The Kingdom Hearts Series: KINGDOM HEARTS 4 ANNOUNCED! STAR WARS POTENTIALLY TEASED (page 175)

[KHCast]

Yeah, Falling asleep did get a bit annoying at times. Like when i was getting attacked. or fighting a boss. Yeah, I need a nap of all things. rEally though I could understand that.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Sora

[Xenos]

Wait, what?

There is a timer when you swap out characters?

[Thigolf]

Yep, as far as I know, after a certain time, you switch to Sora/Riku automatically, which kind of sucks imo.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Thigolf

[Xenos]

Well my liking of this game has decreased...that sounds increasingly intrusive and annoying to deal with every time you want to use one or the other.

[Conando]

You have the manage the drop gauge to make sure it doesn't make you switch characters when you don't want to. I don't really know why they did it because, it can get annoying if you don't have any items to stall it when in a boss fight. It's an interesting idea in theory, especially considering "dropping" early results in bonus effects for the character you switch to but, it doesn't always work in practice.

[BlueTidalGamer]

Well IGN's review is tomorrow so we'll probably got more info on this switching out characters thing from them.

Playing the demo more and more I've been discovering new stuff with the Dream Eaters and i'm loving it. My copy will probably ship tomorrow since I preordered mine from Shopto so it may arrive on Thursday.

[Conando]

Oh right, I forgot Europeans get it this week. After decades of getting the shaft, I think you at least deserve a few games early. Shame that it's apparently only in English, so people that do better with their native language's text will be bumming.

[KHCast]

Kingdom hearts 3D isn't going to be a digital download anymore. Apparently as of now only first party titles will be digitally downloads. Source is from Joystick.

[KHCast]

Kingdom hearts 3d new world trailer!

Have to say, I'm back to being super excited for this game now! Still looking forward to the Tron legacy world the most though. We also got some more screens as well. Take a look.

Got to say, Riku's hair looks really weird....REALLY weird.:/

[BlueTidalGamer]

IGN's review is up

http://uk.ign.com/ar...distance-review

8.5

Good start so far. My copy shipped early today so I should recive mine by Thursday or if lucky, tomorrow.

Edited July 17, 2012 by BlueTidalGamer

[BlueTidalGamer]

Double post

Well my copy arrived I've played 5 hours of the game so far. Feel free to ask questions about the game and i'll answer what I can for you.

Also Nintendolife's review

http://www.nintendol...m_drop_distance

7/10

Edited July 18, 2012 by BlueTidalGamer

[KHCast]

So far, how does the game feel? Does is flow well, does the difficulty increase at understandable times? Oh and how does the game look?

Edited July 18, 2012 by Sora

[BlueTidalGamer]

So far, how does the game feel? Does is flow well, does the difficulty increase at understandable times? Oh and how does the game look?

So far the game is fantastic. The controls feel pretty spot on. It's a little awkward to select commands from the command deck during battles since you need to use the D-pad for it. It's better to stand still and quickly select what you need.

I'm playing the game on Proud Mode so i've died quite a number of times. That boss in the Hunchback level with Riku, oh boy.

This is one of the best looking 3DS games. The 3D is nice but it's nothing groundbreaking. It looks the best in the diving mini game. There are some framerate slowdowns when a lot of action happens on screen. The same issue with the worlds in past games is still present in this one with the worlds feeling lifeless but overall it's a great looking game.

This is shaping up to be the best in the series so far.

[KHCast]

So far the game is fantastic. The controls feel pretty spot on. It's a little awkward to select commands from the command deck during battles since you need to use the D-pad for it. It's better to stand still and quickly select what you need.

I'm playing the game on Proud Mode so i've died quite a number of times. That boss in the Hunchback level with Riku, oh boy.

This is one of the best looking 3DS games. The 3D is nice but it's nothing groundbreaking. It looks the best in the diving mini game. There are some framerate slowdowns when a lot of action happens on screen. The same issue with the worlds in past games is still present in this one with the worlds feeling lifeless but overall it's a great looking game.

This is shaping up to be the best in the series so far.

