Critical Modes & Challenge Runs - State of the Heart #4

[@adrianemanuel7121]

The description of keyblade transformation and ability progression through usage is exactly what it "sounded" like the system would be like in interviews with Nomura about KH3 keyblade transformations. It reminded a lot of people of how command styles in BBS could level up through usage, be tracked with their individual experience bar, and evolve into/unlock other command styles through a tree path. I forgot about it until this episode, but now I really hope they do something like that going forward, in cohesion with keyblade leveling up. It would definitely add incentive to experimenting, using, and progressing various keyblades throughout the game.

[@andrewerath5585]

Are you going to be making more podcasts? I need more

[@Slater2113]

I miss this podcast

[@justcallmeSven]

Come back to this! I really enjoyed the series.

[@NocturnalMelody]

Love hearing you guys’ Kingdom Hearts thoughts! Could you do a podcast in which you discuss the Master of Master’s True Identity, as well as the contents of the black box?

[@Fragmentsinfractals488]

If you listen to the line Roxas says before Sora's "What?", Roxas says "Riku? I defeated a Riku once" then Sora interjects, then Roxas says "Tell me why he picked you". Remember the Keyblade was originally Riku's. However, on the Island before the fall to Darkness, Riku offered to let Sora come with Him. That is the hand out , palm up gesture. It is the "offer to become One." Young Xehanort does that gesture to Sora in Dream Drop, and Riku flashes over him, then Young Xehanort takes Sora into one of his Memories through Dreams. This implies Riku was doing something similar in KH1. Basically, Riku unconsciously chose to bring Sora into his Heart and therefore, picked him to take the Keyblade, even if he didn't consciously know he was doing it. Roxas being in Sora's Heart sees this when he looks down at the Stained Glass, and says "That's why".

[@Fragmentsinfractals488]

You will also notice (see with your Eyes) that when Roxas comments about Riku the camera is moved so Oblivion is in the center of the shot, like a Theater Play. Oblivion is Riku's Keyblade chain for Sora. Then, Roxas says "Tell me why he picked you" and run with both Oblivion and OathKeeper scratching against the glass. Then, as he is running we get a close up of Oblivion. They fight some ,then Roxas sees Kairi and Riku on the Glass, and he Sees the Child of Destiny qualities. Then, Roxas (Xehanort in the Meta of KH1) uses OathKeeper (Kairi's Keyblade chain/Kairi) to pin the Kingdom Key down. Roxas aims Oblivion(Riku under Darkness) at him, but Sora uses his Heart to pull the Kingdom Key(Riku and Sora's shared Light) from under Oathkeeper (rescuing Kairi). And Roxas loses. (Riku is freed from Darkness) Kingdom Heart is theatrically telling us what I just made Words for. (Microcosm in Macrocosm) Roxas is "One of the Dark who Wields the Light." He was made by Sora, Riku, Kairi, Ventus, and Darkness. This fight is all Symbolically that.

[@Fragmentsinfractals488]

@@d4r7h74c0 Roxas is asking why Riku's Heart picked Sora to take his Keyblade. Roxas is Chosen because Sora is Chosen. Sora is Chosen because Riku's Light reached out and touched Sora Heart in KH1. Riku picked Sora. Roxas is angry about that because being Chosen is what cause Xemnas to manipulate him, and Diz to trap him in the Data World to make "Fake" friends. Further, it is the reason Roxas got assimilated back into Sora.

[@Fragmentsinfractals488]

The speech pattern and body movements in Kingdom Hearts is Drama Theater American English which ties into the Narrative literally. These Worlds are like Story Theater plays the Master "scripts". So characters are "acting" for the Books/Stories/ Games. Watch the way the Master moves and speaks.

[@Lytane]

I have respect for speed runners and all the ways they break a game. Just being able to figure out that jumping in a certain place will skip cut scenes is crazy. On a personal story, I love KH1 and so did a low level no equipment default run. So only Kingdom Key and wooden sword and it was so hard. But it also taught me the extreme effectiveness of guard. How amazing Tink is in saving your life and how stupid non-skippable cutscenes are hahahaha and while it was frustrating I had a great time playing it. Also Data fights on Critical are just incredible due to the challenge and stuff. It's a whole different game.

