Thanks for that :) I hope you can come. If not though, feel free to follow us on Facebook. We are planning to make this a yearly thing.
Thanks for having us guys! We had a blast :) (and hopefully didn't spoil anything for anyone). The instant play isn't working for me, but I'm able to listen to it on your iTunes channel. We're so honored to affiliate with you guys. Thank you.
The Kingdom Shader is in top form, and I'll admit--I'm very impressed. It all looks almost hand-drawn with a 2D animation style somehow brought to life in 3D. I can't wait to see how the Shader alters the tones in individual Disney worlds.
That's a good point about the armor. The uniqueness could certainly be argued there. Hopefully we'll get more info on that EX gauge as things come about. I'm super excited to see the combat that they teased us about... I agree that it certainly would force a lot of character development out of Lea if Isa were to die. I don't know if Lea would actually kill him though, unless Isa was threatening or harming Roxas or Xion; then he would have no choice. It's certainly a possibility. Otherwise, I think Lea would do everything in his power to redeem his old friend. And maybe we'll see more TWEWY. After all, this is the grand finale... They should make it BIG :) Thanks for your feedback. I really appreciate it :) Glad you enjoyed the read!
Well, guys, it happened. I thought I’d be old and grey by the time we got the announcement. I thought I’d be waiting for years. I thought maybe I’d be like that meme floating around the internet—a skeleton with a PS2 controller in its death-grip saying “Oh, look, Kingdom Hearts III came out!” Well, guys, it happened. As of yesterday, it’s official. Kingdom Hearts III has been announced to the world, and with a sparkling, HD trailer to top it all off. With that said, I think we can all expect a gradual flow of screenshots, tasty tidbits, plot elements, and additional trailers to seep into the internet over the next year or two. Here’s hoping we see KHIII on the shelves come late 2014! In commemoration of this exciting reveal, I thought I’d list 10 big “wants” that I have in regards to the game. This list is made up of both expectations and fangirl hopes, so keep that in mind. And, please, I want to hear your thoughts too, so don’t be shy. Here they are in no particular order: *cues epic narrator voice* ***WARNING: THIS ESSAY IS NOT SPOILER-FREE AND DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM DREAM DROP DISTANCE, AS WELL AS OTHER GAMES. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!*** 1. More Party Members Donald and Goofy are great (despite the fact that Donald has the bad habit of casting Cure when you could really use a Phoenix Down). However, in KHIII, I want to see more variety and more options. We now have nine Keyblade wielders in the cast (though some are—at this point—in need of rescuing), and with 7 Lights on a quest to battle 13 Darknesses, I would like some options in regards to who you want in your party. In a way, I think KHII was a testing ground for the final game in the trilogy. For the first time, you had the option of including both a Final Fantasy character (Auron) and an original character (Riku) in your party. Was I the only one who kept those two in my party every opportunity I got? Well, in KHIII, I want to see more than just Donald and Goofy fighting alongside Sora. I want to have a party made up of Riku, Terra, and Axel. I want to have a party made up of Xion, Aqua, and Kairi. I want to mix-and-match to my little heart’s content. I want to throw Final Fantasy characters into the mix on a regular basis. Why not have a party of Cloud, Roxas, and Mickey? And that brings me to my next point… 2. More Playable Characters The Kingdom Hearts series has been slowly opening up to this concept, beginning in Chain of Memories where players had the option of playing as Riku in his own story. In regards to the main trilogy, though, there isn’t much flexibility to be found. Roxas gets a bit of playtime in KHII and Riku gets his 20-seconds-of-fame during the final boss battle, but that’s about it. I want to see split gameplay, where players can choose who they want to play as, or at least switch between different characters at pre-determined points of the game (similar to the Sora/Riku gameplay in Dream Drop Distance). According to official reports, there seems to be some hope that the gameplay will involve multiple characters: “In an effort to undermine Xehanort's plot, Sora, Donald and Goofy search for seven guardians of light and the Key to Return Hearts, while King Mickey and Riku search for previous Keyblade wielders.” Sounds to me like we have the Chain of Memories effect going on again. That’s all well-and-good, but I’m hoping for even more playable characters. After all, Kairi is getting trained to use the Keyblade now, and Axel has just gained his own in the previous title. There’s really no excuse not to make them playable (or at least allow them to be in your party on a regular basis). 