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is an
action role-playing An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Definition The games emphasize real-time combat where the player h ...
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
developed and
published Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, news ...
by Square Enix in collaboration with
Disney Interactive Studios Disney Interactive Studios, Inc. was an American video game developer and publisher owned by The Walt Disney Company through Disney Interactive. Prior to its closure in 2016, it developed and distributed multi-platform video games and interac ...
for the
PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
, serving as the sixth installment in the ''
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square (video game company), Square). It is a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company and is under the leadership of Tetsuya ...
'' series. The game was released on UMD in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010, and in the PAL regions on September 10, 2010. An international version of the game titled ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' was released in Japan in January 2011 featuring the changes made in the non-Japanese versions. A direct sequel, ''Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep - A Fragmentary Passage'', was released in January 2017 as a part of a bundle of games called ''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue''. The game utilizes an overhauled battle system different from previous games in the series with new elements. It is a
prequel A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. The term " ...
to the original ''Kingdom Hearts'', taking place ten years before. The game centers on the journeys of
Terra Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...
,
Aqua Aqua is the Latin word for water. It is used in many words which relate to water, such as aquatic life. In English, it may also refer to: Arts * Aqua (color), a greenish-blue color Business * Aqua (skyscraper), an 82-story residential skysc ...
and Ventus, characters briefly featured in ''
Kingdom Hearts II is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hearts (video game), King ...
'' in their quest to locate the missing Master Xehanort, and protect the worlds from creatures known as the Unversed. The player has access to the three characters' different scenarios when playing. Development of the game began in June 2005 with parts of the game ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'' meant to bring clues of ''Birth by Sleep''. The game was directed by
Tetsuya Nomura is a Japanese video game artist, designer and director working for Square Enix (formerly Square). He designed characters for the ''Final Fantasy'' series, debuting with ''Final Fantasy VI'' and continuing with various later installments. Addit ...
and co-directed by Tai Yasue. Nomura has referred to the game as "Episode 0" (and later "Episode 0.1" following the release of ''
Kingdom Hearts χ stylized as ''Kingdom Hearts χ hi', is a Japanese role-playing browser game developed by Square Enix (in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios), BitGroove and Success, and published by Square Enix for web browsers as the eighth install ...
'') saying that the game is on the same scale and plays as a large a role in the series as ''
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square (video game company), Square). It is a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company and is under the leadership of Tetsuya ...
'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''. The game has been well-received, selling 1.27 million copies worldwide as of November 2010, and receiving positive comments by video game publications. Critics praised the gameplay, graphics, music, and storyline of the game, with criticism reserved for the level design and the characters. A high definition version of the ''Final Mix'' edition was released for the
PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
in 2014,
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
in 2017,
Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
in February 2020,
Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
in 2021, and
Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
as a part of the '' Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix'' collection.


Gameplay

''Birth by Sleep'' is an
action role-playing game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Definition The games emphasize real-time combat where the player h ...
with
hack and slash Hack and slash, also known as hack and slay (H&S or HnS) or slash 'em up, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat with melee-based weapons (such as swords or blades). They may also feature projectile-based weapons as well (such as ...
elements that introduces a gameplay aspect to the series called the Command System. This system allows players to customize a Command Deck with techniques and abilities that they can perform at will, called Deck Commands. Performing ordinary attacks and Commands fills a gauge displayed above the Command Deck. When certain requirements are fulfilled and the gauge is full, the player's basic attack is changed to the "Surge" Command, which racks up powerful combos depending on what Command Style is activated. Filling the gauge a second time replaces the "Surge" Command with the more powerful "Storm" Command. Unlike previous games in the series, the game does not utilize Magic Points (MP) for spells or magic casting. It instead uses a system known as Focus, which is displayed in an orange gauge on the interface. The player can use Focus to perform a technique called Shotlock with which the player enters a first person mode where they target enemies to cast homing spells that differ with each character and technique, depleting the gauge relative to the number of enemies targeted. Once depleted, the Focus gauge gradually refills with every attack and Deck Command the player lands on an enemy. Another aspect introduced in the game is the Dimension Link (D-Link), measured in a blue gauge on the interface. It is used to draw power from certain companions who the player characters meet during the game, such as Experiment 626, temporarily replacing the commands in the player's customized command deck with a pre-determined set of commands that differ with each D-Link. Once the command gauge is filled while performing a D-Link, a powerful finishing move is activated to take out enemies. Each finishing move has two levels which can render a finishing move more powerful than before, similar to that of the Command System. The D-Link can only be used when its corresponding gauge is filled completely, and can be activated by pressing right on the directional pad to access the D-Link menu, followed by selecting the chosen ally. The game also features the Command Board, which appears whenever the player completes a world, and can be accessed from save points and the world map once unlocked. Each world has its own unique Command Board with its own tricks and mechanisms. The Command Board plays like a simplified version of ''Fortune Street''. A die is thrown and the player moves, with each space having its own unique effect on the player. Various Disney characters from throughout the game also appear on their respective Command Board to either aid or hinder the player. Special panels in the board game can trigger "special events" when landed on by the player.


