Anyone else irked a bit at 0.2?

[kirabook]

I don't know how you expected them to be super chipper or even normal given their situation...

 

[DefiantHeart]

Well, it did feel a bit forced in dialogue and actions, especially the ending. It all just seemed like a "fan fic" way of describing why Aqua is still in the realm of darkness, and why only now they need to save her... like Nomura thought up this moment last minute. Regardless though, I still liked the customization options and playing as Aqua again was refreshing. ( I just wish she could learn glide someday, lol.)

 

[Infamita]

Well, it did feel a bit forced in dialogue and actions, especially the ending. It all just seemed like a "fan fic" way of describing why Aqua is still in the realm of darkness, and why only now they need to save her... like Nomura thought up this moment last minute.

I don't know how you expected them to be super chipper or even normal given their situation...

Conceptually, 0.2 could've been amazing, but Nomura's portrayal of the game left much to be desired. I would never expect Aqua to be "super chipper" considering the situation, but I really think Nomura could've approached her character with some more stoicism. When Aqua does attempt to show courage, it just comes off as pathetic. "My heart is strong, I'll prove it." It's just such weak rhetoric in my opinion.

Regardless though, I still liked the customization options and playing as Aqua again was refreshing. ( I just wish she could learn glide someday, lol.)

I really enjoyed the next gen feel that 0.2 gave us and I really hope they keep the customization features in KH3. And yea, leaning glide would make grinding that much easier

 

[kirabook]

Some peoples criticism of her from BbS is that she was too stoic and an Ice Queen (even though she kinda is in a literal sense). He was probably listening to criticism and mixed it up a bit. I'm sure when she's out of there, her attitude will change. But I think her showing her weakness and sadness while trapped in such a place is justified and gives her a personal struggle she didn't have in BbS.

I always feel the dialogue in KH could have been better. Some of Aqua's dialog threw me off a little cause well, no ones ever mentioned some things before (cats and dogs). Aqua's 'pathetic' mention of her heart is strong fits in with what she says later. She admits her courage is dwindling and her heart isn't all that strong since darkness has found a way inside.

 

[Infamita]

Ahahah yea I agree the 'cats and dogs' monologue was also pretty peculiar :') I guess at the end of the day, I just want KH3 to be amazing. Literally, all Square has to do is refine their scripts and voice acting, and I'll be satisfied. The visual and mechanical elements of 0.2 were stunning and I really hope they carry over to KH3 just as well

 

[Audo]

the cats and dog thing was one of the better things in 0.2 imo

 

[Infamita]

Yea despite all the vocal awkwardness, that line really helped personify the world more. It's good to see that Nomura is attempting to make the worlds more wholesome, and less empty.

 

[Bufferino]

I would've been fine if they only mentioned Riku. Not Sora. Just Riku.

 

[Xickin]

I was irked by Back Cover more than anything. 0.2 gave me some good gameplay experience (although the story had a few copouts in it).

 

[meep2meep]

I had actually posted a thread a little while back about how mickey and riku left the realm of darkness just because of how convoluted travel to and from there is. I'm glad 0.2 answered why aqua didn't go with them.
I don't think it matters how mickey lost his shirt I'm just glad they acknowledged it.
I don't really see how 0.2 retconed anything? Especially blank points? Yes we know the dialogue has always been sappy and clunky but that's what you get when your story revolves around friendship and the heart of the cards...
Has anyone ever tried writing monologue dialogue when it should be internal... because it is really difficult. I think a bigger plot hole is not aquas interactions with mickey but mickey Donald and goofy completely avoiding and connection between ven/ Roxas and possible connection to sora... theoretically mickey must have seen an unmasked vanitas even from a distance, but he definitely has seen vens face and even vens face resembles soras (or vice versa if you want to bring up how vens heart influenced the development of soras).
I think aquas tear during blank points was about how there were people ACTUALLY fighting the darkness even if it wasn't terra or ven.

 

[Precursor Mar]

I honestly thought the storytelling in 0.2 was atrocious. Everytime Willa Holland said something I couldn't help but cringe. For me, Aqua's character was reduced to a whimsical, emo mess in 0.2. And even when Aqua encountered Terra and some proper dialogue finally ensued, it was still terrible. "Your heart is just painting the picture that it so wants to see. The real me is lost in shadow." Holy shit they couldn't sound more pathetic if they tried. I didn't mind Jason Dohring's voice acting in Birth By Sleep, but he managed to sound infinitely more mopey in 0.2.

Even the voice actors that I genuinely liked were ruined for me because of the garbage script. I really enjoyed 0.2 gameplay wise, but I honestly wish I could just forget everything that occurred plot wise.

