A Passionate Defense of Kingdom Hearts 3
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
- I think Kingdom Hearts 3 gets a bad rap. I've always loved it, so I'm gonna lay my cards on the table here and offer a different perspective on a game close to my heart.
0:00 Intro
8:47 Embracing the Crossover
24:47 Three Half-Pints
41:19 Destiny's Crossroads
1:04:25 Kingdom Hearts
Channel Icon by:
/ whaddupnico
Additional footage: / @willjv2
Script: docs.google.com/document/d/1e...
Patreon: / kingdomklannad
Twitter: / kingklonoa
Twitch: / thekingklonoa
Last Life: last-life.net/
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#KingK #KH3 #Retrospective - Hry
I laughed so hard at "Riku flew out of Riku into Riku in order defeat Riku"
It’s like Vergil hiring vergils brother and vergils son so Vergil and Vergil can become Vergil
"Check please...."
Yeah KH1 was pretty crazy huh :)
Riku kills Riku while Riku watches
You know you've played too much of this madness that this sentence somehow makes perfect sense. Kingdom Hearts lore is just weird.
You were the first CZcamsr I knew who actually openly said, through all the online backlash, that they don't just LIKE Kingdom Hearts III, but genuinely ADORE it. I can't think of a better person to make a video like this. You really poured your heart into it. Stellar work.
@Jediberner8 that's stuff that mostly just comes down to implied background detail. like, formchanges first came up in kh2 as something the lingering will could do, and then bbs drops and all of the crew can formchange their keyblades into their gliders, terra can bust out the ultima cannon the lingering will inherited, and no heart packs its own bonus boss formchanges. young xehanort gets in on it in ddd, to boot. and when you think about it, none of this _really_ comes out of nowhere, because we've been changing the keyblade's form since game 1, just to a more limited extent. so it's pretty well established, if through subtext rather than text, that keyblades are p. malleable weapons that can reshape themselves to respond to their wielder's will, and keyblade wielders can learn through teaching or experience to take full advantage of this ability - which p. straightforwardly leads to the conclusion that sora gaining access to formchanging is the culmination of him masting the keyblade over the course of all the previous games, experience which remains even after the events of ddd drained him of his raw power
the rides, meanwhile, aren't quite so easy to explain ... unless you subscribe to the theory that kh3 pulls a union x, at which point the fact that the proper name for them is attraction _flow_ in the same game in which _flow_ motion returns after its sole inclusion of ddd has some interesting implications. there's a lot of ways that they're similar to ddd's reality shifts, after all
Regular Pat also said nice things about KH. I recommend gis videos.
@@Dracobyte regular pat is specifically a KH content creator, so the people that follow him are the ones that like it, anyone might get recommended KingK’s videos since he made videos for so many things
Still waiting for that video from super butter buns
I remember Kh1 moving me. I remember kh2 surprising me time and time again. This story only... Bored me... Your passion only makes me more disappointed at kh3.... I am glad there are so many people who enjoyed and loved it.... I only wish I had these feelings too...
"Don't lose yourself in the sorrow of separation. Be thankful that bond was strong enough to create that sadness." One of the greatest lines I've ever heard. Well done.
It’s a KH level quote in itself
@@shiningpikachu4750 fuck me if you didn't tell me that I would've 100% believe it was a KH quote
@@lawgx9819 I know right...Kinda sad that it wasn't.
@@shiningpikachu4750 I was kinda beating myself up for not remembering it so I'm a lil glad it's not 😂
I'm totally gonna steal that for D&D 😁
"Roxas resonated with my preteen self so much that I thought about him every day" made me tear up. I thought about Roxas every single day from 2006-2012.
Same I had never related to a character more when I was younger
@@thatguy5876 👊
omg found my people, he is the star of my maladaptive daydream
Gay
Genuine question but .. how can you relate to roxas when he has no personality ? Like, he lives in Twilight town in the kh2 intro… normal life, then merges with sora.(?) . Later we learn that roxas had 1 year as a grunt in the org before being put in a simulation. Mentally he is about 1.5 years old. He has no parents. No country , no context. He has shallowly written friendships with axel and xion, and turns against the org. Not a complex story. He’s not written like a human character. Like most of Kh the writing is actually bad. Yet, it’s told in a very slick way that compelled me to think it was cool at the time.
To quote Eggman from Sonic Unleashed: "Oh, I've waited a long time for this!"
"I miss my wife Sora."
"I've been waiting for this!"
This and Regular Pat's videos about KH gave me years of life.
@@jakelester4857 commas are important
EVEN YOUR DESCRIPTION OF THE SEA SALT TRIO'S RESOLUTION BROUGHT ME TO TEARS, by far my favorite resolution in that entire game.
I remember the night this game came out, I was sitting in my college dorm room at midnight when the game dropped I sat down at my desk and played for 46 hours without stopping except to eat and other necessities, when the credits played I crashed with tears in my eyes and woke up the next morning with the title screen playing its beautiful music. It was one of my favourite times experiencing a game and I will never forget it.
Okayyyyy
Way to say you don't have friends haha
Mate if a game this mediocre made you tear up you have bigger problems
@@D4rkThuNderplays Maybe you would have to understand my history with this game to get why i cried as at the time this was the end of an era for this game series that had been with me since before i could remember. I played this game with family as a child and it holds a very special place in my heart and memories.
@@D4rkThuNderplaysNah, it simply means he has a different oppinion from yours.
Honestly, if we were to judge this game completely objectively, he would be more in the right than you.
This game is not mid mechanically, storywise, emotionally, graphically or whatever else you want to point out, but obviously you can still hate the game and think it's the worst in the series(a very mind boggling take, but ey, if the 6 years of waiting destroyed you that much, it's your freedom to think that way), but you can't go around telling people they can't love something or spread positivity about it(and you can especially not tell them that there is something wrong with them, just because they did the 2 prior mentioned things).
Sure it seems a bit hypocritical to say "You can't judge people because of what they like, just because you dont like it" while Im judging you for judging other people and have a clear bias towards KH3, still it doesn't undermine my points.
These topics are just wayy too complicated, while I love KH3 everyone should obviously be able to express their thoughts about the game, even if it is extremely negative.
Just do it in a way where it doesn't seem toxic, if a game is bad, you can just outright say it, but if you're disappointed in a game you shouldn't just chalk it up to the game being objectively bad, maybe you yourself are the problem and if not try to criticize it instead of just saying "Ah, it's mid".
@@silvsora man said the game was not mod storywise or emotional 💀
Well you're right it's not mid, it's bad
Gameplay you can just fly while attacking, never falling down, also attractions, don't even need to say more
Most people need to learn the difference between liking something and it being good, you can like something not good and you can not like something good
Also if what I said is toxic you're gonna have a rough life buddy
Felt the exact same way about Final Fantasy 13. "Am I stupid?" "Are my standards really that low?" "What's... wrong with me?" are all things I asked myself verbatim. Perhaps I am stupid, perhaps my standards are low. However, now that I'm older, I learned it's important to love what you love without apology, staying true to yourself. Beautiful vid by the way, good work.
Felt the exact same way with FF 15.
Honestly I’m getting sick of the idea that certain games are just objectively bad because the populous thinks they’re bad.
God speed to you. It's something I've learned too, recently. It feels better to just not stress and just stay true to how you feel.
@@killerkitten7534 well 15 was bad simply because HALF THE GAME IS DLC and the combat is broken. Could've been great if it wasn't such a mess
@@thatitalianlameguy2235 you’re a great example of what I’m talking about
@@thatitalianlameguy2235 that’s your opinion
It is an objective fact that a lot of the game is missing, and it’s a fact that the combat doesn’t work as intended, but whether you think that makes the game bad is opinion
I’m gonna go on a tangent here, there’s no such thing as “objectively bad”, because the sentence in itself doesn’t make sense. “Bad” is an opinon, it means something unpleasant and unwelcome which are feelings, not facts. Objective means a fact that is not rooted in feelings, so objectively good or bad doesn’t exist.
You can judge games objectively only by what is actual fact, but whether it is good or bad you can’t necessarily judge it objectively. The closest thing we have to an objective score is aggregate scores on sites like metacritic but even that’s up for debate.
You can say a game is glitchy, it’s incomplete, it doesn’t work as intended, but do these make a game bad? To some it will, but to others it might elevate their enjoyment
Sora getting into Smash made me feel like my love for kingdom hearts was validated. Like I wasn't the only one who enjoys this series just as much as me. It's by far my favorite piece of fiction.
Sorry for your trash taste.
Be validated. Thank you for being honest :)
I mean that’s sweet, and community centered around common interest is amazing too- but your likes are validated because you like them. Not cause it’s popular or what have ya ☺️
@@JustSkram Taste is a matter of perspective
@@JustSkram keep you pitty, you will need it for yourself.
