The initial announcement for Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin had a lot of fans wondering where the game might be taking the story of the original game. This is in large part because of the way that Stranger of Paradise's protagonist Jack and companions Jed and Ash don't seem to match up all too well with the way that players expect to see the Warriors of Light from the first Final Fantasy.
In a recent interview with Game Rant, developers Square Enix and Team Ninja spoke on what players might be able to expect from the story and how it might deviate from the original Final Fantasy. Given some recent and upcoming reveals from the marketing alone, it’s clear that Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin is not going to be a complete retelling of the first game in the series, taking plenty of liberties in order to offer a more compelling experience in a familiar setting.
The Story of the Original Final Fantasy
The first Final Fantasy title was an ambitious attempt at the time it released, but it now comes off as simplistic when compared to the long, twisting narratives of the later titles. While Final Fantasy set multiple trends for JRPGs, the whole story can be boiled down to a mysterious calamity corrupting the world, with the actual answers to the cause of the trouble coming right before the final boss fight with Chaos. There are some characters, many of which go unnamed, who give expository dialogue and sometimes help to build the world and explain the major conflict caused by Chaos and his Four Fiends.
For Final Fantasy Origin, as you mentioned, it does almost seem like we are trying to go in that realm of Final Fantasy 1.
Overall, this first title gives a compelling enough reason to want to continue the journey and eventually save the game world, acting as a framework that many other Final Fantasy titles would follow. So, it works as the foundation for a new title like Stranger of Paradise by offering a baseline to start from and some major plot points to address. From how Square Enix spoke on the way that Stranger of Paradise is being developed, it looks like the framework is what they're hoping to advertise for now, but there will be some changes as players continue to explore the game.
According to comments from Square Enix and Team Ninja, the developer is making it seem like Stranger of Paradise will follow Final Fantasy's story, but saving plenty of secrets for later.
That is our intention for now, we’re trying to make it seem that way. But we can let you know that it will not be a faithful representation. You will definitely see many many twists and turns. Where we end up will probably be something you’re not expecting.
Stranger of Paradise's Protagonist Jack
One of the most notable changes from Final Fantasy to Stranger of Paradise is the new Warrior of Light protagonist Jack, who acts as a whole new version of the classic hero archetype from older games. He's been billed as an angry man that attacks enemies with furious blows and devastating finishers that leave enemies in literal pieces. It makes for a fun and compelling gameplay mechanic, similar to some other action-RPG titles like God of War, but it doesn't quite mix with the gentle and kind Warrior of Light described throughout the first Final Fantasy.
However, a reveal shown during the interview between Square Enix and Game Rant sheds a bit of light on what makes Jack so different. It's another change from the original, but it has now been revealed that the protagonist is really Jack Garland, the final boss of the first Stranger of Paradise trial and the character who becomes Chaos in the original game. Changing that one detail opens the door for Stranger of Paradise to twist the narrative of the original game and play with fan expectations.
Theorizing on Stranger of Paradise's Narrative
At this point, Square Enix and Team Ninja have given players a lot to think about when it comes to the twists that could accompany Stranger of Paradise's Nioh-like combat. Jack being Garland already confirms some theories that Team Ninja might be trying to twist the narrative and have the player controlling the villain, though there is still room for even that to be turned on its head.
For the lore aficionados, a lot of this new information gives them something to chew on. Nothing is set in stone until the game finally releases, and even then some things might be left up to interpretation beyond what might be obvious to most players.
Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin is set to release in 2022, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.