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WakelessDream

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Posts posted by WakelessDream


  1. Five new Kingdom Hearts II Ultra Detail Figures are now available for pre-order on AmiAmi. The figures feature Sora, Riku, Mickey, Pete, and Chip n Dale as they appear in Kingdom Hearts II. Currently, the Sora, Riku, Mickey, and Chip n Dale figures are available for ¥1,570 (approx. $10.37 USD) and the Pete figure is available for ¥1,870 (approx. $12.35 USD). Each figure is set to release November 2024.

    Previously, figures of Sora, Riku, Donald, Goofy, and Mickey have been revealed as part of the Ultra Detail Figure lineup. 

    You can take a closer look at each figure in our gallery below, alongside their pre-order links

    Ultra Detail Figure Kingdom Hearts II Sora

    Ultra Detail Figure Kingdom Hearts II Riku

    Ultra Detail Figure Kingdom Hearts II Mickey Mouse

    Ultra Detail Figure Kingdom Hearts II Pete

    Ultra Detail Figure Kingdom Hearts II Chip n Dale

    Will you be picking up any of these figures? Let us know in the comments below!


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  2. The Square Enix North America Store has revealed nine new Kingdom Hearts Acrylic Stands now available for pre-order, releasing in August 2024. Three of the stands featuring the key art for Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts II, and Kingdom Hearts will cost $34.99 each, while the other six stands featuring Sora, Kairi, and Roxas will cost $14.99 each. 

    You can take a closer look at each of the Acrylic Stands in our gallery below, alongside their product links: 

    Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Acrylic Stand - Boundary - $34.99

     

    Kingdom Hearts II Acrylic Stand - Heart - $34.99

     

     

    Kingdom Hearts Acrylic Stand - Premonition - $34.99

     

    Kingdom Hearts III Acrylic Stand - Kairi - Promise - $14.99

     

    Kingdom Hearts III Acrylic Stand - Sora - Promise - $14.99

    Kingdom Hearts II Acrylic Stand - Late Summer - $14.99

     

    Kingdom Hearts II Acrylic Stand - Ocean - $14.99

     

    Kingdom Hearts Acrylic Stand - Wind - $14.99

     

    Kingdom Hearts Acrylic Stand - Beach - $14.99

     

    Will you be picking up any of these acrylic stands? Let us know in the comments below!


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  3. The Square Enix Japan e-Store has revealed three new Kingdom Hearts themed plushes of Sora, Riku, and Kairi based on their appearances in the original Kingdom Hearts game. The plushes are set to release June 8th, 2024 for ¥4,180 (approx. $28.00 USD).

    UPDATE (Feb 9, 2024): Pre-orders are available on Aitai Kuji. Each plush will cost ¥3,340 (approx. $23.00) and will be available in June.

    You can view each of the plushes alongside their store links in our gallery below. 

    Kingdom Hearts Series Plush KH Sora

    Kingdom Hearts Series Plush KH Riku

    Kingdom Hearts Series Plush KH Kairi

    Will you be picking up any of these plushes to add to your collection? Let us know in the comments below!

    UPDATE 2/13/2024: Square Enix North American store links are listed below. Each plush is $39.99 and expected to ship in October 2024:

    Additionally, the plushes are available for pre-order via AmiAmi, with each costing ¥3,550 ahead of planned June 2024 releases:


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  4. The Square Enix Japan e-Store has revealed a new line of fluffy loungewear sets and slippers based on Sora, Kairi, Riku, and King Mickey. The Sora, Riku, and Kairi loungewear sets are two piece sets based on their outfits from Kingdom Hearts III and can be pre-ordered for ¥13,200 (approx. $88.99 USD). The King Mickey set is a one piece set and can be pre-ordered for ¥11,000 (approx. $74.16 USD).

    Additionally the matching loungewear slippers are available for pre-order for ¥3,850 (approx. $25.95 USD) releasing on February 29th, 2024 as well. 

    UPDATE [Feb 8, 2024]: Pre-orders are available on Aitai Kiju! The prices are the same as listed on Square Enix Japan e-Store and the release date will be February 29th, 2024.

