Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

 PlayStation 5
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 457 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 299 out of 457
  2. Mixed: 58 out of 457
  3. Negative: 100 out of 457
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  1. Killerpummkin
    Aug 10, 2023
    8
    It's true that technically it's not perfect, but it's fun and the characters are well designed in every way. The combat system is the best part of the game, I love it and it's spectacular. Another very good point is the soundtrack, which is great. Without having the excellence of other Final Fantasies, it is a good game that I think has been unfairly criticised by the critics.
  2. Marioku
    Aug 8, 2023
    10
    El juego me sorprendió que cada vez se vuelve más adictivo sin sumar sus DLC que complementan aún más esta historío
  3. n-swidan
    Aug 3, 2023
    8
    I had a blast playing this! Great combat, loot, and bosses! Needs more enemy variety, but it was still pretty fun and challenging.
  4. CapitanQwark
    Jul 9, 2023
    10
    Awesome game. It recieved lot of hate, but it's an incredible idea to explore another stories of the final fantasy Series.
  5. swin
    Jun 25, 2023
    8
    I'm primarily a JRPG player, and I rarely play games with high difficulties or high skill ceilings. As such much of my time was getting used to the controls and actually using the block button. Having a souls-esque game for a series known for low skill ceilings is certainly a choice. That said, I loved playing as Jack as I got to see the how and why of the final villain of FF1. I playedI'm primarily a JRPG player, and I rarely play games with high difficulties or high skill ceilings. As such much of my time was getting used to the controls and actually using the block button. Having a souls-esque game for a series known for low skill ceilings is certainly a choice. That said, I loved playing as Jack as I got to see the how and why of the final villain of FF1. I played FF1 a couple of years earlier and the time-travel aspect seems like a difficult thing to write around, but I think they did a great job with the material given.

    It took me approx. ~35 hours to complete the game playing primarily in Story Mode difficulty.

    Pros:
    * Dialogue is very enjoyable (CHAOS)
    * Gameplay is very fun and challenging (even at lower difficulties)
    * Story was surprisingly enjoyable
    * Music is great, as expected for Final Fantasy
    * Characters are very likeable
    * Standalone title - doesn't require playing others in the series

    Cons
    * Equipment management: limited storage and constant drops are a noxious combo
    * Exploration isn't really incentivized because all you get is equipment from chests - something you can find literally anywhere
    * The story can be confusing, although playing FF1 beforehand helps    … Expand
  6. juniortiger
    May 17, 2023
    10
    You need check game out one the best game and lot open world and action game and excellent graphic and good music and good day
  7. dreamnight
    Jun 1, 2023
    10
    I recommend pick one up lot action and also song beautiful and excellent graphic and good day
  8. LetterboxParrot
    Apr 22, 2023
    8
    Let's be real. The game is about the combat. Flashy, satisfying combat.
    Nothing makes me want to jump off a bridge more than Master Tonberries.
  9. CKaedhan
    Apr 11, 2023
    9
    Expected memes, got a very good game.

    Stranger of paradise has been closer to "Final Fantasy" than FF XII, XIII or XV. Gameplay loop is very fun and can be challenging, bosses are unique, jobs really matters and change the way you'll play. Game has been fun from start to finish with no interruption. Very good game for something that isn't a AAA. Just keep Nomura out of the next game,    Expected memes, got a very good game.

    Stranger of paradise has been closer to "Final Fantasy" than FF XII, XIII or XV. Gameplay loop is very fun and can be challenging, bosses are unique, jobs really matters and change the way you'll play. Game has been fun from start to finish with no interruption. Very good game for something that isn't a AAA.

    Just keep Nomura out of the next game, shake keys in front of his face or something.
    I'll gladly buy the next FF by Koei Tecmo.

    9/10, would kill Chaos again.    … Expand
  10. benthesodaman
    Mar 27, 2023
    8
    Liked: Fast-paced action combat, a breadth and depth of build options as you progress the game, soundtrack and nods to Final Fantasy series, and three player co-op for most of the game and DLCs. The difficulty options if you just want to play story and if you invest in the RPG mechanics, even though the DLC is on a higher difficulty - you will be on even footing.

    Disliked: The 3rd DLC    Liked: Fast-paced action combat, a breadth and depth of build options as you progress the game, soundtrack and nods to Final Fantasy series, and three player co-op for most of the game and DLCs. The difficulty options if you just want to play story and if you invest in the RPG mechanics, even though the DLC is on a higher difficulty - you will be on even footing.

