Tags: Disney, KH3, KHIII, kingdom hearts 3, kingdom hearts III, Square-Enix
Tag Archives: kingdom hearts 3
ANOTHER KH3 Theme Song Announced! “Face My Fears” By Utada Hikaru and Skrillex!
7 Oct
Greetings readers! This is Gen Next! I am back with some more Kingdom Hearts 3 news! I know it’s been awhile since I’ve come out with some news on Kingdom Hearts 3…but here I am!
I know I’m a little late on the news due to other obligations in my life, but I just had to get in on the news about Utada Hikaru and her newest opening song for Kingdom Hearts 3!
That’s right…it’s an ALL NEW THEME SONG. The name of it is “Face My Fears”. This isn’t just any old KH song though. It is a song made with the collaborative efforts of Utada Hikaru (the main songstress of Kingdom Hearts) and EDM DJ Skrillex!
According to Kingdom Hearts’s official twitter, the opening song for Kingdom Hearts was originally going to be a Skrillex remix of “Don’t Think Twice” (the first KH3 theme song). However, as stated on twitter “owing to the pair’s friendship, this has now developed into a new and original collaboration…” Awesome sauce!
This is some seriously big news because this is the first time in Kingdom Hearts history that we get TWO Kingdom Hearts theme songs for one game (the opening will be “Face My Fears”, while the ending song for Kingdom Hearts will be “Oath” for Japan and “Don’t Think Twice” internationally).
Of course, some may have mixed feelings about Skrillex being on board with this collab. Skrillex is an EDM DJ who is known for his “head banging” beats that may not seem to fit with what we are used to from a KH soundtrack. Honestly, I have seen great Skrillex songs and not-so-great ones in my opinion…But Utada’s vocals can make any song a good one, so I am not worried!
Skrillex has done collaborations with Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Korn, Ed Sheeran, Usher, Fifth Harmony, Ellie Goulding, Zedd, and so many other really popular artists. The fact that Square-Enix is getting a more well known EDM composer on board shows that Kingdom Hearts is expanding and more popular than ever. Hopefully this collab will bring in more newcomers who are fans of Skrillex to the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Who knows, they may decide to purchase the game due to Skrillex’s involvement with the opening theme song. I’m excited to see what will come from this combo!
I must also mention that Skrillex has been a fan of the Kingdom Hearts game series for a long time, longer than some KH fans were born. This is another reason why I do have a little faith in this collab. In an interview with 98Rock Baltimore back in 2011, when he was asked to think of an ideal setting for his music, he responded, “If anybody’s ever seen the video game Kingdom Hearts, there’s Destiny Island, which is the first level that you play on, which is like total RPG from Square-soft or Square-Enix.” He also says later in the interview “Its the most beautiful island in the world and I would love to play in it”.
For a KH fan, this collab is obviously a dream come true for him. Not only is he working with one of the greatest Jpop singers of all time (a close friend of his) but he is also working on a song for one of his favorite video games. What a lucky guy!
Alongside Skrillex on this project is Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, who has worked with Skrillex on several projects and another person who has worked with famous people like Justin Beiber. From what I’ve heard, Poo Bear is quite a talented singer so I can’t help but be excited about his involvement in this project as well.
So, what do you guys think about this piece of news? Do you like that we are getting TWO brand new KH3 theme songs, or would you have preferred a remix to the original song? What do you think about Utada and Skrillex doing a collab on this? Let me know in the comments below!
Kingdom Hearts III Trailer @ TGS + Big Hero 6 Trailer!
21 Sep
If you think I forgot to post these trailers…You’re absolutely right. 😛
I’m just ready for the game already!
But you all can enjoy a few teasers today!
Kingdom Hearts Orchestra Event @ Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre + NEW Kingdom Hearts 3 Toy Story Content!
14 Jul
I attended the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra World Tour Event this weekend!
If you haven’t attended the Orchestra event yet, and you’re a SERIOUS Kingdom Hearts fan, you still have plenty of chances to go.
I won’t give too much away. But I encourage all of you fans to attend the event if you can.
If you can’t afford to go, I will tell you that I believe all the trailers will be released after the last tour in October. Last year, the Orchestra gave us more footage from Hercules and the trailer was released afterwards.
We were not allowed to film, and I respect Tetsuya Nomura’s wishes because I want this event to to sell well.
But in case you can’t make Chicago’s event, and you’re curious about the exclusive content, just know there was exclusive Kingdom Hearts 3 footage from Toy Story at the one in Chicago! We also were treated to Toy Story’s world SONG and the battle song!
From talking to friends, it appears each city is getting different exclusive footage. So, it really doesn’t matter which you decide to attend. All are guaranteed to be worth your time and money! But everyone is going to miss out on something, so don’t feel bad.
The venue also had merch, of course. They sold Sora Orchestra t-shirts, the keyblade baton that the conductor uses during the orchestra, Kingdom Hearts wallets and purses, a list of the program, and, of course, the soundtrack from the Orchestra.
