Worldwide professional reviews for Kingdom Hearts III have been published

[xionskeyblade 91]

Kingdom Hearts III has officially released in Japan! First reviews for the most anticipated Kingdom Hearts III have been published worldwide following the release!

Check out the list below to see different opinions and thoughts on the masterpiece. We will keep this list updated. KH13.com will also be posting our own review of Kingdom Hearts III, along with a video review coming very soon!

Critic	Excerpt	Score
Gamereactor	"Simply put, Kingdom Hearts III is a masterpiece."	100
PlayStation LifeStyle	(Editor's Choice) "I never once thought there was a way Square Enix could live up to the hype the company has built up for this game. But bravo, it has done it and then some."	100
Impulsegamer	"It’s a great use of the Disney characters and imagining of the locations that should entertain young and old… it does in our house."	98
XGN	"Magical from start to finish."	98
Famitsu	-	97.5 (39/40)
Hobby Consolas	"Its greatest achievement is that, despite the passage of time, it is still an experience that can only be described with one word: magic."	95
The Games Machine	"Kingdom Hearts 3 succeeds in the difficult task of being up to expectations, not distorting anything but raising to the nth degree the strengths of the previous chapters."	95
Game Informer	(Game of the Month) "A main attraction worth waiting for."	95
Easy Allies	"It may have a been a long time coming, but Kingdom Hearts III delivers on its promises, and it’s easily the best game in the series. "	95
Meristation	"An outstanding adventure that has come to remind us why Sora, Riku and Kairi ... and Donald, Goofy and Mickey Mouse, of course, are living videogame history."	91
3DJuegos	"Its extraordinary fusion of creative worlds reaches a new peak in the history of the franchise, giving rise to playable concepts that surprise from start to finish in a durable video game loaded with content."	90
US Gamer	"Kingdom Hearts 3 ushers a beloved series into a new generation, while wholeheartedly embracing its roots."	90
Atomix	"The wait for KH3 was very long, but believe me when I tell you that it was really worth it."	90
GamesBeat	"Excessive, yet satisfying."	90
IGN Italia	"A game that focuses on spectacularity, coming out head-on. Kingdom Hearts III is the worthy conclusion of a journey begun seventeen years ago."	90
IGN Germany	"Kingdom Hearts 3 is by far the best Disney game, a fun action RPG and the successful completion of the Xehanort saga. Those interested in just one of these three aspects will have fun with the third part of the crossover series."	90
IGN Spain	"It's magic."	90
Multiplayer.it	"It would have been absurd to drastically change a structure that, for better or for worse, has become iconic. So Tetsuya Nomura did not do it."	90
Press Start Australia	"With exhilarating combat, fantastic Disney worlds and a smart approach to an unavoidably convoluted story, it does everything it needs to not only please hardcore fans but anyone up for a solid action JRPG. Against all odds, this might be the perfect Kingdom Hearts game."	90
Vandal	"Kingdom Hearts ends an era with a fantastic game, spectacular, varied and, above all, very fun."	90
GamePro Germany	"A colorful firework of childhood memories, motivating role-playing mechanics, and spectacular boss fights."	90
Gameblog.fr	"A true homage to the fans of the saga, to whom it addresses itself above all, Kingdoms Hearts III retraces the end of Sora's journey through the exploration of new worlds, more beautiful and vast than in the past, with a strong respect for the Disney worlds from which it is inspired. "	90
Trusted Reviews	"Whether you’re a hardcore fan or a hesitant newcomer, there is an undeniable charm to Kingdom Hearts 3 that’s easy to fall in love with."	90
PushSquare	"The fact that Kingdom Hearts III even managed to release could be considered a miracle in of itself, but what’s perhaps even more surprising is that the finished product defies all expectations."	90
Twinfinite	"It’s an unerring tribute to everything Disney and what the Kingdom Hearts series has become, and despite its few flaws creates an interesting blueprint for where the series could go next with gameplay and story."	90
Shacknews	"Kingdom Hearts III is an absolute triumph, conquering the darkness that plagued the series' past and standing firmly in the light."	90
Worth Playing	"Kingdom Hearts III is exactly the sequel it should be."	90
Hardcore Gamer	"From combat to story to graphics, Kingdom Hearts III delivers the magic, gut-punches and grandeur the series is known for."	90
Game Revolution	"When the credits finish rolling, you’ll be safe in the knowledge that you’ve played a game like no other."	90
Digital Trends	"Kingdom Hearts III plays similarly to its PS2 predecessors while bringing new elements to the gameplay that make it feel incredibly modern."	90
Power Unlimited	"If you have warm feelings for Disney characters and worlds, this is perhaps the best game ever, but even if you do not feel anything for Disney, it is actually mandatory."	90
LevelUp	"Undoubtedly, Kingdom Hearts III is a satisfying chapter in one of the most beloved sagas by fans of the action JRPGs."	88