    You can view each of the loungewear pieces in our gallery below, as well as their pre-order links. 

    Kingdom Hearts III Fluffy Loungewear Set - Sora

    Square Enix e-Store      ||      Aitai Kuji

     

    Kingdom Hearts III Fluffy Loungewear Slippers - Sora

    Square Enix e-Store      ||      Aitai Kuji

    Kingdom Hearts III Fluffy Loungewear Set - Kairi 

    Square Enix e-Store      ||      Aitai Kuji

    Kingdom Hearts III Fluffy Loungewear Slippers - Kairi 

    Square Enix e-Store      ||      Aitai Kuji

    Kingdom Hearts III Fluffy Loungewear Set - Riku 

    Square Enix e-Store      ||      Aitai Kuji

    Kingdom Hearts III Fluffy Loungewear Slippers - Riku

    Square Enix e-Store      ||      Aitai Kuji

    Kingdom Hearts Fluffy Loungewear Set - King Mickey 

    Square Enix e-Store      ||      Aitai Kuji

    Kingdom Hearts Fluffy Loungewear Slippers - King Mickey

    Square Enix e-Store      ||      Aitai Kuji

    Will you be purchasing any of these loungewear sets? Let us know in the comments below!


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  5. A new Kingdom Hearts themed Ichiban Kuji lottery has been announced  titled Kingdom Hearts -Linking Hearts- set to release in May 2024 which will feature various Kingdom Hearts themed prizes including but not limited to character statues, towels, tumblers and various other Kingdom Hearts themed merchandise. You can view the prize list below thanks to KH13 Staff Member Ryuji.

    img_mv.jpg

     

    Prize Tiers

    Tier A - Sora Statue

    Tier B - Visual bath towel

    Tier C - Cushion

    Tier D - Glass plate

    Tier E - Selection of towels

    Tier F - Design Tumbler

    Tier G - Keyblade Charm Collection

    Last One Prize Tier - Roxas Statue

    Double Chance Campaign Tier - Sora Statue

    Kingdom Hearts themed prizes have featured in three other Ichiban Kuji lotteries over the years including the first Kingdom Hearts Ichiban Kuji, Kingdom Hearts Ichiban Kuji ~Second Memory~ and the Kingdom Hearts 20th anniversary Ichiban Kuji.


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  6. Utada Hikaru's official website has recently announced the tracklist for their upcoming Greatest Hits album, Science Fiction. The album is set to release April 10th, 2024 and will contain a total of 26 songs including newly mixed and re-recorded songs from across the singer's discography. Of the re-recorded tracks it is confirmed that Hikari, a theme featured prominently throughout many of the games in the Kingdom Hearts series will be receiving a re-recorded version featured on the album as well.

    You can view the full tracklist for Utada's upcoming Science Fiction album below:

    1. Flowers with no Color
    2. New song (title undecided) 
    3. Addicted To You (Re-recording)
    4. Traveling (Re-recording)
    5. Hikari (Re-recording)
    6. Automatic (2024 Mix)
    7. Beautiful World (2024 Mix)
    8. Can You Keep a Secret? (2024 Mix)
    9. COLORS (2024 Mix)
    10. First Love (2022 Mix)
    11. Flavor of Life -Ballad Version- (2024 Mix)
    12. Goodbye Happiness (2024 Mix)
    13. Letters (2024 Mix)
    14. Prisoner of Love (2024 Mix)
    15. Sakura Drops (2024 Mix)
    16. You
    17. I'm Crazy About You
    18.  Gold ~Until we meet again~
    19. Time
    20. 2 Hours Vacation featuring Ringo Sheena 
    21. First Love
    22. BAD Mode
    23. Give you a Bouquet of Flowers
    24. Road
    25. One Last Kiss
    26. [Bonus Track] Somewhere Near Marseilles - Marseilles Festival- (Sci-Fi Edit)

    Will you be giving the re-recorded version of Hikari a listen when it releases? Let us know in the comments below!


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  7. The Square Enix Japan e-Store has revealed a new Kingdom Hearts music box featuring the theme Dearly Beloved. The music box is set to release April 27th, 2024 for ¥2,750 (approximately $20.00 USD).