Yeah, In the hunchback stage is most obvious. The carnival of fools anyone? You hear some cheering but nothing but dream eaters! And at the burning scene. no one but frollo is there! Ehh I could understand Tron legacy I guess. And the fantasia world. But nice to know the game feels great! Can't wait to dive into the story!

[KHCast]

Well if your a kingdom hearts fan in new york, you might be able to get the game early.Luckies.

The clock is still ticking for North America; only 11 more days until Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] is released. Though if you happen to live in or near New York City, you just may be able to get your hands on the

game

a couple days early! Square Enix is having an official launch event for Kingdom Hearts 3D at the Nintendo World Store in New York, NY (10 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10020) on July 28, 2012! This event will be running from 9:00am until 1:00pm and will have copies of the Mark of Mastery and the standard editions of the game available for purchase three days early, as well as a special gift!

There will also be 3DS systems loaded with the game for playing and a Kingdom Hearts themed photo booth for keeping memories of the event! The event just wouldn't be complete without something relating back to the series' 10th Anniversary, so to top it all off, there is a corner where fans can write their own personal messages to the development team for the games in Japan!

Planning to be at this event and get your hands on the game early? Even if you aren't, come stop by our forums and tell us your reaction to the event!

Edited July 20, 2012 by Sora

[KHCast]

Kingdom hearts 3d metacritic average score:77

Some of the major reviews:

G4TV review

4.5/5

IGN review

8.5/10

Official Nintendo magazine

84/100

Game informer

84/100

Gametrailers

82/100

Nintendo life

70/100

metro game central

4/10

Liking the results so far. I can understand a lot of the complaints. Except for the lack of worlds. I'm fine with what we got. Plus we got tron freakin legacy! That makes up for it for me!

Edited July 26, 2012 by Sora

[Johnny Boy]

I'm hoping I get a 3DS for my Bday and this game as well. I really want to play through that Hunchback of Notredame world.

[pppp]

Alright guys i just finished it. Wow this game is awesome. Hard to understand but awesome.

Story:

The story...well let me put it this way, if you thought previous games in the series were hard to understand trust me, you haven't seen nothing yet. I won't spoil anything, but i'll say that it will change your entire perception of the entire saga's plot. It's also clear that it's the 10th anniversary game. There are a lot of subtle references to every game in the series.

9/10

Gameplay:

This game takes the gameplay from Birth By Sleep and adds new mechanics to it. I'm sure all of you have played the demo already so i won't explain Flowmotion and why is it so fun to use. Reality Shifts are awesome actions you perform with the stylus and each world has a brand new one. They open up new areas and perform powerful attacks. I also love the Dream Eaters. I was kind of afraid that they would be just a Pokemon knockoff kind of deal like in FF XIII-2 but no. This is the best monster partner mechanic i have seen in a JRPG. Besides being your combat partners, they also act as virtual pets, minigame characters(There's even a fun card minigame tournament that will reward you with tons of cool stuff) and your way of learning abilities and getting new commands. By battling, your Dream Eaters gain link points which you can then use to unlock abilities and commands in a Crystarium-like board. Like any good JRPG, the more work you put into the game, the stronger you become.

10/10

Presentation:

Graphics in this game are just plain awesome. They're about as good as in Birth By Sleep except the framerate is rock solid without the need to take an extra toll on the battery. The music as always is awesome.

10/10

Overall it's the best game in the series yet.

10/10

Edited July 27, 2012 by pppp

[KHCast]

finally finished my second entry in the Kingdom hearts Timeline! First I did Birth By sleep and now am doing KH1. So enjoy.

KINGDOM HEARTS

Sora, Riku and Kairi are all best friends on the Destiny Islands. They are all curious to see the outside world so they all build a raft. Their plan, to set sail the day after. One stormy night Monsters start appearing on their island. Sora finds riku being consumed by darkness. Just as he himself is about to be consumed a mysterious weapon appears in Sora’s hand. Sora waking up loosing Riku decides to go into their secret place inside the island only to find Kairi. Kairi saying Sora’s name is blown into him,disappearing. Sora is sucked into a giant ball of darkness as his world is consumed.

