Will the KH series stand the test of time?

[Launchpad]

Hmm, you have a rare opinion there Most, if not every other forum member on this site, really likes to put one on their list, and for all of the reasons you listed here. They think the story is far better that KHII's (which is my opinion as well), they like the gameplay better, they love the platforming and the world-building, and they especially like the art style of the game! It's on the top of my list as well, and, not to offend KHII defenders, but KHII is probably one of the worst games in the franchise. It's sloppy, rushed, and just seems like it was slapped together for the 2006 release date and only after did they decide to fix it and balance it out with the Final Mix.

KH2 may be a bit sloppy, but I'm glad they put their most intense focus on the combat, so it can still be a decent game despite it's flaws. BBS can have it's thematic shit that everyone loves, but it's just a boring game to play. I don't play KH2 much because of it's flaws, but it's fun to crank out critical mode every now and then, because enemies still have well thought out patterns, stagger, and revenge values that make sense.

 

[Chuman]

whether or not it stands the test of time depends on if disney rereleases it on ps5 for it's 20th anniversary as the diamond edition

in all seriousness, its all in the nostalgia. i imagine a live action disney movie beginning, the parent pulls out their 3ds and psp, ps3 and ps4, all the old titles as well as remakes and has their child discover something magical when they begin playing games.

it isn't farfetched, i grew up in early 2000s yet my first games were on the NES.

 

[Kaijuguy19]

I’m a bit unsure as to what you’re asking. If you’re asking will this series be remembered into the future, I will have to say yes based on the premise alone (Disney meets Final Fantasy). KH1 and KH2 were fun, relatively simple games, and many people have fond memories of playing them. KH1 is still enjoyable 13 years after it was released. It was a detailed game that had a lot of heart put into it. You didn’t have to read various translated interviews/play a bunch of games on different platforms to understand the plot as a whole. The first two main installments, I believe, could stand the test of time.

I just don’t see the spin-off games having that same sense of longevity. I can’t envision the current “saga” being held up as anything except perhaps a cautionary tale against console spreading in the future. The plot has become a jumbled, convoluted mess that has even people who have played all the installments struggling to understand what’s going on. It’s not an easily accessible series for new players to get into (especially children) and with many old fans leaving because they’ve become disillusioned with the series, the fanbase itself will just continue to fade away over time.

But weren't the Remixes for the PS3 made eventually so that the people who were put off by the console spreading done by the spin offs in the past won't have to worry about buying different game systems in order to get the full story in the first place thus making it easier for newcomers to get into it? In that regard they seem to have corrected that method which is late yeah but better late then never which people have said many times. The only KH game not remastered yet is DDD but even then that game's now likely to get a remix eventually.

 

[Absent]

I think it has a chance based on its premise, gameplay wise some games might/not age well.

 

[namine_ftw]

But weren't the Remixes for the PS3 made eventually so that the people who were put off by the console spreading done by the spin offs in the past won't have to worry about buying different game systems in order to get the full story in the first place thus making it easier for newcomers to get into it? In that regard they seem to have corrected that method which is late yeah but better late then never which people have said many times. The only KH game not remastered yet is DDD but even then that game's now likely to get a remix eventually.

The thing is, all these remixes/speculated remixes shouldn't have to be necessary in the first place, imo. I don't think we can say the mistake has been "corrected" either since Nomura still continues to spread the main story out over multiple platforms with chi and DDD. He still hasn't seemed to have learned that it's not a good idea, which doesn't make me optimistic about the future of the series.

 

[Anagram]

But weren't the Remixes for the PS3 made eventually so that the people who were put off by the console spreading done by the spin offs in the past won't have to worry about buying different game systems in order to get the full story in the first place thus making it easier for newcomers to get into it? In that regard they seem to have corrected that method which is late yeah but better late then never which people have said many times. The only KH game not remastered yet is DDD but even then that game's now likely to get a remix eventually.

Except now they're all only PS3. Not everyone that had PS2's have PS3s and not everyone even bothered with the then new gen. Console spread was also only solved briefly because next thing you know you have Chi, which just has to be plot relevant to KH3, is on phones and DDD has yet to be brought with the rest. Then you have KH3 coming to PS4 when all of the remixes are on PS3.

So unless 2.9 is some sort of super remix with every games story, in some form or fashion, on PS4/Xbox1 then they still have console spread. Granted Chi at the very least is supposed to be free but just how many take that one seriously?

The thing is, all these remixes/speculated remixes shouldn't have to be necessary in the first place, imo.

This ^

Half of the alienation of some fans wasn't just console spread but how heavily plot important the handhelds were. KH3 is practically a sequel/ending to Days, BBS, Coded and DDD rather than KH2 itself.
The very nature of needing remixes to understand KH3 itself isn't a good thing.

The whole handheld debate is also extremely random so I hate to see people so proud those that didn't or couldn't play them will suffer.

 

[Launchpad]

Another reason people distanced themselves from the franchise is because it got fucking weird and shitty during the handheld games. "You two would be the weirdest brothers." "Hahahahahahahahaha" I can only imagine how many PSPs were turned off RIGHT THERE

 

[Anagram]

Let's not forget "wait this girl is Sora's clone?!" or *xehanort voice* "trolol it was all me! plus time travel".

 

[BlackOsprey]

Visuals and graphics-wise, I'd say that KH will probably stand the test of time pretty well. It's got the distinct advantage of having that bright, cartoonish appearance that ages well in just about any kind of medium. And so far, it seems to me like they've done exactly that. Even KH1 looks pretty good today, minus the fish-face.

Concept-wise, who's to say? For a good portion of us, a huge selling and driving point of this franchise in the first place had everything to do with childhood nostalgia. I'm not sure if the appeal of the classic animated Disney movies will stay as a relevant point of nostalgia as time goes on. I'm also uncertain about the gameplay, although as far as I can tell, the only game that had any major changes in the Remixes was KH1, with its camera and all. I found KH1 and KHII pretty thrilling to play, speaking as someone who never played them til they were released in the remixes, so there's that.

Story-wise... heh. As much as I hate to say it, I'm kinda in agreement with the people above. It's a clusterdiddly, and while that aspect actually drew me in, it's easy to see how that could be incredibly off-putting to others. And then you have all those important details and plot points strewn not just across consoles, but outside of the games themselves, in interviews and Ultimania. It's a very bad setup for long-term storytelling, and it's gonna leave a lot of people confused, especially if they don't have an active community to answer their questions. However, I'm pretty sure that, as a standalone, KH1's story will probably age very well.