Sora on 08 Jul 2007 03:41 pm
Kingdom Hearts III compared to Final Fantasy
Personally I hope that Sora, Riku, and Kairi don’t appear for long in the third game. Unfortunately the series seems to be completely unlike the Final Fantasy series. While this fact is indeed true, I will try to compare and contrast as well as I possibly can.
To begin with, they both have you starting off with relatively unfamiliar characters. None of the characters are ever the same, except for boss names and magic, in any Final Fantasy game, which adds an air of mystery as to what kind of storyline the game could have and what kind of weapons could you possibly wield. In Kingdom Hearts, however, you start the first game with a small boy and play around on an island until you have to fight. In the second game, however, you play as a character you already know, but he doesn’t remember anything about the past, except for his dreams, which makes you think that he is a relatively new character until he has yet more dreams. The second game has you start off thinking, “Where am I? Why am I here?” until you realize that you have to play as Sora again.
While Kingdom Hearts combines many different characters from different games, Final Fantasy creates completely new ones and forces you to run the gauntlet with unfamiliar people doing unfamiliar tasks. KH also is too familiar with the gamer, who has supposedly played the first game (which I unfortunately was unable to do) and all you do is mash X repeatedly while saying to yourself, “Aren’t keys usually blunt?” The basic plotline is just that; basic. You hit X and you destroy heartless.
I may be unqualified to talk about FF and KH because I have only partially played FFVII and almost beaten FFIII (Nintendo DS), and also only partially played KHI and beaten KHII, but I can get the general gist of both games. I do not believe that any thing used in Kingdom Hearts I or II can be used in the third game. The first two did the same worlds with little variation, and over used any and all plots. On the contrary, almost anything from any FF game (except 7) can be used as they are all different. What the programmers need to understand is that they need to break down old barriers they set up with the first two games, set high standards for the third, and then break those.
Again I have rambled on and off the topic, so please enjoy my ramblings and I hope I haven’t offended any freaky fan-kids.
Thanks to KingdomHearts3.net reader Kyo for this submission!
on 13 Jul 2007 at 3:07 am 30. KingdomheartsMASTER
Taz if you come back to this post i need to talk to you. i may be off my game a bit but i have just thought of something so out of the ordiary i need to tell it to you first. it actually has evidence to back it up. its not mainly guess work. meet me in the Secret Ansem Reports section of the site ASAP.
on 13 Jul 2007 at 1:54 am 29. Kahou
Actually no, both of those review were hand written by me this morning while I was in summer school.
I wrote all of it in one sitting at this comment box and it got rejected so I hit back, Copy, pasted it in word, broke it up and re posted it.
Completely original, so I’ll take that as a compliment.
on 13 Jul 2007 at 1:50 am 28. Tazimus Prime
Kahou: Well has your explanation of the games are correct, I just have one question. Where did you copy those from? I have read them before I just can’t remember were. The overviews of the games sound like a review from X-Play. Of course this isn’t as important as you conclusion which was, that Final Fnatasy and Kingdom Hearts are different games with different ways of telling stories. And as you stated before they making side adventure games, in which you wont play has Sora. The next Kingdom Hearts game to be released is the first in these side advetnure games. Nomura has also stated that it will be about Xehanorts past. I believe, due to his presence at the end of “Birth by Sleep”, that we will be playing as King Mickey in this game. It is also to be set in the past.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 9:02 pm 27. Moon
i meant to write “everybody else here”, sorry for double post^^.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 9:00 pm 26. Moon
If you don’t like KH then don’t, everybody else loved it. I never really played FF, but i don’t really care because no game on this planet can beat kh in my opinion.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 6:11 pm 25. toni
Kahou your comments are great. You have obviously played Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. And your comparisons were correct.
Now it seems as if there are going to be many side-story games, which I would deffinatly buy :]
on 12 Jul 2007 at 3:55 pm 24. Kahou
I won’t let me post any more of it… Oh well..
on 12 Jul 2007 at 3:51 pm 23. Kahou
–Conclusion..–
This, is why (It’s racking our bodys with pain, and filling our hearts with doubt!)(Sorry, had to say it.. Bonus points if you know why I said it)
We are not done with Sora, but this is also why it’s safe for him to not be in a certain game.
This is all one story line, which garuntee’s Sora’s place within it, but at the same time a different part of the story needs to be told, so that we can understand new parts.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 3:48 pm 22. Kahou
Hmmm, My other comment not showing up?
on 12 Jul 2007 at 3:24 pm 21. Kahou
–Compairing and contrasting the two games.–
Now, it’s obvious that FF, and KH are two very different games, but they do share a few very important things.
