The January 2010 issue of Famitsu magazine has included an article on Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the upcoming Kingdom Hearts title for the PlayStation Portable, as well as episodes 5 and 6 of Kingdom Hearts coded, which is set in Hollow Bastion. The article, which was uploaded and translated by Kingdom Hearts Insider, contains information on the original members of the Organization's complete beings, including our first look at Ienzo, information about Disney Town and other general aspects of Birth by Sleep. Both the original and translated versions can be seen below, in our gallery.
Famitsu (January 2010)
All images are translated by Kingdom Hearts Insider.
Famitsu (January 2010) *translated*
All images are translated by Kingdom Hearts Insider.
Episode 4 of Kingdom Hearts coded, Olympus Coliseum, has surfaced online. The cutscene at the conclusion of this episode, The Quiescent Shadow, is now available to view below or download from our exclusive page for the video. A subtitled version can also be seen below. The video is recorded by ハトスケ from ニコニコ動画 and translated by Nanani from GameFAQs.
The January 2009 issue of V Jump magazine has included an article on Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the upcoming Kingdom Hearts title for the PlayStation Portable. This article, which has surfaced online, focuses on the worlds of Disney Town and Radiant Garden, and discusses Braig's role in the game in detail. He fights with Terra at some point, and also captures Master Xehanort. Kingdom Hearts Insider have uploaded a scan of and translated this article, which can be seen below, in our gallery, and read at our forum, respectively.
V Jump (January 2010)
Thanks to Kingdom Hearts Insider.
The December 2009 issue of Monthly Shōnen Jump has included an article on Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the upcoming Kingdom Hearts title for the PlayStation Portable. This scan reveals a new world that will be included in the game, Disney Town. Disney Town will include the characters Minnie Mouse, Huey, Dewey, Louie, and Pete in his Captain Justice costume. The world will feature minigames, including Keyblade Ride, a racing game, Rhythmic Ice, a rhythm game, and Fruit Ball, a shooting game. FF-Reunion have uploaded a scan of this article, and it can be viewed below, in our gallery.
Monthly Shōnen Jump (December 2009)
Thanks to FF-Reunion.
Square Enix's official website for Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep has, on November 17, been updated. This update includes an addition to the worlds section, in particular information on the Enchanted Dominion and the Land of Departure. Also included in the update is the introduction of a "special" section, which announces that a PlayStation Portable bundle will be released in Japan with Birth by Sleep. This will be released on January 9, 2010, on the same day of the Birth by Sleep release, and will be available at a price of ￥22,000.
The December 2009 issue of Monthly Shōnen Gangan includes an article concerning Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts coded. This article shows previously revealed screenshots and information about Birth by Sleep, and also announces Episode 6 of Coded, which will feature Hollow Bastion and be released in November 2009. Kingdom Hearts Insider have uploaded scans of this article, which can be seen below, and translated it, which can be read in our forum.
Monthly Shōnen Gangan (December 2009)
Thanks to Kingdom Hearts Insider.
Square Enix have updated their official website for the upcoming Kingdom Hearts title for the PlayStation Portable, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. This update confirms the January 9, 2010 release date, and features information on Never Land and Dwarf Woodlands. It includes screenshots and character profiles for each respective world.
The second piano compilation for music from the Kingdom Hearts series, revealed to be titled Piano Collections Kingdom Hearts Field & Battle, has been announced by Square Enix through the opening of an official website. The website reveals the release date of the album, January 13, 2010, as well as the price, ￥2,500. It is implied that music from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep will be featured on the album, as both releases are within a week of each other, and the website links to Square Enix's Birth by Sleep website.
The December 2009 issue of Dengeki PlayStation magazine has included an article on the upcoming Kingdom Hearts game for the PlayStation Portable, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. This article includes previously seen screenshots, as well as information about Enchanted Dominion and the Land of Departure. RPG Land have uploaded scans of the article, and Kingdom Hearts Insider have translated it. Both can be seen below.
Dengeki PlayStation (December 2009)
Thanks to RPG Land.
The truth behind these mysteries will soon be revealed!
Lots of new information about the story and system have been revealed by these new screenshots and illustrations. They’ve finally decided on a release date, so we’re closing in on finding out what is behind all these mysteries in this new game.
