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Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory ESRB rating description released

The ESRB description for Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory has released on ESRB's website with a rating of E10+! You can view the description below.

 
What are your thoughts on the revealed rating? Slightly shocking or to be expected? Let us know your developed expectations for Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memories below!
UPDATE (7/12/2020): Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory has now been rated by the Australian rating board! It has been rated with PG (Parental Guidance) in the 'Themes' and 'Violence' categories.

OrpheusJoshua

Review: Kingdom Hearts Dark Road

Kingdom Hearts Dark Road has now been live for a week!
Upon completion of the first episode, here are our staff's impressions of this new chapter in the series!
Gameplay

We found the responses to the gameplay of KHUχ to be simplistic and bland. While it is certainly more new-player-friendly than KHUχ, and has the option to speed you through to the story scenes, the lack of depth in gameplay can make it a dull affair to those looking for a challenge. Either way, the lack of AP was appreciated!

The KHDR home screen is simply a static screen of the current world, very unlike KHUχ, where you can move your character around and see what quests and events are available. In KHDR, you don't travel around worlds anymore.
There are currently 20 brief quests, interspersed by several "Kill X amount of enemies in Y place" missions. You simply start a battle and continue until you either die or just want to stop. You can also put the game on auto battle mode and relax; some members of our staff liked the option to press "World Battle" and progress with the story without having to commit to hours of grinding, which can be monotonous while battling wave after wave of enemies with no exploration. However, the game on auto play can be a bit slower than the speed at which you can play it manually play; there's always a brief pause before the AI selects cards, whereas you can do this right away on manual.

If you were not a fan of the card mechanics in Chain of Memories/RE: Chain of Memories and Flick Rush in Dream Drop Distance, you will most probably not like it in KHDR! Battle is a matter of using cards randomly drawn from your (customizable) deck with enemies attacking in real time, but there's relatively little strategy to it beyond making sure the first one is a good one, trying to use 3 of the same color (green/red/blue), and praying that your RNG is decent on which ones show up out of your deck. The chance to get the Key Art cards (some of the strongest cards in the mobile games) is unfortunately very low, sitting at a measly 0.19%.
You can change the last party member with any of the four new characters (Hermod, Urd, Bragi and Vor) but it's doesn't seem like they add much to the gameplay.

KHDR has the player grind excessive amounts of BP to level up, especially after Level 10. The difference in strength between the Rank 1 and Rank 2 enemies seems disproportionate; you can be stronger than a Rank 1 enemy, but find it incredibly difficult getting through more than two or three enemies at Rank 2. The difficulty spikes on the quests are also enormous, leading the player to grind even more to simply get a chance to complete the quests that are currently avaliable.
There are no Keyblades to swap between, no equipment. Instead, there are two main routes to gaining power.
The first is pulling for cards depicting various features of the series (enemies, art, Keyblades, and characters) in return for draw tickets, or jewels (shared with KHUχ, so pulling here reduces your jewels there and vice versa), which, if you get duplicates of, automatically merge to power up up to +10.

The other is by acquiring BP, which so far serves only one purpose in KHDR: spending it to level up and increase Xehanort's base stats, although there is an empty shop tab labeled for it. As a side note, you can also gain tiny, incremental increases to various stats, mostly HP, either by collecting duplicate cards, or by killing 1, 10, 100, and 1,000 of the same enemy. BP is gained in small increments by defeating Heartless, or in fairly large amounts in the current event, which grants large amounts of it in return for special event keys, which you can of course buy with premium currency, or earn with weekly and monthly missions. You can also gain a minuscule amount of BP while the game is off. But it feels like it's something you might need to save for whatever is available in the future that requires it. Should you use all your BP to level up Xehanort now, or save it for whatever item that the game might have in store in the future? We don't know!

But by far, the cheapest (and least soul-crushing) way of gaining BP is by entering an endless battle mode too weak to kill you, and then turning on auto mode. 
The gameplay is, at its core, very simplistic. While KHUχ has, over the years, veered into being overly complex and convoluted with its numerous ways of powering up the medals you attain, KHDR avoids that by requiring little to no thought whatsoever. If you're playing on auto mode, we suggest you turn it off if you see that you're out of cards, and tap to refill your cards faster. Just try to get through the quests fast to get to the story events.
Characters and Story

Based on our experience of the chapter available for KHDR, and our experience of playing it in the past week, it seems to have much more of a story-focused feel than KHUχ. But this is compromised by the incredible amount of grinding you have to do to progress to five brief cutscenes, which can demotivate the player into stopping (or turning on auto mode).