Number one being that the KH series is a joint effort between Square Enix and Disney, resulting in some of FF’s most memorable charaters having and apearence, or own story line, and position in the game.
As far as actual Game play similarities go, there are none.
KH and FF are completely different games, and really shouldn’t be lumped in together in one pile.
KH, is very different from FF in one element.
This is very important so pay attention.
KH is several small stories, to tell one.
FF is several small stories, to each their own.
While it if true the FF gives you new characters to run with in each games that is because each story is not related to each other. They don’t share the same planet, the same worlds, characters, plotlines, themes.
The only thing they do share is a like universe, and the title Final fantasy.
Kingdom hearts on the other hand is a single, deep story with many side storys to be told, that all relate to one main story line. Every time you witness a different or new story you can take that, fit it somewhere chronologically with the main story, and see how it relates.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 3:23 pm 20. Kahou
–The basic jist of Every FF game ever.–
Final fantasy games, while in story and exact character is different in every game there is one big noticable underlying plot for each game.
Something very dangerous is threatening the ENTIRE population of the world, and in one way or another, you, as the protagonist set out to stop it.
Along the way you will meet various like minded people who convieniently use a different kind of weapon from you, and oddly enough from everyone else you meet.
You will meet a theif, a Swordsman, A person with some kind of range, A white mage with summoning capabilities, and a Black mage.
You almost always play something of a powered up Red mage.
Kinda odd, how ironic huh?
In any case Early games had something of a Zelda like world, until the concept of the world map was introduced.
Then, we were presented with open areas, like in FFX. We no longer traversed the world map either, we flew on an Airship to where we wanted to go, and this method of transportaion is still present even in the most recent FFXII.
(The world of FFXI is completley open, you can only access Airships from 4 areas total {not counting Kazham?})
The combat system was, young, until FFX-2.
You would enter a random battle from traveling in an area outside of towns or citys(Peace zones). Such as a feild, forest or dessert (Battle zones).
Once in an actual battle you would stand parralell from your enemy and take turns executing various commands all of which could be found in your menu.
This would continue until one of your Hp reached 0.
Your own, and you’d get a Game over and have to continue from you last save.
The enemies and you’d be presented with an award page, in which you would find yourself being utterly confused that the rediculously oversized rabbit creatur you just killed was carrying chainmail, a fire enchanted sword, and 82 gil.
Whats a rabbit doing with these things, honestly no one knows.
In FFX-2, we see the frst variation in the battle system. Though still turn based it’s now Real Time. Based on which weapon your using(The dress sphere let you change the job of any of your characters.)
You would have a guage that would have to re-charge after each time you attack or use a spell. The time it took to re-charge changed depending on your weapon, and/or skill you used.
FFXI introduced the first entirely real Time battle system, and also got rid of random battles. Also allowing you to control your characters movement while in battle.
FXII Improved, but keeps the same esential battle system FFXI has.
FFX-2 is the very first “True sequel” in the franchise.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 3:23 pm 19. Kahou
–KH2–
The story for this game starts off in something of a… What? Unless you’ve played what I call KH1.5, or Chain of memories, which was released on the GBA.
You start of as a character named Roxas with three friends, two boys and a girl. You play as Roxas in what would seem to be a several hour long tutorial (1-2 hrs) wondering “Where’s Sora?” the entire time. Roxas starts having weird “Dreams” that don’t seem to belond to him, and then a strang cloaked person who ould apear to have stopped time aproaches you, and asks you if you know who you are, if your coming back.. This is when you get the Keyblade. You fight off the “Strange” enemies and look deeper into this mystery. At this point your thinking there will be no Sora, wondering why he was on the cover in the first place.
But fear not, after taking down several more strange enemies (Which your probably yelling at the T.V. screen going, “THEY’RE HEARTLESS!!” and being dead wrong evey time the information screen pops up) and a boss you discover that Sora is infact still alive.
Soon gameplay takes over with Sora and the story continues.
As far as combat and gameplay in this game is concerned it’s roughly the same as in the first, with a few fun aditions.
The most noticable, and quickly found is the reaction command, used with Triangle when certain conditions with enemies is met.
These conditions, and what actually happens when you hit triangle changes whit different enemies and bosses.
The second, and most drastic new addition is the Drive gauge, and form, though this element of gameplay doesn’t come in until later on, after becoming Sora.
