Summary
It might not yet have a release date, butKingdom Hearts 4is set to define the future of Square Enix’s prolific franchise when it does eventually arise. As the beginning of the Lost Master Saga which will follow all the previous titles,Kingdom Hearts 4has the opportunity to utilize all the most beloved elements of previous titles and establish a new creative future for the series. The crossover potential of properties acquired by Disney over the years has become a major subject of discussion among the community, but there’s one aspect to these that should continue to be integral to the identity ofKingdom Heartsthrough this.
There are several returning and new Disney worlds that have a chance of appearing, but speculation surrounding possibleStar Warsand Marvel worlds inKingdom Hearts 4has been the most prevalent of all since the game’s official announcement. The existence ofPirates of the Caribbean’s Port Royal andTRON: Legacy’s The Grid has already set a precedent for live-action IPs to have a place inKH, and events like Sora’s appearance inSmash Ultimatehave continued to defy expectations in a way that makes even the Marvel universe seem like a possible place to visit.
The Legacy of World-Specific Looks in Kingdom Hearts
A Staple of Mainline Kingdom Hearts
If such a world ends up in the game, the potential costumes that Sora and his companions may receive could become one of the game’s most memorable components. From the time of the firstKingdom Hearts, a defining characteristic of the game’s crossover dynamic has been the changing appearances of Sora, Donald, and Goofy in some worlds. Shown by the diversity between examples like the technology-themed outfits and animal forms ofKH2’s Space Paranoids and Pride Lands, the player has consistently been changed to fit in with the central cast of a given world’s IP in mainline titles. The darker look of Sora in Halloween Town has become known as one of the series’ more beloved designs despite not having returned for years, but this is only because experimenting with even more themes has been prioritized instead.
Kingdom Hearts Has Already Leaned into Alternate Forms
There wasn’t much in the way of variation when it came to the designs of the player characters of the titles released between the second and thirdKingdom Heartsgames, but Sora’s most recent adventure solidified the series’ effort to feature world-themed outfits. There’s a polarizing level of commitment to the Monsters Inc. looks ofKH3, and that game’s Port Royal also demonstrates a Sora with a realism that hints at what looks behind possibleDrive Forms inKingdom Hearts 4may be set to bring.
New Costumes for Sora and Friends Could be a Highlight of a Marvel World in Kingdom Hearts 4
Original Marvel Kingdom Hearts Designs Versus Superhero-Inspired Variations
San Fransokyo only gave Sora a simple visor on top of his normal appearance, but aMarvel world inKingdom Heartshas the chance to introduce an actual superhero design for him to match whoever he partners with. Donald and Goofy could end up with original hero concepts of their own if they return, but there is also a possibility that the entire team could instead lean more heavily into referencing existing Marvel characters.
Fully Realizing the Live Action Direction of Kingdom Hearts 4
There’s no telling what part of Marvel could become a part of the next game, butKH3’s inclusion ofBig Hero 6technically already established a connection between the two. If the upcoming fourth installment follows director Tetsuya Nomura’s comments on utilizing live-action Disney properties through a depiction of Marvel’s world of superheroes, the new designs that Sora, Donald, and Goofy eventually receive could become some of their most notable forms in series history.
