Summary
A lot has changed since Square Enix’sKingdom Hearts 3was released back in 2019. Thanks to Disney’s acquisition of Marvel andStar Wars, the upcomingKingdom Hearts 4has some incredibly exciting directions it can go in. While the franchise is already packed full of interesting characters and locations from Disney’s huge catalog of IPs,having Marvel andStar Warsto draw from can only be positive forKingdom Hearts' future. That being said, should the upcoming sequel indeed venture into a galaxy far, far away, it should keep the focus on beloved Jedi and locations, and away from mascots such as R2-D2 and BB8, who, while loved in their own way, lack any real depth or substance.
Star Warsis undoubtedly one of the biggest IPs on the planet, and that was true even before Disney’s acquisition. Since then, the volume of newStar Warscontent being released has increased exponentially, which has seen the number of new characters and locations rise. New shows such asAhsokahave introduced some lesser-known characters to completely new audiences, soKingdom Hearts 4will have its work cut out to appease fans by including as many favorites as possible. With so many to choose from, droid characters should play minor roles at best, allowing some of the IP’s most famous faces to take center stage.
Kingdom Hearts 4’s Star Wars World Has Many Possibilities
Kingdom Hearts' usual format features the protagonist Sora, along with his sidekicks, Goofy and Donald Duck, visiting numerous worlds, each from a different one of Disney’s most famous IPs. One world per IP is usually the rule, with places likeThe Lion King’s Pride Lands andAladdin’s Agrabah in particular managing to bring those beloved worlds to life in ways never before seen. ThrowingStar Warsinto this mix, with a literal Galaxy full of options in terms of locations to use, is not without its issues, as Square Enix may struggle to squeeze everything in that fans want to see.
Having Sora and his friends fight alongside Yoda or Obi-Wan Kenobi against Sith lords such as Darth Vader and Darth Maul, seems a no-brainer in theory. But the timelines involved would likely mean that many other fan-favorites, such as Luke Skywalker, would miss out.Droids have always been an important part of theStar Warsfranchise, and the likes of C3PO, R2-D2, and BB8 have more often than not been seen as mascots that are instantly recognizable and associated withStar Wars.
Star Wars' Droids Aren’t Interesting Enough to Build a Story Around
Beyond their colorful and intricate designs, though, there is often a distinct lack of substance to these droids, making any stories that try to revolve around them particularly difficult to engage with. Games that choose to focus onStar Warsdroids will likely find themselves lacking in the narrative department, in the absence of the other recognizable characters. As some of the most important droids are unable to verbally communicate (except for C3PO), getting players invested in any kind ofStar Warsstoryin which they are at the forefront would be difficult.
Square Enix is much better off focusing on the plethora of interesting characters available, whether that means sticking with characters who have already been explored in detail, like Anakin Skywalker, or telling a story featuring a lesser-known character that has lots of potential to be interesting, like Poe Dameron or even Cal Kestis. WithKingdom Hearts 4also likely to feature the huge world of Marvel, it’s unlikely that it will be able to devote too much time toStar Warsalongside everything else. It’s therefore crucial that the right elements are included, and in this case, that means pushing the droids to the side.
Kingdom Hearts 4
Kingdom Hearts 4 is an action RPG developed by Square Enix and represents the fifteenth installment in the franchise. Players once again are put in the shoes of Sora who is suddenly trapped in a more realistic world called Quadratum, with companions like Donald and Goofy attempting to rescue him. Kingdom Hearts 4 is a direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory.
