15 best video games coming in 2019: Kingdom Hearts 3 and more
By Matt Becker
1. Kingdom Hearts 3
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Last but not least, we have one of the most anticipated games of the decade: Kingdom Hearts 3. We cannot count how many times we doubted this game was ever going to actually come out. But here we are, only a couple of weeks away from its release. This colorful mashup between Final Fantasy and Disney characters is shaping up to be one of the best ones yet.
While the third mainline game and the direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts 2, Kingdom Hearts 3 is actually the twelfth total installment in the series. And there is nothing more confusing than the order and names of all of the Kingdom Hearts, except maybe the confusing plots of the games themselves. While there are many videos that explain the game’s story in detail, the gist of the third game is that the evil Xehanort wants to start a war, and you and your friends must thwart his plans – simple enough, right?
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The real draw of this RPG, though, is in the many cameos and all the universes protagonist Sora and company get to explore. Besides party members Donald Duck and Goofy, a wide variety of Disney and Pixar characters and worlds play a part in this epic crossover. New worlds include settings from Tangled, Big Hero 6, Toy Story, Monsters Inc and Frozen. This is in addition to several returning worlds from Hercules, Pirates of the Caribbean, Winnie the Pooh and more. Each world adds unique gameplay elements, such as underwater or aerial combat, not to mention all the characters from these properties playing a part in Sora’s latest adventure.
Kingdom Hearts 3 keeps the flashy and hectic hack-and-slash style combat of its predecessors with some minor tweaks. You can now have five total characters in your party at any time, any of which can be used for team-up attacks. A new “Attraction Flow” summon attack is inspired by classic Disney Parks attractions, adding even more callouts to Disney properties. Square Enix wants players to have more options and freedom when it comes to movement and attacks, including using the environment to access new areas. Character summons and Keyblade transformations make a return, but different Keyblades can now be seamlessly accessed in battle and are leveled up individually.
These are just some of the features and changes Square Enix has made to the Kingdom Hearts series in the upcoming final installment of the main trilogy. This game hits so hard on nostalgia, both from a gaming aspect and a Disney movie aspect. Being able to explore a Toy Story world with beautiful Unreal Engine 4 graphics is almost like you are playing through the first Toy Story movie — the graphics are just that good and the art style that well done. Thanks to its colorful graphics, its hectic and fun gameplay, and its nostalgic crossover worlds, Kingdom Hearts 3 is our favorite upcoming game of the year.
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So there you have it, what we think are the best 15 games that (hopefully) come out in 2019! From Kingdom Hearts 3 to Anthem to Animal Crossing to Gears 5, this year is looking to be quite an excellent year in gaming. What are your most anticipated games of 2019?
The views expressed in this article explicitly belong to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of, nor should be attributed to, App Trigger or FanSided as an organization.