Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin has been an interesting experiment by Square Enix and Team Ninja. Serving as a retelling of the original Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy Origin took after Team Ninja's well-regarded Nioh series as a Souls-like with a heavy focus on combat. This, combined with protagonist Jack's short temper and direct attitude endearing him to some fans, has given the title a niche within the larger Final Fantasy fandom.
The game received a season pass consisting of three content updates, each bringing something new to the table. Trials of the Dragon King released midway through 2022 and introduced new replayable content, a couple new bosses, a continuation of the story, and many interesting permutations on existing Jobs, among other things. Late 2022's Wanderer of the Rift finished making all of Jack's allies playable through a transmog system, added a roguelike mode, Nioh 2's monster summons, and various other content. To conclude the set, the Different Future DLC has been set for a January 27 release date. Its contents are still not fully known, but hopefully it won't fall into the same pitfalls past DLC has.
Final Fantasy Origin's DLC Tends to Get In Its Own Way
All the additional content that Final Fantasy Origin's DLC added has definitely increased the value of the overall package, and players still on board expect Different Future to do the same. Unfortunately, most of these features will only be accessible to those who have toughed it out through the main game and both prior episodes. FFO's DLC is exclusive to special difficulty settings higher than those of the base game, forcing players to slog through harder difficulties to see new story and gameplay content. Even after all that, grinding remixed enemies is still necessary to progress through the expansions.
It's a tragedy that Final Fantasy Origin's post-launch content has such tedious barriers to entry, as what it's adding directly enhances the game's exhilarating combat system. With challenges and a roguelike already packed into FFO, it's difficult to tell what special mode Different Future will add. Trailers and press releases should reveal that in the coming month, but for now all players have seen is the hilarious sight of Jack with a gun. In true Stranger of Paradise fashion, Jack's basic combos use his firearm as a blunt melee weapon before shooting it normally. This Job comes with Nioh 1 and 2's over-the-shoulder aiming, so it's going to feel like a whole new game for players able to unlock it.
Where Final Fantasy Origin's DLC Narrative Will Conclude
Different Future isn't all new mechanics, either. It marks the current end of Final Fantasy Origin's post-launch support and FFO itself for the foreseeable future, and it's going out with a bang. After dealing with reality-bending interference in the past couple expansions, Jack and his party are sent by a Moogle to an extradimensional city called Central. There, the Lufenians observed and meddled with many worlds, and a particular one is stirring up trouble that threatens to change the future. In what will probably be the game’s final regular level, the unsung heroes must put a stop to her ambitions.
The fun won't end there. Attentive Final Fantasy veterans will notice that Different Future's title is rendered in the style of Final Fantasy 2's original Japanese logo. This is no coincidence, as FF2’s Emperor Mateus is teased as what may be Final Fantasy Origin’s final bonus boss. Voiced by his Dissidia actor Christopher Corey Smith, this heartless dictator is Final Fantasy 2's main villain and has a history of conquering other planes of reality.
With Jack and the player finally gaining access to Garland's iconic armor, players can pit Final Fantasy 1 and 2's villains against each other in an epic clash for the fate of history. Even if the DLC remains exclusive to the most elite players, Different Future should still make for a grand finale to Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
