News ► KINGDOM HEARTS Melody of Memory game announced, releasing worldwide in 2020

[The_Echo]

Regarding how the story will appear, worlds are marked with cutscene symbols on the world map similar to quests in UX.

 

[SweetYetSalty]

There seems to be 3 types of play styles:

1. The semi-GH style with characters running on a track. I presume different buttons correspond to each party members. Graphics are in-game & thus focus on PS2/PSP/3DS(?) worlds.

2. "Event songs" where a video plays in the background. Theatrhythm FF had these for the old FMVs+Advent Children footage. Presumably this is how the DS/PS4 games are covered.

3. Bossfights have another format as shown by Zebra Xemnas. The closest analog I can think of is the rebuttal showdowns from Danganronpa's Bullet Time Battles (which it also treated as pseudo bossfights).

Kairi scenes are currently presumed to be cutscene only & are likely pre-rendered video files rather than in-game (because otherwise they can't run on Switch). I would not rule out the possibility of Kairi eventually taking part in the rhythm gameplay, particularly for the game's final boss which I guess is her vs. the new Black Coat in the boss-song format. But normal gameplay even for a few fights is highly unlikely in this title.

So these are Rhythm games? Ugh this game is likely to be one big Atlantica. They'll probably put Ursula's Revenge in there just to throw me off.

 

[MATGSY]

So these are Rhythm games? Ugh this game is likely to be one big Atlantica. They'll probably put Ursula's Revenge in there just to throw me off.

Atlantica is not as bad as Ice Cream Beat or console Sorcery of Symphony (Screw Riku's reality shift in the snow area so damn much!)
Also, you're only now noticing it's a rhythm game?

 

[alexis.anagram]

Does anyone know how Melody of Memory will play? It will be so weird to see something constantly swap between PS2 and PS4 graphics in one title.

I'm not actually convinced this one should bother people so much: all of the KH games swap between graphics and models, KH3 more than the others (granted, the pre-rendered stuff looked wonky because of how it was animated), and this is staple for the older FF games as well. I guess A Fragmentary Passage was a bit more disorienting because the flashback bits were directly contrasted with the current events, so if it's handled like that it could be off putting, but otherwise I don't see the difference between playing a rhythm section/switching to "good graphics" vs playing the end of KH/switching to "good graphics."

I guess it's fair to make the case that this kind of strong dissonance shouldn't come with modern games, though.

It will be SO disappointing that Kairi's game is a rhythm game and you barely even play as her (dare I say it's sexist). I'd have rather revisited the same worlds in KH3 with Kairi and get new cutscenes.

This brings forward the bigger issue which is that once again fans are being sold content that ought to have been in KH3, delivered in a way that could have been integrated. I would have taken Namine using rhythm mini-games featuring this series' iconic score intermittently to traverse the memories of the various characters and lead into big climactic story moments restoring hearts and reconnecting the cast and revealing back stories over Classic Kingdom and WhateverX any day.

 

[SuperNova]

My nightmares of playing an action rhythm version of "Swim this Way" are becoming reality.

 

[SweetYetSalty]

Atlantica is not as bad as Ice Cream Beat or console Sorcery of Symphony (Screw Riku's reality shift in the snow area so damn much!)
Also, you're only now noticing it's a rhythm game?

Well I can't speak for Sorcery of Symphony, but I don't recall having too bad a time with Ice Cream Beat. I had more problems with fruitball and the race lol.

Edit: Thank goodness there is not a KH racing game or I would never be able to beat it. I hate racing!

 

[Sign]

Regarding how the story will appear, worlds are marked with cutscene symbols on the world map similar to quests in UX.View attachment 12719

There were a few worlds with the cutscene icon in pretty close proximity. I think they might just be for event stages rather than story cutscenes.

 

[The_Echo]

There were a few worlds with the cutscene icon in pretty close proximity. I think they might just be for event stages rather than story cutscenes.

If you mean the song type, I would imagine that each world has a number of songs available within them. And the gates are opened by collecting stars from clear challenges which suggests a surplus of available challenges. I would imagine the cutscene icon indicates required stages for story progression.
Since there's obviously no story inside the worlds themselves, just songs, it stands to reason that the main story progresses after clearing specific worlds.

