Kingdom Hearts II – Why It Sets the Action-RPG Standard

Guillaume Broche, creative director at Sandfall Interactive and lead of the acclaimed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, recently shared his deep appreciation for Kingdom Hearts II during an appearance on Konbini’s Jeux Vidéo Club. Broche revealed that the 2005 action-RPG ranks among his top five games of all time, calling it “truly exceptional” and praising its deep combo system as a benchmark he has sought to recapture ever since.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 drew inspiration from a wide range of titles, including Persona, Final Fantasy, Sekiro, the Souls series, and Devil May Cry. For Broche, however, Kingdom Hearts II stands out as a touchstone for its seamless blend of action and RPG mechanics—qualities he pushed his team to emulate. The result was a game that earned widespread acclaim last year, frequently named game of the year by multiple outlets.

A Beloved Sequel That Couldn’t Be Matched

While Broche holds Kingdom Hearts II in the highest regard, he expressed disappointment with its successor. He acknowledged that Kingdom Hearts III “isn’t bad,” but stated bluntly that it failed to “recapture” what made the second entry special. This sentiment echoes a common critique among fans: that the third installment lost the fluidity and depth that defined its predecessor. For Broche, the contrast underscores how a truly exceptional action-RPG design can set a standard that even a long-awaited sequel might not reach.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

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