For those people who are 21 and OLDER, they had Kingdom Hearts SPECIALTY COCKTAILS!
Menu:
- Kingdom Heart-It had vodka with Mist, a touch of Grenadine, with a cherry on top. It was delicious!
- Heartless-This was that Jack Daniels WHISKEY topped with pepsi, grenadine, and cherry on top. This one was strong. That Heartless was attacking people’s bodies with that taste.
- Sora’s Mimosa- This was Voveti Prosecco with orange juice. It was strong at the top and sweet at the bottom.
- Princess of Heart-Voveti Prosecco with cranberry juice. This was even sweeter than Sora’s Mimosa and tasted divine!
So, there’s a lot more to see at this event than just trailers and footage. It’s worth it.
Next Touring Cities:
- Detroit (USA) – July 14, 2018 – Fisher Theatre
- Pittsburgh (USA) – July 16, 2018 – Heinz Hall
- Boston (USA) – July 19, 2018 – Wang Theatre
- Toronto (Canada) – July 21, 2018 – Sony Centre
- Atlanta (USA) – July 26, 2018 – Fox Theatre
- Dallas (USA) – July 28, 2018 – Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
- Philadelphia (USA) – August 2, 2018 – Mann Centre
- Phoenix (USA) – August 4, 2018 – Symphony Hall
- Las Vegas (USA) – August 5, 2018 – The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
- Honolulu (USA) – August 12, 2018 – Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall
- Sao Paolo (Brazil) – September 8-9, 2018 – Teatro Bradesco
- Munich (Germany) – September 15, 2018 – The Gasteig
- Milan (Italy) – September 22, 2018 – Teatro Dal Verme
- Seoul (South Korea) – October 6, 2018 – KBS Hall
- Mexico City (Mexico) – October 20, 2018 – Auditorium Blackberry
Brand New Kingdom Hearts III Trailer @ D23 Expo Japan 2018! + New Utada Theme Song!
11 FebA brand new Kingdom Hearts III trailer just dropped…and I’ve been trying not to get over-hyped, but…this trailer snatched my soul.
Let me share the trailer with you all so you’ll get the feel of what I’m feeling right now.
Wow. There was so much to take in, I don’t even know where to begin. I’ll try to talk about everything. But at this point, Square, Disney, and Tetsuya Nomura can just take my wallet.
The following review will contain some spoilers. So if you haven’t played all of the in-between games, and you still want to play them, be cautious when reading or just enjoy the trailer above and all the trailers below the article. I can tell you right now that playing all the games are important if you don’t want to be confused playing this new game…Get the HD remixes if you have PS4!
If you want to catch up with the Kingdom Hearts timeline, click this article—> Kingdom Hearts Timeline Completed
Now, let’s talk about this trailer.
First, I want to talk about this long catchphrase or sentence that has become KH3‘s staple: “Don’t Assume Your Dreams Are Just Fantasy. If You Can Imagine a World, Believe In It and Dive In.” I’ve been thinking about this for awhile. I’ve been trying to see how this may relate to KH3, aside from all the sky-diving I keep seeing in the trailer. This catchphrase is longer than “You never know what will happen next” from Kingdom Hearts I. And in that game, we never knew what was going to happen…
Second, more Toy Story. I’m still in awe with how it looks. Read my last article on KH3 to see more. Click the link. Everything looks amazing in that world!
Third, THE RETURN OF MARLUXIA. I thought he was dead! Then again, I don’t know if he fell back into darkness after the organization regained consciousness again. Axel, I mean Lea, is back (as we saw in KH Dream Drop Distance). And just as it was left last, Sora doesn’t remember Marluxia because he has no memory of Castle Oblivion (Chain of Memories).
Fourth, the Monster’s Inc world! It looks fantastic! I’m so excited for this world. Just the way it’s set up is so cool. It looks like we’ll be running from helicopters, sliding down the doors, and fighting tons and tons of heartless, nobodies, unversed, and nightmares! And we have a monster form! Sora’s monster form looks awesome!
And the Dreameaters are back from Dream Drop Distance! I’m fine about that, just don’t bring “drop” mode back. With other people in our party though, how will the Dreameaters play a role? That’d be interesting to see…
Fifth, in the Tangled world, we’re going to be fighting with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider! And there’s an ARIEL (from the Little Mermaid) command move! Maybe a summon? Or it could be like the amusement park and teacup commands we used to see back in the other older trailers. I just hope we don’t return to that world. No hate, but I want to see something new. Though it would be cool to see Atlantica with the Unreal Engine. Maybe they can re-do all the games in the future, like what happened with Crash Bandicoot.
On a positive note, I see some similarities to Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Fragmentary Passage 0.2 when it comes to a lot of the commands. That game got me amped up for this game. Shotlock really got a makeover!
