It is very important to note that, despite names to sleep outside, it is imperative to have played all Kingdom Hearts before embarking on the adventure of this third episode. Yes, all episodes, even those released on mobile, the series does not usurp its legendary script complexity! The story picks up after the end of Dream Drop Distance, an episode announcing the return of the big villain of the series so far: Xehanort, the man with sunken cheeks whose entire design reminds us that he is evil. Surrounded by members of Organization XIII, who were thought to have gotten rid of at the end of Kingdom Hearts 2 before seeing them return in Dream Drop Distance, his goal is to open up the mysterious Kingdom Hearts and replay the events of the keyblade war. Coming to complete seven games, for almost double the number of protagonists, managing the game's scenario seemed complicated. So much to say right away, the story of the game will not satisfy all players. Blame it on so many years of waiting as well as the hundreds of theories and endings that fans have imagined. However, it is difficult to say that the scenario of the game disappoints as it is rich and generous. If all the questions will not find answers in this opus, it comes to close in a rather daring way years of speculation. Between reversals of unpredictable situations, memorable passages and a strong final rise in power, the title manages - without difficulty - to provide emotions of all kinds. And even if the end did not totally convince us, it will resonate with others. Despite everything, the general story suffers from its scriptwriting overflow. The software tells us from the start that more than twenty characters are important in this episode, which makes it a choral game. In this plethora of protagonists, it is difficult to properly share the headliner among all those who have come to take part in the celebration. Some will simply skip every single line of dialogue and others will just be there for a bit of exposition. It is therefore difficult to completely adhere to this narration, which will decide to push everything back into its last world for the long-awaited “final act”.
"YOU WILL SEE, KINGDOM HEARTS, IT'S EASY TO UNDERSTAND..."
Another problem with the Kingdom Hearts series, and has been for a long time, concerns its pace. With last worlds filled to the brim with script information, cutscenes that are too long and didactic as well as bad poseurs who like to listen to themselves talk, the series has always struggled to correctly dose its scenario. And here the error is repeated, unfortunately. The game bombards cutscenes as soon as it can, sometimes chaining up to twenty minutes of talking to remind us that: 1/ Sora must recover his powers, 2/ Aqua, Ventus, Terra and Roxas must be found, 3/ the Organization XIII is looking for a receptacle, 4/ Maleficent and Pat Hibulaire are looking for a black box... And all that without even counting the stories from Disney worlds. All mixed up with various and varied themes, that's still a lot. Too much even, to tell the truth, because the game itself does not really know on which foot to dance. And this because of a semi-open structure: the stories of the worlds cannot encroach on each other, which always pushes the progress of the story further back. In addition, the last worlds are divided between ten-minute cutscenes, followed by bosses galore which, even if they participate in a rather crazy final intensity, give the impression of being a little sacrificed on the altar of one-upmanship. . And while the idea of diving back into a kind of Kingdom Hearts 2-style final boss rush is appealing, the third episode handles that in a way that's perhaps a little too brutal and fast-paced. The flood of information is such that we wonder what the Disney worlds were for until then, as the plot of the latter has almost no relation to the finale, despite the game's attempts to make us believe it. . Even for regulars of the series, this jagged rhythm is disturbing. We would have preferred a game diluting its information more. In this case, the 25 to 30 hours needed to complete the game seems very short compared to all that is told. As it is, the dish is a little too greedy for our stomachs.
