Kingdom Hearts 3, Square Enix
Whenever a popular, story-infused video game is released and has a few numbers in its title, the question, “Do you need to play the previous ones in the series?” usually pops up. The vast majority of the time I say “no.”
No, you don’t need to play the earlier Elder Scrolls, Red Dead Redemption, Assassin’s Creed, The Witcher or Persona games to forge a deep connection with the latest incarnation. But if you ask me this question about Kingdom Hearts 3, well …
To the uninitiated, the first thing to know is that Kingdom Hearts 3 is the 10th entry in a series that mashes up characters from Square Enix’s Final Fantasy and Disney universes.
And reception for this partnership has always been good, with its first entry in 2002 scoring 85 out of 100 points on the aggregated game reviews site Metacritic and some users giving it as high as 90 points. The first instalment was not without flaws, though, with most criticism directed at its simple and unrefined combat system.
But by the time Kingdom Hearts 2 was released in 2006, the battle mechanics had significantly improved and the title started to build a large and solid fan base.
The series has accumulated enough knotty story lines since its debut to make studying a summary of the events a bit of a chore for anyone with only a slight interest in the ramifications of the Keyblade Wars.
Suffice it to say that Kingdom Hearts 3 stars Sora, an unflappable, good-natured kid who befriends Donald, Goofy and a certain royal mouse named King Mickey.
All are capable keyblade wielders (keyblades being the material incarnation of warriors’ hearts). Together, they and a bunch of allies fight against those who want to forge a powerful keyblade that can access Kingdom Hearts, the haven of all the hearts in the world.
Catching up on the backstory requires keeping track of characters – some with similar names – who have a habit of dividing themselves into different incarnations, losing control of their will, getting stuck in different worlds or forgetting important events.
Listening to the characters discuss this stuff left me with the impression that they weren’t so much chatting with each other as summarising and advancing plot points.
If this sounds too close to an invitation to wade into the waters of delirious fan fiction, you have my sympathies. But, however eye-glazing Kingdom Hearts 3’s overarching narrative may be, it’s worth stressing how easy it is to get swept up in the broad strokes of its gameplay and the more isolated story beats in the game.
Running into the Little Chef from Ratatouille, dancing with the Rapunzel of Tangled, visiting a toy store with the characters from Toy Story or helping out Queen Elsa of Frozen will elicit fuzzy feelings in anyone who is disposed to the charms of Disney and Pixar.
As a game, Kingdom Hearts 3 takes an everything but the kitchen sink approach.
It has plenty of mini games that are diverting but not much more. Although I enjoyed spending a little time with the gang from Winnie the Pooh, helping Rabbit harvest vegetables by playing a basic colour match game wasn’t terribly exciting, and nor was travelling between worlds in a little spaceship, the mechanics of which didn’t seem far removed from one of the old Star Fox games.
The game’s core combat mechanics are a delight. The battles against the minions of darkness are spectacular. The combat is fluid and full of rainbow swirls, starry shapes, and other visuals.
Sora can summon a variety of repurposed theme park rides like a merry-go-round, spinning teacups or a white-water rapids ride to help clobber enemies.
He can also avail himself of more exotic means, such as taking to the air in a rocket with Woody and Buzz from Toy Story or hopping on the back of Simba from the Lion King. The gorgeous eruptions of lights over the battlefields could give Destiny 2 a run for its money.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is a game I would recommend to parents looking for something to play with their kids or to adults with a soft spot for Disney.
It’s weighed down by its lore, which only children are likely to become invested in, but its razzle dazzle gameplay and steady parade of cameo appearances will appeal to those with a taste for the ludicrous.
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