The characters are interesting and the story is enjoyable. The relationship between Xehanort and Eraqus is one we were excited to see. They have an easy chemistry one expects from a pair of actual, real-world friends. Furthermore, the story has the distinction of moving faster and being more tight and focused than KHUχ, in our experience.
The four new Keyblade wielders, however, are effectively entirely interchangeable as party members with no difference to the story, saying the exact same things where they appear, with no difference whatsoever on who you choose despite having different personalities. They unfortunately seem to serve as set pieces and props more than actual, well-written, influential characters, especially considering... 
KHDR is certainly bound to be even more compelling than its counterpart KHUχ. It seems to be a more personal tale with a shocking twist at the end of Episode 1 (see in spoiler box). The story, though short, has a strong beginning, enticing hardcore fans to follow along, craving future lore and insights into how and why Xehanort became the Seeker of Darkness.
Overall Impressions

KHDR is a simple, fun game to play on your phone, but not a title with much to write home about. It starts very slow, with only time to tell if it will get livelier or stay an idle experience. While the mechanics may be new-user friendly, we don't actively recommend it for those who have not played KHUχ as it relies, for now anyway, too much on your KHUχ progress to even get to a decent point in it. In fact, as a KHUχ player, it's possible to use it as an easy way to make more jewels for KHDR due to its almost entirely idle nature and fairly generous weekly/monthly rewards.
While KHDR's story is compelling, engaging, and appreciatingly fast-paced, and the friendship between the younger versions of Master Xehanort and Master Eraqus are a joy to experience, the gameplay grind is likely to be too monotonous and uneventful and to be skipped over on auto mode.
KHDR apparently had a relatively small team that worked on it, and some of the limitations are somewhat understandable given the lack of focus it received. The KHUχ team was still working on KHUχ when developing KHDR, and with only two animators. With time, updates, expertise and a bit more focus on it, perhaps that can be changed. It's too early to tell.
Overall Rating

5.8 out of 10 ⭐️
 
Many thanks to @Allwil13, @Otti#8624, @Ryuji_Shiryu, @Aqua_Wren, @OrpheusJoshua, PowerJusho_KH13  and others for sharing their first impressions of Kingdom Hearts Dark Road!
Let us know what you thought about it, and what you expect in the coming developments!
Aquaberry

Kingdom Hearts III manga Chapter 10 now available in English from Yen Press

Chapter 10 for the Kingdom Hearts III manga is now available in English from Yen Press. Connected! can be bought as a digital download from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Walker, ComiXology, Google Play, iBooks, and Kobo. The issue's price varies from $1.99 for the United States to $2.99 in Canada.

Chapter 10 was released in Japanese on Gangan Online back on June 18th. Chapter 11 is planned to release on Gangan Online in  late July-early August.
You can also check out the articles for the previous chapters by clicking on the links below!
Chapter 0 Prologue (Japanese) Chapter 0 Prologue (English) Chapter 1 A New Journey (Japanese) Chapter 1 A New Journey (English) Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum [1] (Japanese) Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum [1] (English) Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum [2] (Japanese) Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum [2] (English) Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum [3] (Japanese) Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum [3] (English) Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum [4] (Japanese) Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum [4] (English) Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum [5[ (Japanese) Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum [5[ (English) Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum [6] (Japanese) Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum [6[ (English) Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum [7] (Japanese) Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum [7[ (English) Chapter 9 World of Darkness (Japanese) Chapter 9 World of Darkness (English) Chapter 10 Connected! (Japanese)
Leamax

Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Episode 1 - "Unexpected Departure" English cutscenes available

Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Episode 1, "Unexpected Departure" has launched with a total of five story cutscenes! You can view all five story cutscenes below, courtesy of KH_Damo. As a quick note, the final cutscene will be marked in spoiler brackets due to the nature of its contents. View at your own discretion.
What are your thoughts on the story of Kingdom Hearts Dark Road so far? Let us know in the comments below!
OrpheusJoshua

Coverage: Kingdom Hearts Dark Road now available + new gameplay trailers, character renders, screenshots, official website

The Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Japan website has officially launched, and with it, four new gameplay trailers have also been released! You can view all of the newly uploaded trailers below.
Additionally, you can view the newly uploaded character renders and screenshots via our gallery below.
The Kingdom Hearts Dark Road app icon has launched on the Japan Google Play store!

Are you planning on playing Kingdom Hearts Dark Road on launch day tomorrow? Let us know in the comments below!
UPDATE: The English version of the Kingdom Hearts Dark Road website has just launched! Additionally, brand new screenshots have been featured on the English site! You can view the screenshots via our gallery below.
UPDATE: Kingdom Hearts Dark Road is now listed on the US Google Play Store, Amazon AppStore and iOS devices!
UPDATE: Kingdom Hearts Dark Road is now live in Japan. Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura has posted his comments on the launch. 
UPDATE: Kingdom Hearts Dark Road is now live in English on the Google Play Store, Amazon AppStore and iOS!
The message from Tetsuya Nomura has been officially translated into English! You can view the translation below.
 
