'Kingdom of Hearts 3' release date news: Square Enix hints at changes, brand new abilities

 [Screenshot from Kingdom of Hearts website]

Fans of "Kingdom of Hearts 3" will have to wait a little more to see the changes that Director Tetsuya Nomura talked about regarding the upcoming action role-playing game.

In two separate interviews with Gematsu and Dengeki PlayStation, Nomura shares the company's plans for the newest addition to the "Kingdom Hearts" series. He said there will be some changes in game plays and new abilities will be given to the protagonist, Sora. As for the ending, the director was unspecific, saying that they are still unsure on how to proceed with the game's conclusion.

Most of the improvements in "Kingdom of Hearts 3" will be exclusive to PS4 and Xbox One. One upgrade that players will be happy to note is that the game will have fewer static moments and load times.

"In the previous games, when reaching the end of a specific area, a black transition screen used to show up so it could load the next area. Now everything is more fluid and integrated," Nomura said.

Sora's abilities will also be transformed thanks to a new feature called "Attraction Flows." This will allow the players to summon help from characters resembling popular Disney characters, three of which have already been revealed - rollercoaster, Viking ship, and coffee cups.

The trademark weapon of Sora, the keyblade, will also receive a utility makeover, now able to transform into a series of objects including, vehicles, guns and "other great things."

When asked about the series' conclusion, Nomura still cannot say whether the ending will be happy or not. 

"I don't think there has been an actual happy ending. "Kingdom Hearts 2" is close to it. Since most of the titles have ended in cliffhangers, we're worried about what we should include in "Kingdom Hearts 3," he explained.

"Since we are arriving near the conclusion of Xehanort in "Kingdom Hearts 3," the outline of the story has been solidified but not necessarily the direction where the series is continuing to head. We are still trying to decide where to go from several choices," the Japanese director added.

"Kingdom of Hearts 3" has no release date yet, but it is expected that Square Enix will provide more details during the D23 Expo in November.

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