Summary
Creating widely accepted video game adaptations of beloved pieces of animation is a tall task for even the most talented developers, as capturing the childlike magic of legendary movie franchises likeToy StoryandRapunzelin a console setting can prove rather challenging. Despite these long odds, Square Enix’sKingdom Heartsseries has amassed an impressive following with its enthralling adventures. That isn’t to say there haven’t been bumps along the franchise’s climb to success, asKingdom Hearts 3’s implementation of theFrozensaga in Arendelle had fans of Elsa’s icy tale clutching metaphorical pearls in anger. Although there’s no official release date forKingdom Hearts 4yet, the excitement surrounding the upcomingFrozenmovie givesSquare Enix ample reason to revamp one of its worst worldsin the next installment.
Kingdom Hearts, for all its success, has had its fair share of disappointments; from incessant backtracking in theTarzan-inspired Deep Jungle inKH1to the lackluster Arendelle inKingdom Hearts 3. Given thatFrozenhas grown into one of Walt Disney’s most influential projects since the first movie made its debut in 2013, with a third movie slated for a 2026 release,Kingdom Hearts 4is in a prime position to reworkKH3’s disappointing adaptation of the franchise’s icy landscape so that its full potential can be realized.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Has a Golden Opportunity to Right KH3’s Wrongs
There are always areas for improvement in video games, and there’s scarcely aKingdom Heartsrealm that couldn’t use a touch-up or two in the next installment to keep fans happy. However, in the case ofFrozen, there’s a sense that theKH3world presented players with just about the worst experience in the Square Enix franchise.
Arendelle’s Depiction in Kingdom Hearts 3 Didn’t Capture Elsa’s Magic
Locations such as the Ice Castle formed a core component of the 2013 film’s charm, and there was palpable excitement when aKingdom Heartsworld based onFrozen, Arendelle, was first teased at E3 in 2018. Unfortunately,Kingdom Hearts 3’s adaptation did not live up to expectations. Problems ranging from unappealing level design to repetitive minigames plagued Arendelle’s landscape. Climbing the snowy mountain dominated the world’s gameplay and got old quickly, and the ice dungeon had no semblance of the source material, with it fealing like most of the time and resources alloted for this world went into recreating the “Let It Go” cinematic.
Additionally, immersion is one ofKingdom Hearts' traditional strong points, but Arendelle only allowed players to glimpse Elsa’s Ice Castle from the exterior without exploring its nooks and crannies. These issues were compounded by Square Enix’s party member selection in Snowball. Some of themost popular party members in theKingdom Heartsfranchisehave been headliners like Jack Sparrow, Rapunzel, and Buzz Lightyear. However,KH3pivoted from this successful dynamic in Elsa’s case, neglecting to add theFrozenprotagonist to the playable lineup. Also, players couldn’t impactFrozen’s story inKingdom Hearts 3, which was essentially a retelling of the film - albeit without Hans.
Frozen 3’s Hype Cycle Could Inspire a Better Snow Experience in Kingdom Hearts 4
Naturally, this decision created a disconnect and gave Arendelle an overwhelmingly negative perception among fans. Despite the plethora of issues, Square Enix can turn its ill fortunes in the icy heartland around inKingdom Hearts 4. With the third iteration of theFrozenfranchise set to grace the silver screen in 2026, there’s an opportunity forKingdom Hearts 4to do whatKH3failed toand leverageFrozen’s expanded lore from the second (and possibly third) movies, allowing fans to interact more meaningfully with the overarching storyline.
IfKingdom Hearts 4releases next year as many expect, that also gives Square Enix a window to include some ofFrozen 3’s content through DLC, taking advantage of the hype around the next chapter in Elsa’s tale. Presumably,Kingdom Hearts 3’s reluctance to let players interact with theFrozenstory was to prevent tampering with sequels, but that problem no longer exists forKH4, at least in regard toFrozen 2.
Freed from such restrictions,Kingdom Hearts 4’s Arendelle depiction should fare better than its predecessor - assuming Square Enix fixes the otherissues that plaguedKH3. However, indisputably, the developer has more than enough commercial motivation to right its wrongs, and it stands to reason thatKingdom Hearts 4will attempt to redeem Arendelle’s reputation to some degree.