    Disliked: The 3rd DLC had little in the way of build expansion compared to the 1st and 2nd DLCs, UI QoL that did not get implemented, number of lingering bugs, the Rift Labyrinth's penalty system, Rift Labyrinth lacking a co-op save, story pacing, character animations during story sequences

    To address the DLC difficulty: The game is fair if you don't rush by neglecting mechanics. Which is what some players citing Souls NG+++ and Nioh Abyss 999 players do/did. The game gives you multiple ways to increase your stats, but a number of players only focus on one way. Use them all and you could be clearing bosses in under 60 seconds or face tanking even without grinding. And if do grind or grind efficiently, you could achieve faster clears or be so sturdy you can go pee, wash your hands, come back, and still be alive (not exaggerating, especially the wash hands part).

    For players that don't want to invest time learning the game, but do want to see the story first-hand, there is a lore friendly Extra Mode. You can also still practice and experience the combat in this way, but if you neglect your stats, you may have boss encounters longer than 2~3 minutes.

    And then as a Final Fantasy name, no other game in the franchise has as much build customization as this game. For players that love that kind of stuff, this is a dream. For players that want something more streamlined and simplified, the DLCs will be a mini-nightmare.    … Expand
  11. NN010
    Jan 29, 2023
    8
    Before I get into the story, I would like to discuss this game’s biggest strength: the gameplay. Whilst I haven’t played the Nioh games, it is clear that Team Ninja did take a lot of cues from what they’d done in that series when designing this game. Subsequently, while Dark Souls & Elden Ring comparisons are inevitable, Stranger of Paradise is pretty different & much faster paced thanBefore I get into the story, I would like to discuss this game’s biggest strength: the gameplay. Whilst I haven’t played the Nioh games, it is clear that Team Ninja did take a lot of cues from what they’d done in that series when designing this game. Subsequently, while Dark Souls & Elden Ring comparisons are inevitable, Stranger of Paradise is pretty different & much faster paced than those games. Instead of mostly dodging until you can attack enemies from behind, Stranger of Paradise mostly encourages you to either block attacks or use the game’s Soul Shield ability to parry them and gain additional MP slots for using abilities (with the occasional attack you have to dodge, but those are signposted clearly). Stranger of Paradise also emphasizes running down an enemy’s stagger gauge to perform instant takedown moves. The default controls are reminiscent of other Souls-Likes, but you can switch to a more Nioh/Devil May Cry-esque control scheme in the options menu. My biggest issue with the combat really is just that the game is so generous with weapons & armour that in the late-game you have to dismantle a bunch of old gear every couple of missions. It’s a time consuming process & in my experience the auto-dismantle feature Team Ninja added in a post-release patch doesn’t work.
    Overall, unless you’re looking for a pure Souls-like experience, Stranger of Paradise offers a dynamic & fast-paced combat system that nevertheless takes inspiration from Dark Souls. And if you aren’t into the high difficulty of Souls-Likes (or are just here for the story and/or memes), the game does have lower difficulty settings to make the game more enjoyable for you.

    As for the story (co-written by Final Fantasy VII, FFVIII & Kingdom Hearts 2 writer Kazuhige Nojima), it is an… interesting experience. At first, it feels like so bad, it’s good edgy throwback to the 2000s wherein the protagonist seemingly drops more curse words than every character in the rest of the Final Fantasy series combined. But as you get closer to the end the story starts to become actually good. The edgy exterior starts to give way to an unexpectedly emotional story about the folly of anger & the importance of memory. Similarly, the dialogue also goes from meme-worthy to good as the game goes on (ex: the **** scene takes place in the first couple of hours). On a related note, the music (mainly composed by FFXIII-2 co-composer Naoshi Mizuta) is pretty good and calls back to previous Final Fantasy games in subtle, but appreciated ways.

    Speaking of references to previous Final Fantasy games, Stranger of Paradise, being the game released to mark the 35th anniversary of the Final Fantasy franchise, has numerous references & call backs to previous FF games. Most of them take the form of dungeons being inspired by (and implied in-universe to pulled from the worlds of) previous Final Fantasy games (ex: The Crystal Tower from FFIII (also a prominant location in FFXIV), Sunleth Waterscape from FFXIII, Sastasha from FFXIV & the Citadel from FFXV), but outside of that, there are plenty of classic Final Fantasy elements included (ex: Chaos, Warriors of Light & a Job system reminiscent of FFV & FFXIV). These references aren’t so all-consuming that they detract from the story being told, though.

