Back in 2010, Final Fantasy Type-0 was released on the PSP exclusively for Japanese audiences. While remaining relatively under the radar in the West, it got an HD remastered version for the PS4 and Xbox One in 2015. Taking place in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series, Final Fantasy Type-0 centers around Class Zero, a group of teenage cadets trapped in a never ending time loop of war and suffering. Arguably the darkest game in the Final Fantasy franchise, it deals with the concept of genocide, death, loss, and even questions morality. Do you strengthen yourself first to save the day, or do you put your faith in others and the world first? Which one is more ethical? That decision is ultimately up to the player.
Well, for those of us who have played it, it should go unsaid that as a result their efforts, Class Zero passes on without being able to experience the world they were finally able to save, lamenting their fate and dreaming of a future that would never come for them.
No, no it’s okay! They’re just sleeping…right?
To be fair as a result of their accomplishments, an alternate hypothetical ending can be achieved if you beat the game a second time under certain conditions. In this ending, it showcases Class Zero as if they were regular teenagers in a world without war.
Glasses have never looked so good
Surely this is a pleasant alternative, but what about their original counterparts? The satisfaction of experiencing an era of peace in which you know you made, and being able to accomplish your original dreams. Knowing how the world was before you became a hero, regaining the memories of those you lost? What if this time, you were given another chance to fulfill your destiny and live to see another day, knowing your future is one you can reach? Having lived for others in a past life, you now live for yourself, being free of orders. From the beginning, it’s all up to you.
Hajime Tabata, the director of Final Fantasy Type-0 is known for his somber endings, and at one point development on a sequel was in the works, which was teased in the HD remake. Unfortunately, he left Square Enix before it came to fruition, but it doesn’t hurt to speculate or be like Class Zero and fantasize about a future that will never come! It’s not unheard of for game companies to pick up unfinished projects, so why don’t we look at the possibilities?
In this teaser trailer, dubbed Rise From the Ashes, we see Ace fatally wounded and on the verge of death, before being healed of his wounds by a fiery spirit. With his newfound resolve he literally rises up from the ashes in a form similar to that of a bird.
The Vermilion Bird?
Not only is Ace rocking a super cool samurai look, but he’s also standing tall and ready for battle. The teaser ends with him saying “We have arrived”, the exact same set of words he says at the beginning of Type-0 when he and his classmates come to save the day. Yet we only see Ace, could it be that he’s carrying their souls, or bearing their will and wishes? If the sea of flames he’s surrounded in is indeed the Vermilion Bird, it wouldn’t be too far fetched to say that his former peers are there with him. Having been chosen by and reincarnated by the Vermilion Bird, Ace is once again given the chance to achieve the future he so longed for in life…and looking badass while doing it! What else lays in store for him? Adventure? Love?
Who wouldn’t marry this?
Yet there begs the question, with Tabata gone, who will take over? Perhaps we could look to none other than Tetsuya Nomura, the original designer of Type-0‘s characters and arguably one of the most creative minds within Square Enix. Alongside Nomura-san, we could have Motomu Toriyama, who has experience working on the Fabula Nova Crystallis series and co-directed the first part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Seeing Toriyama-san’s past works such as Final Fantasy X, perhaps we could also anticipate a romance or even a Final Fantasy XIV-style marriage? Would their children be named after Uno cards?
The possibilities are endless!
Final Fantasy Type-0 is rated for Mature Audiences and available for purchase on Steam and other gaming retailers.
What about you guys? What do you think the story line would be about if Final Fantasy Type-NEXT came to fruition? Should BUMP OF CHICKEN make a come back with another hit? How about that awesome song we hear in the teaser trailer? Should there be a sequel? Share your thoughts and let’s discuss!