It's been a long journey for Kingdom Hearts fans. Beginning as an elevator conversation two decades ago, the series eventually evolved into an unprecedented crossover between Disney and Final Fantasy, helmed by Square Enix veteran Tetsuya Nomura.
Although Kingdom Hearts 3 ended the "Dark Seeker Saga" last year, Nomura isn't done with the franchise, and now we have Melody of Memory. Launching on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, this spin-off brings us a rhythm game not too dissimilar to Square-Enix's previous rhythm game - Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy - and it delivers on the concept in a fantastic way.
Kingdom Hearts: Melody Of Memory Review – Amusement simple mais propre
Set after Kingdom Hearts 3 (specifically, the Re:Mind DLC), Melody of Memory begins with a retelling of the Dark Seeker saga, which spans everything from the original Kingdom Hearts to KH3. Melody of Memory isn't particularly story-driven and benefits greatly from that approach.
You'll spend most of your time with the game's World Tour mode, a campaign that lets you visit each location via a world map. This whole map is explorable via the Gummi Ship in a way reminiscent of Kingdom Hearts PS2 entries. From Destiny Islands to Toy Story, Melody of Memory offers a comprehensive look at the series' history.
Progressing through the game isn't just about beating stages. Each song has three stars to collect, earned by meeting set criteria at each stage, such as not missing a certain number of attacks or reaching a particular score. With three difficulty options available, it's possible to complete songs solo, and with such a focus on high scores, there's plenty of replayability here.
One of Kingdom Hearts' greatest strengths has always been its soundtrack, and Melody of Memory knows that, offering 143 songs from nearly every entry in the franchise. With the exception of Face My Fears, all of Utada Hikaru's theme songs are featured, as are classic tracks like Traverse Town, Vector To The Heavens, and The Other Promise.
Despite being one of the most important pieces of Kingdom Hearts music, Dearly Beloved features a new remix in the opening menu, but as a playable song, it's oddly absent. Overall, though, fans will likely approve of what's on offer.
Each stage is on rails and comes in two forms, all explained through in-game tutorials the first time you play it. Memory dives are less common but more cinematic, taking place over iconic cutscenes, and players must hit the notes as they appear to progress.
Red notes only require a single attack, yellow notes require direction input while doing so, and green notes require sustained input for a set period of time. It's a simple approach, but the wider joy comes from reliving classic series moments, a feeling that may be lost on new players.
Field Battle stages let you work in a three-person team with Sora, Donald, and Goofy, though some worlds include guest characters like Aladdin, Hercules, or Ariel. Your goal is to reach the end and earn EXP. This, of course, requires fighting enemies as they appear in your path. When they do, two circles will appear on them, with the outer circle slowly approaching. A successful attack is like hitting enemies when these circles overlap, and attacks are categorized by timing.
Multiple enemies often line up on each stage, allowing you to hit them all at once. Others launch ranged attacks that Sora avoids by jumping, while some can only be reached while jumping. For larger or out-of-range enemies, ability crystals spawn that use special skills or magic. Some sections also have green notes in the air to get, so Sora can slide into them when you hold down the jump button.
Missed attacks reduce some HP and to pass a stage you only need to have some (because it does not regenerate over time). While you can't manually access it during a song, players can pre-set items before entering, so that, for example, potions automatically activate when they reach a certain percentage of health. Others take effect once you complete the stage, such as EXP boosts, and completion rewards items as well. This includes materials such as gems, which can be synthesized through a Moogle in your team menu.
For the most part, Melody of Memory gets it right, combining smooth gameplay with good enemy variance between levels to keep things lively. My only real criticism here is that it can feel a bit messy when multiple enemies emerge; being restless is quite easy. But, thankfully, their appearances are usually well-coordinated. The line landing attacks are satisfying, and best of all, the whole system doesn't feel out of place for a Kingdom Hearts entry.
After the impressive visual update we saw in Kingdom Hearts 3, it's somewhat disconcerting, however, that Square Enix has taken a step back here, returning to the visual approach we've seen in previous entries. Granted, there's not much wrong with that alone, but the presentation here lacks the sparkle that KH3 brought us and looks underwhelming by comparison.
It's not particularly clear why this is the case, however, presumably it could be to invoke a sense of nostalgia, given the premise of Melody of Memory.
Anyone looking to play with friends is in luck, as this entry features a two-player co-op mode for field battle stages. Vs Battles is also included here, allowing you to compete against other online players or AI opponents. In this mode, where you lose points if you run out of HP, there is a unique turn meter, allowing you to stumble opponents once the meter is filled, and since this is a battle for the best score. It takes a bit of time to unlock as it depends on World Tour progress, but it ultimately makes for an enjoyable multiplayer experience.
Kingdom Hearts: Melody Of Memory Review – The Bottom Line
Benefits
- A great celebration of the wider series
- Solid rhythm mechanics
- Excellent soundtrack
The inconvenients
- Basic visuals
- A few key songs are missing
- Easy to get restless with multiple enemies
By turning Kingdom Hearts into a musical experience, Square Enix has found a winner with Melody of Memory. In celebrating the larger history of this landmark franchise, there's a sense of nostalgia that will be lost on newcomers, but all rhythm game fans would do well to investigate further.
Backed by a rich soundtrack ranging from original songs to Disney hits, there's a lot to love about this new spin-off, but don't expect any major story development.
(Note: Square Enix provided the copy of Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory used for this review.)