3. The Death of a Main Character I know that you’re thinking, “It’s Kingdom Hearts, Cutsceneaddict. Nobody dies in Kingdom Hearts!” True. With everyone being connected to everyone else (who isn’t connected to Sora or Xehanort these days?) it would seem that death in the Kingdom Hearts universe is nigh impossible. Perhaps it is. But you can’t deny that Square isn’t afraid to involve the Grim Reaper when it comes to this series. In Birth By Sleep, Eraqus is mortally wounded by Terra, only to be finished off by Xehanort. In Kingdom Hearts II, we watch Axel give his last words and fade away. And don’t even get me started about “who else Roxas will eat ice cream with…” “But every one of those characters has come back!” you groan as you try to reason with me. And that’s also true. Xion’s fate is in a bit of a limbo state right now, though her cameos in Birth By Sleep and Dream Drop Distance have almost guaranteed her safe return. In fact, the only character who seems to have truly “died” in the series is Riku’s replica (dubbed Repliku by the fans) in Chain of Memories. Even the Nobodies have become Somebodies again (though the fates of Marluxia, Larxene, Luxord, and Demyx are currently unknown). But regardless of those facts, I just can’t see the trilogy going out with a bang unless one character gives up the ultimate. It might make for a cliché gimmick, but you can’t deny it would offer some drama and power to an ending 8 years in the making. I just want to see one of the main characters die, even if they are destined to be resurrected two hours later. So, who’s most likely to kick the bucket? My money’s on the one person who hasn’t died or faded in some way-shape-or-form. *cough* Riku *cough* 4. Sora x Kairi The relationship between Sora and Kairi has been building throughout the duration of the series. If Kingdom Hearts III doesn’t offer some closure on it, I will be seriously disappointed. These two were meant to be together, and after all that Sora goes through in order to be “always with her” I have a hard time believing their relationship won’t be touched on in the series’ conclusion. Each game in the numbered trilogy has ended with some hint at the boyfriend/girlfriend relationship between them (drawings on the cave wall anyone?). I want to see closure come to it, even if that closure is a silent scene played during the end-game credits. Just give her the Paopu Fruit already, Sora! Seriously… 5. An Epic Battle Cinematic Birth By Sleep mesmerized fans because it portrayed the greatest CGI battle to ever grace the game’s graphics. In Kingdom Hearts III, I want to see a similar final conflict in the Keyblade Graveyard (or elsewhere) between our noble Keyblade wielders and their not-so-noble antagonists. Perhaps there are clues to be found in the Birth By Sleep scene itself. Kingdom Hearts is a series renowned for its parallelisms, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we found a few in KHIII. PS4 graphics would grant a scene like this a new edge of danger, and combat flow—made complicated by numerous warriors—would truly make for a jaw-dropping spectacle. 6. The Final Conflict Between Lea and Isa If you’ve been disregarding that **spoiler warning** that I listed early, now would be a good time to take it seriously. I want to know more about these two and what tore their friendship apart. The games speak surprisingly little about their drifting down different paths, instead skipping over this crucial time and merely highlighting their young years and their time in Organization XIII. But even more than that, I want to see these two clash, in battle or otherwise. Dream Drop Distance certainly hinted that such a “final confrontation” was destined to come. Xehanort specifically summons Isa to confront Lea during the game’s final scenes. I expect the two of them to be played against each other until the bitter/sweet end. I don’t claim to know how it all ends, of course. One part of me sees Isa fading permanently into Darkness to forever be a part of Xehanort, regardless of Lea’s best attempts. The other part of me envisions a “last-minute-redemption” sequence where Isa sacrifices himself after realizing Lea was there for him all along. Hopefully, SQUARE will surprise us. 7. Armored Forms Terra, Ventus, and Aqua each had their own armor in Birth By Sleep. I’m crossing my fingers that each of the Keyblade wielders get their own, too. Imagine the gameplay possibilities of being able to alternate between armored and unarmored forms… …with capes this time, please. Capes are dramatic and glorious and epic, and the PS4 would be more than capable of handling the graphic capacity they needed (but did not receive) in Birth By Sleep. Perhaps armored forms would give special abilities—granting players the ability to take to the air on their armored hovercraft, or offering extra defense at the expense of maneuverability, for instance. But if they were simply there to look cool, with no additional effects, I think I’d still be OK with it. 8. Conclusion of the Cloud VS Sephiroth Battle Each numbered installment gives the player the gratification of doing battle with Shinra’s big bad silver-head. I see no reason why Kingdom Hearts III should deny us the adrenaline rush of again locking blades with Sephiroth in a grand, final climax (perhaps one modeled after the final battle between Cloud and Sephiroth in Advent Children). Imagine dashing between skyscrapers, flying through the air, and racing across crumbling buildings, all while dodging the Masamune. That’s what I’m talking about. And, of course, Cloud deserves to at last win the day and overcome his inner Darkness (which is manifested in Sephiroth himself). This is a conflict that has spanned both of the numbered games. I think it’s time SQUARE put it to rest. Cloud can shrug off his Darkness—and emo-ness—in one fell swoop, make things right with Aerith/Tifa and the others, and generally live happily-ever-after. That is, of course, unless Kingdom Hearts III decides that Aerith has overstayed her welcome. Then things could get interesting. 