Party Members. We all know KH3 is going to have a ton of characters in it because so much needs to be wrapped up, so we'll just have to wait and see how they handle that. I feel like Square may do something similar to BBS and split Riku, Kairi, and Sora up into three separate playable characters-- But this isn't really what I want to talk about here. Right now I'd like to discuss the way parties work in Kingdom Hearts. KH 1, KH 2, and --to some extent though in a different manner--DDD all use parties in their gameplay. DDD offered a wide range of different dream eaters that one could customize and add to their party to their own liking, but we don't see this in KH 1 or KH 2 so much-- Which is what I'd like to talk about here: the party style used in the two main console games and even more specifically for the inevitable Kingdom Hearts 3.
Through reading other people's different posts and opinions on this type of thing, I know that a lot of people are eager to see the return of Donald and Goofy and the original golden trio; and while I have nothing against this, I think they should expand. As mentioned before, there will undeniably be a wide range of characters in KH3, all of which would make really cool and interesting party members. To me, being able to choose and customize your party members in an RPG game is part of what heightens the experience and allows you to expand more in your gameplay, especially if you plan to replay the game several times-- But Kingdom Hearts has never really done this. Sure when you visit one of the many Disney worlds you normally receive a new party member from that specific world, but they're a bit redundant. The characters don't stick around for a long enough time, so there's no reason for players to really incorporate them into their team. (Level ups, stats, items, etc. Its just not necessary).
What I've always wanted to see, and do still hope to see in KH3, is a party system that the player are able to customize fully to their liking with several different options. The argument has come up that it wouldn't be right for Disney characters to leave their home worlds due to the natural order of the games, and I can understand their position-- But even without the Disney characters, KH3 offers us the possibility of so much more. I'm talking about Even, Aeleus, Ienzo, Dilan, Aqua, and even Lea, Riku, and Kairi (If they do not have a story of their own). I see so many posts talkinga bout how the past nobodies are no longer important and that they really don't care much if they are not included in the game because they are, well, unimportant; I say let's make them important! The characters have so much potential; it would be great to have them as allies, and their purpose for helping would be clear enough: Wanting to help fix their past mistakes, take down Xehanort for using and lying to them, restore Radiant Garden to what it once was, saving their old mentor. However, the addition of these new party members doesn't mean we'd be getting rid of Donald and Goofy because the player would have that choice, to be able to choose the characters they want on their team, allowing a unique experience each time one plays-- think Chrono Trigger, for example.
Now another issue people have brought up is: What about storyline? Wouldn't that mess things? True, which is why for the sake of storyline, different characters in your party could be necessary at different points of the game, perhaps going along as you collect them and are then available for later use at points when a specific party member isn't necessary. Again, another thing that has been brought up concerns time because KH3 already has so much to include. Also true, but I think (and hope) that KH3 is inevitably going to be a long game anyway because it has to be to fit everything in, and Square will want to end the saga with a bang, so to speak. To go even further, each party member could even have their own little side missions just to add something new to the table. Just think of all the neat attacks and commands that each of these characters have to offer. Besides, I think that the incorporation of more characters is necessary; sure the 13 darknesses and 7 lights will clash in battle, but the darknesses will likely have a ton of heartless, nobodies, unversed, or even creatures of darkness on their side. Somebody will have to take care of those I would think, and this is where the apprentices and FF characters could come in, as well as some previously lost characters, to help with the battle.
Looking at this post now I can see that it is long, so I will not include another topic I had originally planned to lop onto this one. So, what do you guys think? These are my own personal opinions and hopes for Kh3, feel free to add your own.
Through reading other people's different posts and opinions on this type of thing, I know that a lot of people are eager to see the return of Donald and Goofy and the original golden trio; and while I have nothing against this, I think they should expand. As mentioned before, there will undeniably be a wide range of characters in KH3, all of which would make really cool and interesting party members. To me, being able to choose and customize your party members in an RPG game is part of what heightens the experience and allows you to expand more in your gameplay, especially if you plan to replay the game several times-- But Kingdom Hearts has never really done this. Sure when you visit one of the many Disney worlds you normally receive a new party member from that specific world, but they're a bit redundant. The characters don't stick around for a long enough time, so there's no reason for players to really incorporate them into their team. (Level ups, stats, items, etc. Its just not necessary).
What I've always wanted to see, and do still hope to see in KH3, is a party system that the player are able to customize fully to their liking with several different options. The argument has come up that it wouldn't be right for Disney characters to leave their home worlds due to the natural order of the games, and I can understand their position-- But even without the Disney characters, KH3 offers us the possibility of so much more. I'm talking about Even, Aeleus, Ienzo, Dilan, Aqua, and even Lea, Riku, and Kairi (If they do not have a story of their own). I see so many posts talkinga bout how the past nobodies are no longer important and that they really don't care much if they are not included in the game because they are, well, unimportant; I say let's make them important! The characters have so much potential; it would be great to have them as allies, and their purpose for helping would be clear enough: Wanting to help fix their past mistakes, take down Xehanort for using and lying to them, restore Radiant Garden to what it once was, saving their old mentor. However, the addition of these new party members doesn't mean we'd be getting rid of Donald and Goofy because the player would have that choice, to be able to choose the characters they want on their team, allowing a unique experience each time one plays-- think Chrono Trigger, for example.
Now another issue people have brought up is: What about storyline? Wouldn't that mess things? True, which is why for the sake of storyline, different characters in your party could be necessary at different points of the game, perhaps going along as you collect them and are then available for later use at points when a specific party member isn't necessary. Again, another thing that has been brought up concerns time because KH3 already has so much to include. Also true, but I think (and hope) that KH3 is inevitably going to be a long game anyway because it has to be to fit everything in, and Square will want to end the saga with a bang, so to speak. To go even further, each party member could even have their own little side missions just to add something new to the table. Just think of all the neat attacks and commands that each of these characters have to offer. Besides, I think that the incorporation of more characters is necessary; sure the 13 darknesses and 7 lights will clash in battle, but the darknesses will likely have a ton of heartless, nobodies, unversed, or even creatures of darkness on their side. Somebody will have to take care of those I would think, and this is where the apprentices and FF characters could come in, as well as some previously lost characters, to help with the battle.
Looking at this post now I can see that it is long, so I will not include another topic I had originally planned to lop onto this one. So, what do you guys think? These are my own personal opinions and hopes for Kh3, feel free to add your own.
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