Final Fantasy Type-0 HD

Bringing such an interesting, varied, and challenging game to consoles was a great move by Square Enix for the franchise. It’s more Final Fantasy than any recent Final Fantasy game.

While not the next-generation Final Fantasy game fans are anxiously waiting for, Type-0 is a fun action/adventure with a lot of compelling ideas. There's enough variety in the gameplay to keep the combat fresh for dozens of hours, and the story is surprisingly emotional for a political thriller. Sadly, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is held back by its handheld roots, but don't let that keep you from discovering this oddity.

One of the most authentic Final Fantasy games in a decade.

Aside from the wonky camera, the battles are fast-paced and rewarding that makes the game stand out amongst other Final Fantasy titles giving a unique experience.

Type-0 on the PSP was the best Final Fantasy game since, maybe, Final Fantasy XII. Nothing changes that in this case: Type-0 HD is fun to play, hard to master and offers a lot of content to explore. Also, here we have the access to Episode Duscae, the first chance to play Final Fantasy XV and to discover where the series is right now. It's a convincing package.

It has a huge learning curve and might stymie even the most stalwart players early on, but once you climb that mountain, I promise you'll have a great time.

Although it doesn't necessarily justify the HD treatment at every turn, the core game is worth playing whether you're a fan of the franchise, or just enjoy challenging tactical action. If Square keeps highlighting and pushing quality experiences like this, it will prove to more people it hasn't lost its touch.

It's been a while since fans of Square Enix have gone back to the old school with the Final Fantasy franchise. It's not that Type-0 HD is an RPG master-class but to be sure that it brings back some of the lost magic of the Final Fantasy series. Despite it having combat on real time, Type-0 HD is more Final Fantasy than any of the Fabula Nova Crystallis series.

It's been a while since we played a Final Fantasy entry as we did with Final Fantasy Type-0 HD. An all-round plot and a remarkable interaction are the pillars of a really good remaster.

It may not look like one, but Type-0 is a great PS4 game. [Issue#255, p.64]

It’s a slightly more active, engaging iteration on the traditional Final Fantasy experience and one that works well, even away from its native platform. If you’ve been avoiding the series for a good few years then Type-0 is a great place to pick up the thread once again.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD fails in all the same ways that recent Final Fantasy titles seem to fail: the convoluted plots, terms, and concepts; the extravagant cutscenes; the didactic storytelling; the use of character stereotypes as a crutch.

Successful remake: another entry in popular jRPG series, full of innovative ideas, fresh concepts, with extensive story and only a few drawbacks.

It brings back the old-school charm of the series while experimenting with various new mechanics with a good degree of success.

Despite some dated visuals and mechanics better suited for a last-generation portable system, and despite being greatly overshadowed by the Final Fantasy XV demo it ships with, Type 0 deserves the attention and respect of Final Fantasy fans.

Final Fantasy Type-0 takes the best from traditional Final Fantasy games and adds risky innovations. The result is a deep title that is really hard to put down. Not that it's perfect because it's really hard to love all that beautiful content under its ugly presentation.

It’s a good action-packed RPG that does the Final Fantasy name justice.

It is a very unique Final Fantasy that relies on a very solid combat system to help us go through some challenging situations. If you love the franchise as much as we do, it won't disappoint you.

It's the battles themselves that make the most forcible argument for spending 25-plus hours with Final Fantasy Type-0, for it's in the combat arenas that Orience truly comes to life.

It discovers a fine balance the series has been sorely missing, between simplicity and complexity, difficulty and approachability, scope and scale. It also finds its own voice and a wide variety of things to keep players busy. Not all of those activities are handled perfectly, but damn it, I'd rather have a game that tries something interesting and occasionally stumbles than another generic saving-the-world epic.

Unfortunately its ancient portable origins somewhat spoil the proposal, to meet an improper set the times in visual art, and it also has one of the most uncomfortable cameras we remember.

Despite a not-so-good porting from the mobile version, it still has a great appeal for Final Fantasy fans out there, as the story is interesting and the action combat system compelling.

Despite a few gameplay quirks which don't always feel fun, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is a true Final Fantasy at its heart with an engaging plot and a decent amount of depth. If you manage to outlook its old-gen nature, you will find a good action RPG which makes up for the latest false steps in the franchise.

At last! Final Fantasy Type-0 visits the occidental market thanks to this HD edition plenty of enjoyable moments, adult stories and atmosphere and multiple characters to choose from. And the pack includes a great playable demo of Final Fantasy XV, the Episode Duscae.

Offering the most captivating gameplay from the series in a long time, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD has finally arrived to the West while looking and sounding better than ever.

In the end, is Type-0 worth the full $60 price? I’m one who believes gameplay is a greater than graphics alone, and while Type-0 looks a little dated due to its ported status it definitely makes up for the visual shortcomings with great gameplay. If you like Final Fantasy and third-person action combat… get it, and love it. It’s worth your time.