    Moving on to the technical & visual aspects, Stranger of Paradise is a mixed bag. On one hand, the art direction is as good as should be expected from a Square Enix game. Sure Jack looks like a generic video game protagonist from the late 2000s-early 2010s, but that feels intentional given the direction the story goes in & the rest of characters do have designs that fit their characters. The only one I can really question is Neon wearing a school-girl outfit. Is it meant to signify how she’s younger than the rest of the cast? Maybe, but she’s supposed to be 18 according to the Final Fantasy Wiki (or at least her physical appearance is). Most likely explanation is that someone at Team Ninja and/or Square Enix wanted one of the characters to wear a school girl outfit and didn’t care how little sense it made.

    As for the technical side of things, this game is a mess. It’s been patched to improve performance, but the game’s visuals still aren’t up to par for a PS5 game. The anti-aliasing solution Team Ninja are using can’t keep up with this game’s environment design & causes the game to look like a shimmery, blurry mess at times (and this is with the game set to resolution mode!). And it’s not a case of Team Ninja not putting much effort into the PS5 version. The PS4, Xbox One & Series S versions are even worse in this regard & people found at launch that the PC version’s framerate tanks whenever there is fur or hair on s    … Expand
  12. signas
    Jan 25, 2023
    10
    it's like a mix between final fantasy xv, sekiro, ps2 era god of war, and devil may cry. It's so good that even though it borrows elements from those games it still feels like its own thing. As always Final Fantasy delivering quality games.
  13. xcylo
    Jan 25, 2023
    9
    I can say almost nothing positive about this game except that I enjoyed almost every moment I spent with it
  14. Naedeslus
    Jan 23, 2023
    8
    +Great combat that is well-paced, fast-paced, fun, and challenging.
    +Dialog is ‘so bad it's good’ It’s an unintentional satirical script most of the time that surprisingly wraps up very well at the end and has a great end twist. The last act is fantastic.
    + Loads of customization and great drop-in/out co-op. + Soundtrack is very good. - Battle theme is a bit overwhelming. As stated    +Great combat that is well-paced, fast-paced, fun, and challenging.
    +Dialog is ‘so bad it's good’ It’s an unintentional satirical script most of the time that surprisingly wraps up very well at the end and has a great end twist. The last act is fantastic.
    + Loads of customization and great drop-in/out co-op.
    + Soundtrack is very good.

    - Battle theme is a bit overwhelming. As stated in the pros, the soundtrack is good but it can be problematic if you can’t really hear most of it on your first playthrough.
    - Graphics are very dated, feels like a PS3 game.
    - Some levels can be a bit confusing. Could use a map.

    Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is one of my favorite spinoffs to come out of the series. It will not be for everyone but this is one I find myself coming back to multiple times. There is a certain charm with the tone that I absolutely love, and if you can not take it seriously and shut your brain off and even embrace the non-intentional satirical tone, it gets better and the story does actually work very well by the end.

