Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Template:Future game Template:Infobox VG 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. Inc.[1] It is an installment in the best-selling Kingdom Hearts series. The game features Roxas during the time period of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories after Sora entered a deep sleep. This game will explore the time from Roxas's creation until his confrontation with Riku that leads to his placement in the data-based Twilight Town in Kingdom Hearts II. It is said to be in full 3D as a single and multiplayer game. 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.[2]
Gameplay
The gameplay is similar to the action role-playing game style of the previous games in the series.[3] 358/2 Days will make minimal use of the system's touch screen functionality.[4] The game will feature both single player and multiplayer gameplay.[5][6] The single player mode will be story based focused on Disney worlds from past games, and will progress in days.[1] The two modes will be linked in that character growth will be shared between them.[4]
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.[7][8] This is the second Kingdom Hearts game to feature multiplayer—the first was Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. The multiplayer gameplay is separate from the single player story and will be mission-based, which include cooperative and competitive player battles.[4][9] 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.[1] 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.[4]
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.[1][9][10] Game director Tetsuya Nomura has noted the game's prologue will cover the "birth" of Roxas, but the gameplay will start from when he enters the Organization.[11] Roxas' daily duties with the Organization, his doubts of the Organization, and his departure from it will also be included in the story.[12] The initial trailer showed most of the events in Twilight Town.[13] Other worlds, like Wonderland, have also been featured.[14]
Characters
Like previous Kingdom Hearts titles, 358/2 Days will feature numerous Disney characters.[8] Confirmed characters include Roxas, King Mickey,[2][8] Riku, and the other members of Organization XIII, including a new female member.[6] This new fourteenth member is considered a key character to the game. The reason why the Organization's name remained "Organization XIII" with this member will be explained in the game.[12]
Development
358/2 Days is being developed by h.a.n.d Inc. with Square Enix employees overseeing the process. The game is directed by Tetsuya Nomura and co-directed by Tomohiro Hasegawa.[1] 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.[15] 358/2 Days was announced alongside Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts coded at the Tokyo Game Show on September 20, 2007. A trailer was shown in the Square Enix "Closed Mega Theater", a photo-prohibited theater presenting 40 minutes of trailers.[6][16] A new trailer and a playable demo was shown at the 2008 Jump Festa in December 2007.[17][18][19] Both single player and multiplayer demos were featured. The new fourteenth member of Organization XIII was also shown in the new trailer and in the multiplayer demo.[14]
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. The word "day" is attached to the title as a reference to the daily life of Organization XIII. The Nintendo DS was chosen as the system before plans were decided.[12] 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.[1][12] Some of the DS's functionality, like the stylus, is not being used in order to retain the similar gameplay from previous titles.[4] The team is also looking to incorporate Roxas seeing Sora's memories throughout the game and having different types of gameplay for each world.[1] 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.[4][9]
References
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