The game is as punishing and uncompromising as the continental war that it chronicles, and it will school you.

It's a thematically rich game that more than compensates for the visual weaknesses that are a hold over from the original hardware it was developed for. Throw in a tight and entertaining combat system and you've got a great JRPG for the PlayStation 4 - a genre that is currently in short supply on the platform.

Only Final Fantasy could get away with the paradox of a clean slate that simultaneously references countless tropes endemic to its name. Type-0 HD can feel like the tortuous result of hasty assembly, but if allowed the time and energy to piece itself together, it stands as clear and original as others bearing its exalted title

Type-0’s gritty tone, fast-paced action, and strategic approach to time management is a welcome change of pace from the usual Final Fantasy experience. Though an exasperating camera and clunky mission controls sometimes dampened my fun, I enjoyed meeting the Class Zero cadets and guiding them through battle. There’s definitely no other class quite like them.

To fully appreciate Type 0 you should not deal with the idea of being in front of a modern Final Fantasy, but in front of a great title for the handheld console cleaned up and filed properly to be offered to fans of the series.

This game has finally made its way into the west and we should be happy for that. Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is above all an interesting experience, even though weak graphics and a frustrating camera keep it from being a truly great one.

The 'HD' part in this title is a lie, but Square Enix does make up for it. Type-O is the refreshment that the FF-franchise can use. Both gameplay and story show courage, with its dynamic fighting system and the story that often gets really dark. It is not perfect, but Final Fantasy Type-0 definitely is a game that fits in the franchise.

Final Fantasy Type-0 is a welcome release in the West, as we finally get the chance to experience one of the more experimental and enjoyable additions to the Final Fantasy franchise in years. It’s just a shame that some of the game’s concepts feel outdated or underdeveloped compared to its other parts—and that Type-0’s journey from the PSP to the new systems hasn’t done its visuals or environments a lot of favors.

It’s an interesting departure in both tone and gameplay from other FF titles, and certainly worth playing. But I really wish Square Enix had banked a bit less on the packed in Final Fantasy XV demo to sell copies, and more on applying some additional technical prowess to the final package.

If you can get over the price tag and its obvious console shortcomings, you will find a game that is well worth the experience, XV demo or not.

A decent enough remaster that won't entice newcomers, but makes for a tasty treat for established fans.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD won't satisfy every fan of the series, but it is a good offer that deserves a try, specially because it is a spin-off. Type-0 HD has minor flaws, but thanks to its interesting history, formidable soundtrack and large amount of characters, missions and past references, it offers great replay value, a rare quality among games nowadays.

Returning to Fabula Nova Crystallis and its mythology feels awesome. A mature story with tons of missions and replayability awaits us. Sadly, current-gen consoles aren't the best way to experience this ambitious title.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, is very good portable game that’s been snuck onto consoles, and it feels like it. The need to retake missions so as to grind out a team of characters artificially lengthens what’s actually a relatively short main game. The story is actually better than that of FFXIII, but it comes at the cost of those steep grinding requirements.

Type-0 may not yield the kind of complete package that RPG lovers may be longing to have, but the narrative potency and the gratification of combat will reward in spades anyone who enjoys an impactful experience.

Thanks to being an excellent PSP game, the glossed up version feels like a unique and enjoyable Final Fantasy experience. With deep storytelling and an interesting take on existing lore, fans of the franchise will want to play it. However, if you already gave it a whirl on PSP, it might not necessarily be worth the money to dish out for it again.

I enjoyed my time with Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, but this is most certainly not a FF game suitable for newcomers to the Final Fantasy universe. Seasoned FF veterans will enjoy the game far more due to its heightened difficulty compared to most Final Fantasy games as well as all of the references to past FF games.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is a hard game to judge. As a PSP title, it's impressive and contains a bunch of content that clearly pushed the tiny system to its limits. However, released four years later as a full-priced $60 console title, it's lacking. It's still a solid game, but it demands that you remember its roots and overlook some of its foibles.

It doesn’t look like a lot of effort went into porting a 2011 PSP game to current gen home consoles, as we got the same low-quality character models, cardboard box levels and ubiquitous loading screens of the original. Still, Final Fantasy fans definitely shouldn’t miss Type-0, if only to get a feel of FFXV’s director style. [May 2015, p.76]

Thanks to its mature narrative there’s something special in Final Fantasy Type-0, and if you are a fan of the saga you should play it. Nevertheless, it's a shame the game has so many technical issues.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD features an engaging combat system and a great universe to explore, making for a stellar JRPG, with it a distinctive style and tone. However, the experience is hampered by too many protagonists, a clunky camera and the fact that the HD-remastering is less than optimal in oh so many different ways.