Scenarios

The game is divided into three separate scenarios, with each one surrounding the story of the three main characters:
Terra Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...
,
Aqua Aqua is the Latin word for water. It is used in many words which relate to water, such as aquatic life. In English, it may also refer to: Arts * Aqua (color), a greenish-blue color Business * Aqua (skyscraper), an 82-story residential skysc ...
and Ventus. While the first ten minutes of the story are the same regardless of which character is chosen, the events that follow differ in each scenario, with each character's narrative occurring parallel to the others and intersecting with one another at different points. The gameplay of each scenario differs based on the abilities of each character such as their power, speed and magic: Terra is the most powerful in terms of physical damage, Ventus is the fastest character and Aqua specializes in magic. Players may choose which of the three scenarios they wish to start with near the beginning of the game. The recommended scenario order of play by Nomura is Terra, followed by Ventus, and lastly Aqua, allowing the player to best understand the story. Completing all three scenarios will unlock the story's final chapter.


Multiplayer

The game supports up to six players at a time in four new multiplayer modes, all set in a world known as the Mirage Arena. In each mode, players control one of the three main characters. In Versus, players fight against each other in a deathmatch-style game, while in Arena players fight co-operatively in a "Survival Mode" style of gameplay against wave after wave of Unversed. Rumble Racing features players racing against each other competitively on their Keyblade vehicles, which can also be used to attack rivals. Command Board is a board game using the in-game Command Board mechanic, where players try to reach the end first as in traditional board games. Setting records in the Mirage Arena earns players medals which can be exchanged for rare items in-game. Only Ad-Hoc wireless multiplayer, where all of the players need to be physically near each other, is allowed.


Plot


Setting

''Birth by Sleep'' is a prequel set ten years prior to the first ''
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square (video game company), Square). It is a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company and is under the leadership of Tetsuya ...
'' game. Like the other games in the series, the player progresses through a collection of various worlds, based on various locales from the Disney animated features canon: Dwarf Woodlands from ''
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...
'', Enchanted Dominion from ''
Sleeping Beauty ''Sleeping Beauty'' (french: La belle au bois dormant, or ''The Beauty in the Sleeping Forest''; german: Dornröschen, or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess cu ...
'', Castle of Dreams from ''
Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
'', Olympus Coliseum from ''
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
'', Deep Space from ''
Lilo & Stitch ''Lilo & Stitch'' is a 2002 American animated science fiction comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 42nd Disney animated feature film, it was written and directed by Chris Sande ...
'', Neverland from ''
Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by List of Scottish novelists, Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and Puer aeternus, never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending ...
'' and Mysterious Tower from ''
Fantasia Fantasia International Film Festival (also known as Fantasia-fest, FanTasia, and Fant-Asia) is a film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996. Regularly held in July of each year, it is valued by both hardcore ...
''. The game also features various new worlds specially created for the series by Square Enix such as the Land of Departure and Radiant Garden. Disney Town, which is the town that surrounds the castle grounds of Disney Castle, serves as the game's minigame world. Worlds such as Destiny Islands and Castle Oblivion also appear in the form of cutscenes, while the 100 Acre Wood from the ''
Winnie the Pooh Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh, is a fictional Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic teddy bear created by English author A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard. The first collection of stories about the character w ...
'' franchise, which had appeared in most other games of the series, only appears as a Command Board in ''Birth by Sleep''. The staff first chose the worlds based on the game's scenario, leading to the inclusion of Princesses' worlds. They then added the worlds of Neverland and Deep Space to add variety to the game, while Olympus Coliseum was selected to reflect the game's earlier setting compared to the original ''Kingdom Hearts''.


