Kingdom Hearts χ

Kingdom Hearts χ, stylized as Kingdom Hearts χ[chi], is a Kingdom Hearts game that is exclusive to PC browsers as the eighth game of the series. The game itself is free to play, but there are items available within it that can be purchased. Set before the events of the Keyblade War, Kingdom Hearts χ has simple, 2D graphics and allows all players to become Keyblade wielders.

The closed beta test for Kingdom Hearts χ was held from March 22 to March 25, 2013. An open beta test started on July 8, 2013, and it concluded with the official launch of the game service on July 18, 2013.

On May 12, 2015, it was announced that Kingdom Hearts χ had been remade for iOS and Android smartphones as Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ. It was released in Japan on September 3 of that same year, with an international release in development.

An original HD movie that ties in with the game's events will be released as part of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue as Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover.

On April 6, 2016, it was announced that Kingdom Hearts χ[chi] for PC will be terminated in September 2016.

Story
Kingdom Hearts χ opens in pop-up book format, showing Kairi and her grandmother in Radiant Garden. Kairi's grandmother is telling Kairi her favorite story of light and darkness.

In Dive to the Heart, the Player is asked a question: "What appearance takes the heart that guides you?", signifying the Player's choice between the five Unions: Anguis, Leopardos, Unicornis, Ursus and Vulpeus. Once the Player has chosen, Darkness surrounds them - though they summon forth a Keyblade, which is described to them as being "the power of Light meant to drive away Darkness". The Player is enveloped in light and suddenly finds themselves in Daybreak Town. Upon the Player's arrival, a massive Corridor of Darkness opens, releasing a Darkside Heartless into Daybreak Town. Although the Player summons their Keyblade to defend themselves, they are easily overcome by the large Heartless. Before the Darkside can finish them off, the Player is saved by their respective Foreteller; who forces the Darkside back into the Corridor of Darkness and follows it in suite in order to destroy it.

The Player is not alone, however, as a small cat-like figure had arrived alongside the Foreteller. Introducing itself as Chirithy, the figure explains that someone who had sought out the Light, the Player had been chosen to become a Keyblade Wielder and to use the Keyblade - a weapon of light - to fend off the darkness that is quickly covering the worlds. Chirithy tells the Player that it's their task to keep the Darkness at bay, collect Light and protect the world. Additionally, Chirithy details the existence of the Heartless as malicious beings of Darkness who seek out hearts and are intent on plunging the worlds into darkness; with the Keyblade being the only thing capable of opposing them. With this, Chirithy reveals that it had been tasked by the Player's Foreteller to act as an aid to the novice Keyblade wielder throughout their training. Before progressing forward, Chirithy indicates that the Player’s Keyblade, much like the Player themselves, is incomplete and still requires the power of “Cards” called Fragments – one of which happens to be lying on the ground nearby. When the Player appears to be confused, Chirithy suggests that they continue later. With Chirithy’s exit, the Player goes to pick up the Card, only to be beaten there by a Moogle. The Moogle tells the Player that they have many Cards that they can offer, but for a price. Ultimately, the Moogle gives the Player the Card, calling it a sample of what he has to offer.

After exploring the area and defeating several Heartless, the Player is approached by their Foreteller, who tells them that they should be able to defeat weaker Heartless with their Keyblade, but for strong Heartless the Player will need to call upon the help of others who had the same will in order to be victorious. Just then, another Darkside appears, though this time numerous other Keyblade wielders from the Union arrive to help take down the powerful Heartless. Following their victory, the Foreteller warns the Player that there are others who appear to be collecting Light in order to fend off the darkness, but that doesn't mean that their will is the same. To elaborate, the Foreteller states that these other Unions don't necessarily strive for peace across the worlds - instead gathering the Light for their own selfish desires; however, it's up to the Player to figure out whose darkness is hiding behind a facade of Light for themselves. Once the Foreteller leaves, Chirithy voices its understanding of the Player's confusion, but reminds them that darkness continues to spread, and has in fact spread to other worlds. Revealing that it wants the Player to go to these other worlds to fight the darkness, Chirithy then informs the Player that the Lanes Between had been opened and they could use them to access these other worlds.