    The combat is very good and has a good loot system with plenty of customization. The game does feel very dated, but if you don’t mind its shortcomings, you’ll probably love it as much as I do. It’s not perfect, but for the current price of 30 USD, if you’ve been sleeping on it, but like Final Fantasy and Team Ninja’s other games, give it a try. You'll probably like it.    … Expand
  15. Anactualgamer
    Jan 17, 2023
    8
    Finally got around to playing Stranger of Paradise and all I can say is wow. I always try to go into games I'm interested in without watching/reading reviews, because as you can see on this page itself, people just review bomb good games nowadays. Combat is fun and the job system is alot like ffxiv where you can play any job you want by changing the weapon. And you can have two jobsFinally got around to playing Stranger of Paradise and all I can say is wow. I always try to go into games I'm interested in without watching/reading reviews, because as you can see on this page itself, people just review bomb good games nowadays. Combat is fun and the job system is alot like ffxiv where you can play any job you want by changing the weapon. And you can have two jobs "equipped" at the same time to switch during combat. Combat has a nice flow switching between jobs and skills. A+
    Graphics are good on the Ps5. But in all honesty they could have done better. I don't think it's on the same level as say Ragnarok or Horizon but still beautiful and the level design is very "dark souls" esque. A-
    Sound is good. A little repetitive it feels like even if it's not the same song it just feels like "this sounds alot like......" B+
    Story isn't hard to follow. Some of the reviews on here say "there is no story" which is completely false. Some people obviously are skipping cutscenes or on the lower end of the IQ spectrum. In summary, Stranger of Paradise is well worth the price of 30.00 which you can get a used copy for now. It's a must play for fans of Final Fantasy and the souls like genre. Hope this review helps bring more people into the game. Cheers!    … Expand
  16. yangfanhong
    Jan 17, 2023
    8
    Although this game is officially denounced as the prologue of Final Fantasy 1 , I found it quite amazing and suitable as the origin of the Final Fantasy story.
  17. LastResource
    Jan 14, 2023
    10
    worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this spin off game in the series.
  18. Calidade
    Dec 8, 2022
    9
    No esperes un Final Fantasy normal, esto es incluso mejor de lo que la gente dice y piensa sobre el.
    No hagas caso a la prensa, no hagas caso a los usuarios, prueba y disfruta este juego como merece.
    Tras mas de 300 horas jugadas puedo decir que es un gran juego, quizá no es un juego de 9 u 8, es un juego mas bien de 7 o 6, pero sería injusto calificar este juego con esa nota tras tantas    No esperes un Final Fantasy normal, esto es incluso mejor de lo que la gente dice y piensa sobre el.
    No hagas caso a la prensa, no hagas caso a los usuarios, prueba y disfruta este juego como merece.
    Tras mas de 300 horas jugadas puedo decir que es un gran juego, quizá no es un juego de 9 u 8, es un juego mas bien de 7 o 6, pero sería injusto calificar este juego con esa nota tras tantas horas de juego, tanto disfrute que he tenido con el.
    El juego no destaca por unos gráficos, pero su música es fantastica, no destaca en historia, pero merece la pena jugar y vivir la precuela de FFI, Jack Garland se ha convertido en un gran personaje y pese a los memes, el juego en su recta final gana un ritmo tremendo.
    Tras los 2 DLC que son de una gran calidad, el juego aún se sigue disfrutando mucho mas.

    Vive, disfruta Final Fantasy.    … Expand
  19. Aashir52970
    Sep 16, 2022
    8
    Well, if you can keep the weird visuals aside, this is great game in my opinion.

    Pros 1. Combat is addictive and fast paced 2. Boss designs are shockingly good 3. The 'jobs' mechanic is cool 4. The game doesn't take itself too seriously....all that matters is that it is loads of fun Cons 1. Don't go looking for a story... you won't find one 2. Graphically unimpressive 3. No character    Well, if you can keep the weird visuals aside, this is great game in my opinion.

    Pros
    1. Combat is addictive and fast paced
    2. Boss designs are shockingly good
    3. The 'jobs' mechanic is cool
    4. The game doesn't take itself too seriously....all that matters is that it is loads of fun

