Evie Summers
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is an action role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios. It is the sixth instalment in the Kingdom Hearts series and serves as a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts, taking place ten years before its events. The game was released in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010, and in Europe on September 10, 2010. It features three Keyblade wielders and close friends: Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, who train to become Keyblade Masters under Master Eraqus. Each character's story takes about fifteen hours to complete, making Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep the longest game in the series.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Game Developer | Square Enix |
| Publisher | Square Enix |
| Collaborator | Disney Interactive Studios |
| Platform | PlayStation Portable |
| Release Date in Japan | January 9, 2010 |
| Release Date in North America | September 7, 2010 |
| Release Date in PAL Regions | September 10, 2010 |
| International Version Release Date | January 2011 |
| Sequel Release Date | January 2017 |
| Sequel Name | Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep - A Fragmentary Passage |
| Gameplay Hours | 45 hours |
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Kingdom Hearts prequel
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is an action role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios. It was released for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010, and in Europe on September 10, 2010. An international version, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix, was released in Japan in January 2011, featuring changes made in the non-Japanese versions.
Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts, taking place ten years before its events. The game's premise is the origins of the series' hero and villain, Sora and Xehanort. It delves into the mysteries of Xehanort's past and forgotten memories, as well as how Sora and Riku came to wield the Keyblade. The story begins in the Land of Departure, where three Keyblade wielders and close friends—Terra, Aqua, and Ventus—train to become Keyblade Masters under Master Eraqus. To achieve this rank, Keyblade Apprentices must take the Mark of Mastery exam once they come of age. Terra and Aqua take the test together, but it is sabotaged by Master Xehanort, forcing Ventus to intervene. In the second round, Terra and Aqua fight each other, but only Aqua passes, while Terra is deemed unfit due to the abundant darkness in his heart.
Following these events, a group of mysterious creatures called the Unversed begin to appear in other worlds, and another Keyblade Master, Xehanort, disappears without a trace. Terra is sent on a mission to destroy the Unversed and find Master Xehanort, who had previously encouraged him to embrace the darkness in his heart to gain the strength needed to become a Keyblade Master. The player can choose which of the three characters' scenarios to begin with and can switch to another midway through the game. Each character's story takes about fifteen hours to complete, making Birth by Sleep the longest game in the series in terms of gameplay hours.
The game features several new abilities, such as Deck Commands, Shotlocks, and Command Styles, which can be triggered via the battle menu. Shotlocks, for example, are unique attacks that involve precise timing to unleash powerful assaults on enemies. Birth by Sleep also expands the lore of the Kingdom Hearts universe, introducing the concept of thousands of Keyblade users who died in a battle on a planet now known as the Keyblade Graveyard. Additionally, it includes characters from the Final Fantasy series, such as Zack Fair from Final Fantasy VII and the Moogles from several Final Fantasy games.
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Land of Departure
The Land of Departure is a world in the video game Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. It is the original "hub" world of the game, similar to Traverse Town in the first Kingdom Hearts, Twilight Town in Kingdom Hearts II, and Disney Castle in Kingdom Hearts coded. The Land of Departure is one of the few special worlds in the Kingdom Hearts universe that is located between the Realm of Light and the Realm of Darkness. It has been protected for generations so that it is not used for evil.
The Land of Departure is the place where Keyblade apprentices take their Master Qualification Exam to qualify for their Mark of Mastery. It is also where friends Terra, Ventus, and Aqua first learn about the Paopu Fruit's legacy. Knowing they will be split up during a great adventure, Aqua distributes tokens to her fellow Keyblade apprentices, stating that they will always be together through them. However, only Aqua and Terra take their exam at the Land of Departure, as Ventus is not ready. During Terra's scenario, he defeats Master Eraqus for trying to kill Ventus. While Eraqus is speaking with Terra, he is killed by Master Xehanort. Xehanort then blasts an orb of darkness into the sky, causing the Land of Departure to become shrouded in darkness and resulting in the destruction of most of the castle.
The Land of Departure's castle is set high up in grassy mountains and is surrounded by flowing water. The building decreases in width as it reaches the ground and has tall spires protruding from the roof. Four golden chains connect the castle to two pairs of twin peaks, one pair in front and the other behind. Down the castle's stairs is the Forecourt, where the world's Moogle Shop can be found for a limited time throughout the story. Leaving the Forecourt leads to the Mountain Path, a tranquil area with several bonsai trees, tiny waterfalls, and lily pad-covered puddles. Going up the hill leads to the Summit, a place Terra, Aqua, and Ventus visit to relax or exercise.
