Final Fantasy spinoffs are nothing new, but this is somewhat different. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin serves as an alternative prequel to the very first mainline title. It tells the tale of Garland before he became the villain fans know and hate.
Now, Final Fantasy is often heavy on callbacks. A prequel story obviously has plenty of such references sprinkled throughout. Beyond the usual easter eggs, though, Stranger of Paradise has a number of deep cuts for devotees. Only the most die-hard fans will catch all of them.
7 Familiar Faces
Bringing back the world of Final Fantasy 1 obviously means reintroducing key characters. Fans should immediately recognize prominent players like the Cornelian royalty. That goes for the king and queen, but also Princess Sarah. She even possesses the lute that she gifts players in the original story.
Another pivotal figure from the first game is Astos. He was a Dark Elf who functioned as a boss after posing as a frail king. He's missing his old monstrous form because he's now a Lufenian. Despite that shift in origin, he still revels in misdirection, a quality that doubtless annoys gamers.
6 Locations
The prequel also uses some locales from the original setting. Primarily, players visit Cornelia and the Chaos Shrine. As satisfying as these are, the true fan service lies in the dungeons.
Each level takes inspiration from an iconic place in other Final Fantasy titles. The Sunken Shrine resembles a mako reactor from Final Fantasy 7; the Flying Fortress echoes the Tower of Babil from Final Fantasy 4; the Wicked Arbor harkens back to the Evil Forest from Final Fantasy 9. The score even uses musical motifs reminiscent of those titles. Thanks to this homage, Stranger of Paradise almost feels like a best-of compilation of the series.
5 Enemies
The sense of inhabiting FF1 only gets stronger when fighting the enemies. Throughout Stranger of Paradise, Jack and company tangle with storied foes like goblins and skeletons. Granted, Final Fantasyregularly recycles monsters, but many of these are mythical in nature. The more futuristic and mechanized entries of recent years have largely left them by the wayside.
On the contrary, Stranger of Paradise embraces them. In fact, a lot of them are now full-fledged bosses. The Dragon Zombie, Black Knight, and Marlboro are a few memorable clashes. Even though they're trying to kill you, battling these guys is almost like visiting old friends.
4 Ultima Weapon
Fighting Astos may seem like well-tread ground for FF1 aficionados, but he's got a surprise in store. He eventually transforms into an armored demon, dwarfing the heroes with his sheer size and destructive scope.
This form is called "Ultima Weapon Origin." Like many FF terms, this title carries weight among the fandom. The Ultima Weapon itself is a recurring boss in the franchise, but it's not actually in the first game. This prequel introduces it to that world. As such, the "Origin" in the name is appropriate.
3 Crossing The Bridge
Some might consider Stranger of Paradise a remake instead of a prequel. After all, it starts with the characters crossing a bridge and entering the kingdom of Cornelia. Not only is this an effective way of establishing the world, but it's a framing device that the developers have used before (or will use later).
This is exactly how the Warriors of Light enter the picture in the classic game. It's easy to believe Square did this as a way of mirroring the tale that they're expanding on. Such a strategy is akin to Crisis Core. That prequel begins with Zack Fair fighting in a Midgar train simulation, conjuring images of Cloud Strife's entrance in FF7.
2 Pirates In Pravoka
Another plot element deliberately recycled is the crew of pirates that the heroes must face. Early on, the nefarious Bikke and his band of scallywags are terrorizing the town of Pravoka. Defeating them is the first major hurdle that players must clear.
This is also true in Stranger of Paradise. Granted, instead of fighting them in the city, Jack and his friends must travel to their hideout in a nearby cave. Still, the problem plaguing this particular place is the same, further strengthening the remake argument.
1 Confronting Garland
The Dragon King DLC wastes no time getting fans' attention. It features a group of characters challenging Garland in his throne room. The scene is virtually identical to the heroes meeting the villain for the first time in FF1. The developers strengthen that sensation with one hero in particular.
The leader of the group is the Warrior of Light. Although the characters had no predetermined names in the first game, this armored warrior with the horned helmet has represented FF1's protagonist in crossover titles like Dissidia and World of Final Fantasy. His return means that fans finally get an upscaled, cinematic version of the series' beginning, at least to some extent.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.