Gameplay expectations

[NoWay]

As long as we are in such a news draught, and after finishing FF7 Rebirth, I was wondering what do you expect gameplay wise from KH4? Or what are your wishes?

At first, I’m not sure if I would want KH4 to be open world. Although FF7 Rebirth showed perfectly how you can have an open world and a linear story, I think that big areas fit better in the KH franchise. KH3 was already really good. The only thing I’d change is, instead of dividing the worlds in 3-4 areas, I’d like to have one big area per world.

I definitely want more side content/side quests. Although FF7 Rebirth has many unnecessary side quests, I really liked how they impacted the relationship between the characters.

Speaking of which, I’d die for FF7 Rebirth’s party system. Imagine being able to play as six of the GoL and to change the characters whenever you want! Although KH never did something like that, I’d really love to have it.

I also want keyblade transformations to return, but after the reveal trailer, I think that’s a given.

What are your thoughts and opinions?

 

[Launchpad]

Lmao I pretty much want the opposite. I love FF7 Rebirth, but I think KH should keep it simple. A KH playthrough should be somewhere between 25-40 hours long, with an extra 10-20 for the post-game objectives. I play KH1, KH2, and KH3 over and over again. They're breezy games that have just the right amount of content. I adore Rebirth but I know in my bones that it's padded out to hell and back and that I won't want to run through it again for a long time once I beat it.

Same situation with side characters having an increased presence... let's say they put Princess and the Frog in KH4, and that silly ass firefly is giving SDG the business. How awkward would it be if Aqua, Axel, and Riku were just standing in the background. There's a ratio there that threatens the tone... but that aside, since this is a gameplay thread, I think history proves that the KH team flourishes when they focus on and polish one playable character. When they go for multiple, design oversights and under-tuned combos rear their ugly head.

I do think sidequests should return, but in the capacity that every world has ONE, and it's a relatively robust experience with unique scenes and content.

As for my own wishes for the gameplay... this one is specific, but Heartless behavior was pretty awful in KH3. They meander around and choose completely random times to attack. This makes easy Heartless easier and harder Heartless way too hard, like the Anchor Raiders. Heartless should have a more fixed behavior like in KH1 and KH2.

 

[HakaishinChampa]

As long as we are in such a news draught, and after finishing FF7 Rebirth, I was wondering what do you expect gameplay wise from KH4? Or what are your wishes?

I definitely want more side content/side quests. Although FF7 Rebirth has many unnecessary side quests, I really liked how they impacted the relationship between the characters.

Speaking of which, I’d die for FF7 Rebirth’s party system. Imagine being able to play as six of the GoL and to change the characters whenever you want! Although KH never did something like that, I’d really love to have it.

FF7 Rebirth shows how much potential KH4 and future numbered entries can have.

From what I'm aware of, KH3 only had one side quest, finding Golden Hercules action figures. I think each world should have a couple, Quadratum having the most side quests of course.

It would be cool if side quests let you run into the other guardians of light and have them temporarily join your party in the different worlds.

You go to the Star Wars world where Isa is investigating a anomaly and he joins the party. After you beat a side quest with a guest party member, you can have them in your party in Battle Gates/Tournament Cups.

I think the collectible of this game should be similar to FF7 Rebirth's, in that game you could collect figures and other memorabilia. Sora's room in Quadratum and also the gummiship could be customized with souvenirs you find in each world.

Souvenirs can be found in chests, random places in a world and via objectives like 0.2

Speaking of the Gummi Ship, I don't think we should expect it in this game. It will probably be an optional minigame that will play like KH2's gummiship routes.

After each world is completed, the base of operations will be the Gummi Ship and you can actually explore the Gummi Ship. We've seen the inside of the Gummi Ship but I want to see it expanded, make it make sense. Like they gotta be sleeping in there or something.

Other playable characters would be cool. I wouldn't do that for every character but it would be cool being able to switch to Donald or Goofy. (even if their movesets are limited)

 

[KeybladeLordSora]

Sora is in fuggin Japan now so they're bound to go the Yakuza route

 

[MATGSY]

Actual expectations vs. wants?

-I suspect we'll see more in the way of questing/side quests for each world. Like every world having NPCs who give out quests to Sora.

-I see the playable characters being Sora, Riku, & Yozora. I would prefer Kairi as the 3rd but MoM already went out of it's way to shut that down. -_- Yozora's weapons & fighting style is far too particular for Square to not have ideas of him as playable.

-So we're like totally flying the Gummi Ship into the Death Star core, right? That's a given? Actually on that note...

Speaking of the Gummi Ship, I don't think we should expect it in this game. It will probably be an optional minigame that will play like KH2's gummiship routes.

