Games of 2022: Stranger Of Paradise was the best prequel we never knew Final Fantasy needed

35 years ago, Final Fantasy redefined RPGs when SquareSoft pushed the boundaries of 8-bit storytelling. Playing as the four Warriors of Light, you're tasked with rescuing Cornelia’s Princess Sarah, who’s been kidnapped by a former royal knight, Garland. What follows is a quest to save the world, restoring the elemental crystals' power by defeating the Four Fiends that drained them, and eventually defeating Chaos itself. Basic storytelling by today’s standards but, aging gameplay aside, Final Fantasy 1 remains iconic. There’s strength in its simplicity and it felt complete.

So, when Square Enix revealed Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin as both an alternative retelling and prequel, that initial trailer left me sceptical. Reimagined as an action RPG with a dark fantasy setting, you now played as a different Warriors of Light group: Jack, Jed, Ash, Neon, and Sophia, each determined to destroy Chaos. I wasn’t convinced at all, and the broken demo left me concerned about the project's quality. Soon after launch, my curiosity bested me, and I’ve never U-turned on a first impression this drastically.

Despite Team Ninja playing it loose with the source material, Stranger of Paradise never forgets its roots. Swapping turn-based battles for real-time combat. there’s versatility in the job system, enemies drop near-endless loot for new weapons and armour, while Jack’s brutal finishing moves are an interesting change of pace. I enjoyed gameplay considerably - but the story is what kept me playing.

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