If everything goes according to plan for Square Enix over the next 12 months, the Japanese publisher should be in for one memorable year. Between games like Final Fantasy 16, Forspoken, and the Life is Strange Remastered Collection, there’s plenty of titles penciled in for 2022 releases that fans are already talking about with anticipation. Against this backdrop, it’s easy to sometimes overlook the fact that Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is the game that’s set to kick off proceedings on March 18.
Due to the tonally jarring nature of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin’s reveal at last year’s E3, Square Enix has had an interesting time marketing Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo Games’ action-RPG. Over the last few weeks though, with the game’s upcoming release on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, the publisher has started to peel back the curtain. Thanks to an extensive breakdown of the game over on Sony’s official blog, more exciting details have been presented in particular about the game’s job system. The Samurai class arguably stands out the most from the occupational crowd however, for several important reasons.
The Samurai in Final Fantasy Origin
Having built its critically acclaimed Nioh franchise around complex gameplay mechanics, it’s no surprise to see Team Ninja apply some of the same principles to its take on Square Enix’s iconic JRPG series. When Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin launches, the action centric title will subsequently feature an in-depth job system that players can customize to their gameplay needs and sensibilities.
In a unique twist on a classic Final Fantasy staple, each character loadout can select and cycle between two jobs seamlessly, such as the nimble Dragoon or the damage-resistant Red Mage. Based on the promotional material that has been provided so far, it looks as though the Samurai job archetype will have a particularly special part to play within the game.
Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo Games have created Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin’s Samurai class specifically around the concept of MP recovery. While other job classes are focused on dishing out high damage to the game’s extensive bestiary, players who pick the Samurai will be attacking with the intention of saving up points for a bigger attack later on instead.
Samurai have access to the Meikyo-Shisui move to facilitate this, which is an ability that debuted as one of Yuffie’s Limit Breaks in the original Final Fantasy 7. Naturally, the Samurai’s weapon of choice is the katana, a bladed weapon that can parry, combo, and dish out devastating furry-like blows following some MP saving.
The Samurai’s Final Fantasy Origins
Considering how Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin has been created in part to celebrate Final Fantasy’s 35th anniversary, it’s no surprise at all that the studios behind it have packed the game full of references from across the franchise’s history. For reference, protagonist Jack’s quest to quell Chaos has itself been described as a reinterpretation of the events that took place within 1987’s original Final Fantasy. In that pioneering NES game, players could select between six distinct classes throughout their adventure, so the fact that similar job roles are set to define this latest experience is a welcome call-back.
The Samurai job class itself has played a significant role in the franchise’s history, despite the fact that it was a relative late comer to the JRPG party. Since its debut in Final Fantasy 5 though, the Samurai has routinely shown up as a tactical and mobility-based option for players who want to think about fights more strategically. Swift attacks at the end of a katana have always been the name of the game too, alongside an emphasis on supporting other characters in the heat of battle. The fact that Koei Tecmo Games and Team Ninja have adhered so closely to all of these recognizable traits, bodes well for the overall quality of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin releases on March 18, 2022, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
