The compilation will include HD remasters of Dream Drop Distance, χ [chi] cutscenes, and a new episode.
A new Kingdom Hearts game titled HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue has been revealed.
Revealed during the Sony TGS press conference, this new game is set to be a collection composed of three entries in the beloved series.
The first entry is an HD remaster of Dream Drop Distance, a game previously available only for the Nintendo 3DS. This game takes place after KH2, and sees Sora and Riku travel to the Realm of Sleep to complete their Mark of Mastery examinations to become Keyblade Masters.
The second entry is χ [chi] Back Cover. This will be a HD movie that covers the events of χ[chi], a Japanese browser game, similar to what was done with the cinematics from 358 Days/2 and Re:Coded for the PS3 KH collections. χ[chi], pronounced as “key,” was previously only available in Japan, but a mobile port called Unchained [chi] is set to come to the West.
χ[chi] takes place long before the events of Birth by Sleep, and the player assumes the role of a customizable Keyblade wielder who chooses a faction of fellow wielder to side with.
And finally, also featured in this collection is KINGDOM HEARTS 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage –. This is a new episode that takes place after the events of Birth by Sleep, and will establish key elements of KH3.
While not much of this “episode” is shown in the trailer, we do get a glimpse of a beautifully HD rendered Aqua, who (confusing Kingdom Hearts lore spoiler warning!) is trapped in the Realm of Darkness after the events of Birth by Sleep.
Will A Fragmentary Passage act as the teased Birth by Sleep Volume 2? Maybe, but hopefully what Aqua has been doing in the Realm of Darkness for over 10 years will finally be explained.
HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is set to release in Japan next year, exclusively for the PS4. No word yet on the US release date.
Some closing thoughts:
Dream Drop Distance is a game that extensively used the 3DS 3D technology (hence the title), and the touchscreen, so how this port will utilize key features like interacting with Dream Eaters will be interesting.
Also, is this the 2.9 game that was leaked via a Linkedin page last week? Did Square Enix just change the title right before this game was announced? I think it’s possible, but perhaps 2.9 is still coming. Could it actually be a complete collection of KH for the PS4? Let’s keep the dream alive.
