In Tetsuya Nomura's latest interview with Dengeki PlayStation, he was asked whether or not the playable demo that was featured at Tokyo Game Show 2016 was essentially the same as the demo that had premiered at E3 2016 a few months prior. The Kingdom Hearts series director answered that the demo had been slightly revised, however, he also confirms that what was seen at TGS is also not representative of the mastered verson of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue.

--The trial version you presented at Tokyo Game Show seemed to basically be the same as what was at [E3 2016], right? Nomura: That's right. It's the version that was revised right after [E3]. The new short cuts functions, etc. from [Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD] are the same thing. The master version is having a lot of things brushed up from the TGS version. The production is continuing according to plan, so soon you'll be able to master-up.

Tetsuya Nomura also goes on to explain that the demo of Birth by Sleep 0.2 doesn't necessarily capture the entire experience either, saying that some of the footage shown in the latest trailer happens just ahead on the map past where the demo ends with different features.

--The exploration and battles in the latest PV, are those the developments that came after crossing the bridge in the TGS trial play? Nomura: Yes. Like what you were able to play in the trial, there is a map waiting up ahead with more added to it. The Osaka production team cleverly placed it as an object, and they're good at making maps with areas outside one's exploration.

When asked about the ties between how playing Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue feels in terms of similarity to Kingdom Hearts III, Nomura explains that there's definitely a core of things that are similar but there are also things that can only be experienced when playing as Sora, such as being given the opportunity to change your Keyblade and have the game play change based upon that.

--We got a taste of the evolution of action on the PS4 with [KH0.2] at TGS, but will [KHIII] see an even deeper improvement of action from there? Nomura: That's what will happen. Since there is an overwhelmingly large amount of things one can do while playing as Sora in [KHIII] timewise, compared to playing as Aqua. Aqua cannot change her keyblade as the story progresses, but Sora can, and that will in result change the action.

All interview excerpts were translated by Catherine Mueller (nichiei.translations@gmail.com).

What are the changes you hope to see in the final mastered version of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue? Let us know in the comments!