Gaming

Kingdom Hearts III review: More for long-time fans

It didn’t spark joy

Published

February 12, 2019

I played the first Kingdom Hearts game for a grand total of around 40 minutes, so I don’t think I can qualify that as actually playing. I didn’t have my own PlayStation 2 at the time so I was mostly watching my friend play, waiting for him to wrap up so I could beat him on NBA Live.

However, it’s such a popular game that it was impossible for me to not at least be familiar with the premise. I did play my fair share of Final Fantasy games and like most people, Disney titles and characters aren’t complete strangers to me.

Ready to take on some Heartless!

I didn’t have any major expectations jumping into Kingdom Hearts III, but I thought the way the Disney levels are woven in would at least be clever. It was not.

The backstory is massive

The first thing you need to consider when coming into this game is that you’re stepping into a massive pile of backstory. It can be hard to catch up to. If, like me, this is your first game in the franchise, it will be like watching Avengers: Infinity War without seeing even at least a quarter of the movies that led to it.

That said, the game is aware that it has tons of lore to get into. Right in the title screen you’ll see a Memory Archive which is a chapter by chapter summary of the Kingdom Hearts story. It’s best watched in its entirety which means sitting through over 20 minutes of backstory. For the most part, it does its job of catching you up. If that’s not enough, there are several story-so-far videos on YouTube. This one I liked in particular.

Despite all of these recaps available, no amount of summarizing can truly prepare you for the tangled mess that is the Kingdom Hearts lore. During certain parts, it even feels like the game is self-aware of how much of a mess it is and pokes fun at itself. That’s one of the more entertaining aspects of the game, intentional or not.

The story just isn’t gripping enough

This is my main gripe with the game. After playing titles like God of War, Detroit: Become Human, and Marvel’s Spider-Man — all of which had stories and characters that you will inevitably invest in as you play — Kingdom Hearts III’s story pales in comparison.

I understand the comparison may not be fair. The games I mentioned are either standalone stories (Detroit and Spider-Man) or a fresh start to a long-running franchise (God of War). Given all of that, I can’t help but feel the storytelling could have been so much better.

The way I feel about Kingdom Hearts III is similar to how I felt about Final Fantasy XV which, coincidentally, was initially helmed by the same guy behind Kingdom Hearts — Tetsuya Nomura. The story’s pacing felt off and it went into places that maybe it shouldn’t have.

There’s also something off about the dialogue during cutscenes. I felt the characters were talking so much slower than usual and it invites zoning out if you’re not that into the story.

That’s a thing? Okay.

If you’re a long-time fan of the franchise and have played most, if not all, of the games and feel differently than I do, then that’s all good. In fact, I’m really interested to hear what the likes of you thought about the game.

The Disney stuff can be fun

It’s not all bad. After I realized the story isn’t gonna spark joy in me whatsoever, I started treating each Disney level as a non-canon mini-game. That made me enjoy it for what it had to offer.

Some levels felt like rushed versions of the original films with Kingdom Hearts lore thrown into the mix. Others offered some value-add to the stories we already know and love, and that truly made it more fun to play.

There’s also enough variation in each level that can make you forget you can get through most of the game by just smashing X and pressing triangle △. The animations during battle look super flashy and the combat has a few other options you can tinker with if you get tired of smashing X.

Might be made more for long-time fans

I suspect this game was really made as more of a pay-off for long-time fans than an opportunity to acquire new ones. That’s perfectly fine. In fact, playing Kingdom Hearts III made me crave another good Final Fantasy game, but perhaps one that features tight turn-based combat versus an action RPG (role playing game) type.

Is there a game where Kairi actually does something?

There are plenty of ways to have fun with Kingdom Hearts III, but the story — which I believe should be paramount in RPGs — just isn’t one of the them. If you’re just coming into the franchise through this game, I suggest you play it for the fun Disney levels and just push the overarching story to the side. The visual spectacle in this game is off the charts, so go ahead and enjoy that too.

By now, long-time fans would have already bought the game. If you’re one of those who are still deciding whether to get it or not, I suggest waiting a little longer for the price to drop. If you simply can’t wait, I recommend getting a second-hand copy which would also be cheaper. But whatever you decide to do, may your heart be your guiding key.

Gaming

What to Expect at gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show 2025

Bangkok gears up for Southeast Asia’s biggest gaming weekend yet

Published

October 13, 2025

Rodneil Quiteles and GadgetMatch

The Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok is about to become ground zero for gamers across the region as gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show 2025 takes over from October 16 to 19. With global heavyweights like Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia, Capcom, and Ubisoft leading the charge, fans can look forward to four packed days of world premieres, hands-on demos, cosplay, esports, and exclusive merch.

Bandai Namco’s biggest booth ever

Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia (BNE Asia) is going all out this year with its largest-ever title showcase, bringing both blockbuster releases and new surprises to Bangkok.

Playable titles include Little Nightmares III, MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice, Digimon Story Time Stranger, Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree, Once Upon A KATAMARI, and PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC, plus localized Thai demos of Little Nightmares III and ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition.