Fourth, it appears Vanitas (from Birth By Sleep) has returned! And yes, we all knew Ventus has been sharing a heart with Sora. That’s why Roxas looked the way he did and why he didn’t really have any memories, unlike the other Nobodies. That’s probably why Sora was able to wield a keyblade even though he wasn’t formally chosen like Riku.
Fifth, my only disappointment-no official release date. But it’s great just being reminded that the game is set to come out some time this year. It may be pushed back, but just having that release window there…it’s comforting to know that it’s coming soon.
Sixth, I’m just now noticing this, but the keyblades change as we enter the new worlds! So does that mean we don’t have to wait to complete a stage to use a keyblade relevant to that world? That would be pretty cool, as long as we can switch keyblades whenever we want. Sometimes, I didn’t like the keyblades specifically chosen for some worlds in older games, as some of them were weaker or didn’t have the best stats. But if we can get new keyblades as we switch worlds, and we can change keyblades when we want, great! And maybe customization will be back from Fragmentary Passage 0.2! It would be awesome if we could customize our keyblades!
Finally, UTADA IS BACK! We were worried for a minute. Remember that article I made about that dilemma? If you don’t, click me. I would like to think that articles like that really helped in pushing for Utada’s return. I’m so happy she decided to make a new song for the game in this saga. I don’t know how I feel about the song overall, as it doesn’t feel like the other songs and we haven’t seen it put together with the opening footage yet. It’s a modern-sounding song and it seems to be the slower version (considering there’s always two versions of her songs in the games). At this point, I’m just glad I’m not going to be hearing Simple and Clean and Sanctuary again. And I’m happy to hear her voice again.
And then that bit with Riku and Mickey at the end of that trailer? Why are they back in the realm of darkness? And what does he mean by “the other me”? Don’t tell me he has a nobody or some other form too! That’s just a theory, don’t quote me. So many questions!
So, those are my thoughts on the trailer and new theme song! What do you readers think about this new trailer? Did you notice anything new that I didn’t notice? Please share your comments with me!
Enjoy other older trailers that gave us amazing reveals!
Another Kingdom Hearts 3 Trailer + New Trailer and World At D23 in July!
18 Jun
There have been three Kingdom Hearts teaser trailers since 2013. Now, Square-Enix has given us a fourth. Now, things seem to be moving towards better development. For me, though, these teasers make fans even more hyped up, which can be good and disastrous at the same time (if the game takes too long to be released or if the game doesn’t meet expectations). Fortunately, we’ve been told that Tetsuya Nomura is a “perfectionist” and won’t release the game until it is perfect. Unfortunately, Nomura has also said they had to cut certain things out of the game to push up the release.
It has been more than 10 years since Kingdom Hearts II came out, and mostly the loyal fans (and the fans who can afford to) have played the side games (the most recent one being Kingdom Hearts 2.8). After looking at the reactions to this trailer, I was shocked. The fans really are still around!
Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Coming December 2016 + Complete Kingdom Hearts Timeline Finished!
This new trailer was so popular, in fact, even among everything happening at E3’s event (and outside of it) a little over a week ago, Kingdom Hearts was the top story in the gaming world among stories missed, according to IGN!
Most Kingdom Hearts fans were expecting to see information about Kingdom Hearts III at E3. But, surprise! A new trailer was dropped at the Kingdom Hearts ORCHESTRA tour.
Of course, as a Kingdom Hearts fan, I was super excited about the trailer.
Let’s review the trailer, shall we?
1) We’re seeing more from the Olympus Coliseum “Hercules” world.
2) The Command Style from Birth By Sleep Fragmentary Passage 0.2 seems to be adopted.
3) Party member combination attacks seem to be back, but better than before.
4) Hercules is now a party member.
5) Hades, Maleficent, and Pete are back.
6) The “black box” was mentioned. All my fellow fans who watched the Kingdom Hearts Unchained X Back Story cinematic know where that line is going…
7) The magic has taken on the style from Birth By Sleep Fragmentary Passage 0.2. Awesome.
8) We see the drive forms have returned, along with the Sonic Blade command.
9) Sora is trying to bring Roxas back. Dream Drop Distance comes to mind. Sora made new revelations about the Nobodies, so I figured Roxas would come up sooner or later in KHIII.
10) I’m not seeing the “amusement park” attacks here. I hope they weren’t scraped.
11) Keyblade transformation seems awesome.
12) Shotlock has returned.
13) It looks like there will be a dive mode similar to what we had in Dream Drop Distance. Are they discarding the gummi Ship? I really liked the upgrades for the gummi ship in Kingdom Hearts II and was hoping to see better upgrades in the new game… Then again, it got annoying at times. Maybe the dive mode is back because Sora is trying to become what he couldn’t become in Dream Drop Distance… Ya’ll fans know what I’m talking about.
14) Aerial Finish is back!
15) Flowmotion has returned.
16) D23 Expo July 15, 2017 will reveal the trailer and a NEW WORLD. We already got the word that Big Hero 6‘s world will be in the game. I wonder if the new trailer will show a bit of it. This makes me excited, but I’m afraid of spoiling the game for myself. XD I’m so weak to these teasers.
