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| ::''<span style="color:green">Eternal Nothingness XIII</span> is an administrator on the Kingdom Hearts Wiki. The rest is classified.'' | | ::''<span style="color:green">Eternal Nothingness XIII</span> is an administrator on the Kingdom Hearts Wiki. The rest is classified.'' |
| ::''<span style="color:#e51373">Erry</span> is an administrator on the Kingdom Hearts Wiki. He likes to tinker with things.''
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| ::''<span style="color:gray">Chitalian8</span> is a moderator on the Kingdom Hearts Wiki who likes a great many things and is, in fact, invisible.
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| ::''<span style="color:blue">LightRoxas</span> is an editor on the Kingdom Hearts Wiki who was raised by an ostrich.
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| :::''The following reviews reflect the opinions of their respective authors.'' | | :::''The following reviews reflect the opinions of their respective authors.'' |
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| <div style="margin-left:25%; font-family:Lucida Sans Unicode; text-align:right; border:solid green; padding:20px">''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' is a true sequel to ''Kingdom Hearts II'' and a huge improvement over its predecessor, ''Kingdom Hearts Re:coded''. However, the game does not deserve the excessive amount of hype it received and does more harm to the series than good. | | <div style="margin-left:25%; font-family:Lucida Sans Unicode; text-align:right; border:solid green">''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' is a true sequel to ''Kingdom Hearts II'' and a huge improvement over its predecessor, ''Kingdom Hearts Re:coded''. However, the game does not deserve the excessive amount of hype it received and does more harm to the series than good. |
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| The plot of ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'', while a step up from that of ''Re:coded'', is quite weak in comparison to the plots of past games like ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'' or ''Kingdom Hearts II''. Because the antagonists technically win this time around, it is disappointing to see that they had very little time on-screen. The plot sometimes loses its focus because of the Dive System, and the constant jumping around between Sora and Riku's stories can easily leave the player confused if he or she lacks the insight required to understand how the events of one character's journey influences the other. While Flashbacks are a great way to expand the plot itself, the notices that pop up inquiring if the player would like to watch them seriously interrupt the story's flow. The events depicted in the individual Disney worlds don't do the films on which they are based justice and lack story relevance. On top of this, the delivery of the major plot twist that occurs in the game's final chapters relies too heavily on the open-mindedness of the player and is a perfect example of Tetsuya Nomura disregarding everything the story of the series as a whole has established so far just to incorporate his newer ideas. One might even go as far as to compare the ending of ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' to a well-written fanfiction. In the end, the story is rushed and leaves many of the concepts it introduces poorly explained. Worst of all, it does not leave the player anticipating ''Kingdom Hearts III'' and desperately tries to do so through a crude teaser in the end credits. | | The plot of ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'', while a step up from that of ''Re:coded'', is quite weak in comparison to the plots of past games like ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'' or ''Kingdom Hearts II''. Because the antagonists technically win this time around, it is disappointing to see that they had very little time on-screen. The plot sometimes loses its focus because of the Dive System, and the constant jumping around between Sora and Riku's stories can easily leave the player confused if he or she lacks the insight required to understand how the events of one character's journey influences the other. While Flashbacks are a great way to expand the plot itself, the notices that pop up inquiring if the player would like to watch them seriously interrupt the story's flow. The events depicted in the individual Disney worlds don't do the films on which they are based justice and lack story relevance. On top of this, the delivery of the major plot twist that occurs in the game's final chapters relies too heavily on the open-mindedness of the player and is a perfect example of Tetsuya Nomura disregarding everything the story of the series as a whole has established so far just to incorporate his newer ideas. One might even go as far as to compare the ending of ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' to a well-written fanfiction. In the end, the story is rushed and leaves many of the concepts it introduces poorly explained. Worst of all, it does not leave the player anticipating ''Kingdom Hearts III'' and desperately tries to do so through a crude teaser in the end credits. |
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| Overall, ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' is intended for veterans of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series instead of newcomers. While the game's Chronicle system helps bring the player up to speed by summarizing the stories of every game in the series, it is still possible for those who haven't actually seen the events described with their own eyes to feel lost when playing. While it actually contains accurate information for the most part (there is a huge difference in saying "the Sweet Dreams Keyblade is obtained by clearing Flick Rush" and "the Sweet Dreams Keyblade is obtained by obtaining the gold trophy in every Flick Rush tournament") and is a huge improvement over the one released for ''Birth by Sleep'', the accompanying BradyGames guide is rather useless, as it lacks essential information, such as where to obtain all the commands listed in the index and which Dream Eaters drop which Dream Pieces or grant which abilities. Post-story content is completely omitted from the book, so the player is often left to develop his or her own strategies and play through the game