9. Engaging Boss Battles Certain boss fights, especially in Kingdom Hearts II, really stood out to me because they were just downright fun. Roxas fighting Axel and the Twilight Thorn crop up as two favorites in my mind. For me, this was because these battles moved. They weren’t content to stay still. They made use of atmosphere, location, and reaction commands, and because of this, there was never a dull—or lacking—moment. In the short fight with Axel, the fiery red-head summons an arena of fire around both he and Roxas. From there, the two engage in a tight-knit duel, with Roxas double-wielding Oathkeeper and Oblivion as he dashes across the flames, catching his shoes on fire and clashing weapons with Axel, mid-air. The Twilight Thorn changes the environment of its battle, even going so far as to suspend Roxas from the platform, forcing him to take the battle into open space. I want more of these in Kingdom Hearts III. No static bosses. Keep things moving and interesting, and please integrate reaction commands. I know that some people hate them, but they can really add a lot to the battle if they engage the player and work in a believable chain. More than anything, I want each boss fight to be a unique experience that those replaying the game for the hundredth time can look forward to, knowing that each battle is one-of-a-kind. 10. An Ending that Makes Me Cry Let me explain this one. I don’t mean that I want to be sobbing into my second box of ultra-soft Charmin tissue paper as soon as the credits roll. I just want to be left satisfied with an ending that is so perfect and so right that it may just drag a tear or two out of me. I’m not an original fan of Kingdom Hearts. I haven’t been waiting on Kingdom Hearts III for 8 years like some of you. But I have been waiting for 4 years, and that’s a long time in my book. I’ve never been disappointed with a Kingdom Hearts ending, and I have confidence that the final game in the trilogy won’t be the first to let me down. All-the-same, I’m hoping for something extra special—something that the previous installments didn’t have. A sense of finality. A sense of closure. A sense of… well… being made a bit of a better person as a result. I was 17 when I first began wielding the Keyblade. Now, at 21—probably 22 by the time Kingdom Hearts III is released—I’m hoping for an unmatchable ending that will leave me content and pleasantly surprised. The pressure’s on, SQUARE. Show me what you’ve got! 11. (Secret Ending) A Hint of What is to Come You didn’t really think I’d stop at 10, did you? My last request is a simple one. I want a glimpse of where the series will go once it has closed out the Xehanort saga. Nomura has hinted that he has further plans for the series. Given the success of Kingdom Hearts in general, I’d say that’s a wise decision. Where will the story go from there? Will it feature the same characters? Will there be a new hero? Will the old favorites really be “old” in the next series, or will they never really “grow up”? Who will be the new villain? Will it take place long before, or long after, the Xehanort Saga? Let’s just say that in regards to where the franchise is headed, “the future doesn’t scare me at all.” “Nothing will be like before.” And I’m alright with that. __________________________________________________ I apologize if this is overly-long. Guess I just got a little hyped up ^^ Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing what YOU are looking forward to seeing in KH3. Please share!
Most certainly! I think that, if anything, the announcement of KH3 is going to add a lot of enthusiasm to the event. Perhaps Disney would even be more responsive to us with such a landmark game coming around the corner. :)
RE: Chain of Memories was the darkest game to me. I thought Zexion's death was pretty dark--even sinister. Vexen begs for mercy and is destroyed anyway. Replica Riku fades away, after asking whether his heart will continue living or if he will just cease to exist. All-in-all, the game had an oppressive feel to it, perhaps because of the confining castle and the eerie music. It's got one of my favorite storylines, but it's easily the darkest game in the series. Other moments that come to mind are the endings of Birth By Sleep--all sad. Vanitas added a lot of darker aspects to the game as well. Threatening to "choke the life out of Terra and Aqua" is easily the darkest threat yet to be uttered in a Kingdom Hearts game. And, of course, Xion's death. That was just depressing.
