Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

Infobox VG
title = Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep


caption = The logo of "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep"
developer = Square Enix
publisher = Square Enix
designer= Shinji Hashimoto (executive producer)
Patrick Chen (game producer)
Yoichi Yoshimoto (co-producer)
Tetsuya Nomura (game director)
Tai Yasue (co-director)cite web| url = http://www.square-enix.com/na/company/press/2007/0921_1/ | title = A New Chapter In The Kingdom Hearts Series Delivers Three Brand-New Titles To The Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, And Mobile Phones| publisher = Square Enix | date = 2007-09-21| accessdate = 2007-09-24]
Daisuke Watanabe (scenario writer)cite web| url = http://psp.ign.com/articles/823/823015p1.html| title = Kingdom Hearts Update| publisher = IGN| author = IGN Staff| date = 2007-09-26| accessdate = 2007-09-27]
released= vgrelease|JP=Summer 2009 [cite web| url=http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/1217145_1124.html| title=PSP版『FF アギトXIII』の映像が初公開！　最新映像で明らかになった新情報を完全リポート| language=Japanese| accessdate=2008-08-03| date=2008-08-02| author=Famitsu staff| work=Famitsu]
series = "Kingdom Hearts"
genre = Action role-playing game
modes = Single-player
ratings =
platforms = PlayStation Portable
media = Universal Media Disc
requirements=
input= nihongo|"Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep"|キングダムハーツ　バース　バイ　スリープ|Kingudamu Hātsu Bāsu bai Surīpu is an upcoming action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable. It is an installment in the "Kingdom Hearts" series that focuses on Terra, Ventus, and Aqua, characters briefly featured in "Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+". "Birth by Sleep" is a prequel to the first "Kingdom Hearts" game and features many previously unexplained plot elements from the original "Kingdom Hearts" trilogy. The game was announced at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show. It seems it will appear stateside, although currently the title is only confirmed for a Japanese release.cite web| url = http://tgs.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6179212| last = Boyes | first = Emma| date = 2007-09-20| title = TGS '07: Three new Kingdom Hearts games coming| publisher = GameSpot| accessdate = 2007-09-20]

Gameplay

"Birth by Sleep" is a single-player action role-playing game which features melee combat.cite web| title = Preview - First glimpse of the KH prequel for PSP| url = http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3163003| author = Parish, Jeremy| date = 2007-09-19| publisher = 1UP.com| accessdate = 2007-09-20] The game features gameplay similar to the style of the previous games in the series,cite web| title = TGS 2007: Three New Kingdom Hearts Titles| url = http://psp.ign.com/articles/821/821307p1.html| author = Onyett, Charles| date = 2007-09-19| publisher = IGN| accessdate = 2007-09-20] particularly to "" in that card decks will be used.cite web| url = http://psp.ign.com/articles/824/824305p1.html| title = Nomura Discusses Kingdom Hearts| publisher = IGN| author = Gantayat, Anoop| date = 2007-10-02| accessdate = 2007-10-04] "Birth by Sleep" will be divided into three scenarios, with each scenario having different styles of gameplay based on the personalities and abilities of the three main characters: Terra, Ventus and Aqua. Game director Tetsuya Nomura has mentioned players can play from any of the three scenarios and possibly stop mid-way through one scenario to begin another. The developers plan to add multiplayer components and a new character growth system. Other new features include a special, first person targeting mode called "Focus" mode and each character having special attack modes that allow them to perform different magic-based attacks.cite web| url = http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3169131&p=7| title = Previews: Kingdom Hearts PSP| author = Parish, Jeremy| date = 2008-08-02| publisher = 1UP.com| accessdate = 2008-08-08]

Plot

"Birth by Sleep" is a prequel to the first "Kingdom Hearts" game, taking place ten years prior, and focusing on the story of knights that wield Keyblades (key-shaped weapons with the power to unlock doors and combat darkness) before the series' main protagonist Sora. [cite web| title = Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Famitsu Interview| publisher = Kingdom Hearts Ultimania| date = 2007-09-26| url = http://www.kh2.co.uk/?page=NI/KHBBS1| accessdate = 2007-09-27] [cite web| title = Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep|url = http://psp.ign.com/objects/964/964460.html| publisher = IGN| accessdate = 2007-09-20] Nomura has stated that, though there are three scenarios—one for each of the main characters, Terra, Ventus and Aqua—there is not one singularly important scenario or character, but the main theme is Ventus' identity. The story was speculated early on to be connected to the unlockable trailers at the end of "Kingdom Hearts II" and "Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix".cite web| title = TGS '07: Square Enix shows all in closed mega-theater| url = http://tgs.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6179467| author = Niizumi, Hirohiko| date = 2007-09-20| publisher = GameSpot| accessdate = 2007-09-21] Nomura has since confirmed a connection to the trailers.cite journal| url = http://www.kh2.co.uk/?page=NI/KHBBS2| format = translation| date = October 2007| title = Interview with Tetsuya Nomura, Yasushi Kurosaw and Yoichi Yoshimoto| journal = Famitsu| pages = p 39| accessdate = 2008-07-29]

