When Square Enix, the developer of the Final Fantasy series, decided to partner with The Walt Disney Company to create Kingdom Hearts, not many would've assumed it was a perfect fit. The series has gone on to become a huge success, spawning two mainline sequels as well as several spin-off titles expanding the lore, and a fourth game now announced. Leaning heavily on several Walt Disney movies and worlds, Kingdom Hearts pulls several themes and characters from the Final Fantasy series. Kingdom Hearts 4, with its seemingly darker look, appears to fit nicely with the similar tone on display in the upcoming Final Fantasy 16, should the two games crossover.
The announcement of Kingdom Hearts 4 was a welcome one for fans of the series. While it is likely to be some way off with only limited gameplay shown so far, a few things can already be determined. The world of Quadratum, in which Sora finds himself in the trailer, looks to be much more realistic than anything players have seen from this franchise so far. It's not just the environment either, with Sora's physical look seemingly changed to accommodate this as well. His facial features, hair, and body all look more like a conventional human being's appearance than what fans have seen in past entries. This move to bring the franchise a more realistic look, and away from the cartoony appearance of the previous games, is an interesting one.
Final Fantasy 16 and Kingdom Hearts 4 Seem to Be a Good Fit
With both of these new entries in their respective series, there seems to be a noticeably darker tone than usual. Kingdom Hearts shifting its visual aesthetic, however subtle, is an indication that series creator Tetsuya Nomura is hoping to move the game toward a mature audience. Because the franchise has such a close association with Walt Disney movies, it is assumed to be a happy, cheerful series by its very nature, and this will be a reputation that could prove difficult to shake.
Worlds such as Agrabah, Neverland, and the 100 Acre Wood, are full of bold characters and vivid environments that people have come to associate with Disney movies. While Kingdom Hearts 4 is likely to feature a new list of Disney and Pixar worlds, the game will still need to walk the line carefully when it comes to creating the right tone.
From what fans have been shown so far, Final Fantasy 16's plot looks to be more personal than past games. With a story that looks to be centered around loss and grief and a move back to a traditional medieval fantasy setting, it's unlikely that the game will feature too many things to be cheerful about. This change of tone, combined with Final Fantasy 16's focus on more action-heavy gameplay, seems to be a mini-reinvention of the beloved franchise. It's still too early to say how different it will be from the other entries, but one of the game's producers has already stated it will be impossible to please everyone with any potential narrative.
Both Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts are about to embark on new phases of their respective journeys. Final Fantasy 16 should release sometime in 2023, which is almost certainly before Kingdom Hearts 4. Should the latter once again borrow elements and characters from Final Fantasy, then fans should not rule out the possibility of seeing some of Final Fantasy 16's characters appear alongside Sora to aid him in his quest.
Final Fantasy 16 releases summer 2023 for PS5.
