Kingdom Hearts III

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 100 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Kingdom Hearts III Game Cover
Battle through some of Disney/Pixars best known worlds as you try and save the universe from the Heartless!
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In Kingdom Hearts III, an older Sora teams up with Donald, Goofy, and Disney/Pixar characters to hunt down seven guardians of light, preventing Xehanort from triggering a second Keyblade War. The game boasts hack-and-slash combat, resembling Kingdom Hearts II, and includes elements from later handheld entries. The adventure unfolds across various Disney and Pixar worlds, as Sora and his companions encounter the real Organization XIII.

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Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 100 reviews
gameplay33 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Amazing visuals and spectacle to behold.
  • The strongest gameplay in the Kingdom Hearts series, with a lot of new worlds to explore.
  • A huge cast of likable characters and emotional moments for longtime fans.
  • Excessive exposition and cutscenes make the story feel awkward and convoluted.
  • Many worlds feel underdeveloped and lack meaningful interactions.
  • The absence of Final Fantasy characters and a cohesive narrative leaves fans disappointed.
  • story242 mentions

    The story of Kingdom Hearts III is a complex and often convoluted continuation of the series, heavily reliant on prior knowledge from numerous spin-off titles, which can leave newcomers feeling lost. While it successfully ties up long-standing plot threads and emphasizes themes of friendship and light versus darkness, the pacing suffers from excessive exposition and awkward dialogue, leading to a disjointed narrative experience. Despite its flaws, the game offers rewarding moments and engaging character interactions, particularly within the context of its Disney-inspired worlds, though many players feel it ultimately falls short of the storytelling quality seen in earlier entries.

    • “The storyline is rich and emotionally compelling, blending themes of friendship, courage, and adventure.”
    • “In this regard, longtime fans have nothing to fear; Kingdom Hearts 3 manages to pull off all those threads together and deliver an epic story that feels rewarding for fans who have been there since the beginning.”
    • “The story delivers on well over a decade of build-up and left me hungry for a new adventure.”
    • “The story is an absolute mess.”
    • “The story is confusing.”
    • “After years and years of countless games that expand on the story while we wait for a 'conclusion', this game waits to try to wrap everything up until the last couple hours and it's kind of a mess.”
  • gameplay77 mentions

    The gameplay in Kingdom Hearts III is widely praised for its stunning visuals, smooth mechanics, and a diverse range of activities that keep players engaged. While it incorporates elements from previous titles and offers a fun, combo-based combat system, some reviewers noted that it can feel overly simplistic or easy at times. Overall, the gameplay is considered one of the series' strongest aspects, providing a satisfying experience despite some inconsistencies and a disconnect with the story.

    • “The gameplay is smooth, responsive, and incredibly fun, with a perfect balance of action-packed combat and engaging exploration.”
    • “The gameplay is the best in the series and feels very smooth and intuitive.”
    • “Love the integration of all these reaction commands as well as switching between different keyblades to add more variety to gameplay strategy.”
    • “The gameplay is very inconsistent.”
    • “The gameplay loop was pretty much run through a TLDR Disney plot that didn't do anything fun or engaging with character actions, exploration, or anything really, until it was time for the big plot mode of the KH universe, which was also really disappointing.”
    • “The gameplay was okay, but the difficulty was insulting.”
  • graphics49 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and vibrant art styles that effectively bring Disney worlds to life, showcasing significant improvements over previous entries in the series. While many players appreciate the beautiful character designs and immersive environments, some have noted issues with framerate and inconsistencies in character appearances, particularly with original characters like Sora and Riku. Overall, the graphics are considered a highlight, contributing to an engaging and visually captivating experience, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay depth and pacing.

    • “The graphics and visuals are nothing short of stunning, immersing players in a vibrant and enchanting world filled with beloved Disney characters and iconic locations.”
    • “The graphics are phenomenal and so is the frame rate.”
    • “The graphics and world design are just incredible, and the gameplay is smooth once you pick a play style that suits you.”
    • “After playing 0.2 in preparation for 3, I became worried due to the horrific framerate and graphic quality in 0.2.”
    • “Everything from the slightly sub-par graphics to the overly-varied menus and mini-games to the blank-and-a-bit-slow load screens.”
    • “The graphics are pretty but there's no effort in any of the battles.”
  • music29 mentions

    The music in Kingdom Hearts III is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its stellar soundtrack that blends original compositions with iconic Disney tunes, enhancing the emotional depth of the game. Yoko Shimomura's work is particularly noted for its quality, with tracks that evoke nostalgia while also fitting seamlessly into the gameplay experience. Despite some criticisms of the story and gameplay, the music consistently stands out as a highlight, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “That being said, the most amazing thing about Kingdom Hearts III's presentation is the music.”
    • “Furthermore, the game's soundtrack is a masterpiece in itself, featuring a mix of original compositions and iconic Disney tunes, enhancing the overall gaming experience and adding to the emotional depth of the story.”
    • “I'm so glad they took their time making this - the music is amazing, familiar strains, yet original to this entry; the plot is now clear and heartwarming; improvements in graphics and gameplay are impressive.”
    • “No going to Arendelle Castle or entering Elsa's ice palace... just add a musical number and finding Olaf mini game... it was just an awful world.”
    • “However, the dialogue, music, and mood of the battle worlds is pathetic.”
    • “Like, the entire song 'Let It Go' is an example of a cut scene.”
  • emotional14 mentions

