Kingdom Hearts 3 is a fairly divisive entry in the series. Many longtime fans of the franchise felt panned by design decisions that affected both the gameplay and its overall narrative. Kingdom Hearts has a famously convoluted overarching storyline, so bringing in the many elements of the story at that point was already an undertaking for the third entry. Many fans felt like one of the cornerstones of that narrative was missing in Kingdom Hearts 3, the Final Fantasy characters that helped bring fans to the series in the first place.
Kingdom Hearts was a strange beast from the beginning. The unlikely hybrid of Disney properties with Final Fantasy design and characters that seemed impossible at the time. Now nearly two decades later, Kingdom Hearts has become one of the most beloved franchises in video games. Final Fantasy characters' absence was a stark departure from its predecessors, and something that many fans took umbrage with when it released. Now that fans are looking towards the future of Kingdom Hearts, many are hoping to see the return of those iconic characters to Kingdom Hearts 4.
Why Final Fantasy Characters Mattered to Kingdom Hearts
It's very easy for crossover events to feel like a cash grab. Bringing in characters from disparate properties is something that needs to be handled with care in order to feel natural. Despite the odds, Kingdom Hearts managed to pull this off almost flawlessly to many fans. The game's initial release brought together fans from fairly distinct groups to enjoy one experience that felt simultaneously very new but still familiar. Then several years later what many fans consider the best title in the series was released. Every game after would inevitably be compared to Kingdom Hearts 2.
For the RPG fans who came to Kingdom Hearts for its attachment to Final Fantasy, the characters' appearance in game helped ground the story and world to something familiar. The important thing to address is how the characters were used, not just why they were present. Final Fantasy characters in the Kingdom Hearts series like Squall (called Leon in KH), Yuffie, and Cid helped guide the fresh-faced Sora on the first leg of his journey. The first two Kingdom Hearts games were better received than the third, and it's not a stretch to say that the presence of Final Fantasy characters were a part of that success.
It's worth noting that there's absolutely some pure fan service present with the Final Fantasy characters being present. In the first game, Sephiroth appears as a secret boss fight without much explanation. Cloud appears in the same level but with a stronger attachment to the narrative. Originally he was supposed to appear alongside fellow FF7 alumni Vincent Valentine, but later their designs were merged providing the distinct look Cloud has in the first Kingdom Hearts. He is tied to the story though, serving as an underling for Hades and his appearance the darkness he has embraced. He and other Final Fantasy characters absence from Kingdom Hearts 3 was felt immediately by longtime players.
The characters' roles were even more pronounced in KH2. After having helped rescue their home Radiant Garden from the grip of the Heartless, Sora ends up battling alongside most of the FF heroes in a climactic battle that combined the best of their roles in the narrative and the fan service they delivered. Players felt real attachment to the characters, and helping defend their home felt personal. At the same time, veteran Final Fantasy fans were treated to fun moments like Cloud and Squall riffing off of each other in the heat of battle. Excluding these moments from Kingdom Hearts 3 felt like a missed step.
Why Kingdom Hearts 4 Should Bring Back Final Fantasy Characters
Moments like the defense of Radiant Garden and the Sephiroth secret boss fights were iconic to Kingdom Hearts before the third entry. Even in the prequel/spinoff games, they filled important roles like when Zack Fair appears as a hoplite in Birth by Sleep. While it's understandable that Kingdom Hearts 3 wanted to focus more on its original cast of characters, suddenly missing more than a handful of characters that were present in the previous games was jarring for many. While certainly a controversial entry for some, it is worth noting that by no metrics is Kingdom Hearts 3 a bad game. But missing such a large number of iconic members of its cast felt strange.
It seems that Square Enix has taken note of these criticisms though. The story DLC for Kingdom Hearts 3 reintroduced many of the FF cast like Leon, albeit in a very limited scope. Interestingly enough in regards to whether Final Fantasy will return in KH4 is the strange Yozora ending to KH3's DLC. The ending draws a very direct parallel to the original trailer for Final Fantasy Versus 13. That project would later become Final Fantasy 15, but its elements have long impacted Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy at large. So it's easy to imagine that Square Enix will be looking to tie the other members back into the world of Kingdom Hearts 4.
Very little is known at this point about where exactly the story will go and by extension if Kingdom Hearts 4 will feature Final Fantasy characters. Clues seem to point in that direction though. Between their appearance in the DLC and the connections between Yozora and Versus 13, it seems like Kingdom Hearts could be bringing them back. It's also worth mentioning that Square Enix seems to be tying in some of its other properties like The World Ends With You even more. The presence of Final Fantasy mainstays was such a big draw for fans in the beginning that their return could be very cathartic.
The unlikely fusion of Disney and Square Enix properties has proven to be one of gaming's most memorable. While focusing on its original content is naturally important, if Kingdom Hearts is going to continue featuring Disney elements (as it will) it needs to maintain the other side of its roots as well. It's natural for a series that's grown so popular to want to establish itself as unique. That being said, Kingdom Hearts would likely due well to embrace both sides of its roots going into the future. Cloud, Leon, and the other Final Fantasy characters have been a huge part of Sora's journey, so seeing them return in Kingdom Hearts 4 would be a welcome sight.
A Kingdom Hearts project is in development.