4Players.de	"Kingdom Hearts 3 is more than the sum of its items, more than a franchise mix of Disney and Square characters. Despite small weaknesses, it is an experience that leads me through a wide range of emotions and will establish itself as one of the most outstanding action-adventure of the year."	88
IGN	"Kingdom Hearts 3 is a fulfilling evolution and resolution of the franchise that shows it’s still full of heart."	87
App Trigger	"Though the plot is a little too reliant on side entries and remembering almost everything in the series, Kingdom Hearts III is a welcome return of the Disney action-RPG epic and the best game in the series to date, making you really want to see the next chapter in the series as soon as possible."	85
Gamer.ni	"Kingdom Hearts 3 is far from perfect, but it is everything the fans hoped for."	85
GameCrate	"Kingdom Hearts III is too much game for its own good."	85
SpazioGames	"Kingdom Hearts III is technically excellent, aesthetically bewitching and in some moments manages to shine and sweep away any limitations it might have."	80
GamesRadar+	"I'm not sure how I lived without its Mickey Mouse shaped madness in my life."	80
GameSpot	"In 2002, as Sora, I left Destiny Islands to travel across the universe and make new friends. In 2019 I brought old ones home, and I had so much fun doing it."	80
Eurogamer Italy	"Congestions aside, the combat system is one of the best in the saga for variety and dynamics, and there is no shortage of battles that will challenge the most experienced players."	80
FANDOM	"This magical finale overcomes its storytelling flaws."	80
Game Rant	"You may find yourself googling character names and plot details from 15 years ago, but all of that confusion fades away when you get lost in the moment summoning tea cups or a giant rollercoaster to help attack a big boss with your best friends."	80
ScreenRant	"A sprawling, varied game that is all the better for its wild, confusing moments."	80
Destructoid	"Despite all of the absurd twists and turns, the character missteps and the complete lack of some series-defining cast members, there are very few creations out there that make me smile this often."	80
PlayStation Universe	"Kingdom Hearts 3 has everything a title could want: iconic characters, enthralling and accessible gameplay, and a story that just won’t quit."	80
CGMagazine	"Kingdom Hearts III is the biggest, boldest, flashiest entry in the saga—one that builds upon the gameplay systems of its forebears in a kaleidoscopic carnival of action RPG jubilance."	80
JeuxActu	"Backed up by a enjoyable battle system and a genuine love for the animation films it has adapted, Tetsuya Nomura’s work takes on the big boys and we cannot not suggest it to you."	80
GameSpace	"If you embrace that it’s all nonsense to serve you up a delightful nostalgic romp through some of the greatest and most beloved family films, you’re not going to be disappointed."	80
The Digital Fix	"Kingdom Hearts 3 is a great game that parades itself around in a plethora of showy and colourful clothing and just asks you to watch."	80
Cultured Vultures	"While the game does come with some problems with its plot and big empty worlds, I wouldn’t call them deal breakers, as whatever they lacked for they made up for with energy and, no pun intended, heart."	80
Jeuxvideos.com	"Despite its shortcomings, Kingdom Hearts III remains a very good experience which distils its world brilliantly."	80
Gamers Heroes	"Newcomers to the series will be baffled by the complexity and bizarre nature of Kingdom Hearts III’s story. Despite this, if you like good combat and want to visit Disney World, you can do far worse than this title."	80
EGM	"Is it a game that lives up to a decade of hype, though? Perhaps not. But maybe no game could."	75
God is a Geek	"It may have been challenging at times, and the final flourish of boss fights nearly killed me, but I did enjoy playing the concluding game in Sora’s journey to vanquish evil once and for all."	75
The Guardian	"Kingdom Hearts III plays it extremely safe, ultimately banking on nostalgia and delivering more of the same. Its charm is only skin-deep."	60
VideoGamer	"Kingdom Hearts III is a beautiful hunk of sugary writing, convoluted plotting, and repetitive combat with a reliance on beloved IP that exposes its shallow core."	40
Game Watch	-	N/A
Eurogamer	"A grand finale that's both torturous and sublime."	N/A
Kotaku	"Wow, they filled this game with stuff."	N/A
The Verge	"Maybe this is actually the ideal way to play: you’re going to be confused no matter what, so you might as well embrace it."	N/A
Mashable	"I love the idea of this game being able to float me back into a time where I could cheer for Mickey Mouse without feeling silly and cry because Naminé was lonely. That feeling alone is worth the box price on Kingdom Hearts III."	N/A
Waypoint	"Kingdom Hearts III is an absolute disaster. I loved every minute of it."	N/A
The A.V. Club	"Kingdom Hearts III is a cheerful celebration of Disney’s inescapable cultural monopoly."	N/A
Jimquisition	"Yes, it’s more total nonsense from a story perspective. As a game? Well, it’s a ton of bloody fun, because it’s a very good game!"	N/A
Polygon	"After years of buildup, the story’s conclusion fails to do it justice."	N/A