Interpreting the power of wakening as Sora growing up hits so much harder with what we know about KH4, sora grew up, he is no longer a kid, he is now then, in a different reality, no longer in the fantasy and magical world he once lived, but in the streets of Tokyo, a gray atmosphere, where he is now looking at the adulthood reality
I wholeheartedly agree!
I love that the KingK and Regular Pat videos are showing a positive light on this series, specially KH III.
So I guess to mature you just need to put no effort and just f*ck around. What a great message, genius Nomura as usual.
Feel like this is going to make the Disney worlds in KH4 a lot more interesting. If Sora still travels to them, everything that’s happened to him will probably color his interactions more. Making him less of the goofball he’s always been. But if someone else travels to them, it could show how Sora does kind of need that kind of positivity in his life. That his life can’t just be one where he shoulders everything. He needs to learn he’s his friends power as much as he’s their power
What? The hell does being older have to do with things being regular and boring? Aqua and terra are both adults in birth by sleep and things are still colorful and fun. Nomura said aqua is around 18 and terra around 20 and that didnt mean they had to go to a normal city. Plus plenty of adults live in colorful non city areas so that being a correlation to adulthood sounds unnecessary anyway
Bro this is an insane video. All the way through I could feel the passion and emotion in your words. This series really does mean a lot to you huh. Seems like you were just the right person to make this video
Pretty dishonest video. KH2 is better. KH3 is mid
@@frogglen6350 How's it dishonest? It's his opinion, He's being honest, KH3 isn't THAT bad lol. I agree tbh, I prefer 1 & 2 but im not gonna lie and act like there's nothing KH3 does better cause there's ALOT that the game does better than the others, Being able to upgrade Keyblades and transform them, Wide vatiety of combat stemming from all the other titles, Gummi Ship exploration & Bosses, Graphics obviously & Its World Design, Honestly if it wasn't for the lackluster story, Lack of collesuem & Secret Bosses, It could arguably be the best in the series. KH2 story and combat are still king tho, Also he has stated multiple times KH2 is the best KH game and his favorite game of all time.
I'm not a Kingom Hearts guy, but after watching this video......I get it now. I can actually see how impactful this series is thanks to this video!
I'm not a zelda kinda guy but we appreciate your comment
I am SO happy that we've made Lingering Will Turner a thing in this community
I cried the most at the end beach scene when Kairi and Sora spent their last moments together. Not out of joy but of desperate heartbreak. I just want them to have their chance to be happy together.
Just like Riku, Mikey, and Kari, we will bring Sora back, Nomura-San gave us the oppurtunity in KH 3 to save everyone, we will surely be able to save Sora and get that Happy Ending he and we deserve..❤
I can't believe it's been four years since the game came out. I remember waiting for KH3 for an eternity and it's so hard to think it's not even "new" anymore. Incredible video.
Not to mentioned that we already got a trailer for KH4. It feels so surreal.
I completely relate to the sea salt trio reuniting. My friends and I had a group chat where we’d share video reactions to our scenes from the game. When it got to that part I was holding back tears and rocking just muttering “please don’t do this” and when roxas’ voice came out and said Xion I broke. No other game has meant more to me than this game. I love this series with all of my heart
This video made my day, the vast majority of KH3 video's on here are negative, so finally having a positive one that's extremely genuine makes me happy especially as someone who also loves the game.
It is a good contrast to have, thats true. Even if i dont agree with any of his points its good to have different perspectives.
Just wish his arguments had more meat in their bones, "I liked the game because of my personal attachment to the series" is a pretty weak defense.
I've been a kh fan since day 1 and I still think thats a weir argument and this game has A LOT of problems.
negativity gets clicks, sad but that's just how the internet works.
@@6187490 I haven’t seen the vid yet and will be watching shortly, but if you don’t agree w/ ANY of his points, it’s obvious that you’re going to think there’s no “meat” to his argument. And I sincerely doubt an HOUR long video would just be “lol I’m a fan”. Just seems silly and sounds like you weren’t paying attention anyway. So your whole “good contrast, new perspectives” clearly doesn’t matter if you weren’t paying attention to being with.
KH3 is flawed, but it isn’t irredeemable and it did some things right. There are other games in the series that had similar or different flaws. Tbh, KH is a very flawed series overall and you kind have to look past all of it to be a fan to begin with. So obviously this fan is going to look at the good, whereas you didn’t want to. Which is fine, but just don’t pretend the guy had no points in a video that’s an HOUR long. If it’s only your opinion youre interested in, just do your own thing.
@@6187490 so you're ignoring the best world design, the insane combos you can achieve in it, the Disney world's actually being more relevant than 2 lol, and the awesome setpieces
@@6187490 I haven’t seen the complete video, did he really just use an emotional argument all the way through?
Hearing you say that the end of KH3 marked your first real steps into adulthood and the end of your childhood hit hard for me. This game came out when I was 20, I had a new job, a baby on the way, and a lot of doubts about what I was doing with my life. 4 years later, my daughter on the cusp of turning 4 herself, we sit and play these games together. She loves all of the Disney characters and adores Riku. It's so special for me to get to share these games with her after I spent nearly 20 years of my life loving them up to this point. I hope one day when shes older I get to watch her play through them all for the first time and we can experience all of it together again. Thank you for this video and thank you Nomura for this beautiful franchise.
My daughter was born the month KH3 came out. Now she has a teddy bear named Ven and a Kairi Keyblade of her own. Getting to play the games with her the way I watched my Dad play through 1 and 2 is indescribably special. Man these games are good.
Life goals
The game came out for me when I was 18 and I didn’t play it until my birthday and it was awesome
I love that the KingK and Regular Pat videos are showing a positive light on this series, specially KH III.
@@Road_to_Dawn not mine
So hilarious that he mentioned how cold it was the day this game came out. I also vividly remember heading to gamestop right after school to grab the game and I couldn’t even describe how deadly freezing it was outside
RIGHT. I walked through a Chicago blizzard to pick up my copy of KH3
I remember grabbing mine and then going with my mom to pick up groceries. Excitingly telling my friends about it and showing them the awesome box art.
I remember standing in the cold outside with a group of other people waiting for the game.
In Minnesota we hit a record low -60f after wind chill right around when this game came out. Garbage year, this game was one of the few highlights.
I feel like it's important to remember that later the same year that KH3 came out we saw the release of DMC5, accurately summarized as Vergil hiring Vergil's brother and Vergil's son to defeat Vergil so that Vergil can merge with Vergil to become Vergil
Earnestly silly plots in video games are good actually
God Damn DMC5 was a masterpiece lmao
Maybe it's because I've discovered the series rather recently that I did not have as big expectations of KHIII as people who basically grew up with it - still, it was really enjoyable gameplaywise, had a decent story aside from the Frozen world (it did feel like Sora and the gang found themselves there by a mistake), and seeing the BBS and Days trios reunite was absolutely magical. I believe that if Nomura decided to show the importance of Disney worlds in a bit more organised way would help the game tremendously. After you've connected them to KH events in this video, it actually makes sense. That's why even cliche retrospections would tie things neatly. Nonetheless, it was a blast, hoping that KH IV (whenever it releases) will redeem the series' image. No matter how you look at it, things may completely change now and I'm all for it.
I cried so hard when Xion came back and said “it’s xioning time” 😢😢😢
Yeah. It would be nice having more civil discussions about Kingdom Hearts with KH4. Though, we do have Sora in Smash Brothers and I've seen a lot more positivity surrounding that to this day. Which includes me as well, that was still such a magical moment.
Your intro resonated with me in a way that I cannot describe. But i will try anyway. The feeling that maybe I was crazy, the feeling that maybe I'm the one in the wrong for loving KH3 so genuinely even with all of its notable flaws, the feeling that everyone around me just wants to do nothing but talk badly about an experience that I absolutely adored and needed at the time in my young adult hood. I've also been here since the beginning. I've also watched as sora grows along side me and I've done so many yearly playthroughs of KH2. So its nice to hear that I'm not alone in this opinion. That I'm not alone in loving something so genuinely and feeling like I'm worse for it. Thanks KingK.
I'm pretty late to this, but as long as it isn't hurting anyone, you shouldn't feel any shame in liking the things that you like. It took me a while to come to grips with this, seeing I ALSO felt this way for a while when it came to KH3, but yeah. Though it is indeed refreshing to hear a different take every once in a while. Especially when most of the takes are either positive or negative.
Also...I normally dont comment twice on videos, but I feel I have to after resonating so hard with you here.
The "shame " associated with loving something that's a part of your identity ....what KH is for you and so many others is what sonic is for me. And people shittin on frontiers made me feel the EXACT what you described feeling in defense of Kh3. It's okay to love something that isnt perfect.