    You can take a look at the music box in our gallery below

    Previously music boxes based on Kairi and Traverse Town have been revealed.  

    Will you be picking up this new music box? Let us know in the comments below!

    Update 12/21/2023: The Kingdom Hearts Dearly Beloved music box is now available for pre-order at Aitai Kuji and AmiAmi English for ¥2,200 (approximately $16.00 USD).


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  8. The Square Enix North America and Square Enix Europe stores have revealed a new Kingdom Hearts Shadow Face Mug. The mug is slated for an October 2024 release date in North America for $34.99 USD, and a December 2024 release in Europe for €46.99. 

    You can take a closer look at the Kingdom Hearts Shadow Face Mug in our gallery below alongside pre-order links for each store front

    Square Enix North America Store - Kingdom Hearts Shadow Face Mug

    Square Enix Europe Store - Kingdom Hearts Shadow Face Mug

    Will you be adding this item to your collection of Kingdom Hearts merchandise? Let us know in the comments below!


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  9. Nintendo has revealed the release date for the Sora Amiibo to be February 16th, 2024, alongside a short video clip which you can view below. 

    The Sora Amiibo was originally announced during a Nintendo Direct back in September. 

    The Amiibo is currently listed for preorder on the Nintendo Store Japan website for ¥2,200 ($14.92 USD) and Amazon Japan though it is worth noting it is currently listed as unavailable on the Amazon page. 

    You can take a closer look at the Sora Amiibo in our gallery below

    Will you be picking up the Sora Amiibo when it releases? Let us know in the comments below!

    Update 12/7/2023: The Sora Amiibo is now available for pre-order at Best Buy for $15.99 and Australian retailers JB Hi-Fi and EB Games Australia for $21.00 and $21.95 respectively. It should be noted that while some have been able to get pre-orders in at Best Buy, at the time of this update the item is currently shown as "Coming Soon." 

    Update 12/8/2023: The Sora Amiibo is now available for pre-order at Target and GameStop, for $15.99.


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  10. The closed beta testing for Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link is currently underway for select players with iOS devices in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan, having begun on November 29th and running through to December 8th. 

    KH13 staff member Kimpchuu had the opportunity to participate in the closed beta testing and has compiled an in depth summary and screenshots of his first impressions of the game spanning across Story, Presentation, Gameplay, and the Gacha/Monetization system. You can read his full break down below!

    Story 

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    The beta offers a limited glimpse into the storyline. Players are introduced to the initial 20 minutes of the prologue, unveiling intriguing concepts. The protagonist is a 'drifter,' mysteriously arriving at Scala ad Caelum. The dive station and the Astral Plane are swiftly introduced, explaining the GPS game mode. The primary objective is to safeguard Scala by thwarting Heartless incursions. As of now, this constitutes the extent of the storyline, to be further explored upon the game's official release.

    large.IMG_2532.jpg.8fcb3fc95e5c0edbfd692

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    Presentation

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    Leveraging the Unreal 4 engine, the game benefits from rendering its environments beautifully. Despite the relatively smaller scale, locations exude the ambiance of mini-arenas akin to those encountered in Kingdom Hearts III. The Scala hub area boasts considerable exploration opportunities, featuring NPCs and scattered Moogles. Despite mobile constraints, the lighting and models hold up well. Character animations during combos and enemy attacks are impressive, although certain textures on characters seem lacking compared to the detailed environments. Particle effects are reminiscent of KH3 and add to the visual flair.

    large.IMG_2636.png.jpeg.aa6d7c80c67d5f6d

    However, the Astral Plane mode exhibits a noticeable drop in quality, as anticipated. The auto-generated environments and models fail to match the detailed aesthetics of Scala, somewhat compromising the experience.

    The enchanting, beautifully composed music significantly enhances the atmosphere, immersing players in this fresh Kingdom Hearts world while retaining a sense of familiarity. Although not all the music is new, the returning tracks seamlessly blend into the experience.

    Combat mechanics involving 'pieces' vary in quality. Some employ the new KH3 models, while others are ported from older games, displaying boxy polygonal edges that somewhat make the quality a bit inconsistent.

