Back during E3 last year when Kingdom Hearts Unchained X (pronounced key) was revealed for mobile devices, I distinctly remember being very unimpressed by the announcement. Story elements incorporated with a free-to-play game? That sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Yet, I’ll have to eat my words because this is a very enjoyable mobile game.
This isn’t any normal RPG-styled game; it sticks true to Kingdom Hearts action-RPG instead.
The tutorial gives you a great demonstration of how the game plays but here’s an overview. Think of it like Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, where each Keyblade is assigned a certain number of medals, each with their own abilities. With each hit, you use up one metal. Or if you want to use up your specialty bar on the left, each metal has a special attack which consumes from one bar up to three bars.
There is also two different ways to hit enemies. You can either tap the screen to hit the select heartless or you can swipe the screen to hit all of the heartless at once. Keep in mind that hitting all the heartless at once deals less damage compared to a single blow.
The metals have different attributes that are Speed, Magic and Power. It’s like a rock-paper-scissors type of structure to determine how effective one is compared to another.
Some metals have different special abilities on top of their attacks. And special attacks target only one enemy while other metals target all the heartless on the screen. Other metals have status conditions that can be inflicted on the heartless such as sleep or poison.
Another approach to the heartless encounters takes a leaf out of Chain of Memories. Walking up to a heartless will trigger a battle sequence, where a beaten enemy will leave health, XP and sometimes goodies. You can also get items in chest boxes, keeping in tradition with the Kingdom Hearts series.
At the end of each level, you get your items that you collected, munny and your experience points where you’ll level up.
Let’s talk about the free-to-play aspect of this game. Unchained X uses AP to measure how long you can play. Each mission takes up a certain number of AP, which regenerates overtime.
So, what’s different about this game? Well, not only do you get more than enough AP to last you around an hour, AP also regenerates really fast. If you leave the game for for 10 to 20 minutes, it should be filled up to max.
Another great thing about this game is the ability to increase your max AP meter. In Unchained X, you’re able to customize your own character, by changing your clothes and hair. No longer do you have to play as Sora or Riku, but you can play as yourself. Avatar boards help expand the customization and also upgrades your character’s abilities. Each avatar board customization increases your health and AP.
Kingdom Hearts Unchained X’s story is basic at first but it will pick up during the latter stages. With over 200 missions already, the game is constantly getting updates that further progresses the plot with your Keyblade warrior. It is simple to follow and it’s also a prequel to the other games, which means that you don’t need any prior knowledge going into it.
What’s the overall view on this title? It’s very fun and addictive. Whether you’re on the bus or at home, this game does a very good job on bringing a Kingdom Hearts experience to the mobile platform. Unlike most free-to-play games, it doesn’t shove in-game purchases down your throat or limit your enjoyment by giving you a weaker character with extensively challenging enemies.
It’s a tactical RPG, where you can plan out your moves and have fun, without forcing you to break the bank to have a good time. It’s a mobile game you should definitely try and it might even get you into the Kingdom Hearts series in general!
You can get Kingdom Hearts Unchained X for iOS and Android.
If you’re interested, I’ve also posted some gameplay on the tutorial levels that Unchained X has to offer. It’s spoiler-free and it shows the basic game mechanics. Enjoy!
Drew Blue Reviews 