Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover
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''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue'' is a compilation of games from the ''
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square) and owned by The Walt Disney Company. A collaboration between the two companies, it was conceptualized by Square employees, Japanese gam ...
'' series, developed and published by
Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, video game publisher and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing video game, role-playing game franchises, such as ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', and '' ...
. A successor to the '' Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix'' game compilation, the new title was announced in September 2015 and released in January 2017 on
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 ...
, on February 18, 2020, on
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, and on March 30, 2021, and June 13, 2024, on
Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
via
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and
Steam Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...
respectively. A
cloud In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles, suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may ...
version of the collection was released for the
Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...
on February 10, 2022. ''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue'' includes a high-definition remaster of '' Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' (2012). This title covers how protagonists Sora and
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 ...
prepared for the return of the antagonist
Xehanort is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of the Dark Seeker Saga, the first phase in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series by Square Enix. He was introduced as the original form of the Heartless "Ansem, Seeker of Darkness" in the first gam ...
. The collection also includes two new pieces of content set in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series. The first, ''Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover'', is a "cinematic" film based on the game ''
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 insta ...
''. It includes events not shown in that game regarding the earliest parts of the series' story. The other title, ''Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage'', is an original game that takes place after the events of '' Dream Drop Distance''. This title revealed what happened to the protagonist
Aqua Aqua is the Latin word for water. As such, it is often 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 (Chicago), an 82-story resid ...
during her time lost in the Realm of Darkness. To avoid having too much backstory in ''Kingdom Hearts III'', series director
Tetsuya Nomura is a Japanese video game artist, designer, producer, and director working for Square Enix. He was hired by Square initially as a monster designer for ''Final Fantasy V'' (1992), before being shifted towards secondary Character design of Final F ...
chose to place this story he long desired to tell in this collection. ''Back Cover'' and ''A Fragmentary Passage'' are the tenth and eleventh installments in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series. Critics had varied opinions on the value of the game compilation. Most praised the quality of the graphics, utilizing technology then being developed for the upcoming ''
Kingdom Hearts III is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
''. Some also praised the role of the collection in filling story gaps in the storyline of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series. Some, however, criticized the release of the compilation as a teaser for ''Kingdom Hearts III''.


Games


''Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD ''

''Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance'' takes place after the events of the game '' Kingdom Hearts Re:coded''. ''Dream Drop Distance'' focuses on the protagonists' Sora and Riku's "Mark of Mastery" exam. In order to pass, the pair must enter their dreams to free worlds trapped in the realm of sleep and hone their powers in preparation for the return of
Xehanort is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of the Dark Seeker Saga, the first phase in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series by Square Enix. He was introduced as the original form of the Heartless "Ansem, Seeker of Darkness" in the first gam ...
. This collection features a high definition remaster of ''Dream Drop Distance'', which Nomura stated was a full remake of the game since the original utilized the two screens of the
Nintendo 3DS The is a foldable dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo. Announced in March 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS, the console was released originally on February 26, 2011 and went through various revisions in its lifetime, ...
. Developers also reworked minigames from the 3DS version that utilized that console's dual touch screens into a card-based system. At the same time, the developers made enemies "less offensive than they originally were", a complaint from players in the original. Additionally, they switched the 3DS's touchscreen-based controls to a more traditional game-controller scheme. Due to the workload of adapting the game, developers made no extras or new content for this release. The few additions made included
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 ...
trophies, the ability to play the game at 60 frames per second, and a much-requested addition by the Osaka development team to include the minor enemy, the Catanuki.


''Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-''

''Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-'' is a new game told from the perspective of the protagonist
Aqua Aqua is the Latin word for water. As such, it is often 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 (Chicago), an 82-story resid ...
. The story begins after ''Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance'' when King Mickey reveals that he has secrets to confess relating to Aqua and her time in the Realm of Darkness. The story then picks up after the secret ending of ''Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' and details Aqua's journey through the Realm of Darkness during the following ten years, briefly intersecting with the events of the original ''
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square) and owned by The Walt Disney Company. A collaboration between the two companies, it was conceptualized by Square employees, Japanese gam ...
''. Fragments of worlds previously found in ''Birth by Sleep'' make up the game's environments. Nomura felt he needed to create this story, but did not want to slow down ''Kingdom Hearts III'' with many backstories. Consequently, he separated it from that game and included it in this collection. Developers designed the game to take several hours to play, or approximately one game world in a regular ''Kingdom Hearts'' title. ''A Fragmentary Passage'' ties into the story of ''
Kingdom Hearts III is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
''. In terms of gameplay, the "Doubleflight" ability returns, which allows Aqua to leap higher and do a mid-air double jump, while also gaining a burst of speed mid-jump.


''Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover''

''Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover'' is a one-hour long cinematic film set during the events of the video game ''Kingdom Hearts χ''. The film tells the game's story from the Foretellers' perspectives, explaining their actions during the game's events.


Development

In January 2011, with the release of the game ''
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix is an action role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios for the PlayStation Portable, serving as the sixth installment in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series. The game was release ...
'', a secret ending was discovered in the game, titled ''Birth by Sleep: Volume 2''. This game content, which appeared to bridge the story gap between ''Birth by Sleep'' and the original ''
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square) and owned by The Walt Disney Company. A collaboration between the two companies, it was conceptualized by Square employees, Japanese gam ...
'', was believed to be a potential future game in the series. In October 2014, when asked about the content seen in the secret ending, ''Kingdom Hearts'' series director
Tetsuya Nomura is a Japanese video game artist, designer, producer, and director working for Square Enix. He was hired by Square initially as a monster designer for ''Final Fantasy V'' (1992), before being shifted towards secondary Character design of Final F ...
stated, "It shows the existence of
Aqua Aqua is the Latin word for water. As such, it is often 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 (Chicago), an 82-story resid ...
's story in the Realm of Darkness. It means that she didn't just wander about in the Darkness for ten years, but that she passed through many experiences. However, it is a 'Fragmentary Passage,' as the name suggests – that story was severed and wasn't told. I hope I can tell it when given the opportunity". The credits of the game compilation '' Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix'' include clips of the game '' Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' and a secret ending related to ''Dream Drop Distance'', hinting at a possible new ''Kingdom Hearts'' game compilation. In September 2015,
Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, video game publisher and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing video game, role-playing game franchises, such as ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', and '' ...
announced ''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue'', for release in 2016 on the
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 ...
. Nomura stated that Square Enix developed the collection alongside the game ''
Kingdom Hearts III is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
''. They made the collection so players could experience some of the new gameplay elements being developed for ''Kingdom Hearts III'' "sooner than later". Nomura explained the game compilations title, stating that ''Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance'' is considered number 2.6 in the series since it follows the events in ''HD 2.5 Remix''. The ''Kingdom Hearts χ'' games are considered 0 in Nomuras counting system because the series protagonist Sora does not appear. ''Birth by Sleep'' is 0.1, thus resulting in a 0.2 value for ''A Fragmentary Passage''. When added together, the numbers total 2.8. In December 2015, a trailer for the game debuted at the gaming festival
Jump Festa is an annual manga and anime fan convention in Tokyo, Japan. It is organized by Shueisha, publisher of the various '' Jump'' anthologies, with Jump Festa focusing specifically on the Shōnen manga magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Jump, Jump Squar ...
, and critics praised the game collection for its aesthetic quality. Square Enix developers utilized the
Unreal Engine 4 Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) is the fourth version of Unreal Engine developed by Epic Games. UE4 began development in 2003 and was released in March 2014, with the first game using UE4 being released in April 2014. UE4 introduced support for Physically ...
used to make ''Kingdom Hearts III'' in all three titles. This allowed for quick changes during game development, especially lighting effects. A trailer released in September 2016 at the
Tokyo Game Show , commonly known as TGS, is a video game trade fair and 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 Publication ...
featured a new remix of ''Kingdom Hearts'' theme song " Simple and Clean", produced specifically for ''2.8'', and the games' opening cinematics. In July 2017, Nomura spoke on bringing the collection to the
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 console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
console, saying he did not believe there was much demand for it outside of North America. However, he also said it could be a possibility after Square Enix completed development of ''Kingdom Hearts III''. At the X019 gamer event in November 2019, Shinji Hashimoto and Ichiro Hazama announced that the 2.8 collection, along with '' 1.5'' and '' 2.5,'' would be released on the Xbox One in 2020. The game was released on
Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
exclusively via
Epic Games Store The Epic Games Store is a video game digital distribution service and storefront operated by Epic Games. It launched in December 2018 as a software client, for Microsoft Windows and macOS, and online storefront. Android and iOS versions of t ...
on March 30, 2021, and later on
Steam Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...
on June 13, 2024, following the expiration of the exclusivity. On October 5, 2021, it was announced that a
cloud In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles, suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may ...
version of the game was in development for
Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...
and was released on February 10, 2022.


