Down Memory Lane

Melody of Memory review So, I have taken the time to play this game since November. In this review I will talk about the gameplay with the 2 consoles I own (for comparison), the story despite the small beefy length, and the art piece I did. If you have not seen the story for MoM, you have been warned for major spoilers. Otherwise.... No time to waste, let’s get on with it! Starting with gameplay! So, there has been a few complaints on how repetitive it is. And honestly, that is in fact true. However, I personally find it incredibly therapeutic. I am often used to routine, so I have no issue with repetition. Just playing my favorite songs in a rhythm game is incredibly satisfying. This especially helps since I’ve always been a musical person. As for some other pieces of thoughts I have for the game. One being, and one I will forever appreciate, is the sound output settings. The way the sound syncing for the music is different for everyone’s technical settings. It also makes a difference to when you can hit the note perfectly. PLEASE CHECK THOSE SETTINGS! The next thing I noticed (which I find a bit shocking) was that there was no save file. Feel like this is a game you can play forever without any worry for saving. This is the first time I’ve seen a KH game do this. Before I continue, I’d like you all to keep in mind about the music. I don’t know if anyone had noticed, but the music choices they made was interesting. What I mean is that, for example, songs from KH1 were literally from the OG KH1 and not the Remix Collections. I am not complaining about it of course. I will bring out why in my story segment. Let’s just say it really connects to being on memory lane. Now, I shall compare my experience with both PS4 and Switch. This is where it’ll be personal views and preferences, so please do not consider this as any reason which version you choose. I actually started with the Switch because I was waiting for my PS4 copy to arrive. I had a longer experience with the game on Switch than in PS4. But I will say this, the PS4 version is still the best way to experience. It is mainly because the way the buttons align feels smoother to deal with. Not that the Switch was bad. But it does require some adjustments in how you deal with muscle memory, especially when playing on Proud. Admittedly, this might be more bias if anything because I am too used to play KH on PlayStation. If I can speak freely, it feels natural and easier on PS4 anyway. — Now to story! Before I talk about the actual new cutscene of the game, I need to inform you that the cutscenes before that were simply just recaps of the past games. So, if anything, there is nothing really new. However, remember when I said about the music being interesting and how they used songs from the OG KH1 game? If you’re someone like me who played the game from PS2, this definitely brought me back to the old days hearing the OG tracks. Not only that, in order to progress to new content, you go through selected worlds and songs of the worlds from each game. They each originate from the original source and not the remix versions. Which I feel does hit the nostalgia in me (especially particularly KH1 and KH2). With that out of the way, I now will speak my thoughts on the new content. This is brief so hopefully won’t be too much of a drag. So, again, last warning before I dive into spoilers! ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ So.....Kairi has her own little gameplay. I will say, seeing her KH3 design on an old engine model is interesting. That model is only seen in the gameplay segment...twice...only playing a couple of songs. Then we meet...Master Xehanort.....again. Okay, if I can be real with you, I wasn’t even upset. Like seriously, I was honestly genuinely kinda happy to see him because your girl ain’t letting go of the villain I knew for almost 2 decades just yet. Of course, I understand why people want him gone. What I find interesting is that people expect the black cloak figure from the trailers to be the Master of Masters. I’ll be honest with you, I knew it wasn’t MoM because I felt it was too simple to show....he might be somewhere else currently (to which I will mention the place by name later in this segment). Now we fight Xehanort as Kairi....who then turns to Sora....in KH3 design of KH2 Sora model. That song you play as Sora against Xehanort is one of the hardest songs in Proud. Still working getting at least a full chain. Till then, I finished it in on Standard. So, with Xehanort...um, I actually meant illusionary Xehanort...illusion-Nort...defeated, he reveals as such of what Kairi needed as a clue to find Sora. According to Ansem the Wise, he hypothesizes the other side Xehanort speaks of is possibly a world of unreality: a fictional world. I will admit, I have dealt with nonsense like time travel. While his fictional world theory is not as confusing as time travel, it still got my brain exploded just how slightly meta it was. Fairy Godmother, once again, bring some vital relevance to both Riku and Kairi by bringing them to the Final World. We of course learn that the Nameless Star is in fact from the “other side” as they call it. This further brings me more excitement to learn more of Yozora and his world (to which I call the “Vs XIII” game Nomura wants to share in a new light). Then Riku goes to find Sora with the power of waking sadly having to leave Kairi behind. At first, I wasn’t fond of Kairi staying behind again, despite her skills as warrior were incredibly awesome. But, more hope is risen when she requested to be trained under Master Aqua. This I find the best possible direction for Kairi to grow and connect with others as a character that she couldn’t before. Along with Kairi starting her training under Aqua, Yen Sid also requests Mickey to investigate the mysteries about the ancient masters beginning to return at Scala Ad Caelum. To those who don’t know, Scala is my favorite world so far in the series. So the idea of retuning to that world again at some point has gotten me so excited. ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ So, while the story is mostly recaps and brief new content, it gave us a start for the new content to come for for Stage 2 of KH. I am genuinely excited to see where Nomura plans to go with this series after the Dark Seeker saga. —- As for my art piece, I felt like I improved the water but I wish I did with the last 2 for KH3. I originally was gonna give Kairi the boots. But I couldn’t draw them for the life of me LOL That being said, I thought it worked out pretty well. Drawing Kairi was a incredibly satisfying since I rarely draw her. I also enjoyed the addition of the musical symbols as a form of transparency. To say I am proud of this piece would be an understatement. —- Hope you enjoy the art work and and the review. Took me months to get myself to finish this review. Even after this review, I still enjoyed playing the game from time to time to enjoy fighting to the music. Definitely one to distract myself with while I wait for major news from Nomura and the KH dev teams. I actually have another one to work on, but it may take awhile due to the um...circumstances this game was dealing with. So I ask of you to hang tight for awhile. Till then, hope you enjoy my art piece and review! (On a side note, this month will mark 19 years for Kingdom Hearts. So, consider this my contribution to it’s anniversary)