Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
Developer(s) Square Enix Business Division 3[1]
Publisher(s) Square Enix
Director(s) Tetsuya Nomura
Tai Yasue
Producer(s) Rie Nishi
Designer(s) Tomokazu Shibata
Tai Yasue
Michio Matsuura
Programmer(s) Tamotsu Goto
Masashi Nakamichi
Kengo Naka
Artist(s) Tetsuya Nomura
Writer(s) Masaru Oka
Composer(s) Yoko Shimomura
Series Kingdom Hearts
Engine Unreal Engine 4[2]
Platform(s) PlayStation 4
Release
  • JP: January 12, 2017[3]
  • WW: January 24, 2017[3]
Genre(s) Action-role playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (キングダム ハーツ HD 2.8 ファイナル チャプター プロローグ, Kingudamu Hātsu HD 2.8 Fainaru Chaputā Purorōgu, stylized Kingdom Hearts HD II.8 Final Chapter Prologue) is a collection of the Kingdom Hearts series, developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4. A successor to Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, it was announced in September 2015 and released in January 2017.

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue includes a high-definition remaster of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, as well as two new pieces of content to the Kingdom Hearts series. The first, Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover,[lower-alpha 1] is a cinematic based on Kingdom Hearts χ that details events not shown in the original game. The other, Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage,[lower-alpha 2] is an original game that takes place after the events of Dream Drop Distance, with a majority of the story taking place after the events of Birth by Sleep and during the events of Kingdom Hearts, from the perspective of Aqua. Back Cover and A Fragmentary Passage were the tenth and eleventh installments in the Kingdom Hearts series.

Development

In January 2011, with the release of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix a secret ending was discovered, titled "Birth by Sleep: Volume 2". The content, which looked like it bridged the gap between Birth by Sleep and the original Kingdom Hearts, was believed to be a potential future game in the series.[4] In October 2014, on the content seen in the secret ending, series director Tetsuya Nomura stated, "It shows the existence of Aqua's story in the Realm of Darkness. It means that she didn't just wander about in the Darkness for ten years, but that she passed through many experiences. However, it is a "Fragmentary Passage", as the name suggests–that story was severed and wasn't told. I hope I can tell it when given the opportunity."[5]

In the credits of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, clips of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance were shown as well as the inclusion of a secret ending related to the game, hinting at a possible additional collection.[6] In September 2015, Square Enix announced Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, for release in 2016.[7] Also in the month, Nomura stated the collection, which was developed alongside Kingdom Hearts III, was created to allow players to experience new elements being developed for Kingdom Hearts III "sooner than later", and it was decided to release the collection on the PlayStation 4.[8][9] On how the name of the collection was determined, Nomura stated that Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance is considered "number 2.6" in the series since it follows the events in HD 2.5 Remix, and the χ games, with the absence of Sora, are considered 0, while Birth by Sleep is 0.1, thus resulting in 0.2 for A Fragmentary Passage. When added together, the numbers total 2.8.[10] In December 2015, a trailer for the game was debuted at Jump Festa, with the game being praised for its aesthetic quality.[11] A trailer released in September 2016 at the Tokyo Game Show featured a new remix of "Simple and Clean", produced specifically for 2.8 and its opening cinematics.[12][13] In July 2017, Nomura spoke on bringing the collection to the Xbox One, saying he did not believe there was much demand for it outside of North America, but felt it could be a possibility after Square Enix completed development on Kingdom Hearts III.[14]

Games

Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD

The title takes place after the events of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, the game focuses on Sora and Riku's Mark of Mastery exam in which they have to protect parallel worlds in preparation for the return of Master Xehanort.

The collection features an HD remaster of Dream Drop Distance,[7] which Nomura stated was essentially a full remake of the game, since the original utilized the two screens of the Nintendo 3DS.[8][9] Minigames from the original 3DS version that utilized that console's dual touch screens, were reworked into a card-based system,[15] while enemies were made "less offensive than they originally were", a complaint from players in the original. Additionally, touchscreen-based commands were switched to a more traditional control scheme.[16]

Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage

Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage is a new, short episode taking place after the events of the original Birth by Sleep, told from the perspective of Aqua.[7][17] A Fragmentary Passage, which ties into Kingdom Hearts III and uses technology from III,[8][9][18] is set immediately after Dream Drop Distance, when King Mickey reveals that he has a few secrets to confess, relating to Aqua and her time in the Realm of Darkness.[18] The story then picks up immediately after the secret ending of Birth by Sleep Final Mix, and lasts around the length of one world from the series.[8][9] The content features a world assembled from fragments of worlds previously found in Birth by Sleep.[15] The "double flight" ability returns, which allows Aqua to leap higher and do a mid-air double jump, while also gaining a burst of speed mid-jump.[19]

Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover

Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, a cinematic film,[20] is set during the events of Kingdom Hearts χ and tells a new tale of the Foretellers, revealing new parts of the series' history.[7][17] Nomura revealed that Back Cover would utilize technology being developed for Kingdom Hearts III,[8][9] and would be approximately one hour in length.[21]

Release

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue was released in Japan on January 12, 2017, and worldwide on January 24, 2017.[3] It was originally scheduled to be released in December 2016.[22] Preorders for the game included an official Disney Collector's Pin for the game.[23] The collection, Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far, includes Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix PlayStation 4 collection and will be released in North America on October 30, 2018 for the PlayStation 4.[24]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic76/100[25]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Destructoid7.5/10[26]
Famitsu34/40[27]
Game Informer8.5/10[28]
GameSpot7/10[29]
GamesRadar+[30]
IGN7.5/10[31]