Characters

The three main characters are
Terra Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...
,
Aqua Aqua is the Latin word for water. It is used in many words which relate to water, such as aquatic life. In English, it may also refer to: Arts * Aqua (color), a greenish-blue color Business * Aqua (skyscraper), an 82-story residential skysc ...
, and Ventus, a trio of Keyblade apprentices under Master Eraqus who aspire to become Masters themselves. Another Keyblade Master,
Xehanort is a fictional character and the central antagonist of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' game franchise by Square Enix. He is the main antagonist of the Dark Seeker Saga, the first phase in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series. He was introduced as the original fo ...
, and his apprentice,
Vanitas A ''vanitas'' (Latin for 'vanity') is a symbolic work of art showing the temporality, transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death, often contrasting symbols of wealth and symbols of ephemerality and death. Best-kn ...
, serve as the game's antagonists. Other characters from the previous games return, such as younger versions of Sora,
Riku Riku is both a masculine Finnish given name and a unisex Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese footballer * Riku Hahl (born 1980), Finnish NHL hockey player *, Japanese footballer *Riku Heini (born 1990), Finnis ...
, and Kairi, though they are given less prominent roles. A number of characters who later come to form
Organization XIII is a fictional group of characters featured in Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios' '' Kingdom Hearts'' video game series. The group comprises thirteen beings including Xemnas and his twelve followers. The concept of the Organization was ...
also appear in their human forms. As with the Heartless in ''Kingdom Hearts'' and the Nobodies in ''Kingdom Hearts II'', ''Birth by Sleep'' introduces a new type of enemy: the Unversed, fledgling emotions that are "not well-versed in their own existences" and feed on negativity. As with the other games in the series, ''Birth by Sleep'' features an extensive cast of Disney characters. The most prominent of these characters is
Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an animated cartoon Character (arts), character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime mascot of The Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red sho ...
, the king of Disney Castle, who serves as a Keyblade apprentice under the sorcerer
Yen Sid The following are fictional characters from Disney's 1940 film ''Fantasia'', its 1999 sequel ''Fantasia 2000'' and the 2014 video game '' Fantasia: Music Evolved''. Characters in this list are sorted by the film and segment in which they appear. ...
at this point in the series chronology.
Donald Duck Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie. Donald is known fo ...
and
Goofy Goofy is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. He is a tall, Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic dog who typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled f ...
, who assist Sora in most other games, appear in smaller roles. Most other Disney characters remain in their respective worlds regardless of their overall importance to the story in previous installments, such as
Maleficent Maleficent ( or ) is a fictional character who appears as the main antagonist in Walt Disney Productions' 16th animated feature film, ''Sleeping Beauty'' (1959). She is represented as an evil fairy and the self-proclaimed " Mistress of All Evil ...
and
Pete Pete or Petes or ''variation'', may refer to: People * Pete (given name) * Pete (nickname) * Pete (surname) Fictional characters * Pete (Disney), a cartoon character in the ''Mickey Mouse'' universe * Pete the Pup (a.k.a. 'Petey'), a character ...
, who served as major antagonists between ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II'', and a number of the
Princesses of Heart ''Kingdom Hearts'' is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square (video game company), Square). It is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios. ''Kingdom H ...
. Some characters (such as Experiment 626, Prince Phillip, and Mickey) occasionally fight alongside the player characters in battles as partners similar to the other games, providing assistance and performing combos to help the player proceed. However, they do not follow the player around constantly like Donald and Goofy in the other games. Unlike the other major installments, which also featured casts of various characters throughout the ''
Final Fantasy is a Japanese video game, Japanese science fantasy anthology media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Square (video game company), Square). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and ...
'' series, ''Birth by Sleep'' only features two of these characters:
Zack Fair is a fictional character in the ''Final Fantasy'' role-playing video game series by Square Enix (originally Square), first introduced as a non-player character in ''Final Fantasy VII'' (1997). Zack later appears in the ''Compilation of Final Fan ...
from ''
Final Fantasy VII is a 1997 role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation console. It is the seventh main installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series. Published in Japan by Square, it was released in other regions by Sony Computer Entertai ...
'', and the Moogles, creatures from several of the ''Final Fantasy'' games, who sell items to the player. As ''Birth by Sleep'' is a prequel of the first ''Kingdom Hearts'' title, the staff decided to add Zack to the title as he is the protagonist of the ''Final Fantasy VII'' prequel, '' Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII''.