World Guide 1 -Land of Departure-
Our heroes’ long grim adventure starts from here.
The story starts in a new original world. Here is where the heroes train in hopes of becoming a Keyblade Master. The latest movie that was shown at TGS09 showed them taking the “Master Qualification Exam”. It was revealed that Master Xehanort watched them take the test, though we’ll have to wait and see how the story will unfold from there.
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Master Xehanort [er... the scan cuts off about half of the words, but it’s essentially the same as before. I will guess:]
Master Xehanort is a powerful Keyblade Master, as well as an acquaintance of Master Eraqus. He looks very different from the Xehanort we have seen in previous games. Just who is he?
Master Xehanort is giving advice to someone. Had he been planning something at this time as well?
Vanitas
He is the only apprentice of Master Xehanort, and his name has only just been revealed. In the movie that was shown at TGS09 we were able to see him talking and hear his voice. Just what face is he hiding behind the mask?
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He talks about the princesses of light! Where the princesses of light something that people sought after even in the past?
Our three heroes in training This is the world where they start out on. But perhaps the picture shown here is not from the very beginning of the game?
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Let’s look take a look at some of the things in the story we’re wondering about! It’s quite interesting that in this game that the important characters already seem to know each other. We get to see scenes of them all talking before the problems start, and these will be the key that connects the rest of the story together. The things Master Xehanort says also have quite a few connections to previous games in the series.
Point 1 Terra and Master Xehanort It seems that Terra trusts Master Xehanort. We see that he obeys him, but it seems that in the end he betrays him!? What is Master Xehanort after?
Point 2 Ventus and Vanitas Is it just a coincidence, or is there some connection? We see quite a few scenes with them together. Their names also sound similar. Just what is between the two of them!
Point 3 Aqua’s Good Luck Charm Aqua gives them charms to make sure they’ll see each other again. The charms look just like the one that Kairi made in KH!
Point 4 The search begins The three of them are ordered to go searching for Master Xehanort, but in this scene we don’t see Ventus anywhere. Where could he be?
Point 5 What is Ventus doing? What is Master Eraqus and Aqua looking at? It almost seems as though Ventus is acting violent...
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from Tetsuya Nomura Their adventure begins here.
Though not all scenes are, most of these screenshots show the prologue to the story, in Land of Departure, where they start their journey. What exactly were Terra and Master Xehanort talking about? What is Ven doing? You’ll have to find out more in the game. Master Eraqus is Ven, Terra and Aqua’s master, and he will have a lot to do with the story. He is a new character for the series, so I’d like you to watch him closely.
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Master Eraqus
He is a Keyblade Master with three apprentices. We don’t know much about him yet, but he seems like a calm and collected “samurai” type. The armor around his middle and his boots look similar to the other three. Perhaps he can change into armor as well? His keyblade design is rather interesting.
“Now we will be having the Master Qualification Exam.”
The Three Apprentices
Terra
A young man who is always calm and cool even under pressure. He fights with power, and can pack a lot of destruction into one attack.
Ventus
A boy who is curious and has a cheerful personality. He fights with speed, and uses light, quick actions.
Aqua
A serious young woman who both kind and strong. Her style is to fight with magic, so her attacks might be a bit erratic!?
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System - Let’s look at two new things that have been revealed!
Command Levels - Important for growth of your commands!
Deck Commands, Action Commands, and Shoot Lock Commands all have levels. You can gain CP (Command Points) from defeated enemies which once you’ve gotten enough will raise the levels of your Commands. Levels will effect just how strong your Commands will become.
Set your Commands before battle CP will be given to all Commands that you have set in your Deck. When your Commands level up it will tell you on the screen. You can also check their growth on the menu screen.
Support Abilities - Master your abilities to make them more powerful
Some Deck Commands will also have Support Abilities attached to them. When you set the Command you will gain the effect of the Support Ability, but if you unequip it you will lose the effect. But if you set the Command and get the ability to the highest level, your character will then have that ability mastered, and even if the Command is unequipped the effect of the Support Ability will remain.
Support Abilities will grow by gaining CP. Then you will be able to level them up.