blind. In the end, the guidebook is all about looking pretty rather than helping the player. | | Overall, ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' is intended for veterans of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series instead of newcomers. While the game's Chronicle system helps bring the player up to speed by summarizing the stories of every game in the series, it is still possible for those who haven't actually seen the events described with their own eyes to feel lost when playing. While it actually contains accurate information for the most part (there is a huge difference in saying "the Sweet Dreams Keyblade is obtained by clearing Flick Rush" and "the Sweet Dreams Keyblade is obtained by obtaining the gold trophy in every Flick Rush tournament") and is a huge improvement over the one released for ''Birth by Sleep'', the accompanying BradyGames guide is rather useless, as it lacks essential information, such as where to obtain all the commands listed in the index and which Dream Eaters drop which Dream Pieces or grant which abilities. Post-story content is completely omitted from the book, so the player is often left to develop his or her own strategies and play through the game blind. In the end, the guidebook is all about looking pretty rather than helping the player. |
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| <div style="margin-right:25%; font-family:Calibri; text-align:left; border:solid #e51373; padding:20px">''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' brings all the elements of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series together to create a wonderful experience for the player. ''Kingdom Hearts 3D'' brings new unseen worlds, a story that moves the game forward and fast-pace combat to ''Kingdom Hearts''. With one of the new things being Flowmotion,I believe that Flowmotion helps the player advance quicker, swifter and at a much faster rate than in older games were you had several or some abilities to your disposal, with the iconic Dodge Roll. Flowmotion was a much needed addition to ''Kingdom Hearts'' and should be in every game in the series from now on. Onto combat, I believe the Command system could've been given the leveling from ''Birth by Sleep'' but apart from that, I enjoyed combat a lot, more than I did with ''Birth by Sleep'' and especially ''Re:coded''. The music is absolutely perfect, although there were some anomalies in my point of view ("Xehanort -The Early Years-" for example, was sort of a mix of a number of instruments at once, I would have preferred it had they removed the marimbas and made it fit better with the "modern" sound the percussion in it that it takes) but overall, Yoko Shimomura, along with previous composers, Takeharu Ishimoto and Tsuyoshi Sekito, presented the game with amazing pieces of music, even ones as miniuscule as "Victor's Pride", and those as big as "L'Apprenti Sorcier". And finally the story, the story was amusing and was well-told within the game, and the main story blended well with the miniscule stories of the various worlds, especially within Riku's part in Prankster's Paradise and Sora's in Symphony of Sorcery. The Mementos menu helps the player keep track of the happenings within the game and prior to this game, and the flashbacks add a little bit more backstory to the worlds's story. Overall the game shines brighter than any other in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series, my only true complain would be the choice of console but apart from that, it's great.</div>
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| <div style="margin-left:25%; font-family:Trebuchet MS; text-align:right; border:solid gray; padding:20px">''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' is a fantastic game for the most part, with its good parts vastly overshadowing its flaws. The game is a worthy addition to the series, and it is a must-have for all that have kept up with the story. The game's strengths include its gameplay, music, and graphics (to an extent), while the main flaw of the game include its selection of worlds and its story.
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| The gameplay presented in ''Dream Drop Distance'' is, without a doubt, the strongest yet shown in the series. The core gameplay remains the same; run through areas, destroying enemies that spawn along the way. However, ''Dream Drop Distance'' adds quite a few features to make the system still feel refreshing. Primarily, the command deck system from ''Birth by Sleep'' and ''Re:coded'' makes a return, and remains an excellent system in combat. Secondly, a new system called Flowmotion has been implemented, which basically amounts to the player character being able to perform fancy parkour skills, including wall-jumping and rail-grinding. The system, while having a slight learning curve, is expertly implemented into the game, and is useful for both combat and map navigation. Combat feels rewarding and, on Standard difficulty and above, all fights feel like battles where you could die at any time, without feeling excessively challenging.
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| As always, Yoko Shimomura does a beautiful job with the soundtrack. The new world themes are all brilliant, and even the music recycled from old games fit perfectly juxtaposed next to the new songs. The real highlight of the soundtrack are the remixes of previous tracks, displayed heavily in the final boss fights.
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| The game's visuals rank among the best of the system. The game is the closest 3DS game to a console experience. The graphics for most of the worlds are vibrant and beautiful, and each world has its own distinct look. Symphony of Sorcery, in particular, is the best display of graphics ever seen on a 3DS. Additionally, the 3D effect is well used, bringing the player deeper into the game. Even with the slider on full, the 3D never feels overused, and only enhances the experience.
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| The game's additional content also holds up well. Portals provide an excellent postgame distraction, and raising Dream Eaters is incredibly fulfilling and is a very well-handled feature. Flick Rush might just be my favorite mini-game yet shown in the series. Treasure Chests are scattered in worlds, and finding them rarely feels like a chore, and is always rewarding.
