History YMMV / KingdomHeartsMelodyOfMemory

--> Yen Sid: That is an excellent idea. I approve.

-->'''Kairi:''' (Sadly) I ''want'' to go with you. But...I know that I can't.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Kairi, despite being given ADayInTheLimelight, is underwhelming to some who were hoping to see her shine in battle after showing off her fighting skills in ''Re Mind''. [[spoiler:She is used for a few select levels, but doesn't even get to fight the final boss, with that honor being given to Sora instead. In the end, rather than brave the new world to find Sora by Riku's side, she goes back into Keyblade training (albeit under Aqua's tutelage this time). Of course, this is justified by the fact that despite [[TookALevelInBadass the strides she's made in combat]], [[RealityEnsues she's still a rookie]].]]

* MemeticMutation: Ya like Jazz? [[labelnote:Explanation]]The ''Melody of Memory'' rendition of Dearly Beloved sounds definitely Jazz inspired, leading to people pouting up the much more popular 'Ya Like Jazz?' meme from the infamous ''WesternAnimation/BeeMovie''.[[/labelnote]]

* ThatOneLevel: Any of the Level 15 songs can be considerably challenging in regards to the rest of the game's difficulty. Unsuspecting players who hop onto Online VS. Battle and fight a player on Proud difficulty might find themselves being slaughtered when the opponent picks "Vector to the Heavens" or "Wave of Darkness I" and wins the coin flip.

** [[spoiler:Kairi arrives in the Final World, and we get the world's logo sequence. However, while the original was mysterious but peaceful, this game's logo sequence is ominous and unnerving with a darker theme playing. The emphasis on "final" in the world's name was already chilling, but the fact that Kairi is searching for Sora makes this even more so.]]

* CatharsisFactor: You can play as [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 "Team Days"]] in almost any stage, and around mid-game is a boss against Xemnas. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbzi2LgTpOg What must be done is both clear and immensely satisfying.]]

** Kairi wants to go [[spoiler:with Riku to Quadratum to look for Sora, but is told that she can't come as she isn't strong enough yet.]] Out of everyone, Kairi has been the one of [[spoiler:the most desperate of the bunch to find Sora again and the fact that she can't do anything is obviously frustrating to her.]]

** Kairi wants to go [[spoiler:with Riku to Quadratum to look for Sora, but is told that she can't come as she isn't strong enough yet.]] Out of everyone, Kairi has been the one of [[spoiler:the most desprate of the bunch to find Sora again and the fact that she can't do anything is obviously frustrating to her.]]

* DifficultySpike: The FinalBoss fight against [[spoiler:Master Xehanort, "Dark Domination"]], stands out for being noticeably more difficult than the vast majority of the songs in the rest of the game. Proud Mode especially so, as the game ''hammers'' you with never-before-seen patterns and mix-ups that can throw you for a loop. It's also the only song in World Tour where you're not allowed to use items, so Potions can't save you in a pinch.]]

* DifficultySpike: [[spoiler:The FinalBoss fight against Master Xehanort, "Dark Domination", stands out for being noticeably more difficult than the vast majority of the songs in the rest of the game. Proud Mode especially so, as the game ''hammers'' you with never-before-seen patterns and mix-ups that can throw you for a loop. It's also the only song in World Tour where you're not allowed to use items, so Potions can't save you in a pinch.]]

** More a case of "Unexpected Song", but very few people expected the actual in-movie versions of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} A Whole New World]]'', and ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Circle of Life]]'' in the track list. Only the former was heard re-arranged in ''Kingdom Hearts II'', while the other two have never appeared in any form in a ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, despite their respective films appearing.

* EndingAversion: Some players were not particularly enthused about [[spoiler:Kairi still being unable to hold her own in a fight and needing Sora to come to her aid yet again, although it's at least against one of the most powerful Keyblade wielders in existence. There's also the fact that Riku stops her from going to Quadratum due to lacking the power of waking and she decides to stay behind to train, with fans dreading another ''Kingdom Hearts III'' scenario where she suffers from severe CantCatchUp and is almost permanently sidelined because of it.]]

* UnderusedGameMechanic: Despite the inclusion of multiple unique boss themes, the game only features four actual boss fights. Many players were left wondering why memorable bosses like Sephiroth or Roxas didn't make it even though their songs are available as Field Tracks.

* AnnoyingVideoGameHelper: Chirithy in the online multiplayer mode. Doesn’t help that he lets the player know when they’re ahead or falling behind even if it’s a small percentage.
-->"You’re falling behind!"
-->"You pulled ahead!"
-->"Incoming triiiiick!"
-->"Trick activated!"
* AuthorsSavingThrow: While the {{compilation rerelease}}s of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series have helped make the series easier to hop into, the series' convoluted story is still one of the biggest barriers of entry. ''Melody of Memory''[='=]s story mode up until its final song acts as a RecapEpisode for every previous game, leaving out the unnecessary details that make the story hard to follow. Everything that's happened so far is relayed in bite-sized cutscenes, which total just under 30 minutes in combined length, with the post-''Re:MIND'' content extending it to just under 50. This benefits newcomers playing on the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, as no previous ''Kingdom Hearts'' games have been released on the Switch.

