Sorry, I Hate The Way Kingdom Hearts IV’s Photorealism Looks

I’m excited for Kingdom Hearts IV, but I don’t care for the photorealistic style Square Enix is using in the footage we’ve seen so far. The series has slowly moved toward more realistic visuals over time, and Quadratum—the game’s new world—pushes that further; director Tetsuya Nomura describes it as “an underworld, a fictional world that is different from reality” to Sora.

Kingdom Hearts has long altered characters to fit new settings, from sea creatures in The Little Mermaid to toys in Toy Story. Quadratum, which is based on real-world Shibuya, changes that visual identity more dramatically, so familiar faces don’t always look like themselves.

Luxord, who debuted in Kingdom Hearts II, looked almost unrecognizable in the new trailer despite his blonde hair and goatee. Donald and Goofy briefly appear against a backdrop of blue flames, seemingly searching for Sora after his disappearance at the end of Kingdom Hearts III.

kingdom hearts, photorealism, square enix, quadratum, tetsuya nomura, shibuya, sora, luxord, donald, goofy