You can also keep updated on the latest review on Metacritic by clicking here. Currently, the aggregated critic score on Metacritic is 85/100.

UPDATE [Jan 25, 2019]: The Japanese publications Famitsu and Game Watch have been added to the table with their reviews of the game. The official Kingdom Hearts Facebook page has also posted an image showing the top 5 reviews for the game, you can view the image below!

Kingdom Hearts III will be available on January 29 worldwide. Be sure to follow our coverage of the release of Kingdom Hearts III!

UPDATE [Jan 31, 2019]: Even more reviews for Kingdom Hearts III have been released! We have updated the list in the table above, as well as updated Metacritic's aggregated score for the game.

UPDATE [February 7, 2019]: Famitsu have published their review of Kingdom Hearts III, giving it a score of 39/40!

Recent articles:
- Kingdom Hearts III has released in Japan
- Kingdom Hearts III Gameplay Overview video has been uploaded
- Famitsu interviews Tetsuya Nomura before Kingdom Hearts III's release, discussing the game's story and secret ending requirements

View full article

Edited January 28, 2019 by Aquaberry

[Fullmetal Keyblade 88]

Polygon's review made me sad because it was the first I read...

[VocaloidLover13 165]

"The story is garbage" by GamesBeat. Those reviews don't mean a thing when they're written by the opinion of one person, when there's a lot out there with different opinions. Just 'cause he thinks it's garbage doesn't mean others feel the same, so: subjective review. That's what garbage review is.

I am happy the scores were good overally. Above 80 is really good.

For me, I'll enjoy the game on my way which surely will be different from the others, but what they said in reviews don't really worry me

[Green Sparrow 795]

Yeah, these check out. Everything I've seen about the game puts it somewhere between 8/10 and 9/10, depending on how generous or nostalgic the reviewer might be feeling. Good job Nomura, Square Enix, Disney, and everyone who worked on it!

[SweetYetSalty 330]

The high scores are a good sign. All in the 8's and 9's. I'm too afraid to read any of those reviews myself though. I'm sure they don't have spoilers but I'm just playing it safe. We're so close. Still the number scores are reassuring.

[ITzDarthLordRevan 291]

I'm glad to see it seems to be reviewing fairly good! That's so awesome!

[KingdomHearts3 2,591]

2 hours ago, VocaloidLover13 said:

"The story is garbage" by GamesBeat. Those reviews don't mean a thing when they're written by the opinion of one person, when there's a lot out there with different opinions. Just 'cause he thinks it's garbage doesn't mean others feel the same, so: subjective review. That's what garbage review is.

I am happy the scores were good overally. Above 80 is really good.

For me, I'll enjoy the game on my way which surely will be different from the others, but what they said in reviews don't really worry me

This is usually what happens when people play KH3 as their first game.

 

I saw the review and rating from Gameinformer. Now I like seeing their reviews the most and they are the toughest when it comes to their ratings. They gave KH3 a 9.5!

Edited January 24, 2019 by KingdomHearts3

[Hero of Light XIV 2,381]

Figures that IGN would be in the lower end of the spectrum while the worldwide average is 90/100. Just goes to show that you can't spell "pretentious" without "I G N"......I KNOW WHAT I SAID!!

[KH4Real 749]

The game isn't perfect with the lack of FF characters or some more Disney worlds but it seems to be very amazing.
I can't wait to play it .

[deplanet08 74]

25 minutes ago, Hero of Light XIV said:

Figures that IGN would be in the lower end of the spectrum while the worldwide average is 90/100. Just goes to show that you can't spell "pretentious" without "I G N"......I KNOW WHAT I SAID!!

Haha you could have said you can’t spell “ignorant” without IGN

[Movies798 1,358]

This is awesome! I'm glad Kingdom Hearts is getting great reviews. Even though I seriously don't care about reviews and critics because I watch movies or play games with my own opinions. But seeing Kingdom Hearts 3 is getting good numbers really makes me happy as a Kingdom Hearts fan.