** End of the World returns and is just as eerie as it was in the first game.
** After the World Tour is complete, the ending, “Melody of Memory’s End”, asks the player if they’re sure they want to proceed since they can’t save until they complete the game. After how lighthearted the World Tour has been, this sudden warning is rather ominous.
** [[spoiler:Kairi arrives in The Final World, and we then get the world’s logo sequence. However, while the original was mysterious but peaceful, this game’s logo sequence is ominous and unnerving with a darker theme playing. The emphasis on “final” in the world’s name was already chilling, but the fact that Kairi is searching for Sora who has all but died makes this even more so.]]
** The flashback to when Kairi was abducted as a little girl. After being cornered by the Heartless at the gate to the castle, [[spoiler:Xehanort calmly appears in front of her, casually reaching out to take her. His apathy towards the danger he is likely putting the little girl in during the following cutscene is just as frightening. And just to top it off, it’s revealed Kairi was placed in one of the pods in the Ark, better known as the room in End of the World where you received the ominous prophecy about the closing of Kingdom Hearts.]]
** Kairi is confronted by the hooded figure... [[spoiler:who reveals himself to be a ghost of Master Xehanort, who coldly taunts Kairi for failing to find answers and about Sora’s disappearance.]]

** While the game presented Kairi as the main character, the rhythm game style (see above) and the heavy focus on Sora turned off many fans at first, because they were still sore of [[DamselScrappy her treatment]] in ''Kingdom Hearts III'', prior to ''Re:Mind''[='=]s [[TookALevelInBadass turnabout portrayal]] of her.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Similarly, of all the characters to be left out in this game, we don't even get a single appearance of Demyx, not even a cameo.
** Kairi, despite being given ADayInTheLimelight, is underwhelming to some who were hoping to see her shine in battle after showing off her fighting skills in Re:Mind. [[spoiler:She is used for a few select levels, but doesn’t even get to fight the final boss. That honor is instead given to Sora. She doesn’t even get to go with Riku to rescue Sora despite proving that she is more than capable of fighting.]] Of course, this is justified in the fact that even after all she did, [[RealityEnsues she's still a rookie]].
*** It also probably didn't do her any favours that the way in which she helps finding Sora is by [[spoiler:sleeping for a full year while Ienzo, Even and Ansem prod her dreams and memories,]] making her almost entirely passive.

** More a case of "Unexpected Song," but very few people expected the actual in-movie versions of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} A Whole New World]]'', and ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Circle of Life]]'' in the track list. Only the former was heard re-arranged in ''Kingdom Hearts II'', while the other two have never appeared in any form in a ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, despite their respective films appearing.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: While the {{compilation rerelease}}s of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series have helped make the series easier to hop into, the series' convoluted story is still one of the biggest barriers of entry. ''Melody of Memory''[='=]s story mode up until its final song acts as a RecapEpisode for every previous game, leaving out the unnecessary details that make the story hard to follow. Everything that's happened so far is relayed in bite-sized cutscenes, which total just under 30 minutes in combined length, with the post-''Re MIND'' content extending it to just under 50. And just as well for UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch-only players, as no previous ''Kingdom Hearts'' game was released (nor are they being planned to release) on the Switch.

** Kairi, despite being given ADayInTheLimelight, is underwhelming to some who were hoping to see her shine in battle after showing off her fighting skills in Re:Mind. [[spoiler:She is used for a few select levels, but doesn’t even get to fight the final boss. That honor is instead given to Sora. She doesn’t even get to go with Riku to rescue Sora despite proving that she is more than capable of fighting.]]

-->"You’re in the lead!"

-->"Two tricks ahead!"

* UnexpectedCharacter: More a case of "Unexpected Song," but very few people expected the actual in-movie versions of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} A Whole New World]]'', and ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Circle of Life]]'' in the track list. Only the former was heard re-arranged in ''Kingdom Hearts II'', while the other two have never appeared in any form in a ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, despite their respective films appearing.

* UnexpectedCharacter: More a case of "Unexpected Song," but very few people expected the actual in-movie versions of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} A Whole New World]]'', and ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Circle of Life]]'' in the track list. Only the former was heard re-arranged in Kingdom Hearts II, while the other two have never appeared in any form in a ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, despite their respective films appearing.

* UnexpectedCharacter: More a case of "Unexpected Song," but very few people expected ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} A Whole New World]]'', and ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Circle of Life]]'' in the track list, since none of them have ever appeared in a ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, despite their respective films appearing.

* UnexpectedCharacter: More a case of "Unexpected Song," but very few people expected ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} A Whole New World]]'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Circle of Life]]'' in the track list, since none of them have ever appeared in a ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, despite their respective films appearing.

* DisappointingLastLevel: Not the actual last level, but the last segment of World Tour, ''Kingdom Hearts III''. Despite the game having a ton of original music and several new worlds, ''III'' is among the shortest sections of the game, with only seven songs, six of which are Memory Dives. The only sections that are shorter are ''Chain of Memories'', ''Days'', ''Re:coded'', and ''0.2'', all of which feature comparatively little original music on their own. This can be explained away as ''III''[='=]s Unreal Engine 4 graphical assets being hard to demake into a UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 style, and the development of both games being in tandem leading to a lack of music (as stated in interviews) but it's still a bit of a letdown to some.