Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue[a]is a compilation of games from theKingdom Heartsseries, developed and published bySquare Enix.A successor to theKingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remixgame compilation, the new title was announced in September 2015 and released in January 2017 onPlayStation 4,on February 18, 2020, onXbox One,and on March 30, 2021, and June 13, 2024, onWindowsviaEpic Games StoreandSteamrespectively. Acloudversion of the collection was released for theNintendo Switchon February 10, 2022.
| Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Square Enix Business Division 3[3] |
| Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
| Director(s) | Tetsuya Nomura Tai Yasue |
| Producer(s) | Rie Nishi |
| Designer(s) |
|
| Programmer(s) |
|
| Artist(s) | Tetsuya Nomura |
| Writer(s) | Masaru Oka |
| Composer(s) | Yoko Shimomura |
| Series | Kingdom Hearts |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 4(KH0.2 / KHχBC)[4] |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | PlayStation 4Xbox One
|
| Genre(s) | Action-role playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologueincludes a high-definition remaster ofKingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance(2012). This title covers how protagonistsSoraandRikuprepared for the return of the antagonistMaster Xehanort.The collection also includes two new pieces of content set in theKingdom Heartsseries. The first,Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover,[b]is a "cinematic" film based on the gameKingdom Hearts χ.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,[c]is an original game that takes place after the events ofDream Drop Distance.This title revealed what happened to the protagonistAquaduring her time lost in the Realm of Darkness. To avoid having too much backstory inKingdom Hearts III,series directorTetsuya Nomurachose to place this story he long desired to tell in this collection.Back CoverandA Fragmentary Passageare the tenth and eleventh installments in theKingdom Heartsseries.
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 upcomingKingdom Hearts III.Some also praised the role of the collection in filling story gaps in the very complicated storyline of theKingdom Heartsseries. Some, however, criticized the release of the compilation as merely another teaser for the long-anticipated gameKingdom Hearts III.
Games
editKingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD
editKingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distancetakes place after the events of the gameKingdom Hearts Re:coded.[5]Dream Drop Distancefocuses on the protagonists'SoraandRiku's"Mark of Mastery" exam.[5]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 the powerful and evilMaster Xehanort.[5]
This collection features a high definition remaster ofDream Drop Distance,which Nomura stated was a full remake of the game since the original utilized the two screens of theNintendo 3DS.[6][7][8]Developers also reworked minigames from the 3DS version that utilized that console's dual touch screens into a card-based system.[9]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.[10]
Due to the workload of adapting the game, developers made no extras or new content for this release.[11]The few additions made includedPlayStation 4trophies, the ability to play the game at 60 frames a second, and a much-requested addition by the Osaka development team to include the minor enemy, the Catanuki.[12]
Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-
edit
Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-is a new game told from the perspective of the protagonistAqua.[6][13]The story begins afterKingdom Hearts: Dream Drop DistancewhenKing Mickeyreveals that he has secrets to confess relating to Aqua and her time in the Realm of Darkness.[14]The story then picks up right after the secret ending ofKingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final Mixand details Aqua's journey through the Realm of Darkness during the following ten years, briefly intersecting with the events of the originalKingdom Hearts.Fragments of worlds previously found inBirth by Sleepmake up the game's environments.[9]
Nomura felt he needed to create this story, but did not want to slow downKingdom Hearts IIIwith many backstories.[12]Consequently, he separated it from that game and included it in this collection.[12]Developers designed the game to take several hours to play, or approximately one game world in a regularKingdom Heartstitle.[7][8][11]A Fragmentary Passageties into the story ofKingdom Hearts III.[7][8][14]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.[15]
Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover
editKingdom Hearts χ Back Coveris a one-hour long cinematic film set during the events of the video gameKingdom Hearts χ.[16][17]The film tells the game's story from the Foretellers’ perspectives, explaining their actions during the game's events.[6][13]The film doesn't feature any of the established Disney or Square Enix characters, instead focusing solely on the series' original characters.