The game will take place in various Disney-themed worlds both new and old, and will reflect the time difference between this game and the previous "Kingdom Hearts" games; for example, a younger Hercules at the Olympus Coliseum. The story revolves around three Keyblade apprentices in search of a missing Keyblade master, Master Xehanort, and his apprentice. Maleficent is believed to be the main antagonist; she causes a great disaster involving the Heartless which results in Master Xehanort and his apprentice's disappearance.cite web| url = http://psp.ign.com/articles/896/896063p1.html| title = Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Hands-on| author = Haynes, Jeff| date = 2008-08-02| publisher = IGN| accessdate = 2008-08-08]

Characters

Like previous "Kingdom Hearts" titles, "Birth by Sleep" will feature numerous Disney characters. In addition to original characters Terra, Ventus and Aqua, confirmed characters include King Mickey, Donald Duck, Goofy, young Sora and Riku, and Master Xehanort and his apprentice. Also appearing are Maleficent and, so far, three of the Princesses of Heart, namely Snow White, Cinderella, and Princess Aurora. The game will introduce a new type of enemy different from a Heartless and a Nobody, known as an nihongo|Unbirth|アンバース|Anbāsu.

Development

Created for the PlayStation Portable, "Birth by Sleep" is being directed by Tetsuya Nomura and co-directed by Tai Yasue. In 2007, Nomura mentioned a desire to create a spin-off "Kingdom Hearts" game on a mobile platform and for it to feature gameplay slightly different than other titles in the series.cite web| title = Next Kingdom Hearts to be portable spin-off, not KHIII| url = http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/04/next-kingdom-hearts-to-be-portable-spin-off-not-khiii/| author = Ransom-Wiley, James| date = 2007-05-04| publisher = Joystiq| accessdate = 2007-09-22] It was announced alongside "Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days" and "Kingdom Hearts coded" at the Tokyo Game Show on September 20, 2007, where a trailer was shown in a photo-prohibited theater. [cite web| url = http://www.famitsu.com/event/tgs/2007/1210654_1603.html| title = 『キングダム ハーツ』新プロジェクトも明らかに！| publisher = Famitsu| date = 2007-09-20| language = Japanese| accessdate = 2007-09-23] New trailers were shown at the 2008 Jump Festa in December 2007 and the DKΣ3713 Private party in August 2008—a playable demo was also available at DKΣ3713. [cite web| url = http://ps3.ign.com/articles/839/839048p1.html| title = Square Enix Unveils Jump Festa Lineup| author = Anoop Gantayat| date = 2007-12-02| publisher = IGN| accessdate = 2007-12-12]

"Birth by Sleep" is being developed by the same team behind "Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories", and will use the same graphical engine as "".Cite journal| date= December 2007| title= Photophile - Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep| journal= Game Informer| publisher= Cathy Preston| issue= 176|pages= p 125|id= |url= |quote= ] cite web| title = Confirmados 3 nuevos Kingdom Hearts (PS2)| url = http://es.videogames.games.yahoo.com/20092007/202/confirmados-3-nuevos-kingdom-hearts.html| publisher = Yahoo! Games| date = 2007-09-20| language = Spanish| accessdate = 2007-09-20] Development of the game began before the release of "Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+". The plot was completed, but development was halted due to development of "Re:Chain of Memories". "Birth by Sleep" is named after the unlockable trailer at the end of "Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix". The development team plans to make use of the PSP's functions and is considering either co-operative or competitive multiplayer gameplay. Of the three new games announced, "Birth by Sleep" was the first one to begin development, though Nomura speculates it will be the last one released.

Reception

The playable demo of "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep" was well received at the DKΣ3713 Private party. After playing the demo, IGN expressed their excitement at the release of the game in 2009. 1UP.com echoed similar statements, praising the visuals and stating it "plays better" than the previous "Kingdom Hearts" games. They commented that the platforming elements of Ventus' demo were difficult and not enjoyable, but predicted the game will improve the series.

References

External links

* [http://www.square-enix.co.jp/kingdom/bbs/ Official "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep" site] Ja icon