RESPONSES TO MY QUESTIONS
The Disney worlds are back, but still have a little trouble integrating correctly into the plot of Kingdom Hearts 3. Each planet will make us relive the story of the film. The world of Rapunzel will therefore once again recount the escape of this prisoner girl from her tower before realizing little by little that she is in fact the princess of the kingdom. Reliving the movies from the inside is quite delectable. This is also the magic of this series of games: to immerse ourselves in Disney stories as if we were actively participating in their screenplays. So we'll help Elsa and Anna take back the kingdom of Arendelle from the hands of the heartless, we'll push Rapunzel to go further in her quest for freedom, ... etc. Some scenarios are just retouched, like that of Rapunzel, where the plot points of the film are replaced by the arrival of a member of Organization XIII who comes to disturb the balance of the world. Other stories are completely made up. Toy Story tells us about the disappearance of Andy and other toys, these elements are caused by the arrival… of a member of Organization XIII. A routine ends up settling in these worlds where the basic intrigues will always be disturbed by the arrival of our wicked smooth talkers ready to make Sora doubt at the slightest end of a sentence concerning hearts. It's unfortunate, especially since it's the plot of the worlds that suffers. To take the example of Rapunzel, her budding relationship with Flynn Rider is completely obscured, and even some script elements seem to fall from the sky. And this without counting the sequences, much too fast, of certain disturbing elements. It is better to have seen the film, the game being very stingy with information.
Fortunately, the developers have appropriated the universes they adapt, the level-design having never been the strong point of the series.
Fortunately, the developers have appropriated the universes they adapt, the level-design having never been the strong point of the series. In the best case flat and favoring the speed of movement, at worst incomprehensible and infuriating. Kingdom Hearts 3 seeks to strike the right balance between exploration and action. From the mountain of Olympus to climb to the woods of Corona to traverse, each world seems to have been designed to have different game situations for players. The emphasis on verticality also allows the game to forget its sometimes too narrow side. Because if the level-design is more worked, it happens that we find ourselves in corridors that are sometimes quite long and uninteresting. Fortunately the worlds using these passages - often filled with invisible walls - are few and followed by levels with a little more ambition. If the mini-map will remind us of the agreed side of the sets crossed, their dressing manages to create an illusion.
MY BEAUTIFUL MIRROR, TELL ME WHO IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL?
The Kingdom Hearts series has always established itself as a graphic standard on all the consoles where it has settled. And that's a lot of consoles. If the DS episodes were impressive, the PSP episode offered graphics options that melted the console's battery - the game was so beautiful and greedy - and Kingdom Hearts 1 gave the impression of being in the Disney universes from 2001. But it is indeed the transition to Unreal Engine 4 that will allow the series to obtain this grain so particular from the cartoons of the firm with big ears. Rapunzel, Elsa, and even Woody, seem to have come straight out of their film to land in the game. Like a Ratchet & Clank PS4, the work further blurs the barrier between animation and game video. Whether in the animations or in the way the worlds are depicted, we find ourselves more than ever involved in these colorful universes. However, details remain below the films, for example the quality of the fabrics, the silky side of the hair or the lighting, which are still far from equaling the techniques developed by Disney and Pixar. But let's not be choosy: seeing these characters in motion, there before our eyes, and animated with such respect is striking. The world that could crystallize the most fears was that of Pirates of the Caribbean. A world already present in Kingdom Hearts 2, where the difference in artistic direction was such that it disturbed more than one. But here it is clear that a compromise has been found. The characters are beautiful, the world is colorful and the seekers of little beasts will surely have to admit defeat when faced with the overall artistic coherence of the game. The colors are vibrant, the enemies always in tune with the worlds in which we find ourselves. By dint of using this expression, we will certainly overuse it, but let's use it here wisely: we are playing a cartoon.
KINGDOM HERTZ
The plastic beauty is not everything, and it is perhaps in terms of technique that there would be fault with the game. 30fps on classic PS4, but 60fps on PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, the X version is paid for even the luxury of shooting in 4K and being very beautiful! But that's still quick talk for 60fps on PS4 Pro, our version having had serious coughing in several places. Nothing unplayable, because the game remains quite fluid most of the time, even during the deluge of effects during the fights, but slowdowns are visible and will be able to tickle the most technical horse among you. Note that the game offers a "stable" mode which will block the game at 30 fps, which will automatically be the case on a standard PS4. The fighting potato will take a big hit, especially when the HD collections have accustomed us to games of unfailing fluidity. Another element, more difficult to forgive, concerns aliasing. It is present in most settings and is even downright disturbing at times. One of the worlds visited consists of a huge city that can be explored day or night, and when the sun is out the city is subject to an acute stair attack. All the ledges and other windows will just be aliasing, and while this is where it's most visible, the toy world has serious problems too as soon as you start looking at the stalls of the store in which we are going to go. It should also be noted that there are small clipping problems, loading times that are often too long and other small problems that weaken a set that, despite all this, does not lack charm.
