Platforms: PS4, Xbox One
Kingdom Hearts III will not fully live up to expectations – but then again, how could it? It's a game that some fans have been anticipating ever since they completed the second game back on the PS2 a staggering 14 years ago. After that long a wait, whatever arrives will struggle to match up to what millions of players have built up in their heads.
Then again, Kingdom Hearts III is almost exclusively pitched at the most hardcore of fans, the ones who've lapped up every instalment over the years, absorbed every nuanced bit of narrative esoterica along the way, and will likely adore everything on offer here purely on the basis of it being new Kingdom Hearts material. Luckily for that crowd, developer Square Enix delivers a satisfying – if flawed – conclusion to earnest hero Sora's journey around the Disney multiverse, ably assisted by Donald Duck and Goofy.
That's about as much of a précis of the plot as can be given though – not for spoilers' sakes, but for space. Kingdom Hearts’ plot is infamously convoluted, and there's no change to that here – in fact, the game makes next to no effort to be accessible to newcomers, and presumes anyone jumping in will have played not only the first two main games but also spinoffs such as Re:Coded, Chain of Memories, and the ‘0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-’ side-game that was included on 2017's Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue.
The sheer passion behind Kingdom Hearts III is undeniable.
That's a lot of homework to play this specific game, and while a 'Memory Archive' accessible from the main menu attempts to explain the backstory, it's woefully inadequate. The story launches straight into the most arcane parts of the series' lore, drops in characters with no introduction or explanation, and regularly references key events in past games. It's a shame, because beyond the jargon of ‘Heartless’ and ‘Nobodies’ and ‘Keyblades’ and people or places being split in two, there's a lot to like here.
Combat is, for the most part, as smooth as ever, with Sora whirling around battering enemies with a mix of melee, aerial, and magic moves, while Donald, Goofy, and whichever Disney guest stars are joining in on a particular world provide mostly-automated assistance. While Kingdom Hearts battles have always been stylish, there's a lot more emphasis here on the visual appeal of each encounter, with the game rapidly handing players special moves that deliver spectacle on grand scale.
The best examples of this are the new Attractions, specials accessible after attacking certain enemies in an encounter, summoning powerful versions of Disney theme park rides – from swinging pirate ships and spinning tea cups to river rapids. There are even special boss attack versions, such as a roller coaster ridden early on to take down one of the colossal Titans from Hercules. They’re all dazzling displays, livening up even the dullest random battle.
Encounters are somewhat marred by a lock-on that rarely seems to work as intended, with a sense that, on all but the toughest difficulty settings, it amounts to mere button-bashing. The opportunity for tactics is there – switching between equipped Keyblade weapons, changing allies' gear load outs, selecting active skills, and more – but often just tapping attack and occasionally jumping will do the trick. The 'Flowmotion' system, first seen in Dream Drop Distance on 3DS, makes an appearance here, ostensibly to add parkour-like moves to Sora's fighting repertoire as he swings around poles and into enemies, but it's tricky to get a grip with in the larger 3D worlds on PS4 and Xbox One, and chances are you'll stop bothering after a few fights.
The sheer passion behind the project is undeniable though, and the new Disney worlds – incorporating Toy Story, Big Hero 6, Frozen and more – are joyfully recreated, with enough of a JRPG spin to fit this universe. Yoko Shimomura's beautiful musical score brings every step of the journey to life, touching on the original films' soundtracks where appropriate, while adding her own spin throughout. There's a wealth of side content to discover along the way, too – the Gummiship space exploration sections – where you journey between Disney worlds – are bigger and more developed than ever, incorporating Galaga-style shooter encounters and lockbox puzzles, while customising your ship and its 'Teeny Ship' companions is almost a game unto itself. Side games dive deep into Disney's catalogue and gaming history alike, with cooking mini-games featuring Ratatouille’s Remy, while 'Classic Kingdom' efforts on your in-game smartphone evoke Game and Watch titles. There's always something to keep you busy, providing much-needed breaks from the frequent walls of exposition or melodrama.
It’s a solid end to the saga, overall – but one that requires so much foreknowledge that even the most dedicated fans will be left scratching their heads and referencing Kingdom Hearts wikis to keep up. Anyone else tempted to jump in would be better off going right back to the beginning, for any hope of understanding what's actually going on here.