So yes, I was at E3. I got to meet Annie (who is awesome and nice and oh so very fun), the Real Life cast (sans Greg & Liz, but that was fine because they’re all awesome people and very kind and generous), Gabe & Tycho (which was great fun, because they’re great guys), bumped into Tim and Brian briefly (right as Brian got accosted by a group of fans), demo’d some cool stuff, grabbed some bitchin’ swag, and had what was basically an amazing time. There’s a lot of things I’d do differently if I get the chance to go next year (maybe I’ll be considered Press by then… HA!), but I still had lots and lots of fun. And learned a lot about L.A., namely how everything is different over there and how much that sucks. I mean come on: What the fuck is a Carl’s, Jr.? It’s HARDEE’S goddammit!
Anyway, my first of a few E3 reports I have is on Kingdom Hearts II. And since most of my readers probably aren’t gamers, I’ll put it behind a cut. So yes, if you don’t want to hear a very detailed report on Kingdom Hearts II, then don’t click “More” below. On the other hand, if you’re like me and you squee at the very mention of a Keyblade, then enjoy!
As the title of this post indicates, I was indeed able to spend quite a bit of time on the Kingdom Hearts II demo. And I tell you, as a gamer and a hardcore fan of the series, it was phenomenal. There were four playable levels in the demo. Underworld Mission (fight through dozens of Heartless as you navigate a path, while an invincible Hades taunts you and chucks fireballs intermittently, ending with a reprisal fight against Cerberus), Underworld Boss (cut straight to the Cerberus fight), The Land of Dragons Mission (Meander through war-stricken China with Mulan, ending with a fight against a literal army of Heartless), and Land of Dragons Boss (I didn’t actually play this one, but it looked like a giant demon of sorts). The demo perfectly showed you all the major changes made in the game play.
Most notably during combat is the addition of an Overdrive system. As you slay enemies and collect the little HP and MP orbs like usual, there are also Yellow orbs, and these fill up your Overdrive Meter (to a maximum of 3 in the demo, but I suspect it gradually increases like the HP and MP meter have in the past). During combat, you can select the “Drive” command, and it pops up a list of forms you can take. The demo showcased “Valor,” which made your black costume adorned with red, and gave Sora two Keyblades. Two. Tee Double-you Oh. Two (the Kingdom Key and the Oathkeeper, to note). In this form, you proceed to ruin the Heartless’s shit. Multiplied hit combos, faster running speed, higher jumping, and what appeared to be mid-air fighting. I mean, Sora was spending a LOT of time hovering in one spot, thwacking away with the Keyblades, finishing the combo with a flying lunge. Other forms will emerge in the drive system I think (why would it pull up a list if it didn’t?), and one I can suspect is a magic-use heavy form. Which would be interesting, a form where it allows you to cast spells with no or half MP cost? But anyway, as you fight and interact in your Overdrive form, it gradually decreases your Drive meter, allowing only so much time in your form. The demo let you use the form almost indefinitely as you collected Yellow orbs, but I expect the time spent in Drive will be greatly decreased in the full game (at least the early bits).
Other significant combat changes was the addition of battle-specific actions. When fighting some of those little silver dudes you may have seen in teasers (fan sites have called them “Oen”), it let you hit triangle in certain situations to execute a “Power Pivot,” which made Sora dash around the side of the enemy. But the battle specific actions during boss fights is what makes it amazing. While fighting Cerberus, I was picking out the middle head. At one seemingly random point in combat (maybe I just hit a sweet spot), Sora braces himself between Cerberus’s two side heads, keeping them apart, while the middle head barked. Hitting triangle button at the right moment made Sora hop up and prop open Middle Head’s maw with his Keyblade. Hitting triangle at the right time again made Sora leap into the air. One final properly timed triangle button after that made Sora crash down upon Cerberus, dealing a great amount of damage, stunning Cerberus, and making an assload of HP and Yellow Orbs fly out. Not only was that a lot of fun, a great surprise, an intuitive mechanic, and a lot of fun… but it added a delightfully cinematic element to the fight.
Speaking of cinematics, they have no added the option of skipping cinematics if you so desired. I personally love watching them every time, but I know that was something in high demand.
Anyway, going back, I’ve noticed that Triangle has now become an “Action Button,” whereas it didn’t do all that much in the last game. During the game, Triangle now opens chests quickly and easily and it executes battle-specific actions. It probably does more, but I don’t know what.
They have also added the option of switching party members without going to save points, but I don’t remember if it was available during battle. Speaking of Party Members, you’ll be pleased to hear that during your excursions in the underworld, you are accompanied by Final Fantasy X’s Auron(!). And you’ll also be pleased to note that there are now combo attacks with your non-Donald and Goofy party members. Sora and Auron executed a spinning combo attack, “Bushido,” which basically obliterated everything in a medium circle around them.
Minor movement change I noticed: When you are knocked flying into the air by an enemy, you can actually do a mid-air kip up and get back to them sooner.
As far as plot? Still a mystery to me. All I know is that you return to Olympus at one point to go into the underworld, you return to Agrabah, you get to go to King Mickey’s Castle, you get to go to Beast’s Castle, and you of course return to Hollow Bastion. Also there is a new town, Twilight Town, in addition to another protagonist (still at this point unnamed).
Yes, I am very excited for this. I’ve been excited the very minute I finished Kingdom Hearts I. Listen, I got a Game Boy JUST SO I COULD PLAY the Kingdom Hearts Bridge game, Chain of Memories. I could go on about why I think it’s such an amazing series, but that’s another article. For now, I hope you enjoyed this comprehensive report on the Kingdom Hearts Demo.
Ah man, I cannot wait to play that game. Like you, I was “excited the very minute I finished Kingdom Hearts I.”
I didn’t go so far as to buy a Game Boy, but I did borrow a friends and play Chain of Memories non-stop.
Thanks for the review of the Demo, I hadn’t heard too much about the game, but then again, I hadn’t really been looking that much.
You’re quite welcome, Ian. Oh man, it’s going to be good.