what do i need to know before kh3
The ultimate guide to getting into the Kingdom Hearts games
The Kingdom Hearts series is genuinely a blast—zipping around with your pals Donald and Goofy while dipping into dissimilar Disney-themed levels works a lot amend than information technology sounds like it should. But for a game that's largely a wacky Disney/Final Fantasy crossover episode, Kingdom Hearts is incredibly dense with lore. Every single game is canon for some reason, and in that location are an awful lot of them.
With the unabridged series heading over to PC on March 30, it tin exist overwhelming knowing where to start. As PC Gamer's resident Kingdom Hearts nerd, I've whipped upward a list of the games you should definitely play, the ones you tin can play, and the ones you lot can easily requite a miss. I tin't guarantee you lot'll understand the story even after playing through these games, only hopefully, it'll give you lot a damn good shot.
It's best to experience these games roughly where they released rather than where they lie chronologically on the frequently bonkers Kingdom Hearts timeline. A lot of the games rely on context from the ones that came earlier them, fifty-fifty if it's a prequel.
Play first
Kingdom Hearts
While this may seem largely obvious, I've made a point of calling it out because while Kingdom Hearts was the start game to release, it's not the first game chronologically. Birth Past Slumber takes that title, but don't be tempted to dive into the prequel straight away. BBS relies on a lot of prior cognition and context for the game's settings that aren't all that friendly for new players.
Kingdom Hearts, yet, does a great chore of setting the scene, giving you an idea of what's in store for the rest of the serial. It'southward besides a lot lighter on the convoluted narrative, things wouldn't really go loco until the sequels: so it's a more digestible experience for newcomers.
Must play
Kingdom Hearts two
Widely regarded every bit one of the best Kingdom Hearts games, and my personal favourite, Kingdom Hearts ii is where the crazy story really ramps up. At that place are more than characters, more sub-stories and it'southward generally a lot more to accept in than the previous mainline game.
Almost every spin-off game from here on out branches off from Kingdom Hearts 2 to some extent, and yous'd be missing out on a mighty chunk of the story if you lot passed over this to head straight to Kingdom Hearts iii.
Kingdom Hearts Nascency Past Sleep
Nascency By Sleep is easily 1 of the most important games you lot should exist playing—for Kingdom Hearts 3 especially. Birth By Sleep takes identify earlier the events of the original Kingdom Hearts, and every character from this game ends upward taking on pretty large roles further downwardly the line. Nativity By Sleep is admittedly paramount to understanding what the hell is going on, and it helps that information technology's an accented blast to play.
Ideally, play this after 358/2 days, but anytime between Kingdom Hearts 2 and Kingdom Hearts three should suffice.
Kingdom Hearts 3
The conclusion to the bloated story, Kingdom Hearts 3 goes out with a blindside. It goes without proverb that if you've fabricated information technology through all the other games, y'all'd be daft to not come across out its determination.
Kingdom Hearts three is 1 of the weaker games in my opinion, both for story and gameplay. But information technology does a half-decent chore of tying up loose ends and finally bringing an end to Sora'south story.
Don't think I have to say it, but only in case: play this one last.
Maybe play
Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories
Look: I don't name these things.
Re: Chain of Memories bridges the gap between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 2. A lot happens here, and you might exist a bit confused by the beginning of Kingdom Hearts 2 if you don't dive into this game.
The gameplay is a far weep from the rest of the series though, with the usual hack-and-slash action beingness replaced with cards and deck-building, and can be a flake of a roadblock if it's not your way. Kingdom Hearts two provides some context to the events of this game, but it'southward worth a playthrough for a full understanding.
Play this one right after Kingdom Hearts.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
This is less of a 'possibly play' and more of a 'maybe sentry' seeing equally 358/2 Days has been gutted of its gameplay, instead being a collection of text and cutscenes from the original DS game. It takes place roughly around the same time Re: Concatenation of Memories does, betwixt the beginning ii mainline games.
Its main characters practise accept a decent level of importance in Kingdom Hearts iii, so if you've got a couple of hours to spare it's worth plowing through the cutscenes just to become a basic understanding of the cast. Only it's as well easy enough to practise a flake of low-cal reading online.
Watch this later playing Kingdom Hearts 2.
Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance
Taking identify but earlier the events of Kingdom Hearts 3, Dream Drop Distance is one of those games that feels mighty important but you can also quickly get the jist of from a quick Google search.
Where Dream Drop Altitude mucks up is its insistence on throwing time travel into the story. Information technology makes the game a flake of a headache, and while the gameplay is relatively fun, a quick recap on the story before you swoop into Kingdom Hearts 3 is also just as acceptable.
If you play this, slot it in sometime before Kingdom Hearts iii, ideally before playing 0.2 Nascence By Sleep.
Can give a miss
Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded
Some other cutscene compilation here, and i of the dullest and well-nigh unnecessary games in the series. While the other games can be argued as important, this one gets a big fat miss from me.
Information technology gives some caption for the final cutscene of Kingdom Hearts 2, but it'southward not worth sitting through roughly 2-iii hours of cinematics for it. You tin can have a quick read-up on the story, merely even that isn't really needed.
If you do want to spotter it, do it any time after Kingdom Hearts 2.
Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth By Slumber – A bitty passage –
2nd to Kingdom Hearts' confusing narrative is its as confusing naming conventions for some spinoffs. The awfully wordy 0.two Birth Past Slumber – A Fragmentary Passage – takes identify immediately after the events of Birth By Sleep, and doesn't really practise much except for a bit of character-building.
This is one of the most skippable, simply information technology does just have a few hours to complete, so information technology's your choice really. I'd personally recommend skipping it though, and instead devoting that time to diving straight into Kingdom Hearts 3.
If you do end upwards playing this, information technology's all-time to practice information technology right earlier playing Kingdom Hearts 3.
Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover
Honestly, I had forgotten this even existed before writing this. Once again we accept a pile of cutscenes plucked from a mobile game, and at that place's actually some pretty important history and lore hither. I personally didn't play the mobile game or watch the movie, so a quick wiki read or Google search will serve you just fine.
Picket this one one-time between Dream Drop Distance and Kingdom Hearts 3.
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Retention
More of a recap than a new story, Melody of Memory is actually a rhythm game that takes you through all the worlds from each game, playing through the series' various tracks.
At that place's a modest cutscene at the end which is brand new and catechism to the storyline, but apart from that, there's non much else. If you bask rhythm games and want a more digestible version of the story, go for it. But it's not vital to understanding the behemoth of Kingdom Hearts lore.
Play this whenever you lot feel like it, though ideally avoid the final cutscene if you oasis't finished Kingdom Hearts 3.
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Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-getting-into-the-kingdom-hearts-games/