I’ve been watching quite a bit of reaction videos, too. It’s strange when I watch reaction videos that question “the black box” and are confused about certain commands. The fan’s overall Kingdom Hearts experience is exposed when watching these videos, and it’s obvious when a fan hasn’t played the game since Kingdom Hearts II. XD The fans who have really been keeping up with things not only understand what’s going on, but they are creating solid theories.
There are many other reaction videos out there! It’s quite entertaining.
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about the Kingdom Hearts III trailer!
Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Coming December 2016 + Complete Kingdom Hearts Timeline Finished!
17 Sep
Wow, wow, wow.
We’ve gotten 1.5, 2.5, and now, finally, here comes Kingdom Hearts 2.8 FINAL CHAPTER PROLOGUE. It’s not “3.5” because the games were released BEFORE Kingdom Hearts 3. Technically, 2.5 and 2.8 have games that are being released and games that were already released AFTER Kingdom Hearts 2 but not after KH3…Making them 2.5 and 2.8. Anyway…
This is exciting news for fans!
2.8 consists of the following games:
Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance Final Mix
Kingdom Hearts X (unchained) Back Story
Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Volume 0.2 Fragmentary Passage
For those of you confused with all the games, I’ll run down the list of games and the timeline at the end of this article…
Kingdom Hearts 2.8 is the FINAL. This is the final part of the story. That means this is basically heading towards the end of the story. This may be one of the last Kingdom Hearts games we get before Kingdom Hearts III, the final game.
For many people, all three games on 2.8 are all-new games. I’ve been reading the comments’ sections on Youtube, and I hear people saying, “Tetsuya Nomura has made three all-new side games instead of focusing on Kingdom Hearts 3?” That just goes to show you how behind people are on the Kingdom Hearts news. I knew that I had to announce this to keep everyone here up-to-date.
Am I a little worried that it’s coming out in 2016 INSTEAD of Kingdom Hearts III? Yes, I am. Like many other people, I’ve been waiting for Kingdom Hearts III for more than 10 years. I’m in my 20s, still waiting for the third installment…So, I’m sure Kingdom Hearts III will NOT be released in 2016, which is a bummer, because I’ve really been looking forward to it. And I feel my biological time ticking…
On the other hand, I’m not really old. I don’t want to feel it. And I do want to live my life looking forward to things. If Kingdom Hearts is over, it will feel like a part of my life has left me. I’ve been waiting for this game and playing this game for so long, it has really become a part of my fond memories. I feel a certain connection to this game series. It gives me so many good memories. I remember when I first got the first game. My uncle bought it for me. It was the game that I always wanted the most (next to Tekken Tag). I couldn’t afford it then. But he went out of his way to get it. It didn’t go to waste.
So, I kind of also don’t want the series to end too quickly. It’s bitter-sweet.
Anyway…
Dream Drop Distance Final Mix
Dream Drop Distance has been out since 2012. So, this game isn’t new. This is the re-mastered version. So, no, Nomura wasn’t wasting his time making a whole new game.
Fans who played Dream Drop Distance asked if it would be included in Final Mix form like the other games, so this is how we got it. I’m personally happy about it.
All you people who never got to play this game will finally get to.
Kingdom Hearts X (Unchained) Back Cover
The cinematic that appears in 2.8 covers the story behind Kingdom Hearts X Unchained, the online game released in 2013 and the North American app that came out April 2016.
For those of you who think Kingdom Hearts X Unchained is new, I’m here to tell you it’s not. This game has been out ONLINE for FREE since 2013. Yes, it was in Japanese. At first, it was only meant to be for the Japanese audience, the audience Nomura knew would appreciate it more. Some people around the world realized how important it was after playing the Japanese version, so they asked for an English release.
But some westerners are complaining about it.
I hear some people saying, “Aw, this game isn’t relevant”. If you’d been smoking the words of Nomura, you should know by now that every game he says is “irrelevant” turns out to be important!
This game explains what Eraqus and Xehanort were talking about in the Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer! This game also has an interesting story. This game even has a new world: Daybreak Town! It may even appear in KHIII! Sure, the gameplay is sketchy (It’s a lot like Chain of Memories on the SP, with the same bad graphics and everything).
Still, I recommend people play the KHX game before watching the cinematic and even diving into KHIII.
Don’t think that you can just watch the cinematic and it will cover everything. Again, the 2.8 version is just the cinematic version that covers the backstory of the fore-tellers from Kingdom Hearts X Unchained and not the actual complete Kingdom Hearts X Unchained game. That’s disappointing for me because I really liked the story in X (Unchained), though I know other westerners didn’t.
This cinematic X Unchained Back Cover is a whole new piece to the puzzle to add to the already complex story line.
Kingdom Hearts fans should really take the time out to explore the game and the back story, even if it doesn’t seem relevant or cool.
Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Volume o.2~Fragmentary Passage~
This is a BRAND NEW game. If you all unlocked the “Secret Episode” at the end of Birth By Sleep, you might remember that it had the same title as this one. They are NOT the same thing. The one in Birth By Sleep was 0.1. From what I hear, this is Volume 2 of that “secret episode”.
This game is going to be the most closely connected to Kingdom Hearts III.
It follows the story of Aqua after Birth By Sleep. So if you haven’t played Birth By Sleep, I suggest you play it. It is available on 2.5 for those of you who don’t have a PSP (though PSPs are running cheap now). There is also a remastered edition that combines 1.5 and 2.5 in one game.
Kingdom Hearts 2.8 is going to be around US $60.00. I know it’s pricey, but think about it. You’re getting THREE games in ONE. Technically, two games and a cinematic version, but still that’s a lot of software. And usually ONE game is almost that price! It’s a pretty good deal. One of the games are brand new, too! This is also the FINAL PROLOGUE. That means no more additions to the story after this. THIS IS IT. It’s worth it guys. At least, I think so.
Kingdom Hearts Timeline
With all of the side stories, the story has had many additions. It has gotten a bit confusing for most people, especially if many of you haven’t played some of the games yet. Many people have asked, “In what order should I play the games? In which order do the games fit into the story?”
Well, on Kingdom Hearts’s main website, they happen to help fans out with a timeline. Still, the timeline isn’t very descriptive (so they won’t spoil everything) and is currently missing not showing how each game fits in.
So, I’ll help you all out a tad bit more.
The stories came out in this order (all final mixes are mashed with their original stories):
Kingdom Hearts or 1.5 (PS2, PS3)
Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories or 1.5 (Nintendo SP, PS 2, PS3)
Kingdom Hearts II or 2.5 (PS2, Ps3)
Kingdom Hearts Coded or 2.5 (mobile phone, Nintendo DS, PS3)
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days or 1.5 (Nintendo DS, PS 3)
Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep or 2.5 (and parts of 2.8) (PSP, PS3, PS4)
~You can get 1.5+2.5 Remix Limited Edition, which combines all the above games together~
Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance or 2.8 (Nintendo 3DS, PS4)
Kingdom Hearts (Unchained) X or 2.8 Backstory (online website, mobile phone, PS4)
Kingdom Hearts III (PS4, Xbox One)
The order in which the games came out don’t match up with the order in which each game OCCURRED. So, the story can get a bit confusing. The following may contain a few *SPOILERS*. The timeline above have all the games, but it may look confusing.
1) Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover tells the untold story of the fore-tellers, characters that eventually appeared in Kingdom Hearts X. A bit about the fore-tellers was explained in Kingdom Hearts X (Unchained). The 2.8 version, the Back Cover, is the fully fleshed-out story of the fore-tellers. It tells us more about the people involved in the infamous Keyblade War.
2) Kingdom Hearts X (Unchained) technically takes place before Birth By Sleep. KHX Unchained takes place right before the infamous Keyblade War that caused our story to begin the way it has. This story focuses on the history of the whole Kingdom Hearts series. It’s not certain how long ago this game literally took place, but the history behind it took place before Birth By Sleep. It has also been upgraded to Kingdom Hearts Union X [Cross].
3)Birth By Sleep happened sometime after Kingdom Hearts X Unchained, 10 years before Kingdom Hearts, and begins the Xehanort saga. It follows the lives of three keyblade wielders, Terra, Aqua, and Ventus. These three people end up shaping events that occur later in the series.
4) Birth By Sleep Fragmentary Passage 0.2 obviously happens right after the “Secret episode” in Birth By Sleep, a little before Kingdom Hearts. However, events in the story eventually seem to align with what’s going on in Kingdom Hearts from behind the scenes.
5) Kingdom Hearts happened next. Sora becomes our main protagonist.
6) Now, you may see that 358/2 Days seems to begin smack-dab-in-between-towards-the-end-of Kingdom Hearts in one of the timelines ABOVE. This story began a bit after Sora stabbed his heart in the Hollow Bastion segment of Kingdom Hearts. This is when Roxas, Sora’s “Nobody”, was born and the reason 358/2 Days, his story, begins there. Roxas is the protagonist of 358/2 Days.
7) Chain of Memories happened RIGHT AFTER Kingdom Hearts and DURING 358/2 Days. Did you notice this in one of the timelines ABOVE? This is when it gets tricky. Remember, 358/2 Days began around the same time as the Hollow Bastion segment in Kingdom Hearts. The events Roxas experienced in 358/2 Days continued on while Sora was entering the Kingdom Hearts End of the World segment. 358/2 Days’s events continued to occur as Sora’s game, Kingdom Hearts, was ending. 358/2 Day’s events also took place while the next story, Chain of Memories, was occurring.
At the end of Kingdom Hearts’s credits, we see a cut-scene with Sora heading down a path. This path leads him straight into the game of Chain of Memories.
