Gameitall This weekend was Disney’s D23 conference, and while we got a lot of news about Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Marvel’s Infinity War and Wreck-It Ralph 2: Ralph breaks the Internet, the biggest news that came out of the conference was Kingdom Hearts 3 thanks to a new trailer (above) which showcased a new world, some fast-paced gameplay and a release window.
One of the most requested features in Kingdom Hearts was the introduction of a world that was set in the Disney Pixar Universe which we were delivered in the form of Toy Story! The new world will see Sora, Donald and Goofy take on the Heartless and a member of Organization XIII in an attempt to rescue Woody and Buzz’s friends who have gone missing.
“At long last, we are excited to open up the KINGDOM HEARTS universe to include the world of Disney•Pixar’s ‘Toy Story,’” said Tetsuya Nomura, Director of the KINGDOM HEARTS series. “I’m sure fans have been anticipating the inclusion of this world for many years. The narrative will be an original story exclusive to KINGDOM HEARTS III, and the gameplay will feel characteristic of the ‘Toy Story’ style and aesthetic. Please stay tuned for more details to be revealed soon.”
“Featuring a brand new storyline that brings together beloved ‘Toy Story’ friends with the heroes of KINGDOM HEARTS, the ‘Toy Story’ world in KINGDOM HEARTS III successfully mirrors the level of quality that we strive to achieve with every Pixar film,” said Jason Katz, Story Supervisor, Pixar Animation Studios. “KINGDOM HEARTS III will undoubtedly be an experience that fans will not want to miss.”
While the gameplay footage showed off new magic skills and weapons, one of the more interesting parts of the gameplay to me was the appearance of that Woody and Buzz will both be party members in the game, but will not replace Donald or Goofy, giving you a 5-person party. While the feature isn’t 100% confirmed at this time, as the trailer does a great job at keeping its focus on Sora and his new combat style, you can see the health bars show additional two characters on the side, whether this is an instant swap-out or they’re all fighting at once remains to be seen.
Finally the trailer ends on a 2018 release window for Xbox One and PS4. While it’s great that we have a time that we can expect the title, fans are still holding their breath as Square Enix’s push for perfection has made the project see multiple delays in a similar fashion to Final Fantasy XV. Hopefully we’ll hear more from the title sooner then later.