And to top it off, I agree wholeheartedly with what NuclearCheetos15 said. It killed me inside to see Blank Points being trashed throughout every second of that game.

What? You're telling me you weren't completely riveted every time Aqua went off in one of her shakespearean soliloquies?

 

[Infamita]

I was irked by Back Cover more than anything. 0.2 gave me some good gameplay experience (although the story had a few copouts in it).

100% agree. Back Cover was a nice visually theatrical experience, but there was no real substance, no real story progression. The only thing vaguely interesting was the Master of Master's conversation with Luxu at the end. Ultimately, Back Cover shared the same integral flaws as 0.2. The only thing that saved 0.2, was just as you said, the gameplay :')

KH3 better get to the point because we've been waiting 5 years for some genuine plot progression.

Yes we know the dialogue has always been sappy and clunky but that's what you get when your story revolves around friendship and the heart of the cards...
Has anyone ever tried writing monologue dialogue when it should be internal... because it is really difficult. I think a bigger plot hole is not aquas interactions with mickey but mickey Donald and goofy completely avoiding and connection between ven/ Roxas and possible connection to sora... theoretically mickey must have seen an unmasked vanitas even from a distance, but he definitely has seen vens face and even vens face resembles soras (or vice versa if you want to bring up how vens heart influenced the development of soras).
I think aquas tear during blank points was about how there were people ACTUALLY fighting the darkness even if it wasn't terra or ven.

Yeah I agree, writing monologue and dialogue can be particularly difficult in a series such as Kingdom Hearts. But come on, that's not an excuse, Square has a certain standard it has to reach in order to stay relevant. Kingdom Hearts is by far my favourite game series and I hate watching it diminish because of something as stupid as lazy scriptwriting.

And yeah dude, the gaping plot holes when it comes to Mickey, Donald, and Goofy's memory just kills me. It's like Square is just trynna pretend that Donald and Goofy never saw Ven and that they're incapable of drawing the dots. It'd be ridiculous if, in KH3, Yen Sid just says "BTW GUYS, VEN'S HEART WAS IN SORA THIS ENTIRE TIME LOOOOOL." Laaaaazy storytelling, up your game Square.

What? You're telling me you weren't completely riveted every time Aqua went off in one of her shakespearean soliloquies?

HAHA Aqua was going full Prospero at some points. It was like Nomura was trying to reach some next level form of Shakespearean enlightenment with the 0.2 script.

 

[meep2meep]

I agree just because it's hard doesn't mean that they should be standardless. I have huge expectations for 3 and if we give square constructive feedback and not just bitch then they could actually improve it.

Tbh I think yen side knows exactly where vens heart is. In bbs he's all like vens heart is asleep. I think he knows it's in sora and was sneakily using soras and rikus mastery exam to try and awaken vens heart. Plus he Def knows where vens body is as all the masters know the secret of land of departure.

 

[The Dark Mamba]

In the end, I was left satisfied by 0.2. True to it's word, it was a glorified demo for KH3 but it gave me some cool gameplay and bosses, great visuals, nice character moments and the send off to KH3 I've waited entirely too long to see. Oh and the cinematic opening is spectacular.

Where it did fail was two areas. For all the hype that the game was, I was expecting something of more story substance or something worthy of avoiding spoilers for two weeks when the game was released in JP. It also would've been nice if they crafted a story that didn't undermine the impact of blank points.

 

[Infamita]

I agree just because it's hard doesn't mean that they should be standardless. I have huge expectations for 3 and if we give square constructive feedback and not just bitch then they could actually improve it.

Tbh I think yen side knows exactly where vens heart is. In bbs he's all like vens heart is asleep. I think he knows it's in sora and was sneakily using soras and rikus mastery exam to try and awaken vens heart. Plus he Def knows where vens body is as all the masters know the secret of land of departure.

Exactly! Constructive criticism is the key to making KH3 a satisfying experience. I just hope Square is able to meet the overwhelming expectation that has come with 12 years of waiting.

And yea, Yen Sid knowing where Ven's heart is would be an amazing plot twist. I would honestly love for that to become a reality in KH3; it would bring some healthy sophistication to the series.

 

[Infamita]

In the end, I was left satisfied by 0.2. True to it's word, it was a glorified demo for KH3 but it gave me some cool gameplay and bosses, great visuals, nice character moments and the send off to KH3 I've waited entirely too long to see. Oh and the cinematic opening is spectacular.

Where it did fail was two areas. For all the hype that the game was, I was expecting something of more story substance or something worthy of avoiding spoilers for two weeks when the game was released in JP. It also would've been nice if they crafted a story that didn't undermine the impact of blank points.