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| However, the worlds visited in the game are one of its shortcomings. Many of the worlds, particularly La Cité des Cloches, feel barren and empty, and are quite boring to explore. Additionally, the world stories feel rather rushed and weak compared to previous games.
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| Of course, not all the worlds are bland; Symphony of Sorcery is a joy to explore, and is also an aural pleasure. All voices are muted, and all attack sounds are turned into beats of drums and crashes of cymbals, preserving the musical nature of Fantasia. Additionally, all the music from Fantasia is preserved, including The Nutcracker Suite and Night on Bald Mountain.
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| Finally, the story is another one of the game's shortcomings. While not necessarily weak, it is the most convoluted plot presented yet in the series. Close attention must be paid to everything said in cutscenes, lest the player be utterly baffled with the plot playing out before their eyes. The game is made for longtime players of the series, as nobody who is new to the series will completely understand the story. Luckily, the game gives you Mementos, which let you brush up on events and themes from previous games.
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| However, even with its shortcomings, KH3D gives you enough to like that you can have a good time. Depending on the player, the main story can range from 15-20 hours, plus a good deal to do after the story is completed. Again, the game is a must-have for fans of the series, and is also a must-have for 3DS owners, it is among one of the greatest games on the system yet.
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| <div style="margin-right:25%; font-family:Tahoma; text-align:left; border:solid blue; padding:20px">For years, fans have been waiting for ''Kingdom Hearts III''. They have often scoffed at the many handheld installments in the series thus far. And while the more dedicated fans have found plenty of enjoyment in the most recent installments, most fans have just shrugged them off. But much like with ''Birth by Sleep'', anyone who has enjoyed a game in the past of this series would be doing themselves a disservice to skip this game.
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| The game picks up right after the events of ''Kingdom Hearts II'' - don't let the younger-looking Sora and Riku fool you. It wastes no time in presenting you with your main quest: to pass the Mark of Mastery exam and become a Keyblade master. The story also throws in many references to ''Birth by Sleep'' and ''358/2 Days''. Even if you haven't played those installments, though, no need to fret - this game features reports that summarize past games excellently.
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| The story itself is excellent, complete with many Disney characters as well as the original characters you've come to know and love. Sora and Riku really mature as characters, and whoever your favorite character is, they most likely appear at some point. A few plot twists exist, but for the most part they are easy to see coming. Nonetheless, they still add to the tension of the plot and really prepare things for KHIII. The voice acting is excellent as always - as to be expected from a cast that includes Leonard Nimoy.
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| The gameplay is the same action-packed fiesta as always, and really does a great job of improving on past mechanics while adding new ones. The Deck Commands from BbS return, and insure that your frequent casting of Firaga doesn't interfere with your need to cast Cura. Limits, combination attacks introduced in KHII, return with the new Dream Eater allies. The best part of the gameplay in by far Flowmotion, which feels similar to the Reaction Commands of previous installments, but allows you to walljump off of almost any surface in the game. Combat always feels fresh thanks to the large arsenal of attacks at your disposal.
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| The Dream Eater system works fairly well; it's nice to be able to customize your party to such a full extent. I became addicted to making new Dream Eaters and unlocking new abilities for myself through the Link system. It is somewhat annoying that this roundabout way is the only reliable way to unlock abilities and commands, but it's still fun even if it can be frustrating.
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| The graphic are absolutely gorgeous - you'll hardly notice the lack of Antialiasing on the 3DS. The 3D effect is nice, albeit not useful or necessary. In fact, the effect is sometimes disorienting during combat; as such, I tended to turn the 3D up only during cutscenes. The soundtrack is perhaps the best in the series to date; some tracks are jazzy while others are techno. Plenty of the tracks are reminiscent of older games, and the remixes of TWEWY songs are cool as well.
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| Ultimately, the game suffers from a few annoyances. For starters, the drop gauge always degrades too fast. While I like the idea of switching between Sora and Riku, the drop gauge tended to get on my nerves. Additionally, there are a few difficulty spikes at the end, especially on Riku's side - he's forced to fight three bosses in a row right before his two final bosses. The game does provide a checkpoint system between the battles in case you die during one of them, but if you find that you are too low of a level to successfully beat the later battles (like I did), you'll end up having to leave and come back later to fight all three bosses again. It's not the end of the world, but it sure frustrated me. Lastly, there isn't as much post-game content as is typical for these games, so the longevity isn't as good as it often is.
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| Ultimately, I would call this the best handheld entry to date, which is saying something considering how great ''Birth by Sleep'' was. For fans of the series, ''Kingdom Hearts 3D'' is a must have installment.</div>
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