Kubo: A Journey Unbounded

Kubo: A Journey UnboundedJapanese: 久保 限りなき旅, Hepburn: Kubo Kagiri Naki Tabi is a 2017 action-adventure video game based on the 2016 animated film Kubo and the Two Strings by Laika. It was developed and published by FromSoftware in Japan and Square Enix worldwide. Serving as a sequel to the film, the game follows Kubo, who races to find the true culprit after his village is attacked by an unknown entity. Meanwhile, he is pursued by a distant village's samurai force, who wrongly accuse him of an attack he didn't commit. The player can use Kubo's sword to attack enemies from close-up, and his bow for far-distance enemies.
A sequel for Kubo and the Two Strings was announced during E3 2017. Despite one of Laika's policies being no sequels to their film catalog, numerous sources confirmed that a new installment based on Kubo was in development, but was not being written as a feature-length film. FromSoftware was in talks with Laika to produce the game, while the latter would assist in the art design.
Kubo: A Journey Unbounded was released on November 10, 2017 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, while the Nintendo Switch port was released on July 12, 2019. Upon release, the game received favorable reviews, with praise for its artistic design, original score, and atmosphere, though its gameplay and story received mixed reception.
==Gameplay==
Kubo: A Journey Unbounded is played from a third-person perspective. Taking place in feudal Japan, the player assumes the role of Kubo, a 13-year-old (previously 12) boy with a single eye. In combat, the player can use Kubo's sword for close-range strikes and a bow for distant attacks. Players can equip pieces of armor for increased defense in a menu known as the "inventory menu", such as the "Breastplate Impenetrable" and the "Helmet Invulnerable" from the film, along with various new armor. A map is also displayed in the inventory menu to help guide the player to their objectives. 
The player can also use Kubo's shamisen in certain situations, such as combat, to create origami for assistance. This is filled up when the player has landed enough hits to an enemy, to which they will be notified of being able to use the shamisen.
In numerous cutscenes, players can choose dialogue options from branching trees that appear throughout the game. Additionally, players may encounter quick-time events (QTEs), mainly during chase scenes and boss battles. Failing to take any action during these events may lead to an alternative scene or game over; in the latter case, the game resets from the last checkpoint.
==Plot==
A year following his battle with the Moon KingAs depicted in Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), Kubo (Art Parkinson) resides in Sun Village, where he has built a strong reputation. He cares for Raiden (Ralph Fiennes), his grandfather once known as the Moon King but now afflicted with amnesia. After completing training at a newly constructed shrine, Kubo is startled by a fox causing chaos in the village. He tries to capture the fox, which mysteriously transforms into a raven and escapes. Concerned about the potential danger it poses, Kubo pledges to find and defeat the creature. Though villagers are uneasy about him embarking on this quest alone, they ultimately agree to let Kubo pursue the creature on his own, unwilling to risk further trouble in the village.
After traveling nearly a day, Kubo notices a small village nestled near the mountains. Despite its worn appearance, he decides to stop and restock his supplies. However, upon his arrival, the villagers panic and samurai swiftly capture Kubo. He is interrogated by Hans, the shogun leader (Hiroyuki Sanada), who accuses Kubo of a recent incident: supposedly setting fire to several huts in the village just hours before. Kubo is bewildered by the accusation, but Hans remains unconvinced of his innocence. Consequently, Kubo is confined to a prison until his supposed wrongdoing can be rectified.
While incarcerated, Kubo encounters three fellow inmates: Minato (Rick Yune), Yuto (Andrew Koji), and Emi (Kimiko Glenn). They share stories of being unjustly imprisoned, along with several others. Kubo concludes that someone or something is orchestrating false accusations against innocent people. Determined to uncover the truth, Kubo proposes an escape plan from the prison. The attempt succeeds, but during the chaos of the breakout, Kubo becomes separated from Minato, Yuto, and Emi as the guards find out about their fleeing and capture the latter three. Now a fugitive, Kubo continues his journey, aware that he must maintain a low profile to evade capture.
Upon reaching the mountains, Kubo encounters another fox, mistaking it for the one from the village and attempting to attack it, only for the fox to escape once more. Kubo follows its trail to a large body of water, where he spots an island in the distance. Using his shamisen, he crafts a makeshift boat from leaves and sails to the island. Upon arrival, he discovers a cave emitting a mysterious green glow, which he suspects to be a hideout.
Inside the cave, Kubo stumbles upon a gathering of shapeshifting creatures known as "obake." While trying to sneak past them, Kubo is captured by one of the obake and forced into a confrontation. Overwhelmed by their numbers, Kubo demands to know their motives. Kōji (Troy Baker), the obake's leader, explains that they resent being overshadowed and dominated by other creatures, particularly humans. Seeking to reclaim their supremacy, the obake have united to exact revenge, even if it means endangering entire species.
With Kubo now in their custody, Kōji decides to execute him by throwing him off a cliff into the ocean. The plan is carried out, and Kubo loses consciousness upon impact with the water.
Later, Kubo awakens in a modest wooden hut, miraculously saved by an unknown benefactor. As he explores his surroundings, he hears the creak of a door opening—it's Minato, Yuto, and Emi. Emi explains that they escaped via a hidden underground tunnel. They later found Kubo washed ashore and brought him to their hideout, the very hut they now occupy.
Suddenly, the tranquility is shattered as several samurai storm the hut, seizing Kubo, Minato, Yuto, and Emi, binding them tightly. Hans approaches with a satisfied smirk, declaring they've captured the "criminals" responsible for the previous night's escape. Kubo pleads their innocence, but Hans remains unconvinced.
