Follow the prophecy and defeat Chaos
Stranger of Paradise – Final Fantasy Origin is a 3D role-playing video game wherein you journey to end Chaos at its core. Developed by Square Enix, in partnership with Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo, this action-adventure RPG is a spin-off under the popular Final Fantasy video game franchise.
Similar to Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Stranger of Paradise is set within the lore of Final Fantasy—specifically, the first game’s story itself. Here, you play through a seemingly similar plot but the characters gradually start to wonder if their memories about their identities and their goal of defeating evil are truly accurate.
A different route taken
Final Fantasy is a Japanese science-fantasy video game franchise developed by Square Enix. With its first game released in 1987, the series is now a unique anthology of various games linked together by several recurring elements, which also include gameplay mechanics. This franchise had become so popular and successful over the years that it has branched over with genres, such as tactical RPGs, MMORPGs, and even media like films and novels.
The first game, in particular—Final Fantasy—revolves around the adventures of four youths called the Light Warriors who must defeat Chaos to save the world. In Stranger of Paradise – Final Fantasy Origin, you play as Jack, Ash, and Jed, who consider themselves as the prophesied Warriors of Light who are similarly destined to end Chaos. However, there’s still doubt in their hearts about the truth of the prophecy foretold.
The gameplay here consists of hack-and-slash elements coupled with familiar RPG combat mechanics. You can select classic Final Fantasy jobs for your characters—some of which include Black Mage, Warrior, and Dragoon, among others. Plus, you can use powerful spells and abilities against the various iconic monsters from the series. The game actually has a limited-time trial version. However, it’s only available on PlayStation 5.
A fresh perspective
All in all, Stranger of Paradise – Final Fantasy Origin is a great spin-off game to try out if you’re a long-time fan of the series or just interested in seeing where this will take the story of the first game. It features both old and new elements that any fan would appreciate. However, while there’s a free trial version, not all can access it since it’s only on one console.
