To the delight of many a fan, Sq. Enix introduced Kingdom Hearts IV yesterday. The tantalizing cinematic trailer confirmed off a extra mature-looking Sora exploring a sensible human metropolis invaded by Heartless. Naturally, the video raised numerous questions, but it surely additionally led us to gush in regards to the issues we wish to see within the hotly-anticipated sequel.
That’s why we, the Kingdom Hearts followers within the Recreation Informer workplace, couldn’t assist however share our private hopes and goals for the following sport. Tell us what you consider our wishlists, and you should definitely share your individual wishes and expectations down within the feedback!
Wesley LeBlanc
There are two issues I would like most out of Kingdom Hearts IV: A brand new Pirates of the Caribbean world that builds off of the muse of Kingdom Hearts III’s iteration, and a full (Dream Drop) dive into Quadratum, the world of Verum Rex, and finally, Nomura’s Last Fantasy Versus XIII Frankenstein monster by the use of Kingdom Hearts.
Nomura’s canceled Versus XIII sport is well-known, and should you’ve performed Kingdom Hearts III, you know the way a lot of Versus XIII exists in its in-universe Verum Rex online game. Nomura is making this misplaced challenge a technique or one other, and I respect that type of dedication. That he’s seemingly going to make it occur by means of Kingdom Hearts is probably the most Nomura factor ever. Kingdom Hearts III gave us a style of what that appears like, however I hope that ultimately, form, or type, Kingdom Hearts IV options much more of Nomura’s Versus XIII in it.
Oh, and I hope we get a Star Wars world in Kingdom Hearts IV. And whereas we’re at it, let’s get some Marvel Cinematic Universe love in there, too, if solely to see Nomura recreate the well-known Avengers: Endgame portal scene in such a method that we see Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Mickey emerge alongside the likes of Spider-Man and Black Panther.
Marcus Stewart
I’ll preface my upcoming rant by disclosing that I’m, in actual fact, a Kingdom Hearts fan. Not a diehard, however I’ve completed and loved practically each sport to some extent. That mentioned, what I would like greater than any film illustration, fight mechanic, or zipper-laden outfit is an enchancment on the collection’ atrocious writing. I’m not speaking about its overly sophisticated narrative. That ship has already sailed (principally over my head). I imply the precise spoken dialogue.
Taking part in Kingdom Hearts III made me notice that I’ve outgrown the franchise’s tacky, hamfisted conversations. The dialogue in these video games has all the time been unnaturally stilted, riddled with awkward mid-sentence pauses and uncomfortable silences earlier than somebody speaks up once more. I put up with it within the 2000s/2010s, but it surely drove me up a wall in KH III, robbing many emotional moments of their gravitas.
Since we’re apparently journeying to the “actual” world in KH IV, comply with go well with by making Sora and Co. converse and emote nearer to precise people and never like unintentional parodies of unhealthy anime tropes. The writing doesn’t should be Naughty Canine ranges of excellence (be at liberty to shock me) and I do not thoughts it fooling around. The dialogue simply must be higher. I really feel like my want is about as prone to occur as Sora serving to Maggie the cow in a Dwelling on the Vary world, however a person can dream.
Oh, and might we FINALLY get a world primarily based on A Goofy Film, full with a playable rendition of “Eye to Eye”? Fairly please, Sq.?
Mónica Rexach Ortiz
I hope Kingdom Hearts IV will assist us perceive the place Sora is. In Kingdom Hearts III, we see Sora save and change locations with Kairi after Xehanort sends her coronary heart to nothingness. The largest questions for me after that ending have been:
1. The place is Sora? Is he lifeless, misplaced, or is he forgotten?
2. What does it imply to die in Kingdom Hearts? Is that this the place Xion landed when she was forgotten?
3. And, most significantly, will Sora ever grow to be a Keyblade Grasp like his greatest pal Riku, and can he study to wield the Energy of Waking?
My second hope is that Kingdom Hearts IV sheds some gentle on most of the main plot factors left unanswered within the earlier video games.
I’d additionally prefer to see new and thrilling Disney worlds with enjoyable mechanics! I would like worlds primarily based on Coco, Star Wars, Encanto, Marvel films, Frozen II, Wreck-It Ralph, Moana, Inside Out – there are such a lot of to select from! I additionally hope they’ll embody among the musical parts of those films. I beloved with the ability to sing alongside through the Frozen world in Kingdom Hearts III, and I used to be a fan of the rhythm sport within the Little Mermaid world from Kingdom Hearts II.
