Kingdom Hearts 2.8 prologue trailer revealed!

[Water Mage]

I'll admit, at first, I wasn't interested, but this trailer changed my mind!

I'm also very interested in the Voice actors!

I'm pretty sure the Ursus Foreteller is Travis Willingham and the Unicornius Forteller is Matthew Mercer.
Not sure about the rest, but I swear I heard Ephemera's voice actor somewhere...

[Leif]

I mean, this looks cool and all, but, in all honesty, the KH series has become a bit ridiculous these past few years. Watch them announce Kingdom Hearts 2.9 ^ 6 / 56 HD re-release in the future.

It's a shame since I actually enjoyed the first KH game quite a lot. Also, is it fair to say that KH is overtaking Final Fantasy in terms of popularity, or am I mistaken?

[DarkDestr0yer61]

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is still the dumbest name I have ever heard... but I would be lying if I said I wasn't planning on buying it. Dream Drop Distance is probably my favorite Kingdom Hearts game, and I am looking forward to playing that on console

[The Draco Knight]

Man, the more I see about Back Cover. The more I get excited about it.

Also, while BBS 0.2 looks pretty fun, I don't like Aqua's model, altough the world seems to be well done in terms of graphics, at least to me.

[Zera]

Oh look, it's another Kingdom Hearts game that's not Kingdom Hearts 3.

People will whack heartless with an oversized key for the millionth time, just to get a bit of extra kudzu plot.

Also, the sky is blue. Sigh...

[Alex95]

Cool, but I'm still waiting for the time Sora can explore the Final Fantasy worlds.

[blyegg]

YES
AK OO WA
BBS
IVE BEEN WAITING
I'm excited, BBS is one of my favourite games of all time.

[HK Motendra]

Well its about damn time a new trailer showed itself! Admittedly, the only thing I was looking forward to at first was BBS 0.2, but seeing X Backcover has me amped all over again!

Oh look, it's another Kingdom Hearts game that's not Kingdom Hearts 3.

People will whack heartless with an oversized key for the millionth time, just to get a bit of extra kudzu plot.

Also, the sky is blue. Sigh...

At least you can take solace in knowing that it'll be the last one that isn't KH 3

[Book Bro]

Ok I've played all the games except Re:coded and the remasters, but I'm very confused by the animal-mask people. Who are they? Also what is this Aqua stuff?

I wish they'd stop making the story more confusing to follow...

[Water Mage]

Ok I've played all the games except Re:coded and the remasters, but I'm very confused by the animal-mask people. Who are they? Also what is this Aqua stuff?

I wish they'd stop making the story more confusing to follow...

Okay, you know how there was a war before the events of the game, that tore the world apart?

Even before the war, there were Keyblade wielders who fought the darkness, and they were divided in five unions, each were led by a Foreteller, the masked people you see.

The five foretellers were apprentices to the Master of Masters, who wrote the Book of Prophecies, which has the power to change reality.

In the book, there was a part were it was said that one of the foretellers is a traitor, and that lead to the unrest that appear in the trailer, with all them distrusting each other.

The only one who didn't get into the fight was the Vulpeus foreteller, Ava, who was said to be the foreteller that was the approachable.

She is planning something to save young Keyblade wielders from the war that will unfold.

Did you get all that?

There's more to it, like Ephemera, Skuld and Chirity, but I will talk about those later, since there's quite a bit yet to talk about.

It can be overwhelming, and I know I talked a lot.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Water Mage

[HK Motendra]

Ok I've played all the games except Re:coded and the remasters, but I'm very confused by the animal-mask people. Who are they? Also what is this Aqua stuff?

I wish they'd stop making the story more confusing to follow...

They are the 5 Foreteller's in the Fairy Tale setting prior to the Keyblade War. There's actually a mobile game out now that takes place in this exact time called Unchained X, where you have your own player, gathering the light for your faction, led by one of the 5 Foreteller's of your choosing. X Back Cover is supposed to be in the perspective of the Foretellers, themselves.

As of Birth By Sleep FM's secret ending, there was supposed to be a sequel to it, but unfortunately never came to be. 0.2 is what remains of said sequel that links directly to KH3, with Aqua in the Realm of Darkness, where time flows much differently than it would outside

Or Water Mage could take it from me

A lot of what to expect are explained through interviews from Tetsuya Nomura, himself, on what exactly's going on. This page has links to all of them regarding 2.8

Edited June 8, 2016 by Hero-King

[secondworld]

Ok I've played all the games except Re:coded and the remasters, but I'm very confused by the animal-mask people. Who are they? Also what is this Aqua stuff?

I wish they'd stop making the story more confusing to follow...

Yeah like HK said that's from Unchained X. That stuff is basically in 2.8 for people who didn't play that game to know what happened going into KH3.

So yeah not knowing who those guys are is actually normal, 2.8 is what would explain it.

