Kingdom Hearts 3 features seven dazzling Disney and Pixar worlds to explore. This time around, the wondrous combat matches the magic of the scenery and characters. The overall plot is predictably convoluted, but hanging out with Sora, Donald, and Goofy once again is a near constant joy.
When Sora, Donald, and Goofy first meet Rapunzel, the unassuming princess of Corona is being pulled in two different directions. One moment she’s swinging from a tree by her extraordinary blond hair, cheerfully screaming at the top of her lungs, and the next moment she’s scrunched on the ground, bawling into her hands. This happens on loop for a minute or so, these quick sways from joy to melancholy. All the while Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Flynn Rider look on, unsure of what to say.
It’s one of my favorite cutscenes in Kingdom Hearts III for numerous reasons: It’s funny, relatable, and expertly written. But Rapunzel’s mixed bag of emotions also sums up my feelings on Kingdom Hearts III, the long-awaited conclusion to the story arc that began 17 years ago.
Kingdom Hearts III is a pure joy in motion. The combat is flashy and varied, with plenty of customization options and some of the coolest moves I’ve used in an action RPG. The Disney worlds, from the familiar and epic Olympus to the winding streets of San Fransokyo, are filled with heartfelt storylines that unearth a sense of childlike wonder.
The overarching story that runs through these mostly charming worlds, however, is covered with darkness. If Sora alongside the other spiky-haired heroes and beloved Disney characters don’t fend off the shadowy Organization XIII, all of the light will be extinguished from the universe.
For me, Organization XIII and Keyblade masters saga presented a more literal threat to my feelings about Kingdom Hearts III. The long gap between Kingdom Hearts 2 and its sequel certainly didn’t help, but Kingdom Hearts had an absolutely ridiculous story far before Square Enix thought of using “2.8” in a title for one of its many filler games.
11-year-old me was heavily invested in Sora’s first journey, so in some ways, the nonsensical direction of the series makes me feel despair like Rapunzel. Trying to keep up with and sort through the confusing tangents shown in Kingdom Hearts III ’s many, many cutscenes was oftentimes headache-inducing.
Eventually, Rapunzel decided the promise of exploring the kingdom for the first time outweighed the fear of disappointing her mother. Similarly, I found that Kingdom Hearts III can be thoroughly enjoyed outside of the series’ baggage, as if I were experiencing Sora’s adventure for the very first time once again.
The allure and magic of the Kingdom Hearts series has always stemmed from the Disney worlds that Sora, Donald, and Goofy explore as part of the larger narrative. Inside these worlds, separate stories gain life, starring popular Disney characters that become fast friends with our hero. Kingdom Hearts III is no different, as it features seven spacious worlds inspired by beloved Disney properties.
Though there are fewer Disney worlds in Kingdom Hearts III than in both of its mainline predecessors, they are much more bountiful and inspired than the ones seen in the PS2 titles. This is partly due to increased processing power that has significantly improved the visuals of the worlds and characters alike. Woody, Sully, Rapunzel, and Elsa look just as they are in the movies they originally appeared in, and these adapted versions of their worlds feel alive with finer details due to the drastic visual upgrades.
KH3’s five new worlds prove that Square Enix could keep mining Kingdom Hearts for decades to come — provided Disney and Pixar keep pumping out their polished and heartwarming animated flicks. The storylines are largely new, but the character struggles are familiar enough to instantly connect with what they’re going through.
For instance, Sully and Mike want to keep Boo safe from Randall in the Monsters Inc. world, and the toys of Toy Story are once again separated from Andy. The addition of the Heartless and the looming Organization XIII spins these familiar tales into something new, allowing you to see new sides of these Disney characters’ when up against perhaps their greatest challenge yet.
