Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8
Final Chapter Prologue

Logo
Developer(s) Square Enix 1st Production Department[1]
Publisher(s) Square Enix
Distributor(s) Disney Interactive Studios
Director(s) Tetsuya Nomura
Artist(s) Tetsuya Nomura
Composer(s) Yoko Shimomura
Series Kingdom Hearts
Engine Unreal Engine 4[1][2]
Platform(s) PlayStation 4
Release date(s) 2016
Genre(s) Action-role playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (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 Kingudamu Hātsu HD 2.8 Fainaru Chaputā Purorōgu, stylized Kingdom Hearts HD II.8 Final Chapter Prologue) is an HD remastered collection of the Kingdom Hearts series, developed by Square Enix exclusively for the PlayStation 4. A successor to Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, it was announced in September 2015 and is scheduled to be released in 2016.

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue includes a high-definition remaster of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, as well as two new pieces of content to the Kingdom Hearts series. The first, Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, tells a new tale of the Foretellers in HD cinematics, while Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep–A Fragmentary Passage, is an all new game that takes place after the events of Birth by Sleep from the perspective of Aqua. Back Cover and A Fragmentary Passage will be the ninth and tenth installments in the Kingdom Hearts series.

Development

In January 2011, with the release of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix a secret ending was discovered, titled "Birth by Sleep: Volume 2". The content, which looked like it bridged the gap between Birth by Sleep and the original Kingdom Hearts, was believed to be a potential future game in the series.[3] In October 2014, on the content seen in the secret ending, series director Tetsuya Nomura stated, "It shows the existence of Aqua'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."[4]

In the credits of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, clips of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance were shown as well as the inclusion of a secret ending related to the game, hinting at a possible additional collection.[5] In September 2015, Square Enix announced Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, for release in 2016.[6] Also in the month, Nomura stated the collection, which is being developed alongside Kingdom Hearts III, was created to allow players to experience new elements being developed for Kingdom Hearts III "sooner than later", and it was decided to release the collection on the PlayStation 4.[1][7] On how the name of the collection was determined, Nomura stated that Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance is considered "number 2.6" in the series since it follows the events in HD 2.5 Remix, and the χ games, with the absence of Sora, are considered 0, while Birth by Sleep is 0.1, thus resulting in 0.2 for A Fragmentary Passage. When added together, the numbers total 2.8.[8] In December 2015, a trailer for the game was debuted at Jump Festa, with the game being praised for its aesthetic quality.[9]

Games

Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD

The collection features an HD remaster of Dream Drop Distance,[6] which Nomura stated was essentially a full remake of the game, since the original utilized the two screens of the Nintendo 3DS.[1][7]

Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover

Further information: Kingdom Hearts χ

Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, told through HD cinematics, tells a new tale of the Foretellers and reveal new parts of the series' history.[6][10] Nomura revealed that Back Cover would utilize technology being developed for Kingdom Hearts III,[1][7] and would be approximately one-hour in length.[11]

Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep–A Fragmentary Passage

Further information: Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep–A Fragmentary Passage is a new, short episode taking place after the events of the original Birth by Sleep, told from the perspective of Aqua.[6][10] A Fragmentary Passage, which ties into Kingdom Hearts III and uses technology from III,[1][7][12] is set immediately after Dream Drop Distance, when King Mickey reveals that he has a few secrets to confess, relating to Aqua and her time in the Realm of Darkness.[12] The story then picks up immediately after the secret ending of Birth by Sleep Final Mix, and will last about the length of one world from the series.[1][7]

Release

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is scheduled to be released in 2016.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sata (September 19, 2015). "Details On What’s New In Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 And Aqua’s Story". Siloconera. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  2. ↑ Ashcraft, Brian (October 7, 2014). "Kingdom Hearts III Is Being Made with Unreal Engine 4". Kotaku. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  3. ↑ Yoon, Andrew (January 19, 2011). "Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep: Volume 2 teased by Final Mix secret ending". Joystiq via Engaget. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Nomura hopes to tell Birth by Sleep -Volume 2-'s story one day". KH13. October 1, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  5. ↑ Dunsmore, Kevin (January 14, 2015). "Get Ready to Play a New Kingdom Hearts Game in 2015". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Wallace, Kimberly (September 15, 2015). "[Update] Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue Revealed For PS4". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Romano, Sal (September 20, 2015). "Kingdom Hearts 0.2 uses Kingdom Hearts III technology". Gematsu. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  8. ↑ Ashcraft, Brian (September 22, 2015). "Explaining Kingdom Hearts HD II.8's Bizarre Title". Kotaku. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  9. ↑ Whitaker, Jed (December 18, 2015). "Kingdom Hearts III and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue get a new trailer". Destructoid. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  10. 1 2 McWhertor, Michael (September 15, 2015). "Square Enix announces Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue for PS4". Polygon. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ is coming to North America!". Square Enix. April 4, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  12. 1 2 "KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue 発売決定のお知らせ" (PDF) (in Japanese). Square Enix. September 15, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.

External links

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