Final Fantasy Type-0 HD
Machina and Cater star as members of Class Zero in "Final Fantasy Type-0 HD." Square Enix - http://finalfantasytype0.com

Tuesday’s release of “Final Fantasy Type-0 HD” on PS4 and Xbox One marks the end of a long journey for the game originally titled “Final Fantasy Agito XIII.” Now that the game’s out, fans can play through it themselves and judge the success of the first M-rated entry in the “Final Fantasy” series. Will there be a sequel? A hidden video added to the end of the remaster indicates there very well might be, but proceed with caution; spoilers for the end of “Final Fantasy Type-0 HD” follow.

The CG video, titled “Rise from the Ashes,” has been uploaded by YouTube user Khaled Rizk. It’s dark, bloody and suitably bleak. True to its title, however, the “Rise from the Ashes” trailer ends on a high note, reinforcing a story by Kotaku, which states that game director Hajime Tabata expressed interest in a sequel. Tabata seems to have a special affinity for the game, having worked on the HD port before transitioning to full-time director on “Final Fantasy XV.”

If the grim nature of “Final Fantasy Type-0 HD” comes across as too much of a change of pace for the series, gamers can find solace in the knowledge that the game is a "Final Fantasy” game through and through. The publisher has released a new trailer called “The Legacy Lives On,” which features familiar faces and shows off elements gamers have come to know and love from the franchise.

Hosted on the official Square Enix North America YouTube channel, the trailer shows overworld maps, airships, Chocobos, Moogles and more. It’s not all sunshine and roses though, as long-time series antagonists like Gilgamesh, Cactuar, Behemoths and others make an appearance. As noted by PlayStation Lifestyle, the name “Final Fantasy Type-0 HD” is no accident; Tabata’s goal was to create something fresh but retain the hallmarks of the series.

“We incorporated the meaning of starting anew, from zero, in the title ‘Type-0.’ It was an expression of determination towards a series of its own, one that is both like and unlike ‘Final Fantasy,'” he said.

The fast-paced action RPG combat of “Final Fantasy Type-0 HD” marks a new direction for the series. Having been experimented with in a number of other smaller handheld titles, it will also find its way into the upcoming “Final Fantasy XV.” In “Final Fantasy Type-0 HD,” gamers take control of an elite group of students from the magical academy of Vermillion Peristylium in the Dominion of Rubrum and are charged with the defence of their home against a hostile invading army.

The group, known as Class Zero, possesses special magical skills, and each student has mastered the use of a unique weapon in battle. When one student falls in combat, gamers can simply call from a pool of reserve members to replace him or her. IGN rated the game an 8/10 in its review, highlighting the well-told emotionally resonant story and fast-paced combat but lamenting the poor camera controls and bland environments.

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(Credit: YouTube/Khaled Rizk)