Colin Snow
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts game, published and developed by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP). The game follows three separate storylines, with players choosing between three different characters: Terra, Ventus, and Aqua. These three Keyblade wielders train under Master Eraqus to become Keyblade Masters. To achieve this rank, they must take the Mark of Mastery exam, which is supervised by Master Xehanort, who encourages Terra to embrace the darkness in his heart. After Terra and Aqua take the test, Xehanort disappears without a trace, and Terra is sent to find him and destroy the Unversed, a new type of enemy. The game ends with a huge fight, where Terra is forced to use the darkness in his heart, allowing Xehanort to transfer his heart into Terra's body. Birth by Sleep was released in Japan on January 9, 2010, and in North America and Europe in September 2010.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Release date | 9 January 2010 in Japan, 7 September 2010 in North America, 10 September 2010 in Europe |
| Platform | Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) |
| Developer | Square Enix's fifth Product Development Division |
| Director | Tetsuya Nomura |
| Co-director | Tai Yasue |
| Sales | 1.27 million copies worldwide as of November 2010 |
| Gameplay | Action role-playing game |
| Plot | Told across three scenarios, each with their own playable characters: Terra, Aqua, or Ventus |
| Characters | Terra, Aqua, Ventus, Master Eraqus, Master Xehanort, Vanitas, Sora, Riku, Kairi, Braig, Dilan, Even, Aeleus, Ienzo, Ansem the Wise, Experiment 626, Prince Phillip, Mickey, Zack Fair, Moogles, Maleficent, Princess Aurora, Cinderella |
| Antagonists | Master Xehanort, Vanitas |
| Enemies | The Unversed |
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What You'll Learn
- Kingdom Hearts χ was referred to as Episode 0 by director Tetsuya Nomura
- Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts
- The game centres on the journeys of Ventus, Terra, and Aqua
- The trio trains under Master Eraqus to become Keyblade Masters
- The game introduces a new type of enemy: the Unversed
Kingdom Hearts χ was referred to as Episode 0 by director Tetsuya Nomura
Kingdom Hearts χ (also known as Kingdom Hearts Chi) is a video game and the first instalment in the Kingdom Hearts series. It was followed by Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts game.
Kingdom Hearts χ was directed by Tetsuya Nomura, who has led the development of the Kingdom Hearts series as its director since its inception in 2002. Nomura is a Japanese video game artist, designer, producer, and director working for Square Enix. He was hired by Square initially as a monster designer for Final Fantasy V, before becoming a secondary character designer for Final Fantasy VI. He made his debut as a lead character designer with Final Fantasy VII and reprised this role for several future instalments of the Final Fantasy series. Nomura also created the characters Cactuar, Gilgamesh, and Tonberry.
Kingdom Hearts χ was referred to as "Episode 0" by director Tetsuya Nomura, who stated that it is on the same scale and plays as large a role in the series as Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. Nomura has also referred to the game as "Episode 0.1" following the release of Kingdom Hearts χ. The game was co-directed by Tai Yasue.
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep was developed by Square Enix's fifth Product Development Division, based in Osaka, and was directed by Tetsuya Nomura and co-directed by Tai Yasue. The game was released in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010, and in Europe on September 10, 2010, for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP). It is a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts game, taking place ten years before its events. The game centres on the journeys of Ventus, Terra, and Aqua, who are characters briefly featured in Kingdom Hearts II.
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Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts, taking place ten years before its events. The game centres on the journeys of Ventus, Terra, and Aqua, three Keyblade apprentices training under Keyblade Master Eraqus. To become masters themselves, they must take the Mark of Mastery exam, supervised by Eraqus and his friend, Master Xehanort. However, Xehanort sabotages the exam, forcing Ventus to intervene. While Aqua passes the test, Terra is deemed unfit to become a Keyblade Master due to the abundant darkness in his heart.
Following the exam, Xehanort disappears without a trace, and mysterious creatures called the Unversed begin to surface in other worlds. Terra is sent to destroy the Unversed and find Xehanort, who had encouraged him to embrace the darkness in his heart to gain the strength needed to become a Keyblade Master. Ventus, Aqua, and Terra gather at the Keyblade Graveyard, where the remains of the mysterious Keyblade War are found. Xehanort appears with his apprentice, Vanitas, and reveals his plan to use Terra's body as a vessel for his heart so that he may survive long enough to unlock Kingdom Hearts and unleash the forbidden secrets of the Keyblade War. An epic battle ensues, with Terra inadvertently allowing Xehanort to transfer his heart into his body, resulting in the birth of a new, younger Xehanort.
The game features an overhauled battle system that differs from previous games in the series, introducing new elements. It also includes an extensive cast of Disney characters, with some characters, such as Experiment 626, Prince Phillip, and Mickey, occasionally fighting alongside the player characters in battles. Birth by Sleep only features two Final Fantasy characters: Zack Fair from Final Fantasy VII and the Moogles from several Final Fantasy games. As a prequel, the staff decided to include Zack, as he is the protagonist of the Final Fantasy VII prequel, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.
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The game centres on the journeys of Ventus, Terra, and Aqua
The game Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep centres on the journeys of Ventus, Terra, and Aqua, three Keyblade apprentices training under Keyblade Master Eraqus. To become Keyblade Masters themselves, they must take the Mark of Mastery exam. However, Master Xehanort sabotages the exam, forcing Ventus to intervene. As a result, Terra is deemed unfit to become a Keyblade Master due to the abundant darkness in his heart.
