Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originwas rumored for about a month before its reveal at E3. It seemed inevitable as many sources pointed to its existence but a confirmation from the source itself, in this case,Square Enix, is always better. This game can be boiled down to two words:Dark Souls. To be fair it might be better to call it aNioh-like, as that’s the game Team Ninja worked on which is also verySouls-like.
RELATED:Final Fantasy Console Variations You Never Knew Existed
That gameplay element ofStranger of Paradiseis well known but even after the reveal trailer and the demo, there are still many mysteries as to what this game even is. Speculation is so high that there are even fan theories out there. Let’s break down some of those elements to help figure things out.
5Is This A Remake Or Something More?
Based on the content of the demo, trailer, and subsequent informationSquare Enix releasedafter E3 2021, it would appearFinal Fantasy Originis some sort of adaptation of the firstFinal Fantasy. The company is being cagey as to where it takes place in the timeline though. Is it a remake, a reboot, a sequel, or something else?
Even though the main character, Jack, or his buddies don’t look like typical warriors in theFinal Fantasyseries, they are said to be Warriors of Light. That’s what the four protagonists are called in the original game, and that RPG does open similarly toStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin’s trailer with the Warriors of Light going after Garland. The thing about Garland and Chais though is that they create a time loop. This means thatFinal Fantasy Origincould conceivably take place in a time loop with new heroes post or before the original game.
4How Much Of The Demo’s Mechanics Will Be Open Right Away?
to give players a good sense ofFinal Fantasy Origin’smechanics, developers will usually ease up on the difficulty. They also tend to introduce mechanics early on in the game way before they will come into play for the final product. This is often referred to as a Vertical Slice of a game in the press. For example, it’s a bit hard to believe now that players can cast as much magic as they can in what would seem like the beginning ofFinal Fantasy Origin.
RELATED:Every Final Fantasy Game Released On The PS4, Ranked
The same is true for the job variety. However, there is an explanation that would cover why these heroes are so powerful. Sometimes games begin with a separate, more powerful set of heroes from the main crew ofFinal Fantasy Origin. Maybe Jack and his party really aren’t the main heroes after all.
3The Party Situation
There are various aspects about the party fans are eager to learn more about. In the demo, Jack’s crew acts to the beat of their own drum, meaning they cannot be issued orders whatsoever. Based onpastFinal Fantasyentries, it is likely there will be an added function in the final product. The most recent entry,Final Fantasy 7 Remake, allowed players to issue orders to party members as well as switch to them.
The only two exclusions to this were Red XIII and Sonon who could be issued orders but could not be directly controlled. It would make sense to allow these other two to be controlled as mostSouls-like games feature multiplayer. This means that conceivably not only could players switch off between party members, they might also be able to allow friends to control them as well. It is possible as otherFinal Fantasygames in the seriesbut it is a mystery for now.
2How Will The Game Operate?
TheDark Soulsseries, and others like it, usually take place in one ever-expanding compound. They can be likened in some ways to Metroidvanias wherein new powers and keys can unlock new pathways, interconnecting a giant map. Some games do feature the ability to warp around to new places like inNiohandDemon’s Souls. How willFinal Fantasy Originwork then?
RELATED:Things We Miss And Don’t Miss From Early Final Fantasy Games
Garland’s castle seems pretty small. There are ways to expand it in the final version but if this is a remake, this might also mean sections ofFinal Fantasy Originwill be open-world like in the originalFinal Fantasy. The upcomingSouls-like game from FromSoftware,Elden Ring, seems to be open-world. The idea of a hard, action-heavy video game does not mean it has to be confined to one tower. IfElden Ringcan break boundaries then so canFinal Fantasy Origin.
1Is This An Isekai?
One of the more wild fan theories that has been popping up aboutFinal Fantasy Originis that it will be an Isekai which would be a first for theFinal Fantasyseries. An isekai is a term often used in anime to describe a character from seemingly a real-world location getting sucked into a new world. The latter is oftentimes a video game such as inSword Art Onlineor a fantasy universe like inInuyasha. There are a few reasons fans think this.
One, the title is very odd.Stranger of Paradisewould imply Jack and his friends are not of this world. Two, their clothes, especially Jack’s, look like modern attire.Final Fantasy 15does have Noctis and his crew wear similar attire to Jack’s and that game is not an Isekai. Some of the reasons posed can be refuted like that but for now, anything is possible.