    "Kingdom Hearts III" delivers an emotional experience for longtime fans, effectively blending nostalgia with new themes of friendship and adventure. The game's soundtrack enhances its emotional depth, featuring a mix of original compositions and familiar Disney tunes that evoke strong feelings. While some players may find the story lacking, the emotional moments and character development, particularly for Sora, create a heartwarming journey that resonates deeply with those familiar with the series.

    • “It can be quite emotional even to hear the game's opening theme as it reminds you of everything you've done throughout the series, but even more emotional are the beats the game hits when remixing old tunes to feel brand new, and the new themes it brings to the table to make the characters, worlds, and the relationship between them all connect.”
    • “The storyline is rich and emotionally compelling, blending themes of friendship, courage, and adventure.”
    • “Furthermore, the game's soundtrack is a masterpiece in itself, featuring a mix of original compositions and iconic Disney tunes, enhancing the overall gaming experience and adding to the emotional depth of the story.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth, but the story lacks any emotional depth.”
    • “I felt no connection to the characters; the emotional moments fell flat.”
    • “Despite the beautiful graphics, the game failed to evoke any real feelings.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some moments are genuinely hilarious and feature clever, self-aware dialogue, others fall flat with awkward delivery and clichéd attempts at comedy. The story's absurdity can lead to laugh-out-loud scenes, but the overall execution often feels forced and cringeworthy, detracting from the comedic potential.

    • “The good news is that while some dialog and voice acting moments can feel awkward, the story isn't afraid to goof around (pun intended), and be funny.”
    • “That's absolutely hilarious and I love it.”
    • “There are some tongue-in-cheek, self-aware, even 4th wall-breaking lines that make for some humorous scenes.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it can be engaging and adds depth to exploration, particularly for those aiming for 100% completion, it can also become tedious over time, especially with repetitive keyblade actions. Overall, grinding is seen as a necessary component that enhances the game without becoming overly burdensome.

    • “This made exploring the large worlds interesting, but not tedious.”
    • “You still are not going to boot up the game just to do it for hours unless you are grinding for 100% completion on synthesis items, but at the same time, it isn't something you wish wasn't included either.”
    • “Some of the newer actions are fun (running up the walls!), but the different keyblade actions are cool at first - and then tedious.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized, with many reviewers noting a lack of meaningful growth, particularly for the protagonist, Sora, who is portrayed as simplistic. While the game features returning favorites and impressive visuals, the convoluted story and excessive reliance on Disney elements detract from character depth, leaving some development scenes feeling unnecessary.

    • “There is absolutely no relevant character development.”
    • “Sora’s character development died apparently because he’s treated like an imbecile.”
    • “Some character development scenes were pointless.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its smooth performance and beautiful graphics, allowing players to keep track of the action. However, some users have reported occasional framerate issues, particularly on lower-end hardware, despite the availability of a performance option.

    • “There is always a lot of action going on, and the game runs smoothly, allowing you to keep track of everything.”
    • “Graphically, it's beautiful to me. I remember some people complaining about this at launch, but honestly, it looked gorgeous to me (who is primarily a high-end PC player using a base PS4).”
    • “The game is graphically beautiful, but the framerate was an issue at times, even with the better performance option turned on.”
    • “Despite the stunning visuals, the optimization leaves much to be desired, leading to inconsistent performance.”
    • “I experienced frequent drops in framerate, which detracted from the overall experience, especially during intense moments.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is cleverly integrated, as players initially mistake in-game advertisements for external promotions, highlighting a seamless blend with the original Toy Story narrative. This approach enhances the experience rather than detracting from it.

    • “The monetization in this game feels intrusive and takes away from the overall experience.”
    • “I can't believe how many ads pop up during gameplay; it completely disrupts the flow.”
    • “The in-game purchases are overpriced and make it hard to enjoy the game without spending a fortune.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game's replayability is rated low at 2/5, indicating that players find it to be highly subjective and potentially lacking in engaging content that encourages multiple playthroughs.

    • “Replayability is quite low; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to return.”
    • “After finishing the main story, I found no compelling reasons to replay the game.”
    • “The lack of varied outcomes or different paths makes replaying feel unnecessary.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users report that entering codes can lead to computer glitches and various issues, indicating concerns about the game's stability during this process.

    • “When you enter the codes, you risk encountering computer glitches and issues.”
    • “The game frequently crashes, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and stability issues that ruined the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

89% average critic score

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