua is, with the heroes barely managing to achieve a victory right at the end.

* BrokenBase:
** The CharacterCustomization and VirtualPaperDoll features. Some are excited to be able to change the outfits and hope it's a feature that'll be carried over to ''III'', while others feared the options may create potential {{Narm}} if the changes carry into the cutscenes (for the record, they don't in ''0.2'') and/or think it's pointless.
** While many loved the BonusBoss for reducing many of the random elements and reliance on {{Game Breaker}}s that plagued ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth by Sleep]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance Dream Drop Distance]]'', others consider it to be one of the weakest examples. Complaints leveled against it include forcing the player to only be able to combat it one highly specific way, heavy abuse of TrialAndErrorGameplay, relying on certain mechanics that the game [[GuideDangIt never even hints at]] (such as jumping out of a guard), and [[DamageSpongeBoss lasting entirely too long]].

* UncannyValley: Despite [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome the below]], the lighting effects tend to emphasize the oddly smooth, doll-like skin on the character models.

* EarWorm: "Simple and Clean (Ray of Hope Mix)" is far more upbeat and catchy than anything else on the ''II.8'' disc.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: Many members of the fanbase have agreed that [[spoiler:Creator/JasonDohring's performance as Terra has remarkably improved since ''Birth by Sleep'', especially when he resists Xehanort's attempts at reasserting control of himself]].

** By game launch the graphics improved ''considerably'', however, there's still a slight UncannyValley, doll-like quality to the characters.

** After considerable criticism leveled at ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth by Sleep]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance Dream Drop Distance]]'' for having {{bonus boss}}es [[AIRoulette whose attacks were unpredictable]] and/or relied heavily on the player abusing invincibility frames and certain GameBreaker commands rather than responding to the boss's fighting style, ''0.2'' offering a return to more reactive boss design eased many fears of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII III]]'' being more of the same.
** Fans of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII II]]'' are happy that ''0.2'' is hinting the return of the Revenge Value mechanic [[note]]bosses break out of stunlock and attacks after the player's attacks raise a hidden "revenge value" counter to a certain level[[/note]] through Phantom Aqua. Revenge Value has yet to appear in a ''Kingdom Hearts'' title since its introduction in ''II''; ''Birth by Sleep'' and ''Dream Drop Distance'' would instead have bosses break out of stunlock [[AIRoulette at random and slightly-less-random times]], respectively.
** A common complaint about more recent ''KH'' games has been how the Disney worlds serve more as a backdrop for the series and don't factor in to the plot as much, something that very much wasn't the case in the original. In ''0.2''[='s=] ending, [[spoiler:Yen Sid instructs Sora to go train with Hercules to help fully unlock the potential he lost at the end of ''3D'' due to Xehanort's interference]].
** Another not-uncommon complaint post-''Dream Drop Distance'' was the implication that Terra's HeroicResolve (and, by extension, Eraqus's ObiWanMoment on his behalf) from ''Blank Points'' was simply DiabolusExMachina'd away in Xehanort's favor. [[spoiler:Here, it turns out Terra(/Eraqus)'s FightingFromTheInside has actually gotten '''''stronger''''' (to the point where Terra even uses one of Eraqus's attacks to repel Xehanort's influence for the time being), thus giving him(/them) a refreshing sub-victory over Xehanort.]]
* [[AwesomeBosses/VideoGames Best Boss Ever]]: Zodiac Aqua is comparable to Lingering Will in how she's an entirely reactive boss whose moves follow a pattern and offer distinct tells of what you can and cannot block versus what you must dodge, counterattack, or Counter Blast, making besting her a pure test of the player's reflexes. She's outrageously difficult and provides almost no room for error, especially on Critical, but beating her after hours of repeated failures can be immensely satisfying. It's doubly impressive for being an AuthorsSavingThrow for the development team, who in their previous installments relied on AIRoulette bonus boss design that was poorly received.

** The game also come off as what would've been the prologue to ''III'', similar to Roxas' in ''KHII'', since it establishes Aqua and shows Sora going to Olympus Coliseum to train. Depending on hoe they play the beginning of ''III'', this actually might be true.

** Slightly ruined when you take into account the fact that Mickey's shoes have black stripes in this game's version of the scene rather than not like the first game's version of the scene.

** Dying has always been startling in the series, but this time Aqua lets out a scream when she's defeated that may genuinely [[JumpScare kick a player's twitch reaction]] if you're taken down without warning. And if that wasn't enough, death by Heartless has always meant one losing their Heart ([[BloodlessCarnage albeit usually by floating away rather than anything truly disturbing]]), but this is the first time in the series you get to ''see it fly out of you mid-death''.

** Fans of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII II]]'' are happy that ''0.2'' is hinting the return of the Revenge Value mechanic [[note]]bosses break out of stunlock and attacks after the player's attacks raise a hidden "revenge value" counter to a certain level[[/note]] through Phantom Aqua. Revenge Value has yet to appear in a ''Kingdom Hearts'' title since its introduction in ''2''; ''Birth by Sleep'' and ''Dream Drop Distance'' would instead have bosses break out of stunlock [[AIRoulette at random and slightly-less-random times]], respectively.

* BrokenBase

* {{Narm}}: How does this game confront a tiny ContinuitySnarl in the fact that Mickey was in his signature HalfDressedCartoonAnimal design in the original game? [[spoiler: By having a random hit from the Demon Tide [[ClothingDamage cause his shirt to evaporate.]]]] It's as ridiculous and out-of-place as it sounds.

** Dying has always been startling in the series, but this time Aqua lets out a scream when she's defeated that may genuinely [[JumpScare kick a player's twitch reaction]] if you're taken down without warning. And if that wasn't enough, death by Heartless has always meant one losing their Heart ([[BloodlessCarnage albeit usually by floating away rather than anything truly disturbing]]), but this is the first time in the series you get to ''see it fly out of you mid-death.''

* UncannyValley: Despite [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome the below]], the lighting effects tend to emphasize the oddly smooth, doll-like skin on the character models. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy in particular are ostensibly covered in fur or feathers, but are also perfectly smooth, making them look like animated plastic figurines.

* BestBossEver: Zodiac Aqua is comparable to Lingering Will in how she's an entirely reactive boss whose moves follow a pattern and offer distinct tells of what you can and cannot block versus what you must dodge, counterattack, or Counter Blast, making besting her a pure test of the player's reflexes. She's outrageously difficult and provides almost no room for error, especially on Critical, but beating her after hours of repeated failures can be immensely satisfying. It's doubly impressive for being an AuthorsSavingThrow for the development team, who in their previous installments relied on AIRoulette bonus boss design that was poorly received.
* BrokenBase: The CharacterCustomization and VirtualPaperDoll features. Some are excited to be able to change the outfits and hope it's a feature that'll be carried over to ''III'', while others feared the options may create potential {{Narm}} if the changes carry into the cutscenes (for the record, they don't in ''0.2'') and/or think it's pointless.