The next spin-off in the Kingdom Hearts series isn't a traditional RPG but a music-based rhythm adventure called Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory. Over a decade after Kingdom Hearts 2, the massively popular Square Enix series finally released its third numbered entry in 2019, Kingdom Hearts 3. Audiences were divided on the highly anticipated title, but it nonetheless sold well and ended a chapter of the saga while setting up numerous threads to be explored in future games.
For better or worse, Kingdom Hearts is more well-known for its sprawling universe of spin-offs and increasingly esoteric storytelling that befuddles most players as much as it entertains them (though the scales are usually tipped in befuddlement's favor). In the wake of Kingdom Hearts 3 and its admittedly underwhelming Re:Mind DLC, Square Enix isn't jumping right into a direct sequel, instead opting to tide players over with more spin-offs.
Accordingly, a new Kingdom Hearts spin-off is on the way, but it's probably not quite what most players are expecting. In a surprise trailer drop, Square Enix announced that a new console title in the series is coming, but it won't be a straightforward action RPG like Birth by Sleep or Dream Drop Distance. Instead, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is a musical rhythm title that looks to expand the lore of the franchise despite its incredibly lighthearted premise.
Based on the trailer for Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, the game looks to be inspired by the Theatrhythm Final Fantasy games for the Nintendo 3DS, with characters advancing along a path and pressing buttons in time with music to defeat enemies and reach the end of a stage. Unlike Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, though, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory features 3D visuals that look ripped straight out of the 1.5 + 2.5 HD Remix ports of the original PlayStation 2 games. The visuals of the original Kingdom Hearts are a whopping 18 years old, but the remastered art style of that seminal title still looks pretty good today, which helps to justify the franchise's continued use of these arguably archaic visuals.
This is definitely not the Kingdom Hearts game most fans have been waiting for. Fans of the RPG saga were surely hoping for a spin-off using the Unreal Engine 4 technology that built the foundation of Kingdom Hearts 3, preferably building on that game's widely praised real-time battle system. Nevertheless, the brief look at Melody of Memory's rhythm gameplay reveals a potentially fun new way to explore the world of Kingdom Hearts. Additionally, the trailer hints at potential lore nuggets that should appeal to core franchise fans, even if it's in a package that won't appeal to everyone. Since the series' inception, the music of Kingdom Hearts has long been one of its most praised features, both in terms of its original themes and adaptations of classic Disney tunes. With Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, fans of the franchise will have a brand new way to experience the series' timeless music.
Source: Square Enix
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