E3 returned in style this year, with a tidal wave of new trailers and announcements from gaming's biggest developers. One of the trailers that drew the most attentio was for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Stranger of Paradise is an upcoming title being developed by Team Ninja, but might easily be confused with another famous entry in the Final Fantasy series.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin's trailer showed a lot of what it has to offer. However, the game's title and how easy it is to pluralize a subtitle like "Origin" may cause it to be mistaken for Final Fantasy Origins, the 2003 collection which contains the remastered/remade versions of the original two Final Fantasy games.
What is Final Fantasy Origins?
The very first Final Fantasy title released in Japan for the NES way back in 1987, and launched in the US three years later. Final Fantasy2 released in 1988, but didn't see a US release for much longer. In 2003, remastered versions of both titles were compiled into Final Fantasy Origins, and released to US and European audiences. Final Fantasy Origins brought the two games to the PlayStation for the first time, as well as improving graphics and remixing soundtracks. The collection also contained some additional content, including brand new CGI cutscenes.
For many western players, FinalFantasy Origins was their first dive into the Final Fantasy series. Consequently, it's fondly remembered in the community. It's this affection, and a dash of wishful thinking, that caused players to connect the rumors of the upcoming Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin with the original Final Fantasy Origins. However, we now know that the two games are only vaguely related, and Stranger of Paradise is certainly not a remake of the original two Final Fantasy titles.
What is Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin?
The first rumors of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin arrived early in 2021, supported by a hefty amount of leaked information. One of the leaks that turned out to be reliable was that Stranger of Paradise would a darker, more mature entry into the Final Fantasy series, inspired by the Soulslike genre. Another leak which also proved to be true is that Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin would have connection to the original Final Fantasy game. While this is accurate, it's not as simple as being a remake of Final Fantasy Origins.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is set in a dark-fantasy version of the original Final Fantasy universe. Players will take on the role of a group of people who have been pulled into this world from another, seemingly to fulfil the prophecy of the Warriors of Light. Whether this is true or not is another matter, as the Warriors of Light is the name for the original group of characters in Final Fantasy. In fact, the Warriors of Light, Light Warriors, or Heroes of Light is a reoccurring theme throughout the Final Fantasy series, with many protagonists belonging to a similarly-named group.
The "Chaos" that the characters of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin are so eager to kill is actually a corrupted knight called Garland, the original antagonist of Final Fantasy. With the small amount of information so far, this point of connection seems to be the closest link between Strangers of Paradise and Final Fantasy Origins.
How Are They Connected?
While there are certainly some thematic and story connections between Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin and Final Fantasy Origins, the link isn't as strong as some players had hoped. A lot of the hype and speculation surrounding the upcoming game, and the reason it's been linked to Final Fantasy Origins, is really down to its name alone. The similarity between Stranger of Paradise and Final Fantasy Origins is certainly a decision that's sure to confuse fans.
After the radical and widely-praised approach taken by the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, many fans were hoping for another title that approached remastering in a similar way. While it doesn't seem like that is the case, fans can still expect some strong references to Final Fantasy1. The two titles share both a world and a villain, and it seems unlikely that Square Enix would miss the chance to reveal more about the game that started it all.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin releases in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
