Summary
Kingdom Heartsis a franchise that few others can truly compare to, as its unique mix ofFinal Fantasyand Disney in a package of outlandish third-person action is hard to come by anywhere else. The nostalgia that many fans have for the originalKingdom Heartstitles of the early 2000s further separates all the games in the overall series, withKH2often being considered the overall peak in quality. TheKHfranchise may not be ending any time soon, but future releases are unlikely to capture what made the first two games so special in particular. One fan project, however, has the potential to bring the classic feel of olderKingdom Heartsinto the modern indie scene.
Game development is a complex process that can take several years to produce a well-received product, and there’s no telling whenKingdom Hearts 4will eventually be ready for release. An indie game by the name ofBlood Crisis, on the other hand, has started to pick up traction due to the transparency associated with its creation. A solo project being worked on by developer Moth,Blood Crisisis shaping up to offer an alternative approach to the nearly unrecognizably alteredKHformula seen in titles likeKingdom Hearts 3. It may not have the power of a corporation like Square Enix behind it, but the promising results it has seen so far could be a sign thatBlood Crisiswill be a game truly worth checking out.
Blood Crisis is a Homage to the Kingdom Hearts 2 Era
Moth’s Dedication to Capturing the Feel of KH2
In a developer log from last year, Moth went into detail regarding their intentions going into the creation of the game. Through some detailed explanation and several clips of repetitive testing gameplay inKingdom Hearts 2’sFinal Mixupdate, they made it explicitly clear that a close study ofKH2FM’s most intricate systems has informedBlood Crisisfrom the start. Alongside their commitment to having a retro art style that evokes the lower fidelity of the PS2, Moth has put some serious effort into evoking what originally madeKH2special.
More Than Just KH Inspiration Has Gone Into Blood Crisis
Its primary basis isKingdom Hearts 2, but that doesn’t meanBlood Crisisis merely an imitation. As explained in their first developer log, Moth also referenced the general hack n’ slash genre as it existed back in the PS2 era.Blood Crisisis still set to have a similar variety of basic options toKH2, but it also makes some crucial changes to combat. It will have fewer overall spells, but they are set to have more variations for when they are cast in midair. There are also no dedicated party members likeDonald and Goofy, with a system resembling Limits set to offer temporary allies that can be summoned instead.
The Advantages of Blood Crisis’ Indie Development
How Community Support Can Shape a Game’s Creation
When the fact that Moth is asolo game developerwho has been creatingBlood Crisisalongside freelance work is taken into consideration, the progression of the project so far is all the more impressive. They remain active on X/Twitter under @BloodCrisisGame, and their Patreon, where they post frequent updates regarding ongoing development. Moth even hosts weekly streams showcasing some of the lesser known steps of game production such as asset creation, displaying a sense of community that is far removed from the corporate marketing cycle that games from large publishers typically adhere to.
Blood Crisis Can Only Keep Growing
With a recent pre-alpha build available toBlood Crisis' Patreon members, there is already a playable demo that supporters have been able to test out and provide feedback on. As their Patreon grows and new memberships add up, the development ofBlood Crisiswill continue to become more possible. As part of a new wave of independent projects that are receiving more direct support and providing more communication with fans,Blood Crisiscould end up representing what may become a bigger shift in the overallindie game scene.
Kingdom Hearts 4
Kingdom Hearts 4 is an action RPG developed by Square Enix and represents the fifteenth installment in the franchise. Players once again are put in the shoes of Sora who is suddenly trapped in a more realistic world called Quadratum, with companions like Donald and Goofy attempting to rescue him. Kingdom Hearts 4 is a direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory.