And btw ; glad you finally put out the video, you Faced Your Fears, King K !
I’m absolutely HYPED for the Lost Masters arc. What X, Union X, Dark Road, and now Missing Link are setting up and how it all is going to culminate in KH4 is going to be epic. I really hope they give Union X and Dark Road the movie treatment like they did with X just to make those stories more accessible for wider audiences
I'm so glad to listen to this - There's this strange effect with some media that occurs where, even if you enjoy something, you're kind of gaslit by popular opinion to feel differently. I know I had a magical time with KH3 from beginning to end.
KH3 was released on 29th January 2019 in the UK. My dad died the day after.
Back when the final release date was announced, I had told him I would take the day off from school just to start playing it the moment it arrived. I don't remember how he reacted but I do remember trying to teach him, a man in his 60s, how to work my PS4 and download it for me if I had to go to school. He was never well, he had heart problems and diabetes and he'd never fully recovered from the stroke he had when I was 4, so I didn't notice his health declining until it was too late. He wasn't well enough for Christmas and went into hospital on New Years' Eve. Then he went back in and my oldest brother came down from London to look after me. We found out it was Stage 4 cancer and all they could do was make him comfortable - they only gave him a few weeks to live. Our middle brother came down from university in Scotland around then.
Everything from January that year is a blur for me, except this game. I don't know if I could remember how I found out he was gone if not for the fact I was stuck on that part of the Caribbean with the onslaught of pirate ships before the Kraken and Davy Jones fights. I don't think I'd remember anything for a long time after that if not for KH3.
Looking back, the game isn't perfect, not by any means. But none of the games in this series are. KH3 especially suffered from the need to fulfil unattainable expectations. But the emotion you feel when you see the Days trio or Wayfinder trio reunite, or at the pure insanity that is Woody's Roast of Young Xehanort, or when you hear Donald and Goofy through your controller before dealing the final blow? That's real. It's as real as the impact this series has had on me and so many others, and it's as real as the crutch this game gave me at the worst time in my life.
Thank you so much for making this video. The discourse on this game hurts me to my core, even if I can see and relate to points on both sides, but to see such a heartfelt defence brought me genuine relief. So thank you for that.
Thank you for taking the time to right this. May our hearts all be reconnected with this we love.
This comment made me cry. I hope you’re at peace in life and finding your way through it well, thank you for taking the time to write that comment, I needed that in my life.
@@tristantruitt1592 Thank you, it's been a pretty hectic four and a bit years to say the least, but I have good friends, and I have my brothers, and even if things really aren't the same without our dad, we've been getting on okay.
All the best to you, the only thing I can say is that even the worst moments of your life can lead you down a path you end up cherishing.
@@aisling5485 thank you for being the person you are and sharing those words. I wish the best for all of your family ! Stay you!!
This is the first video I've come across with an opinion that honestly resonated with me in such a way that I don't think could have been said in such a beautiful way. I've grown up with this series, and I am currently 28. I felt so much emotion and passion behind each segment of this video. It genuinely broke me in a way that felt I could only dream of, like a mirror image of myself speaking to me. Feels like the one true review that has as much passion for the series as I have had and has some of the biggest impact in my life. I truly appreciate you taking the time to make this video. And even though I don't know you, your words feel like I've known you, my whole life, like a best friend or someone who has come around after years and making me feel less alone in today's world. I can't thank you enough for this tremendous video. I needed every second of this.
"May your heart be your guiding key."
I'm glad I came across your video
I’m glad someone is finally giving this game a fair shot. I love KH3. I’ve loved it since day 1 and I thinks it an excellent conclusion to this story arch.
You think none of the haters gave the game a fair shot?
@@-JaggedGrace-i feel the difference is that years ago they went in with their own expectations for what the game would -or should- be. Long waiting periods will do that
@@samuelwolch1302 I didn't do any theorizing, or predictions, didn't watch any KH videos in preparation. I just went in to explore more of the Kingdom Hearts world, and I hated it, for so many reasons. I guarantee you, plenty of the disappointed people were a result of the game's own shortcomings, not from any unrealistically high expectations.
I've not even listened fully to the intro, but I can fully understand your plight. I'm a fan who's only played KH in recent years. When I got to 3, I was very excited, but also very nervous. People trashed hard on this game, and it felt weird to play it. Luckily, I did have the added DLC to play as well, but even then, falling in love with the base game felt weird. I liked the idea of finding the good within the bad of 3, but I ended up finding so much more good than I could have ever perceived. 3 is the perfect mix between 1 and 2 terms of gameplay, and it is well paced in a lot more ways than 2. I started to feel the same way as how you felt. Then I realized that there should always be people to defend a game. No matter if a product is good or bad, there will always be people who love it, and people who hate it. What matters, is finding out why you feel a way about a product, and stating it out loud. It doesn't matter if you will get negative backlash, what matters is that you made your voice heard. You of course want to be civil, don't treat the people who like or hate the game as stupid or asinine. You however also should be allowed to defend a product, because there will always be people who think like you. KH3 is my fav in the series, not only because I love the actual product, but it's also because KH3 taught me it's okay to defend my opinions, in spite of general word of mouth.
If the main story bosses weren't so mediocre it would be seen as the best combat because of the insane combos
Amen
@@thatitalianlameguy2235 Dont forget that the combos at launch just really didn't feel good at all, the RE:mind patch really did help the combat with the new combos and adding cancel windows to the older ones
Very excited to listen to this. My feelings on Kingdom Hearts 3 are complicated and I have a lot of frustrations with it but many of those are also tied to the greater context of the lead up to KH3 with both the story setup (Not the biggest fan of Dream Drop Distance and 358 Days for various reasons) and the sheer amount of time it took for this game to actually happen. With those feelings of frustration combined with how KH3 handles its own pacing and where it decides to focus the majority of its story's run time, I don't think I can say I'll ever fully love the game but I'm very interested in hearing the defense for it.
EDIT: One of my biggest take aways with my frustrations I think come from how Kairi is handled in general. There's a TON of emphasis placed on her towards the end but ultimately it's used just to fridge her and provoke Sora. With all the emphasis placed on the two at the end and in ReMind it really makes me think that she should've joined the trio throughout the adventure so that we could actually see Sora and Kairi work off of each other and let her develop as a hero on her own. Areas like Arendelle and Corona would've provided some solid opportunities for that relationship to become more fleshed out. There doesn't have to be a TON of scenes dedicated to her but let her and Sora's journeys intertwine Actually sell us on their relationship like they already have with him and Riku. Let the player connect with her more instead of just telling us that she matters. But no, they give her worthless off-screen training with nothing of note other than a couple nice scenes with Axel that could still have been delivered in another way.
Fellow KingK worshipper?!?!
Dude, you couldn't have said it any better tbh..
Honestly i am here, there's a lot of the execution of Kh3 that i can't just overlook even above the good moments, i haven't finished watching the video but i hope half of the arguments won't just be a complicated variant of "I like it and the child within me likes it too so that means it's a good thing" like some people use when talking about kh3. You can like it bc your inner child does i'm not saying the opposite but it would be nice it of people were more willing to talk about what it did wrong instead of hiding it. (yes random hardcore kh2fm+ fans are shitty what can i say that hasn't been said )
they basically didn’t use any of the games runtime to expound on the actual plot. everything just happens in the last 10% of the game and it’s bittersweet because there was no kingdom hearts in kingdom hearts. just a bunch of weird jilted paced unimportant cutscenes, until the final battle.
Meh, Kairi has always been a useless throwaway character. I never expected them to use her any differently.
Dave’s Jones Locker was the best use of foreshadowing I’ve seen in a while. It blew my mind discovering the connection between THAT and the Final World years later.
Genius shit really lol
@@FireTrainer92 I WAS SHOCKED
@@natsurashizero HOLY SHIT YOU JUST MADE ME REALISE THAT AS WELL LMAO
KH3 is the only game in recent memory that is constantly subjected to bad faith critiques with lots of obvious counterarguments that get ignored. It's one of the best games in the series and I refuse to pretend otherwise
I remember really enjoying KH3 when I initially played, so seeing the backlash it was getting certainly came as a shock to me .
I was actually the complete opposite, not liking KH3 and surprised to see so many people around me didn't see the same issues I did.
@Super Lombax it has issues sure, particularly the fact there is no drop in your combos but it's is still a great game.
@@superlombax1561 Same here. Felt like I was playing a different game than everyone else until I started seeing similar opinions months later.
For story, pacing and dialogue I felt it was weak asf but as a KH fan since I was a kid the emotional highs were very high despite on reflection noticing how contrived some shit felt
Terms of as a GAME, I thought it was great and at least the base game was on par to better than KH2 in terms of world design and general fun.