This element of the game also evolves.
You get different forms as time progresses.
Also, this game has a lot more skills to use, leaving with a larger variety of gameplay, making it feel far less hack and slash.
This also makes it more useful for having skill, than in the prior game.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 3:22 pm 18. Kahou
With this I intend on making a more accurate comparison of the aformentioned.
Lets start with Kindom hearts as it’s a staple of this site, and more familiar to the general public.
–KHI–
Kingdom hearts is an action adventure RPG that takes place in the various worlds found in the most memorable disney movies, and cartoons, as well as some original worlds thrown in to spice things up.
In the first game Sora takes the lead role with donald and goofy.
Supporting characters are Kairi and Rikku, and less important supporting roles are various people from the FF franchise and disney movies.
The story line while very deep and involving can be described simply as thus.
Three inquisitive and curious friends(Sora, Rikku, Kairi) live on an island together and plot to see “The other worlds” using a boat they’ve constructed from rough supplies around the island. The night before the planned leave date fate intervenes and Sora’s world is drug into the darkness by the Heartless.
During the course of this Sora is given the keyblade, and defeats a major heartless, despite this his world is still drug into the darkness and Sora wakes up in a new town. (Traverse?), where he is found by Goofy and Donald.
Goofy and Donald inform Sora that he is the choosen keyblade weilder, and that they need his help to get their king back (Mickey).
Sora, being a nice guy and all, decides to help them out, while searching for his own friends, who were lost when his world was.
Sora traverses the various worlds, sealing them off from the heartless, and making new friends and memorys all along the way.
Eventually Sora does find his friend, but sadly one of them has seemingly been lost to the Darnkess, Rikku, who was tempted with its power.
I won’t go more into the story line as to avoid putting up blatent spoilers.
As for the gameplay of KH1 it can be some what repetitive.
You start off with a kingdom key, and in the begining it is almost entirley hack and slash.
Though as time progresses Sora gains spells, and abilities which are activated through various play styles, and spells through a quick trigger or option menu.
The game play is entirley in real time, though an option menu is present making long option chains dangerous.
Thats why the quick trigger(Shortcut) is there, to avoid you getting killed because you can’t navigate to the Cure spell faster than that really big heartless over there with the over sized weapon can crush you into the ground with it.
Worlds are navigated freely, and split up into sections with short almost innoticable load times inbetween them.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 2:58 pm 17. CuHaku River Spirit
break it down, and post it like in 5 or 6 posts.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 2:55 pm 16. Kahou
I wrote a comment, sort of Reply, expansion thing to this, but due to it being too long… (5 pages in microsoft word) I think it rejected it, I resubmitted it with Write, we’ll see what happens.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 12:58 pm 15. V
OMG!!! Kyo is the owner of the article above?? If so….ur wrong about not using the elements in KH1 n 2 in the next installment.
If that’s the case thn KH wont be KH anymore…and KH1 had a ongoing plot which eventually led to KH2 & it goes the same for KH2. Changing the game entirely will definitely drive some fans n players away from the game seeing that it is of difference with what was anticipated after KH2.
If KH wasn’t this popular, its developers n producers would change the elements of the game to make it more appealing. But seeing it now, I don’t think that they would want that now would they? Unless it is for a purpose as to suit some of the game’s new gameplay - add ons to its predecessor.
Tazimus Prime, I too agree with ur statement.
on 12 Jul 2007 at 10:56 am 14. hayner
i guess kh isnt much of a strategy game. All i do is run,then when the enemy is in that split second moment where he stops doing his ultimate unstoppable combo, i attack. In KH 2, pretty much the same except reflect allows me to kill sephiroth in 3 combos. Terra is basically a hit(duck flare combo) and run/reflect/drive and hit again. FF however, (execpt ff7DOC and FFx-2 i think) is turn based. this means u win by either a uber strong attack or win with a series of small hits, skipped turns and sacrificing characters.(for those who cant relate, think GBA pokemon - execpt a tee more complicated. With the plot hmmm… its a hard pick. there’s the fact that the story is diferent every FF but I cant help but notice the overused nomura-ish/ff-ish plot style i cnt exactly put my finger on. U just know its Nomura/FF. With kh, i think i would have been just a mix of the FF games if it wern’t for the fact that there’s disney. Thx to disney, the worlds, which in my opinion is the foundation of Kh’s plot details, are there. Besides, thinking about an oathkeeper magically appearing in my hand as a wisp of pixie dust turning into a keyblade is pretty cool. Really, u have to try pretending that ur sora sometime. (some would prefer roxas, same banana)
on 12 Jul 2007 at 3:09 am 13. Celebes A.K.A Solar Breaker
There is also something about the type of battling
where in FF you just magically go into battle.ANd in KH you you can actually move freely around a stage.MAybe I’m wrong.