The Player visits Dwarf Woodlands, Wonderland and Agrabah, where they interact with the locals and help defeat the hoards of Heartless that are as they attempt to consume the world with Darkness. The Player is brought to each world under Chirithy's direction, as Darkball Heartless continue crossing over from other worlds and it's the Player's job to source their origin. While in Wonderland, Chirithy also detail his origins: “The world was in Darkness. But, the world where I came into being was full of a very bright Light. The person who bore me from this world was smiling and looking at me from within the Light.” Ultimately, the Player manages to help the locals, but when Darkballs appear in Agrabah, Chirithy is unsure of where they came from and wonders whether or not "he" knew something about it - heading back to Daybreak Town alongside the Player.

Upon returning to Daybreak Town, Chirithy compliments the Player’s progress, ultimately deciding to tell the Player what they need to know: “Before the person who created me vanished, he gave his six disciples new names, and to five of them, a prophecy. Those five disciples, now Foretellers, read the prophecy in which the future was foretold - but they seemed to be shocked by the last verse: "By waging war on that land, Light shall face defeat and be annihilated. The world shall be engulfed in eternal darkness." In order to save the future, the five Foretellers thought about using the hidden power within the prophecies.” Chirithy reveals to the Player that it is this power that they’re using, with the Cards acting as intermediaries. They used power from the future to protect the light from darkness, and tried to change the future that’s engulfed in darkness. Chirithy reminds the Player that even though the five Foretellers have the same goal, their wills differ, which is why the Player mustn’t lose sight of who they are. Later, the Player seeks out Chirithy again, who claims to have been doing research on his own about the Darkballs that appeared in Agrabah. As he’d thought, the Darkballs had come from yet another world – and so Chirithy sends the Player to Olympus Coliseum in order to further fend off the Heartless.

Afterwards, the Player returns to Daybreak Town and helps several other Keyblade wielders fight off Heartless and later meets another Keyblade wielder named Ephemer, who is from a different Union. He wishes to explore a mysterious tower that lies within the center of Daybreak Town. The Player agrees to go with him to find a way into the tower, against Chirithy's wishes, but Ephemer eventually goes ahead without them. The tower is revealed to be the lair of the Foretellers, and the Player comes across the Foreteller from earlier, named Master Ava. She challenges the Player to a fight to test their strength. After the duel, she informs the Player that they have sadness in their heart and that is a link to darkness and tells the Player to return home. The Player visits a new world: Beast's Castle, and meets another Keyblade Wielder named Skuld, who is from the same Union as Ephemer and also wants to explore the Foretellers' lair. They are suddenly shocked to see two Foretellers fighting each other and encounter strange Heartless. After the two defeat them, they also encounter a dark, evil vision of Chirithy, who reveals that the Heartless they defeated are Keyblade Wielders consumed by darkness, much to the shock of the Player's Chirithy.

Gameplay
Players are able to create their own unique characters in the same style and fashion originally present in Kingdom Hearts Mobile and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded's Avatar Menu. Battles consist of a strategic card-battling mechanic with a large emphasis on collecting cards and items. can also be synthesized to level and evolve stronger cards and materials can be synthesized to strengthen the Keyblade's abilities. All controls, including moving around the field and battling, use the mouse. While the game can be experienced in single-player, cooperative multi-player is an emphasized element as cooperative gameplay is required to defeat raid bosses, which appear several times throughout the day. Additionally, players go into five Unions in which players defeat enemies together to collect light known as "Lux". At the end of each week, the total amount of Lux for each team is calculated, and the team that gathered the most takes part in a mission where players can obtain special rewards.

Action Points (AP)
AP, or Action Points, determine how much actions, such as opening chests, inspecting objects, and battling Heartless, the player can execute, each one consuming a determined amount of AP. Opening a a treasure chest, for example, costs 3 AP. If the player runs out of AP, they will not be able to take certain actions. AP can be replenished by consuming items, such as Potions, that replenishes 10 AP, or Mega-Potions, that replenishes all AP; leveling up; or by allowing time to pass.

Battle Points (BP)
BP, or Battle Points, are used to increase the damage the player deals to Raid Bosses. The first time the player enters in each Raid Boss screen, it can get a x4 multiplier for 0 BP, but after that, it will cost 3 BP, while a x2.5 multiplier will cost 2 BP, and a x1 multiplier will cost only 1 BP. BP can be replenished by consuming Ethers, that replenishes 1 BP, Mega-Ethers, that replenishes all BP, leveling up, and by allowing time to pass.