I always saw that scene as showing that Riku had finally overcome the Darkness. The Guardian--an extension of Xehanort's Heartless--reaches out in a last effort to bring down Riku, but Riku manages to ward it off, simply be raising his Keyblade. It's a powerful scene and one of my favorites. That being said, these are some interesting theories I'm reading. I wouldn't be suprised if the Guardian is Terra--perhaps his Heartless even. I know that the big contradition here is that Terra--when possessed by Xehanort--was using the Guardian at the same time, but perhaps the Guardian is Terra's Heartless. It could certinaly be argued that Terra is more-or-less dead at this point: his body has been taken away and he's little more than a weak will. Back to the scene in question: I do find it significant that Riku references his meeting with Terra right before the battle, and then right after. The manner in which the Guardian reaches out is also worth noting. It does, as others have mentioned, look as though he's trying to summon a Keyblade.
I can only pick ONE? O.o I love them all for totally different reasons. The original opening gives me shivers every time. The Kingdom Hearts 2 opening is so symbolic and flowy that it's a total gem to watch. Birth By Sleep conveys some beautiful camera techniques and contains some of my favorite CGI moments in the series. Dream Drop Distance combined it all into one big mesh of nostalgia/awesomeness. I don't know if I could pick just one. Dream Drop Distance does stand out as sort of being the big tie-in movie that covers all of the games though, so I really enjoy that one, as well as the other openings. Wonder if they can top them all with the KH3 opening? :D
I like Sora x Kairi just fine. I'm not really the shipping type (aside from canon pairings) unless two characters really stand out to me as being a good match in my mind. I do not like yaoi or yuri, however. I know that Nomura said there were no canon pairings in KH, but I can't help but notice that Sora x Kairi seems a bit more pronounced in this regard. The "just good friends" thing doesn't sit well with them. A few powerful scenes really help bring this out: 1. The paopu fruit comes up as a particularly strong example for many reasons. Early on in the game, Nomrua makes it quite plain that Sora has a thing for Kairi. He accepts Riku's challenge to race with the prospect of being the one to share a fruit with Kairi. Riku teases him about it endlessly. Sora draws a picture of himself on the wall of his and Kairi's secret cave--a picture of himself sharing a fruit with Kairi. Later, Kairi finds the picture and returns the gesture. Still later, Sora finds the completed picture and seems settled in his mind. 2. Sora begging Saix for news about Kairi. Sora's pretty cocky in KH2, and the fact that he went to such humiliating lengths in order to get word about Kairi seems like a pretty strong indicator to me. I suppose that this could be argued as a friendship thing as well, but not in the light of the whole paopu fruit issue. 3. Sora thinking about Kairi in KH2. One scene in particular occurs in Halloween Town, when he sees Jack dancing with Sally and instantly envisions himself dancing with Kairi. Jack and Sally are obviously lovers. I think the paralellism speaks for itself. 4. Sora and Kairi's reunion. This is a point that fans say quite a bit over, because Sora hardly reacts to Kairi's appearance, but falls to his knees and weeps over Riku. You've got to remember that the last time Sora saw Riku, he was being locked behind the door to darkness. Right before that, Riku had been possessed by Ansem himself. Kairi, on the other hand, is safe (albeit far away) and Sora knows that. It's very understandable that he would be more emotional about finding Riku. He's been incredibly worried about his friend every since Riku began dabbling in darkness. I also think that Sora's reaction to Kairi is perfectly realistic. He likes her, and he's shy about showing that (as can be seen throughout the series). He's not sure how to react to seeing her, and all he can do is make some awkward remarks about how she looks different and that he's glad she's alright. When Kairi finally hugs him, they have a silent moment that speaks volumes. 5. Sora thanking Ansem (Riku) for saving Kairi. This shows just how releaved Sora is to have Kairi safe and sound. Ansem was Sora's worst enemy up to this point in the game. He's the person responsible for possessing Riku, destroying Sora's home, and separating him from Kairi--not to mention causing a lot of destruction to the other worlds. The fact that Sora goes so far as to stop Ansem in order to thank him is pretty significant. Kairi must mean a lot to him in this case. Just some thoughts to chew on. Sorry for the excessive rambling xD
Really excited to see this! It's looking fantastic. I just hope they keep all their facts accurate and easy-to-understand for the newcomers :) I'll be awaiting the release tomorrow, popcorn in hand.