    Fortunately, the voiced cutscenes in Japanese represent a significant improvement over Union X. However, there's uncertainty regarding whether this quality will extend to the entire story, especially concerning localization in English. A peculiar observation relates to sound: the absence of audible swings when encountering enemies or allies wielding a keyblade feels oddly disconnected.

    large.IMG_2575.jpg.9194d1f291648e5099ba8

    As a designer, I must remark on the UI. While the team has admirably crafted a new thematic for the game, certain aspects, particularly the menus, feel somewhat outdated and unrefined. Streamlining these while preserving the intended style would significantly enhance the overall experience.

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    Gameplay

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    Combat

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    Drawing from experience playing 90% of Kingdom Hearts games, this game amalgamates elements from Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross], Dark Road, and Kingdom Hearts III. Movement and combat mechanics evoke a KH3-like feeling, but the primary damage mechanism—rotating abilities—strongly resembles UX and Dark Road. Playing a mobile game in a 3D KH universe is a remarkable leap, yet the heavy reliance on spells hampers the experience. Similar to Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, commands and spells constitute the primary means of dealing damage, rendering physical combos largely inefficient. There is also a charge attack feature that allows players access to a much stronger physical attack at the cost of player movement.

    large.IMG_2790.jpg.efc3e1e0999ded8c8575d

    The absence of a guard mechanic and the dodge button's lack of invincibility frames pose drawbacks. Maneuverability across the battlefield is swift but susceptible to ranged enemy attacks. Aerial recovery allows tapping the jump button upon being hit.Players can still access their abilities while airborne.

    An elemental system akin to games like Pokemon dictates the effectiveness of certain moves based on an enemy's elemental type. Enemies not glowing in a particular color are deemed neutral. Conversely, glowing enemies possess resistance to their element and an adjacent element, as well as a weakness. Players can optimize their characters for maximum damage with the right elemental build, requiring acquisition of characters from gacha banners.

    large.IMG_2794.jpg.fc912c8d8f74d415137a2

    However, a significant issue emerges: abilities not only rely on cooldowns but also deplete MP, reminiscent of UX's SP gauge. Regaining MP in combat is impossible outside of raid boss encounters. Consequently, depleting MP mid-fight forces reliance on physical combos, elongating encounters considerably. Moreover, many challenging encounters are time-gated, penalizing players for their inability to overcome enemies.

    This combat aspect renders gameplay lackluster, transforming potentially exciting encounters into disengaging battles. Additionally, the game penalizes players for their lack of strength, further entrenching the gacha model's need for acquiring the newest and most powerful units.

    Regarding controls, button placements feel functional, and the HUD works as intended without disrupting gameplay. Notably, Missing-Link introduces a fantastic feature: complete HUD customization. Players can edit the position, scale, and opacity of every element, offering tremendous flexibility, albeit marred by the absence of the ability to input exact numeric values for scale and opacity.

    large.IMG_2805.jpg.c087e7444ea6aa1bd5471

    Camera controls feel average, somewhat limiting the immersive experience. However, I anticipate using controller support may mitigate these issues, although I've yet to test these improvements.

    The game incorporates an autoplay feature, allowing passive engagement during encounters. While functional for early stages, players might opt to disable this feature for more challenging encounters, prioritizing manual input for effective dodging or combo execution to avoid death. Inputs can still be made during autoplay.

    <3<3<3

    Overworld

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    Two distinct overworlds, Scala Hub World and the GPS Astral Plane mode. However, the majority of gameplay occurs in the GPS mode, featuring two play styles: touch and hands-free. The hands-free mode necessitates real-world movement, while the touch mode grants full character control. The overworld features various encounter types, including regular Heartless, elemental Heartless (indicative of their respective elemental colors), area enemies, and raid bosses.

    large.01-iosyzcqqm-653f5acd56f56.jpg.156

    During the CBT, the primary objective revolves around defeating enemies to acquire materials and rewards, enhancing gear and potentially contributing to future story content. All overworld activities, including teleporting, chest acquisition, HP/MP restoration, and enemy encounters, utilize a stamina system akin to KHUX's AP. Fortunately, most activities spawn near players, ensuring easy accessibility. In the beta, stamina is abundant, but its representation in the main game remains uncertain. Teleportation costs increase based on distance, typically restricting players to their own country.

