Square Enix's announcement that Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is in development with Team Ninja spoke to a lot of fans of hardcore action-RPGs. Even the original rumor about a Dark Souls-inspired Final Fantasy had fans of both series excited about the possibility of seeing these franchises combine in some way.
However, while Dark Souls was originally on the tip of everyone's tongue for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, its recent demo has given fans a better understanding of where the inspirations come from. Given Team Ninja has previously seen successes in the Souls-like genre with Nioh and its sequel, it only makes sense that the developer would use what it learned on those titles.
Nioh Comparisons in the Trailer
After initial leaks already got fans primed to expect a new Souls-like title, early trailers showing Team Ninja's signature combat revealed that players might be looking more at a Nioh-inspired Final Fantasy than anything else. Looking at what Square Enix first showed off during its E3 2021 presentation, it's clear where this viewpoint came from for fans familiar with Nioh's combat. Most notable is the fast pace of the combat and stagger meters that never appeared in original FromSoftware titles, or even most Souls-likes.
Mastering stamina mechanics in Nioh can be the key to not only dealing massive damage to difficult foes, but also quickly dispatching groups of standard enemies. Some fans saw these same guard-break mechanics in Final Fantasy Origins during the combat showcase in the trailer that premiered during the Square Enix presentation. However, now that there is a working demo for fans to get their hands on, it's easy to feel the connection between these two games.
Final Fantasy Origin's Connection to Nioh
One area where the combat stands out as being an almost direct copy of Nioh is in Final Fantasy Origin's Garland boss fight, which behaves similar to many Team Ninja encounters. First, there is the boss's massive health bar that turns the fight into a war of attrition, slowly shaving off bits of health while avoiding any and all attacks. Then there are multiple phases that introduce several move sets in each, with the required counter timing becoming more dangerous.
Outside of the boss fight, there's also the guard-break mechanic that feeds into the God of War-like Soul Bursts, cinematic executions rewarded for properly managing enemy stamina. This is reminiscent of a similar mechanic found in Nioh that leaves enemies completely open for either an instant finisher or a powerful attack that deals massive damage. However, while the feel of the moment-to-moment combat is similar to Nioh, there is a lot to be said about how the Final Fantasy aspect of the game help it stand on its own.
The Final Fantasy Aesthetic Creates a Unique Feel
It would be easy to look at classic Final Fantasy enemies like Goblins and Bombs and relate them directly to Nioh's Yokai, but the comparison might be to both games' detriment. The aesthetic found in either series are a part of what make both unique, with the medieval fantasy of Square Enix's flagship franchise or the Yokai inhabiting feudal Japan in Nioh. When the Final Fantasy Origins' demo drops the player right at the front gate of a huge, gothic castle, it immediately sets itself apart from Team Ninja's previous designs.
On top of the styles familiar from previous Final Fantasy games, a number of enemies and characters have been designed by Tetsuya Nomura, best known as the director for Final Fantasy 7 Remake and the Kingdom Hearts series. Considering that Nomura has been a major character designer for the series since the original Final Fantasy 7, the developer's style is synonymous with all things Final Fantasy. Beyond the differences found in design aesthetic, there are some comparisons that have been altered to fit Final Fantasy Origin that benefits both series for their updated mechanics.
Jobs and Weapon Limitations Streamline Skill Progression
A key feature of the Souls-like genre is leveling progression often worked into making builds that specialize with different styles of combat. In the case of Nioh and its sequel, this turns into unlocking skills in combat, or different types of magic that are divided between Onmyo and Ninjutsu specialties. Final Fantasy Origin's job system places more focus on letting players upgrade themselves based on how they play, streamlining an otherwise complex process.
By centering level progress on each equipped job, players get to choose exactly how they want to play and upgrade based on their favorite job choice. This might have some negative effects down the line, where it could pigeonhole players into one specific playstyle as changing jobs is barred by hours of grinding. However, as far as letting players get accustomed to Final Fantasy Origin's characters on their own terms, it could mean a more satisfying run for anyone looking for a more casual Dark Souls or Nioh experience.
Magic and Instant Skills Reinvent Nioh
Fans of Nioh's more eccentric builds know magic available in both games that can have an incredible impact on how players take on enemy encounters. In the case of the Final Fantasy Origin demo, players have access to magic through the Mage jobs, as well as combat abilities with the Lancer and Swordsman variants. These tie directly into the guard-break mechanic and are able to completely redefine magic in Final Fantasy, as well as improve on the executions of magic available in Nioh.
This improvement starts with Soul Bursts gifting the player some MP, which allows players to use more magic and abilities to maximize on Final Fantasy Origin's enemy weaknesses. The added benefit is that magic and abilities are able to quickly break an enemy's guard, cycling back to performing another Soul Burst before rinsing and repeating. Then there are the Instant Skills, rewards for performing a parry on specific attacks that let players deal even more guard-breaking damage without costing any MP, letting the cycle perpetuate forever for skilled players.
Strangers of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins is set to release in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