If Kingdom Hearts ever becomes a movie, it would probably only be successful as a CGI film, and NOT a live action movie. I don't think that most movie-goers would buy a live-action anime-kid-with-spiky-hair meets Donald Duck and Sephiroth, etc. Don't get me wrong, I'd still go see it in theaters, but I doubt the majority of movie-goers would share my opinnion xD That being said, CGI would be perfect for a KH film, and Square has more than proven their abilities with Advent Children already (at least, in their animation department; storywise might be a bit of a different issue). I think that a new in-between story would be a good idea, as fans wouldn't be able to say that "the game did it better." This would also ensure that the movie was not simply a re-telling of one of the many Kingdom Hearts stories and that it would have appeal to all kinds of fans looking for something new. It would be a good excuse for Square to dig deeper into the characters and bring out some "untold plotpoints." Even then, I wouldn't mind seeing a direct adaptaion of one of the games, much as 358/2 Days has just been done. I'm super excited to see it in English. ^^ Would I want to see a Kingdom Hearts movie? Sure. I wouldn't mind. I'd actually really enjoy a "movie-like" take on the franchise. But if it meant damaging or harming the series' reputation, I'd have to say "no."
Hi Scotty! Good to see you on here. Enjoy your stay :)
Hi there Sonja! Good to hear from you ;) See you around. My favorite is Riku. For a second favorite... I'd probably have to say either Axel or Terra, but there's so many I like it's hard to choose. Xigbar is also up there.
If you can't physically make it to the event, please send us a photo of yourself doing your own celbration on October 25th. We have several fans doing this from across the nation and the world :) We'd love to feature your photo on the website, along with the others. _____________________________________________________________ I just want to say thank you all so much for your encouraging support. The event now has over 60 attendees, and our Facebook page has grow to almost 600 followers in a very short time. My team and I are working to put together a mini Podcast that will be featured here on KH-Vids. In it, we'll be discussing some about the project itself, as well as talking about what kinds of Kingdom Hearts stuff we would like to see in Disney World (and what kind of KH presence currently exists at the parks). We're looking into doing some Livestreams soon, too, where we host a live Q&A and you can get your questions answered about the event, the staff, and Kingdom Hearts in general. Thank you all so much. We are currently looking for affiliation opportunities, so if you would like to affiliate with us--or spread the word about us to other KH fansites--that would be an enormous help. You can check out our How You Can Help! page for the best tips and tricks on getting the word out. Cheers! ^^)/
Definitely interested. Will be connecting with my fellow cast and crew members soon and putting one together! :) Thanks for this wonderful opportunity.
**SPOILERS FOR DREAM DROP DISTANCE** The biggest for me was when they finally revealed the connection of the orange/yellow eyes--with Xigbar and Saix revealed to be part of Xehanort--and basically the Organization's REAL purpose. Also, Riku becoming a Keyblade Master while Sora did not AND Riku being Sora's Dream Eater during the test. Lea getting his own Keyblade WAS a suprise, though I saw it coming (Yen Sid spoiled that a little early by saying something about a new Keyblade weilder's fiery personality or something, as I recall). Otherwise, I really would have been shocked. Pretty much everything in Dream Drop Distance, actually xD Figuring out that Xehanort was actually Terra was a big one for me too, though I'd been suspecting a connection due to the similar hair style. Also, that Castle Oblivion was the Land of Departure. Really cool stuff. I could probably think of a ton of other moments (and will think of them the minute after I post this).
Pre-ordered mine yesterday! :) And I don't even have a PS3 yet. YET!
True and true. Very much agree :) Although, considering that Kingdom Hearts has such big Disney influence--and TONS of Disney characters--I think a film might expand its audience a bit (as a lot of kids watch Disney but maybe don't play video games). A film would especially gain more prominence than the games if Disney made a point to advertise it. Even if the movie flopped in the eyes of non-fans, it would be series advertisement with the potential to draw in fresh fans (somewhat similar to how everyone suddenly wants to read a book once they know its being turned into a movie). Kids would probably want to pick up the games after seeing the movie, too. Just a thought. :)
Can I have your autograph? O.o __________________________________________________________ I like to collect the action figures, so I have several of them. I have the English KH manga, and have made two Kingdom Hearts cosplays (one is Xion for my sister). I cosplay Riku (Deep Dive version) and made a prop Way to Dawn to go along with it (that's it below). I'm also working on a massive Kingdom Hearts event this year at the Magic Kingdom called PROJECT: Magic Kingdom Hearts (just click on my signature for more info on that). All-in-all, I guess you could say I'm a pretty big nerd :)