358/2 Days and Chain of Memories continued to happen simultaneously, adding to each other’s stories. So while Roxas was continuing to deal with his life in 358/2 Days, Sora was headed towards Chain of Memories. Riku, Sora’s best friend, also had his own story in Chain of Memories. His story began shortly after Sora’s. Even while Sora and Riku were dealing with life in Chain of Memories, Roxas’s story continued in 358/2 Days.
Chain of Memories ended with Sora falling asleep. In 358/2 Days, Roxas was still awake while Sora was asleep in Chain of Memories. He was being affected by Sora’s slumber.
8) Kingdom Hearts II continues where 358/2 Days left off. Kingdom Hearts II begins with Roxas, who has now forgotten who he was after certain events that took place in 358/2 Days. After six days with Roxas in the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II, Sora wakes up from his long slumber (the long slumber he fell into in Chain of Memories). The rest of Kingdom Hearts II is played with Sora as the main protagonist.
9) Notice that Coded comes up next, but then there’s this weird insertion above and between Coded and Dream Drop Distance labeled “KHII” in one of the timelines ABOVE. This is another tricky one. At the end of the Kingdom Hearts II credits, Sora gets a letter with King Mickey’s seal. We might think that this letter has to do with the next game, Coded. It doesn’t. This letter has to do with Dream Drop Distance. So why is Coded next? Well, right after the events in KHII, besides the cut-scene AFTER the credits, Sora returns to a pretty normal life at his home, Destiny Islands, for a while, which isn’t really shown. While Sora has returned to his normal life, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy have returned to Disney Castle. Coded takes place at this point, right before Sora gets the letter at the end of KHII.
10) After Coded, the cut-scene at the end of KHII becomes relevant. Sora gets the letter. It’s a letter for both Sora and his best friend Riku. The letter leads Sora and Riku to the events in Dream Drop Distance.
11) Finally, after DDD, Kingdom Hearts III ends the series.
I hope my timeline helped any confused souls. If you decide to play all the games over or if you’re playing them all for the first time, you can decide to play them in order of release or in order of timeline. Whichever you feel will help you grasp the story more. I think it would be helpful to play them in order of timeline so that it won’t feel so jumpy and so you won’t lose track of what’s been going on. But it’s your decision.
If any of these games sound new to you, that could be the reason you are so confused about everything that’s been happening. Don’t worry, the whole confusing story will be over soon. So just hang tight until then.
Leave me a comment in the comments’ section and tell me what you think about the new release! Check back for more updates!
Kingdom Hearts III: The Theme Song Dilemma and the Utada Hikaru Controversy
23 Jun
Kingdom Hearts 3 has already been high in anticipation, but it has really been the talk of fans lately since the E3 gameplay trailer was released several days ago. Many speculations, rumors, and desires have been spreading around fiercer than before.
One of those speculations and desires involve the theme song vocalist Utada Hikaru…
If most of you haven’t heard, Utada Hikaru has been on hiatus since 2011, four years now. Utada Hikaru also stated in a 2009 interview that she wasn’t “paid enough” by the developers of Kingdom Hearts, considering the fact she created the melodies and wrote the songs in both Japanese and English. This was why she never sang new songs for the other Kingdom Hearts versions.
But it seems Utada plans to come out of hiatus soon (YAY!). http://www.khinsider.com/news/Hikaru-Utada-working-on-new-album-5684
Still, we don’t know if she’s willing to work with Square again.
This leaves many to question whether the iconic Japanese pop singer would return as the main theme songstress for Kingdom Hearts 3.
Okay, I know some of you might think that it’s pretty petty for some fans to whine and complain about Utada not being able to sing for the game. Some of you may feel bitter-sweet about her demanding more money to sing for Kingdom Hearts. It does sound kind of selfish, and some of you may wish to move on because of this news.
However, we all know that Utada Hikaru has come to be the staple singer for the series. Without her, it seems that the series isn’t complete. It’s almost like a character is missing. It’s like Kingdom Hearts without Dearly Beloved, the song that introduces Kingdom Hearts.
And sure, let’s not take it as far as to say the game will be awful without her because I’m certain the game will be awesome with or without Utada Hikaru. Whatever new singer, the game may still deliver.
But music has its purpose in any movie or game: It tells a story all its own. A good song and story add to the appeal of a game. This is why game developers work hard to choose the right music for each game. Without the right song, it is hard to advertise the game to appeal to the right demographic. It is hard to grasp the feelings of the characters without the music. The opening theme shapes the tone of the story. It is hard to remind “lost fans” of the games through commercials that remind them of the old days. And let’s face it people: the longevity of the series depends on the sales of the games out now and games coming out. If anyone expects this series to continue, Square-Enix needs to know that the game series isn’t disappointing. And they will know that through sales from hard-core fans, new consumers, and consumers who fell from the series but may want to return. New consumers need to be appealed to.