After the exam, Xehanort disappears, and a horde of mysterious creatures called the Unversed begin to appear in other worlds. To address these developments, Eraqus sends Terra and Aqua to travel across the various worlds to destroy the Unversed and find Xehanort. Ventus also leaves on a journey of his own, visiting several worlds and making new friends, including Snow White, Jaq, and Cinderella.
During their journeys, Terra, Aqua, and Ventus encounter various villains and Disney characters who offer assistance or provide challenges. They eventually reunite at the Keyblade Graveyard, where they face off against Xehanort and his apprentice, Vanitas. Xehanort reveals his plan to use Terra's body as a vessel for his heart and to unlock Kingdom Hearts and unleash the forbidden secrets of the Keyblade War. A battle ensues, with Terra inadvertently allowing Xehanort to transfer his heart into Terra's body.
Ventus discovers that Vanitas, his dark counterpart, is the source of all Unversed. Aqua falls into the Realm of Darkness, and Ventus's heart merges with that of a young Sora, who saves him. Sora later learns of the fates of Terra, Ventus, and Aqua and undertakes a quest to save them.
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The trio trains under Master Eraqus to become Keyblade Masters
The Kingdom Hearts prequel, Birth by Sleep, follows three Keyblade wielders and close friends: Terra, Aqua, and Ventus (Ven). The trio trains under Master Eraqus to become Keyblade Masters. To achieve this rank, they must take the Mark of Mastery exam, supervised by Eraqus and his old friend, Master Xehanort.
In the first round of the exam, Xehanort sabotages the test, and in the second, Terra and Aqua fight each other. Aqua passes the test, but Terra is deemed unfit to become a Keyblade Master due to the abundant darkness in his heart. Following the exam, Xehanort disappears without a trace, and mysterious creatures called the Unversed begin to appear in other worlds. Terra is sent to destroy the Unversed and find Xehanort, who had previously encouraged him to embrace the darkness in his heart if he wanted to become a Keyblade Master.
The three main characters then follow separate storylines, with players able to choose which character's path to embark on first. They all visit the same worlds, but not necessarily in the same order or at the same time. Terra, Aqua, and Ven encounter familiar faces and new threats as they work to defeat the Unversed.
Terra eventually tracks down Xehanort in the Keyblade Graveyard, where he learns about the origin of the Unversed. Xehanort reveals his plan to use Terra's body as a vessel for his heart so that he may survive long enough to unlock Kingdom Hearts and unleash the forbidden secrets of the Keyblade War. A battle ensues, and Xehanort is able to transfer his heart into Terra's body. Ven discovers that his dark counterpart is the source of all Unversed.
Birth by Sleep is set ten years before the events of the original Kingdom Hearts and delves into the mysteries of Xehanort's past and forgotten memories, as well as how Sora and Riku came to wield the Keyblade.
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The game introduces a new type of enemy: the Unversed
The game Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep introduces a new type of enemy: the Unversed. The Unversed are considered "the opposite of human life" and are "not well-versed in their own existences", feeding off the negative emotions produced when Vanitas was created from Ventus. Vanitas, a member of the real Organization XIII, controls the Unversed, and they are extensions of him. They are attracted to negativity and appear in many worlds, including Monstropolis, where they collect the screams and sadness of children. The Unversed also appear in the Keyblade Graveyard, where they aid the Heartless and Nobodies in the final battle.
The Unversed have various forms and are designated with red eyes and the Unversed emblem, which represents a heart that expresses emotion. They are seen with smiling, angry, and crying "faces", referring to the shape of their eyes. The Unversed are created by Vanitas, who is a being of pure darkness and manipulates the negative thoughts and emotions of others to spawn the Unversed as physical forms. Vanitas visits many worlds and releases his minions to serve Master Xehanort's plans to create the χ-blade and cause misery. The Unversed grow stronger as they are defeated by Terra, Ventus, and Aqua, as this allows Vanitas to respawn them, and they are a part of Xehanort's scheme to start a new Keyblade War.
The Unversed disappear once Vanitas is defeated by Sora and Ventus, and their negativity flows back into him. Ventus discovers that he is the source of all Unversed and that they were created to ensure he would grow stronger. The Unversed are considered "fledgling emotions" that take on monster form, and they pose a threat to the Princesses of Heart as they feed on negativity. Master Eraqus sends Terra and Aqua on a quest to find Master Xehanort and put an end to the Unversed, who are endangering the Princesses of Heart.
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Frequently asked questions
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is a Kingdom Hearts prequel published and developed by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP). It was released in Japan on January 9, 2010, and in North America on September 7, 2010. The game follows three separate storylines, with players choosing between three different characters: Terra, Ventus, and Aqua.
The game's premise is the origins of the series' hero and villain, Sora and Xehanort, and delves into the mysteries of Xehanort's past and forgotten memories. It also explores how Sora and Riku came to wield the Keyblade.
Kingdom Hearts X, also known as Kingdom Hearts Chi, is set after the events of Birth by Sleep. Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts game, taking place ten years before its events. Additionally, Birth by Sleep features a new type of enemy called the Unversed, which are "fledgling emotions" that feed on negativity.
