Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Infobox VG
title=Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days


caption= The logo of "Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days".
developer= Square Enix
h.a.n.d.cite web| title = A New Chapter in the Kingdom Hearts Series Delivers Three Brand-new Titles to the Nintendo DS, PSP, and Mobile Phones| url = http://www.gamespot.com/mobile/rpg/kingdomheartscoded/news.html?sid=6179385| author = Square Enix| date = 2007-09-20| publisher = GameSpot| accessdate = 2007-09-21]
publisher= Square Enix
distributor=
designer= Patrick Chen (game producer)
Shinji Hashimoto (executive producer)
Tetsuya Nomura & Tomohiro Hasegawa (game directors)cite web| url = http://tgs.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6179212| author = Boyes, Emma| date = 2007-09-20| title = TGS '07: Three new Kingdom Hearts games coming| publisher = GameSpot| accessdate = 2007-09-20] 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]
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released= vgrelease|JP=February 2009 [cite web| title = Square Talks Dissidia, Summer Event Plans| url = http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3168304| publisher = 1UP.com| author = Gifford, Kevin| date = 2008-06-18| accessdate = 2008-07-09] [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| publisher=Famitsu]
genre= Action role-playing
modes= Single-player, multiplayer
ratings=
platforms= Nintendo DScite web| title = Kingdom Hearts シリーズ 新プロジェクト| url = http://www.square-enix.com/jp/company/j/news/2007/download/20070920_49.pdf| publisher = Square Enix| language = Japanese| accessdate = 2007-09-20]
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series = "Kingdom Hearts"nihongo|"Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days"|キングダム ハーツ 358/2 Days|Kingudamu Hātsu Surī Faibu Eito Deizu ōbā Tsū|pronounced "Kingdom Hearts Three-Five-Eight Days over Two" is an upcoming action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS with assistance from h.a.n.d.cite web| url = http://ds.ign.com/articles/823/823021p1.html| title = Kingdom Hearts DS Update| author = IGN Staff| publisher = IGN| date = 2007-09-26| accessdate = 2007-09-27] It will be a new installment in the best-selling "Kingdom Hearts" series. The story is a midquel centering on the daily life of the main character Roxas, exploring the time from Roxas' creation during the first game, "Kingdom Hearts", to his confrontation with Riku during the interval after "" and leading directly into "Kingdom Hearts II". It is planned to feature 3D graphics, and single and multiplayer modes of play. The game was announced at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show. Currently the title is only confirmed for a Japanese release, though Square Enix has plans for releases in other territories.

Gameplay

"358/2 Days" will feature gameplay similar to the action role-playing game style of the previous games in the series.cite web| title = TGS07: Impressions of Kingdom Hearts: Coded and 358/2 Days | url = http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/20/tgs07-impressions-of-kingdom-hearts-coded-and-358-2-days/| author = Yoon, Andrew| date = 2007-09-20| publisher = Joystiq| accessdate = 2007-09-21] To accomplish this, the game will make minimal use of the system's touch screen functionality.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] The game will include single player and multiplayer modes of play. The single player mode will be story based, focused on Disney worlds from past games, and will progress in days. In single player mode, the player will control Roxas, the game's main protagonist, who is accompanied by other Organization XIII members.cite web| url = http://ds.ign.com/articles/896/896062p1.html| title = Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Trailer Impressions| publisher = IGN| author = Haynes, Jeff| date = 2008-08-02| accessdate = 2008-08-05] The two modes will be linked in that character growth will be shared between them.

Multiplayer

Cooperative multiplayer was one feature on display at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show demonstrating that players can work together, in addition to the traditional use of AI controlled partners.cite web| title = TGS07: New Kingdom Hearts games coming to DS, PSP, mobile | url = http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/20/tgs07-new-kingdom-hearts-games-coming-to-ds-psp-mobile/| author = Siegel, Scott | date = 2007-09-20| publisher = Joystiq| accessdate = 2007-09-21] 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] This is the second "Kingdom Hearts" game to feature multiplayer—the first was "". The multiplayer gameplay is separate from the single player story and will be mission-based, which include cooperative and competitive player battles.Cite journal| date= December 2007| title= Photophile - Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep| journal= Game Informer| publisher= Cathy Preston| issue= 176|pages= 125|id= |url= |quote= ] It will allow up to four players to play as one of the thirteen members of Organization XIII, with each member having different weapons and skills. "358/2 Days"' multiplayer will also feature a chat system for communication between players, but will differ from PictoChat in that everyone will draw on the same screen.