I remember, if you want the honest truth, that Utada Hikaru’s Simple and Clean was the exact song that really got me into the series. Yes, I would listen to that song on the commercials so much back in 2002, it got stuck in my head. I wanted to buy it. It was also the visuals, the Disney worlds we would fight in, and the foreign appeal. But the song sealed the deal. I mean, why do commercials have songs? To make the product more effective, right? When I bought it, I was fascinated to find the song to be the actual opening theme song! And there were lyrics in the back of the booklet that came with the game. The music drew me into the series. Who knows how many other people were drawn into the series because of the song! What a turn-off it could be for those fans! Some of you may think those fans are immature, but everyone is entitled to their preferences in a game. Is it immature to ask for anything in a game you are paying for? That’s like saying it’s immature to ask for worlds, keyblades, or expect the game to have excellent gameplay. They are all demands. There is no demand that is too immature if you are expected to buy the product. If someone complains, it’s because that’s what they expect from the product. And sure, they can just not buy the series. But think about the bigger picture. If that person doesn’t buy it, that’s one consumer who will not purchase the series. That’s one loss for Square-enix. There could be others who follow suit.
When Kingdom Hears II first came out, I had been waiting for the trailer. I was busy doing chores when I heard a familiar wistful voice on the t.v. I knew it was the same singer from Kingdom Hearts. It reminded me of the game. It was familiar to me. Therefore, I was able to notice Kingdom Hearts II had come out. Had the song been completely different, it would never have caught my ears the same way. So, it is not far-removed for fans to be concerned about the theme song.
The music has always been one of the most iconic things about Kingdom Hearts, and whatever songs they choose will set the mood.
So, this leaves us with two questions: what will be done and what could be done?
If fans want a new song from Utada and no one or nothing else, this could prove to be a challenge, even a legal one. Though Kingdom Hearts 3 is still in development, the release of a game-play trailer shows that development may be winding down. If we want Utada as the theme songstress, with a brand new song, we are going to have to act fast.
A petition will NOT work. The only way Utada will sing for the series is if she is paid to do so. This means Square-Enix has to pay her more than what they have been paying if they expect her to sing in Japanese and English. As fans, there are several things we can do to maneuver this situation in our favor if we really want this.
1) We can urge Square-Enix to loosen their demands and just ask Utada for a Japanese song, just one song, and put it on both games. In this case, they can pay her for less work. Lately, localized ( Dubbed) animes have been adapting the Japanese theme songs straight from the original Japanese animes. Why can’t this be done for Kingdom Hearts? We could still get Utada as the theme songstress and the game could even feel more authentic.
It may sound weird to other regions and it may have a hard time relating to new consumers….But at least the feeling of Kingdom Hearts will not have changed.
We can equally urge them to just ask Utada to make just one song in English, considering it’s a global language. But Nomura is Japanese and his main demographic is Japanese. It just wouldn’t be right.
So perhaps they can have Utada sing the Japanese version and get another artist to sing the English version… But just like with the Final Mixes, you’ll have people who will feel cheated because we weren’t “treated fairly”. And People, it’s very important that everyone feels satisfied with the series. This will increase the game’s popularity and sales.
The only overall conclusion to this solution is for Square to ask Utada to sing one Japanese song and apply it to both games, risking the judgment of those overseas who do not understand the language. There are more pros. Old-time fans will get to hear Utada and the Japanese will be happy. And who knows what new fans may like it better because of the authenticity…It may be an effective risk.
2) We can raise money towards the Utada Project. I’ve thought of this little idea where I could donate some money every month towards the project of Kingdom Hearts III to speed up development. Considering Utada is looking for money, (And who can blame her! Think about how much work it is to make two songs) we, as fans, could donate money towards the theme song. We could organize a plan between Square-Enix and Utada. We could talk to both parties. Somehow, we could pitch in to keep Utada as the theme songstress, at least for one last game in this saga.
If you are not willing to put time and energy into getting anything, then it is not worth fighting for. How many of you would like to organize this sort of project? Leave me a comment and select an option in my poll below if you do. Then we can discuss further.
But if you are not willing to do all of this… Then there’s always option number 1….If you really want Utada back….And you really want a new song from Utada….
If you want Utada but don’t mind using an old song, this would probably be the easiest option for Square, but not the most creative. I mean, come on, this is our LAST GAME for this saga. We need to reminisce on the series through the music. We have to feel this series is coming to an end. We have to feel completely whole by the end of this series. We have to feel we have gone through this journey. Kingdom Hearts II managed to feel like Kingdom Hearts but it also felt like a major leap forward in the story because the song was so different. And let’s face it, using the same song over and over can get boring. We want KHIII to be epic, right? Maybe you don’t care. But we do want this game to appeal to everyone. This will decide sales. Music can influence sales, believe it or not.
I think in order to appeal to everyone the best idea would be to use an orchestrated version of Utada’s songs. That could make it feel new but also give an old feeling. The orchestrated version could be re-mastered in some way.
If you want a completely new song, with Utada or not, there are several things to consider here.
