News ► Gamekult interviews Hazama, Nomura & Suzui about KH Melody of Memory

[Launchpad]

Another thought, just like... As someone who likes a (fair and fun) challenge, something that'll make me sweat a little, this game will actually provide me with that, guaranteed, where other games (DDD and BBS spring to mind) in the series have launched with seriously de-emphasized action gameplay and rAaAnDoMnEsS. It's weirdly comforting knowing there's a KH game coming that requires absolute timing and input precision. Something that I can sit with, memorize, and get better at without being punished for the simple action of trying.

For once I don't have to dread the slow realization that I'm playing an unbalanced mess.

(but lemme emphasize that I feel these concerns don't apply as much anymore after the speculative but unconfirmed return of Takahashi to the KH team)

 

[Katsagu]

I don't know, I knew exactly what this game was from the very 1st trailer and every time I've seen the game I've been delighted. A playable segment ala 0.2 was just wishfull thinking and nothing they ever showed pointed to that being something happening in this game. This is a rhythm game.

Not being able to costumize the party sounds like a wasted opportunity, but that was never a necessity, it's just the way this game works, you play with specific teams and maybe each of them have specific abilites and such.

The pricing, it's not unfair at all in my opinion. I have bought rythm games for the same price ever since the PS3, look at Guitar Hero, Rock Band or the persona rythm games for example. Just because in your mind a rythm game doesn't deserve a 60 dollar price tag does not mean it doesn't. And this game as 140 songs. That's a lot.

But hey, no one has to buy this at launch, nomura has said the story isn't majorly important, so people feeling the FOMO on the story don't have to worry to much here, that's not a bad thing.

I think the problem here is people wanting this game to be something it isn't since the beginning.

 

[Idreamaboutcats]

Melody of Memory is built with Unity

That explains a lot.

Let’s see, nothing new, nothing new, more nothing new, questionable price but not as obscene as weekly UXDR VIP, still nothing new…Ehhh…

So a rhythm game with extra Kairi scenes…

If there’s one wham moment I want from this, I want the Nameless Star to confirm which of the Secret Episode endings was canon. A part of me is really hoping that the bad ending was canon.

Or you know, the name of the file that says “True” on it.

I’d buy this if it weren’t for the fact that I’m bad at rhythm games. Drakengard 3’s “final boss battle” comes to mind…

 

[AegisXIII]

Old graphics are still really great. They are more suited for motion pictures movie. Unreal engine wouldn't work as good in my opinion. Hercules world in kh3 seemed a bit off.
Motion picture: old engine
CGI movies, new engine.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

Bigger number =/= better, nor does newer. No graphics are "outdated".

This is the followup to Kingdom Hearts III, and to be presented with a sequel that uses HD PlayStation 2 assets does make it outdated.

People were fine with the HD Remixes because they were remasters, this is an entirely new game.

Old graphics are still really great. They are more suited for motion pictures movie. Unreal engine wouldn't work as good in my opinion. Hercules world in kh3 seemed a bit off.
Motion picture: old engine
CGI movies, new engine.

Hercules is an outlier because there was no CG references from Disney to go by so they had to interpret the transition from hand drawn 2D to Kingdom Shader 3D the best they could.

 

[SweetYetSalty]

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed by many of these things. However I'm still excited to play the game...take a guess why. $60 for this does feel too pricey for my taste. $40 sounds more reasonable, but if the game is fun, enjoyable, and has lots of replay value to it then I probably won't mind the extra 20. This will be my first true Rhythm game, so that alone has me hyped at how hilariously bad I'll be lol.

I think it was Chaser who said it, and I agree. I would much rather this then long droughts between games again. I just wish we got all this info sooner before all the wild crazy fantasies of character customizing and switching became a big focus. I'm guilty of hyping those aspects too, sorry.

I have a feeling this game will be the ReCoded of phase 2, in that the gameplay will be better then the story. I still think something important will happen to get us talking about the story. But this game is certainly one more for gameplay and I'm more looking forward to that then story content.

Kairi is almost certainly not playable here, but phase 2 just started. She'll get another chance. Just got to be patient for a little while longer. Good things come to those who wait.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I’d buy this if it weren’t for the fact that I’m bad at rhythm games. Drakengard 3’s “final boss battle” comes to mind…

The Theatrhythm games are rather forgiving and eventually the motions click, so I imagine this one would be the same. It would be nice if they had a demo so people could try it out and get a feel of if.

Also we say fuck you to Yoko Taro making the final boss the hardest rhythm game on the planet 8D I never want to hear another chime again.

 

[Sakuraba Neku]

I already had decided not to buy this game, so I'm not really disappointed with any of this.
Nomura said there won't be a secret ending, but I guess the short scenario they added with KH3 assets will make up for it.

I doubt they will bother with new CGI scenes for the Opening too. It will be reused cutscenes most likely.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I already had decided not to buy this game, so I'm not really disappointed with any of this.
Nomura said there won't be a secret ending, but I guess the short scenario they added with KH3 assets will make up for it.

I doubt they will bother with new CGI scenes for the Opening too. It will be reused cutscenes most likely.

Which has always been the case with games the scale of CoM, Days, or Re:coded.

 

[Sakuraba Neku]

Which has always been the case with games the scale of CoM, Days, or Re:coded.

Yeah I know and just another proof to not expect much from this.

