Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin was 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 a Nioh-like, as that’s the game Team Ninja worked on which is also very Souls-like. 

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That gameplay element of Stranger of Paradise is 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. 

5 Is This A Remake Or Something More?

Jack from Final Fantasy Origin

Based on the content of the demo, trailer, and subsequent information Square Enix released after E3 2021, it would appear Final Fantasy Origin is some sort of adaptation of the first Final 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 the Final Fantasy series, 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 to Stranger 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 that Final Fantasy Origin could conceivably take place in a time loop with new heroes post or before the original game.

4 How Much Of The Demo’s Mechanics Will Be Open Right Away?

Fighting enemies in Final Fantasy Origin

In order to give players a good sense of Final Fantasy Origin’s mechanics, 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 of Final Fantasy Origin

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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 of Final Fantasy Origin. Maybe Jack and his party really aren’t the main heroes after all. 

3 The Party Situation 

Jack’s party in Final Fantasy Origin

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 on past Final Fantasy entries, 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 most Souls-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 other Final Fantasy games in the series but it is a mystery for now. 

2 How Will The Game Operate? 

Exploring Garland’s castle in Final Fantasy Origin

The Dark Souls series, 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 in Nioh and Demon’s Souls. How will Final Fantasy Origin work then?

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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 of Final Fantasy Origin will be open-world like in the original Final Fantasy. The upcoming Souls-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. If Elden Ring can break boundaries then so can Final Fantasy Origin

1 Is This An Isekai?

Garland from Final Fantasy Origin

One of the more wild fan theories that has been popping up about Final Fantasy Origin is that it will be an Isekai which would be a first for the Final Fantasy series. 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 in Sword Art Online or a fantasy universe like in Inuyasha. There are a few reasons fans think this.

One, the title is very odd. Stranger of Paradise would imply Jack and his friends are not of this world. Two, their clothes, especially Jack’s, look like modern attire. Final Fantasy 15 does 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. 

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