With Kingdom Hearts 4 setting the stage for the future of the series, there's a lot riding on it, especially in terms of crossovers between Square Enix and Disney. As the series moves beyond the Xehanort saga, it could benefit from taking cues from challenging games like Elden Ring, particularly in terms of level design.
While the Kingdom Hearts series hasn't traditionally been open-world, the design of individual regions could still greatly impact the Disney worlds in the upcoming game. What's more important than the openness of these regions and their hidden treasures is the inclusion of numerous bosses and mini-bosses scattered throughout them, akin to what's seen in the Lands Between.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Needs an Elden Ring Level Boss Roster
Shared Strengths Between Kingdom Hearts and Soulslikes
When we talk about the Soulslike genre, it's often centered on difficulty, but there's more to it than just being tough RPGs and their followers. The top-notch Soulslike games delve deeper into gameplay mechanics, featuring movesets that require players to strategically time their attacks without relying on flashy action cancels. Players use dodge rolls and guards to avoid taking damage while facing off against massive bosses at the end of interconnected levels. Interestingly, this gameplay loop mirrors a lot of what we see in the Kingdom Hearts series, where magic can unlock an easier mode and DLC bosses can take hours to conquer for the first time.
Drawing From the Strengths of Elden Ring's Open World
Elden Ring stands out from other Soulsborne games thanks to its vast roster of bosses, totaling 165 encounters spread across the Lands Between. While some of these bosses may feel less formidable due to their frequency, the freedom to explore off the beaten path and discover even minor challenges and rewards significantly enriches the exploration experience. This emphasis on exploration is something that Kingdom Hearts 4 could learn from other Soulslike games, particularly the design philosophy of FromSoftware.
The Disney worlds in the Kingdom Hearts series have always been filled with hidden secrets and collectibles. However, these often amounted to little more than extra potions or accessories, with rare encounters against secret bosses saved for the endgame. Introducing smaller encounters and brief challenges throughout the level design of the upcoming Disney worlds could provide a more engaging experience. Some of these encounters could be optional, while others might lead to even tougher bosses, enhancing the sense of discovery and adventure.
Secret Encounters Already Worked Once in Kingdom Hearts' Side Content
It's worth noting that the Kingdom Hearts series has already implemented a successful example of introducing a significant amount of optional content within the space where players traverse between the main worlds. Kingdom Hearts 3's Gummi missions demonstrated this concept by incorporating secret encounters and unique bosses alongside various rewards throughout this part of the game. Encounters like Schwarzgeist and Omega Machina were tucked away behind the requirement of unlocking powerful Gummi Ships and navigating through outer space tornadoes, making the open space area in Kingdom Hearts 3 one of the highlights for exploration.
Given the success of the optional content within the Gummi missions in Kingdom Hearts 3, it would be logical to expand upon the Disney worlds themselves in a similar fashion. Additionally, Kingdom Hearts 3 already hid many rewards behind unique puzzles or Flowmotion interactions. By including bosses alongside these puzzles, exploration could become even more engaging, and the rewards would feel more earned.
