Nomura: PS4 Will Facilitate Massive Improvements in Kingdom Hearts III

This week’s Kingdom Hearts III trailer didn’t quite represent the step-up for the Square Enix published series that many had expected – but speaking as part of a ‘Conversations with Creators’ video, series director Tetsuya Nomura has revealed that the PlayStation 4 will allow the Japanese publisher to improve upon previous instalments in almost every department.

“The action continues to evolve, and this time, [the sequel] will also integrate the ‘Free Run’ [system] that makes it possible to run and climb various areas,” he explained. “Additionally, the ability to fly and jump will be seeing a much greater improvement this time around. I believe that thanks to the PS4, it has been made possible to fight even more enemies in spacious areas.”

The team’s not just planning to expand upon the scale of the game, though, but also the way that it looks. “One of the graphic themes for this instalment is how we could transfer Disney’s 2D brush-style drawings into 3D,” Nomura continued. “After consulting with our company’s pre-rendering department, we were able to create various patterns of expression for demo purposes, and we were able to get what you see today.”

The studio’s also improving areas such as artificial intelligence, and the brand overlord believes that the enhanced power of the PS4 will allow it to create more believable routines for the likes of Donald Duck and Goofy. “[They] will be acting more upon their own thoughts in various situations, while better reflecting their own personalities,” he continued. “I believe that you’ll feel a major step-up from past Kingdom Hearts games.”

Nomura’s not revealing which worlds the sequel will allow you to explore just yet, but he does claim that the PS4 has encouraged him and the rest of his team to create something special. “When we’re given such great hardware,” he added, “us creators would assuredly want to make something just as great.”

The developer concluded: “When you take all the past titles into consideration, and their own representations, I believe that [Kingdom Hearts] has become a [series] of profound depth. We are working hard on development so the day that you all will get to play [Kingdom Hearts III] will come sooner. Please look forward to our next announcement.”

See you in a couple of years, then...