Meanwhile in a far away world a King goes missing leaving a letter telling him of his quest to save the worlds. He informs his best soldires Donald and Goofy to find a “Key” saying that they need that key.

Sora wakes up in a new land he has never before seen. He meets new friends ,Squall “leon”, Yuffie, Cid and Aerith informing him of the weapon he possesses. They tell him of a man called Ansem. The ruler of the world they came from who plunged their world into darkness sending them here. He also learns about the heartless. Monsters that consume hearts and destroy worlds. They fear the keyblade and it’s light. Sora sets out to find his friends while running into Donald and Goofy. From there on, the three become friends and go on a adventure throughout the worlds to seal the keyholes of each world to keep them safe from being consumed from darkness, while finding their missing friends.

Maleficent and a group of other disney villains who now rule over the heartless infested Hollow bastion are set on capturing the 7 princesses of heart. Women with pure hearts with no darkness in them. By doing so they can summon and rule kingdom hearts and in tern the world. The villains recruit Riku and give him teh power of Darkness. They promise they will help Riku find his lost friend Kairi. Maleficent also tells him that Sora no longer cares for him, planting distrust in the boy. Using his darkness, Riku locates Kairi’s body but her heart is missing.

Sora, Donald and Goofy after saving all the worlds from the villains and Heartless, eventually Find Hollow bastion. Sora finds riku interrigating a monster known as the beast. Sora runs into the midle of it with Riku not being surprised at his arrival. Riku takes the Keyblade from Sora claiming he was to have it all along.(As the events of Birth by sleep would show to be true.) He tells Sora he was only the delivery boy. Donald and Goofy with orders to follow the Keyblade weilder, follow Riku leaving Sora with the Beast. Sora decides to follow Riku even without weapon in hand. Sora challenges Riku once more to prevail and get hi Keyblade and Friends back.

Riku runs away only to run into a cloaked man. The man offers him power which will make him stronger. Riku accepts. Sora and the gang confront and fight maleficent. They win and maleficent flees only to Find riku who unlocks maleficents true darkness. She fights Sora once more only to be destroyed.

They follow Riku while in the process finding Kairi’s sleeping body. There they meet Riku once again who reveals that he is actually Ansem the seeker of darkness possessing Riku’s body. He explains that his motives that he will plunge the world into darkness and the Keyhole to the world will plunge into the very darkness. But he needs the final Princess of heart. He explains that Sora has help Kairi’s heart within him the whole time. He attempts to release her heart by destroying Sora only to fail. Riku/Ansem now gone. Sora notices Rikus’s Keyblade. Knowing that it can unlock hearts, Sora stabs himself with it, releasing Kairi’s heart and all the hearts of the princesses(as it was created from their hearts.) In the process though, Sora sacrifices himself plunging himself into darkness. Kairi now awake runs to save Sora only to find that his body disappear. Goofy, Donald and Kairi are then met by Ansem now in his true form though still using Riku as his vessel. He explains that the keyhole is now opened and that the world will plunge into darkness. The group flees when Riku attempts to hold ansem off. While trying to leave, Kairi notices a Heartless Following them. Donald attempts to destroy it when Kairi says it’s Sora. Kairi using her light, Saves Sora from the darkness, releasing him and returning him back to normal.

After sealing the corrupt Keyhole in Hollow Bastion, the group learns that to stop the darkness from destroying the worlds they must go to Ansem himself in the world of darkness itself. Leon explains though that by restoring the worlds the worlds linked to eachother will return back to normal and they will never be able to see eachother again. Sora,Donald and Goofy Say their goodbyes and leave Kairi with Leon and his group. They find the world of darkness and travel to the core of it to Find ansem who tells them that it is futile. Sora confidently says that even in the deepest dark, there is always a light.

