So after getting paid the beginning of this month my husband got this game for me because I kept nagging him about how it was the reason why I got the 3DS. Well one of the reasons at least.
The game continues from Kingdom Hearts II, and after getting past the tutorial parts of the game I got into it, then it came to the spirit pets part of the game. After getting throught THAT tutorial and playing a day through the games getting past three stages I have come to the conclusion that the game is a glorified pokemon game. Not that there’s anything wrong with Pokemon, just saying that it’s pretty much Pokemon coated in bright colors and sprinkled with fairy dust.
I do like the game play and the added features, although I feel that I spend over and hour leveling up the spirit pets and getting their abilities from their spell tiers. Often times I go back to previous stages and fight monsters in order to get munny and materials to make new spirit pets and also trying to get 100% treasures in each stage.
I’m not sure how far I am into the game yet but I got seven stages done so far, and I’m playing in the hardest mode available for a fresh newly bought game (proud mode.) I have played the other games in the series, and I do love the series, but it seems to have strayed far from the story and it feels like Square and Disney just decided to put random story arcs in to make it make sense to how the Keyblades and Keymasters came to existence. As much as I love this game series sometimes I feel that story arcs aren’t necessary, it makes it more confusing to explain to someone that has never played the series through.
Anyway game play in the KH3D game is pretty much the same mechanics as the first two, 367 Days and RE:Coded. However added elements are in the game such as Flowmotion, Spirit Linking and Dream Dropping (hence Dream Drop Distance title, obviously.) Since Sora and Riku are actually in a dream for their trial to become the Keyblade Master, only you can play with either Sora or Riku at a time. You start the game playing Sora so once Sora falls asleep Riku wakes up and comes into play.
I’m not sure how to explain the Dropping very well and I don’t think I’m going to try. I did like the Flowmotion Element in the game which gives and extra ability to fight your enemies or use the environment around you to defeat your enemies. It seems hard for me to get to the pole Flowmotion where as getting the Blow Off Flowmotion with hughe enemies and pushing off the wall Flowmotion seem much easier. I tend to forget about getting the Mario ground slam Flowmotion alot as well.
There is the Spirit link element in the game which is like the Trinity ability in the KH and KH2, however the Spirit Link ability are different for Sora and Riku. Sora’s Spirit Link abilities tend to have the Trinity Effect, Riku’s Spirit Link is him merging with the spirits gain strength, and this is only for a limited of time. The spirit link abilities combination are dependent on the type of spirits you are using at the time and what special attack those spirit will have (benefit for Riku.)
Another thing about the Spirit pets is that you can train them with the items, Balloon and Water Barrel. There Treasure Goggle items help you find treasure with the spirits which utilitize the 3DS camera. You can feed them with food you find or pick up from drops or buy in stores, as well as customize the spirits with a paint gun.
So far I’m seven stages in and continuing to get through this game by getting all the Spirits and training them on every tier they have. Maybe there will be an update when I have completed the game. =D