KINGDOM HURTS
The second very big part of the game, after its scenario, is its gameplay. The series is known to have improved from the second episode thanks to a millimeter system that offered enormous depth for a game of this genre. Subsequently, the episodes began to multiply the gimmicks with augmentation, management and control systems that lost sight of this depth of gameplay to focus on a cooler aspect - an aspect that remains important and necessary. to the series. Kingdom Hearts 3 goes back to basics with a more impactful magic bar and keyblade combos. Each keyblade now has a morph that will trigger at the player's whim after dealing enough hits to enemies. These developments make it possible to constantly renew the gameplay, as the development team enjoyed it. The Frozen keyblade will first allow you to obtain ice claws and will evolve a second time to transform you into a skater capable of delivering devastating blows. Another will put you in your hand crossbows firing guided missiles giving you the possibility of aiming from the shoulder, like a TPS. All these keyblade evolutions renew the gameplay continuously and thus allow you to find your own style, since now Sora can carry three interchangeable weapons with a simple press of the right or left key of the directional pad. In addition, keyblades can be improved at the store, if you have the necessary elements, in addition to improving the characteristics of the weapon, this can bring new skills which are welcome. Thanks to this, all keyblades can be used at any time, and no longer shelved as soon as another weapon, with better statistics, arrives.
In addition, the game incorporates a command system, these will appear above your action menu. They can be used by simply pressing the triangle key. You just need to do a few actions, such as using this beautiful water magic several times, to give access to a stronger spell that will do monstrous damage to surrounding enemies. However, it is difficult to be certain that this overpowered attack will be available as the game seems random in the way it offers these elements. Magic attacks will gradually eat up your mana until your mana is empty and takes a while to recharge. All these components transform a system that seemed simple at the base, into just enjoyable games once the gameplay is well mastered. Chaining combos, magic and finishing an enemy with a command causes great pleasure: that of having made a plan that went off without a hitch. Because Kingdom Hearts 3 knows how to reward victory in combat. The usual slow motion, when the final blow is dealt to a boss, is back and is still just as enjoyable. The happiness of seeing the one who gave us a hard time biting the dust, is still an incomparable pleasure, especially when the game shows us the defeat of the enemy from different angles. A delight!
Before going any further, let's allow ourselves a little more technical point on the fights. Kingdom Hearts 0.2 A Fragmentary Passage had already offered a system that was close to that of this third episode, but had mixed that with a very floating gameplay, which is never a good thing. To explain, it is always preferable for the player to be on the ground, because his ability to defend himself, or simply to move, is much more important than in the air. It is for this reason that in many action games you will always have a hit to bring you back to the ground quickly after sending your enemy flying, because that is where you are most in control of your character. However, the series had opted for more aerial systems from Birth By Sleep, long periods where the character is in the air with a lag time before the fall, which made him very vulnerable to an enemy attack. This floating aspect is unfortunately still a little present in Kingdom Hearts 3. It very often happens that after an air combo Sora stays in the air for half a second after an animation, which is more than enough for an enemy to put a claw. The problem with this small delay before returning to the ground is that the character's control is less "perfect" than it should have been. We feel less in control and much more subject to the animation times necessary for the character to complete his action. It's even more problematic when the screen is filled with enemies ready to jump at our throats at the slightest respite that we deign to give them. Certainly the game offers us a skill that allows a quick return to the ground, but it comes quite late and seems to be offered randomly, which is sometimes frustrating. But none of that will get in the way of the fun of bringing hell to earth with every fight in a barrage of explosions and combos. And that's what takes precedence over the rest!
