Review for Kingdom Hearts III. Game for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 25/01/2019
There's one sky, one destiny… and under this sky, after thirteen years, this long wait is finally over. Kingdom Hearts III is almost upon us: despite the various delays, from January 29th we will immerse ourselves in this brand new adventure with Sora and companions. As already stated by Tetsuya Nomura himself during the interviews, Kingdom Hearts III will close the saga related to Xehanort and his ingenious plans, but we are sure that the first question you have in mind right now is: "Was it worth the wait all these years?".
We give you our reasoned answer in this review.
Let me face my fears
Kingdom Hearts III has set itself the goal of captivating fans before they begin the adventure and it succeeds thanks to an opening theme full of emotions and designed to convey indescribable sensations. Face my fears, by historian Utada Hikaru, with the unexpected collaboration of Skrillex, is unquestionably a title worthy of “Simple and Clean” and “Sanctuary”, perfectly themed with the series. Sora, but not only him, he will have to face his fears on this new journey, where the bonds between his own heart and that of his friends will be tested in the face of Xehanort and the inevitable final conflict that awaits them.
The game's plot follows a pattern already known within the series. As Sora, Donald Duck and Goofy travel to the new Disney worlds, the story is being revealed more and more thanks to the intervention of other characters who are entrusted with a key role in view of the final confrontation. As we already know from Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, 13 Darkness and 7 Lights will collide, exactly as predicted by Xehanort. However, Sora lost much of her strength due to her failure during the exam in the previous chapter. This, unfortunately, will result in a slow initial development of the plot of Kingdom Hearts III, as Sora first needs to regain his strength and the power of "Awakening" and then throw himself into the final battle. In return, the title reaches the maximum of the epicity of the whole series in the final stages of the game, between twists and heart-pounding group clashes, enclosed in a tornado of emotions that will inevitably upset the player, regardless of his strong attachment to the series or not.
Instead, the total absence of the characters from the world of Final Fantasy, a factor that has always given that extra touch to the series. Wanting to break a lance in favor of Square Enix, it is understandable that the choice is due to the need to focus almost all of the attention on the original characters from Kingdom Hearts in view of these decisive events. The fact remains that for Cloud fans, Squall (aka Leon in the Kingdom Hearts universe) and companions will be a small sore point.
Breathtaking scenery and settings
The lack of FF characters is compensated for by a great job on the Disney side. As you well know, there are many new worlds, including Pixar, which have been tempting since their announcement, such as the worlds of Toy Story and Monsters & Co. Some of these will also change the outfit of the trio of "half socks" to amalgamate even better the cross between Kingdom Hearts and Disney. As you dive into these worlds, it is impossible not to stop and admire the snow-covered expanses of Arendelle, the metropolis of San Fransyoko (which can be visited both day and night) or the Caribbean seas. The worlds are divided into a few areas, but very large and which require a fair amount of time to be explored from top to bottom. Sora will finally be a full-fledged captain in the world of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and, in possession of the "Leviathan", will be able to freely explore the seas and visit the most remote and cursed islands of that world.
In most of the worlds, various mini-games will also be available, aimed at satisfying some side missions or simply to entertain the player. With less attention paid to the 100-acre Wood, it will be possible to try your hand at dancing at the Kingdom of Corona festival, snowboarding with Goofy and Donald in Arendelle, in Timed Parkour in San Fransyoko and then becoming a real Chef thanks to the Bistrot. We also report the presence of the Gummifono, a tool similar to our smartphones to keep up with the times Sora and companions.
Inside it there are many applications, including a section entirely dedicated to small mini games, some of which are already present in the mobile title Kingdom Hearts Union X. When you want to take a break from chasing away Heartless, Nobody and Nesciens that invade the worlds, you can access these mini games at any time.
The evolution of the gameplay, with its details
The action component of this JRPG has always undergone several innovations over the years, always alternating new and old mechanics. We learned about mergers in Kingdom Hearts II, and D-Link in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. In Kingdom Hearts III we do not have many innovations, but a greater naturalness and fluency of the gameplay. Battles are made more sparkling and less woody, with greater freedom of movement and the ability to use the surrounding environment and elemental magic to one's advantage. As already shown in one of the first trailers, it is possible to climb the walls in the race to attack enemies in midair and take advantage of the flow motion introduced in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance to perform certain attacks.
It should also be noted that spells are no longer limited to just damage to enemies. Take Aero wind magic for example: this spell generates a small tornado in the area where the target is, but also provides a springboard for Sora to soar into the air and then swoop into the enemy from above. if the attack is executed with the right timing. Certain state anomalies are also bestowed by the more well-known elemental spells, capable of burning, freezing or electrifying the enemy. Obviously, these anomalies can also affect Sora and his companions.