After each world is completed, the base of operations will be the Gummi Ship and you can actually explore the Gummi Ship. We've seen the inside of the Gummi Ship but I want to see it expanded, make it make sense. Like they gotta be sleeping in there or something.

-With PS5's near instant loading, I'm expecting the game to have the option to open portals that lead directly from one world to another instantaneously. New tech means new possibilities to explore.

Imagine this but you have like Raya on 1 side & Zootopia on the other.

 

[Luminary]

If the worlds are going to be even bigger than KH3, it may be nice to have a fast travel option from the menu. I want them to retain some linear/vertical design for the worlds. But it should be seamless like others have said. I’d also like to see more exploration off the beaten path.

I’d like to see Situation Commands return but make it where you have to equip them into a fixed number of slots. This would allow them to have more variety and more advanced attacks like Mega Flare, Ars Arcanum, etc. And you don’t have to worry about anything you don’t want to use popping up (looking at you Attraction Flow.)

Hoping there will be some fun uses of the PS5 controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers too.

Also… let Sora pod-race on Tatooine.

I have no idea what Scrap and Build is going to be, so very interested to see that in action.

 

[Launchpad]

It'd be nice if we could get some proper fucking information on ReMind staff. The bosses in the dlc were a clear cut above the base game in terms of design quality. They were beyond superb, actually magnificent. But... they were superbosses. I want them to make amazing, challenging bosses that are part of the story, and more achievable for players who just can't hack it against superbosses.

The optimist in me likes to think the immense quality of the DLC bosses was a declaration of intent moving forward for KH4 to lean into better read-and-react boss design. The era of crappy bosses (BBS, DDD) really left a mark on my enjoyment of the series and made me feel more trepidatious than excited about bosses in KH3, which were better than the handheld games but still lacked the challenge and aggression of its sister numbered titles.

KH4 bosses should be the most aggressive of the bunch. Sora has gotten faster and faster from game to game. In KH3 you can air guard, cancel combos into a roll, guard, or dash, and dodge roll has gotten faster and more effective. They've given us extremely easy to use defensive options, so give us bosses that justify that level of defensive control. If we're fighting Vader, make us fucking defend ourselves lmao

 

[Luminary]

It'd be nice if we could get some proper fucking information on ReMind staff. The bosses in the dlc were a clear cut above the base game in terms of design quality. They were beyond superb, actually magnificent. But... they were superbosses. I want them to make amazing, challenging bosses that are part of the story, and more achievable for players who just can't hack it against superbosses.

The optimist in me likes to think the immense quality of the DLC bosses was a declaration of intent moving forward for KH4 to lean into better read-and-react boss design. The era of crappy bosses (BBS, DDD) really left a mark on my enjoyment of the series and made me feel more trepidatious than excited about bosses in KH3, which were better than the handheld games but still lacked the challenge and aggression of its sister numbered titles.

KH4 bosses should be the most aggressive of the bunch. Sora has gotten faster and faster from game to game. In KH3 you can air guard, cancel combos into a roll, guard, or dash, and dodge roll has gotten faster and more effective. They've given us extremely easy to use defensive options, so give us bosses that justify that level of defensive control. If we're fighting Vader, make us fucking defend ourselves lmao

I finally beat all the data fights on Critical for the first time over the weekend. (I’d previously only beaten YX. Marluxia, Vanitas, and Larxene.) I knew they were all well designed, but actually learning and beating them gave me such a deeper appreciation for them.

At the least, it would be nice if bosses had more aggressive and advanced movesets on Proud Mode and higher like we see in FFVII Remake’s Hard Mode.

Also, we need more human-sized fights throughout the game and not just at the end. KH3 definitely leaned in too much to giant monster fights throughout the Disney worlds. There’s isn’t really a significant fight against a humanoid until Davy Jones if I remember right? A fight against Larxene in Arendelle’s ice labyrinth or Marluxia during the lantern scene in Corona would have been perfect.

 

[Liodin]

please, PLEASE, bring back the lucky emblems.
The most interesting, fun and satisfying collectible of all the games.
They encourage you to explore the maps and find those special nooks and crannies that make you appreciate the worlds so much more. They give you very good rewards: items, a keyblade and even the secret ending.

 

[Luminary]

please, PLEASE, bring back the lucky emblems.
The most interesting, fun and satisfying collectible of all the games.
They encourage you to explore the maps and find those special nooks and crannies that make you appreciate the worlds so much more. They give you very good rewards: items, a keyblade and even the secret ending.

Loved these and definitely hope they return! I wonder if Sora still has his Gummiphone. Lol

I do hope they stick to the ones that are more subtle in the environment rather than just an exact Mickey symbol stamped on an object. I wouldn’t mind less of them if it means they’re all less obvious.