HAVE THE RIGHT FLOW
If keyblades and magic are at the center of the game system, so are the other special attacks, the ones that will bring memories of amusement parks out of nowhere. Because, not content to offer an already very complete combat system, the game allows itself to add touches of madness. And we must admit that the first invocation of the pirate ship or the famous cups - having caused a certain number of vomits - is a pleasure to see. Kingdom Hearts 3 is as colorful as an amusement park, with its very flashy magic and summons of Disney characters, giving access to powers for a limited time. Like this superb invocation of Ariel from the Little Mermaid who comes out of a spray of water to help us during the fight. We can also call on our allies during the battles, the latter all benefiting from special actions that are often devastating. And for the first time in the series, it will not be necessary to remove one of our acolytes from the team, the game allowing to have up to four allies on the field. The addition of all these gameplay points nevertheless makes the game very simple in normal mode, once the gameplay has been tamed. We therefore advise fans to start in difficult mode, which will give them a little more trouble, without ever being too complicated.
It is also worth noting that the game's camera is extremely finicky. If the lock on the enemies works, as soon as there are a lot of elements in the scenery, the camera does not really know where to go and will hide behind objects that interfere with visibility.
And, amidst all these gameplay elements, the developers seem to have made a point of honoring fluidity of movement. An element so desired by Tetsuya Nomura to stand out from his Final Fantasy cousin, flowmotion is making a comeback after being tested during the 3DS episode. Much less crazy than in Dream Drop Distance, flowmotion gives Sora impulses, impulses that will be very useful during the combat and exploration phases. Add to that the R1 key which will allow you to teleport to a place provided by the game and we face a simple, fluid and enjoyable system. We also saw a new ability throughout the trailers: a movement that allows you to run along walls. However, this capacity remains under-exploited as much as possible. Already it creates a constant visual pollution, with these walls which seem to flash, so that we walk along them and, moreover, the range of movements during these movements is extremely limited. Making correct diagonals is not possible, as Sora only moves correctly in the four main directions. But, beyond that, you will activate this technique without even wanting it during certain fights. By multiplying the attacks that will make your character spin, it will sometimes happen that you start climbing on one of these walls when it was not at all your intention. If it only happens occasionally in tight places, it has a way of annoying when you thought you were in total control of Sora. But while that array of moves has its flaws, it essentially serves to pump up fights like never before in the series.
It is also worth noting that the game's camera is extremely finicky. If the lock on the enemies works, as soon as there are a lot of elements in the scenery, the camera does not really know where to go and will hide behind objects that interfere with visibility. There have been times when we called an attraction but saw nothing because a tree was blocking our field of vision. As in any good self-respecting RPG, Sora will gain levels as the fights progress. Repeating exactly what the series has done so far, you will gain attack power in turn, but not only. Additional skills will unlock when you get stronger and they can be activated thanks to points that you will collect... by leveling up. Everything overlaps! These skills are diverse and varied and will allow you to create your own style of play, because you will never have enough points to activate everything. If you are defensive, you will be able to choose a powerful counter-attack, if you succeed in a parry or, if you like aerobatics, the ability to be able to crash into the ground, to do area damage , will be your favorite. Not to mention the skills of your allies that you will also have to manage and which will give you access to new powerful combos. While the possibilities don't seem endless, their number is large enough that you can try enough things before you tire of this combat system.
"AND THAT'S NOT ALL!"