100% yes ^^^ -

 

[Absent]

Honestly this series would be ten times better if they had a story group. The biggest plus to that would be consistency.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

I think a bigger plot hole is not aquas interactions with mickey but mickey Donald and goofy completely avoiding and connection between ven/ Roxas and possible connection to sora... theoretically mickey must have seen an unmasked vanitas even from a distance, but he definitely has seen vens face and even vens face resembles soras (or vice versa if you want to bring up how vens heart influenced the development of soras).

Uh no, that is not a plot hole at all. Mickey, Donald and Goofy completely "avoid" any connection between Roxas and Ventus because they do not KNOW about it at all. It was deliberately done so that Mickey never met or even saw Roxas.
It is only during the ending of Re: Coded that Mickey finally comes to know what Roxas even looks like and THEN he DOES connect the dots as in the following secret ending he remarks to Yen Sid that they might now finally have a clue where Ven's heart is.
And no, except Master Xehanort and Ventus no one saw Vanitas without his mask. When Mickey arrived, Vanitas had already forcefully merged with Ventus and only Ventus-Vanitas was in view.

And yeah dude, the gaping plot holes when it comes to Mickey, Donald, and Goofy's memory just kills me. It's like Square is just trynna pretend that Donald and Goofy never saw Ven and that they're incapable of drawing the dots. It'd be ridiculous if, in KH3, Yen Sid just says "BTW GUYS, VEN'S HEART WAS IN SORA THIS ENTIRE TIME LOOOOOL." Laaaaazy storytelling, up your game Square.

I'm really at a loss at what you are Mickey, Donald and Goofy accusing of. Mickey did befriend Ventus, yes, but until the end of Re: Coded he had not a single goddamn clue that there even is a connection between Sora and Ventus. He isn't like we the audience who see all those connections played out to us, he has a limited view of the whole picture.
Donald and Goofy also met Ventus only once for less than half an hour, so it is not really that much of a stretch that after ten years they would have forgotten.

And yea, Yen Sid knowing where Ven's heart is would be an amazing plot twist. I would honestly love for that to become a reality in KH3; it would bring some healthy sophistication to the series.

It would not be a plot twist but a plot hole, cause from where the heck should Yen Sid have known? He's a wise sorcerer but he's not all-knowing, he even says in BBS that not even reading the stars can tell him everything.
He does know or rather suspect something now after the secret ending of Re: Coded where Mickey informed him, but not before.

 

[Muke]

What's with this constant hate on Mickey, Donald, and Goofy? Sephiroth already cleared everything up for you guys, but it's still beyond me how someone can accuse three characters when they are literally innocent? And calling it 'lazy storytelling', oh man..

 

[Infamita]

I'm really at a loss at what you are Mickey, Donald and Goofy accusing of. Mickey did befriend Ventus, yes, but until the end of Re: Coded he had not a single goddamn clue that there even is a connection between Sora and Ventus. He isn't like we the audience who see all those connections played out to us, he has a limited view of the whole picture.
Donald and Goofy also met Ventus only once for less than half an hour, so it is not really that much of a stretch that after ten years they would have forgotten.

Although I might've been a bit tough on Donald and Goofy, they both should be able to draw the connection between Ventus and Roxas. They encountered Ventus for long enough in BBS to at least remember his face, after all, they did entrust Mickey's life with him. And in terms of seeing Roxas, Donald and Goofy saw the photo of the Twilight Town gang with Roxas in it after the 1000 Heartless battle. I'm sure at some point, SOMEONE would have connected the dots.

It would not be a plot twist but a plot hole, cause from where the heck should Yen Sid have known? He's a wise sorcerer but he's not all-knowing, he even says in BBS that not even reading the stars can tell him everything.
He does know or rather suspect something now after the secret ending of Re: Coded where Mickey informed him, but not before.

And sorry if I was unclear, but I didn't mean to suggest that Yen Sid knew that Ven was inside Sora the entire time because you're right, that'd be a plot hole. I was referring to after the Re: Coded secret ending, it'd be a nice plot twist if Yen Sid had orchestrated the Mark of Mastery exam just to inadvertently awaken Ven's heart - because of the information Mickey gave him.

Edit:

What's with this constant hate on Mickey, Donald, and Goofy? Sephiroth already cleared everything up for you guys, but it's still beyond me how someone can accuse three characters when they are literally innocent? And calling it 'lazy storytelling', oh man..

Sorry if it looks like I'm bashing Mickey, Donald, and Goofy <3 But with the evidence that I added above, it just seems obvious that the Ven-Roxas connection was glossed over by Square. It just feels like they'll conveniently 'remember' seeing the photo and what Ventus looks like when it's easiest for Square.