Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep has recently been announced, and there has been plenty of interviews and news to sift through. Well, look no further! I’ve compiled everything we know about Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage- including known facts, official images and I have even added speculations based on even more facts. As per usual, I’ve provided the (too long;didn’t read) version, but please read the in-depth analysis for a full understanding of speculated material. Also if you would like me to do another “Everything We Know About” article, please let me know!
-Staff-
Director: Tetsuya Nomura
Co-Director: Tai Yasue [assumed]
Producer: Shinji Hashimoto [assumed]
Producer: Rie Nishi [assumed]
Composer: Yoko Shimomura [assumed]
Team: Square Enix 1st Production Department [assumed]
-Note: KH3 and KH2.8 are being created simultaneously likely by the same team-
-News-
Sept 15 2015 | Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep 0.2 Announced
Sept 17 2015 | Famitsu Weekly Oct 1 Issue
Sept 21 2015 | Famitsu Interview [Source]
Sept 24 2015 | Dengeki PlayStation Vol. 599
Oct 08 2015 | Dengeki PlayStation Vol. 600
Jun 08 2016 | E3 2016 Trailer
-General-
- KHBBS 0.2 will be available on the PS4 [Source]
- KHBBS 0.2 will be released in 2016 [Source]
- KHBBS 0.2 will be told from Aqua’s perspective in the Realm of Darkness [Source] [Source]
- KHBBS 0.2 immediately follows the secret episode of KHBBSFM [Source] [Source] [View Video]
- KHBBS 0.2 was previously referred to as Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Volume II [Source]
- KHBBS 0.2 will connect to Kingdom Hearts 3 [Source] [Source] [Source]
- KHBBS 0.2 is one of three works in KH2.8 [Source]
- KHBBS 0.2’s system is a hybrid of KHBBS and KH3 technology [Source] [Source]
- KHBBS 0.2 was intended to be a full volume (game) known as KHBBS 0.5, but due to priorities, cuts were made and the volume shortened, thus “A Fragmentary Passage” remained the subtitle [Source]
- KHBBS 0.2 will be the length of one world (story-wise) [Source]
- KHBBS 0.5 was originally to tell the story of Ventus, Aqua, and Terra, but the team ultimately opted for 0.2 [Source]
- KHBBS 0.5 was originally to be included in KH3. KHBBS 0.2 was made into a mini-volume, and the remaining 0.3 will be mentioned in KH3. [Source]
-Magic-
- Firaga
- Blizzaga
- Thundaga
- Curaga
-Command Style-
- Spellweaver
-Worlds-
- Castle of Dreams
-Speculations / Possibilities-
KHBBS 0.2 is likely to feature Riku’s absence in KH1 [Source]
KHBBS 0.2 is likely to feature Mickey’s absence in KH1 [Source]
Aqua may have found a way to save both Terra and Aqua [Source]
Castle of Dreams could be a world for KHBBS 0.2 [Source]
– Unofficial / Official Images-
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix “A Fragmentary Passage”
Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Official Trailer
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 E3 2016 Trailer
Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage – Analysis
Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage- was revealed as an entirely new title within Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD ReMIX. But what you may or may not have known is that this new title was previously revealed in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix’s Secret Episode as Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Volume II, which would be renamed Kingdom Hearts 0.5 Birth by Sleep, but was cut short to 0.2. This simple fact will tell us (practically) everything we need to know about Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep. As we all know, the story will revolve around Aqua’s time in the realm of darkness. As specified in Square Enix’s Press Statement below:
KINGDOM HEARTS 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage –
- A completely new playable episode that links to the story of KINGDOM HEARTS III, taking place after the storyline of KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep played from the perspective of Aqua. [Source]
As mentioned above, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 BBS will connect to the story of Kingdom Hearts 3. Tetsuya Nomura, Kingdom Hearts Creator and Director, has mentioned the need to create such a game as mentioned in the interview below:
Nomura: The Secret Episode. It goes a step further than any of the other secret movies in the series so far by letting you play it as an episode. There’s an urgency to the plot and battles, and I’m glad I tried putting it in. By the way, the words ‘Birth by Sleep -Volume Two-‘ show up at the end. That points out that Aqua’s story of the developments in the Realm of Darkness does exist. That she didn’t necessarily just wander lost in the darkness for ten years, and that there is a story she experienced. However, it is not shown – that episode lives up to its other name, ‘A fragmentary passage…’, and it cuts off there. I’d like to get a chance to tell that story somewhere, though. [Source]
But is the game solely about Aqua? Most likely not, Nomura has mentioned that he wanted to include Mickey’s absence in the realm of Darkness as well as Riku’s absence during Kingdom Hearts 1. As discussed in the Director Secret Reports (an interview about 8 years ago) below:
Presently there are 4 main untold stories to consider: “the period of the King’s absence”, “the period of Riku’s absence”, “Roxas’s time in Organization XIII” and “Xehanort’s past”. In this case, the story of “the period of the King’s absence” is set in the realm of darkness. I am examining a way to tell these 4 stories so I might be able to find a way to tell them soon. [Source]
Nomura has finished telling Roxas’s time in Organization XIII (358/2 Days) and Xehanort’s Past (Birth by Sleep). It is likely that “A Fragmentary Passage” will include the remaining two stories as well, since Nomura has always been true to his word. To further support this evidence, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix’s Secret Episode also shows new scenes of Mickey’s and Riku’s absence, which you can view the entire “Secret Episode” above!
In conclusion, we’ll likely see many of the elements presented in the trailer above such as Mickey’s absence, Riku’s absence, “Castle of Dreams” along with other connections between outside events while Aqua is in the Realm of Darkness.