Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

True to its name, Stranger of Paradise is a bizarre game. The combat is so much fun that it carries the rest of the disjointed process to the finish line. Those looking for an easier Soulslike experience with a lot of Final Fantasy fanservice will find a lot to love in Stranger of Paradise, as will those who found Elden Ring unnecessarily punishing. Stranger of Paradise is a lot of fun, so long as the player takes on Jack's mindset, and only focuses on killing Chaos and doesn't think too hard about anything else.

Despite a fantastic job system, a treasure trove of memes, and generally solid combat, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is mostly a baffling video game I couldn't wait to be done with.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin combat system allows for a lot of dynamic situations, especially against the excellent boss fights. The problem is that a lot of the key features such as exploration, unforgettable characters, and beautiful music notorious for the Final Fantasy series are sorely lacking here. Multiplayer does temporarily mask the repetitive and often uninspiring dungeons but ultimately, things start to bleed together especially seeing the large map that teases you every time you're about to select a new mission.