    Defeated enemies do not drop HP or MP orbs, necessitating dependence on potions or top-up points.

    Players can form parties and travel together, although my experience with this feature remains limited.

    An interesting discovery involves zooming in with fingers, allowing exploration on a smaller scale, akin to a 1-1 exploration. Zooming out can often lead to accidental interactions due to clustered interactables on-screen but can traverse areas faster.

    Camera limitations pose challenges, particularly in identifying area enemies spawning in the distance. Horizontal play restricts the camera from observing the horizon, whereas vertical play allows such flexibility, potentially requiring players to switch orientation mid-gameplay for convenience.

    large.IMG_2797.jpg.a3416bd996246f05f2fca

    <3<3<3

    Customization

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    Combat customization options presently feature several choices. Players select between a melee and ranged keyblade, each with unique stats. Additionally, they can choose from 3-4 pieces to serve as abilities and an accessory, providing minor stat boosts.

    large.IMG_2802.jpg.f69fdac0526d78c91dc88

    Familiar to Dark Road players, this setup feels reminiscent, minus the deck-building. An assortment of abilities caters to both physical and magical stats, with the option to align abilities with elements, diversifying combat strategies. Defensive abilities like heal and defense up also prove beneficial. While current character builds lack apparent synergy, strategies might evolve as the game progresses.

    To enhance damage output, players must individually level up each ability or keyblade using materials earned from playing the GPS mode. However, leveling up becomes increasingly grindy due to exponentially increasing requirements.

    Character appearance customization offers extensive variety, enticing players with options to edit face shapes, makeup, and outfit colors. Additional outfits, unlockable using Jewels, provide aesthetic appeal without incurring perks.

    large.IMG_2798.jpg.87ec9f5a49f4241ce47bb

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    Menus

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    The game follows the tradition of gacha games and JRPGs, housing a multitude of menus and minor mechanics. Navigating through various "growth logs" and different coin exchanges proved overwhelming initially, compounded by challenges locating specific features. Although these menus and mechanics marginally impact gameplay, they offer nuances for dedicated min-maxing enthusiasts. However, the sheer volume of content might deter casual players.

    Additionally, a battle pass-like activity monitor system exists, featuring a basic pass for free players, offering coins for battles or steps, redeemable for draws or items.

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    Performance

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    Playing on an iPhone 13 mini, I encountered minimal performance issues, with the game running smoothly around 95% of the time. Occasional hiccups occurred in the GPS sections with numerous on-screen elements. Even during raids with copious particles and players on-screen, the game still ran relatively well.

    Switching between vertical and horizontal gameplay proved impressively seamless, ensuring uninterrupted gameplay.The developers' commendable effort in designing assets to function flawlessly in both orientations deserves appreciation.

    However, the game exhibits phone heating issues, causing the device to heat up and rapidly drain the battery. Though I haven't monitored the battery drain rate extensively, reports suggest noticeable drainage from prolonged gameplay.

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    Multiplayer

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    I have yet to experience party formation in the overworld. However, I've engaged in raid boss encounters during the CBT. Due to its nature, many raid bosses spawn across the map, providing access to level 15 or level 40 Behemoth encounters. Given limited progress, level 15 fights remained the viable option. Collaborating with three or more team members significantly improves the chances of defeating the boss.

    large.IMG_2684.png.jpeg.4b985a64fce39153

    The experience of witnessing diverse keyblade-wielding characters battling collectively adds a unique dimension to combat. Raid bosses include multiple parts like horns or arms—that need elimination before targeting the main health bar. Defeating these parts yields MP orbs, facilitating continuous spell rotation throughout the battle.

