Review for Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory. Game for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 13/11/2020
After a first first look dedicated to Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, the time has come to analyze the complete work. Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory tries to overturn the rhythm Game formula by inserting dynamic game mechanics, small changes to the game formula that lead this new title to rewrite the real concept of the genre. As anticipated in our preview in this new chapter dedicated to the Kingdom Hearts saga, the player finds himself experiencing the entire narrative arc from the beginning: a journey that leads the player to experience a sort of summary of the events that took place up to the last chapter and thus carry on the plot ended with Kingdom Hearts III.
In fact, Melody of Memory does not stop to recompose the events of Sora, Kairi and Riku in a musical key but inserts along the way small additions to the plot that fill some gaps and leads the player to better understand those confusing aspects present in the last work. .
Kairi's memories
Compared to the previous chapters of the Kingdom Hearts saga, in this Melody of Memory the player experiences the adventure of the Destiny Islands thanks to the memories of Kairi but during the previous test it was impossible for us to test the "World Tour" as well as the single component. title player. In this World Tour the player - thanks to Kairi's memories - lives an adventure of about twelve hours aboard the Gummiship, while sailing from world to world for the places seen in the previous chapters. Each game world offers, apart from rare exceptions, two challenges that can be part of the same chapter or two different chapters.
Each challenge leads the player to experience a melody and in turn each melody has some objectives, such as obtaining a certain percentage of hits or not losing a certain number of HP.
The unlocking of the subsequent levels of the World Tour is linked to a precise number of stars that are obtained by completing the tracks and by achieving the objectives present in the game levels. This structure allows a high rate of replayability both because the player must reach a good degree of familiarity with the game controls and because it takes time to complete the title 100%: the hours of play can therefore easily double if you aim for the game. top and consequently the longevity factor of Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is all linked to your familiarity with rhythm games.
The Evolution of a Genre
The completion of the various levels of the World Tour it is not an end in itself: completing a world pushes the player to conquer different objects that can be used within the Moogle Shop. This particular shop, inevitable in the saga of Kingdom Hearts, allows the player to purchase consumable items that can restore HP during the levels and avoid premature Game Over; at the same time it allows the unlocking of particular pieces of music such as “Beauty and Beast” of the 91 'classic of the same name that can be played in the secondary mode “Songs Collection”.
It is good to see how Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory presents itself to the player as a product that exudes quality, although in some worlds there is a lack of creative freedom on the part of the team. Some levels in fact catapult the player into the musical piece with the Kingdom Hearts I clothing, completely out of tune with the selected game world even if it must be said that this discord is mostly highlighted by fans of the saga while it could go unnoticed by those who approaches the series for the first time.
From a technical point of view, Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory is a contrasting product. On the one hand it shows a truly indisputable melodic and rhythmic care: within this production we find 150 unforgettable songs that give background to the entire saga of Kingdom Hearts; on the other hand, it recovers the aesthetic sector of the first chapter of the saga and appears - nowadays - a little outdated, especially when compared to what is seen in Kingdom Hearts III. During our sessions on PlayStation 4 Pro, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory showed a stable frame rate with no hesitation.
World Tour? Not only!
The single player campaign of Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory it is majestic and as is clear it is the main focus of the gaming experience. However, we find it fair to point out that the title does not only offer this gaming experience, on the contrary, it manages to diversify and entertain the player with different modes designed to be enjoyed in cooperative or single player. By completing the World Tour players can face new challenges within the "Songs collection“, A mode that includes all the songs listened to during the World Tour and those unlocked from the Moguri Shop.
In addition to the Song Collection mode, the player can try their hand at VS Battles, fights that can be faced against the CPU or other players. The matchmaking proved to be really solid and able to match us with opponents of our same level making the gaming experience really enjoyable. Finally, the modality finds space Cooperative which allows two local players to face an internship together and the Museum which includes all collectibles collected during the adventure, such as melodies, cutscenes and cards.
In terms of gameplay, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is able to give that breath of novelty and freshness to the genre. In this rhythm game, first of all, the player controls three characters instead of just one and this implies having three tracks to follow with the addition of having to deal with the heartless ones who can arrive in pairs or in trio, so as to force the player to pay more attention. to the game stage.
Well structured "Boss Battle”That bring our trio inside a circular arena, with the three characters intent on turning around the boss while the player must pay attention to the notes to hit and the dodges to perform. The Boss Battles as they have been developed manage to break the standard evolution of the gameplay and give that touch of spectacle.
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is the new reference point for all future rhythm games: the title, in fact, thanks to its action component, is able to upset that now stale game formula. Melody of Memory can be easily appreciated and it is certainly an excellent title addressed not only to all fans of the saga but also to those who want to deepen the stories of Sora, Kairi and Riku. Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory is the bridge that takes the player to the next fourth chapter by offering a more refined view of the plot. Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory features a ten and praise soundtrack, making it a fun and engaging title for both those looking for a solitary experience or in company.
► Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is a Musical type game developed by Square Enix and published by Square Enix Disney Interactive Studios for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the game was released on 13/11/2020
