Summary
Kingdom Hearts 4will mark the beginning of the Lost Master Arc, the first big narrative switch-up the series has seen. Series protagonist Sora will be stuck in the alternate reality known as Quadratum, encountering familiar friends and enemies alongside a host of new ones as he searches for a way back home. Right now,Kingdom Hearts 4is full of possibilities, enough that fans are hyped even with little more than its teaser trailer available.
Newness is a big part ofKingdom Hearts 4’s appeal, but so is the chance for fans to immerse themselves in the familiar comforts ofKingdom Heartsonce again. Despite being one of Square Enix’s younger long-running game franchises, with the originalKingdom Heartsbeing one of the PS2’s highlights,KH’s recurring characters, mechanics, and even writing quirks have become widely known. Because of how muchroomKingdom Hearts 4has to change things, some series traditions are best left untouched.
Kingdom Hearts’ Obsession With Hearts, Light, and Darkness
Most fans are well-acquainted withKingdom Hearts’ affinity for certain proper nouns. Concepts like hearts, light, and darkness, and how they factor into the relationships between people, come up time and time again. It wears thin sometimes, but with a Keyblade-wielding Sora leaping into battle with the latest Darkside equivalent inKingdom Hearts 4’s teaser, fans can rest assured that the series’ charming mannerisms are likely intact.
Summons and Party Members Are Important
Speaking of relationships inKingdom Hearts,Kingdom Hearts 4should keep party membersand summoned allies around. With Sora separated from Donald and Goofy, a new party will likely form inKH4. Summons and D-Links are more in question due to their typical slot onKH4’s menu HUD being replaced by an unknown “Build” command. Even so, with the story and gameplay benefits offered by both a party and summons,Kingdom Hearts 4would be remiss to lose either of them.
Building and Piloting the Gummi Ship
Compared to its occupants, the Gummi Ship tends not to be so popular. Still, the open-ended building process makes the Gummi Ship a potential time sink that greatly rewards players invested in it.Gummi Ship sections in differentKingdom Heartstitleshave also shown improvements with each major shift in gameplay, soKingdom Hearts 4could work wonders with its own take on the Gummi Ship.
Visiting Disney Worlds Is An Integral Part of Kingdom Hearts
Of course, it wouldn’t be Kingdom Hearts without various Disney worlds. The only world shown forKingdom Hearts 4so far has been the Shibuya-like city of Quadratum, but other worlds could range from newer 3D Disney films likeRaya and the Last DragonandWish, to worlds expanding into other Disney-owned properties like Marvel Comics andStar Wars. Wherever the series goes,crossovers should remain at the core ofKingdom Hearts.
Square Enix’s Influence Must Also Be Felt
Kingdom Heartsisn’t complete without both Disney and Square Enix, so the game developer’s properties can’t be left out. Moogle shopkeepers have becomeKingdom Heartsicons, though whether they remain inKingdom Hearts 4’s different reality is up in the air. Fortunately, that new reality also opens the door to not justThe World Ends With You’s return, but exploring other unrepresented Square Enix franchises likeDragon Quest,Chrono Trigger, and evenParasite Eve.
An Ensemble Cast of Villains
One finalKingdom Heartsstaple that may fly under the radar nowadays is its shadowy councils of antagonists. Present since the firstKingdom Heartsas a collection of Disney villains, subsequent evil groups have included Organization 13, the True Organization 13, and potentially the Master of Masters and Foretellers in the Lost Master Arc. With the villains’ signature black coats already present in theKingdom Hearts 4debut trailer, it seems the series’ tradition of sinister onlookers and shadowy manipulators is alive and well.
