Takumi Isobe, Kazushige Nojima, & Yoko Shimomura: Reynatis & Kingdom Hearts

Japanese developer and publisher FuRyu has made its main strategy clear in recent years - to release games featuring well-known creators and developers that are heavily inspired by their previous works. Monark and The Caligula Effect both heavily drew on Shin Megami Tensei, while its latest release, Reynatis, takes inspiration from Kingdom Hearts.

From the moment Reynatis was first revealed, Kingdom Hearts fans quickly noticed the similarities between its characters, combat, music, and even world to Sora’s adventures, with specific fingers being pointed at how both feature their own version of Shibuya.

While I’m sure that some of those comparisons are due to fans' eagerness for a fourth mainline game, it turns out that Reynatis taking inspiration from Kingdom Hearts is very much intentional.

“There were several inspirations for Reynatis stemming from the games I encountered in my formative years, such as the Kingdom Hearts series”, creative producer Takumi Isobe tells me. “I'm also a big movie fan, so I'm sure there are inspirations from various films I've seen in there, as well.”

Takumi expected fans to notice the similarities given how obvious they were. But he notes that the “scale of the game” is completely different, stating that it’s more about capturing the atmosphere and “uniqueness” that Kingdom Hearts provided when it launched in 2002.

Kingdom Hearts isn’t the only Square Enix game that Reynatis has plenty of love for. One of the most surprising elements that has drawn in Square Enix fans is its crossover with The World Ends With You. What started out as an April Fools joke centered around both games being set in their own version of the same location eventually morphed into an actual collaboration that sees Marin and Sari interacting with Rindo and Shoka.

Beyond the Kingdom Hearts comparisons, this put Reynatis on the map for a lot of fans who thought that The World Ends With You was never going to be seen again. The Shibuya setting kick-started the collaboration, but it ended up going even further.

Takumi said he saw a connection to "The World Ends With You" because the setting was Shibuya and made plans for a simple crossover. But after contacting the creators at Square Enix, he made a more detailed plan and presented it to them. The rest is history.

I asked Takumi about Marin and Sari potentially appearing in a Kingdom Hearts game. While he was interested, his answer surprised me as he seemed more interested in building Reynatis as its own thing before the duo gets to meet Sora.

Takumi said, "That's a very dangerous question. Naturally, I'm thinking about that, too. However, rather than Kingdom Hearts, I have a clear vision for something, and I'd like to bring that to fruition."

Takumi's love for Kingdom Hearts and his attempts to emulate its success are evident, as several key figures from the series are involved in Reynatis' development. One of these is Kazushige Nojima, a scenario writer known for his work on all of the mainline Kingdom Hearts entries, as well as many of the biggest Final Fantasy games. Most recently, he wrote the narrative for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

While Reynatis is a fantasy action game, it has a decidedly more modern feel, as it takes place in 2024. This influenced how Nojima wrote the scenario.

Nojima says, "The characters and I both share the same [real-world] history, and we also exist in the present day. For example, we share the same words and expressions, and know about the same things that have happened."

The 2024 setting isn't the only thing that sets Reynatis apart from Nojima's previous RPGs. It's also the first in a potential series and acts as a complete introduction to its world, themes, and characters. This is a rarity for Nojima, given his extensive work on other projects.

Nojima says writing for Reynatis was a new experience for him, as he usually writes for other worlds. He explains that the game has male and female main characters, a conflict between groups, and takes place in both Shibuya and another world.

Nojima aimed to bring his trademark blend of seriousness and humor to Reynatis, similar to his work on Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy. He wanted to highlight the complexity of justice.

Reynatis features magic, which is only available to those permitted by the M.E.A. Players experience both sides of this through Marin, a trainee wizard, and Sari, an M.E.A. member. Nojima hopes players will see that justice isn't black and white, reflecting his own discussions with Takumi.

Nojima emphasizes that for most of his previous projects, he rarely interacted with others involved. However, for Reynatis, he had the opportunity to work closely with Takumi, incorporating the producer's personality and ideas into the story. Nojima finds this process nostalgic and a good match for his own style.

Yoko Shimomura, renowned composer for Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Super Mario RPG, and many other games, composed the music for Reynatis. Her involvement in a new series with an undefined tone and direction is exciting.

This is the inaugural game in a brand-new series, like Nojima's work. Shimomura is involved, but the overall tone and direction are still being determined.

Shimomura finds it stimulating to work on a brand new world, particularly the fusion of Takumi's favorite titles with a fresh setting.

While Reynatis is an original story, it heavily draws inspiration from Kingdom Hearts, evident from the start. Its music, acknowledged by composer Yoko Shimomura, wouldn't sound out of place in Sora's adventures.

Shimomura reveals that creative producer Takumi's fondness for Kingdom Hearts soundtracks might have subtly influenced her work.

However, Reynatis' music differentiates itself from Shimomura's previous compositions by embracing a more dramatic and intense sound. Notably, its soundtrack is entirely orchestral, a rare feat for RPGs due to its cost.

Takumi's singular request for an orchestral score allowed Shimomura to explore new musical possibilities. Shimomura acknowledges the expense involved but is pleased with the final outcome.

Beyond giving Nojima and Shimomura creative freedom, Reynatis has been personally fulfilling for Takumi. He highly values his collaboration with them, stating that it pushed him to elevate his craft and future projects.

Takumi expresses immense admiration for Nojima and Shimomura, stating that working with them daily inspired him to improve his own craft. He considers this experience an irreplaceable memory.