Story

Master Xehanort brings a comatose Ventus to the Destiny Islands after the latter's heart is damaged; a newborn heart senses Ventus's heart and connects with it, saving him. Years later, at the Land of Departure, Terra and Aqua take an exam to achieve the Mark of Mastery. Xehanort manipulates the exam so Terra fails while Aqua passes, lessening Terra's control of the darkness in his heart. Shortly afterward, Xehanort disappears and a horde of Unversed appear throughout the worlds. Learning about these developments from Yen Sid, Master Eraqus sends Terra and Aqua to destroy the Unversed and find Xehanort throughout the countless worlds. Meanwhile, Vanitas convinces Ventus to follow Terra against Eraqus's wishes, while Eraqus orders Aqua to monitor Terra's darkness and bring Ventus back to the Land of Departure. As the three travel through several worlds, Terra attracts the attention of several
villains A villain (also known as a "black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character a ...
, who offer him the whereabouts of Xehanort in exchange for assistance in their own agendas. He eventually finds Xehanort, who offers to take him in as his apprentice and urges him to use his inner darkness to gain power. He further instructs him to destroy Vanitas, the source of the Unversed, who was created from the darkness extracted from Ventus's heart. Shortly afterward, the three friends reunite at Radiant Garden, but a schism forms between them when they argue over Terra's presumed actions in the other worlds. Ventus encounters Xehanort, who reveals his intention to recombine Ventus and Vanitas's hearts to create an all-powerful Keyblade called the χ-blade. Xehanort sends Ventus to the Land of Departure to confront Eraqus, who attempts to destroy Ventus to foil Xehanort's plan. Terra arrives to save Ventus and duels Eraqus; upon his defeat, Eraqus is vanquished by Xehanort, who enshrouds the Land of Departure in darkness and tells Terra to go to a world known as the Keyblade Graveyard. Ventus is instructed to do the same by Vanitas, as is Aqua by Yen Sid upon being informed of Eraqus's demise at Xehanort and Terra's hands. Terra, Aqua, and Ventus reunite at the Keyblade Graveyard, where Xehanort and Vanitas reveal their plan to use the χ-blade to unlock Kingdom Hearts and start a Keyblade War, an apocalyptic event that nearly destroyed the world in the past. Terra's heart is swallowed by darkness in the ensuing battle, and Xehanort takes over his body to replace his own aging one. However, Terra's mind remains within his discarded suit of armor, which comes to life as Lingering Will (who also appeared in
Kingdom Hearts II is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hearts (video game), King ...
as a super boss) and defeats Xehanort. Meanwhile, Ventus is forced to fuse with Vanitas to create the χ-blade. Aqua and Mickey fight with the possessed Ventus and destroy the χ-blade, while Ventus engages and defeats Vanitas in a metaphysical battle within his own mind, losing his heart and falling into a catatonic state as a result. After learning of Ventus's condition from Yen Sid, Aqua brings his body to the Land of Departure, which she transforms into Castle Oblivion to ensure Ventus will not be disturbed. At Radiant Garden, Aqua battles the possessed Terra. When Terra struggles for control of his body, Xehanort impales himself with his own Keyblade, causing him to sink into the realm of darkness. Aqua dives into the realm and rescues Terra, becoming trapped in the process.
Ansem the Wise ''Kingdom Hearts'' is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square (video game company), Square). It is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios. ''Kingdom H ...
finds an amnesiac Xehanort still possessing Terra's body, while Ventus's heart reconnects with and rests inside the heart of a young Sora, the newborn who had previously saved him on the islands. In the game's secret ending, which takes place after the events of ''
Kingdom Hearts II is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hearts (video game), King ...
'', Aqua meets Ansem in the realm of darkness and learns from him about Sora, who has the power to save those connected to his heart. Sora has learned of Terra, Ventus, and Aqua's fates from a letter sent by Mickey, and undertakes another quest to save them.


