WHat do you think needs to be in Kingdom Hearts 3?

I have found an article from IGN explaining what they want from Kingdom Hearts 3. I agree with everything they say in this article. I'd love to run up walls, have harder enemies and also have a deeper more emotional story (like Another Kingdom Hearts Story and New Dawn). The bad guys need to be more evil and powerful and you need the sense of saving someone who actually has their life actually on the line. I want to see the Disney worlds be more connected. I'd love to see Aladdin, Cloud and Tarzan in the same story. MIX THINGS UP!!!

Here is the article from IGN's Ryan Clements

July 28, 2009 - Square Enix has traditionally been associated with the Final Fantasy franchise, but one particular series that began in 2002 took the gaming community by surprise. Kingdom Hearts combined the JRPG expertise of Square Enix with the rich worlds and characters of the Disney universe. Add in a few Final Fantasy cameos and you had one of the most unlikely pairs in videogame history -- but it worked. The original Kingdom Hearts was met with a tremendous amount of success and gamers everywhere were captivated by its unique charm and sincere emotion.

The action RPG revolved around a young boy named Sora and his two close friends: Riku and Kairi. The three children played together on an idyllic tropical island until one day a strange darkness invaded their surreal sanctuary and swept Sora up into a quest to find his friends. This journey connects Sora with Donald and Goofy, servants of the King, and the eager trio travels to many worlds in search of old companions -- all while battling the Heartless.

Kingdom Hearts would later be followed by a GBA game titled Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, which followed main character Sora and his adventures after the conclusion of the original Kingdom Hearts. With the launch of Kingdom Hearts II, the protagonists enjoyed a dramatic growth both physically and emotionally, as even more villains threatened the natural order of the worlds.

The most recent game in the Kingdom Hearts series to reach the US was Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories, a PS2 remake of the aforementioned GBA spin-off. With two more spin-offs on the horizon, little is known about the seemingly inevitable Kingdom Hearts III. As Kingdom Hearts is a very special series to me, I decided to put together this outline of what I'd like to see out of the third proper entry in the series. In my effort to shape this as-of-yet untold adventure, I called upon friends and readers alike to create original concept art for this dream project.


Welcome to an Older World

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When Time Meanders On
The best way to approach the third Kingdom Hearts would be to set it at least a few years into the future, if not further. The dramatic -- but still believable -- jump in time from the first game to the second game helped mature the story and coax more adult themes out of the characters, so jumping forward in time again would be the best natural step for the series. Clearly Square Enix is interested in telling a mature, edgier tale, as the classic imagery in "Another side, Another story..." presents a strikingly mature atmosphere in comparison to the rest of the original game. This aesthetic is expanded even further in Kingdom Hearts II and is a necessity for Kingdom Hearts III.

Sora's Grown up
As the story and world evolve in the Kingdom Hearts series, so do the characters. Seeing the dramatic change in Sora's character was one of the highlights of Kingdom Hearts II, but he needs to grow up even more if he's to properly reflect the character development of the first two games. In Kingdom Hearts III, Sora needs to be confident, collected and committed to the tasks at hand. Minor hesitations are great and help add to plot tension, but if Sora reverts back to his childish, immature self, it'll be a huge hurdle to clear for the experience as a whole.

Also, we need to see a real romance blossom between Sora and Kairi. It's what everyone wants, right? It can retain its innocent flair, but I'd like to see their relationship take a step forward.


Levi Buchanan says: As much as I liked the "TRON" sequences just because I love that movie, I think Kingdom Hearts works better when strictly in worlds based on the animated movies. Too much cognitive dissonance with Goofy and Sora alongside Cap'n Jack Sparrow. Cartoon-y characters next to realistic actors looks weird. Of course, Square could just cartoon-up the live-action movie characters. That might actually look cool.

Darkness Spreads
One thing I've always appreciated about the Kingdom Hearts series is the cast of antagonists. Organization XIII was filled with some fantastic characters (at least in terms of their actual design) and Kingdom Hearts III needs to build off of that phenomenal momentum. The antagonists need to be darker, more vicious and hell-bent on accomplishing their goals. The Heartless and Nobodies were just the beginning -- I want to see some truly nefarious forces at work to counterbalance the purity of Sora and his friends.

Stephen Butts says: The original Kingdom Hearts is the reason I bought a PS2. It had a strong story, an inventive approach to merging both franchises and a simple but flexible combat system. They weren't able to maintain those elements for the sequel, but if they can bring them back (and lose the tedious intro levels and pointless Gummi ship sequences), I'll be buying a PS3.

It's How You Tell the Story

"Why So Serious?"
Humor and innocence are extremely important elements in the Kingdom Hearts storylines, but Kingdom Hearts III must have a more serious plot than its predecessors. I want to see a culmination of the emotion and conflict that players have experienced previously, as countless fans will want a sincere emotional impact out of this experience. As the characters will be older, the plot needs to mature in turn. This, of course, needs to stay appropriate for younger audiences (as Kingdom Hearts will always keep its Disney roots), but even serious topics like heartbreak, betrayal and death can be handled in a respectable manner.