OrpheusJoshua

Kingdom Hearts Dark Road character introductions uploaded in English

The English Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Twitter account has recently tweeted out English versions of the character introductions that were previously only uploaded from the Japanese Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Twitter account. You can view translations of the Japanese uploads courtesy of AitaiKimochi, here.
You can view the official English translations of the Kingdom Hearts Dark Road cast's character introductions via our gallery below.
Have you grown more exhilarated for the release of Kingdom Hearts Dark Road in two days? Let us know how you feel in the comments below!
OrpheusJoshua

Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory English website launches; new information and images available

The English Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory website is now live, and with it new information, character renders of Sora, Donald, and Goofy and twelve new screenshots are available.
You can read the description of the game from Square Enix below.
Featuring over 140 musical tracks and 20 characters from throughout the beloved series, KINGDOM HEARTS Melody of Memory provides fans with an unmissable opportunity to relive their favorite moments like never before. Players will journey through iconic Disney worlds, and join forces with recognizable Disney characters whilst enjoying unforgettable KINGDOM HEARTS series music, alongside timeless tracks from Disney’s cinematic classics. Alongside the engaging single-player content, KINGDOM HEARTS Melody of Memory invites players to enjoy unforgettable melodies together with online* multiplayer for even more of a challenge.
Check out the new screenshots and renders in the galleries below.
 
This came after the English version of the Kingdom Hearts 2020 trailer was released.
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory will release later this year for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Now that the English site is up what are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below! 
WakelessDream

Kingdom Hearts 2020 Trailer released in English; Dark Road launching June 22 globally

The Kingdom Hearts 2020 Trailer that was released a couple of days ago in Japanese has finally released in English! The 2020 trailer includes mini-trailers for Kingdom Hearts χ[Cross], Kingdom Hearts Dark Road, Kingdom Hearts III soundtrack, and Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory. You can view the trailer below.
Kingdom Hearts Dark Road has also been confirmed to launch globally on June 22nd, which is the same as Japan's release date. Kingdom Hearts III soundtrack will release in Fall 2020. Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory will release later this year on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
What information are you glad to have parsed from this English version of the trailer? Let us know in the comments below!
OrpheusJoshua

New Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory Screenshots Revealed; showcasing Wonderland and Atlantica and new gameplay

SQUARE ENIX recently shared new screenshots for Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory with Japanese news websites 4gamer and GameWatch, revealing some new images that weren't previously shown in the trailer, such as a first look at the Atlantica and Wonderland worlds.
Both websites also confirmed that there are over 20 characters will be playable on-line.
You can check them in our gallery below:
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory is set to release for PS4, XBOX ONE, and Nintendo Switch systems in 2020.
 
Ryuji_Shiryu

Kingdom Hearts III manga Chapter 10 "Connected!" now available on Gangan Online

Gangan Online have posted Chapter 10 for the Kingdom Hearts III manga. You can check out the manga either on their site or in the gallery below. 
Chapter 11 will be available in late July to early August,
You can also check out the articles for the previous chapters by clicking on the links below!
Chapter 0 Prologue (Japanese) Chapter 0 Prologue (English) Chapter 1 A New Journey (Japanese) Chapter 1 A New Journey (English) Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum [1] (Japanese) Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum [1] (English) Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum [2] (Japanese) Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum [2] (English) Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum [3] (Japanese) Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum [3] (English) Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum [4] (Japanese) Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum [4] (English) Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum [5] (Japanese) Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum [5] (English) Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum [6] (Japanese) Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum [6] (English) Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum [7] (Japanese) Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum [7] (English) Chapter 9 World of Darkness (Japanese) Chapter 9 World of Darkness (English)
Leamax

Kingdom Hearts III official soundtrack to be released in autumn 2020

During the Kingdom Hearts 2020 trailer released earlier today, it was revealed that the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts III official soundtrack will be releasing later this year. While there is no definitive release date as of yet, a window of autumn 2020 was provided.
Which songs from the OST are you looking forward to listening to? Let us know in the comments!
Raxaimus

Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory to release on PS4/Xbox One/Switch in 2020, website released, over 140 songs, 2 player + online included

Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory has been officially announced for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch for 2020, and its official website has been released! This a rhythm game with over 140 tracks available. Play with 1-2 players will be possible, there will be an online mode, and there will be four different play styles.

Thanks go out to @aitaikimochi, who has translated these details from the official website:

They have also added English subtitles to the "secret" part of the Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory trailer, featuring Kairi.
Are you excited for this unexpected rhythm title making its way to all consoles?
OrpheusJoshua

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