NYCC: FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD Hands On Impressions

I've never overtly loved Final Fantasy. The gameplay is deep and strategic, but it never kept me coming back for more. I played 7-10, some of the tactics titles, and my favorite, Dirge of Cerberus, which some would probably disagree with, but Final Fantasy Type-0 HD may soon become my new favorite. 

For those of you who don't know, Final Fantasy Type-0 was a PSP title only released in Japan, but in March 2015, the game will be released in the west for XBOX One and Playstation 4. I got a chance to play through a level, and let me tell you, it is a total blast. 

The game consists of 14 playable characters with 3 being in your active party. Where this game differs from other titles in the series is the gameplay. The game is more a fast-paced hack and slash, aka an action oriented title, rather than the conventional turn based gameplay players have come to expect in Final Fantasy. 

The demo I played only had three characters available, but they were all so unique that I was surprised that the finished product will have 11 more. You see, with three characters the game already has enough depth to keep things fresh — you can switch between your three party members on the fly. I played as Ace (who is basically Gambit), who uses throwing cards, Seven, who used a chain whip, and Rem, who used two daggers. Each character has a unique ability on top of having a unique weapon system. 

The combat system is great and has a lock-on system, which, if used well, can kill your enemies in a quicker manner. The lock-on crosshair will sporadically go from blue (normal), yellow (critical hit), to red (auto-kill). This adds a layer of strategy as you can learn to time your attacks well. On top of that, the enemies you face will sometimes have a commander with them. If you can kill the commander before the other enemies, the rest will surrender, and you can get items from them. At one point I gained the ability to summon a monster/demon that one of your party members will turn into. The amount of power you have while a demon is absolutely crazy. You can basically level the battlefield, but you're a little slower. You can also turn into the monster then switch to one of the other party members, thus keeping your quick movement while the computer controlled demon wreaks havoc around you. 

Now, the game is pretty, but it is apparent that it used to be a PSP title. But the wide range of colors is a nice change of pace from the abundant amount of brown and gray color schemes we find in so many games today.

The camera can get a little annoying. Especially if you use the lock-on system for prolonged periods of time, the camera can make you feel as if you're cornered when in fact you have a ton of free room to move around in. 

All in all, I am very excited for Final Fantasy Type-0's release. The game is frenetic and adrenaline pumping, and I can't wait to mix and match the 14 characters to create the ultimate squad.