 

[DrShimo]

What can I say, it's a special kind of vindication to witness how every decision Nomura makes reinforces the criticisms surrounding his handling of the series. KH3 so fundamentally failed at its own explicit objectives that fans are now being baited with a rhythm game for an hour or two of Kairi plot.

But by all means, feast away. I'm not here to unhook anyone, just to laugh at the absurdity of it all. The fans really do always win with this franchise.

I will say that unless the gameplay is atrocious and so long as it plays like Theatrhythm, I’ve been wanting this game for a while since I love that series and I love KH music. The worst side effect I’ve always expected is for there to be a connection to the canon story. What’s the sad part is I worry this will be Nomura’s way of saying he let us play as Kairi twice and move on from her.

 

[Squood!]

I'll laugh if the rhythm game premise turns out to be an MGS2 style fakeout.

If not...whatever.

Also, anyone notice something familiar about how the gameplay looks? Feels like I've seen it on a website before, complete with Sora running on what I guess is a music sheet.

 

[alexis.anagram]

I will say that unless the gameplay is atrocious and so long as it plays like Theatrhythm, I’ve been wanting this game for a while since I love that series and I love KH music.

No doubt, there's a lot of folks who will be excited for this style of game for the reasons you mentioned, and Nomura himself has talked about his desire to make a KH rhythm game for a while now. It's something I for sure could have appreciated in a different context with the right execution (despite being very bad at rhythm games, lol) but the way it's being done comes across as an exercise in bad faith-- which is, sadly, par for the course with these games by now.

What’s the sad part is I worry this will be Nomura’s way of saying he let us play as Kairi twice and move on from her.

Count on it.

 

[Andriux]

I’m not sure about the whole rhythm bit, I’m not exactly into those types of games haha! But the Kairi DLC (or new game) I’m wondering who is she referring to that stopped her from her fate, was it Terranort?

 

[Squood!]

I’m not sure about the whole rhythm bit, I’m not exactly into those types of games haha! But the Kairi DLC (or new game) I’m wondering who is she referring to that stopped her from her fate, was it Terranort?

Well he was the one who yeeted her to Destiny Islands.

 

[Ballad of Caius]

but KH2 and BBS really?

Naminé

As for the hooded figure, I think Apprentice Xehanort makes the most sense with Kairi’s dialogue in the scene. It could be satisfying to see her duel him since he was the version of Xehanort that impacted her the most. (Assuming that she is talking to that hooded figure and it isn’t misleading editing.)

Finally, he gets some well deserved love.

While it may be anti-climatic, I think the coated figure might be apprentice Xehanort. Given that his abduction of Kairi seems key to this story and put everyone on a collision course to be targeted years later on Destiny Islands by his heartless, I can't think of anyone else she would hate more.

She says the figure is either a memory or a phantom, so she seems pretty sure it's no one still alive. While some might think it would be too obvious, they did something similar with Vexen in the "Final Battle" trailer for KH3.

Perhaps Xehanort tampered with Kairi's memory to make her forget everything from her life on Radiant Garden as part of a final plan: maybe he didn't want her to ever realize her true power, which memory can have an effect over. The stars she sees in the final world may be representative of her friends and family from Radiant Garden, all gone because of what Xehanort did.

She might have more reason than anyone to hate this particular form of Xehanort, even more so than Ansem the Wise.

Damn, this is a good summary of things that could come.

Also: RIP MoM's identity being revealed in the KH MoM game.

Why are we even discussion the reason we're seeing PS2 assets? This is obviously a quick job

Seeing this makes me wish apprentice Xehanort truly was one of the 13 Seekers of Darkness and be Kairi's foe in KH3

Apprentice Xehanort should have been the main version of Master Xehanort

The weird thing is that if he didn't lose his memories, he's Terranort, who is MX.

If he did, he's Ansem SoD.

There doesn't appear to be a way to actually fit AX as a separate being into the Seekers.

Assuming memory loss.

Terranort=MX in Terra's Body
AX= MX's amnesiac heart(treating this as a separate identity) in Terra's Body
Ansem SoD= MX Amnesiac heart in no body, then in Riku's body, then in a replica body in KH3.

...I guess it counts since the heart/body combination between AX and ASoD is different?

Apprentice Xehanort became his own thing precisely because he was an amnesiac Terranort. Terranort is Terranort. Meanwhile, Apprentice Xehanort even has his own design that sets him apart from everyone.