[@crelda64]

I actually played my first and only KH3 run in Critical Mode. I was playing on my friends PS5 in chunks, weeks apart. Didn't lvl 1 it but a lot of the game felt more like I was waiting to get lucky that the enemies didn't stack up certain patterns or attack me from off screen. There was some level of being able to manipulate the AI or creating a set pattern of how you start a fight to minimize the length of time you have to be lucky but it only got you so far.

[@Drephin]

For me I like critical mode because I love the game mechanics of kingdom hearts. But I would never tell someone to play kh on critical mode for there first time. But if they want a more in depth play through with a challenge and a reason to use more of the mechanics then I would recommend critical. I don’t like playing level 1 play throughs myself but I like to watch people stream it.

[@squirrelwithabanana]

New state of the heart lets go 🥳

[@timefluidscribbler]

Love this podcast

[@adrianemanuel7121]

The talking pattern has been one of my biggest gripes with the series as a long time fan. KH3 has come the farthest in smoothing it out, but it still very much exists. Meanwhile, a series like Nier, which can be seen as just as much of an anime style, has really intentional, great-flowing dialogue in both games. I wouldn't even call it an 'anime trope' at this point, as great modern anime have shed a bulk of that awkward speech pattern off. I deem it a KH bad habit shtick that they really need to completely shake off in the scenario writing rooms.

[@areono460]

Me and my two good friends were playing Stranger and forgot/didn't know about the counter button for the entire game because it literally wasn't necessary at all until the final boss since it forces you to beat him solo and we were simultaneously doing a platinum for the game since we love final fantasy so that was aggravating as a mf but during the many deaths on the final boss 10+ ended mastering the counter button and eventually won I did sage and something else because Haste and poison is broken against all bosses

[@Xigbar0331]

Hot take, but medody does the difficulty the best. Why does your game have to be completely reset to try one thing or another? Why cant i jist play the game on beginner and when i get to the frozen world just in the menu at the start of the world ramp it ip to lvl 1 crit all pro codes on, and like between portions like I can turn it all off for the labyrinth portion and go back to the beginner and then right when the labyrinth ends I can ramp it right all back up to super difficult and just have access to the whole game from a menu like melody of memories and select my difficulty as i go, and if you complete it and you just get that little sticker saying oh I’ll beat this portion on the hardest possible spot or a beat it up to this difficulty etc etc etc.

[@Xigbar0331]

And to that point it sets a president of a “cannon” difficult level set, like as a kid even i got stuck on clayton in kh1, so i grinded and then i was just over leveled all the way thru till hollow bastion, and i know it takes away from grinding up to beat a level or whatever and it takes away the continuity of an RPG game, but the game already accounts for 1000+ save files with specific chests opened and lucky emblems photo’d etc etc etc, just consolidate its not that big of a deal. Its not like it really matters anyway if you grind up to lvl 100 on destiny island doesnt carry over to kh 2 or kh3 anyway that continuity as an individual is already broken regardless so i really dont care if i cant have 17 potions i grinded from one world to the next like oh well does it really make that big of a difference

[@adrianemanuel7121]

Several games now adays do allow for changing game difficulty at any point in the given game's story through the options/settings menu (even the Nier series). As for tracking difficulty completion at certain portions of the games, Square Enix has actually done even that, through chapter select in FF7R. Chapter select has incidentally been a long time request from KH fans (especially to avoid making multiple saves; especially when extremely limited with save files in 3). Since we're going into a new saga, where Nomura and the team have stated they want to make drastic, expansive changes to the formula, it'd be great to give gamers freedom of choice to shake up the traditional way of difficulty selection and progression.

[@TheWarrenk52]

Hello

[@moosery]

hmm

[@PopTheKitty22]

1st

[@53prime]

Wasn't level 1 crit blindfolded. Doesn't count. NOOB! :P

[@PopTheKitty22]

@@53prime what

[@53prime]

@@PopTheKitty22 NO ALCOLADES FOR BEGONNER MODE, HOSS