If it ain't a Kitase Final Fantasy, it's not likely that I would like it.
Kitase games are the ones to have sold the most on PlayStation.
Ifrit was a ship, the same as Bahamut, Shiva, Leviathan, Alexander (Carbuncle)
The Ifrit was destroyed in FFXII (One of the few during the last battle if not the only one), Alexander was covering the Bahamut tower.
Bahamut crashed but wasn't Destroyed. (Ended as the peace tower leaning on one side)
Shiva overloaded due to, can't remember what it's called....
Like you said, it's darker, one of the reasons why it doesn't appeal to me, adding a skull doesn't make it seemed "Fantasy" but more like "Fiction".
They said Versus was Fantasy based Reality, if people actually worship the god of "Death", that's creeping me out a little bit, don't you think?
Espescially for a Final Fantasy, since Skull presence are non-existant in Kitase Final Fantasy, practically non-existant all together.
I'm not trying to write off the game, like you and I said, wait & see.