When Disney and Square Enix came together to make an entirely new franchise featuring beloved characters from both sides, no one could’ve expected the love the series got from fans and critics. It was one of those “unique moments in gaming” that is almost impossible to replicate because of how well it was done. However, while Tetsuya Nomura has weaved quite a narrative across numerous titles and platforms, not everyone would call it the “easiest to follow.” In fact, it’s one of the most convoluted storylines in gaming. However, Kingdom Hearts 4 might be able to fix that if Nomura is to be believed.
He did a massive interview about the game that was translated onto Twitter, and in it, Nomura highlight how Kingdom Hearts 4would still follow the ending to the last game, but would act as a “reset” to the franchise so that new people could come in and not need to know all the game’s lore.
He does promise that veterans will have plenty of things to “get answers to,” and that might intrigue them to come back, but it still raises many questions about what’s coming and how things will go from here. A feeling that franchise fans are more than accustomed to.
Another element of the interview was that the upcoming games, as there are others in development, are meant to be a kind of “blank slate,” even bringing in those who haven’t worked on the franchise in the past to help ensure that things are “welcoming” to new players and will add new layers to the universe. Nomura even hinted that the franchise could go on without him and that he’s nearing his retirement.
How gamers will feel about this is likely going to vary based on their own experiences with the series. On the one hand, it’s still a mostly fun series to play, and you can get the entire collection of main games on places like Steam. However, when you play the games and see how the story branches off in numerous directions that are hard to follow, you almost welcome the “reset” until you then wonder why they would do this if the story was all meant to get to one focal point. Again, it’s one of the most convoluted stories in all of gaming, giving people like Hideo Kojima a run for their money with all the twists and turns that come with it.
Plus, we don’t even know when the next mainline game will arrive, further adding to the mystery.