The fights are not the only gameplay elements of the software. After disappearing following the second episode, the gummi ship phases are back and, unfortunately, they are not up to the task. Made to connect the worlds together, these passages of space exploration seem just as off-topic as they ever did. Alternating between space travel and fights on fixed screens, like an old arcade shooter, nothing is very exciting in these somewhat forced transitions from which we want to get out as quickly as possible to return to something more fun. Apart from that, Kingdom Hearts 3 is not stingy in additional activities. Whether it's cooking, in the form of a mini-game with Remy the Rat, which will give you temporary bonuses for fights, games like Game & Watch, adorable and well thought out, or simply looking for fetish emblems presented under the shape of a Mickey's head, sometimes cleverly hidden in the decor, we have plenty to do. This is also how the game encourages exploration: looking for elements to bring to the walking mog to craft objects. The chests or the ingredients are so many elements hidden in the decorations which push to return in the worlds once these last finished. However, where the shoe pinches is really once the end of the game has arrived. Because apart from the Orichalcum + trackers to forge the ultimate keyblade, the game only offers a few additional challenges in arenas and this is often limited to killing a lot of very strong monsters. Maybe future DLCs, free and paid, will add enough content for us to have more to eat.
MUSIC KINGDOM
The musical signature of the series has always been carried by two people. And before talking about the composer, let's talk two minutes about Utada Hikaru. Superstar in Japan, where her album First Love is still the best-selling in the archipelago, she also monopolizes three other places in the top 10. In other words, a heavyweight in the “Can sell games” category. While gamers branded with Simple and Clean and Sanctuary found a similar theme with Don't Think Twice (or Oath in its Japanese version), all eyes were on its collaboration with Skrillex. Result of this association Face my Fears, a piece confusing at first sight, but which ends up becoming appreciable... Or so we just got used to it. On the music, we will find the magical Yoko Shimomura who, after saying hello to cousin Final Fantasy with the fifteenth episode of the series, is back in better shape than ever on Kingdom Hearts. The series is recognized for its incredible OST, mixing classic music and Disney themes in near perfect harmony. Once again the composer works wonders, starting with the main theme of the game Dearly Beloved which combines nostalgia, power and grandeur, like the main character. The care given to the music is delectable, as all the compositions have a little something. Whether it's a simple cover of Disney film themes or an original composition, we challenge you to complete the game and not put music in your playlist! Unfortunately, many of the tracks from this soundtrack are already familiar to fans, as the game happily recycles themes from previous episodes, making us wish there were even more new compositions. Despite everything, the music remains very pleasant, especially during the exploration phases. Repetitions were also to be feared during these phases, but this is not the case. The changes in rhythm of the music constantly bring a wave of freshness to each new listening. This is an ost that we will certainly find in the end-of-year reviews, as its themes are striking and support the most poignant moments in history so well.
The sound design is not to be outdone, since not only will each keyblade strike have a different sound, which will change depending on the weapon used, and these sound effects will further energize the fights. Whether it's the cry of an enemy hit, the bursts of blows on the opponent, everything in the feedback is there to provide pleasure. However, if these points - taken in isolation - are pleasant, when we add the grunts and cries of Sora, Donald, Goofy and their companions, we often have the impression that the game is above all noisy. Certainly not as much as a Tales of, where all the attacks are mentioned before being carried out, but the "Hmm" "Ah" and other "Oh" annoy after a while. But our biggest regret will be at the level of the musical transitions. Indeed, as soon as Sora uses an attraction, the music of the world cuts out to be replaced by a repetitive Disney fanfare. It's all the more unfortunate when that happens, especially when your favorite piece of music gets cut off by trumpets you've heard dozens of times before.
I DON'T SPEAK FRENCH
It is also necessary to note an element which will be prohibitive for many: the absence of French version. Strange decision on the part of the Japanese publisher when we know how much the VF marked the players at the time PS2. The HD collections didn't get this special treatment either, forcing players to get used to the English voices before the release of the third installment. There is therefore not Donald Reignoux to play Sora, nor Mathias Kozlowski to double Riku, but Haley Joel Osment (the kid in The Sixth Sense and he has grown up a lot since) as Sora. The English cast remains very prestigious, because even if we can no longer count on the late Christopher Lee and Leonard Nimoy (who dubbed the villain), we will find many voice actors from Disney films who have come to resume their roles for their respective characters. Yes, we reveal to you that Idina Menzel sings Let it Go again, this hit voted worst song for parents since the release of Frozen. Overall the dubbing remains very good and the French translation is very clean.