    These multiplayer raid battles constitute the most engaging combat scenarios, amplified by their collaborative nature. However, rewards feel underwhelming unless players employ raid tickets, a set number of which are gifted to beta players daily. Notably, players can earn a 3-star Dark Riku, a feature likely to transition behind a paywall in the main game.

    large.IMG_2689.png.jpeg.8f6b20340d21af2a

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    Gacha/Monetization

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    Familiarity with KHUX's Gacha system facilitates understanding here. Each banner features a few highlighted characters, requiring a minimum of 10 multis to reach the guaranteed pity rate. Upon obtaining a featured character, the pity counter resets to zero.

    Single pulls cost 300 jewels, whereas a 10-pull costs 3000 jewels. Jewels facilitate outfit purchases and accelerate farming by acquiring stamina or drop enhancements.

    For those curious, without the pity rate, the featured 3-star characters boast a 3% drop chance, distributed among three featured characters.

    large.IMG_2788.jpg.8e956a88d61fe6855473a

    Unfortunately, the game locks considerable power behind paywalls. Assembling a build of weaker characters proves challenging, with little incentive for the game to provide opportunities for success with less powerful units. Regrettably, Square Enix is unlikely to revise this model.

    The CBT generously rewards players with two draw tickets, granting a 3-star in one attempt, and 3000 jewels daily. However, this is unlikely to be mirrored in the main game.

    While players can earn jewels by completing certain battles and quests, their availability diminishes as the game progresses.

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    Final Thoughts

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    Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link embarks on the right path for conveying a Kingdom Hearts narrative. It brings to life a vibrant world through stunning 3D environments, captivating music, and exceptional voice acting. However, concerns persist regarding the gacha model, potentially marrying the experience with unfair power disparities and paywalls. My initial experience remains a blend of positives and negatives, as expected in a Beta phase meant for testing, feedback, and potential game improvements. I eagerly anticipate delving deeper into the story and unraveling the secrets of Scala Ad Caelum and the Astral Plane.

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    You can view the full collection of screenshots gathered by Kimpchuu from the Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link closed beta test in our gallery below:

    What are your impressions of Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link so far with closed beta testing underway? Let us know in the comments below!


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  11. A special Focus Group Event was recently held for Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link at Square Enix ARTNIA cafe in Japan. Key members of the development team including Kingdom Hearts series director Tetsuya Nomura, series producer Ichiro Hazama, character designer Miki Yamashita, and lead planner Shirakami participated in a Q&A to speak to attendees on the development of the upcoming title. 

    Thanks to KH13 staff member Ryuji we have translated major points from the Q&A provided by attendees @rikunami13 and @aibo_ac7.

    Note that recording of the Q&A was prohibited. The Q&A below is based on testimonials from the event attendees and an official transcript is currently unavailable.

    Quote

    Q: Why did you decide to develop a game that is practically a 180º from Kingdom Hearts Unionχ Cross?

    Nomura: We are now in an era where there is practically little to no difference between a smartphone game and a console game, so I've wanted to use the increased hardware horsepower for some time now. So if we're going to do it on a smartphone, I want it to be something that is unique to smartphones.

    Q: We would like to use controllers in various aspect of play.

    A: Such features are in future plans.

    Q: Will there be any additional Keyblades?

    A: There will.

    Q: I'd like to see some sort of collaboration with Disney on the Astral World building.

    Nomura: This is still a secret.

    Q: When do you plan to release Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link?

    Nomura: As you can probably guess from my expression, we're working as fast as we can to release it as soon as possible.

    Q. Are Navigators different from Keyblade wielders? Is there a navigator for each of the Societies?

    Nomura: They are Keyblade wielders. They just don't use it. There are no navigators in each of the Societies. Only Freya. And, by the way, this isn't like Union Cross, where you can choose your favorites. You're assigned one in the story, and that is fixed.

    Q. Will the cutscenes be movie events like this prologue instead of text-based events like in Union Cross?

    A. Not all of them, because if we make everything to the level of this prologue, it will be more than a year before Missing Link releases. I’ve already shot enough for cutscenes for the official release.

    Q. What is your favorite part about Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link?

    Shirakami: Lock mode consumes one-seventh of your battery. In lock mode, you can defeat enemies even while riding a car or catching the train.

    Yamashita: The background is beautiful, so I want you to pay close attention to it.

    Hazama: While there are usually regional disparities in GPS-based games, [Missing Link] does not.

