It felt like the series took an eternity to get here, butKingdom Heartsis moving on to a new era.Kingdom Hearts 4has been announced for current gen consoles at some point in the future, probably afterFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthcomes out. The franchise is moving on to its second major saga, the Lost Master Arc. This appears to take place in a new unreality called Quadratum, which currently looks like a realistic Japanese city. Fans are curious as to what this means regarding Disney crossovers, but for now they must wait for the next trailer to gain context.
In the meantime, there are plenty of other things to discuss.Kingdom Hearts 4will use a realistic aesthetic, and looks to be building on some conceptsKingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop DistanceandKingdom Hearts 3tried while bringing backKingdom Hearts 2’s better-received mechanics. More dark-hooded figures watch the action as Sora’s friends in the regular reality scour the ends of their universe to help the missing hero. It looks likeKingdom Hearts 4will be treading a mixture of new and old ground, and in that process it should also build up a new take on Sora himself.
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Sora Doesn’t Have His Usual Friends Around to Help Him
It has been reiterated time and time again, but Sora’s friends are his power.Kingdom Heartshas been consistently about the strength of bonds between people and places, and how tangible force can be drawn from those bonds. One needs only to look at the many team up attacks in every game to see the truth of this.Kingdom Hearts 3even included regular party membersDonald and Goofy as major parts of the final boss fight, just to ensure that it feels like a thematic conclusion. Allies, friends, and loved ones are at the heart ofKH, and Sora would not be the same person without them.
Kingdom Hearts 4immediately throws a wrench into this. Sora is essentially dead, with Quadratum serving as a non-standard afterlife for him due to excessive use of the Power of Waking. Even though there will be cutaways to the regularKingdom Heartscast, one can expect that most ofKingdom Hearts 4’s gameplay and pertinent eventswill revolve around Sora and a new cast. The mood may be somber for a little while as Sora is trapped in a strange place without his friends, but he will need to sharpen his focus, find new allies, and keep striving toward his goal of returning home. This new environment could be exactly what Sora needs to mature emotionally and stand without constant support.
The Tone of Kingdom Hearts 4 May Be More Mature
What little fans have seen ofKingdom Hearts 4supports this notion. It’s doubtful that the series will wholly abandon its cartoon roots, but the general visual theme of Quadratum is one of mature realism. It isn’t gritty, or at least the visible locales aren’t, but it definitely presents a solemn vibe that is at odds with the rest of the franchise. If more live-action properties likeStar Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universeare included, then this feeling will permeateKingdom Hearts 4. Sora will need to adjust his attitude to match.
That’s not to say that his naive and corny tendencies will be significantly downplayed, though they should be tempered with spots of introspection. It’s likely for there to be more moments similar toKH3’s San Fransokyo bridge scene where Sora silently contemplates what he’s left behind and what others are going through. Something akin to Sora reaching out for Rinzler in theKH3DTron: Legacyworld may be appropriate. Sora’s new allies may also not be the comedic foils that Donald and Goofy are, either. Strelitzia, if she plays an active role, already presents a much more serene figure than any of Sora’s past allies.Kingdom Hearts 4’s Quadratumrepresents a bold new world that Sora will have to navigate through, but at least he’ll have his old bonds, new companions, and the player at his back.
Kingdom Hearts 4is in development.
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