G A M E S
OUT 18 MAR
FIRST PLAY STRANGER OF PARADISE: FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1
[ Words Alan Wen ]
The Final Fantasy series is no stranger to spin-offs, while the mainline games have also pivoted away from traditional turn-based battles to more action-based affairs… but Stranger of Paradise is probably its most divisive instalment yet. On one hand, it’s a dark retelling of the first Final Fantasy (hence ‘Origin’); on the other, its hero Jack Garland seems to come from the modern world: an angry young man sporting an Eminem buzzcut who’s obsessed with killing Chaos before blasting rap metal from 20
his smartphone. Let’s just say parts of the internet have been having a perpetual field day since this game was announced last summer. But once you get past the ridiculous tonal whiplash, this is a genuinely intriguing prospect. Stranger of Paradise has been developed by Team Ninja, who brought us the masochistic but brilliant samurai action RPG series Nioh. And that hardcore template translates here. Weapons correspond to job types that FF fans should be familiar with, while different jobs
provide an excuse to give Jack a much-needed wardrobe change. You’ll recognise some enemy types too, such as Bombs that grow closer to self-destructing each time they’re hit. But as rewarding as the tough combat feels (particularly the parry mechanic that builds up your own meter for special attacks), you can also opt for ‘story mode’ difficulty and play it as an enjoyable hack-and-slash romp. The premise and tone may be all over the place but, on the strength of its gameplay, you’d be a fool to rule this one out.
