Originally an Action RPG game game released for PSP (PlayStation Portable) back in 2011, developed by Square Enix and HexaDrive. The Type-0 HD is the high-definition remastered version of the original, sans the multiplayer mode while introducing additional difficulty levels.
The Story
The story focuses on Class Zero, a group of fourteen students from the Dominion of Rubrum who must fight the neighboring Militesi Empire when they launch an assault on the other Crystal States of Orience. In doing so, the group become entangled in both the efforts to push back and defeat the forces of Militesi, and the secret behind the war and the existence of the crystals.
Gameplay
The is straight forward, you control a character that runs around the scenes in 3rd person perspective with the camera angle being controlled by the Right Stick. I like it that the game is straight forward and you don’t waste time running around like a mindless person to explore place.
The default character you control is ACE but there is a host of other characters from you to choose from and each combat involves up to 3 characters depending on your setting, you could even setup a backup team. During the course of the combat, you are able to change the character, perhaps you think the archer would work best against the big baddie instead of the character with a saber. The combat system is probably one of the best around and it’s real time. 🙂
What amazed me is the level of detail available for you to configure each character. Note that all of them have different attack and defense skill sets and they work best with equipment that enhances their ability.
The game starts of with quite a lengthy cutscene which I think is great, it gives you an idea of where the story is heading and how you are involved. While the areas are all marked on maps and such, the only exploring you actually do is to run around and look for tasks or people to converse with, that’s just to kill a bit of time before going on the next mission.
The game doesn’t penalize anyone for the lack of skill, in fact the difficulty setting can be adjusted and information is readily available not just from the menu but also the computer at the library. Any newbie can just jump right into the game and enjoy the story, cutscenes appear quite often between the missions, making it a very enjoyable experience.
Forgotten how to play the game? Well the details are all found in the menu.
Graphics and Audio
The game looks great despite originally being a game that’s made for small screen, the remastered work looks neat. I love the colors and detail but it’s no where near the level of detail found on Bloodborne but it’s good enough and I truly enjoyed the game.
I enjoyed the audio too, the soundtrack is very well orchestrated, as expected for a Final Fantasy / Square Enix game of course. I like it that all the cut scenes are with voice, whether video or 3D. The conversation between character within the game are all text-based though, can’t expect having voice for everything, can I?
The character design and details are great, Rem here looks very pretty, doesn’t she?
The Verdict
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is basically an old game brought to life and what I like about is that one gets to jump straight into the game and enjoy every bit of it without being penalized by the lack of skills. Progression isn’t difficult and the story unfolds ever so often, making it more interesting as time goes by.
I’m giving it an 9 out of 10 – The graphics may seem outdated but what’s most important to me is that it’s a game that one can sit back, relax and enjoy.