Even ended up being tided over completely when limit cut came around I pretty heavily prefer those fights to KH2 data org too.
I'd say as an overall package, KH2FM is more solid but I'd say 3 sits pretty comfortably between 2 and 1 for quality.
i loved the game.
I really respect you for making an in-depth defense of Kingdom Hearts 3. It's my favorite game of the series due to the amazing and fluid combat and story that gives us the long-awaited conclusion for characters that have been hurting for so long. Honestly the organization and villain send offs were way more satisfying to see than in KH2. I honestly felt a sense of toxicity of people repeatedly bashing the Osaka team and wanting KH3 to pretty much be a carbon copy of KH2 both in gameplay and story.
Truer words were never spoken i really hope this toxic behavior doesn't happen again in kh4.
Don't be fooled; people were bashing KH2 for the literal exact same reasons they bashed KH3 for.
I love that the KingK and Regular Pat videos are showing a positive light on this series, specially KH III.
@@ultimamage3People were bashing the story because it's very badly written most of the time.
For once most characters don't ever get a proper introduction to each other (Ventus and Roxas for instance) or general interactions between each other (Remind at most, which is sad since that's the only real example of character interaction) while others get spared from all the bad stuff they've done for the sake of a cool sendoff. A good example for this is either Ansem, which was the main cause for Riku's trauma and overall a dude that killed probably millions in KH1. Then there's Xemnas', which is the main culprit behind all the Days trio issues and also the cause behind the hurt of many other people during KH2 although not in the scale of Ansem. The most annoying one is the blatant retcon of Xehanort's motivations (which were clearly stated during BBS) and how the story ends up with him having his redemption when he's the main cause behind all the issues in the series until that point. Not even that but everyone is ok with him being spared when he "killed" Kairi just a few hours ago. Like dude, if someone did all that and killed my crush/bff I would absolutely not spare the dude.
Idk the more you look into the game's story the more it feels like the Devs didn't play/get what the previous games where about and just wanted to add fanservice for the sake of it. An example of this is how many mental gymnastics you have to do to excuse Xion's revival or how Master Eraqus being inside Terra feels like a magic trick they did for the sake of giving extra screen time to a character that already had their closure.
Man... after hearing that intro and basically have lived the same exact thing for my whole life, i am actually sad I didnt get to experince the joy of competing kh3. I am actually jealouse you enjoyed the game soo much. I looked fowsrd to this game for over half my life and was disapointed. The game actually crushed a lot of the childhood wonder i had for the series. It broke my heart, and not in a good emotional filled way. That being sad i am still more hyped for kh4 than any other game. I hope it brings back that feeling i had before kh3
I avoided everything about this game until it came out and I finished it. I saw exactly one trailer, the very first one, and then forced myself into a media blackout. No theories, no trailers, no "everything you need to know" videos. I bought a PS4 just to play through the whole series again, finished that a week before it came out, and prepared myself. At midnight, I was ready. I played for 7 hours before pulling myself together to go teach a class at 8am. Every night I played until I couldn't. It was beautiful, everything I hoped and more. I'm so glad I didn't involve myself in the community beforehand, seeing how negative and salty they were afterwards. I love this game fully, and I enjoy it every time I come back.
This and Regular Pat's videos about KH gave me years of life.
Regular pat is the best KH creator hands down
These two creators restored the hope that many of the detractors stole from me. It’s really the testament to the series core message- deep down, there’s a light that never goes out.
@@kinoleogeo7998 maybe dont let other peoples opinions effect yours. Who cares if people on the internet like it? It only matters if you like it. What is this hope youre talking about? You're either into it or You're not
@@aroccoification Bro, I was just tired of the discourse. I played this game, and really had the same experience that KingK described in the video and couldn’t find anyone being able to articulate these positives in a constructive manner that wasn’t hampered down by someone lambasting it as “constructive criticism” or straight up distain for what KH3 does. I’m from Day1 KH, and of course I’ve been introduced to many view points throughout the years about each title in the series. I’ve heard things from KH2 is the peak and also when it was released, disappointing. Things grow with appreciation over time, but I wasn’t in the camp that KH2 was my absolute favorite. (That honor goes to KH1) I have to go back to my reason that the video inspires hope. The fandom is always going back and forth on how they want the series to approach it’s story or gameplay. That’s fine, everyone has their viewpoint, but for so many to be disappointed by KH3 enough to drown out voices who were just happy to even talk positively about the game.
Yeah, it was depressing. Just even hearing how long it took King K to both rewrite his retrospective on KH3 just filled me with same notions I felt. That it was never going to be perfect, that the wait wasn’t going to ever satisfy anyone, but it needed to come out, it needed to be said.
There was nothing but him standing true to his conviction: That KH3 was more than good, it succeeded in what it set out to do, flaws and all.
TL;DR- KH3 was a game people liked, and I have hope creators don’t have to always criticize everything to look fair and balanced. We all have biases, and using that bias should inspire hope to see more of what you love.
01:02:02 the best thing from this part is how clever they used the PS4 controller speaker with Donald and Goofy "reviving" Sora
I find it really interesting to see how different trios have an emotional connect to different people.
A lot of people were overwhelmed with emotions at the Days trio reunion, but it was the BBS trio resolution that truly got me bawling.
I love that people can experience the same thing in different ways to the point where a plot point that can be brushed off by some, can be overwhelmingly cathartic for another.
I have a lot of personal gripes with KH3, but it's very nice to see how passionately you love the game.
I had... very mixed feelings when I finished the game the year it was released, like I had been betrayed. I had this feeling of bitter emptiness in my heart due to how I had waited for years with steadfast commitment and love for the series only to get a conclusion that felt out of focus with how it ties it's loose ends. This bitterness is only furthered by how Nomura has gone on numerous occasions over the course of this series forgetti spagetti with his own work and make up new shit that doesn't fall in line with previously established things. Such as in KH2, Goofy and Donald had NO idea where Yen Sid lived before stumbling onto his tower and yet in BBS, they're both in it with him!
That said, having watched all of the video with open mind, I started tearing up near the end because, and I'm not just saying it, I genuinely thought it was beautiful how you put your passionate love for the series on full display. It touched my heart so profoundly that even though it's presentation in the main story is underwhelming, Even though the core flow of movement and combat feels sluggish compared to KH2; I might possibly, very possibly, in the near future give the game a second chance. Heck, you might even have given me a new love for the series
Though I do still think that it's dumb to go out of your way portray a character like Xehanort as a malicious and despicable man lusting for power but then on the last minute show that he's not actually bad, he's just a guy doing the right thing for the abhorrently wrong reasons. Maybe there's something I'm missing from the other games (yes, I've played them all besides 358/2 and Re:coded, just watched the cutscenes), but if working on a morally gray area is the goal then I believe they should have sprinkled hints Xehanort's motivations more often rather than dump them just after he gets defeated. And maybe it's cuz of the kid like elements, but this point goes doubly for a series like this because of how rarely it goes into gray areas, even with characters like Riku and Xion.
But all in all: I loved this video from the bottom of my heart ❤
Remember: Yen Sids world moves around and Donald/Goofy tend to travel with Mickey who can get them there.
They know his world but HOW to get there such as by gummi ship lanes (which are radically different in KH2 than BBS) is a different beast.
loved that you spoke a bit about the music in KH3 (12:40, 36:00, 39:50, etc)--was really great to hear some attention brought to this aspect of the game
If your goal was to capture the feelings KH3 gave you and justify why it’s excellent, you achieved it.
I am a year late, for sure. But i am truly glad I found this video. I was born in 2006 and to an extent you can say that I was too young to get into it during my childhood. It's only been a year since I've truly gotten into kingdom hearts. Im stuck in hollow bastion in KH1 and pissed off over the second Maleficent fight. This video is incredible, has me emotional and makes me proud that i got involved into something like this. Like you, I am also going through a journey of self discovery, about my decisions for my future and the things it will hold. I'll be 18 soon.. graduating, going to college meeting new people, getting a job, battling my anxiety and depression. Yet going to kingdom hearts gives me so much warmth. I just went to a comic con today and I bought a sora plush and an axel action figure, two of my favorite characters. Sora means a lot to me, his character development, his personality, his growth. The entire game and connection to Disney heals my inner child. I see myself a lot in Sora, hoping that people that i love stay close to me to keep my positive energy and strive forward. Kingdom hearts- no, square enix in general and disney are the reason I want to become a video game animator. To bring these wonderful characters, who mean a lot to me and frankly have saved me from many things, to life. I cannot imagine world without kingdom hearts and its huge influence into kids raised in the early 2000s Thank you for making this amazing video, i know its more meant to defend KH3 (i still haven't played it yet) but it truly makes me happy finding someone with the same emotional enthusiasm i have towards kingdom hearts in general. KH is one of the most amazing video game franchises ever created and i will die on that hill. Hopefully I'll get to write an essay about it myself
This must be how people feel when I talk about Shadow the Hedgehog. Glad you own your opinion and were able to finally get some of it out there!
