Kingdom Hearts 3 Release Date Still Unknown; Director Discusses Story, Gameplay of Long-Awaited Game

Kingdom Hearts 3 was one of the biggest surprises to come out of E3 this year, and though the trailer players witnessed was brief, it sent fans into a frenzy. Now, more details about the game have been revealed in Famitsu's recent interview with Game Director Tetsuya Nomura. In the conversation, which was translated by Polygon, Nomura explained that the story picks up after the handheld game Dream Drop Distance:

"We're proceeding along with which worlds we'll be selecting for the game," he said. "It's the final episode in the 'Dark Seeker' saga that began with the original KH, and it'll depict the final battle with Xehanort."

This could potentially confuse some fans who did not have access to the many handheld titles that take place before and after the gap between Kingdom Hearts 2 and 3. However, it sounds like the gameplay at least will be similar to watch fans of the PlayStation 2 titles in the series will remember, with some updates to take advantage of next-gen technology:

"The action's pretty frantic. The really bold action we've always had is getting even crazier. Kingdom Hearts III has three-person parties, but NPCs and other characters join the fight in each individual world, and the resulting action is really flashy and exciting. The enemy AI is a lot more intricate, too, and I think the gameplay will reflect that new dynamic balance. For example, there's a foe that's shaped like a vehicle, and Sora may jump on it and fly around; that's already implemented."

It will be interesting to see what sort of surprises Square Enix will have in store for fans of the series that have waited years to play Kingdom Hearts 3. The hottest gossip about the game centers on the possibility of Marvel, Pixar, or Star Wars characters appearing in the game with Disney's consent. We will have to wait and see when the game is released on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.