My remaining want is for the flexibility to swap between principal characters once more, like in Start by Sleep. It was so enjoyable to expertise the principle story from three totally different factors of view and use characters with totally different preventing kinds. I might like to expertise Kingdom Hearts IV from the lens of Kairi, Sora, and Riku as they discover their method again to one another.
John Carson
It’s exhausting to inform the place Kingdom Hearts ought to go today, particularly with KH4 leaning into realism in its first trailer. Clearly, the Lucasfilm and Marvel universes are straightforward to see as the following potential worlds to discover. Throw Sora on a treasure hunt with Indiana Jones, and have him journey the celebs with the Guardians of the Galaxy in a gummi ship. Each can be viable and entertaining, however I’d like KH4 to lean into the opposite half of what made Kingdom Hearts particular to me within the first place. Give me extra Last Fantasy characters and worlds!
I haven’t performed something previous Kingdom Hearts II, however I’m conscious that present Last Fantasy characters all however disappeared in KH III, regardless of points of what was Last Fantasy Versus XIII/Last Fantasy XV bleeding into the collection. Let Donald, Goofy, and Sora discover Ivalice, Midgar, Balamb Backyard, or Eorzea with characters from these video games. After all, Disney is the large identify connected to promote copies of the sport, however today I’d fairly see FFXII’s Balthier present up than the forged of Luca or Encanto to vary issues up a bit and return to the collection’ roots. Apart from that, I hope Nomura lastly will get to make the Versus XIII he’s been itching to get out of his system for greater than a decade. It’s clear he can’t transfer on from these concepts till they’ve come to fruition in some type or vogue.
Kim Wallace
Kingdom Hearts IV shifting the collection’ right into a real-world panorama vastly opens up the probabilities of what could be finished, and in flip, what I would like within the subsequent sport. Issues I by no means felt have been doable for the collection out of the blue look like they only could be. I’m excited to discover Quadratum and see how a lot inspiration it takes from Tokyo and its landmarks. The lifelike setting and graphics would additionally lend themselves properly to Disney’s Marvel and Star Conflict properties. Sadly, whether or not we see Marvel or Star Wars worlds/characters actually comes all the way down to Disney. Kingdom Hearts III was financially profitable, so it’d make Disney bend extra, however as we heard from director Tetsuya Nomura, Disney’s approval course of could be difficult and sophisticated. BUT PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN. That being mentioned, I hope the animated worlds nonetheless have a giant place in IV. If we’re going for my world wishlist: Turning Pink, Encanto, Moana, and Coco rank the best.
I additionally wish to see Last Fantasy characters introduced again in some significant method for IV. Sora virtually appears to be like like he’s straight out of the Last Fantasy collection now (twinning with Squall), it’s solely becoming. On the subject of gameplay, give me these tremendous bosses and intense fights the sooner entries have been identified for, however add in additional verticality and choices for destruction. The trailer confirmed it was going on this path, which makes me comfortable, particularly with Sora now having a grappling hook and sliding by means of buildings. I beloved Flowmotion from Dream Drop Distance, and I acquired vibes of that when watching IV’s reveal, particularly as Sora swung on the utility pole and launched himself within the air, so I hope IV feels extra like an upgraded model of that.
As to not spoil something, I’ll preserve my story desires transient. Whereas Kingdom Hearts III supplied some conclusions, it additionally left so much on the desk, and plenty of characters nonetheless want their second within the solar (Lea and Kairi, cough cough). I additionally really feel like IV’s extra lifelike bent is the chance for the story to be darker and go deeper into its themes of loss and friendship, and perhaps even lastly assist us let go of Sora. I really like Sora, but it surely’s time for somebody new to take the mantle and the collection to develop past him. If something is obvious, it’s that you may’t actually put your finger on the place Kingdom Hearts will go subsequent, as Nomura has confirmed he’s filled with surprises regardless of what number of cryptic clues he leaves for us. That is the largest shift we’ve seen within the collection, and I don’t thoughts that being embraced as a result of it might be a implausible rebirth for a brand new technology that takes issues to an thrilling new degree.
For extra on Kingdom Hearts IV, you should definitely examine the way it’s being developed utilizing Unreal Engine 5, hypothesis of Star Wars’ Endor showing within the trailer, and the announcement of a brand new KH cell sport, Lacking-Hyperlink.