Barrage - A Deck Command. You will draw close to the enemy and hit them with a rapid fire multi-hit attack. If you manage to press the buttons with good timing you gain extra hits.
Strike Raid - A Deck Command. You use the keyblade like a boomarang to attack your enemies. Sora has used the same attack before in the KH series.
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Vanitas has his face hidden, so he is even more mysterious than other characters. There is a very important reason that his face is covered, but I can’t tell that yet. I will tell you that you won’t see it until the end of the story. I chose his name first through the meaning I wanted, then when I was looking up words this one also sounded similar to Ventus. So the reason I chose this name was because it felt like he was destined for it.
Message from the KINGDOM has updated with a blog post from Tetsuya Nomura, the director of the Kingdom Hearts series. Tetsuya Nomura discusses the development of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, and explains that the package age, secret movie, opening movie, promotional movie and commercial are yet to be finalized, but are being worked on. Kingdom Hearts Insider have translated this blog post, and it can be read below.
A blog? How modern. Or, no... I guess it’s a little late for that. Nevermind. I’m the director Nomura.
The staff asked us to write our first entry, but I was just too busy. But it was around TGS that Yasue was going to update, so I put a stop to it. I’m very sorry.
Between then and now we’ve already announced the release date. Now all we have to do is finish it. But we still have tons of things to do, and we’re in the middle of running around trying to get everything finished.
Right now on my desktop I have 5 files containing work for Birth by Sleep, 4 for Coded, and 7 for other titles.
They’re listed in order of predecence, and now as I’m writing this the time for these files has finally come.
Of course there are not only writen documents, but pictures I have been needing to draw have been waiting for me to get around to it. Right now the most important being the package art for Birth by Sleep.
Today I have to go to edit the Staff Roll. Since there are three main characters in Birth by Sleep, we alse have different Staff Rolls for each one. We already have experience making two for Chain of Memores, but this time it’s a little bit different and we have a little bit of a trick with each, so it’s quite difficult.
In the Kingdom Hearts series when we put the music into the Staff Roll, we aren’t just lining up the music second by second, but frame by frame. So we’re working hard to find a good way to time it.
We also still have the Opening Movie, the Secret Movie, the CM and the PV to edit. But that will be on a later day. Next week we will be working on the CM for FFXIII.
So we’re working quite hard now, and I have to get going. I have to get to the editing studio. When I have another opportunity I will write again soon. Thank you.
Director Tetsuya Nomura
Famitsu.com have updated with an article concerning the upcoming Kingdom Hearts game for the PlayStation Portable, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. This article features previously seen screenshots in high quality, and these screenshots can all be viewed below, in our gallery.
Famitsu.com (October 25, 2009)
All images are from Famitsu.com.
The December 2009 issue of Famitsu magazine has included an article on the upcoming Kingdom Hearts game for the PlayStation Portable, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. This article includes a large amount of information regarding the game, including the first announcement of a release date and pricing, and information about various worlds and each character. Kingdom Hearts Insider have created translated scans of this article, and these can be viewed below, in our gallery.
Famitsu (December 2009) *translated*
All images are translated by Kingdom Hearts Insider.
Square Enix's official Japanese website for Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep has been updated. This update, which started yesterday with the Tokyo Game Show 2009 trailer, has now been finished, including additions to the "world" and "system" sections. This includes many new screenshots, which can be seen in our gallery, below, as well as multiple gameplay videos which can be downloaded from our trailers page for Birth by Sleep, or viewed below.
Birth by Sleep, Japanese website
All images are from the official website.
The upcoming Kingdom Hearts game for the PlayStation Portable, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, is now available on the Square Enix e-STORE. This page confirms the January 9, 2009 release date and ¥6,090 price, and contains new screenshots from the game. These can be seen below, in our gallery.
Square Enix e-STORE
All images are from Square Enix's official website.
Famitsu.com have updated with an article concerning the upcoming Kingdom Hearts game for the PlayStation Portable, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. This article includes previously seen screenshots in high quality, featuring new pictures from the Tokyo Game Show 2009 trailer, and these screenshots can all be viewed below, in our gallery.
Famitsu.com (October 21, 2009)
All images are from Famitsu.com.