Plot

"358/2 Days" revolves around the untold events of Roxas during his time with Organization XIII and will take place during the year Sora was asleep between the events of "Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories" and "Kingdom Hearts II". [cite web| title = Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days| publisher = IGN| url = http://ds.ign.com/objects/964/964462.html| accessdate = 2007-09-20] The game's prologue will cover the "birth" of Roxas, but the gameplay will start from when he enters the Organization. [cite web| title =Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days (Famitsu Interview)| publisher=Kingdom Hearts Ultimania| url=http://www.kh2.co.uk/?page=NI/KH3582d1| accessdate = 2007-10-04] Roxas' daily duties with the Organization, his doubts of the Organization, and his departure from it will also be included in the story.cite web| url = http://www.kh2.co.uk/?page=NI/KH3582d2| title = Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days - Famitsu October 2007: Interview| publisher = Kingdom Hearts Ultimania| accessdate = 2007-11-16] The initial trailer showed most of the events in Twilight Town.cite web| title = Previews: Kingdom Hearts DS| url = http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3163010&sec=PREVIEWS| author = Parish, Jeremy| date = 2007-09-19| publisher = 1UP.com| accessdate = 2007-09-20] Other worlds, like Wonderland, have also been featured.cite web| url = http://mobile.qj.net/Jump-Festa-2008-Kingdom-Hearts-Coded-258-2-Days-Birth-by-Sleep-details/pg/49/aid/110187| title = Jump Festa 2008 - Kingdom Hearts Coded, 258/2 Days, Birth by Sleep details| work = QJ.net| publisher = Content Holdings, LLC| author = S., Enrico| date=2007-12-22| accessdate = 2008-01-02]

Characters

Like previous "Kingdom Hearts" titles, "358/2 Days" will feature numerous Disney characters. Confirmed characters include Roxas, King Mickey, Riku, and the other members of Organization XIII, including a new female member, named nihongo|Xion|シオン|Shion. [cite web |url=http://gamekyo.com/news28850_kingdom-hearts-358-2-days-screenshots.html |title= Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days screenshots|accessdate=2008-08-31 |work=Gamekyo |publisher= |date= 2008-08-28] Xion is considered a key character to the game. The reason why the Organization's name remained "Organization XIII" after a fourteenth member joined will be explained in the game.

Development

"358/2 Days" is being developed by h.a.n.d. with Square Enix employees overseeing the process. The game is directed by Tetsuya Nomura and co-directed by Tomohiro Hasegawa. In 2007, Nomura mentioned he wanted to do a spin-off "Kingdom Hearts" game on a mobile platform and wanted the game to play slightly different than the other titles already 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] "358/2 Days" was announced alongside "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep" 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 and a playable demo was available at the 2008 Jump Festa in December 2007 and the DKΣ3713 Private party in August 2008. [cite web| url = http://ps3.ign.com/articles/839/839048p1.html| title = Square Enix Unveils Jump Festa Lineup| author = Gantayat, Anoop| date = 2007-12-02| publisher = IGN| accessdate = 2007-12-12] [cite web| url = http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/1212725_1124.html| title = 初プレイアブル、初お披露目タイトルが続々！ ジャンプフェスタ2008にゲームメーカーがブースを出展| publisher = Famitsu| date = 2007-12-23| accessdate = 2007-12-25| language = Japanese] [cite web| url = http://ps3.ign.com/articles/896/896066p1.html| title = DKΣ3713 Private Party Impressions| publisher = IGN| author = Haynes, Jeff| date = 2008-08-02| accessdate = 2008-08-05] Both single player and multiplayer demos were featured. Xion was also shown in the new trailer and in the multiplayer demo, but Tetsuya Nomura says she wasn't supposed to be revealed until the 2008 Tokyo Game Show.

The Nintendo DS was chosen as the system before plans were decided. The development team wants to have gameplay similar to previous "Kingdom Hearts" titles, but have stated the number of buttons on the Nintendo DS is a problem. Some of the DS's functions, like the stylus, are not being used in order to retain the similar gameplay from previous titles. The team is also looking to incorporate Roxas seeing Sora's memories throughout the game and having different types of gameplay for each world. The game's logo uses warm colors as a reference to the sunset in Twilight Town. The title, "358/2 Days", is a code that Nomura has stated the player will understand the meaning of at the very end of the game, and the word "day" is attached to the title as a reference to the daily life of Organization XIII. Though "Birth by Sleep" was the first of the three new games to begin development, "358/2 Days" is expected to be released before it.

Nintendo DSi Bundle

On October 10th 2008 a Kingdom Heart's 358/2 Days DSi Bundle was leaked. The Bundle is said to contain Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and a Limited Edition Silver Nintendo DSi which is said to have an GBA slot:

The Limited Edition Nintendo DSi Bundle is said to be released in February 2009, and will sell for 19888 JYN ($200 American)

Source: * [http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=680294 Neowin forums, where the Bundle was leaked]

References

External links

* [http://www.square-enix.co.jp/kingdom/days/ Official "Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days" site] Ja icon