Shadow the Hedgehog had reception waaaay worse than KH3. Lol
@@user-vi4xy1jw7e And yet both have folks who're mostly unfazed by their flaws :)
This is easily one of the best KH3 videos I've ever seen. This game is easily my favourite game in the entire franchise. It was such a satisfying conclusion to the saga, wrapping up so many things that were built up towards this epic conclusion. It brought heartfelt reunions, tearful scenes and amazing developments and interactions. The ending alone had left me sobbing for over half an hour because it was SO satisfying seeing all these characters that I loved for years, who had been through the worst of circumstances, FINALLY reunited and happy.
This video was perfectly written and spoken because your positivity and emotions brought me back to 2019 when I first played through this incredible game. Nearly every single sentence spoken in this video felt like you were reading my mind. You perfectly expressed why I LOVE this game. You managed to take back four years ago.
Thank you SO much for expressing and sharing all these positive thoughts on this amazing game. I've been eagerly waiting for this video and it certainly did not disappoint.
An amazing video!
You consider the bad guy not actually being bad and just want to make the world better a satisfying conclusion? KH3 blows
I consider it an incredibly satisfying conclusion considering Xehanort, after being physically beaten, was finally convinced to give up and move on from his obsession, especially when it was sn old friend who finally convinced him to do so, considering Xehanort, the exact opposite of Sora, chose to abandon his friendships in search of knowledge.
His intentions brought up in KH3 were revealed all the way back in BBS; that light and darkness should be in balance. He always intended to use Kingdom Hearts to create a new world and recreate it to what he considered it should be.
So yeah, KH3 absolutely rules.
Oh hey, it's you! Didn't expect to see you here. If anyone else is reading this, watch this guy's videos about why and how Disney worlds are important and how they develop Sora's character.
@@whyequalswhat are you talking about when he said that he wanted a world pure and bright? because if so that was a mintraslation,in the original he says that he wants a world pure and blank
@@whyequalswhat It was always implied Xehanort wanted to make the world better. The Xehanort reports in BBS literally state this. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a good guy. As he intended to literally wipe out the universe to accomplish his goal.
I'm just at the Intro section, but you already hooked me when you talked about your feelings around the KH3 opinions. Never have I connected more with the phrase "What's wrong with me?". Like you, I understand people are allowed to think however they want and that I shouldn't be bothered about that. And yet.....when it comes certain games I love but others trash alot, I still can't help but think "Am I weird, is it wrong to have an appreciation or understanding for this, is something wrong with me"? It never affected my mental health, but it was a little discouraging at times. The fact you are making this big defense for KH3 despite having these self-doubting thoughts is.... reassuring to me. It's also going to make watching the rest of your passionate video even better.
It's gotta be worse for games with big expectations. But, I say that when there's a big place for _Final Fantasy X-2_ and _Final Fantasy II_ in my heart, which were never quite in the same place as KHIII, being a sequel that no one would've expected, and a followup which had long since fallen by the wayside. Maybe the criticisms and analyses will settle in our hearts, but whenever those sparks we felt still shine through, let's hold onto them, "haters" be darned.
Like you, this series defined my childhood and well into my teenage years. I invested into these characters as I grew alongside the story and this beautiful culmination hit me like only a well earned decades old bittersweet tale could do. Im glad im not alone
There's part of me that wants to try to convince you that this game is bad, which I do personally believe, but ya know, you love it so much why would I even want to do such a thing. I'm glad you liked it.
Really well made video. KH3, much like any KH game, has plenty of flaws, but it also has so many good and great things that it can't pass as a truly bad game. And for me, those good moments and in general all the fun I had playing this compared to the other games, made KH3 my favourite game in the franchise.
53:58 Did those "simple days of KH1" ever even exist though?
KH has ALWAYS been about these "weird", completely illogical moments that are perfect because of how cool or emotional they are. Sora using the Power of Waking to bring back his friends from the dead in such a way that seems like he rewrote history is no more nonsensical than, say, Naminé's memory rewriting powers changing the physical appearance of Sora's Lucky Charm with no explanation or reason other than to drive the "She's replacing Kairi in Sora's heart" point home further. Or that time Xion has a trippy dream that ends with a ethereal conversation between her, Roxas and Axel that no one is sure actually happened or not, but allows them to have a important moment on Destiny Islands, and is all the more special for it.
Another moment I remember people complaining about for not making logical sense was Roxas' comeback, since "his replica body teleporting between worlds to where his heart is is nonsensical and too convenient", but did everyone forget about the time Kairi brought Sora back from the Darkness with nothing more than a hug and the power of love? Or when her letter to Sora paved the way for them to reunite through the Door to Light and magically got Sora and Riku out of the Realm of Darkness? Or when Ven and Terra's Key Blades came to rescue Aqua at the end of BBS, as a way to tell her to not lose hope, since she was about to give up?
These are some of the best scenes in the series, because they're about friendship, love, and the connections these characters have with each other being so strong they break logic, making for incredibly powerful scenes. Roxas coming back completed out of his pure desire to protect his friends in need is perfect, and I will never understand why 3 is where people draw the line with these moments.
I mean, I get your point, but notice how none of the examples you just described are from KH1. They are all from subsequent material, which people (myself included) argue is when the plot and lore started going off the rails. So, based on that, I'd say that yes, "the simple days of KH1" did exist. KH was simple, concise and to the point, with a cliffhanger for a sequel, clear rules, easy to follow logic and that was it.
I think that the series themes and messages as a whole mean well, and it can certainly have moments of powerful emotion, but the lore that accompanied it has grown so big, convoluted and full of retcons that it just annoys me the more I think about it.
That said, if you can overlook those things and enjoy the "essence" of KH for what it is, I'm genuinely happy for you. I think people need to learn to stop talking in absolutes and just accept different people enjoy different things and approaches.
@@Funchal99 you must have missed the part where they stated kairi brought sora back with nothing but a hug, which happened in the first game.
@@justsomeguy727 Oh, right That flew over my head. I still think that, given KH1's simpleness, that power of love hug scene is not really comparable to the crazy stuff that happens later in the series, because back then we didn't have a metric ton of ever-expanding rules that are then ignored or retconned or reframed in favor of rule of cool. So I think my point still stands in that regard.
But yes, I did miss that one example, my bad.
People really complained about Roxas doing the same thing Beast did in KH1.
Oh man. I love the series and honestly thought the end was a flop. To think up till the last moment I was one board, but missed the mark. I really enjoyed this narrative perspective that you brought up. Man rewatching some of those scenes and your delevery genuinely made me tear up. Thanks for putting so much care and dedication in this.
best boy alert for Sora is so true
It's really nice seeing a ray of positivity for III with how negatively people tend to regard it lol. Your insight and impressions of these games have always been great, and Sora's journey using the Disney worlds was well put! An extra detail I'll never forget about the Master Xehanort fight was Donald and Goofy calling out to you right before the Trinity limit. I was playing it with my headphones plugged into the controller and that made for one final super immersive finisher to the fight.
Honestly I’m glad they fleshed out Luxord a bit more in his final scenes. When I first saw Sora and him talking about playing a game when “they’re just guys” hit hard
I really don´t know what to say, this might be by far the best video essay i´ve watched and listened to. I also don´t really know how to thank you for these videos, but to hear someone have the same thoughts and feelings that i have, for not only this game but the whole franshise, is something i am very gratefull for.
I cried... You made me weep. For that I am eternally grateful.
For a series I love and a game I judged from the wrong perspective. You voiced the heart I was not willing to see. I wanted KH3 to be perfection. I wanted it to be more. I lost heart with it when I played it because I felt the story it told from world to world didn't build to the narrative at the end. I let it drag the rest down and my heart with it.
But you are so right. The end is something we already knew. Following the journey of a boy who towards the known conclusion is the best way to express this journey. I didn't fall in love with Kingdom Hearts when I played the games for the first time. It was after. It was always after when I look back and found more and more to care about.
Maybe it was where I was when it released vs where I am now but...
Thank you for this. If not... I'd have continued to slide away from this series. I wouldn't have cared where the story went from here, letting this cloud my perspective moving forward. So from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.
It's was a few years in the making, but this video was worth it.
Even though my overall negative opinion of the game and its narrative remain unchanged, I really do admire the passion you feel for the series. Your own unique experience and journey with it is just as valuable as anyone else's, so I'm glad you were able to share that with us. Good stuff.