    Cons
    1. Don't go looking for a story... you won't find one
    2. Graphically unimpressive 3. No character development whatsoever 4. Not a big fan of endgame content as it gets repetitive Let there be CHAOS....    … Expand
  20. Duncs12345
    Sep 3, 2022
    8
    Excellent gameplay with satisfying mechanics and well thought out boss fights. The job system creates great variety and the level nostalgia for a final fantasy fan was nice. The loot system is not good and I would have enjoyed more character dialogue/ back story.
  21. LouisJ
    Jul 31, 2022
    10
    Strangers is a very creative retelling of FF1. It is also an incrediblely for game. I unlcked and played every job. One of the game’s greatest strengths is the way it seamlessly translated both the job system and also each job's unique playstyle from the first few Final Fantasy games to a modern action rpg
  22. Phabyo
    Jul 25, 2022
    10
    I was worried about this game, first impressions make me believe it would be a disaster combat system as FF 15 was. Then I played the demo. LOVED IT. This game has EVERYTHING a final fantasy game should have: amazing story, great characters, awesome game play. It has stunning graphics and performance (PS5). The story starts confusing, but as you play and starts understanding what is goingI was worried about this game, first impressions make me believe it would be a disaster combat system as FF 15 was. Then I played the demo. LOVED IT. This game has EVERYTHING a final fantasy game should have: amazing story, great characters, awesome game play. It has stunning graphics and performance (PS5). The story starts confusing, but as you play and starts understanding what is going on, it blows your mind. The combat is very responsive and feels like a souls game, but faster. Expect about 60 hours of story and 200+ hours doing end-game content. The new DLC makes the game even better.… Expand
  23. Rasecnort
    Jul 24, 2022
    10
    Chaos chaos chaos chaos chaos chaos chaos chaos chaos chaos chaos chaos chaos
  24. guyza123
    Jul 21, 2022
    8
    I'm only an hour on, but so far so good
    It's very strong, and is great considering the state of 2022 (bad)
    Typical FF strengths (great music, really good graphics) I like the characters, it's just a nice game. It was worth the money, which is fair. The combat is awesome, big step forward for the series IMO. This game shows that final fantasy can keep up with the competition and still deliver.
  25. Splinter
    Jun 25, 2022
    8
    It's a really good game. Not amazing, but really good. It has a lot of enjoyable gameplay. It's fun. There are plenty of rough aspects, but a game not being perfect is not a good reason to whine all day long about it. Disregard any review under a 5.
  26. Lord_Sunday
    Jun 12, 2022
    8
    I wasn't going to buy this game because of the low review scores, but after finding out it was made by team ninja, creators of Nioh 1 and 2, I dove in. In short, I enjoyed this game. The negatives are right in that the story isn't deep, and the graphics are ps4, but the gameplay well made up for it. If you like Nioh, you'll likely enjoy this game.
  27. spartantv
    Jun 9, 2022
    9
    It's a very funny game. The plot isn't the Best but you'll have a Goodyear time playing
  28. Vosgy
    Jun 7, 2022
    8
    Solid fun game, combat is really fun, difficulty is there.
    No idea about the english VAing, but the JP is good, even when you can't speak the language you can tell the localizes ruined it ha ha.
  29. guitarpete987
    Jun 3, 2022
    8
    This game WAY exceeded my expectations. I'm a huge fan of the From Software style of games including Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Now, I wouldn't want the entire franchise to become a copy of this style of game but I think Square Enix did a really nice job adapting that formula to the Final Fantasy story. I really enjoyed the gameplay nuances and the challenge and pace of the combat. That'sThis game WAY exceeded my expectations. I'm a huge fan of the From Software style of games including Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Now, I wouldn't want the entire franchise to become a copy of this style of game but I think Square Enix did a really nice job adapting that formula to the Final Fantasy story. I really enjoyed the gameplay nuances and the challenge and pace of the combat. That's the most important thing in a game like this, and it TOTALLY delivered. Really nice graphics, too, on PS5. I didn't love the character dialogue all the time but the story overall was well drawn up.

    Way better than I was expecting it to be and I'm glad I didn't avoid it because of some bad commentary surrounding it.    … Expand
  30. TRgdgk
    May 26, 2022
    10
    I haven't had this much fun for a long time. After the update the game looks even better than before
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Awards & Rankings

99
#99 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2022
20
#20 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 91 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 44 out of 91
  2. Mixed: 46 out of 91
  3. Negative: 1 out of 91
  1. RPGamer
    Jul 12, 2022
    70
    Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin attempts to fuse the original’s sensibility into a fast-paced action RPG. For the most part, it is successful with intense action gameplay and beautiful music. Adjustable difficulty options and online co-op make the game accessible to a myriad of gamers without diminishing challenge or sacrificing replayability. It’s somewhat fitting that in this topsy-turvy action spin-off, the only thing that’s truly upside-down is the presentation of the original game’s story. Even as the narrative stumbles, the core gameplay is strong enough to motivate to see this story through to completion, no matter how chaotic.
    Read full review
  2. Oyungezer
    Jun 26, 2022
    75
    Although the action is extremely enjoyable, game stumbles in other areas. It's a direct purchase for the fans of the series, but others can wait for discounts.
    Read full review
  3. Het Nieuwsblad
    May 17, 2022
    60
    Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin constantly balances between homage to the series and bombastic kitsch. The new gameplay - it feels more like a soulslike game than your typical action-RPG - is refreshing at times, but not spectacular enough to make the game rise above mediocrity.
    Read full review
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