Kingdom Hearts’ PC release is finally arriving! Square Enix has recently announced that their famous Disney and Final Fantasy crossover is finally coming to PC. The Japanese developer have revealed that every game in the series will be available on the Epic Game Store from March 30th, 2021. This means that millions on PC will have the opportunity to play the beloved JRPG for the first time.
However, Kingdom Hearts is well known for its complicated story, and many newcomers are intimidated. Kingdom Hearts though, despite its often complex story, is well worth playing for anyone who loves the many Disney films or Square’s other franchises. With that in mind, here are five reasons why you should play Kingdom Hearts when it releases for PC in March.
1. The Characters
While the series is famed for its use of both Disney and Final Fantasy characters, it also includes its own exciting cast unique to the franchise. These characters alone are worth giving the series a try. The hopeful and often clueless lead Sora, whose journey makes up the bulk of the franchise, is the heart of these games. He travels between Disney-themed levels, searching for a way to return home. Along the way, he forms connections with Disney’s most famous characters.
His two best friends’, Riku and Kairi, may feature less than Sora but they have just as much heart. They, too, travel through iconic Disney locations and form connections while searching for a way to reunite with their friends.
Kingdom Hearts has its own original cast
Outside of the first game’s leads there are characters like Aqua, Ventus and Terra, who are introduced in later games. This huge ensemble cast makes the world Square Enix has crafted feel like a fully realised one. Our heroes’ enemies also shine, with the shady ‘Organisation 13’ and the infamous Xehanort stealing the show.
2. The Amazing Music
Kingdom Hearts is famed for its music. From the distinctly early 2000s tone of Hikaru Utada’s “Simple and Clean,” that ushers players into the first game, to Yoko Shimomura’s sweeping orchestral pieces, the music is beautiful across the board. Each world has its own unique theme that echoes iconic songs from the Disney canon.
Melody of Memory launched recently
Highlights include the serine “Dearly Beloved” an orchestral piece that plays in the opening menu of every game. The music is so adored that Square released Melody Of Memory, a game completely dedicated to the series’ fantastic soundtrack. In this recent release, the player travels through iconic Disney locations to the beautiful music of Yoko Shimomura. Ultimately, the music in this franchise, the combination of original pieces and iconic Disney songs, is another huge reason to play these games when they release on PC.
3. Mods and other PC benefits
One of the best features of PC gaming is, of course, user created Mods. Many franchises have been massively improved by their modding communities, just look at Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls. As, to this point, these games have never left home consoles, this will be the first time gamers will be able to edit this franchise themselves. Just imagine, new keyblade textures, maybe even new Disney worlds put into the games. Kingdom Hearts fans have always been very creative. Thus, being on PC will give these dedicated fans another way to express themselves.
Tangled is one of the most recent films to feature in the franchise
4. Disney, Disney, Disney…
If you like Disney, you’ll love Kingdom Hearts. As the story goes, this unprecedented franchise was born when director Tetsuya Nomura met an unnamed Disney executive in an elevator and pitched the game. Since then, Square Enix has never looked back. This partnership between Square and Disney is written all over every game in the franchise. Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Nightmare before Christmas, all of these iconic films and more feature in multiple games.
Even Pixar films are playable in recent entries
5. Sequels and the future
With the release of Kingdom Hearts 3, the original story of these games has come to an end. However that doesn’t mean we have seen the last of Sora and his companions. Series creator Tetsuya Nomura has made it clear that Kingdom Hearts will return in the future. And if the secret ending of the third game is anything to go by, we may see a story inspired by Nomura’s cancelled Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy Versus XIII.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is the series most recent mainline entry
With more Final Fantasy games and more Disney IP’s being released every year, the future of Kingdom Hearts looks bright. With all the benefits of PC gaming, the desktop seems to be the best place to begin or continue your Kingdom Hearts journey.
Conclusion
Kingdom Hearts is an iconic franchise at this point. A series that people seem to either absolutely love or hate. But now, as the games finally come to the PC, is the perfect time to dive into this totally bonkers, often confusing and completely heart-filled group of games.
What do you think of Kingdom Hearts? Love it or hate it? Let me know in the comments!