It’s the best game in the series
@@Soniman001 LOL
I did not expect to see you here. And I didn't know you didn't like KH3. It kind of surprises me considering the fact that you use KH3 ost in your videos.
For those who are both DBZ and KH fans, watch his videos. It contains DBZ scenes with KH OST. I promise you all, it's worth the hype.
@@Redxan600 I appreciate that.
But yeah, even though I wasn’t super impressed by the game, its OST is undeniably fantastic. I still listen to some of the tracks from time to time.
@@blodiaaa6990 Best gsme by Square Enix
56:57 - 58:42 This part broke me too, let me put you in my mindset, I played Days and 2 a lot, and the one gut punch was Xion's Death in days, I was crying in tears, and at the final mission of Days, not only tears were flowing down my face, but I was angry at the organization, to the point when I reach Riku in days, I read Roxas's lines like my own, Both in anger and sadness, I was literally yelling at my DS in those feelings, when I learn it was Xion who we were fighting, Tears came again, I cry because I don't want another disaster, yet Roxas came back, with him and Xion, I didn't hold back with "Hearts as one" pushing me to overdrive, and when it finished, when I saw Xion's tears, I cry too, I cry because those three are a big important part of my Childhood, like my separate family, with me close to Roxas, Axel being my Brother, and Xion as either my Sister, or my Girlfriend, I cry so hard, it toke me a while to focus and play to the end.
The seasalt trio were like family, and seeing them back together, hugging xion as she cry, I wanted to hug her too and cry with her. I miss Them
"I want Xion back. I want my _life_ back!"
"I'm _me,_ no one else!"
Yeah, trying to keep a stiff upper lip, y' watch Axel's break and there's no helping yourself.
I remember having a kinda similar experience to yours. I went and got the game at my local best buy then went home shut myself off from the internet for a few days (to avoid spoilers) and beat the game. I was super happy with how the game turned out it had everything I was looking for in it and what I thought everyone else wanted. I was giddy with excitement to go online and see all the reviews of people saying how great it was. Then I was super confused to find out that the reviews mostly ranged from disappointing to hated it. I spent a couple days watching those reviews trying to understand why people felt that way but none of it made sense to me. Atleast it's good to know that there are some people who liked this game as much as I did. Loved the video.
I've replayed Kingdom Hearts 2 every four years since it's come out, for one reason or another, and yet in just four years I've replayed Kingdom Hearts 3 more times. I think it's a superb game.
KH3 made me realize I had just moved on from this series. Your passionate breakdown of these character moments made more of an impact on me than the actual game. It's OK that KH isn't for me anymore, as long as others are still enjoying it
There's also at least one but probably more KH3 bashing videos that just suck and are clearly being made just to try to strike the algorithm pot. Some of the points are just poorly thought-out.
This sums me up so much. I still love Kingdom Hearts very much… but the passion I had is not the same as before.
same for me
Same, I really do not like KH3, but maybe it's just not for me anymore.
Good to see some genuine positivity about this game for once. For the longest time I felt like I couldn't even talk about the things I liked about KH3 because I'd be fighting against a mob, so to not only see a video defending the game but also capturing what emotionally resonated with me about it feels like vindication.
Yeah a lot of video critiques of the game tend to more or less cover the same ground, and those feelings are perfectly valid, just when you’ve heard one you’ve heard all. It’s not that folks who love the game are blind to the aspects that don’t hold up, just that not a lot of credit is given where it’s due, so it’s nice to see.
Nowadays, I feel like people, you included, should praise a game without getting attacked. If those KH3 haters, kh2 stans, elitists, and fanboys shout out their opinions about why they don't like KH3 without getting attacked, then the same result should and can happen to those who praise KH3 without getting attacked.
Those who hate KH3, but can communicate their opinion respectfully are people I can respect, even if I personally will disagree. Those who don't and just berate others for just enjoying the game or liking it more than KH2, not so much. But I wouldn't give those people the time of day.
Just as you cant understand why so many hated it, after watching this video I just can’t quite understand why all the exact same massive issues I have with the game are points that you absolutely love. I was 11 or 12 when KH1 came out but otherwise my history with the series is pretty similar to yours. I played through KH3 in one weekend and basically forgot it afterwards until recently. I was so disappointed I didn’t even replay it.
Whether it’s Kingdom Hearts or whether it’s me that’s changed it’s a real downer for me to come to terms with the fact that the series just isn’t what I want it to be anymore. Same thing happened with Zelda too after BotW and then TotK confirmed that the modern Zelda approach wasn’t for me.
I’ll still play the new entires of both series as the games come out, but it just isn’t that same kind of overwhelming experience that the prior games used to be but I’m happy that many others like you still get that.
That was simply beautiful. It’s clear you poured your heart into this, pun intended and your genuine love for kingdom hearts is infectious. You don’t have to explain all the ways this series has shaped and inspired you cause it’s clear from your voice alone. Great job.
Thank you so much for this. I came to this game first as a child shown by my older brother. I watched him play countless runs. Eventually played my own countless runs. I remember when they announced the release date we were in disbelief because it was set to come out on his birthday. I preordered two copies of the game so we could both enjoy it. He passed away a few months before the games release. Perhaps it’s that emotional tether that made me fall in love with this installment (minus some frustrating plot points). I remember crying countless times and just having such an amazing time. It was so bizarre that the game was overall received so poorly. You’ve articulated so much of the emotion and fun that I also had. I’m glad this video exists to explain my thoughts in a far more cohesive manner. Thanks again for all the content.
Thanks for this video KingK,
I love this game despite it’s flaws. The ending had me crying so hard, and anything that can invoke that emotion in me is worthy of my time.
This video is honestly incredible, I was listening to it while playing another game and, when you started gushing about the lead up to the ending, you sounded so excited that I just had to smile along with you, it made me super happy! 🐻
3 is not without it's faults story wise. But ultimately it isn't guilty of anything that 2 isn't also guilty of. And that is my big problem with criticisms of 3's story or more precisely the ones that try to compare it unfavorably to 2. It's applying a disingenuous double standard to both games, to prop up the one they have nostalgia for.
This. I won't act like KH3 doesn't have it's problems, and while I do think doing the same thing twice doesn't make it okay, (in fact, it can be worse) it's annoying when some people will happily glance over the flaws of KH2 while mercilessly criticizing other games like KH3 and ignoring it's strengths. It's one thing if you express your opinion and rightfully criticize a game, but it's another when you bash it so much that you're not only being unfair to the game you're covering, but being completely blind to the problems of the game you prefer over it.
If there's one thing I really appreciate about this channel is that you always manage to get me to grow a deeper respect for my favorite games and bring attention to stuff that I didn't even know or recognize about its gameplay, story, or both. Stellar video man. I could really feel your passion and love for this game as well as the rest of the series in this video and when I could hear your smile as you were speaking I was smiling right alongside with ya. This series really is something special and I thank you for bringing into words on why I love it so much.
I'm happy you were able to finally express the way you feel about Kingdom hearts 3, I really relate to your journey with the series because I did the same thing with metal gear solid and metal gear solid 5, It seemed like that was the only one that was satisfied with the conclusion of the series. But when you love a series as hard as we do at a certain point, it transcends a fandom and I can really tell that kingdom hearts has done that for you. It's a memory. It's a comfort. It's more than just a video game.
Finally I can come out of hiding, seems like every game is put through a microscope of expectations this day in age.
Having played through the series for the very first time in it's entirety (including both DS titles, and even Dark Road), I've found KH3 to quite possibly be my absolute favorite in the series. Throughout my time, I've watched various reactions alongside your analysis videos as I've gone, watching them as sorts of treats for me to further enhance my own enjoyment. One thing I've noticed is that, similar to me, most of the reactors I watched who were new to the series at the time, who played through the series in relative succession, such a LeighXP, LouiseyHannah, Deebeegeek, etc, all seemed to be much less inclined towards the same criticisms that many people who grew up with the series and played KH3 at launch. Obviously you grew up with the series and still came out loving 3, but it does make me wonder if that lack of nostalgia actually made it easier to digest and accept decisions made on Nomura's part.
Hearing your thoughts about how people reacted to Kingdom Hearts 3 compared to your own opinion... that resonates really REALLY strongly with me. I remember leaving my KH3 binge and thinking "Man... I loved that."
And after eagerly hopping into the KH3 spoilers chat in my Discord server, and being met with a lot of "Why did X happen" and "Hated how Y did this" left me feeling...empty.
I remember eagerly sharing my thoughts, and while people there had nodded along, conversation would shift right back to how much disdain there was for what I was otherwise wanting to praise.
