Dengeki Interview + Level 99 Areas

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Published on April 3, 2007 @ 01:59 pm

Written by .:[Kazuma]:.

Hey everyone. Well, just a few days after Final Mix+ made its crash-landing into the KH fandom, director Tetsuya Nomura has already stepped up to give us a few answers we've been looking for.

The following is from IGN.com, reporting on a Dengeki Playstation interview with Nomura-sensei. Thanks to Xaldin for the find!

IGN: April 2, 2007 - With Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix + Re: Chain of Memories at last out in Japan, Tetsuya Nomura and crew can now devote all their energy to their next project. And that appears to be another Kingdom Hearts game, or at least another tie-up with Disney. But is it Kingdom Hearts III?

Speaking with Japan's Gemaga and Dengeki PlayStation publications, Nomura gave a few hints on the new project, which he's previously hinted would see formal announcement later this year.

Gemaga asked if the characters who appear in the new CG "secret movie" that has been added to Final Mix are from the new title. "They are people who have some relation to the new series," said the producer. "However the next title won't just be Kingdom Hearts III. If it were III, we wouldn't call it a new series."

Asked if Sora and Riku would make an appearance in the new game, he said with a laugh, "I can't say." He also hinted that the new game would have something to do with Xehanort, the main villain of the Kingdom Hearts series.

He was just as direct when Dengeki PlayStation asked for some details on the new title. "First, it's not Kingdom Hearts III. Of course, because we're calling it a 'new' series, it won't be KHIII. Also, it's a series, so it probably won't be just one title."

Nomura once again promised an announcement of the new game, whatever it may be, some time this year. In the meanwhile, he suggested that players attempt to unlock the Final Mix secret movie and start imagining.

Well, as usual, it appears that our dear Nomura wants us to try to theorize our own ideas about these new developments in the KH universe instead of him telling us flat-out (much like he has said in various interviews, when prodded for answers). Head over to the Forums to get started!

A few things we can be sure of: (1) The new project will NOT be Kingdom Hearts III, (2) The characters from the secret movie have a relation to a new series, which again, will not be KHIII, and finally (3) There will likely be more than one game in this "new series", the first of which will revolve around Xehanort.

Also, a few images have appeared online of the new secret areas we've seen tidbits of in promotional videos. It has been recommended that you be at least Level 99 before even thinking about venturing in. These areas are found in Hollow Bastion, most likely in the general area where the Rising Falls were in Kingdom Hearts I.

I don't know about you guys, but if you have to be at maximum stats, I expect the kind of things you'd find back here wouldn't exactly be your average Heartless. Thanks, again, to Xaldin for the new info.

Remember to head over to the Forums to follow Nomura's suggestion, and discuss away! Also, please be on the lookout for Final Mix+ updates in our brand-new section. Until next time!