[Lulcielid 159]

1 hour ago, Hero of Light XIV said:

Figures that IGN would be in the lower end of the spectrum while the worldwide average is 90/100. Just goes to show that you can't spell "pretentious" without "I G N"......I KNOW WHAT I SAID!!

Don't count victory to early, these are less than 20 reviews, let's wait until we have 50+ to see what the average is. Also what's wrong with deviating from the (non-existent) average?

[Dustin Lübbers 933]

2 hours ago, KingdomHearts3 said:

This is usually what happens when people play KH3 as their first game.

 

I saw the review and rating from Gameinformer. Now I like seeing their reviews the most and they are the toughest when it comes to their ratings. They gave KH3 a 9.5!

really sounds like the kind of person that sets out with the intention in mind to dislike the game. It matters if you put a KH fan or an newcomer in front of this.

1 hour ago, Hero of Light XIV said:

Figures that IGN would be in the lower end of the spectrum while the worldwide average is 90/100. Just goes to show that you can't spell "pretentious" without "I G N"......I KNOW WHAT I SAID!!

well they have to give the next call of duty that recycles 99% of its ideas a 10/10 am i right?´:P

 

2 hours ago, KingdomHearts3 said:

This is usually what happens when people play KH3 as their first game.

 

I saw the review and rating from Gameinformer. Now I like seeing their reviews the most and they are the toughest when it comes to their ratings. They gave KH3 a 9.5!

 I do get a good feeling and I think that most of the "underwhelming" reviews are from people that think its just a kids game or have any other sort of prejudgments against it. If one of the critics says " the story is garbage" than as a kh fan I can only say as if that is something we havent heard before

[Tyranto Rex 277]

6 hours ago, VocaloidLover13 said:

"The story is garbage" by GamesBeat. Those reviews don't mean a thing when they're written by the opinion of one person, when there's a lot out there with different opinions. Just 'cause he thinks it's garbage doesn't mean others feel the same, so: subjective review. That's what garbage review is.

I am happy the scores were good overally. Above 80 is really good.

For me, I'll enjoy the game on my way which surely will be different from the others, but what they said in reviews don't really worry me

 

3 hours ago, KingdomHearts3 said:

This is usually what happens when people play KH3 as their first game.

 

I saw the review and rating from Gameinformer. Now I like seeing their reviews the most and they are the toughest when it comes to their ratings. They gave KH3 a 9.5!

The GamesBeat person did play all the other games. They said it in the review. They said that even with playing all the other games the story can sometimes still be very confusing. Saying the story is garbage might be a strong word but it's not a new one.

 

1 hour ago, Lulcielid said:

Don't count victory to early, these are less than 20 reviews, let's wait until we have 50+ to see what the average is. Also what's wrong with deviating from the (non-existent) average?

80 ain't even that bad. And it's not even the only site to have that score.

[Raphael Millon 87]

Game Reactor gave KH3 a solid 10/10

[ITzDarthLordRevan 291]

A lot of people usually don't take Polygon seriously and I have no idea why since I'm not familiar with them. Although, in the review itself, the author basically said she thought it would pick up after where KH 2 left off. While expected from some people, you have to admit that this statement is at least a bit ridiculous.

Edited January 24, 2019 by ITzDarthLordRevan

[Allwil13 754]

19 minutes ago, ITzDarthLordRevan said:

A lot of people usually don't take Polygon seriously and I have no idea why since I'm not familiar with them. Although, in the review itself, the author basically said she thought it would pick up after where KH 2 left off. While expected from some people, you have to admit that this statement is at least a bit ridiculous.

She clearly didn't bother with the non-numbered titles. That's the problem with Polygon; they only ever do the bare minimum when it comes to these things and as a result their reviews are always completely unfair.

[Tyranto Rex 277]

1 hour ago, ITzDarthLordRevan said:

A lot of people usually don't take Polygon seriously and I have no idea why since I'm not familiar with them. Although, in the review itself, the author basically said she thought it would pick up after where KH 2 left off. While expected from some people, you have to admit that this statement is at least a bit ridiculous.

 

1 hour ago, Allwil13 said:

She clearly didn't bother with the non-numbered titles. That's the problem with Polygon; they only ever do the bare minimum when it comes to these things and as a result their reviews are always completely unfair.

That's not exactly what she said though.

Quote

Because of a timeline convoluted by spinoffs, Kingdom Hearts 3 doesn’t pick up where Kingdom Hearts 2’s story concluded.