Development

Development of the game began in June 2005 and was originally intended for the
PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
with Sora as the prototype protagonist of the game. ''Birth by Sleep'' was developed by Square Enix's fifth Product Development Division, based in
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
, the same team behind ''Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories'', and uses the same graphical engine as both '' Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII'' and ''
Dissidia Final Fantasy is a fighting game with action RPG elements developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable as part of the campaign for the '' Final Fantasy'' series' 20th anniversary. It was released in Japan on December 18, 2008, in Nor ...
''. During development of ''Kingdom Hearts II'', the Osaka-based team had requested to be involved in a spin-off if one were to be made. Development of the game began before the release of ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+''. The plot was completed, but development was halted six months after it began due to development of ''Re:Chain of Memories''. When development resumed, the team changed the platform to the
PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
so as to make use of the PSP's functions such as co-operative and competitive multiplayer gameplay. The title of the game is based on ''II Final Mix''s secret ending, "Birth by Sleep", a title which director
Tetsuya Nomura is a Japanese video game artist, designer and director working for Square Enix (formerly Square). He designed characters for the ''Final Fantasy'' series, debuting with ''Final Fantasy VI'' and continuing with various later installments. Addit ...
developed as he wanted a phrase having "by" as well as to use an English title like previous games. Nomura has referred to the game as "Episode 0", saying that the game is on the same scale and plays as big an importance as ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''. Early during the game's development, Nomura already had various scenes in mind such as Terra's and Riku's conversation in order to explain the latter's ability in the original games. Various parts from the plot had to be modified to make the game more light-hearted such as Eraqus' death at the hands of Xehanort after being defeated by Terra, how Aqua's scenario was supposed to end with her already trapped in the Realm of Darkness, and the relationship between Ventus and Sora. Two of the newly introduced protagonists, Ventus and Terra, were based on other characters from the franchise while Aqua's design did not have a base. Nevertheless, the three wear outfits meant to expand the student-and-teacher bond shown in the game. The Disney worlds were chosen to expand the characters of the Princesess of Light as well as Maleficent's who are connected with the events of the first ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, while the worlds of Neverland and Deep Space were chosen to add variety to the game, and Olympus Coliseum was selected to reflect the game's earlier setting compared to the original ''Kingdom Hearts''. A world based on ''
The Jungle Book ''The Jungle Book'' (1894) is a collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling. Most of the characters are animals such as Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear, though a principal character is the boy or "man-cub" Mowgli, ...
'' was planned before being cut during development. ''Birth by Sleep'' was directed by Nomura and co-directed by Tai Yasue. It was announced alongside ''
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (subtitle read as "Three-Five-Eight Days over Two") is an Action role-playing game, action role-playing video game developed by h.a.n.d. and Square Enix (in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios) for the Nintendo DS. It is the fifth ins ...
'' and ''
Kingdom Hearts coded ''Kingdom Hearts Coded'' is an episodic action role-playing puzzle video game developed and published by Square Enix, in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, for mobile phones. ''Coded'' was a Japan-only release announced at the 2007 ...
'' at the
Tokyo Game Show , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in September in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. The ...
on September 20, 2007, where a trailer was shown in a photo-prohibited theater. New trailers were shown at the 2008
Jump Festa is an annual party or exposition in Japan, all about manga and anime, sponsored by Shueisha, publisher of the various ''Jump'' anthologies which are Weekly Shōnen Jump, Jump Square, V Jump, Saikyō Jump and Shōnen Jump+. The exposition was sta ...
in December 2007 and the DKΣ3713 Private Party, an invite-only event by Square Enix for fans, in August 2008; a playable demo was also available at DKΣ3713. The June 5, 2009 issue of ''
Famitsu formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' covered an interview with Tetsuya Nomura, where he said that the game was, at the time, at the voice recording stage. Nomura also confirmed in an interview that ''Birth by Sleep'' would contain a secret ending like in ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II'' for the next game in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series, which he confirmed to be a main game and the one which Nomura stated would link up ''Birth by Sleep'', ''358/2 Days'' and ''coded''. He also confirmed that a ''Birth by Sleep'' demo would indeed be playable at the 2009 Tokyo Games Show together with a new trailer. In early October 2009, Nomura revealed that the concept of the Command Board originated from when he was in elementary school as at that time he was very fascinated with board games and even made his own; hence he wanted to incorporate a fun board game into the game. In late October 2009, Nomura revealed that he was currently designing the cover art for ''Birth by Sleep'' as well as editing the staff rolls due to there being three main characters in the game. He also revealed that they were editing the new opening movie for the game. As with ''coded'' and ''358/2 Days'',
Yoko Shimomura is a Japanese composer and pianist primarily known for her work in video games. She graduated from the Osaka College of Music in 1988 and began working in the video game industry by joining Capcom the same year. She wrote music for several game ...
, the series' main composer, composed the most prominent themes, while the rest was created by other composers. Like ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories'', ''Birth by Sleep'' uses
Hikaru Utada , who is also known by the mononym Utada, is a Japanese-American pop singer, songwriter and producer. By 2010, Utada had become one of the most influential, and best-selling, musical artists in Japan. Born in the United States to Japanese parent ...
's theme song "
Hikari may refer to: Places *Hikari Station, a station on Sanyō Main Line in Hikari, Yamaguchi * Hikari, Chiba, a former town in Sousa District, Chiba, Japan *Hikari, Yamaguchi, a city in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan People *Hikari (name), people and ...
" for the Japanese version and its English version, "Simple and Clean", in the other releases. The game made its final public appearance before its Japanese release at Jump Festa 2010 on December 19, 2009 where a playable demo as well as new footage from the game were present and shown. Like previous console titles in the series, the game contains a secret movie at the end, which had been described as being more like a "true ending" rather than a teaser for the future like previous ones. Development of the movie began in October where Nomura noted in the blog that the game would contain a teaser to the next major ''Kingdom Hearts'' game similar to the teasers in previous games in the series.