 

[Katsagu]

I think if this game didn't have story stuff in it people would be way less harsher on it. I know nomura has said it, and it technically IS a KH game, but I think we need to stop looking at this game with the lens of a KH game and more of a rythm game.

What's on offer here is incredibly rich for a rythm game.

I just hope there is a sizeable chunk of KH3 songs.

 

[Chie]

This is the followup to Kingdom Hearts III, and to be presented with a sequel that uses HD PlayStation 2 assets does make it outdated.

People were fine with the HD Remixes because they were remasters, this is an entirely new game.

No. Styles used in the past do not become outdated or replaced with styles used in the present. They are just different, that's all. The point of visuals in games is not to continuously advance in polygon count, but to be utilized according to the need of the work.

Though even beyond that I don't know how anyone can expect them to remake every single world in the series in kh3's style just for a rhythm game.

 

[Rydgea]

I was personally Team "Use PS2-era Assets for KH3", just because I wanted to keep that uniformity and sentiment within the saga. I'm not complaining we got the new, shiny stuff, but the climax, the storytelling and the characterization will always prevail over any aesthetic value.

Needless to say, it's like coming home seeing these graphics.

I understand the push-pull frustration of course. I feel like KH is having another identity crisis:
- Welcome to Phase 2! Of the neverending Xehanort Saga!
- It's Kairi's time to shine! You still can't play Kairi!

Coming from a franchise where interviews and concerts reveal canon material, it should be no surprise that a game with the "Kingdom Hearts" banner does the same. Every game thus far has. Be quiet, V-Cast.

I know there are a lot of people here justifying the price tag on their behalf (for myriad reasons that have yet to be confirmed), but Square and Disney are monolithic brands, and they don't need anyone's justification for their prices. People will just buy their products.. just because it's the latest Square / Disney thing. You can walk into retail, find an old Disney film that's been re-released and repackaged countless times and it will still carry the price tag of a new release. It's fine, it's whatever. But we're definitely talking about corporations here, and some of y'all should be paid for the good, quasi-altruistic PR you're coming up with.

That being said, the price doesn't surprise me in the least, and I'm buying this game.. eventually. I fucking love KH music, I do. And this offers a new level of interactivity with these amazing soundtracks. However, I am also fortunate enough to be dealing with a backlog. I haven't even played Re:Mind yet. So, by the time that cache has cleared, this game will likely, conveniently, have gone on some sort of sale, and I will capitalize on that. Honestly, if Square would have given us some sort of Collector's Edition, like a sucker, I would have paid day one for a game I would.. eventually get around to. But the choice has been made for me.

 

[KeybladeLordSora]

Y'know the Kairi thing reminds me of the whole playable Vergil situation in a reverse kind of way.

The new story bits are obviously focused on Kairi and her backstory, but she isn't playable.

Vergil has been playable twice, not counting the reboot since that's basically a different character altogether, but he hasn't had a story focused on him.

People want Vergil playable with a story, people want Kairi story but with her playable.

 

[AdrianXXII]

Personally I'm a bit disappointed that you can't change up the party members and that there's no alternative costumes, but those aren't going to ruin the game for me.

It became pretty clear that despite the price point this is a lower budget game where they are making the most out of the resources they have available. Honestly I was starting to get the picture that a lot of easy crowd pleasers wouldn't be in the game, but it seems fine for what it is, a smaller entry like we haven't really had in awhile.

This'll be my first rhythm game. Not even sure, if I'll like the game play, but everything I've seen makes me excited to try it out and figure out if I'll like it or not.

 

[The_Echo]

Not being able to costumize the party sounds like a wasted opportunity, but that was never a necessity, it's just the way this game works, you play with specific teams and maybe each of them have specific abilites and such.

I have slightly mixed feelings regarding this.
It is a little disappointing that there aren't more characters and there aren't custom teams, because that was present in the Theatrhythm games.

However, with this and them saying that leveling only really increases attack power and HP, and that abilities are pretty much set in stone from the beginning, it appears to me that MoM will be honing in on the rhythm game aspect much more than Theatrhythm did, which had a lot more RPG to it (which ultimately felt a bit half-baked anyway).

Along with them specifying a separate one-button mode, I'm hoping that MoM will be a more fully-realized rhythm game, with more complex and difficult charts than Theatrhythm's limited input options could offer.

I'm completely ready to forgive any lacking cosmetic options or RPG elements if it means a richer and more challenging rhythm game.

 

[Xickin]

Despite what I've said earlier, I am probably going to get this game. It just looks charming in general, but I do have to agree with some of the points that've come up in this thread: No party customization? No costume changes? That sucks, man. I would've at least liked to play as KH2 Sora or Riku. I feel like those iterations of them don't get enough credit for their designs.

 

[Chaser]

Despite what I've said earlier, I am probably going to get this game. It just looks charming in general, but I do have to agree with some of the points that've come up in this thread: No party customization? No costume changes? That sucks, man. I would've at least liked to play as KH2 Sora or Riku. I feel like those iterations of them don't get enough credit for their designs.

Especially Riku. He's just a sexy guy.

 

[Xickin]

Especially Riku. He's just a sexy guy.

KH2 Riku is the sexiest iteration. KH3 Riku is pretty cool, but MAN did KH2 Riku's hair go well with that outfit (damn you 3DS!).

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

idk I love his hair long and short.

Especially Riku. He's just a sexy guy.