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Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin release date, gameplay, and more

Everything there is to know about Stranger of Paradise, Final Fantasy Origin, the odd, Souls-inspired FF spinoff.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin release date: Jack, Jed, and Ash can be seen standing in a level in the game, looking at the camera.
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Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin 

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin was a new step for the franchise, taking it in the direction of Souls-like games in recent years. With unique weapons, tough bosses, and explorable Metroidvania-esque environments, the game had a lot to do to convince fans that it was worthy of the Final Fantasy name – and it mostly did just that.

So, here’s everything that you need to know about Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, one of the best RPG games if you’re in the mood for an action-packed, story-driven adventure.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin release date

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin was released on Friday, March 18, 2022, on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

This came not long after the game was officially revealed during Square Enix’s E3 2021 presentation, giving eager fans only a short wait. However, the Strangers of Paradise leak back in May 2021 did somewhat spoil the surprise.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin demo

If you’re unsure about picking up this odd Final Fantasy spinoff, then worry not. There is, in fact, a Strangers of Paradise demo available on PS5 and Xbox, letting you try the game out for yourself – though, years on from release, the game has gone on sale frequently.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin gameplay

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin changed the franchise’s gameplay significantly as it moved away from its JRPG roots to an action-focused RPG experience, similar to what we have seen in Dark Souls and Darksiders.

You can traverse through linear locations, collecting resources which you will lose if you die. On top of that, the game features respawning enemies in these locations either when you rest or die, and shortcuts can be opened up by exploring levels.

At the end of each section of the game, you will face a tough boss who will throw everything they can at you, with you needing to level up, equip new classes, and purchase more skills to take them on.

You can see the Stranger: Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin gameplay trailer below:

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That covers everything you need to know about Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Though it’s not for everyone, Stranger of Paradise is one of the best PS5 games and best Xbox games out there.

Echo has years of experience writing about PS5, Xbox, and the best games and franchises that console players love. They joined The Loadout in 2021 as a staff writer and worked their way up to be the site's guides editor, before departing in 2023. They've written hundreds of guides on games such as Call of Duty, XDefiant, Spider-Man 2, Starfield, and many more. They were also the custodian of The Loadout's various PS Plus games and Xbox Game Pass games lists, informing subscribers about any new, departing, or interesting games that they could play. In their time writing, they have attended industry events like Gamescom and WASD. Additionally, they have conducted interviews with the teams behind Lords of the Fallen, Blue Protocol, Dying Light 2, and more since beginning their writing journey at university.