At E3 on Thursday, I finally had an opportunity to play the game that felt like it would never come out, Kingdom Hearts III. It was somewhat surreal to get my hands on a title I’ve waited for since the mid 2000’s, and it’s only natural that I would worry about Kingdom Hearts III not living up to the reputation fans have made for it throughout the last decade. I was quickly reassured of the upcoming sequel’s quality, as what I saw with the game used the DIsney license better than almost the entire series before it.
Anyone who played Kingdom Hearts III at E3 as given the choice of two demos: Toy Box (the Toy Story world), and Olympus Coliseum. I went for the Toy Box, as I couldn’t resist seeing how Buzz and Woody would react to seeing Sora, Donald, and Goofy. I was surprised at just how accurate Toy Box’s writing was to the writing of the actual Toy Story movies, as there was a lot of genuine heart put into the way Woody and Buzz would talk about Andy and the other toys. I don’t know if there were any Pixar employees consulting on the title, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were.
The gameplay was packed to the brim with different Keyblade transformations, mobility options, character summons, and special attacks. To be completely honest, I was almost overwhelmed at just how many flashy and immensely satisfying attacks were available to me at any given time. It was easy to learn the ropes though, so by the end of the demo I was weaving between attack styles and links almost effortlessly. Whether I was riding the Spinning Teacups, rolling on the Luxo Ball, or plowing through foes with Wreck-It Ralph, I always knew what I was doing. Perhaps it’s because of the hardware at Square Enix’s disposal, but the combat of Kingdom Hearts III is even more fluid and visually stunning than ever before, which is quite a feat itself.
Speaking of visually stunning, Kingdom Hearts III is, without a doubt, one of the most gorgeous games I have ever seen. The Toy Box looks like a Pixar film, both in style and quality, with a plethora of small details that show a true commitment to the Toy Story series. Woody’s model has a small indent on his chin and scuff lines on his hands; incredibly minor signs of a toy that has been actively played with. These little details were abundant throughout the demo, and as minor as they may be, they are certainly appreciated. Visuals in combat are even more impressive, as almost every attack turns into a stunning spectacle of lights and sounds. The framerate, by some witchcraft or sorcery, doesn’t dip or drop during these attacks, which might be the most impressive part of the demo.
Even the voice acting was better than this week’s trailers indicated, especially for the Toy Box characters. Woody, Buzz, Hamm, and Rex all sound exactly as they do in the films, which furthers the Pixar level of quality that Toy Box has. The music was exactly what I wanted too, as a Kingdom Hearts version of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” plays whimsically in the background as you explore the world of Toy Story.
There are plenty of tiny references to other Square Enix and Disney works as well, from Rex talking about levelling up Yozora and battling Bahamut to Sora literally quoting Randy Newman’s “Strange Things”. Summoning Ariel even plays the battle theme of Atlantica while she helps you in battle, which is a nice way to acknowledge the world without having to ever go there again.
I’m even more excited for Kingdom Hearts III than I was before playing the demo, and that’s coming from someone who enthusiastically ran a Kingdom Hearts podcast at age 16. I can’t wait to experience every single world that lies in wait for me, because if they’re anything like the Toy Box, Kingdom Hearts III has the potential to be the must-play game of this console generation.