    Q. Can I form a party with the main characters of Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link story?

    A. There are opportunities within the story, like you’ve seen with Remus. However, as for “freely forming a party with them,” we are not considering such a feature at the moment.

    Q. Will there be any limited-time events?

    A. We’ve already discussed the events internally, but that is something we cannot answer yet.

    Q. How big will the scenario be when the service starts?

    A. There are so many new characters, voiced dialogue, and cutscenes that there we are reviewing the structure, but we have no intention of making it be compact. I’d say it will be about the same as the previous Kingdom Hearts.

    Q. I’m curious: how often will the story be updated?

    Nomura: Honestly, how many months did it take for some updates back in Union Cross? That kind of thing is just unforgivable nowadays.

    Q: Will there be additional characters for raid bosses?

    A: Yes, I can't be more specific, but we will add more characters in the future.

    Q: Will there be updates to the gacha presentation?

    A: Currently it skips with one tap, but we will enhance the direction, and we ask for your patience.

    Q: Are there any plans to implement a friend request function?

    A: Yes, it may take some time, but we will will add it.

    Q: What about player housing?

    A: It's currently under consideration, though this is not a requirement for putting it in.

    Q: Is there weekly/monthly billing, like a subscription or a VIP pass?

    A: Well, we are going along with the idea that we will do something of that kind. It's not functional yet, but you can see we already have a menu for that in the Closed Beta, but it will be different from your typical subscriptions.

    Q. Is it difficult to make the app hands-free while running in the background? Does Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link have to stay open?

    A.We tested it several times, but it is difficult. Battery consumption drops to 1/7th of normal when the game is in lock mode. Hands-free usually stops working after 20,000 steps, but if the app is open while in Lock Mode, it works even after said amount is passed. I think this is an advantage that other location games do not have.

    Q. Is it possible to cook any dishes that increase stats?

    A. We have a character that acts like a cook, and we are preparing to include them, but we ask for your patience.

    According to event attendees after the Q&A concluded footage was shown highlighting various worlds, Olympus, a world with a tunnel speculated to be based on Snow White, and a world with a body of water speculated to be based on Pinnochio, alongside several other mysterious worlds. 

    Other interesting tidbits to note: 

    • Remus, the red haired character was modeled after a reliable older brother. His character design was made by Yamashita not Nomura
    • There are three character designers working on Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link but they always consult with Nomura
    • Nomura mentions that the protagonist hat took many retries to get just right due to the long dragoon like parts on both sides of the hat
    • On the character Freya Nomura said: "There is a great secret hidden in Freya, but may I tell you the secret?" and then followed with "Some speculate she has a connection with Ephemer, but she doesn't."
    • Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link was written by Ruiko Fukuzawa (Final Fantasy XIV) but Nomura took over the process midway

    Attendees were also gifted a Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link themed tote bag and sticker as souvenirs from the event. You can view them in our gallery below.

    What do you think of the newly shared information from this event? Let us know in the comments below!

    Update 12/3/2023: We have updated with additional information and Q&A responses including potential future features to the game such as friend requests, player housing, and cooking as well as additional responses regarding the game's gacha, raid bosses, and performance. 


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  12. It doesn’t look like it comes directly out of his palms but more like he’s able to materialize them out of nothing. So it also doesn’t look like he grips them either as they don’t have hilts. Just doing a quick search they’re described as beams of energy so I guess similar concept to lightsabers in that sense? 
     

    His KH III render gives a little bit more of a clearer look at how he wields them so I’ll link it below. 

    Also PS I think your illustration of Xemnas is pretty rad. xD 


  13. The Square Enix North America store has revealed a new Kingdom Hearts III Knitted Plush based on King Mickey. The plush is set to release August 2024 for $41.99 USD. You can pre-order this new plush at the Square Enix North America Store here

    Take a closer look at the Kingdom Hearts III Knitted Plush King Mickey in our gallery below

    Will you be picking up this new plush to add to your collection? Let us know in the comments below!


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  14. Various images promoting the Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link closed beta testing have started to appear as advertisements on social media. The images provide a closer look at the player characters, Disney characters, environments, and interface of the game. 

