Out of all the games Square Enix has lined up for this year,Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originstands out as a curious title with a unique reputation. Many fans were surprised that Square Enix’sFinal Fantasy Originproject was a Soulslike action-RPG prequel to the originalFinal Fantasyin collaboration with Team Ninja. It was officially announced at E3 2021, with a trailer showing off the game’s playable characters and aPS5 demo of the gamebeing released soon after.
The trailer and demo gameplay received immediate mixed reactions, with fans and critics harpooning its incredibly edgy aesthetic and tone. Jack, the protagonist of the game, was the biggest target of mockery. Between his character design clashing tonally with the rest of the game to aviral piece of footage fromFinal Fantasy Origin’s demo, it’s been an entertaining ride for many fans. Despite this, there are some fans who are willing to give the game a chance, either due to its Soulslike mechanics to the other party members involved.
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Square Enix has been detailing various pre-order bonuses that the game will be getting. These will differ depending on what version of the game fans order, with some incentives being specific to certain stores. Some of these includethree extra missions being exclusive to digital pre-orders ofFinal Fantasy Originand a hat based on the game if ordered from GameStop. The latest pre-order bonus announced is a bonus steelbook with special art.
Thisbox art ofFinal Fantasy Originwas shown in a special video that details not only the outside, but also the interior. The outside depicts the Warriors of Light party in a group of clouds, with a vestige of Chaos painted above them. The inside of the cover shows off the game’s logo, along with a dark but detailed render of Chaos kidnapping Princess Sarah of Cornelia. This steelbook will only be available for pre-order at Best Buys in the American regions.
Both the retail box art and the steelbook put emphasis onStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin’s party members, with the steelbook including Jack, Ash, Jed, Neon, and Sophia on the outside. On the inside, Chaos' new design is seemingly shown, which includes a giant sword and detailed armor. Sarah’s dress also seems to be covered in bloodstains, fitting the game’s grittier premise and tone. This steelbook offer came up before, as it was available in the UK through Amazon, but those interested in getting one will now want to pre-order through Best Buy.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originlaunches on March 18 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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