1) If they choose a completely new artist, the artist would have to “feel” like the game. Choosing any random anime Jpop/Jrock artist could completely take away the story-telling tone of the music. It would sound unfamiliar in commercials. Some people learn of the game’s arrival through commercials if they haven’t been following the series closely. Music really connects others to advertisements. Would they really take notice if the song had a completely different feeling? Some may, some may not. It may not feel like the final KH game, but more like we’ve already started on a new game entirely. It wouldn’t feel like a “wrap-up”. The game could lose its identity. Theme songs, characters, worlds, game-play-they all cater to a game’s identity. We want a game that has everything well-presented, especially if we are the ones spending money, correct?
They would really have to choose an artist that can match Utada’s melancholy, yet wistful, voice. She had a distinct voice. She also spoke excellent English and Japanese. Keep this in mind. Choosing the right artist is very important.
2) They don’t have to actually have a singer. Perhaps they can have an epic orchestrated song as the opening to show that this is the finale. It doesn’t have to be a Utada song, but they don’t have to screw up the “feeling of nostalgia” signing some other singer into the series at the very end of one of its most anticipated sagas. When we anticipate a saga, we anticipate how everything will fit, including the music. This solution might be the best one.
3) They could use one of Utada’s other songs even if it isn’t specifically written for KHIII. They could buy a song from her. Perhaps they could use a song she never got to release or something…
Even though Utada has showed disinterest when it comes to being involved with Kingdom Hearts, she doesn’t seem to be on bad terms with Tetsuya Nomura. Last year, Tetsuya Nomura made a beautiful design of Utada in Kingdom Hearts style for her 15th Anniversary album. It seems to be a sign that the two are on good terms…
Overall, this theme song mess really tells me that KHIII still has a lot of kinks to iron out before anything is released. Tell me, readers, Which solution appeals to you? Leave me a comment in the comments’ section and tell me what you think!
Kingdom Hearts 2.5 + Kingdom Hearts 3 HINTS REVEALED in the new E3 Trailer!
28 Jun
For all of you Kingdom Hearts lovers, three weeks ago, E3 released a trailer for Kingdom Heart‘s second “remix” called Kingdom Hearts 2.5, which has arrived in stores December 12, 2014.
But wait, it doesn’t STOP there.
At the end of the trailer is a small segment that hints towards KINGDOM HEARTS III, the highly anticipated “trilogy” to the Kingdom Hearts franchise.
For those who don’t know what Kingdom Hearts is, it is the joint project between Square-Enix and Disney that turned out to be a major success. The game centers on a young teenage boy (who basically would be a grown man by now) named Sora who lost his island and his friends one day, due to a “strange” storm. During this storm, Sora gets a strange, long key. Sora is then swept away in this storm to a different world. While in this world, he teams up with Donald and Goofy who had been looking for the “Keyblade Master”. Sora discovers that he’s the Keyblade Master, and is chosen to restore the worlds back to normal. Sora sets off on a journey to find his friends and to save the world. Thus, the story continues…
The series takes Sora through several Disney worlds, where the player gets to interact with Disney characters and fight Disney villains. And no, they aren’t weak. The game is praised for being one of the few role-playing games that adapts well to next-gen graphics. The story is engaging, and other installments constantly add to the story, making the players anticipate what will happen next. “You Never Know What Happens Next” was the original slogan for Kingdom Hearts because unexpected things would happen that would take players off-guard. Kingdom Hearts was also praised for it’s “free-playing field”.
Kingdom Hearts was released in 2002. The sequel was released in 2005. Ever since, fans have been waiting for the third part. After 2005, to tie fans over, Square-Enix and Disney released “side stories” to help fill in gaps and add to the overall twisted story. But fans still wanted that part three.
Then, last summer, Square-Enix shocked the pants off of everyone when they released a teaser trailer for Kingdom Hearts III. Ever since, there has been much anticipation.
Last year, Disney grew as a huge phenomenon thanks to the movie Frozen and Disney’s success with Marvel. There has been a surge of interest in Disney’s classical movies lately, and there are tons of speculations about what worlds to expect in the next installment.
There are rumors that it is scheduled to come out early 2015. I simply can’t wait that long!
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! What new worlds do you want to be in the next KH game? I’m hoping for Chronicles of Narnia, but since Fox bought the rights, my hopes are dim.
I’m just hoping they focus on the Disney movies and not too much on Marvel. Marvel would just feel awkward. Marvel worlds wouldn’t be very interesting, either. Unless, they use Thor…He and Hercules at it? Okay, that sounds awesome.
There are still some Disney movies left undone that I think the two companies should focus on. I also hope I never see Aladdin again. It looks like Hercules will return…AGAIN. I honestly don’t want to see Hercules again.
My thoughts on Kingdom Hearts 2.5?
You can’t get any better than two major role-playing games and a theater mode all in one game. And it’s half of the price it would’ve cost for each game. Perfection.
Generation Next 