Looking at the combat system more closely, Kingdom Hearts III has kept the style of the series unchanged, with some new features such as the situational commands added in Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep - A Fragmentary Passage, which we can safely define as a sort of " test ”ahead of Kingdom Hearts III. Depending on the type of attacks we will unleash with Sora, after a certain series of blows we will be able to unleash these powerful attacks that do not consume MP (in the case of spells). Furthermore, depending on the Keyblade held, Sora will enjoy different fighting styles, some more suitable for short range, others instead designed for a more distance approach, thanks to the help of bullets and magic.
Staying on the Keyblade theme, it is necessary to highlight an interesting news regarding Sora's weapon: in Kingdom Hearts III there is a "Forge" system, which allows you to make improvements to your favorite Keyblade so that you can use it in the long term. Improvements that don't stop at simply increasing Attack and Magic values, but also with learning new skills. In this way, the player will not have to worry about a weak Keyblade, but with which he is comfortable due to the fighting style. With the necessary improvements, a Keyblade obtained in the early stages of the game can work its way up to the final stages without suffering too much of the end-game imbalance.
The Limit also returns, a function that allows Sora to join forces with those of his companions to fight in unison for a limited period of time, until ending with a devastating attack. And, finally, the "Attractions", a new mode presented since the first trailers of Mount Olympus: they are devastating techniques of different use that allow Sora, Donald and Goofy to fight for a few seconds using attractions similar to those of an amusement park . The only real flaw is the inability to remain fixed on 60 FPS, which slightly dampens the scenic effects and the fluidity of the frenetic battles of Kingdom Hearts III.
We have already talked about the mini games and mentioned the presence of the Bistrot which, although introduced as the first, also has a useful function during the fights. The dishes that Sora will cook together with the “Grand Chef” will be one of the novelties in the Battle System, as they can be consumed during explorations to give Sora certain bonuses to the basic parameters, or simply increase the rewards obtained. The duration of the upgrades varies according to the dish cooked and above all your skills in the mini game (you could get "Good" or "Excellent", and on average it is around 20 or 30 minutes of play.
A journey accompanied by melodies and memories
Accompanying the last march to defeat Xehanort once and for all, we find a valid rearrangement of some of the music tracks composed by Yoko Shinomura for what concerns the places already appeared previously in the series. On the other hand, Square Enix has introduced several new worlds in this title and once again, we will be witnessing a sound sector curated to perfection. After all, that Kingdom Hearts has always boasted an excellent soundtrack is well known, and this third chapter is no exception.
As previously revealed by Square Enix, Kingdom Hearts III has introduced the photo mode, usable thanks to the gummifono. Immortalizing the memories of a long journey always gives that extra touch, as taught by Prompto in Final Fantasy XV. This mode, in terms of utility, is used to complete two side missions and to obtain interesting rewards.
However nothing prevents you from immortalizing your Disney companions (and not only), who will pose for you, even making some jokes, like the good Jack Sparrow in one of his lines of dialogue: "This .. is not a French telescope, is it?". You can also capture epic battle scenes .. at your own risk, of course.
The curtain falls on the "Dark Seeker"
As previously mentioned, Kingdom Hearts III closes the events of Xehanort, the one whose existence was not even known in the first title of the series, the one who from behind the scenes has always piloted people and events to his liking for the achievement of his purpose. Needless to say, perhaps, but we would like to specify it for accuracy, it will be rather complicated not so much to follow, as to understand the final stages of the plot of this title.
Knowledge of the rest of the series, which is not limited to just Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, is more than necessary to be able to correctly interpret certain events and the reason why they happen. We also remind you that an epilogue and a secret ending will be released after the launch. One of the two will be available at the end of the game, while the other - assuming the usual practice of the series - will be obtainable by completing Kingdom Hearts III at maximum difficulty. After what has just been said, it is more than legitimate to assume the possibility of new events outside Xehanort, and the series may still be far from a definitive conclusion.
It may have taken Square Enix too long to officially bring Kingdom Hearts III to life, but if we had to answer the question posed at the beginning of this review, yes, it was worth it. It is clear that after such a wait one expects a title that borders on perfection, unfortunately not achieved in this case due to some small flaw. However, Kingdom Hearts III meets all expectations in terms of gameplay and storyline very well. The time has come to put an end to Xehanort's plans, in a title ready to overturn the fans of the series created by Tetsuya Nomura in a cyclone of epicness and emotions. A new Kingdom Hearts of another level but always faithful to its origins, which have made it popular for more than a decade. The wait is over, join the 7 guardians of the light during the final battle of this wonderful series. May your Heart be your guiding key.
► Kingdom Hearts III is an Action-JRPG game developed and published by Square Enix for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 25/01/2019