Reception

The game sold very well during its first two days of release with over 500,000 copies of the game sold in Japan. By February 14, just over a month later, the game had sold a total of 800,551 copies. Sales in North America and Europe have also been good, with the game taking high places in various categories. After its release in the United States, it was listed as the sixth bestselling video game there in September 2010 by the
NPD Group The NPD Group, Inc. (NPD; formerly National Purchase Diary Panel Inc. and NPD Research Inc.) is an American market research company founded on September 28, 1966, and based in Port Washington, New York. In 2017, NPD ranked as the 8th largest mar ...
. By November 2010, the game had sold 1.27 million units worldwide with 310,000 and 190,000 copies coming from North America and Europe, respectively, and the rest from Japan. In November 2011, Sony announced ''Birth by Sleep'' would receive the "Gold Prize" for selling over 500,000 units in Japan. Prior to the game's release,
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
expressed their excitement at the release of the game in 2010 having played the demo. 1UP.com echoed similar statements, praising the visuals and stating it "plays better" than the previous ''Kingdom Hearts'' games. They had some complaints regarding Ven's demo due to constant jumping, but further stated that Ven's demo gave them an idea of "how the game is going to feel", and predicted the game would improve the series. 1UP also put it on their article "Top 10 PSP Games of 2010", while
Gamasutra ''Game Developer'', known as ''Gamasutra'' until 2021, is a website founded in 1997 that focuses on aspects of video game development. It is owned and operated by Informa and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine '' Gam ...
put it in their "The Most Anticipated Games Of 2010" and "The Most-Awaited Games Of 2009: PlayStation Portable" articles. IGN featured it as nominated of 2010's "Best of E3 Award" in the category Best PSP Games.
GameTrailers ''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
also had praise for the new title and gave it a nomination for Best PSP Game of
E3 2010 The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010 (E3 2010) was the 16th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 14, 2010, and ended on June 17, 2010, with 45,600 total attendees. Ther ...
. ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'' has received positive reviews from gaming reviewers. The game's average score is of 82 out of 100 on
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, becoming the fourth highest ranking ''Kingdom Hearts'' game behind ''Kingdom Hearts'', ''Kingdom Hearts II'', and ''Kingdom Hearts III''. The game has been highly praised by Japanese gaming magazine, ''
Famitsu formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'', whose four reviewers gave scores of 10/9/9/9, for a total of 37/40, the third-highest rated game in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series behind ''Dream Drop Distance'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''. They praised the game's graphics and music, calling them "superb", as well as praising the wide variety of customization available to the players due to the three unique playable characters. It also praised the design of boss battles, calling them "lively and exciting". English websites have also given praise to the game with GameZone calling it "amazing title that every KH fan must play", finding it the best portable game from the series. RPGamer praised the "evolution" from the gameplay ever since the series' start. '' PlayStation: The Official Magazine'' (''PSM'') agreed calling the fighting system "one of the deepest, most rewarding" ones from the PSP. IGN called its battle system "unique", labeling it as the best one from all the series and having a campaign story. 1UP praised the differences between the protagonists' fighting styles with ''PSN'' comparing them with different classes of RPG characters. A common complaint has been the game's loading times, which tended to be very long depending on the PlayStation Portable's memory. Reviewers also called the game's worlds "hollow due to the lack of interaction, and also criticized the game's camera which sometimes made fights confusing. Visuals were also well received for being similar to the ones from PlayStation 2's games with praise on the design of the worlds, although a lack of details was also noted. Sites have also praised the game's story, for its accessibility as a result of being a prequel, or that it did not bear elements from previous games that tended to confuse gamers such as the characters' identities. Critics also appreciated how the story is told from three different perspectives, which helped to give different point of views as well as expand the time the game can be played. Nevertheless, some character traits were criticized such as the similarities between the protagonists to previous ones. While
Eurogamer ''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson. Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
cited that the three characters had little impact to the Disney worlds' storyline, Terra's role was praised by 1UP.com for distancing itself from previous scenarios. Although the lack of ''Final Fantasy'' characters received mixed opinions, ''PSM'' thought that it helped to expand the exploration of Disney worlds, while Zack's role was found suitable by GameZone. The English casting for ''Birth by Sleep'' also received positive comments with
GameTrailers ''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
stating that it "features one of the few good English dubs in recent memory", particularly
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...
's performance.
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
stated that Ventus' and Aqua's voice actor to have done a good job voicing them, but criticized Terra's as one of the worst ones from the game, most notably, when compared with other well-received actors. IGN featured the game in their "Game of the Month" article series for September 2010 in the PSP category. The game has been listed as one of the best PlayStation Portable titles with GamesRadar placing it sixth and IGN eighteenth. In an
ASCII Media Works ASCII ( ), abbreviated from American Standard Code for Information Interchange, is a character encoding standard for electronic communication. ASCII codes represent text in computers, telecommunications equipment, and other devices. Because of ...
poll, it was listed as the tenth best game of 2010. It won in the category of "Best Portable Console Videogame" in France's 2011 Japan Expo.