I don't really like the term spinoffs, but the second half on the sentence is just a fact. I don't really follow any gaming review websites and for Polygon I just watch Monster Factory, but I did read this one cause I was curious cause it did not give a score. It seemed a perfectly sensible review. But I don't know where I stand with the game yet anyway cause everyone has individual tastes.

[Movies798 1,358]

Lol! That's on her not the game. She shouldn't play Kingdom Hearts 3 if she's not willing to play the handheld games to understand the story.

[RugratsNappiesFanatic 38]

I only looked at IGN's video review for the game. honestly the people who talk about really are into and know what they're doing. unlike 5-6 years ago. Check cynical aka thegamersjoint for more information.

[Merilly 438]

On 1/24/2019 at 9:48 PM, Hero of Light XIV said:

Figures that IGN would be in the lower end of the spectrum while the worldwide average is 90/100. Just goes to show that you can't spell "pretentious" without "I G N"......I KNOW WHAT I SAID!!

Score aside, I actually didn't think the review they did was too bad. The person seemed to know the games and painted a mostly positive picture of the game while addressing a few things where they found room for improvement.

I'm usually also critical of IGN, but I can't say it was a bad review. And after reading some spoiler-free comments about certain story/character decisions causing people to be angry, I wouldn't deem the score that bad. 

Reviews are always, at least partly, subjective but at least this time, I think they chose a person who actually knows their way around KH and expressed genuine enjoyment of the game even though they also remained critical of certain decisions. 8.7 is not a terrible score and we do have to consider that KH3 will also have flaws. A 10/10 is something I can't see, especially after seeing how glaring that glowing wave effect on the walls is without an option to turn it off. Since it disturbs the visuals, that's already a few points off for me on a personal level.

Either way, if you read the review, I wouldn't consider it a bad review. The score they chose seemed to be justified based on the impression the reviewer got. Of course some of these are subjective but they gave it a better score than some of the others.

I'm not going to defend IGN as a whole, but this review in particular could have been much worse. They chose a person who's familiar with the franchise and that person tried to give a mostly balanced insight on what to expect without resorting to spoilers while still attributing that some things are just what the franchise is known for without actually critcizing the aspect. And some of the points they mentioned, which likely affected the rating, would make sense to me if they're true. How many points they remove for each of the negative aspects can be debated but 8.7/10 isn't demeaning at all, especially if you read how they came to that conclusion.

 

I also read the Polygon one and it didn't appeal to me either. I have nothing against criticism but some of the statements didn't make sense. Of course they can criticize that the areas feel empty for example but the way it was presented made it seem like the other KH titles weren't and that only KH3 suffers from that. All in all, they seem to contradict themselves in some aspects which makes it hard for me to consider it a good review. It's not balanced either because they made it appear like one of the worst games that have come out, barely mentioning a positive aspect.

Now, some may consider it as such, but I think that reviews should be balanced and I doubt that KH3 only consists of negative aspects.

Someone in the comments section mentioned that Polygon only ever gives good reviews for dark and socially/politically critical types of games and that review did make me think that, too since especially Sora's cheerfulness was called unnerving. I'm not saying everything they say has to be wrong in the end, but it just didn't feel written in a way that was neutrally analyzing the game but rather a rant of all its shortcomings.

 

In the end, reviews are nice thing to read to get different opinions but shouldn't be taken into account when it comes to the decision of playing/watching it. Some people like this, others hate that and another faction couldn't care less about the same choice for the game. It's just personal preference, which is why these should always be taken with a grain of salt.

What we can't forget either is that this game generated so much hype over the years that we're bound to be disappointed in some way or another. Not necessarily with the game in general, but certainly with some of their decisions. I'm actually surprised it received many good scores with how high the expectations are for this game and how many people were angry at story decisions in a thread in the forum. (Which is legitimate but I expected to find some of that in the reviews as well and have it affect the score.)

Edited January 25, 2019 by Merilly

[LightKeyDarkBlade 72]

That is actually not Kotaku's review. They are still in the process of writing it. The reviewer would be Tim Rogers, and ironically, he got assigned to do it after he made this video: https://kotaku.com/kingdom-hearts-iii-is-an-unreviewable-video-game-1831985374

It's a very fun video.

[Iamkingdomhearts1000 1,170]

It says 88 now for Metacritic's Review on Wikipedia. :[

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Dear lord, look at all these insanely positive reviews! Kingdom Hearts III is getting an overwhelmingly wonderful reception, and it seems like the game is everything we want and more! This is further proof that the wait was worth it! Ladies and gentlemen, the wait is finally over! Kingdom Hearts III has won the day! :'D

Thanks for sharing this with us, xionskeyblade!