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue received "generally favorable" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[25] Chris Carter from Destructoid awarded the game a 7.5/10 saying that "A solid game that definitely has an audience. Might lack replay value, could be too short or there are some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun."[26] GamesRadar's Anthony John Agnello gave the game a score of 4 out of 5 stars with the consensus "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue is essential for the faithful, flummoxing for newcomers, and a promising start to the series' life on PS4."[30] Jonathan Dornbush's score of 7.5/10 on IGN said that "A great glimpse at what’s to come, but the return to the past is an at-times unsatisfying appetizer."[31]

Sales

It sold 137,797 copies within its first week of release in Japan.[32]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Kingudamu Hātsu Kī Bakku Kabā (キングダム ハーツ キー バックカバー)
  2. ↑ Kingudamu Hātsu 0.2 Bāsu bai Surīpu: Furagumentarī Passēji (キングダム ハーツ 0.2 バース バイ スリープ -フラグメンタリー パッセージ-)

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "第3ビジネス・ディビジョン キャリア採用 Square Enix - Recruiting-". March 25, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  2. ↑ Barder, Ollie (9 June 2016). "'Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue' Looks Amazing In Its Latest Trailer". Forbes. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Donaldson, Alex (September 13, 2016). "Kingdom Hearts 2.8 to miss December, now out January 24th". VG247. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  4. ↑ Yoon, Andrew (January 19, 2011). "Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep: Volume 2 teased by Final Mix secret ending". Joystiq via Engaget. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Nomura hopes to tell Birth by Sleep -Volume 2-'s story one day". KH13. October 1, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  6. ↑ Dunsmore, Kevin (January 14, 2015). "Get Ready to Play a New Kingdom Hearts Game in 2015". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Wallace, Kimberly (September 15, 2015). "[Update] Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue Revealed For PS4". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Sata (September 19, 2015). "Details On What's New In Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 And Aqua's Story". Siloconera. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Romano, Sal (September 20, 2015). "Kingdom Hearts 0.2 uses Kingdom Hearts III technology". Gematsu. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  10. ↑ Ashcraft, Brian (September 22, 2015). "Explaining Kingdom Hearts HD II.8's Bizarre Title". Kotaku. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  11. ↑ Whitaker, Jed (December 18, 2015). "Kingdom Hearts III and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue get a new trailer". Destructoid. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  12. ↑ Kollar, Phillip (September 13, 2016). "This Kingdom Hearts trailer is baffling, but it has nice music and a release date". Polygon. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  13. ↑ @_KINGDOMHEARTS (September 13, 2016). "そういうわけで、ついに何らかが！『KINGDOM HEARTS2.8』の発売日が発表されました。本日の情報解禁に合わせて自分からコメントを添えさせて頂きます。是非こちらもご覧下さい。それではまた何らかで！@野村 #_KH" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved September 13, 2016 – via Twitter. Translation via KH13.com
  14. ↑ Goldfarb, Andrew; Schwartz, Terri (July 15, 2017). "Kingdom Hearts 3 Director: Switch Version 'Maybe' Possible After Xbox One, PS4 Versions Are Released". IGN. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  15. 1 2 Dornbush, Jonathon (June 14, 2016). "E3 2016: KINGDOM HEARTS 2.8 IS A PRIMER FOR KINGDOM HEARTS 3". IGN. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  16. ↑ Frank, Allegra (June 15, 2016). "Kingdom Hearts' timeline continues to befuddle with 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue". Polygon. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  17. 1 2 McWhertor, Michael (September 15, 2015). "Square Enix announces Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue for PS4". Polygon. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  18. 1 2 "KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue 発売決定のお知らせ" (PDF) (in Japanese). Square Enix. September 15, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  19. ↑ Wallace, Kimberley (June 14, 2016). "Wonderfully Paving The Way For Kingdom Hearts III". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  20. ↑ Dunsmore, Kevin (23 January 2017). "Review: Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  21. ↑ "Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ is coming to North America!". Square Enix. April 4, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  22. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (June 8, 2016). "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Gets Release Window, New Trailer". Game Spot. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  23. ↑ Kato, Matthew (October 6, 2016). "Pre-Order Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue For An Exclusive Mickey/Sora Pin". Game Informer. Game Stop. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  24. ↑ Khan, Imran (October 5, 2018). "Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far Bundle Includes Every Game You Need To Get Caught Up". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  25. 1 2 "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  26. 1 2 Carter, Chris (January 23, 2017). "Review: Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue". Destructoid. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  27. ↑ Romano, Sal (December 27, 2016). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1465". Gematsu. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  28. ↑ Wallace, Kimberly (January 23, 2017). "A Great Collection Leading Into What Comes Next - Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue - PlayStation 4". Game Informer. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  29. ↑ Johnson, Leif (January 24, 2017). "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue Review". GameSpot. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  30. 1 2 Agnello, Anthony John (January 23, 2017). "Kingdom Hearts 2.8 review". GamesRadar. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  31. 1 2 Dornbush, Jonathon (January 25, 2017). "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue Review". IGN. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  32. ↑ Sato (January 18, 2017). "This Week In Sales: Kingdom Hearts Runs Out Of Games To Remix". Siliconera. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
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