Release

Initially scheduled for release in December 2016, ''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue'' was released in Japan on January 12, 2017, and worldwide on January 24, 2017. Preorders for the game included an official Disney Collector's Pin for the game. Square Enix later bundled ''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue'' with the ''Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5'' + ''2.5 Remix'' collections as part of a new compilation, ''Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far'', released in North America on October 30, 2018, for the PlayStation 4. The
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 console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
and
Xbox Game Pass The Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service as part of Xbox and offered by Microsoft Gaming. Launched on June 1, 2017, the service allows users to download and play video games via video game consoles, Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS, iPad ...
versions released on February 18, 2020.


Reception

''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue'' received "generally favorable" reviews, according to video game
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
. It sold 137,797 copies within its first week of release in Japan. Reviewers universally praised the graphical re-creation of ''Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance'' on the
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 ...
from its origins on the
Nintendo 3DS The is a foldable dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo. Announced in March 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS, the console was released originally on February 26, 2011 and went through various revisions in its lifetime, ...
. ''
USgamer Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British digital media company based in London. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and ot ...
'' referred to the game's conversion from one optimized for a two-screen portable game system to a console one as "lovely". ''
Game Informer ''Game Informer'' (''GI'' is an American monthly Video game journalism, video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and video game console, game consoles. It debuted in August 1991, when the video game reta ...
'' was also impressed by the visual improvements made from the game's rerelease. However, ''
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 ...
'' criticized the lack of any other changes to the title, such as populating the game's "overly roomy, empty worlds". ''USgamer'' also praised the title ''A Fragmentary Passage'' for being a sort of tech demo of ''Kingdom Hearts III''. Critics had mixed feelings about the value of the collection and its stories. Jonathan Dornbush of ''
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming 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 district and is headed by its former e ...
'' said that the collection is "a great glimpse at what's to come, but the return to the past is an at-times unsatisfying appetizer". ''
GamesRadar ''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', '' Edge'' and ''Computer ...
''s Anthony John Agnello concurred, said that "''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue'' is essential for the faithful, flummoxing for newcomers, and a promising start to the series' life on PS4". Chris Carter from ''
Destructoid ''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017 and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022. Histor ...
'' called the title "a solid game that definitely has an audience. Might lack replay value, could be too short and there are some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun". Some reviewers such as ''Push Square'' did find things to praise about the collection such as getting the chance to explore resolutions to the many cliffhangers left by the previous ''Kingdom Hearts'' games. ''RPGamer'' stated that if anyone wished to understand what happened plot-wise between ''Kingdom Hearts II'' and ''Kingdom Hearts III'', the game collection was essential. ''The Independent'' praised the gameplay of ''An Fragmentary Passage'' as "gorgeous" and called Aqua's journey through the Hall of Magic Mirrors "devilishly fun". ''GameSpot'' also praised the compilation's inclusion of new stories, and ''Game Informer'' called the titles "good preparation for what's ahead". Other reviewers, however, found the stories confusing and felt the game was merely a teaser for ''Kingdom Hearts III''. ''Ars Technica'' called the three titles unconnected in any way to each other. They also cited their confusion with the story of ''Dream Drop Distance'', calling it "hard-to-follow gibberish with flashbacks, flashbacks within flashbacks". ''USgamer'' called the compilation "one big teaser" for ''Kingdom Hearts III''. ''
Game Informer ''Game Informer'' (''GI'' is an American monthly Video game journalism, video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and video game console, game consoles. It debuted in August 1991, when the video game reta ...
'' also believed that the title was yet another game meant to kill time before the release of the at the time unreleased ''Kingdom Hearts III''.


Notes


References


External links

* * * {{Kingdom Hearts series Kingdom Hearts 2017 video games Action role-playing video games Cloud-based Nintendo Switch games Crossover role-playing video games Japanese role-playing video games Nintendo Switch games PlayStation 4 games PlayStation 4 Pro enhanced games Square Enix video game compilations Unreal Engine 4 games Video game remasters Video games developed in Japan Video games directed by Tetsuya Nomura Video games featuring female protagonists Video games scored by Yoko Shimomura Windows games Xbox One games