Versions and merchandise

''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'' was also released with a limited edition PSP-3000 as a bundle in Japan featuring designs from the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series on its back. On March 16, 2010, Square Enix announced the English version of the game, which was released on September 7, 2010 in North America, and on September 10, 2010 in Europe. The English version of the game contains some adjustments from the original version, such as a new difficulty setting called Critical Mode, and additional songs for the Ice Cream Beat minigame. A new boss known only as the Unknown appears in the overseas versions, as well as a new gameplay element called "Crown Stickers", which act much the same way as the Puzzle Pieces from ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix''. The game also has a notable voice-acting cast of returning members such as
Jesse McCartney Jesse McCartney (born April 9, 1987) is an American actor and singer. He achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama ''All My Children'' as JR Chandler. He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo mus ...
and
James Woods James Howard Woods (born April 18, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for his work in various film, stage, and television productions. He started his career in minor roles on and off-Broadway. In 1972, he appeared in '' The Trial of the ...
, as well as numerous new actors such as
Willa Holland Willa Holland is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama ''The O.C.'', Agnes Andrews in The CW series ''Gossip Girl'', Aqua in ''Kingdom Hearts'', and Thea Queen / Speedy in ''Arrow''. ...
,
Jason Dohring Jason William Dohring (born March 30, 1982) is an American stage, television and voice actor who is best known for his role as Logan Echolls on the television show ''Veronica Mars'' (2004–2007, 2019) and the 2014 film continuation as well as ...
,
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...
, and
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor and writer. He is known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' film series, beginning with the original 1977 film and subsequently winning three Saturn Awards f ...
. An Ultimania guidebook of the game was released on March 25, 2010. Like previous games, a
light novel A light novel (, Hepburn: ''raito noberu'') is a style of young adult novel primarily targeting high school and middle school students. The term "light novel" is a ''wasei-eigo'', or a Japanese term formed from words in the English languag ...
of ''Birth by Sleep'' has been written by Tomoko Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. Its first volume, "Something Strange" was published by Square Enix on December 24, 2010, the second - "Best Friends" - on February 24, 2011, and the third and final volume, "To the Future", on May 26, 2011. Additionally, the tracks featured in the game have been released as part of a three-disc album which includes the soundtracks from ''Birth by Sleep'', ''358/2 Days'' and ''coded''.