The group has a long conflict with him and after a hard final battle with Ansem, they finally weaken him. Ansem attempts to open the now revealed Kingdom hearts asking it to fill him with Darkness. Sora tells Ansem how foolish he is and says that Kingdom hearts is actually filled with light. The doors to Kingdom Hearts open destroying Ansem with his light. Although Kingdom hearts is filled with light it has Heartless behind it’s doors as well. Sora, Donald and Goofy try to close the door only to fail. Riku appears behind the door along with the King. The king and riku tell them to close the door for good. The king tells sora that they will meet eachother again. They, working together, close the door and seal it. With kingdom hearts sealed and returning, the worlds are returning from the darkness now that the heartless threat is over. Sora sees Kairi on the returning Destiny Islands. Sora tells Kairi he’ll come back to her some day.

The three now on a journey to find the King and Riku are walking when all of a sudden they see Pluto, the kings dog with a letter in his mouth. They follow him trying to get the letter.

[Brad]

Well, I've finished the whole game. Here's a mini review because I want to.

Story - 7

If you thought the other games had a silly/hard to keep up with plot, then this will rattle your brain. I'm a veteran KH fan and this just got very confusing at times, though once I finished the entire game I understood just about all of it. When the plot did make sense it really did pay off with some of the best moments I've seen in the series so far. Though I'm not too keen on the ending all things considered, it felt like the entire story became a useless farce.

Graphics - 9

Some of the best on the entire system. The game blew me away, it looked like Kingdom Hearts II (if not better) which I could take on the go. The environments perfectly embodied their worlds and everything overall just looked spectacular. It really does showcase what the 3DS is capable of, and considering the large amount of content in the adventure, it's no excuse for developers to cop out on visuals simply because it's not a Vita.

Gameplay - 8

Oooh, double edged sword here. First getting into the game, the combat system was a bit confusing and muddled. I didn't have Birth By Sleep so the quick command area felt like it was kind of useless in terms of using attacks when I could just make use of Flowmotion in 90% of circumstances. Flowmotion was tricky to grasp but as soon as I adjusted I couldn't stop using it and I really couldn't imagine a future Kingdom Hearts game without some of Flowmotion incorporation honestly. That or they think of a better system. In the end my quick command system ended up being my healing centre and I took advantage of Blocking and Flowmotion to win all my battles. The Drop System felt very annoying at first, but once I learnt to take advantage of it, it turned out alright. Dream Eaters can get pretty addicting too once you've adapted to it.

Sound - 10

Highlight of the entire game. Each track was beautifully created and made me play the entire game with headphones so I could immerse myself in it, considering how bad the speakers are on 3DS. Just incredible. If you don't play the game, at least go out and listen to it's music. Highlights for me include Simple and Clean Opening Remix, Traverse in Trance, Majestic Wings, All For One, Rinzler Recompiled, L'Oscurità dell'Ignot and L'Impeto Oscuro.

Overall - 8

It's one of the best titles you can get on 3DS for sure, boasting a beautiful soundtrack, incredible visuals, immersive gameplay (once you've adapted to it) and a decent storyline that sets us up for the next big number. Kingdom Hearts fans will get more out of it than the casual player, but I can imagine it being an opening point for new fans to the franchise as it provides the history of the series also.

[canderson]

Excellent review Zero-Boom. I'm glad to see that a newcomer to the series like myself shouldn't have too much difficulty getting into this series. I am looking up story info on the previous games to prepare myself for when I get the game this week.

[Mega]

If you don't have a PS2, I highly recommend looking up cutscenes or walkthroughs of the earlier titles. KH1 is an excellent game and, in my opinion, the best written in the series (BBS and CoM are in close second). It's got a lot of charm. Plus, Donald and Goofy are awesome.

[Nast]

.

[Brad]

Excellent review Zero-Boom. I'm glad to see that a newcomer to the series like myself shouldn't have too much difficulty getting into this series. I am looking up story info on the previous games to prepare myself for when I get the game this week.

Hey, thanks man. Since you're completely new, the combat system may come a little easier to you. I was so adapted to Kingdom Hearts II's combat when I got the game (since I'd been playing it recently) it came off a tad confusing. And like NastCF says, the Momento system eventually unlocks very detailed story write ups for each game as you progress, so it can be real helpful.

However if it's possible I would really recommend you pick up Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, the games are still just as amazing to this day for anybody to experience.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Zero-Boom

[Conando]

People who played BBS and Re:Coded recently should also have no problem picking up on 3D's battle system.