WithKingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind’srelease just around the corner, it’s about time to take a hard look at the upcoming DLC for the latest installment in theKingdom Heartsseries. Specifically, how this will be the franchise’s first DLC to launch for any of the main titles, even thoughKingdom Heartshas had a different way of releasing new and updated content in the past.
Previous installments in theKingdom Heartsseries would have re-releases that boasted new content,like new enemies, bosses, and keyblades. These came in the form of Final Mix versions of the game as opposed to DLC released to be added to the base game, meaning players who wanted the new content had to buy a new game.
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This change in how additional content is added to the game from Final Mix to DLC is entirely due to the system restraints of the time as well as the proliferation of DLC in modern gaming. When the originalKingdom Heartsand the sequelKingdom Hearts 2first launched, they appeared on the PS2 system which had very limited internet connectivity and couldn’t download additional content onto the system itself. However, withKingdom Hearts 3launching on the PS4, the opportunity to forego a Final Mix in favor of DLC is finally available to the franchise.
What is a Final Mix?
To start, let’s take a look at what theFinal Mixversions of the previousKingdom Heartsgames really are. Some fans of the series outside of Japan might not even know what it is, considering that the Final Mix versions of the first two games weren’t released to other countries until the HD remasters. However, it would seem that Square Enix has put an end to the history of region exclusive titles over the past few years, with titles likeFinal Fantasy 7 Remakelaunching worldwide, albeit a little delayed.
In short,Kingdom Hearts Final Mixwas a re-released version of the originalKingdom Heartsthat launched on December 26th, 2002 exclusively in Japan. The re-release introduced new keyblades, additional story content, and new enemies that ranged from special heartless to the new optional boss, The Unknown. Similarly,Kingdom Hearts 2andKingdom Hearts Birth by Sleepalso receivedFinal Mixversions that were exclusive to Japan, none of which havingas much added story content asRe:Mind.
However, this business model did come with a set of drawbacks for both players and Square Enix (Square Soft at the time), as not all players were willing to buy a game they had just bought earlier in the same year. As a result, only the highest performing games in the series ever managed to merit a Final Mix, as it was always uncertain whether or not the updated versions would sell. With DLC available now, it would seem that the Final Mix is a relic of the past, as Square Enix has already announced thatKingdom Hearts 3won’t be receiving one, even though it became thefastest sellingKingdom Heartstitlein history when it released.
How is Re:Mind Different than a Final Mix?
Re:Mindis set to replace the Final Mix model with a more modern take on DLC and additional content, such as adding in an entirely new story arc onto the game. This is drastically different from previous Final Mix add-ons, in that most of the new story material added to previous games came in the form of unvoiced dialogue that either quickly explained a new feature or simply added a few more character interactions. In the case ofRe:Mind, players will be receiving a new, fully voiced section of story that is meant to explain one of the moreconfusing sections ofKingdom Hearts 3.
Additionally, the new DLC will let players enter the shoes of different characters, taking control of otherKeyblade Wielders like Kairi. Along with the new characters to play as,Re:Mindalso boasts 13 new bosses to take on, plus a secret episode and a final new boss battle. This is substantially more than any Final Mix has ever added to any of the games, including the secret episode ‘A Fragmentary Passage’ that came with theBirth by Sleep Final Mix.
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Naturally,Re:Mindalso comes with new Keyblades and other items, just like the Final Mix versions did, and other similar content will be coming to all players throughKingdom Hearts 3’s 1.07 patch, releasing at the same time as the DLC. All together,Re:Mindwill be bringing more content toKingdom Hearts 3than any other Final Mix ever brought to any other title in the series. And at half the price of having to buy the game all over again, the new DLC is a lot easier on players, looking to get just that extra little bit out ofKingdom Hearts 3.
DLC Just Makes More Sense Than a Final Mix
In the modern era of gaming, DLC has transitioned from a dirty word that elicits rage over horse armor and is now mostlya welcome part of the gaming experiencethat gives players more time with their favorite games. AFinal Mixon the other hand is a product of a time before every gaming console was hooked into the internet and additional content could be downloaded directly to the system. There is just no reason for a company to take the risk of re-releasing a game with new content that less people are likely to buy than to simply add the new content to the existing game.
DLC can reach more players and is more readily available to send out across the world than ever before, making it the obvious choice for releasing new content, even if the series has a history of re-releases. On paper and in practice, shipping outRe:Mindas DLCas opposed to trying to resellKingdom Hearts 3again with new content is the way to go. Besides, this still opens up the opportunity for Square Enix to sell aKingdom Hearts 3 Complete Editionin the future, after the hype forRe:Mindhas died down a bit, and the company begins refocusing on bringing in new players.
Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mindis set to release on January 23rd, 2020 for PS4 and February 25th, 2020 for Xbox One.
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