One problem with game design nowadays is that developers feel the need to put the entire universe at stake when writing a story, but personal struggles are often the most powerful and that's what Kingdom Hearts III needs to portray. Does Sora really need to save a hundred worlds again? What if he's just pushing forward to help his friends? Or even a single person? Imagine how much pressure the player would feel if only Kairi's life was on the line and nothing else.

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Your Attention, Please
A classic dilemma that arose in the Kingdom Hearts formula was the scattered, almost nonsensical pacing of hopping from world to world. If Sora was trying to find his friends, why is he fighting in a tournament or helping Ariel play an underwater song? I understand that visiting the various Disney worlds is a fundamental feature in the Kingdom Hearts experience, but an overarching conflict or goal needs to tie these chapters together. I was, often times, completely uninterested in the issues of the Disney worlds and only played to see the original storylines unfold. A truly good game must offer the player enjoyable parts, not just an enjoyable whole.

Eduardo Vasconcellos says: For a sequel, I think I'd like to see a "more" approach, while keeping away from the mind-f*** elements. The beginning of Kingdom Hearts II was fine, in terms of telling the story, but it just lasted too long and wasn't all that fun.

I think that Kingdom Hearts II was the better game, but I'd like to see an expansion on that. More Disney and Final Fantasy characters. Not just Cloud and Cid -- how about Locke and Edgar!? Not just the Little Mermaid and Alice in Wonderland -- how about... hm... Toy Story and Wall-E?

Getting Closure
Kingdom Hearts III should be the last game in the series. Although I'd love to experience the Kingdom Hearts universe for years on end, stories need to come to a close eventually and Kingdom Hearts III is the perfect opportunity for Square Enix to draw the curtain on their now legendary series. Besides, the longer a story becomes, the harder it is to hold together. This can be seen when examining the embarrassing filler content that saturates prolonged anime like Naruto, Bleach and InuYasha.

I'm also certain the emotional impact of the finale would be far greater if there was some permanence attached to it.

David Clayman says: Kingdom Hearts has such a great sense of style that it's easy to forget how long ago the second installment was released. We've seen games improve technically so much over the past few years that my biggest request for a sequel is to see the series' presentation given as much attention as the Final Fantasy series. After all, this is Disney, it should be the prettiest game ever made!



To Win a War

Gameplay Evolved
Of course the most important part of designing Kingdom Hearts III is really nailing the combat system. Kingdom Hearts II was widely criticized for its overly easy, Triangle-happy battle mechanics and Kingdom Hearts III needs to learn from its predecessors' mistakes. I suggest offering players a choice at the beginning of the game: use an action system that borrows from the intense, skill-based mechanics of such classics as Devil May Cry (and totally abandon the menus) or use the incredibly addictive card-based system from the Chain of Memories titles. This would give players a fantastic incentive to play through the game multiple times.

Sam Bishop says: [Kingdom Hearts III needs] a stronger focus on the RPG elements without losing the action part of things. Being able to train in certain disciplines that would benefit combat, magic or support would be... neat. Also, if I'm not running up the side of buildings with dual Keyblades, the game is dead to me. Dead I say!

Nothing Like a Good Challenge
Kingdom Hearts II was easy. And, in the words of our own Jeff Haynes, "insulting." I don't remember a single boss battle that I struggled with, nor can I recall more mundane mini-games. Kingdom Hearts III should have multiple difficulty levels that offer significant challenge for the serious player. And if mini-games are to be implemented, they should be well thought out and engaging.

Caleb Lawson says: [Kingdom Hearts III needs] exploration and puzzle solving. No more of this cutscene > battle > cutscene > walk straight > cutscene > battle, crap.

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With a Little Help from My Friends
Players forget that Donald and Goofy actually participate in battle. Why? They don't do much. Or, perhaps more accurately, their actions don't weigh heavily on your own experience. I'd like to see Kingdom Hearts III develop a much more robust party system where you need to actively help your party -- and they help you in return. As Kingdom Hearts revolves around friendship, having a dynamic party system makes sense -- not just for improving the gameplay but for reflecting the franchise's themes.

Meghan Sullivan says: Needs more chainsaws.

And We Can't Forget...
Nostalgia and melancholy -- two of my favorite words and crucial aspects of the Kingdom Hearts experience. It's difficult to describe in words the feelings I had when watching the conversations between Sora, Riku and Kairi as the sun set on their little island, or the simplicity of Roxas enjoying ice cream in Twilight Town. These special moments represent an intangible element of Kingdom Hearts that make it quite special. This "energy," if you will, needs to come back for Kingdom Hearts III.

 

I don't want to see either Sora or Kairi die in the game. That would be upsetting. They should make the story darker though.