on 11 Jul 2007 at 8:06 pm 12. Articles, Editorials and Fan Fiction for KH III / KH3 - Kingdom Hearts 3
[…] this section, we’ve already got articles by readers which include a comparison of Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy (which some argue is a little harsh!), an interesting theory on the future of the series, and more […]
on 11 Jul 2007 at 3:35 am 11. Adam
Tazimus Prime.. i agree with you 100% you should have wrote this instead of this jerk-off who hasnt played ANY of the games he’s comparing..
on 11 Jul 2007 at 3:31 am 10. Adam
lol.. I always think Why the F**K you you smack someone with a giant key? it would leave a pretty nasty bruise.. why would you do tht to someone? its in-humane! but funny to make jokes about..
“Why would you hit someone with a long, blunt key? oww thats gonna hurt real bad in the morning! im going home!”
on 10 Jul 2007 at 8:04 pm 9. TheAssasinof3.0.5
Tazimus Prime calm down that guy doesent know what hes talking about
on 10 Jul 2007 at 1:30 am 8. Dinnomicx
I have to go email me if anything comes up…. Dinnomicx@adelphia.net
on 10 Jul 2007 at 12:46 am 7. Tazimus Prime
But I also had to use the joystick to mave away from him.
on 10 Jul 2007 at 12:45 am 6. Tazimus Prime
Yeah I just hit the guy with the keyblade. I only used magic to heal myself.
on 10 Jul 2007 at 12:43 am 5. Mohrphorm
These two games cannot really be compared. FF is an RPG, based on strategy. KH is similar except with an action element incorporated with the strategy. That one differences makes the two completely different.
Note: Anybody who has beaten KH by just pressing the “X” button, please tell me =D
on 09 Jul 2007 at 9:23 pm 4. Luv_Roxas
I agree with Tazimus Prime the whole way through! And Im a huge FF fan too so ive played all of those except for the ones on Nintendo! But I know about them and I have them figured out!
on 09 Jul 2007 at 9:21 pm 3. Luv_Roxas
I just, what does Ven, Aqua, and Terra have to do with this will someone explain to me, I watched the FM secret ending and I translated some clips into English but I need some help here! When is Final Mix comeing out in America?
on 09 Jul 2007 at 9:17 pm 2. Sora
Tazimus Prime, it’s great you’re creating a counter-arguement to Kyo’s point, but please try to write it in a more professional manner. If you were to do so, you could also have your article on the site.
on 09 Jul 2007 at 9:01 pm 1. Tazimus Prime
What the F***? Kyo you are right about one thing. You are not the person to make this type of comparison. Granted you stated facts about the games. But you never played any other Final Fantasy outside of 3 and 7 (which you claim to never have beaten). You nevre played Kingdom Hearts 1 either. What the hell? Now I have played and beaten FF 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, Adventures, Mystic Quest, Legends 1, and Legends 2. I have played FF X-2. I have also beaten Kingdom Hearts 1, CoM, & 2. And I am playing FF 3 (the origenal for the NES), and Tactics. You can’t begin to compare to different games. I mean you started this thing off saying that this is completely unlike Final Fantasy, can you say DEE DEE DEE.
Now, there are plenty of things to use from the previous Kingdom Hearts in a third game. He can go into the origins of the keyblade. He can go into the Xehanort’s past. He could gon into why the keyblade chose Sora and Riku in the first place. Now that is just stuff off the top of my head. I know that Nomura has said that the next game will involve Xehanort’s past and the origins of the keyblade.
Now as for Final Fantasy never re-using anything is complete bull. Hell the first three games have the same basic storyline. We’re four unknown heros who are gonna save the world with the power of the crystals. Final Fantasy 3 and 5 use the same job class system. Final Fantasy 4 and 9 basic storlines are strikingly similar. Final Fantasy 6, 7, and 8 have a recylced character.
So all your little comparison amounts to is that the games are totally different. Wow, I guess that’s why it’s not called Final Fantasy: Kingdom Hearts. So here is what you need to do, finish playing FF3 and FF7. Play some more FFs and play Kingdom Hearts 1. And then come back and we’ll talk some more.