SophieHicks

Wow, thank you so much - that's honestly some of the highest praise I think I could ever receive (putting another person's feelings into words)! Yeah, I think that's really limited the structure of the series and the way we view these games. I'm sure there's probably a corporate viewpoint that sees everything like that (Disney characters, FF characters, etc.), in addition to the fan view, but from a story perspective it doesn't really make sense. I think needing to see "the big picture" is the perfect way to put it, 2 quid! Thanks again =D

That's fantastic - thank you! Haha, it's always satisfying when you find someone who lines up with your own feelings, isn't it? That's absolutely fine - I'm just grateful you're reading it, so definitely no rush! =D
My absolute pleasure Estoria - thank YOU so much for the wonderful comment! Honestly, the points you make are such a relief to hear, because that was one of my goals - being polite, respectful, and as holistic as I could in covering these topics. Yeah, I'd read that quote from Nomura when it first came out and just found it amusing, but when writing the essay it suddenly occurred to me again. I know when I'm writing a game, I generally can relate to both my heroes and villains. So re-reading that quote suddenly made KH3 make a lot of sense (for exactly the reason you pointed out).
Thanks! I've always found the anti-Final Fantasy argument bizarre on those grounds (being such integral characters in the larger story and world), so I wanted to get in something about them haha. I also come from a time in the fanbase where, when a new KH was announced, the discussion was 'Which FF characters are going to be included this time?', and I kind've miss that.
Thank you very much Estoria - I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to write such an in-depth and wonderful comment. It's seeing these kinds of responses that make the past 9 months of writing all worthwhile! =D

That's fantastic - thank you! Haha, it's always satisfying when you find someone who lines up with your own feelings, isn't it? That's absolutely fine - I'm just grateful you're reading it, so definitely no rush! =D
My absolute pleasure Estoria - thank YOU so much for the wonderful comment! Honestly, the points you make are such a relief to hear, because that was one of my goals - being polite, respectful, and as holistic as I could in covering these topics. Yeah, I'd read that quote from Nomura when it first came out and just found it amusing, but when writing the essay it suddenly occurred to me again. I know when I'm writing a game, I generally can relate to both my heroes and villains. So re-reading that quote suddenly made KH3 make a lot of sense (for exactly the reason you pointed out).
Thanks! I've always found the anti-Final Fantasy argument bizarre on those grounds (being such integral characters in the larger story and world), so I wanted to get in something about them haha. I also come from a time in the fanbase where, when a new KH was announced, the discussion was 'Which FF characters are going to be included this time?', and I kind've miss that.
Thank you very much Estoria - I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to write such an in-depth and wonderful comment. It's seeing these kinds of responses that make the past 9 months of writing all worthwhile! =D

I'm currently reading part 3 (half way through) and I'm enjoying it thus far and you make solid points with edvidence to back it up and funny enough most of my criticism aligns with yours so ? but I have to go somewhere so expect my answer either today very late or tomorrow

So I've now read all of it and I have to say you've put my feelings into words way better than I ever could, I absolutely agree about the way some characters are dismissed because fans categoride them into their own little boxes and don't try to see the big picture

In numerous cutscenes the player is informed that Sora is a goofball, and a bit of a screw-up compared to everyone else; hence why he is sent to visit Hercules in the first place. But as stated, the story never moves forward without him present – or without him doing all the work. If there’s an enemy to face, it cannot be defeated without Sora. If there’s a job to do, it’s up to Sora to do it. With a couple of key exceptions, every character apart from Sora, Donald, and Goofy is presented as almost comically useless – yet our protagonist remains the butt of every joke. While the player should be in control as much as possible – and should indeed be the one to overcome challenges – the story needs to support this, not actively work against the player’s growth and sense of success.
This! THIS! good aritcle very informative and very well constructed I'm looking forward to the next one and your thoughts on Xehanort's so called ''redemption'' or whatever they tried in the end to make it seem like it's oke to send him to heaven.

Thank you very much! I'm so glad to hear that's the impression you took away from it. Yes, I really get turned off by any argument that's rude or over-the-top negative. Ideally I want anything I write to be constructive and purposeful, even if it is a critique (something I haven't really written before). I'm sure it helps that I do like KH3 and see so much potential in its ideas; I just consequently see a lot of confusing choices and missed opportunities, especially when viewed through the lens I apply to my own work as a game designer.
Thanks again! =D

Hi everyone!
I'm a lifelong Kingdom Hearts fan, and regular lurker on KH13 (especially at times like this when we're all waiting for the update and ReMind to drop XD). I don't tend to post anywhere nowadays (sometimes on reddit), but I think I was pretty active on forums back in the pre-KH2 days haha.
Over the past nine months I've been writing an essay - called Kingdom Hearts III: A Conclusion without a Story - which analyses Kingdom Hearts III’s approach to storytelling; viewed both from the perspective of a player, and the perspective of a writer/game designer (hence being released on Gamasutra). My intention was to examine the game’s structure, ideas, and mistakes, and draw out numerous lessons that could be applicable to the reader’s own game – all centred around a main hypothesis. The hope is that anyone can read and enjoy it, but that developers will gain a lot more from the topics explored.
As I mention in the article, while I adore the series, this critique is largely written from a game developer’s perspective, albeit with the insights (and frustrations) of a lifelong fan.
Anyway, we start off slow, but I think I managed to extract a lot of interesting points and insights overall (especially in the later topics) - things that I'd definitely never thought about before in relation to the series. So whether you agree or disagree with my points, I hope anyone that takes the time enjoys reading it!
Thank you very much for your time! And if nothing else, it's something else to read while waiting for ReMind =P
I apologise if I've posted this in the wrong forum. I was considering posting it in Creative Media, but an essay didn't seem to quite fit the descriptions and other content I found there.
Part 1 - https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JoshuaHallaran/20200121/356858/Kingdom_Hearts_III_A_Conclusion_without_a_Story__Part_1.php
Part 2 - https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JoshuaHallaran/20200121/356865/Kingdom_Hearts_III_A_Conclusion_without_a_Story__Part_2.php
Part 3 - https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JoshuaHallaran/20200122/356930/Kingdom_Hearts_III_A_Conclusion_without_a_Story__Part_3.php
Part 4 - https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JoshuaHallaran/20200122/356980/Kingdom_Hearts_III_A_Conclusion_without_a_Story__Part_4.php
Part 5 - https://gamasutra.com/blogs/JoshuaHallaran/20200123/356987/Kingdom_Hearts_III_A_Conclusion_without_a_Story__Part_5.php
Part 6 - https://gamasutra.com/blogs/JoshuaHallaran/20200123/356988/Kingdom_Hearts_III_A_Conclusion_without_a_Story__Part_6.php