 

[Launchpad]

please, PLEASE, bring back the lucky emblems.
The most interesting, fun and satisfying collectible of all the games.
They encourage you to explore the maps and find those special nooks and crannies that make you appreciate the worlds so much more. They give you very good rewards: items, a keyblade and even the secret ending.

THIS, I adored Lucky Emblems more than anything. I think the only thing trinities had over the emblems was that trinities (along with KH1's movement progression) would have you revisit older worlds a lot more to explore areas previously inaccessible.

 

[Zettaflare]

I do hope Keyblade transformations stick around in KH4 and future titles. They are easily one of my favorite things about KH3. This time let the Kingdom Key give Sora a form based on his KH3 outfit.

As for Quadratum, I'm hoping that we get to do things in the city during our off time such as work part time jobs or sinf karaoke.

 

[Luminary]

I finally beat Yozora on Critical the other day and it’s incredible how well designed the fight is. It is demanding and takes a lot patience to learn, but it is still a fair fight. I really hope we see more of that in the base game of KH4 whether it’s secret bosses, coliseum/arena fights, etc. I don’t expect the critical path to get more difficult, but they should be able to make the side stuff more challenging at least.

 

[MATGSY]

I finally beat Yozora on Critical the other day and it’s incredible how well designed the fight is. It is demanding and takes a lot patience to learn, but it is still a fair fight. I really hope we see more of that in the base game of KH4 whether it’s secret bosses, coliseum/arena fights, etc. I don’t expect the critical path to get more difficult, but they should be able to make the side stuff more challenging at least.

I am fully expecting Vader to be a letdown on the level of Davy Jones.

 

[KeybladeLordSora]

I am fully expecting Vader to be a letdown on the level of Davy Jones.

How would someone make a Vader boss fight[one that's in ROTJ too] that fits with the high agility and shit of Sora anyway

By ROTJ Vader's combat doesn't exactly involve extreme movement anymore.

 

[Launchpad]

How would someone make a Vader boss fight[one that's in ROTJ too] that fits with the high agility and shit of Sora anyway

By ROTJ Vader's combat doesn't exactly involve extreme movement anymore.

I honestly think Vader should adhere to the rules of most KH3 superbosses, albeit less punishing and easier to understand for newcomers. Unlike most fights, Vader should not be free to attack. If you just fly in willy nilly, he should auto-punish you for a certain amount of your health. Vader's general design philosophy should be that he doesn't move fast, but unleashes a crazy output of attacks from where he is, and only once you get around his wide range of attacks are you able to punish.

 

[MATGSY]

How would someone make a Vader boss fight[one that's in ROTJ too] that fits with the high agility and shit of Sora anyway

By ROTJ Vader's combat doesn't exactly involve extreme movement anymore.

This is honestly why I had the long standing hottake that Phantom Menace should've been the film to adapt. You at least get a more agile adversary in Darth Maul. Although....

Another possibility is Sora decides Luke has to face Vader on his own & instead goes after the emperor, & we get the crazy OP-AF EU/Legends Palpatine.

 

[Luminary]

I am fully expecting Vader to be a letdown on the level of Davy Jones.

I could barely even see Davy Jones in that fight. There was a lot going on visually on top of KH3’s already flashy combat in a pretty small space. The combat for base KH3 was not designed well for humanoid boss fights. It’s for large crowds of field enemies and giant bosses. Re:Mind improved it significantly for the Data fights and Yozora. But I’m hoping they balance it better for KH4 out of the gate. With the concept of Unreality, they have a chance to make combat a bit more grounded and then build up more to the spectacle.

While I don’t think it will happen, it would be wild if we got an alt reality version of Star Wars using the Square Enix Bring Arts designs. Then they would have a lot more creative freedom with what the enemies could do. Plus it would stand out a lot more from games like EA’s Jedi series.

Square Enix's version of Star Wars isn't messing around

If Square Enix had its way with Star Wars, Boba Fett, Darth Vader and your everyday Stormtrooper would be a much more fearsome force than what we've come to know over the years. Did we say if? We...

www.polygon.com

 

[Liodin]

 

[Luminary]

May not be the right thread for this, but I hope we see another original world besides Quadratum… From what we’ve seen of Quadratum, it’s hard to even call it an “original” world when it’s based off of real life Tokyo. It doesn’t have the same kind of original design as worlds like Hollow Bastion, Traverse Town, Scala, etc.

With KH3 failing to give us any full size original worlds, I’m not too hopeful that we’ll get two originals though. If not, hopefully they find ways to make Quadratum a bit more interesting.