Music has at all times been an integral a part of Kingdom Hearts. Iconic songs like “Dearly Beloved” have change into core to the collection’ id, alongside poignant character themes for Kairi, Ventus, and Xion. Between acclaimed composer Yoko Shimomura’s masterful work including emotion to each state of affairs and Utada Hikaru’s vocals respiratory life into “Simple and Clean” and “My Sanctuary,” the melodies have captivated audiences, turning into core to the expertise. With rhythm game Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory, the wealthy aural library is lastly getting high billing, and we interviewed producer Ichiro Hazama, co-director Masanobu Suzui, and iconic franchise director Testuya Nomura about what to anticipate. Here are their solutions to our largest questions.
Can you talk about the artistic course of and the way the workforce approached bringing Kingdom Hearts to a brand new style?
Hazama: The thought was floating round for some time, it was round 5 years in the past. [Suzui and I] stored pondering, “Oh, we would love to do a Theatrhythm Kingdom Hearts.” We had been discussing it, making planning paperwork, and issues like that. But on the time, we determined that it could be a bit troublesome to maneuver ahead with the venture. A number of years in the past, there was a separate dialogue with Nomura-san and Disney. Disney truly got here ahead to Nomura-san, asking, “Hey, could you do this with us?” They determined that they needed to maneuver ahead with the venture after which the dialogue got here right down to me and Suzui-san to do that venture, and that is how this venture got here to be.
It does look similar to Theatrhythm’s gameplay, and Square Enix had entries for Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest in that collection. Why is Melody of Memory a separate spinoff slightly than a brand new Theatrhythm game?
Suzui: As we talked about earlier, we had been speaking about how we had give you tough concepts and planning paperwork. But as we had been discussing how we go about creating this explicit title with Nomura-san, we had been eager on making this 3D. With Final Fantasy Theatrhythm, chances are you’ll recall we had this side-scrolling, very 2D form of aesthetics. And then by way of Dragon Quest, it was extra of a high view the place your battles are form of going inward; there’s like this subject of depth. With Kingdom Hearts, we needed to pursue the thought of using the unique characters. We needed to recreate the unique look of the game titles and carry that over. We additionally took inspiration from [Kingdom Hearts’] 15th anniversary music website.
From there, we began to assume, “Okay, so how do we incorporate different elements?” And Nomura-san supplied suggestions and a whole lot of the inspiration that went into the fundamental thought. We took that in addition to a number of the technical parts and the mechanics that had been already present within the Theatrhythm titles, after which considered what sort of music and how much scheme of the notes that we wish for gamers to expertise. We [wanted to] incorporate these enjoyable parts of play and be sure that we are leveraging the game mechanics of the unique game, in addition to bringing in Kingdom Hearts’ fashionable motion and incorporating the wealthy story behind it, particularly the world settings that we have established in our collection titles. We requested, “How do we leverage and keep the integrity of that?” That was our basis for our method.
From there, we thought, ‘Okay, so we’re going to build this from the ground up and we’re going to bring this as a brand new title.’ That’s why we determined we’ll change up the title and we weren’t going to hold over the Theatrhythm title. We thought it will be applicable and correct to have that Kingdom Hearts title. That’s how we moved together with the event of it. We all had the identical understanding amongst our workforce members that this isn’t a Theatrhythm game. Nomura-san additionally [felt] that means, so he got here up with a very nice title for this title and a very nice key artwork as effectively, and we form of expanded from there.
Will we see a lot of remixes to songs, or are you largely sticking to the originals?
Suzui: Generally talking, we might be utilizing the unique music. We did not wish to take away from the gameplay expertise from the totally different titles in our franchise. But that being mentioned, sure elements of the game, just like the title menu or the employees credit, may have songs that incorporate a brand new association by Miss Shimomura, in order that’s one thing to stay up for.
Are there any new tracks within the game that we have not heard earlier than?
Suzui: No. There won’t be any new tracks.
With over 140 songs within the game, can we anticipate music from each world we visited within the Kingdom Hearts collection, or are some being disregarded?
Suzui: We truly checked out all the tracks that had been obtainable and we revisited all of the totally different CDs from the previous and counted all of the songs. Of course, we could not preserve a full catalogue of the latest Kingdom Hearts games like 2.eight or a number of the songs in Kingdom Hearts III. We have not gotten the complete rely of all the songs which are in there, but it surely ended up being about 600 to 700 songs. So sadly, there could also be some songs that aren’t included in Melody of Memory. That being mentioned, from our huge library, we tried to fastidiously choose the songs, and it is a very wealthy number of over 140 songs.
How do they method designing the totally different ranges and ensuring the backdrops match the essence of every track?
