13 Key Lessons Kingdom Hearts 4 Can Take from Final Fantasy 16’s Epic Limit Break

With Square Enix's recent release of the highly-anticipated Final Fantasy title, it is essential for the developer to analyze its success and apply it to the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 4. A notable aspect worth considering is the combat design in Final Fantasy 16, specifically the implementation of Limit Breaks that provide players with temporary power increases, going beyond a one-time special attack in lengthy boss battles.

Though the specific details on limited-use power-ups in Kingdom Hearts 4 have not been confirmed, previous entries in the series offer insight into how Sora could receive temporary boosts to effectively deplete enemy and boss health bars. By taking inspiration from the beloved Drive Forms in Kingdom Hearts 2, a minor design alteration mirroring Final Fantasy 16's Limit Break could elevate the impact of these temporary enhancements in a wider range of combat scenarios.

Higher Availability for Drive Form Changes

In Kingdom Hearts 2, the original Drive Forms were balanced in two main ways to control the power of the power-ups. Firstly, they would temporarily remove either Donald, Goofy, or both from the party, leaving Sora without their support in healing or handling enemy aggression. Secondly, the Drive Gauge, which grants access to the Drive Forms, charged slowly, consumed more bars with stronger forms, and could only be replenished with items outside of battle.

However, this balancing system had a drawback. Players were encouraged to only use Drive Forms during boss fights, as using them in regular combat would often deplete the gauge before a boss appeared. In contrast, Final Fantasy 16 adopts a similar gauge building system to restrict access to the Limit Break form, but allows it to be used in both general encounters and boss battles. Unlike the Drive Gauge in Kingdom Hearts 2, the Limit Gauge in Final Fantasy 16 charges quickly enough to be utilized multiple times within a single boss fight.

This results in a temporary power-up that players don't need to worry about using frequently, reserving it as an emergency option to escape dangerous situations once per encounter. Consequently, it creates a dual impact where controlling Final Fantasy 16's Clive empowers the player, while also integrating this temporary boost as a consistent aspect of the combat. This avoids the limitation observed in Kingdom Hearts 2, where Sora's combat ability feels like a plot device exclusively employed against formidable bosses rather than an integral part of his toolkit to utilize across different worlds.

Kingdom Hearts 4's Temporary Power Boosts

The gameplay of Kingdom Hearts 4 has only been briefly showcased, with an initial trailer providing a basic glimpse into the combat mechanics during a scripted battle against a Darkside. As a result, there is currently no specific information regarding the appearance of Drive or Second Forms in the upcoming title. Nevertheless, Square Enix will undoubtedly strive to maximize the impact of these temporary enhancements on the player's experience, similar to how the developer has listened to player feedback and reintroduced Reaction Commands.

In that case, considering Square Enix's incorporation of player feedback, the feedback regarding Final Fantasy 16's Limit Break should indicate to the developer that providing frequent opportunities for these temporary boosts would be beneficial for fans. A similar approach has been taken with Kingdom Hearts 3's Keyblades, as each distinct weapon has a transformation that can be activated by stringing together combos on enemies, occasionally requiring specific attacks to be linked. Taking a similar path in enhancing access to these upgraded forms could assist in improving the combat pace of Kingdom Hearts 4 and ensuring that Sora always has access to his complete arsenal.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently being developed.