080
INFO
FORMATPS4
ETAOUT NOW
PUBSQUARE ENIX
DEVSQUARE ENIXKINGDOM HEARTS III
It’s the key(blade) to a great time
W
hile fighting a giant dragon with
Frozen’s snow golem in the
magical kingdom of Arendelle,
I really don’t know why I’m doing
it. Not a clue. Do I care? No. All that matters
is that Elsa needs me and I’m hitting things
with a massive key that spits out flowers and
slaughtering monsters with a teacup made
out of fairy lights.At its big, squidgy centre, Kingdom Hearts III
is a massive JRPG with multiple menus, stats,
weapons, items, and buffs – it just happens to be
populated by Disney characters. Not in a cursory,
cameo way, either, as this game fully immerses
you in different and diverse Disney worlds.
Your party is made up of you (heroic twink
Sora), Goofy, Donald Duck, and a roster of allies
such as Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski, and
Hercules; all pulled from Disney past and present.
Your wholesome trio travel (by Gummi Ship, of
course) around a solar system of different Disney
planets, which include Tangled’s Corona and
Big Hero 6’s San Fransokyo, solving whatever
problem the big dark villains have caused there
and getting a shiny new keyblade in return.
The keyblade is your main weapon, but combat
in Kingdom Hearts III is a spectacle of spells,
special attacks, and summons that make every
battle feel like an event. Fights play out in realtime and are incredibly manic,
with numerous forms of
Heartless – blue bad guys – or
Nobodies – white bad guys –
as your basic blade-fodder.
As well as melee combat,
you’re able to cast spells such
as elemental-based fires or
blizzards, and eventually you’ll
trigger your keyblade’s unique
features, tied to each world.
The Tangled-themed blade, for
instance, does mirage magic
for a time before becoming an
actual tower that damages any
nearby enemies.
Donald, Goofy, and your
other allies have special attacks
as well, and you can summon
other Disney characters such
as Wreck It Ralph with a Link
move. It’s a little overwhelming,
but no battle, no matter howSora and the team change
to fit with each new world,
such as becoming action
figures in Toy Story.big or small, is ever boring to
encounter and combo through.GUMMIED-UP
The same can’t be said for
journeys between worlds,
aboard your Gummi Ship. To
get anywhere new you have
to traverse a space filled with
enemies, obstacles, and the
occasional treasure sphere- floating puzzles hiding
goodies to uncover – but it’s
the blandest part of the game.
Missing any Disney magic,
these journeys instead feel like
a slightly dusty arcade game.
You can expand your
Gummi Ship, adding new
blocks, weapons, and... er, a
giant puppy dog, just because.
However you can give me all
the random cuteness in the
ROYALLY GOOD @therachelweber“THE TANGLED BLADE DOES
MIRAGE MAGIC BEFORE
BECOMING AN ACTUAL TOWER.”