Suzui: The main game mode that you may be enjoying by way of is what we name “World Trip.” You’re actually going by way of [the experience] so as from Kingdom Hearts 1 and following it with the game’s story. You’re trying again on the expertise by way of the music and the gameplay, and there are numerous film clips of the story that you just get to expertise by way of it. In some elements, there’s some narration by Kairi, after which when you clear a couple of songs and totally different missions, you open up a gate to maneuver on to the following part. As you progress by way of the game, after all, there might be totally different difficulties with the songs. You could discover that the enemies that seem in these phases might be from the unique games, and we tried to construction it so that you just’re re-experiencing the totally different iconic moments and symbolic parts with every of the songs. Also, the enemies that you just encounter will transfer very equally to how they first appeared within the unique titles. You expertise the general game arc as you progress by way of these totally different songs.
With the narrative, it’s what we name the “Dark Seeker Saga,” which has been all through all of the Kingdom Hearts titles as much as Kingdom Hearts III. We traverse by way of all the totally different key parts by way of that saga so as. That’s the final movement. And then with the tempo and the temper of every of the phases, we’ve got some boss battles ready as effectively. Those do are typically somewhat bit extra on the troublesome aspect. So there is a good variation of problem ranges as you play by way of. Now that being mentioned, we perceive that there could also be gamers who won’t be as snug with enjoying rhythm motion games, and so we made certain to design the game in order that gamers are in a position to full their missions it doesn’t matter what problem they select.
Kingdom Hearts is an motion/RPG. What form of development system will we see in Melody of Memory by way of new skills and leveling up?
Suzui: The development system for Melody of Memory is leveling. Because it is a rhythm motion game, it was a bit troublesome to distinguish the totally different strikes and actions inside the gameplay. But by way of leveling, your character will achieve increased HP, so you will not get a “game over” as simply, which ought to be useful once you’re making an attempt to clear the totally different phases. Plus, as you degree, your assault energy can even enhance. Of course, bosses will want a couple of further hits. But as you degree up and change into stronger, you will not take as lengthy to stun them to get a bonus on attacking the bosses, and also you’ll get a bonus for that. There is not any capacity system that you’d be bolstering all through the method. Each chief may have two various kinds of ranged and melee assaults, however that is about it.
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How will on-line battles work within the game?
Suzui: Similarly to Theatrhythm Curtain Call, there’s a versus match, however we expanded on that the place you’ve got one participant versus one participant and also you compete for the upper rating, and as you win, your ranking will go up. With on-line battles, one of many mechanics known as “tricks,” the place you are making an attempt to not precisely sabotage, however get in the way in which of the opposite gamers in order that they may journey. The purpose is to get as many factors with out failing or tripping in your gameplay and competing for who will get the higher scores.
We mentioned this somewhat bit with Kairi’s narration, however what can we anticipate from the story and Kairi’s involvement in it?
Nomura: So Kairi goes to be our storyteller so to talk – what she is doing is reflecting upon the earlier iteration and the historical past of the narrative. She goes to be speaking about all of what occurs inside Kingdom Hearts and he or she’s going to be bringing you thru this story. And so her positioning… I’m afraid we won’t delve too far into particulars, as a result of it will likely be fairly a little bit of a spoiler and he or she is related to a really massive a part of the plot. But what she does inform by way of her recollection isn’t just the experiences that she went by way of, but it surely’s all of the experiences that her allies and the occasion members had skilled all through the story as effectively. And as soon as we undergo the story of recollection and past that, we begin to see a timeline that may connect with the longer term.
Is this going to convey closure to the place we left off with Kairi on the finish of Kingdom Hearts III and the Re Mind DLC?
Nomura: With Melody of Memory, the timeline matches instantly after the story of Re Mind. But with that being mentioned, the story quantity shouldn’t be going to be as giant as a mainline Kingdom Hearts title, so chances are you’ll not see too massive of a motion in Kairi’s time and in her narrative. Still, I believe you would possibly get a glimpse of the place this could be going by way of this title. It’s fairly troublesome to not spoil it, however nonetheless attempt to clarify it on the identical time. But with Kairi, her childhood continues to be shrouded in thriller. We have not actually delved deep into that a part of her narrative, so that you would possibly have the ability to see a glimpse of that by way of Melody of Memory. But that being mentioned, once more, it is not meant to advance issues considerably by way of this game.
The Gummi Ship was featured in trailers. How is that going to work within the game?
Suzui: It’s form of unlucky that is going to be the final query as a result of the Gummi Ship is simply strictly going to be for transportation functions, touring between worlds. [laughs] Unfortunately, we can’t have any form of like customization parts or something like that.
