Final Fantasy Type-0 is 80% complete, confirmed producer Hajime Tabata, during an exclusive pre-PAX interview with IGN. It will be released as a retail title for both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.
In further interviews, Tabata has stated that while gameplay content will remain untouched and bereft of new additions, gameplay will be tweaked to suit dual stick controllers, and difficulty modes will be introduced to offset complaints from Japanese fans of the PSP version's steep difficulty.
Additionally, first impressions of non-playable footage of Type-0 HD have appeared on the internet. From one individual:
What I took to be most remarkable from this article, though: "Being built with DirectX 11, and solely focusing on new-fen technology, I was stunned to see the first Final Fantasy to hit these systems being played right before me by Tabata himself. I saw him peruse soldier infested streets of what I assumed to be Rubrum, one of four nation holding the power of the world’s power infused crystals, seamlessly entering enemy encounters with an open world vibe. For being a game, that’s claimed to be nearly 80% done, I was ready to throw my wallet down right then and there. It ran so buttery smooth with such visual fidelity that it puts many other titles currently available on new-gen to shame."
One of which is Kotaku's Jason Schreier, who sat with Tabata to seek answers to eight big questions:
1) When is Type-0 HD coming out?
Within the next year, Tabata says. We won't be waiting longer than 365 days. Tabata and Square won't commit to a concrete release date yet, but by August of 2015, we should be playing this game.
"I started to be involved around July 2012ish," he said [development allegedly began in 2012]. "And at that time, I started to gain a better understanding of the PS4/Xbox One console, and really liked the environment of the platform itself, and I believed it would be a good fit for Type-0 as well."
2) Why Xbox One and PS4? Why not Xbox 360 and PS3?
Because Square Enix is concerned about Final Fantasy XV. They want to make sure Final Fantasy fans own current-gen consoles, and Type-0 is their way of helping get people to segue into the modern generation.
3) Is Type-0 ever coming to portable systems?
Nope.
4) Is it true that Square Enix was planning on localizing the PSP version but changed their minds because of business realities?
Yes. The vast bulk of localisation and English voice acting were already completed before the decision to can a western release of the PSP game was made.
5) Will Type-0 HD's development delay Final Fantasy XV at all?
No. FFXV is still top priority.
6) How do Type-0 and Final Fantasy XV differ?
"As an over-arching theme, Type-0 is a war-themed game, so it's kind of like a war movie in a sense. Whereas XV is a road trip kind of movie and adventure that focuses on brotherhood. The overarching theme is kind of different in terms of scenario."
7) Are they adding any new content that wasn't in the PSP version?
Nope. No new story or challenge modes or anything like that. The three main differences are A) high-definition graphics; B) new controls for traditional controllers; and C) difficulty modes, because a lot of Japanese fans told Square Enix that Type-0 was just too hard.
8) Does the game look good?
I think so. Don't expect a traditional Final Fantasy here, and don't expect something that pushes the boundaries of what the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One can do—this is a remake of a PSP game, after all—but the few minutes I saw of Type-0 made me want to play more.
Nova Crystallis | Kotaku