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Three Keyblade wielders
The three Keyblade wielders in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep are Terra, Aqua, and Ventus (commonly known as Ven). The game is a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts, taking place ten years before its events. It serves as the sixth instalment in the Kingdom Hearts series, developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios for the PlayStation Portable.
The game begins in the Land of Departure, where Terra, Aqua, and Ventus train to become Keyblade Masters under Master Eraqus. To achieve this rank, Keyblade Apprentices must take the Mark of Mastery exam once they come of age. Terra and Aqua take the test together, but in the first round, Master Xehanort sabotages the exam, forcing Ventus to intervene. In the second round, Terra and Aqua fight each other, but only Aqua passes the test. Terra is deemed unfit to become a Keyblade Master due to the abundant darkness in his heart.
After the exam, a group of mysterious creatures called the Unversed begin to surface in other worlds, and another Keyblade Master, Xehanort, disappears without a trace. Terra is sent on a mission to destroy the Unversed and find Master Xehanort, who had previously encouraged him to embrace the darkness in his heart if he wanted the strength to become a Keyblade Master.
Each of the three Keyblade wielders has a unique story and role in the game. Terra helps Cinderella get to the ball without being harmed by the Unversed. Ventus helps Jaq and Gus make Cinderella's dress in the wicked stepmother's house, while Aqua helps the prince find Cinderella. The player can choose which of the three scenarios to begin with and can switch to another midway through. Each character's story takes about fifteen hours to complete, making Birth by Sleep the longest game in the series in terms of gameplay hours.
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Master Xehanort
Xehanort is driven by an obsessive interest in the Keyblade War, a cataclysm that produced the universe's present, fragmented state. He is cunning, callous, and pragmatic, with the sole goal of merging with Kingdom Hearts and becoming all-knowing. He is willing to put anything on the line or destroy anything in his way to achieve his goals. Despite his overweening malice, he has shown to have some slight sympathy, as he takes pity on Ventus and leaves him to die a peaceful death on Destiny Islands.
Xehanort is also notable for his lack of arrogance, as he never brags about his skills and accepts the fact that he can be defeated. This contributes to his calm appearance, as he knows that he always has backup plans to turn to.
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Sora and Xehanort's origins
Sora is a name of Japanese origin, meaning "sky". In Japanese, the name is pronounced as SOH-rah, soh-RAH, saw-rah, SORE-uh, or SOR-uh. Sora is also a term used in the context of martial arts, referring to the force of the void that connects to the fundamental creative energy of the world. Fighters who connect to this void can perceive their environment without using their minds or physical senses.
Xehanort, on the other hand, is an elderly Keyblade Master from the Destiny Islands. Xehanort was originally conceived as a villain who would only appear in the video game Kingdom Hearts. However, the character was further explored in Birth by Sleep, where he attempts to use the hearts of his pupils Ventus and Vanitas to forge the χ-blade and unlock Kingdom Hearts. Xehanort's obsession with the Keyblade War, a cataclysmic event in the past, drives him to manipulate events across the Kingdom Hearts series to suit his agenda. He possesses the ability to transplant pieces of his heart into other bodies, which allows him to prolong his life.
In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Xehanort possesses Terra's body and uses it as a vessel for his villainous acts. This possession is hinted at through the casting of Chikao Ōtsuka, the father of Akio Ōtsuka, who voiced Terra-Xehanort and Ansem. Xehanort's true identity is eventually revealed, and he is defeated by Ventus, Terra, and Aqua, causing him to lose his memories.
Sora, as a protagonist, often clashes with Xehanort and his various alter egos, such as Ansem and Xemnas. In Kingdom Hearts III, Sora urges Xehanort to admit defeat as the latter reveals his plan to trigger a purge that will destroy and reset all worlds. Despite their differences, Xehanort and Sora share a connection to Terra, as Xehanort possessed Terra's body in Birth by Sleep, and Terra reminds Xehanort of the presence of Eraqus's heart within him.
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Frequently asked questions
Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the first Kingdom Hearts game, taking place ten years before its events.
Birth by Sleep was released on UMD in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010, and in Europe on September 10, 2010.
Birth by Sleep begins in the Land of Departure, where three Keyblade wielders and close friends—Terra, Aqua, and Ventus—train to become Keyblade Masters.
