KINGDOM HEARTS III
Nothing goofy, just ducking good fun
This third instalment in the longrunning JRPG series sees Sora, Goofy, and Donald Duck (name a more iconic trio, we’ll wait) trekking off to more beloved Disney worlds, in order to restore balance to a universe under threat. The reason these Disney worlds are out of whack? Organisation XIII is up to its old tricks again, all part of a JRPG anime nonsense story that would take a special pull-out supplement to even begin to explain. But rest assured, it all gets very emotional. Even if you’re not clued in on the story, the game will get you up to speed, and there’s plenty to enjoy simply in exploring and saving the Disney worlds.
Sorting things out often comes at the end of a Keyblade. Kingdom Hearts may be a JRPG, but it’s an action JRPG, and that means things happen quickly. At this point Kingdom Hearts III’s combat has become so refined, it’s basically a hack-and-slash now, albeit one where you still have MP and potions. Mix in special attacks based famous on Disneyland rides, and summons that act as guest Disney characters, and things get pretty spectacular and colourful as you fight the Heartless enemies.
Our hands-on adventure in Hercules’ Olympus and Toy Story’s suburbia was electric from the get-go, with the real-world-yet-slightly-animated stylings of Toy Story’s animation perfectly captured. Each world offers something new, and with some pretty modern Disney inclusions, combined with revamped combat, there’s plenty of life in this series yet. Above The Caribbean will challenge you to take on land, sea, and air battles.