Fans can also look forward to Square Enix titles like FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE and DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake showcased within the same space. Completing the experience are exclusive freebies via a stamp rally, a photo op for CODE VEIN II, and a special guest appearance by Final Fantasy VII Remake Battle Director Teruki Endo on October 18.

Capcom brings new reveals, live shows, and cosplay power

Capcom’s lineup blends nostalgia, live entertainment, and fan engagement. Headlining the booth is the first Southeast Asian demo of Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection, featuring all seven remastered titles in the series.

On the main stage, fans can catch developer sessions for Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, featuring Producers Kadowaki Akihito, Satoru Nihei, and Ryozo Tsujimoto.

Meanwhile, Thai YouTuber Gssspotted will host live gameplay demos of Resident Evil Requiem and PRAGMATA, followed by a Street Fighter 6 showcase led by Shuhei Matsumoto and Takayuki Nakayama — complete with a Top 16 tournament and a 30,000 THB prize pool.

Fans can also expect a daily cosplay gathering at 4 PM hosted by emcee YUKI, alongside exclusive Capcom merchandise and a custom illustration wall by artist Ryuta Fuse.

Ubisoft celebrates 10 years of Siege and showcases new games

Ubisoft is marking a major milestone with the 10th anniversary of Rainbow Six Siege, kicking off with a fireside chat featuring Creative Director Alexander Karpazis on October 16.

Across the weekend, the Ubisoft x Intel booth will feature hands-on gameplay for Anno 117: Pax Romana, Morbid Metal, Just Dance 2026, and Rainbow Six Siege, with exclusive goodies and cosplay meet-and-greets.

The publisher is also giving away a custom Intel x Siege PC — fans can join by snapping a photo at the Siege X booth and posting it online. Esports fans can catch daily 6v6 Siege showmatches, a creator exhibition match, and the Rainbow Six Siege Thailand Finals happening live on October 19.

A celebration beyond the main stages

Beyond the major showcases, the event floor will also be buzzing with more booths and interactive zones from top hardware brands like AMD, Intel, Predator, SteelSeries, Nubwo x EGA, and SIGNO. Visitors can explore even more game and publisher spaces from Nintendo, Xbox, HoYoverse, The Pokémon Company, Mytona, 4Divinity, Amazing Seasun, Razer Game Services, Staika, Ukiyo Studios, VNGGames, NCV Games, and Thermite Games — each bringing demos, merch drops, and activities that keep the energy going from one hall to the next.

Whether you’re there for Final Fantasy nostalgia, Monster Hunter reveals, or the Siege anniversary showdown, gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show 2025 is shaping up to be the ultimate celebration of gaming culture in Southeast Asia — a rare crossover event uniting the world’s biggest publishers under one roof, all in the heart of Bangkok.

Gaming

Avatar: The Last Airbender is getting a fighting game

You can play as one of twelve characters on launch.

Published

October 13, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

For every beloved anime franchise, there will always come a time when the only thing left to do is to pit all of its characters inside a fighting game. So far, it’s happened with Dragon Ball, Naruto, My Hero Academia, and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. Soon, Avatar: The Last Airbender is joining the fight. An official fighting game is coming.

Announced during New York Comic Con, the upcoming title, temporarily called Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, will pit the franchise’s most powerful characters against each other. According to the Steam page, the game’s launch will see 12 initial characters for gamers to fight with. More characters will then come afterward through a seasonal model. From the trailer, we can already confirm Aang, Korra, Toph, Sokka, Azula, Katara, and Zuko.

Importantly, the game will use 2D drawn animation. Its style will thankfully look similar to the original series. It will also feature special powers using something the developers call a “flow system.” And characters will get swappable support characters to bolster their powers.

It will feature a single-player campaign featuring an original narrative.

It’s all currently vague because the game is in pre-alpha development. However, Gameplay Group International, the game’s developers, has already confirmed a release date window during the summer of next year. It will launch on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and Steam.

Accessories

Ultimate tag-team: Razer-2XKO Collection arrives

Featuring Ahri on the Kitsune, BlackShark V3 Pro

Published

October 10, 2025

GadgetMatch

Razer has officially announced the new Razer | 2XKO Collection. The exclusive lineup of high-performance gear was created in collaboration with Riot Games.

2XKO, of course, is Riot’s new fighting game featuring champions from both League of Legends and Arcane.

The collection launches alongside the game’s Early Access, now open to all players on Windows PC.

The Razer | 2XKO Collection introduces the first licensed gaming peripherals for the title, designed to meet the demands of competitive gaming and casual fans alike.

Each product features champion-inspired artwork, blending high performance engineering with iconic character design.

Under the collection are three pro-grade esports gaming peripherals with the following prices:

Razer Kitsune 2XKO Edition: US$ 329.99 / EUR 349.99 / PhP 21,390
Razer BlackShark V3 Pro 2XKO Edition: US$ 269.99 / EUR 289.99 / PhP 19,990
Razer Iskur V2 X 2XKO Edition: US$ 399.99 / EUR 479.99 / PH pricing TBC

The collection features Ahri from the title, complete with her red top, cat ears, at whisker face print, and indigo hair.

Razer’s pro-grade leverless arcade controller comes emblazoned with her. Meanwhile, the wireless esports headset also comes in dominant white with the character on the outer housing of the earpad.