Perhaps at the time, I had an incredibly unhealthy attachment to Kingdom Hearts as a franchise. I was 17-years old after all, still mentally recovering from both an abusive childhood, and high school all by itself. This series was my coping mechanism. And where I had found light and hope, where I had shed tears of joy and cried out with a voice still frail from the flu, there was only painful doors slamming in my face. People I would normally have talked to about Kingdom Hearts were blasting the series with a shotgun. Any time I wished to discuss something from the game, I was met with rampant criticism. It was like I was getting weird looks from everyone in the classroom all over again.
I felt what you described here: this dreadful feeling of something being wrong with me. This series meant so much, I even put it in my senior quote that same year the game launched. Yet by the time I had gotten my copy of the book, I was wondering if I was wrong to mention it there, like just mentioning the game was going to get people mad. In the mind of a younger me, I was devastated to know so many people hated what I otherwise loved. And to me, a social outcast who could hardly express himself without being laughed at, it was like my world was ending.
I'm older now, have gone to therapy, realised these unhealthy coping habits. I've since moved past the frail mentality I had back then. I have accepted that people simply don't like a game I otherwise enjoyed. But watching this, hearing your words about how it all felt for you?
A younger me feels like crying as he's nodding along and agreeing.
Perhaps that's a sappy thing to say, but this series has always taught me to be true and honest about my feelings. And just this opening part has already struck me quite hard.
I find myself wondering the same things. And I thank you for letting me realise I wasn't truly alone in how I'd felt back then.
Edit: I wanna clarify, I'm not trying to pinpoint exactly where my woes started, nor do I want to garner any pity. The circles I was in during those old years were bad for my mental health, I later found out. Many abusive people in those groups, these were the first red flags I should've seen. But still, there's no shame to be had in enjoying something others don't. I've found many things I loved since then, and I no longer feel estranged for simply admitting I like these things. Rather, I spoke purely from a time where a younger me didn't know how to cope with these feelings. KingK's own story resonated with me so *so* strongly. I swear, there was a moment in that intro where I truly felt like I was that age again. And I was still huddled up in my room, wondering what I'd done wrong. The answer, of course, was nothing. Because there is nothing wrong with loving something so passionately like this.
I don't understand this trend of getting emotional about liking a not good to bad game. You can have a guilty pleasure. Especially with something as niche as this. It's not a big deal.
Nothing wrong with you for liking the game.
I had actually steered clear of KH content for a while due to getting recommended so many negative videos on 3, so this was a welcome change of pace. Breaking down the themes and character beats as well as you going into your own personal attachment to the series reminded me of how much the game and the series means to me. Banger video!
If one of those negative videos was the multi-hour "Kingdom Hearts III Was A Waste Of Effort", I'd definitely recommend it. Same guy who did "Metal Gear Solid 4 Was A Mistake", and both videos showcase a deep respect for the creators and the conditions they found themselves in, informing the perspectives of the games and their places as sequels. There's reverence for what was attempted, despite anything else, which I think has reinforced what appreciations I've had for those games.
@@TJF588 I dunno. I watched that video and did not care for it. Especially since like 80% of that video felt like it was highlighting positives of the game yet he still walked away with the conclusion that it sucked.
It was very very odd. Not to mention he also seems to hate exploration and the Disney worlds altogether which are the strongest parts of kingdom hearts.
Ironically those are the two weakest things in KH2 and he seems to love that game while I hate it so maybe it is just a matter of perspective. Regardless “this game was a waste of effort.” Was unnecessarily harsh of a title
The opening sequence really gets to me, to see how much you've grown as a creator, and how much I've grown as a person. I still remember seeing KH1 at a friends house, wondering what this crazy game was. Now I've beaten all the main games in the multitudes of tens and can't stop going back. Keep doing what you do best KingK, you're damn good at it
It is so refreshing to hear someone not dumping on this game was 2 better yh in my opinion but this was still a hell of a ride and i do wish we could have had few more scenes with original characters but anyone who says they couldnt like the reunions between trios at end in my opinion is just a misrrable person
Could not be more excited for the video King, your ability to convey emotional honesty/vulnerability while delivering a concise and compelling essay is unrivaled. Can’t wait for more videos
"This shit is so cool I don't even care anymore" IS SO TRUE. The Final World is definitely THE best part of KH3 for me and I will always, *always* love replaying the final chapters. I was pretty much crying from start to end until Kairi got oofed and then I just spent the end screaming.
Sora getting bailed out of death for free by a mechanic that was established in the exact moment they used it is cool?
@@-JaggedGrace- Yeah! My subjective experience of that moment was that it went hard and I felt a wealth of emotions from relief to excitement to bewilderment. Your experience may have been different. Our mileages vary.
I felt some of the same struggle accepting that I loved this game. The people who I shared my love of kingdom hearts with had thought it was not that good from the start, or got bored witht the gameplay and lost interest in the convoluted story, and it was really hard to not let that affect my enjoyment. But, I can't change and I don't want to change. I loved it. Even you talking about it moved me to tears again. The ending felt a bit ridiculous at first, but it was epic, and it was crazy, the kinda crazy we only get in kingdom hearts.
And each time our long lost friends were _reconnected_ with each other, I felt those cutscenes were worth the years of waiting and the speculating. Thank you for this defense; I stand with you and others. We loved this game, and can't wait for what's next. :)
I didn't get to play KH3 until 5 years after its release which is very recently but I went into it with a hype that made me almost breathless. I heard so many people disliked it but I didn't understand why because every single second of the gameplay, I was screeching and squealing and punching my pillows with my sister. Nothing outside of KH3 world mattered or bothered us, depression wasn't even an afterthought. We had to take pauses between scenes and schedule numerous breaks as we progressed because we just get too excited that it bleeds us dry of energy and sprain our cheeks because we couldn't stop smiling. I only remember cheering at KH3 and Sora with all my heart and when it ended we were like zombies around the house not knowing what to fill our time with. It came down to scouring for KH videos on youtube because we were hungry for more. And till the end, I still didn't understand why people hated it. I feel sorry for them. They don't know how much heart you can take from KH3. I remain locked in my memories of joy from the first gameplay.
Mad respect to ya for sticking to your guns on a stance around game that has had strongly conflicting views on it!
Much like you, I grew up on Kingdom Hearts in my childhood. I'll never forget the chills I got from seeing that first KH1 commercial on television and begging my parents to buy it for my birthday. Here I am now an adult in my thirties and owe this silly, yet highly endearing, series so much for the rough times it got me through and even inspiring emotional growth in myself. I've got seriously conflicting feels on Kingdom Hearts 3's story as a whole, but damn it I'd be full of bullshit if there were moments that didn't shake me to my emotional core.
I'm in the same boat as you were at 56:57 when the 358/2 Days trio reunited at long last after all the turmoil they had been through. Their story in 358 is still arguably one of my favorite dramatic backstories in KH's franchise, so seeing them finally get that resolution hit me like a truck for real. KH2 & 358's stories left such a serious impact on me, I'd replay their endgame bosses repeatedly because I adored the emotional intensity and weight that went into each respective one. Good lord, Xion bursting into tears after being brought back into existence alongside those she cherished and realizing the weight of her disappearance it left Roxas & Axel just fucking gets me every time.
I look at KH3 as a diamond in the rough, more or less. It may not be up in my favorite entries, but when it nails the high notes they were done very well. Bringing some beautiful closure and reinforcing why people love these timeless characters. Particularly, Sora sacrificing his own livelihood to save Kairi really encapsulates what his characterization is all about. Never agreed with the idea I've seen some claim with the ending around Sora vanishing was forced tragedy for the sake of it. While I do heavily agree Kairi got done very dirty in KH3's story, Sora sacrificing himself to save Kairi is completely in line with what he has done before, as seen in Kingdom Hearts 1 when he willingly freed his own heart to awaken her. Loved that they did a poetic call back to not just Kairi, but for everyone he revived with the power of waking. Sora has never been scared of sacrificing himself, rather he's been afraid of being unable to save his friends he cares for most.
Kingdom Hearts is something I'll always love no matter how old I get in life and this video resonated with me a ton. Great work, man.
You do such an amazing job with these videos. There's lots of video essays about kingdom hearts out there, but yours are always so much more personal and emotional than others.
I’ll never forget the excitement I felt during the midnight release. Yes it was jarring in a few parts but overall I love this series and I will be there for every new installment.
You have me in tears man. The last time I played I felt so left alone with Sora‘s passing that I cursed the whole franchise in my grief but watching your video gave me a different perspective and I can’t wait playing it again and seeing it through different eyes
Love the video so much. The passion you show from the beginning to end really made me happy. I may have not been with the series for 20 years, but I was born a bit over a week after the first game came out and from as far back as I remember, some of my first gaming experiences were kingdom hearts 1 at around 3-4 years old because my sister was already a fan of the series and got me in to it early on, that's why I understand the feelings you have both as a fan of the series and as a fan of 3. Much respect and I am now a fan of your content.
