I nonetheless take into consideration that one Remaining Fantasy Versus 13 trailer. You recognize the one, that first time Sq. Enix actually confirmed off the supposed Remaining Fantasy 13 spin-off in full for the primary time. The opening shot of a sleepy Noctis being pushed right into a modern-day metropolis, the mix of fantasy creatures and a up to date atmosphere that felt so contemporary for a sequence that was greater than twenty years outdated. In fact, just about none of that made it into the ultimate sport, and it was inevitably rebooted as Remaining Fantasy 15, abandoning quite a lot of parts I used to be personally drastically excited by, seemingly for good. After which would not it, Kingdom Coronary heart 3’s ReMind DLC got here alongside and threw a spanner within the works.
Spoilers for Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind forward.
While you boot up the Toy Story world in Kingdom Hearts 3 for the primary time, you are greeted with what looks as if simply a little bit of a humorous cutscene. There is a protagonist who appears to be like like he may very well be from any trendy Remaining Fantasy sport, a woman that he has to avoid wasting, dramatic music, it is obtained the works.
That protagonist occurs to be referred to as Yozora, and for the remainder of your time in that world, Rex the toy dinosaur insists on calling Sora by that identify because of their similarities. It was a humorous bit, because the cutscene is offered as an in-world advert for a sport referred to as Verum Rex, which in flip has a line of toys you should buy. Everybody thought it was simply Tetsuya Nomura being a bit tongue-in-cheek, poking enjoyable at Remaining Fantasy as a complete. However then within the secret ending of Kingdom Hearts 3, you see… Yozora? Wasn’t he only a character in a online game?
Properly, it seems he is actual. So actual, in truth, he is the superboss within the ReMind DLC that was launched a yr after the bottom sport, one which has two endings relying on whether or not you win or lose. Irrespective of which ending you get, you will find yourself seeing a cutscene that reveals a sleepy Yozora being pushed right into a modern-day metropolis, a shot-for-shot remake of that traditional Versus 13 trailer, which I form of misplaced my thoughts at.
“What the hell does this imply, Nomura?” I requested myself then, and nonetheless ask myself now. We nonetheless haven’t any solutions to that query, or any of the opposite 1000’s of questions I’ve, as a result of Kingdom Hearts 4 is not out but. We additionally do not know when Kingdom Hearts 4 may launch, although most likely not for some time provided that the cellular sport Lacking Hyperlink is up subsequent. At any time when it does come out, I simply hope it delivers on what Versus 13 promised.
I actually do not assume I can clarify how a lot Versus 13 captivated me after I first noticed that aforementioned trailer, in addition to its authentic reveal trailer. At that time limit I hadn’t but performed Remaining Fantasy 7, which additionally clearly blends modernity with fantasy, however as a lot as I like that sport, in addition to Remake, the steam-punk affect means it simply hasn’t fairly scratched the itch left behind by Versus 13.
Taking a look at that gameplay reveal for Versus, you’ll be able to see how clearly it was meant to be Kingdom Hearts ‘but when it was full Remaining Fantasy’. It has a equally designed fight menu, slower-paced however exciting-looking motion, even the well being bars for Noctis and his companions have their faces within the nook. Outdoors of that, although, the darkish, moody metropolis setting was distinct from the predominantly vibrant aesthetic Kingdom Hearts had, and as somebody approaching their teen years it was precisely my vibe.
Even now, although, a decade on, there simply is not actually something like what Versus 13 promised to be. I wish to discover that trendy, fictitious tackle Tokyo one minute whereas driving round on a chocobo the subsequent, I wish to play as a scorching anime boy who’s the king-to-be whereas sporting a classy black go well with, and I wish to have bombastic fights on high of the Shibuya 109 constructing.
Okay, so Kingdom Hearts 3 has already given me that final one, however that is a part of why I hope Kingdom Hearts 4, even considerably, delivers on what Remaining Fantasy Versus 13 advised us it will be. The reveal trailer for 4 actually does appear like we’ll be occurring an extremely completely different journey with Sora this time, and that actually excites me in a technique, however I actually do want that Versus 13 itch scratched.
Greater than that although, I wish to see these concepts realised. There are in fact tales of movies or albums that by no means got here to be, however none promote themselves in the best way that video games do – footage of Versus 13 exists, however it’s fully unplayable, at the least publicly. I need Kingdom Hearts 4 to concentrate on this nearly mythological thought of what Versus 13 was, and play into that, giving us extra of that meta-type narrative the Disney x Remaining Fantasy sequence continuously revels in.
Basically, what I need most of all is the potential of Versus 13 to be explored, even when it is not precisely what Nomura had deliberate all these years in the past. That is what a trailer is more often than not, proper? Potential? You by no means actually know what it’s till you’ve got it in your fingers, and perhaps Kingdom Hearts 4 will take away a few of that magic that I at present really feel from these outdated trailers. Nonetheless, very like how I felt after I was a pre-teen, it is simply enjoyable to think about what may very well be.