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 practical human metropolis invaded by Heartless. Naturally, the video raised numerous questions, however it 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 Sport Informer workplace, couldn’t assist however share our private hopes and desires for the following recreation. Tell us what you consider our wishlists, and remember to 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 Ultimate Fantasy Versus XIII Frankenstein monster by means of Kingdom Hearts.
Nomura’s canceled Versus XIII recreation is well-known, and in the event you’ve performed Kingdom Hearts III, you understand how 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 form of dedication. That he’s seemingly going to make it occur by way 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 not directly, 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 means 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 reality, a Kingdom Hearts fan. Not a diehard, however I’ve completed and loved almost each recreation to some extent. That stated, what I would like greater than any film illustration, fight mechanic, or zipper-laden outfit is an enchancment on the series’ 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 at all times 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, however it 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 swimsuit 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 must 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 more likely to occur as Sora serving to Maggie the cow in a House 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 had been:
1. The place is Sora? Is he useless, 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 develop into a Keyblade Grasp like his greatest pal Riku, and can he be taught to wield the Energy of Waking?
My second hope is that Kingdom Hearts IV sheds some mild on lots 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 motion pictures, Frozen II, Wreck-It Ralph, Moana, Inside Out – there are such a lot of to select from! I additionally hope they’ll embrace a few of the musical parts of those motion pictures. I liked with the ability to sing alongside in the course of the Frozen world in Kingdom Hearts III, and I used to be a fan of the rhythm recreation within the Little Mermaid world from Kingdom Hearts II.
My closing want is for the flexibility to swap between foremost characters once more, like in Start by Sleep. It was so enjoyable to expertise the primary story from three completely different factors of view and use characters with completely different preventing kinds. I'd like to expertise Kingdom Hearts IV from the lens of Kairi, Sora, and Riku as they discover their means again to one another.
John Carson
It’s onerous to inform the place Kingdom Hearts ought to go nowadays, particularly with KH4 leaning into realism in its first trailer. Clearly, the Lucasfilm and Marvel universes are simple to see as the following potential worlds to discover. Throw Sora on a treasure hunt with Indiana Jones, and have him journey the celebrities 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 Ultimate Fantasy characters and worlds!
I haven’t performed something previous Kingdom Hearts II, however I'm conscious that current Ultimate Fantasy characters all however disappeared in KH III, regardless of elements of what was Ultimate Fantasy Versus XIII/Ultimate Fantasy XV bleeding into the series. Let Donald, Goofy, and Sora discover Ivalice, Midgar, Balamb Backyard, or Eorzea with characters from these video games. In fact, Disney is the large identify connected to promote copies of the sport, however nowadays I’d somewhat see FFXII's Balthier present up than the solid of Luca or Encanto to vary issues up a bit and return to the series’ roots. Aside 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 style.
Kim Wallace
Kingdom Hearts IV shifting the series’ right into a real-world panorama tremendously opens up the chances of what might be performed, and in flip, what I would like within the subsequent recreation. Issues I by no means felt had been potential for the series all of the sudden appear to be they only is perhaps. I’m excited to discover Quadratum and see how a lot inspiration it takes from Tokyo and its landmarks. The practical setting and graphics would additionally lend themselves properly to Disney’s Marvel and Star Warfare 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 would make Disney bend extra, however as we heard from director Tetsuya Nomura, Disney’s approval course of might be difficult and complex. BUT PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN. That being stated, I hope the animated worlds nonetheless have an enormous place in IV. If we’re going for my world wishlist: Turning Crimson, Encanto, Moana, and Coco rank the best.
I additionally wish to see Ultimate Fantasy characters introduced again in some significant means for IV. Sora virtually seems like he’s straight out of the Ultimate Fantasy series now (twinning with Squall), it’s solely becoming. On the subject of gameplay, give me these tremendous bosses and intense fights the sooner entries had been identified for, however add in additional verticality and choices for destruction. The trailer confirmed it was going on this path, which makes me joyful, particularly with Sora now having a grappling hook and sliding by way of buildings. I liked Flowmotion from Dream Drop Distance, and I received 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 maintain my story desires temporary. Whereas Kingdom Hearts III supplied some conclusions, it additionally left so much on the desk, and lots of characters nonetheless want their second within the solar (Lea and Kairi, cough cough). I additionally really feel like IV’s extra practical bent is the chance for the story to be darker and go deeper into its themes of loss and friendship, and possibly even lastly assist us let go of Sora. I really like Sora, however it’s time for somebody new to take the mantle and the series to develop past him. If something is evident, it’s you could’t actually put your finger on the place Kingdom Hearts will go subsequent, as Nomura has confirmed he’s filled with surprises irrespective of what number of cryptic clues he leaves for us. That is the most important shift we’ve seen within the series, and I don’t thoughts that being embraced as a result of it could possibly be a unbelievable rebirth for a brand new era that takes issues to an thrilling new stage.
For extra on Kingdom Hearts IV, remember to 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 recreation, Lacking-Hyperlink.