In a daring move, Kubo creates a diversion, freeing himself along with Minato, Yuto, and Emi. They flee, pursued by the samurai in a frantic chase. Despite their efforts, they are eventually caught in the midst of the pursuit.
As they journey back to the prison in a horse-drawn cart, Kubo observes strange occurrences among the forest animals, sensing an ominous presence. Suddenly, an unknown bird startles the horses, causing them to veer dangerously close to a cliff edge. Everyone manages to escape unharmed as the cart plunges into the ravine below. Kubo suspects the obake are not far away and are planning to unleash chaos in nearby villages.
Despite Hans's initial skepticism of Kubo's warnings, he acknowledges Kubo's intellect and decides to heed his advice. They hasten back to the village with little time to spare. As preparations for defense against the impending attack begin, some villagers start behaving strangely. Kubo realizes that Kōji and his obake have been monitoring their movements and have already infiltrated the village ahead of them.
The battle for control of the village erupts as the obake clash with the samurai forces and Minato, Yuto, and Emi. Meanwhile, Kubo resolves to confront Kōji alone, who has taken command of the village from its temple shrine. Fighting through numerous obake guarding the shrine, Kubo eventually reaches Kōji.
In their showdown, Kōji unleashes his full power to eliminate Kubo, but Kubo skillfully dodges every attack and counterattacks, eventually overpowering Kōji. As Kōji collapses, drained of his strength and confronted with the consequences of his actions, he resigns himself to his fate, expecting Kubo to end his life. However, Kubo, moved by compassion, decides against killing Kōji and instead offers him a chance at redemption.
This pivotal moment leads to a choice between two possible endings, reflecting Kubo's compassion and belief in redemption amidst the turmoil and conflict that has engulfed the village. 
* If the player chooses to spare Kōji, Kubo extends forgiveness and a second chance to him, believing in the potential for Kōji to use his powers for the benefit of humanity. Kōji accepts Kubo's offer, and together with his obake, they commit to undoing the harm they've caused, not only in the village but in every place they have influenced. This act marks a significant step towards redemption and reconciliation, highlighting Kubo's belief in the transformative power of forgiveness and compassion.
*If the player chooses to kill Kōji, Kubo reluctantly uses his Sword Unbreakable to fulfill the act, ending Kōji's life as he wished. Despite the resolution, Kubo is burdened with guilt, knowing that the tragic outcome could have been prevented. This decision weighs heavily on Kubo, highlighting the moral complexity and consequences of his actions in a moment of profound regret.
With the obake threat resolved and his innocence officially recognized by Hans and the samurai, Kubo returns to Sun Village accompanied by Kōji, Minato, Yuto, and Emi. The villagers warmly embrace the newcomers, marking a fresh start for all. As Kubo settles back into village life with his newfound friends, he finally feels a sense of peace and relaxation, relieved that the turmoil has ended, at least for the time being.
==Voice cast==
*Art Parkinson as Kubo
*Troy Baker as Kōji
*Hiroyuki Sanada as Hans
*Rick Yune as Minato
*Andrew Koji as Yuto
*Kimiko Glenn as Emi
*Ralph Fiennes as Raiden
*Brenda Vaccaro as Kameyo
*George Takei as Hosato
*Togo Igawa as Sensei Majuto
==Development==
Long before the release of Kubo and the Two Strings, ideas for a possible new installment for the film were being considered. Although Laika does not produce film sequels, the new installment was to be explored in a different medium, such as a video game. In March 2015, Japanese video game developer FromSoftware approached Laika for permission of any of their film catalog being adapted into a video game. Laika suggested Kubo and the Two Strings to be adapted into a game, with the amount of potential the film's expansion had at the time.
On July 25, 2015, it was announced that FromSoftware and Laika were collaborating to produce an untitled action-adventure title. Though no other details were avaliable at the time, fans speculated that the game would be based on one of Laika's properties.
Originally, the game was planned to only be for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows, but a decision was made to release it for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.
== Release ==
Kubo: A Journey Unbounded was announced at E3 2017 in June. The reveal trailer for the game was shown at the convention, and was to be released by Square Enix on November 10, 2017. A demo of the game was released on October 13 of the same year. A collector's edition titled the "Rōnin Edition" was released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One formats on August 21, 2018, which contains the game itself in a steelbook case, an artbook, the original score, and a vinyl doll of Kubo made exclusively for the game. The Rōnin Edition also contains an exclusive armor and sword titled the "Legacy Chestplate" and "Legacy Sword", respectively. These can be purchased on regular editions of the game as downloadable content. Another DLC pack released was "Laika Heroes", which included outfits worn by past Laika characters, including: the title characters from Coraline and ParaNorman and Eggs from The Boxtrolls.
==Reception==
Kubo: A Journey Unbounded received "generally favorable reviews" from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic. The PC version received an 80/100, while the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions received their respective scores of 81 and 79.
Aggregate score
Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	(PC) 80(XONE) 81(PS4) 79
==Achievements==
Main article: Kubo: A Journey Unbounded/Achievements
==Trivia ==
* This is the last game from Square Enix and FromSoftware to be released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
* This is the first game to be based on a Laika IP since Coraline (2009).
** In addition, this is the third game by FromSoftware to be based on an existing IP, the first being Monster Hunter Diary (2010) and the second being Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (2012).
* Although negotiations between FromSoftware and Laika began in Q1 of 2015, development of the game began in Q3.
==Notes==
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