[Book Bro]

Oh right, the mobile game is the other I haven't played. I see... So this is a prequel to the prequel of the series. Well... All right. -_-

From what I remember after BBS Aqua is lost wandering in the darkness and she calls out to Sora for help. So I guess she somehow gets out on her own? I kinda assumed Sora would rescue her in KH3.

Thanks for the explanations Water Mage, Hero-King, DavidSW! :P

Edited June 8, 2016 by Book Bro

[secondworld]

From what I remember after BBS Aqua is lost wandering in the darkness and she calls out to Sora for help. So I guess she somehow gets out on her own? I kinda assumed Sora would rescue her in KH3.

Well based on what we've seen from 2.8, I'd say it's likely she's still there. I'm assuming her whole thing in this game will take place in it.

[Water Mage]

Oh right, the mobile game is the other I haven't played. I see... So this is a prequel to the prequel of the series. Well... All right. -_-

From what I remember after BBS Aqua is lost wandering in the darkness and she calls out to Sora for help. So I guess she somehow gets out on her own? I kinda assumed Sora would rescue her in KH3.

Thanks for the explanations Water Mage, Hero-King, DavidSW! :P

She still in the Realm of Darkness. This game is about how she survived in there.

Also, Ephemera, the white haired kid from the trailer, he's a bit of a mystery.

He's a keyblade wielder that befriends the player character in Unchained, and is also interested in what the foretellers are hiding. He is talking with Ava, about the book of prophecies, but is also concerned about Ava, and he notices that she is very worried and depressed, and Ephemera tries to cheer her up. They also talk about the player character.

He promises to work with the player but eventually disappears, and the explanation for why is a bit iffy. He was supposed to meet the player, but never showed up.

And the player dreams of Ephemera running into a black hooded man.

Speaking of black hood, the blqck hooded man from the trailer is actually a sixth apprentice of the Master of Masters, and a bit of a renegade.

Chirity is a cat like being that is given to each keyblade wielders as an assistant of sorts. Think of them as a Navi.

However, they seem to know the foretellers personally, and under the cape they wear is a

Dream Eater symbol, implying that they are one.

Also, Xehanort's Keyblade is said to be very ancient, and notice how it has a Goat/Lion theme to it? Some think that it has a connection to the foretellers, since they all have animal themes.

There's still Skuld, the Dandellions and others things to talk about, but I'm a bit busy right now, so I will write more later.

[HK Motendra]

I still have yet to finish Unchained X's story, so I'm learning as I go along

[Alertcircuit]

It's like whoever names these games is actively trying to actively persuade people not to play them. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue sounds like a parody of itself.

That said, the trailer looks pretty cool.

[Jedi]

Literally the only reason I'm interested in this is Aqua.

2.8 is still stupid and taunting, work on KH3 you idiots.

[solrocknroll]

I only really care about Sora, so the Aqua/Back Cover parts aren't that interesting to me. I'll probably wait for KHIII.

Oh look, it's another Kingdom Hearts game that's not Kingdom Hearts 3.

People will whack heartless with an oversized key for the millionth time, just to get a bit of extra kudzu plot.

Also, the sky is blue. Sigh...

do you have a reason to come into every game you don't like's topic to whine

[The DanMan]

Literally the only reason I'm interested in this is Aqua.

2.8 is still stupid and taunting, work on KH3 you idiots.

Even if I could get this game, I wouldn't (have an Xbox One, not PS4).

I already own 3D.

The new episode with Aqua's confirmed to be only a couple hours long.

And X: Back Cover will be up on youtube almost immediately.

So, ironically, the movie is the one that I'm most hyped for because I'll get easy access to it and it will have new content.

On the plus side, a worldwide release definitely bodes well for KH3.

I mean, this looks cool and all, but, in all honesty, the KH series has become a bit ridiculous these past few years. Watch them announce Kingdom Hearts 2.9 ^ 6 / 56 HD re-release in the future.

It's a shame since I actually enjoyed the first KH game quite a lot. Also, is it fair to say that KH is overtaking Final Fantasy in terms of popularity, or am I mistaken?

I'd say both of them waned in popularity over the past console generation. FF's a long-runner; though KH3 is farther out, I doubt there will be as much hyping up of it as they've done for FFXV.

Edited June 8, 2016 by The DanMan

[Jedi]

Even if I could get this game, I wouldn't (have an Xbox One, not PS4).

I already own 3D.

The new episode with Aqua's confirmed to be only a couple hours long.

And X: Back Cover will be up on youtube almost immediately.

So, ironically, the movie is the one that I'm most hyped for because I'll get easy access to it and it will have new content.

On the plus side, a worldwide release definitely bodes well for KH3

-Sigh- ok, never mind it. Not even remotely worth it then.

