Fans of the Kingdom Hearts series were treated to a surprise during its twentieth-anniversary event with the reveal of a Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer. Given the track record of the series, many believed it wishful thinking to expect a mainline sequel so soon after Kingdom Hearts 3, but these thoughts have since been dashed and replaced with feelings of excitement.
This sneak peek consists of several hidden details concerning the unpredictable nature of the franchise's future, but the initial buzz created by its reveal may have overshadowed the more subtle elements being portrayed, causing them to go unnoticed. Kingdom Hearts is infamous for transforming minor details into crucial plot points, and this trailer is no exception.
10 A New Life In Shibuya
Those unfamiliar with the location in which this trailer is set will be unaware of its relevance. This is the fictional world of Quadratum, wherein Yozora insisted on saving Sora through the use of brutal force. Sora has since taken up residence in this thriving metropolis and appears to be living luxuriously.
Quadratum is an exact copy of Shibuya, Tokyo, the same world in which the Square Enix title The World Ends With You is also set. Ansem the Wise referred to Quadratum as a fictional world, yet it is the most accurate depiction of the real world we have seen in the series so far.
9 Development Footage
The trailer informs the viewer that all content presented is development footage and therefore subject to change. Since the unveiling of this trailer, Square Enix has revealed that it was rendered in Unreal Engine 4 with the intention of discarding the footage and recreating it using Unreal Engine 5.
While examining Sora's movement, it is clear that the game is far from complete as, though it is fluid, it is far from concise. Sora uses his Flowmotion abilities to reach different obstacles, but it is hard to ignore how he floats over these objects when he intends to firmly land on them. It is not a finished product, but merely an example of new move sets to come.
8 Keychain Traversal
A new means of traversal is revealed, where Sora projects the chain from his key to grapple onto different objects and surfaces. This ability may be a form of Shotlock traversal, or perhaps an addition to Sora's Flowmotion ability, but nothing is confirmed in the trailer. The most interesting detail, however, is the design chosen to represent the keychain itself.
It is not the first time chains like these have been depicted in the series. Aqua and Terra-Xehanort have both been seen utilizing these chains, Aqua in Kingdom Hearts 0.2: A Fragmentary Passage and Terra-Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts 3. These chains are said to represent the wielder's bonds of friendship, so it seems Sora will continue to harness the power of friendship even if his friends are unreachable.
7 Wall Running
Sora gained the ability to run on vertical surfaces in Kingdom Hearts 3, a feature heavily utilized throughout the game's duration. With what this trailer reveals, Quadratum's cityscape will be an ideal location for Sora to execute this mechanic.
Wall running has been modified since its initial debut. Sora now lodges his Keyblade into a building to gain his footing before beginning his ascent. This feature is only briefly shown, but it opens up a world of possibilities for other features to receive upgrades too.
6 The Blue Flame
Donald and Goofy are seen wandering around a pitch-black environment before a blue flame appears behind them. A voice asks why they are here, startling the duo, and flame bursts into red and surrounds them, resulting in the dog and duck clinging onto each other out of fear.
It may appear obvious to some, but this unseen source of flame is more than likely the God of the Underworld, Hades from Disney's Hercules. Sora has been missing for a year, so it is only logical for Donald and Goofy to consider the possibility that he may have perished. Their choice to search this particular location, however, reveals to us that they both agreed that the desolate Underworld would be the most likely location for Sora to go once he passed.
5 Style Of Clothing
An interesting detail regarding Sora's new design is that it appears to be based on a promotional image used to advertise a fashion line developed by Super Groupies wherein new outfits for Sora, Riku, Kairi, Roxas, and Axel were designed.
Perhaps the stylish portrayal of these characters was intended to act as a clue for the future design of each character and the direction the franchise intended to go. There is even a chance these characters may show up in Quadratum sporting these designs.
4 Reaction Commands
Kingdom Hearts 2 introduced Reaction Commands to the series, while Kingdom Hearts 3 abandoned them in favor of Keyblade Transformations. Though this trailer appears to be displaying a fluid combat system, there is an easily overlooked detail hidden behind its spectacle.
A Famitsu interview with series director Tetsuya Nomura saw him confirming the return of reaction commands. While engaging the evolved Darkside, Sora forms a shield with a crown in the center to block an oncoming attack. Many assumed this to be a Keyblade Transformation, reminiscent of Kingdom Hearts 3, but it has since been confirmed to mark the return of the sorely missed mechanic once thought to have been forgotten. Reaction Commands have finally returned.
3 Strelitzia's Hair Clips
Players of the mobile game Kingdom Hearts: Union X [Cross] will be familiar with Strelitzia, but those unaware will be unsure of her relevance to the story. Strelitzia existed during the first Keyblade War alongside her brother, Lauriam. Lauriam later lost his heart and became Marluxia, the eleventh member of Organization 13.
One would assume that Strelitzia has no idea about what happened to her brother, including his involvement with Organization 13, yet the positioning of her hair clips would suggest otherwise. The "X" and "I" shapes are reminiscent of the Roman numeral for the number eleven, referencing Marluxia's positioning in the Organization's ranks. Given the franchise's fixation on minute details, this is undoubtedly a reference to her brother, the Graceful Assassin himself.
2 A Mysterious Voice
Before the Quadratum segment of the trailer ends, two hooded figures are shown to be observing Sora from atop a skyscraper. Their faces are shrouded in shadow, rendering identifying them impossible unless one examines the voice of the narrator.
It can be assumed that these elusive characters have appeared in the series before, so the best approach is to compare the dialogue spoken to that of other voice actors who have voiced Kingdom Hearts characters in the past. In an interview with Famitsu, Nomura confirmed that the narrator is altering their voice to keep the character's identity a secret. Takanori Okuda, the voice of Young Xehanort, exhibits similar vocal patterns to the unknown narrator, but it is more likely to be the Master of Masters.
1 A New World
Given that there is no obvious Disney world reveal in this trailer, it can be assumed that all locations shown are set in Quadratum. That said, there is one particular scene that may be revealing more than it intends to. A beautiful forest is briefly shown during the trailer's halfway point. A waterfall and a collection of fungal-type growths are focused on, but one detail can easily go unnoticed.
A mechanical contraption can be seen in the top right corner of one of these shots and, upon closer inspection, displays similarities to that of an AT-ST Walker from Star Wars. Now that Disney owns the Star Wars franchise, this scene could be set on Endor or Yavin 4 and if that is the case, Sora may finally receive a Keyblade and Lightsaber hybrid. The inclusion of properties like Star Wars may open the door for other unexpected franchises to make an appearance.
Kingdom Hearts 4 is now in development.