Your videos are part of the reason that kept me playing this series. Very excited to get some popcorn and a drink and give this video the time it deserves. Thanks a bunch KingK.
I’ve never resonated more with the opening few minutes of a video in my life. I love all your videos but this made me feel a certain way. Makes sense given KH has been such a large part of my life but all I can say is THANK YOU!!
This video was absolutely beautiful. The way you shared your love for this game and the series as a whole just felt so raw and real. I’ve been struggling with why I don’t love KH3 as much as I thought I would, and listening to your video, I realized it’s because I think I’m outgrowing the series. I become more frustrated with every new installment and I miss being hyped/excited like I used to be.
But it’s not an entirely bad thing because I went back to play KH3 after I watched your video (I keep coming back to this one in particular) and I actually found myself enjoying KH3 unlike before.
Thank you. ❤
One of the best reviews for KH3 i have seen. Good content.
Seeing the backlash for 3 at the time was incredibly shocking. I get the game isn't perfect, and there are absolutely segments of the game that didn't get enough time in the oven. *_Arendelle._* Even a few integral moments, like saving Aqua.
But I can look past all the flaws, barring Arendelle, because this game is everything I wanted it to be. Characters got satisfying resolutions, characters that were considered enemies had some of the best ending scenes in the game ― Ansem, Marluxia, and Vanitas come to mind ― with each remaining true to the characters. With the given three, Ansem denoted it was time to move on, even coming off as a message of thanks for players who've been around since the first game. Marluxia gets a satisfying ending if you've played Union Cross, and Vanitas went out as he lived. As darkness.
This game was the amount of fanfiction and emotional turmoil that I expect from a Kingdom Hearts game. One moment I'm bopping with Tigger and Roo, the next I'm taking down a gigantic Wolf Heartless that was born from the Darkness of Prince _fucking_ Hans. Saying this game wasn't a labor of love is a severe diservice to those who worked on the game.
Seriously though, the only letdown was no Cloud and Sephiroth. Possibly even Tifa. That would've been awesome to see continued/resolved in some form.
My main issues with the game were too much disney, not enough kh original stuff, no final fantasy stuff, the character acting is the most awkward its ever been, story lacks consistansy/ continuity, no mid game story dump, power scaling felt WAY off in cutscenes compared to gameplay (sora literally goes from unable to stop Terranort to literally soloing the entire organization through time travel/ heart jumping) and FUCKING ATTRACTION FLOW OMG I HATED THIS MECHANIC (other than the train, the train was awesome) NO SEPHEROTH
I would actually say KH's story is at it's best when it's having Sora and co are interacting with the Disney characters. You get some nice simple adventures as oppose to the convoluted nonsense that is the main plot. And the game isn't nearly as backloaded in regards to main plot content as people make it out to be. There are bits between each world that move the plot forward and even some vital stuff for the main story in some of the Disney Worlds (Frozen is the worst world in the game, but the whole End Game is actually caused by the events in that world). This is not to say that KH3 isn't a very flawed story, because there is a lot of dumb stuff in it. But I would argue that it isn't guilty of anything KH2 isn't also guilty of.
Heavily disagree with the combat portion.
The shift from KH1FM to KH2FM was momentous because they decided to add magic as a +1 to your existing combo, as well as expand on combo modifiers. That was the key- expansion. The 2FM devs really, really put in a lot of thought into how certain attacks/magic casts would chain into other combo modifiers/magic, which made the possibilities seem endless at the time. The expansion from KH1 to KH2 is VERSATILITY, choice.
The “expansion” from KH2 to KH3 is like going from action RPG to Candy Crush: The Movie. Like, seriously. Minimal effort, LOTS of colors. The reason attraction flows catch a lot of criticism is because they are essentially mini cutscenes that remove you from the flow of combat for free damage. It’s not fun after several hours- at least not to me. This wouldn’t be a problem, but most other combat options are either about as fun (which is hardly at all) or not as good in dealing damage, which can make some fights drag on for too long.
This is makes it especially difficult to like KH3 because if a game isn’t particularly challenging, people are just going to get bored of doing chip damage for several minutes or seeing the same attraction flow for the 100th time.
And I have to disagree with the whole Sora bending reality to go back before he and his friends are killed. On paper, your description sounds rad. The actual execution…. That scene was such horse shit, and none of it was cool, I’m sorry. (Not sorry).
In a world where characters can anime dash IN-UNIVERSE- keyblade in hand- for plot convenience, Sora very casually runs to Kairi to HUG HER. Not block. Not counter attack. HUG. With SEVERAL keyblade and combat masters in his vicinity.
It made me so upset. There are certain elements of this story where it’s painfully obvious they had to make things go a certain way to achieve the REAL goal of KH3’s plot- drum up hype for sequels.
I cannot ever forgive this game for being what it was at launch.
Damn. This actually made me tear up. Well said.
Only found the three hour discussion last week. Listened to it on both flights while I went away. Perfect timing to jump into this!
Thank you KingK, I'm glad you shared your experience with Kindom Hearts as a whole & I will continue to look forward towards the future of this channel
Thank you for making this video.
I ADORE Kingdom Hearts 3 id potentially even been drawn to call it my favourite in the series.
Like you it felt like I waited my entire life for Kingdom Hearts 3 and man it was worth the wait.
This video, much like Kingdom Hearts 3 itself, was absolutely worth the wait. Excellent job, mate.
As someone who's gotten into and binged through the Kingdom Hearts series last year, and watched each of your videos afterwards, and waited for your KH3 videos for a while, this was truly an incredible video and worth all the wait. I still won't deny that KH3 has a tons of issues like not having enough screen for Riku & Kairi, not having the Final Fantasy characters, the mistranslation errors, etc. but I really couldn't it say it any better when it comes to highlighting all of what Kingdom Hearts III did right. I truly was able to emphasize with Sora throughout his journey not only in the Darkseeker Saga prior but also KH3, especially as someone who hardly felt like they were able to develop as an adult the moment I graduated high school + started college thanks to COVID and certain shitty people I've cut out of my life, and seeing how much this franchise has changed my life personally for the better almost a year later, I still feel like I'm going through not only Sora's journey, but many other characters journey like Riku, Roxas, Axel/Lea, etc. And honestly I can't wait for what Kingdom Hearts IV or the Lost Masters Arc in general has in store for the future of KH and how it'll be able to emphasize with us fans of many alike, both old and new. Thank you so much for not only this essay, but all of your other Kingdom Hearts essay KingK, once again I don't think I could've said everything I love about Kingdom Hearts better than you have, and I seriously can't wait for your next videos dude, not only with KH, but your other videos in general. Hope you have a great day and may your heart be your guiding key.
Honestly was not in the sphere of awareness of the internet that dealt with Kingdom Hearts, and am so happy I wasn’t. When I played KH3 my soul was torn from my body and put back again so many times. I cried over grass, I cried over character interactions, I cried from the sheer joy of seeing so many worlds get the KH treatment to this degree. Sora is so important and so is Xehanort; Seeing them reach the denouement of their overall combat arc is the most important moment of my life. I played this game without sleeping, for 46 hours I was in my own paradise. To see so many on the internet join either bandwagon hate, or for reasons unknown to me, hate this game, was extremely disheartening to say the least. Sure this game has its flaws to many for different reasons, but to me all I see is the sheer amount of love put into this experience. Thanks for marking this video in regards to your experience. May your heart be your guiding key. ✨
Thank you for this. I too have been with this series for the whole time - I was actually Sora's age when I got the first game, and I've played nearly every installment since. Imagine me when the game came out, in my late 20's playing as probably 16 year old Sora a little less than 20 years later. You and I came into the same pocket reality when emerging from the game, where we both wondered what was happening, how people could have disliked the game. 3 is my actual favorite installment in the series, so I deeply appreciate someone with an experience so similar to mine being willing to step forward in such a public manner.
It really sucks to be alienated from the fandom of a franchise that is already alienated from common conversation, especially when you've been around for so long without much issue.
Thank you for reminding me that I'm not alone in liking this game.
also, a fun note: "I hope they cut the Disney out of the next one" is something that has been in the forums since KH2. I think it has to do with the idea that Disney is holding Kingdom Hearts back from being darker (which I don't believe is true or that making KH darker is necessary) or that there are a lot of people that like the gameplay that really don't like Disney on principle... both kind of forget that Kingdom Hearts wouldn't be Kingdom Hearts without Disney. It would be a Final Fantasy spinoff that probably would have died off years ago, if not fallen into obscurity after its first game... if it even came to exist in the first place.