''Final Mix''

In early 2010, Nomura was asked in an interview if Square Enix would release an international ''Final Mix'' of ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'', to which he replied he would like to, as he enjoyed the work from the English voice casting done in the previous games. However, he stated that one of the main reasons for the popularity of the ''Final Mix'' version of ''Kingdom Hearts II'' was because it was released alongside the PlayStation 2 remake of ''Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'', so he and the staff would think on it more. In September 2010, Square Enix announced that ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' would be released on January 20, 2011 in Japan. Like all ''Final Mix'' releases, it combines English audio with Japanese game text and subtitles, and includes all additional features implemented in the Western versions as well as brand new content, such as a new playable secret episode for Aqua, which takes place after the events of the final episode, and also has new cutscenes with dialogue provided by her voice actress
Megumi Toyoguchi is a Japanese voice actress affiliated by 81 Produce. Some of her starring roles are Yao Sakurakouji in ''Miami Guns'', Ran Kotobuki in ''Super Gals!'', Winry Rockbell in ''Fullmetal Alchemist'' (first anime), Sei Sato in ''Maria-sama ga Mite ...
, which were later dubbed into English by Aqua's English voice actress
Willa Holland Willa Holland is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama ''The O.C.'', Agnes Andrews in The CW series ''Gossip Girl'', Aqua in ''Kingdom Hearts'', and Thea Queen / Speedy in ''Arrow''. ...
for the ''HD 2.5 Remix'' release. The events of the secret episode would tie-in to the later ''A Fragmentary Passage'' release. Alongside ''
The 3rd Birthday is a role-playing shooter co-developed by Square Enix's 1st Production Department and HexaDrive, and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable. It was released in Japan in 2010 and in North America and Europe in 2011. The game is the ...
'', ''Final Mix'' includes a code that allows players to obtain downloadable content for ''
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy ''Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy'' (pronounced as ) is a 2011 fighting game published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable as part of the ''Final Fantasy'' series. It was developed by the company's 1st Production Department and released in J ...
'', with ''Final Mix'' featuring the character
Cloud Strife is a character (arts), fictional character and the main protagonist of Square (video game company), Square's (now Square Enix's) 1997 role-playing video game ''Final Fantasy VII'', its Final Fantasy VII Remake, high-definition remake, and seve ...
costume from the original ''Kingdom Hearts''. ''Final Mix'' topped the video game charts following its release with 77,317 units sold in the first week, and reaching 106,276 in February 2011. ''Final Mix'' was released for the first time outside Japan as part of '' Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix''.


''HD 2.5 Remix''

In the credits of ''
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix ''Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix'' is a HD remastered collection of the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series, developed by Square Enix originally for the PlayStation 3. It was revealed in September 2012 and released in Japan in March 2013, and North America ...
'', clips of ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' were shown, hinting at its inclusion in another collection. On October 14, 2013, Square Enix announced '' Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix'', a second compilation exclusively for the PlayStation 3 after '' HD 1.5 Remix''. The release includes both ''
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hearts'', and like the original game, combines charac ...
'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' in HD with trophy support. Additionally, the collection includes HD cinematic scenes from '' Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.'' It was released in Japan on October 2, 2014, North America on December 2, 2014, Australia on December 4, 2014, and Europe on December 5, 2014.


''A Fragmentary Passage''

In September 2015, Square Enix announced '' Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue''. The collection features ''Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage'', a new game taking place after the events of the original ''Birth by Sleep'', told from the perspective of Aqua. The collection also features an HD remaster of '' Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' as well as '' Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover'', a cinematic retelling of ''
Kingdom Hearts χ stylized as ''Kingdom Hearts χ hi', is a Japanese role-playing browser game developed by Square Enix (in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios), BitGroove and Success, and published by Square Enix for web browsers as the eighth install ...
'' that reveals new parts of the series' history. It was released in Japan on January 12, 2017, and in other countries on January 24, 2017.


Notes


References


External links


''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'' Japan official website

''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' Japan official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep 2010 video games Action role-playing video games Cinderella (franchise) Crossover role-playing video games Disney video games Donald Duck video games Goofy (Disney) video games Japanese role-playing video games Kingdom Hearts Lilo & Stitch (franchise) video games Mickey Mouse video games Multiplayer and single-player video games Peter Pan (franchise) PlayStation Portable games PlayStation Portable-only games Sleeping Beauty (1959 film) Snow White (franchise) Square Enix games Video game prequels Video games developed in Japan Video games set in England Video games set in France Video games set in Germany Video games set in Greece Video games set in the Middle Ages Video games set in outer space Video games directed by Tetsuya Nomura Video games featuring female protagonists Video games scored by Takeharu Ishimoto Video games scored by Tsuyoshi Sekito Video games scored by Yoko Shimomura Video games with alternative versions