    You can take a closer look at the promotional images in our gallery below

    Closed beta testing registration for Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link began on October 30th and is currently running through November 19th for the United Kingdom and Australia. 

    Did you spot anything interesting in these new images? Let us know in the comments below! 


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  15. The Square Enix Japan e-Store has listed three new Kingdom Hearts themed Room Fragrance Mists for pre-order based on Terra, Ventus, and Aqua. Each item is set to release February 3rd, 2024 for ¥5,940. (approx. $37.94 USD)  

    Each fragrance consists of three unique notes which you can view in more detail along with the gallery and product links below: 

    Kingdom Hearts Room Fragrance Mist Terra

     

    • Top Note: Bergamot, Clove, Cinnamon
    • Middle Note: Rose, Geranium, Lilac
    • Last Note: Sandalwood, Patchouli, Amber, Musk

     

    Kingdom Hearts Room Fragrance Mist Ventus

     

    • Top Note: Bergamot, Yuzu Citrus Fruit, Mandarin
    • Middle Note: Water Lily, Rose, Tea
    • Last Note: Musk, Amber, Sandalwood 

     

    Kingdom Hearts Room Fragrance Mist Aqua

     

    • Top Note: Bergamot, Pear, Spearmint
    • Middle Note: Aqua Note, Freesia, Jasmine
    • Last Note: Amber, Patchouli, Cedarwood

    Fragrance mists based on Sora, Riku & Kairi, and Axel, Roxas, & Xion have previously been revealed as part of the line up.

    Note: These items cannot be shipped internationally due to being marked as flammable 

    Thanks to KH13 Staff Member Ryuji for the translations. 


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  16. On 9/15/2023 at 5:28 PM, ienzo628 said:

    Is it just the Kingdom Key D and the Kingdom Key that get these light up features?  Does Oblivion or any of the other Keyblades have these light up features?

    Just these two - Oblivion and other keyblades aren’t even available like this on the SE store as of now. 


  17. The Square Enix Japan e-Store has announced a new line of Kingdom Hearts themed Jacquard handbags, wallets, and backpacks. There are six different items within the line including a Shoulder Bag, Backpack, Key Case, Long Wallet, Tote Bag, and Bum Bag. Each item features a monogram pattern throughout with iconic symbols prominent in the Kingdom Hearts series.

    All products are set to release January 13th, 2024. You can take a closer look at the items in our gallery below along with their respective store links and price points. 

    Kingdom Hearts Jacquard Shoulder Bag - ¥14,300

     

    Kingdom Hearts Jacquard Backpack - ¥19,800

     

    Kingdom Hearts Jacquard Key Case - ¥6,600

     

    Kingdom Hearts Jacquard Long Wallet - ¥13,200

     

    Kingdom Hearts Jacquard Tote Bag - ¥15,400

     

    Kingdom Hearts Jacquard Bum Bag - ¥13,200

     

    Will you be purchasing any of these new items? Let us know in the comments below.


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  18. Two new handheld Kingdom Hearts Light Up Keyblades are available for pre-order from the Square Enix Japan e-Store AmiAmi, and Aitai Kuji, the Kingdom Key Version 2, which boasts a clearer and increased amount of light from its original version released back in September of 2022, and the Kingdom Key D. 

    Both products are set to release February 24th, 2024. You can view each of the light up Keyblades in our gallery along with links to each online retailer below. 

    Kingdom Hearts Light Up Kingdom Key D Keyblade - Square Enix e-Store -¥6380

    Kingdom Hearts Light Up Kingdom Key D Keyblade - AmiAmi -¥6060

    Kingdom Hearts Light Up Kingdom Key D Keyblade Aitai Kuji - ¥6000

     

    Kingdom Hearts Light Up Kingdom Key Ver.2 Keyblade - Square Enix e-Store -¥6380

    Kingdom Hearts Light Up Kingdom Key Ver.2 Keyblade - AmiAmi - ¥6060

    Kingdom Hearts Light Up Kingdom Key Ver.2 - Aitai Kuji ¥6000

    Will you be picking up either of these items? Let us know in the comments below!


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