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

There’s a new Batman Arkham game coming

Exclusive to VR

Published

May 3, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

The world of Batman Arkham is not done. Despite concluding the trilogy with the successful Arkham Knight, the series occasionally makes a comeback. Now, it’s time to make another trip to the immersive grimdark world. Batman: Arkham Shadow is the next entry to the series, exclusive to the Meta Quest 3.

The franchise’s trips outside of the main trilogy are a mixed bag. No disrespect to those who actually liked the game, but Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League just was not it. Though the game promised a return to Rocksteady’s iconic Arkham formula, the resulting game was a live-service mess. Arkham Origins was, at least, a decent play. Finally, the franchise’s first foray into VR, Arkham VR, was lauded for its gameplay but criticized for its length.

Arkham Shadow brings the franchise back to virtual reality. While the previous VR-exclusive was already a marvel of its technology, the upcoming title represents an evolution for hardware. Based on the official teaser, it will have updated graphics, giving Arkham City just that extra bite of darkness.

Currently, the trailer does not reveal anything about the game’s mechanics. More details are scheduled for release during the Summer Game Fest in June.

Though Arkham Shadow is certainly set in the eponymous universe, Rocksteady is not helming the development. Instead, Oculus Studios and Camouflaj are behind the title.

As for confirmed lore, the title looks like it will feature Ratcatcher, the villain who — surprise, surprise — controls rats. You might recognize the villain from 2021’s The Suicide Squad, directed by James Gunn.

Gaming

Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO: New trailer, more characters revealed

It’s master vs. apprentice this time

Published

May 3, 2024

GadgetMatch

Today, Bandai Namco has released another trailer for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO. The clip focuses on master-apprentice duels this time, expanding on what we know so far about the upcoming latest installment of the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi fighting game series.

In the trailer, we see an epic series of battles between master and apprentice pairings. These include Piccolo against Gohan, Master Roshi against Krillin and Yamcha, Trunks versus Gohan, and a lot more. We also see Android 17 and Android 18 and one-armed Gohan towards the end of the trailer.

Even better news: it has been confirmed that 10 more playable characters have been included to the roster:

Gohan (Kid)
Gohan (Adult)
Gohan (Future)
Gohan (Future), Super Saiyan
Trunks (Sword)
Trunks (Sword), Super Saiyan
Videl
Beerus
Whis
Master Roshi

After the announcement of 24 Gokus and Vegetas, as well as 11 more characters about two months ago, the build-up definitely continues for the fighting game. With more and more playable characters, that means endless combinations for players to enjoy, all while indulging in stunning visuals powered by Unreal Engine 5 and tailor-made for new-gen consoles.

Bandai Namco previously released exclusive gameplay footage from the title two months ago. This gave fans a preview upcoming fighting game’s 3D action-battle mechanics, with no less than rivals Goku and Vegeta leading the way.

The latest trailer, meanwhile, just let fans dive further into the graphical capabilities of the title. From the lightning-paced combat highlighted in the master-apprentice showdowns, to the characters’ in-action effects itself, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is building itself as a visual masterpiece.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam).

Gaming

TEKKEN 8: Brand new story, 2nd DLC character announced

Season 1 roadmap unveiled

Published

May 2, 2024

GadgetMatch

Enjoying TEKKEN 8 so far? The title’s upcoming roadmap for the rest of 2024 has been revealed at EVO Japan, giving fans more reasons to keep playing Arika and Bandai Namco’s beloved fighting game.

There will be an all-new story coming to TEKKEN 8‘s Story Mode, which will be released in the future. Additionally, Lidia Sobieski has been confirmed as the second DLC character. She will be joining the roster this summer. It can be recalled that Eddy Gordo was the first character DLC for TEKKEN 8, joining the roster last April 4.

No specific date has been mentioned yet regarding Lidia Sobieski. Lidia made her franchise debut back in TEKKEN 7 as a DLC for the Season 4 Pass.

Meanwhile, adjustments to the battle system will be rolled out starting this spring. The game’s development team continues to work on improving balance and player experience. New modes such as Ghost vs. Ghost and Online Practice, on the other hand, will also be added at a later date.

Moreover, a new summer-themed stage, “Seaside Resort” will be available for free. Lastly, a brand new story will also be part of another free update in autumn. This new story will involve no less than Eddy Gordo.

ALSO READ: TEKKEN 8 closes a violent chapter to begin anew

TEKKEN World Tour

Also keeping TEKKEN fans busy for the next few months is the TEKKEN World Tour. The sixth season of this global tournament kicked off recently. Players across the globe compete to earn points and earn their place at the finals to be named The King of Iron Fist.

There will be a total of two Master+ events, 10 Master Events, and 14 Challenger Events worldwide for competitors to join. For more information on tour partners, event dates, locations, and signups, visit tekkenworldtour.com.