If you are willing to look past its issues, then Type-0 is definitely worth your time, and it is far better than some of the other games in the Crystallis series. If we had to choose any Final Fantasy game that acts as the harbinger for the messiah that is Final Fantasy XV, then it would be this one, purely thanks to its markedly similar and stellar combat system.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is far from perfect mainly due to the sheer number of characters, which is really too much to get the player involved in the story. The other main problem is the back and forth travels you have to go through between missions, those really kill the rhythm. The game is a quite good port from PSP to PS4 and has the merit of demoing what Final Fantasy XV will be.

Type-0 is a darker and more bloodier game than Final Fantasy use to be, and for the most part it’s a good thing. Unfortunately the many side quests can make you feel a bit stressful. Overall Type-0 is a game that we hope to see more of in the future.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD has its ups and downs.

Though Final Fantasy Type-0 HD takes a little while to get engaging and has some issues with its presentation, it has a lengthy campaign with a good amount of depth, and a battle system that’s both challenging and engaging.

With Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, the European Final Fantasy fans will finally be able to play a really good game, on the wrong platforms. A PS Vita version of this remastered edition would have been much better. The game is still great, actually, and if you’ll be able to stand the old graphics and the mechanics balanced for a portable experience, you’ll find a true Final Fantasy to play with for a long time.

Design choices made by the limited hardware this title originates from hinder the overall game, stopping it short of greatness, but this is still one Final Fantasy that RPG fans should find time for, as joining in education with Class Zero is a jolly experience.

Final Fantasy Type-0 is a sumptuous action-RPG set in fascinating and unusually adult universe. Unfortunately, this HD version could have been better, mostly for the constrains of its mobile origin.

Final Fantasy Type-0 may have started life as a PSP game, but its mysterious world and fast-paced combat are still an exciting mix. Shame about the voice acting and interface, though.

Even though it can take a little while to truly click, this is a unique and refreshing entry in Square Enix's beloved franchise, and a one that's a prime candidate for an even better sequel.

A combat-heavy RPG with interesting fighters, curtailed by clunky visuals and repetitive leveling. [May 2015, p.72]

Not without its rough charm, but clearly the bridesmaid to FFXV's babe. [May 2015, p76]

But Type-0 shows that Final Fantasy, despite its best efforts, probably doesn’t know how to grow up in the way it wants to—that it can only grasp at greater dramatic impact even as its battle systems are further refined, its attempts to dig something out of the ancient muck of a subject as heavy as war itself constantly curtailed by concessions to the iconography of its past.

Too technically flabby to be called vintage, but you'll find yourself immersed in a satisfyingly grim story with a varied cast of characters. [May 2015, p.86]

PSP origins of the game are obvious on every step of the way, exposed by ugly character models, low quality textures and small areas riddled with loading screens. I can only recommend it to a narrow group of most enthusiastic jRPG fans. [05/2015, p.77]

Those who have been waiting for Final Fantasy to get back to what it does best, this is the best thing going right now.

While Final Fantasy Type-0 has a lot of problems, the game's focus on gameplay really works as that's its biggest strength.

Type-0 is a consistently interesting experience despite not always being one that hits the notes it's aiming for. It's an example of how wonderful games can be when they focus on a particular form of design, but simultaneously, it stands as proof that even those mainstream games labelled 'mature' struggle to provide a narrative of wider cultural value.

As I said before, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is definitely for fans only. One last warning, though: The main game is worth finishing if you can get past the punishingly hard boss battles that plague the last ten hours.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD offers quite a good experience, and it features a great combat system, rich gameplay and a true sense of variety in its quests. But it's still a PSP port, and technically it's impossible to pretend we don't see it. Type-0 still deserves your interest, even moreso when you know that it's packed with the first playable demo of FFXV.

Although the real-time sections are weak, they aren't overused and there's always something interesting coming up.

If you like what Type-0 has to offer, the presence of additional story and mission content offers ample reason to return for subsequent playthroughs, but it comes with the cost of having an indecipherable plot the first time through.

Those hoping to see the franchise return to its legendary roots, or those (like me) who are just sick of the Final Fantasy XIII universe are likely to come away less impressed. It's nice that we've finally gotten the opportunity to play this game, but I'm not convinced it was worth the wait.

Unless you're a Final Fantasy diehard, Type-0 should be played in its original form on handheld, or not at all.

A lot of this game's PSP heritage appears to be on display. While the characters appear to look fine for an HD remaster, many of the environments and menus look awkward and even blurry.

The combat has it’s moments but it has very little to do with Final Fantasy, although the awful storytelling is all too familiar from the rest of the Final Fantasy XIII series.

Final Fantasy Type-0 HD has some fantastic ideas implemented with restrictive elements that ultimately don’t work with a console release.

No amount of visual updates can mask the fact that Type-0 was clearly never designed to be on consoles. What great ideas it has are buried under a story that’s rendered meaningless and a camera that prevents you from seeing most of them in the first place.