I’m Still Excited for Kingdom Hearts 4 Years After Its Reveal, But I’m Not Sure I Want to Be

Kingdom Hearts fans have been eagerly awaiting any updates for the upcoming Kingdom Hearts IV. The first mainline entry in the series since 2019, the game has been confirmed to still very much be in development and is even set for a Nintendo Switch 2 launch — but firm details about the story, clues about the setting, and any semblance of a release date remain unknown to the public at this time. What we have seen has fans cautiously excited, as there looks to be some real steps being taken in terms of visual potential and style.

However, the released teasers paint a much more dramatic portrait, especially if the supposedly leaked footage from Missing-Link is genuinely teasing the direction of the game. I’m not even sure what this new Kingdom Hearts is going to be like, only that I hope it’ll be able to balance these big changes with the soul of the original games. I’m dying to find out more about Kingdom Hearts IV, even if I’m not sure I’m going to love what it’s becoming.

Kingdom Hearts IV Is Going To Be Wild — But In What Way?

Kingdom Hearts IV was always going to be a weird game. The series it hails from (one that this writer absolutely adores) has never shied away from being bizarre, where Donald Duck could face off with Sephiroth and the player could team up with Tron. The massive scope of the adventure and the sheer complexity of the worldbuilding have always made it a blast to explore, even if it can become somewhat overwhelming. Kingdom Hearts IV is taking a big swing, though by seemingly embracing a somewhat more realistic style. The Sora we’ve seen in released clips is more realistic and can be seen facing off with Heartless in a setting that looks like a realistic city rather than a fantastical world.

That more grounded approach was underscored with the supposedly leaked footage from the canceled mobile spin-off game Missing-Link, which sees Keyblade wielders in much more realistic-looking space suits than the typically anime-style visuals that the series is best known for. Those realistic graphics might even stand out harder once compared to the still very cartoonish-looking Disney characters that make up a lot of the game’s world. It seems like the game is leaning more openly sci-fi than the fantasy aesthetic that typically defines it, which is a far cry from the standard approach of the previous games. It’s all setting up Kingdom Hearts IV to be a very different experience, where the gameplay may be similar, but the worlds are more realistic, and the tone is a little bit harsher. While it’s exciting to see the series grow, it’ll be interesting to see how it develops and if it becomes something truly unique.

Can Kingdom Hearts IV Be Everything Fans Want It To Be?

Kingdom Hearts IV is one of those games that feels like it has an inevitable uphill battle to fight. Kingdom Hearts III had a somewhat mixed reception, in part because expectations had been so high. The next mainline entry in the series is going to have to deliver on a new experience that doesn’t feel like retreading established ground, while also being familiar enough for fans to feel at home. The realistic setting speaks to the former, but it remains to be seen how the game will balance the latter. One potential answer might be that the realistic-looking Sora will fit in more easily alongside visits to Marvel or Star Wars-inspired worlds, which many fans are expecting for the new adventure now that both properties are under the Disney umbrella. However, not visiting any of the classic locations would also feel weird, given just how much time and love players have invested in those settings.

It also presents new opportunities for the tones to bristle against one another. I really want to see Donald Duck meet Darth Vader, even if I’m not sure how that would actually work within the context of the game and in relation to the overall tone. I always loved how Kingdom Hearts could be completely earnest in its storytelling while finding clear humor in the absurdities of the story. So far, the game looks far more serious, which might undercut some of that fun DNA. Even the melodrama of the past games was balanced with big Disney moments, soft scenes of levity, or even the occasional genuine heartbreak. What we’ve seen of Kingdom Hearts IV so far has been impressive from a technical level but looks far more like modern Final Fantasy than the series I fell in love with. Kingdom Hearts IV is going to be an inherently big swing, and there is still plenty of time left in development to hone what exactly the team is going for. However, it’s still unclear if the game will be able to soar to the heights that Kingdom Hearts II achieved — or if it will be a repeat of Kingdom Hearts III‘s more muted reception and legacy.