A bunch of new information regarding the upcoming rhythm game, Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory, has surfaced. Square Enix has revealed more in-depth explanations of the previously revealed single-player and multiplayer modes, as well as providing a small tease for some of the promised 140 songs that will be available when the game launches. Additionally, two newly released interviews have provided further insights to what players can expect from this music-centric title.
General Overview
The story will be taking place after Kingdom Hearts III ReMind, and will focus heavily on Kairi. Though what she is doing could not be discussed in an interview with GameInformer, it was revealed that she will be narrating the story and sharing various experiences through past titles, ultimately guiding us and the story toward the future. It was also hinted that that we will catch glimpses into Kairi’s mysterious childhood.
Gameplay looks like it will be relatively simple to understand. As seen in the previously released Switch trailer, the floating enemies the player will face will act as music notes, and you only need to attack the notes on time to succeed. Depending on how well you time the hit, the attack will either be considered Excellent, Good or will Miss. If you Miss, the player will lose hit points. Losing too many hit points will result in losing, while hitting Good and Excellent will result in higher scores.
You will be able to choose from three different styles to play in from the Music Select menu. These styles include:
- Normal: The standard game play, in which a few buttons will need to be pressed to succeed.
- One Button: A single button is all that will need to be pressed, allowing for players to focus on the rhythm of the song rather than control input.
- Performer: A more challenging style that will utilize more buttons than the Normal style, providing a more technical gameplay experience.
Numerous characters from throughout the Kingdom Hearts series will also be playable in Melody of Memory.
Additionally, players will be able to visit various worlds by zooming around on the “world map” via Gummi Ship, though according to the GameInformer interview, the Gummi Ship is merely for travel between levels and not customizable. There will also be 3 different difficulties: Beginner, Standard and Proud.
Songs will be available at any time from the Music Select Menu, and story cutscenes can be viewed at any time from the Museum Menu, which will also be used to house various collectables players can obtain throughout the game.
Stage Variations
There will be multiple stage types for players to choose from, allowing you the opportunity to further customize your experience to fit your person playstyle. These styles include:
- Field Battle: A stage where players can defeat enemies based on the rhythm of the song while running on musical lanes.
- Memory Dive: A stage for diving into memories. Players can enjoy the immersive feeling of the Kingdom Hearts series by having video clips playing in the background while keeping in time with the song by hitting targets.
- Boss Battle: These stages will allow players to fight various boss battles. Avoid their attacks to succeed!
Multiplayer
Melody of Memory will feature different types of multiplayer modes, allowing players to enjoy the game with their friends in different ways. These modes include the following:
- Online Versus: Available on all platforms. Online Versus is a mode where players can play against another over the internet on a 1v1 competitive battle mode for the highest score! It should be noted that an internet subscription for your platform of choice will be required. (Example: Xbox users will need Xbox Live account to access online multiplayer.)
- Friend Versus: Exclusive only on the Nintendo Switch. Utilizing the local communication function on the Switch, players can face off against local players in the same content used in Online Versus. A subscription is not required to play this mode.
- Friend Battle Royale: Exclusive only on the Nintendo Switch. Play with up to 8 friends via the local communication function on the Switch. Similar to a race, the player who has the highest score will win the match, and a player who Misses too many notes will be dropped out of the running. A subscription is not required to play this mode.
Additionally, there is a game mode that will allow players to face off against Computers in offline mode. This lets players practice and earn higher ranks, with the highest being Platinum Rank. This will be available on all platforms.
Track List
Below is the list of some of the songs that will appear in Melody of Memory. It was noted also in the GameInformer interview that only songs from previous titles will be available as playable levels, and no new, unheard tracks will be added — though new remixes for menus and other certain parts of the game will be present. Furthermore, in a famitsu interview, it was revealed that there are no planned DLC music packs, as the development team wanted players to enjoy the game as it is, with friends and family, without worrying about DLC. Melody of Memory will be a standalone game.
- Kingdom Hearts
- A Day in Agrabah
- Arabian Dream
- Destiny Islands
- Go for It!
- Hand in Hand
- Olympus Coliseum
- To Our Surprise
- Traverse Town
- Under the Sea
- Light
- Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
- Castle Oblivion
- The Force in You
- Kingdom Hearts II
- Darkness of the Unknown
- Roxas
- Savanna Pride
- Scherzo Di Notte
- Sinister Shadows
- The 13th Struggle
- Vim and Vigor
- Working Together
- The Other Promise (KHII: Final Mix)
- Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded
- Wonder of Electron
- Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
- Dismiss
- Enter the Darkness
- Hau’oli, Hau’oli
- Rage Awakened
- Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
- All For One
- L’Impeto Oscuro
- The Eye of Darkness
- Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth By Sleep -A fragmentary passage-
- Wave of Darkness I
- Kingdom Hearts III
- Let It Go
- Orchestra World Tour
- Destati
Nomura and the Future
Within the famitsu article, Nomura had made mention that the 20th Anniversary of the Kingdom Hearts series is in 2022. He then goes on to note that the team is, in fact, working on something for the Kingdom Hearts series. Translations by @aitaikimochi on Twitter:
“Famitsu: In regards to the series from here on out, the Dark Seeker Saha ended with Kingdom Hearts III. However, not all the mysteries have been resolved yet, and the secret movie at the end of the game [KHIII] seems to have new developments. How will the Kingdom Hearts series progress from here on out?“
“Nomura: Well, 2022 is the 20th Anniversary of Kingdom Hearts. So, we’ll just have to do our best for the 20th Anniversary (laughs). I’ve already shifted my thinking to the next installment, and the Kingdom Hearts team is already starting on something new. Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory is a game tht comes before the next installment, so the main staff was able to assist with that. In regards to what will announce from here on out, everything will probably surprise you, so please look forward to it!“
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory is scheduled to release on November 13, 2020 on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox
Sources: GameWatch, GameInformer, Famitsu, aitaikimochi
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