Development
editIn January 2011, with the release of the gameKingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix,a secret ending was discovered in the game, titledBirth by Sleep: Volume 2.This game content, which appeared to bridge the story gap betweenBirth by Sleepand the originalKingdom Hearts,was believed to be a potential future game in the series.[18]In October 2014, when asked about the content seen in the secret ending,Kingdom Heartsseries directorTetsuya Nomurastated, “It shows the existence ofAqua’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”.[19]The credits of the game compilationKingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remixinclude clips of the gameKingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distanceand a secret ending related toDream Drop Distance,hinting at a possible newKingdom Heartsgame compilation.[20]
In September 2015,Square EnixannouncedKingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue,for release in 2016 on thePlayStation 4.[6]Nomura stated that Square Enix developed the collection alongside the gameKingdom Hearts III.They made the collection so players could experience some of the new gameplay elements being developed forKingdom Hearts III"sooner than later".[7][8]Nomura explained the game compilations title, stating thatKingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distanceis considered number 2.6 in the series since it follows the events inHD 2.5 Remix.TheKingdom Hearts χgames are considered 0 in Nomuras counting system because the series protagonist Sora does not appear.Birth by Sleepis 0.1, thus resulting in a 0.2 value forA Fragmentary Passage.When added together, the numbers total 2.8.[21]
In December 2015, a trailer for the game debuted at the gaming festivalJump Festa,and critics praised the game collection for its aesthetic quality.[22]Square Enix developers utilized theUnreal Engine 4used to makeKingdom Hearts IIIin all three titles.[7][8]This allowed for quick changes during game development, especially lighting effects.[12]A trailer released in September 2016 at theTokyo Game Showfeatured a new remix ofKingdom Heartstheme song "Simple and Clean",produced specifically for2.8,and the games’ opening cinematics.[23][24]In July 2017, Nomura spoke on bringing the collection to theXbox Oneconsole, 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 ofKingdom Hearts III.[25]At the X019 gamer event in November 2019, Shinji Hashimoto and Ichiro Hazama announced that the 2.8 collection, along with1.5and2.5,would be released on the Xbox One in 2020.[26]
The game was released onWindowsexclusively viaEpic Games Storeon March 30, 2021,[27]and later onSteamon June 13, 2024, following the expiration of the exclusivity.[28]On October 5, 2021, it was announced that acloudversion of the game was in development forNintendo Switchand was released on February 10, 2022.[29][30]
Release
editInitially scheduled for release in December 2016,Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologuewas released in Japan on January 12, 2017, and worldwide on January 24, 2017.[31][1]Preorders for the game included an officialDisney Collector's Pinfor the game.[32]Square Enix later bundledKingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologuewith theKingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remixcollections as part of a new compilation,Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far,released in North America on October 30, 2018, for the PlayStation 4. TheXbox OneandXbox Game Passversions released on February 18, 2020.[33][2]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | PS4: 76/100[34] XONE: 82/100[35] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 7.5/10[36] |
| Famitsu | 34/40[37] |
| Game Informer | 8.5/10[38] |
| GameSpot | 7/10[39] |
| GamesRadar+ |   [40] |
| IGN | 7.5/10[41] |
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologuereceived "generally favorable" reviews, according to video gamereview aggregatorMetacritic.[34][35]It sold 137,797 copies within its first week of release in Japan.[42]
Reviewers universally praised the graphical re-creation ofKingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distanceon thePlayStation 4from its origins on theNintendo 3DS.USgamerreferred to the game's conversion from one optimized for a two-screen portable game system to a console one as "lovely".[43]Game Informerwas also impressed by the visual improvements made from the game's rerelease.[38]However,GameSpotcriticized the lack of any other changes to the title, such as populating the game's "overly roomy, empty worlds".[39]USgameralso praised the titleA Fragmentary Passagefor being a sort of tech demo ofKingdom Hearts III.[43]
Critics had mixed feelings about the value of the collection and its stories. Jonathan Dornbush ofIGNsaid that the collection is "a great glimpse at what's to come, but the return to the past is an at-times unsatisfying appetizer".[41]GamesRadar's Anthony John Agnello concurred, said that "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologueis essential for the faithful, flummo xing for newcomers, and a promising start to the series' life on PS4 ".[40]Chris Carter fromDestructoidcalled 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".[36]
Some reviewers such asPush Squaredid find things to praise about the collection such as getting the chance to explore resolutions to the many cliffhangers left by the previousKingdom Heartsgames.[44]RPGamerstated that if anyone wished to understand what happened plot-wise betweenKingdom Hearts IIandKingdom Hearts III,the game collection was essential.[45]The Independentpraised the gameplay ofAn Fragmentary Passageas "gorgeous" and called Aqua's journey through the Hall of Magic Mirrors "devilishly fun".[46]GameSpotalso praised the compilation's inclusion of new stories, andGame Informercalled the titles "good preparation for what's ahead".[38][39]
Other reviewers, however, found the stories confusing and felt the game was merely a teaser forKingdom Hearts III.Ars Technicacalled the three titles unconnected in any way to each other.[47]They also cited their confusion with the story ofDream Drop Distance,calling it "hard-to-follow gibberish with flashbacks, flashbacks within flashbacks".[47]USgamercalled the compilation "one big teaser" forKingdom Hearts III.[43]Game Informeralso believed that the title was yet another game meant to kill time before the release of the at the time unreleasedKingdom Hearts III.[38]
Notes
edit- ^Kingudamu Hātsu HD 2.8 Fainaru Chaputā Purorōgu(Japanese:キングダム ハーツ HD 2.8 ファイナル チャプター プロローグ,stylizedKingdom Hearts HD II.8 Final Chapter Prologue)
- ^Kingudamu Hātsu Kī Bakku Kabā(キングダム ハーツ キー バックカバー)
- ^Kingudamu Hātsu 0.2 Bāsu bai Surīpu: Furagumentarī Passēji(キングダム ハーツ 0.2 バース バイ スリープ -フラグメンタリー パッセージ-)
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