[The DanMan]

-Sigh- ok, never mind it. Not even remotely worth it then.

"Approximately the length of one to two worlds".

The HD remixes were somewhat necessary, and released a budget price ($40 instead of $60).

This is a full priced console game whose only real new "gameplay" is a demo.

Though for what it's worth, the Remix team worked on this with the main KH3 team (the Osaka team) unaffected.

Anyways, though the Foreteller's voice actors don't sound identical to any previous ones in the series, they do bear some solid similarities. I'm trying to not to be too hyped, but the Grass/reincarnation theory may be correct here.

[Water Mage]

"Approximately the length of one to two worlds".

The HD remixes were somewhat necessary, and released a budget price ($40 instead of $60).

This is a full priced console game whose only real new "gameplay" is a demo.

Though for what it's worth, the Remix team worked on this with the main KH3 team (the Osaka team) unaffected.

Anyways, though the Foreteller's voice actors don't sound identical to any previous ones in the series, they do bear some solid similarities. I'm trying to not to be too hyped, but the Grass/reincarnation theory may be correct here.

Perhaps, some them have similarities, like Aced, the Ursus Foreteller's keyblade having an earth theme, and Ava, the Vulpeus Foreteller's keyblade having a water theme, they might be counterparts, but I'm not so sure about the whole reicarnation theory, I know about it, but I'm don't think it is right.

Something interesting though, didn't the sixth apprentice, the black hood guy, had an attitude similar to Xigbar/Braig?

Oh, I promised to talk about Skuld and the Dandelions, right?

Okay, so Skuld is a female keyblade wielder who, like the player character in Unchained, befriended Ephemera, and again, like the player, had dreams about Ephemera after he vanished.

Ephemera told Skuld in the dream that the world they know would soon end.

Skuld and the player decided to enter the foretellers's castle to look for Ephemera.

The eventually run into the foreteller of the player's guild, who asks Skuld and the player what are they doing there.

When they say they are looking for Ephemera, the foreteller says that Ephemera was meddling too much and he was eliminated.

Skuld and the player get angry and get ready to fight the foreteller, however the foreteller vanishes and it was revealed that it was an illusuion created by Ava, the Vulpeus Foreteller. She created the illusion to test Skuld and the player.

She says she's gathering keyblade wielders, whom she calls Dandelions, to protect them from the war, and to the protect the future as well. And when she says future, I believe she says she will send them into the future. But I'm not sure if she means time travel or that they will sleep and wake up in the future.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Water Mage

[Leif]

Literally the only reason I'm interested in this is Aqua.

2.8 is still stupid and taunting, work on KH3 you idiots.

These are my thoughts exactly. Kingdom Hearts has such a convoluted plot, it's quite hilarious. I found that all the side story plots utterly ransacked the game's unifying narrative. "So-and-so was a part of this dude, who was a clone of that person, who time travelled to the past to recruit a different version of some other dude, etc." It's utter madness.

It's unfortunate because Kingdom Heart's kudzu plot can take away some of the enjoyment from the game. It certainly did for me back in 2007 when I played Kingdom Hearts 2 and had no idea what was going on with the whole Roxas tutorial stage and the whole "sleeping Sora" gig since I didn't play Chain of Memories. Battle system is great and all, but the game's poor writing reared it's ugly head as more of these games were made, especially in Dream Drop Distance.

However, I'm still very interested to see how the game's train wreck narrative plays out from here. There's no doubt that the gameplay in this entry will be spot-on, though.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Leif

[The DanMan]

These are my thoughts exactly. Kingdom Hearts has such a convoluted plot, it's quite hilarious. I found that all the side story plots utterly ransacked the game's unifying narrative. "So-and-so was a part of this dude, who was a clone of that person, who time travelled to the past to recruit a different version of some other dude, etc." It's utter madness.

It's unfortunate because Kingdom Heart's kudzu plot can take away some of the enjoyment from the game. It certainly did for me back in 2007 when I played Kingdom Hearts 2 and had no idea what was going on with the whole Roxas tutorial stage and the whole "sleeping Sora" gig since I didn't play Chain of Memories. Battle system is great and all, but the game's poor writing reared it's ugly head as more of these games were made, especially in Dream Drop Distance.

However, I'm still very interested to see how the game's train wreck narrative plays out from here. There's no doubt that the gameplay in this entry will be spot-on, though.

I have an encyclopedia-like grasp of the series and lore, but I don't really enjoy it as a story; I happen to like a few of the characters and theorizing/trying to piece things together. I do enjoy it, but it's just bad storytelling and I can see how it could end up robbing enjoyment. (Though SE in general has a major problem with writing, and KH is far from their biggest offender.)

At the end of the day, I'd actually like it if Square made a spiritual successor of sorts starting from scratch; nothing to do with Disney or Final Fantasy, but just a flashy, colorful action RPG.