Other than that, Ansem SoD pretty much took his place in KH3.

Makes me wonder what the convo would be if both Xemnas and Ansem showed up to take DiZ to the mansion.

They would both talk at the same time like they did with Sora.

 

[GreyouTT]

Regarding how the story will appear, worlds are marked with cutscene symbols on the world map similar to quests in UX.View attachment 12719

I'm interested to see what they use for the RoD (assuming that's what the jarring void on the right is). Like will it be the 0.2 version or the BbS version.

Or is it a curveball where we play DDR against a Tree.

Also it seems like we have some worlds that use the 2D artwork and some that are void portals?

 

[Swing]

Am I the only one that thinks Kairi should have been a playable character for this game? This is the first game that will focus on her backstory, this is the first game where she might play a bigger role, this is the first game where she might be more than just a price for Sora, so why isn't she the star?

They probably have an explanation for this why Sora together with Donald and Goofy are once again the playable main trio, but I really think that this would have been the opportunity to give her a big push as a character. I can't believe that such a key character like her, that has an interesting concept and background, is so underused in the KH series.

 

[Darkspawn]

Am I the only one that thinks Kairi should have been a playable character for this game? This is the first game that will focus on her backstory, this is the first game where she might play a bigger role, this is the first game where she might be more than just a price for Sora, so why isn't she the star?

They probably have an explanation for this why Sora together with Donald and Goofy are once again the playable main trio, but I really think that this would have been the opportunity to give her a big push as a character. I can't believe that such a key character like her, that has an interesting concept and background, is so underused in the KH series.

I get what you mean, but I think if Kairi was the playable character here, it would have been criticized even more that her first time being the main playable character is in a rehash rhythm game. It’s important to keep in mind that this appears to be a tribute to the series’ music first and foremost. The new main story stuff just seems to be a bit of icing and probably won’t provide as much plot progression as what we expect from a normal KH title.

That said, it can still give Kairi a much needed push in development without her needing to be playable and, in turn, better prepare her to carry her own game/playable scenario.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

On a side note, since Kairi is apparently talking about "Fate" in her spoken scene one thing that's bothering me for quite a while as a native German speaker is the whole Fate/Destiny issue.
What's the difference between the two? Do they mean essentially the same? Especially in fictional works those two tend to be very often used interchangeably and in German they are translated mainly into the same word. If so, why have two distinct words for the same thing?

 

[Hirokey123]

That translation is exactly what I needed to hear. I said back during KH3 that Kairi being captured and fridged which then results in Sora vanishing to save her sucked but it didn't necessarily have to be bad. That it could in fact be exactly what Kairi needs because Kairi has always been without a true character arc. And after fighting to get strong then promising to protect Sora she utterly failed at that...it's hard to believe that wouldn't have affected her mentally. There was a potential for an extremely interesting arc for Kairi where she has to confront that failure and not just that failure in isolation, but everything that led up to that. The constant being left behind, deprived of experiences, stolen away and used repeatedly by Xehanort and his cronies. And I'm very glad to see that Nomura feels the same way and that is the direction her arc is heading. Where she has to confront both her failure and the man who ruined her destiny.

There are some interesting things from the other lines as well, a world without light or darkness what is that? Also "his final plan" probably refers to Xehanort but what is Xehanort's final plan? Is it possible Xehanort planned to use Kairi as a way to return incase he perished? Maybe not Xehanort specificial but a splinter of him not unlike how Ansem perished but set things up so a shadow of him persisted long after death through Riku. Bonus points if it's a shadow of sorts of specifically Apprentice Xehanort so he can get some screen time.

 

[Violet Pluto]

On a side note, since Kairi is apparently talking about "Fate" in her spoken scene one thing that's bothering me for quite a while as a native German speaker is the whole Fate/Destiny issue.
What's the difference between the two? Do they mean essentially the same? Especially in fictional works those two tend to be very often used interchangeably and in German they are translated mainly into the same word. If so, why have two distinct words for the same thing?

Practically the same thing. There are differences as some define fate as something that can't be controlled while destiny is something that has to happen, but usually someone will find their own definition for each if they find them different at all. Personally I see fate as where your path is currently leading you in life and can be changed, while destiny and destination share roots so I see that as the end and while what leads to it might change, it is inevitable.