KINGDOM HEARTS Uχ Dark Road for Android

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X is the epitome of casual RPGs

The great thing about RPGs is that they can cover a huge range of game types. Some are tactical, some action based, some about exploring and crafting. Others focus more on the story and Kingdom Hearts Unchained X is such a game, with a huge amount of character interaction and story to discover.

The KH series moves to mobile.

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X is the first mobile instalment of the Kingdom Hearts series, which is usually a bombastic console affair. This is not merely an adventure game however, as it has a strong combat system underneath and some very engaging battles. This is the light-hearted cousin of the RPG, suitable for Disney fans of all ages and free to download and play. However, the casual nature of Kingdom Hearts and the fact that it revolves around cartoon characters means that it translates very well indeed to the smaller screen. Following in the footsteps of the other titles, Unchained X has a crazy but fun mixture of characters from various Disney IPs and totally different things like Final Fantasy and Keyblade warriors. The central themes are light and friendship, so the story in this game is uplifting and positive, a great one to dip into for a relaxing hour, but perhaps not so gripping if you’re a fan of gritty realism.

A simple mechanism for a casual game

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X focuses on mobile play rather than just scaling down the usual console RPG system to a smaller screen. This is a smart move as it makes the game more accessible and thanks to some excellent artwork, it still looks fantastic. For example, you can swipe to attack in combat and as you attack the enemy Heartless with your Keyblades. You can also flick medals which unleash special abilities, ideal for changing the flow of a battle. Combinations of power, speed and magic medals, plus the combat strengths of characters, make up the core strategy of the game. These are just complex enough to be engaging without requiring you to pore over lists of statistics. Characters can be further customised with outfits, from their standard clothes seen in games and movies to special outfits for seasons and holidays. Another strength of this game is the multiplayer, which allows friends to team up against monstrous bosses and increase their rewards. Finally the Olympus Coliseum allows you to brave extra bosses for rare medals, so there’s always more to find.

A fun, free fable

There’s a lot to love in Kingdom Hearts Unchained X, from the fact that it’s free to the easy-going nature of the characters and combat. This is perfect for dipping in now and then, yet detailed enough for RPG veterans to get stuck into. The story is the strongest part of the game, always pulling you forward and providing new twists for fans of the Kingdom Hearts series. However, do make sure that you have plenty of storage space for this beast of a download.