Poll of the Day > Stranger of Paradise is both the most mature AND most infantile FF game to date.

(+) Yeah! (+)

For those not aware, yesterday Square-Enix announced a new non-numbered entry in the FINAL FANTASY franchise titled Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Based on the trailer, it essentially looks like it's going to be a remake of the very first FF game on the NES, but with modern PS5 graphics and an M rating. And yes, the game appears to be a PS5 exclusive at the moment. Not even PS4 peeps will be able to play it. I don't know what the rest of you are thinking, but to me this looks like a huge step backwards in terms of maturity for the FINAL FANTASY franchise. Sure, based on the amount of blood we see in the announcement trailer and other promotional material (not to mention the protagonist's cocky, aggressive attitude), this is almost definitely going to be the first ever M-Rated FINAL FANTASY game, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's actually going to be a mature game. After all, let's not confuse blood, gore, and gratuitous violence with genuine maturity. Whether we're talking about books, movies, video games, or any other medium of creative story-telling, any piece of fiction that exemplifies real, genuine maturity should be able to incorporate a deep, intellectual and philosophical understanding of complex political machinations, grapple with profound romantic love interests and multifaceted human relationships, and present story themes which evoke feelings of compassion and empathy in the audience. Based on what we've seen in the trailer, Stranger of Paradise doesn't appear to do any other that. Instead, we're presented with a seemingly simple-minded and arrogant young man named Jack (who resembles a slightly older version of Prince Joffrey from Game of Thrones, both in appearance and attitude) as he angrily and viciously slaughters his way through waves of monsters on a journey to kill an evil emperor known only as Chaos (who apparently was a knight formerly named Garland who disappeared some time ago). Why does Jack want to kill Chaos? The trailer doesn't say. Jack's motivations remain a mystery to us. As far as we know, Jack is just killing for the fun of it. That's not mature, it's just... well, infantile. It's also simple, and pathetically shallow. Prior FINAL FANTASY games had far more complex politics than this. What happened? Why the regression? Jack doesn't even come across as a mature and responsible adult in the trailer, he comes across as an immature grade-school bully, or the kind of obnoxious, snarky soldier who would commit war crimes at Abu Ghraib. And he's supposed to be the hero? Dear god, please, no... Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means opposed to Square-Enix attempting to create a more adult-oriented FINAL FANTASY game with mature themes, and they were clearly aiming for a more masculine protagonist to contrast with the usual femboys the series is typically known for, but Jack's abrasive personality just makes him instantly unlikable and insufferable. It seems like Square-Enix was trying to create a cross between Dante from Devil May Cry and Kratos from God of War, but the way Jack is presented comes across as being closer to Percy Wetmore from the movie The Green Mile. That's not a good thing. Not if he's supposed to be the hero. A mature adult has confidence, but a child has arrogance. And Jack definitely comes across as arrogant rather than confident. Prior to this, nearly every main FINAL FANTASY protagonist has essentially been more or less like Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 2. Now personally, I rather liked Raiden, but I can also understand why some people might prefer a man who isn't so much of a woman. If Square-Enix wants to get away from that femboy vibe (even if that aesthetic is popular among Asian girls) and create a more masculine hero that's actually likable, then the character they should use as a template for that is Solid Snake (or Che Guevara, if we want to use an example from real life), not this pretentious Dante/Kratos hybrid of a manchild. I like the abstract idea of an M-Rated FINAL FANTASY game, but from what I've seen so far, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin looks like it's going to be simultaneously both the most mature and the most infantile FINAL FANTASY game to date. And personally, I'm not so sure that's a good thing...

STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN | Announcement Teaser Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntQ-utIdWWE

PS5 Demo Download:
https://store.playstation.com/product/UP0082-PPSA03657_00-SOPFFORIGINTRIAL

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Well, I can see where they are coming from they are trying to make the FF series more appealing to modern audiences.

While it can be a bit annoying that stuff like this happens, I wouldn't call it a horrible scenario, this coming from someone that grew up with the first game in the series and has played and beaten nearly every game in the series.

I also would much rather they do this type of thing to remakes of old games, than make Final Fantasy XVI more like this.

Chaos!

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What's dumb is OG Garland wasn't Chaos... he doesn't become Chaos until after you defeat him. YOU cause the time loop to stop the time loop

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Lokarin posted...

YOU cause the time loop to stop the time loop

That sounds rather loopy...

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SpeedDemon20 posted...

Chaos!

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Who cares?

It's a PS5 game.

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ComradeSeraphim posted...

this is almost definitely going to be the first ever M-Rated FINAL FANTASY

M in the US is 15+ right? FFXV is 16+.

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A lot of rated M games are usually pretty immature. But that dialogue was just plain bad.

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C H A O S

I must kill C H A O S

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Nichtcrawler X posted...

M in the US is 15+ right? FFXV is 16+.

no its 17+

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The ESRB makes no coherent sense. The ratings aren't enforced and don't mean anything at all.

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The email I got from square seems to indicate it will be on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC with a demo in 10 days.

Monopoman posted...

they are trying to make the FF series more appealing to modern audiences.

Considering the sales numbers of FFXV, I think the franchise already appeals to modern audiences.

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ComradeSeraphim posted...

Considering the sales numbers of FFXV, I think the franchise already appeals to modern audiences.

Well you know how companies are, in their world if your company isn't growing it's slowly dying. A giant company like Square-Enix isn't happy unless they are selling the game to everyone that plays video games.

Final Fantasy mostly sucks

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Lokarin posted...

What's dumb is OG Garland wasn't Chaos... he doesn't become Chaos until after you defeat him. YOU cause the time loop to stop the time loop

Working theory, the guy you play in this game becomes Garland, thus causing the time loop.

Would be just the kind of twist nomura would come up with.

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https://youtu.be/q3t5Ni1RW8s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJxunr9SPLQ&t=1s

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Lokarin posted...

What's dumb is OG Garland wasn't Chaos... he doesn't become Chaos until after you defeat him. YOU cause the time loop to stop the time loop

That sounds more complicated than I remember it, maybe I should read up on FF1 again.

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Nichtcrawler X posted...

That sounds more complicated than I remember it, maybe I should read up on FF1 again.

basically the garland you fight just kidnapped the princess for his own personal amusement... it was his loss of this battle that begrudged him so much that the fiends in the temple took him back to the past to get swoll

Ironically, this means if you don't play the game... the bad thing doesn't happen either.

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ComradeSeraphim posted...

Wall of text

Line breaks bruh no fucking way am I reading that mess


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Lokarin posted...

basically the garland you fight just kidnapped the princess for his own personal amusement... it was his loss of this battle that begrudged him so much that the fiends in the temple took him back to the past to get swoll

I thought the loop had already been going on and you played the party that somehow broke it?

Now that I think about, still less complicated than Tales of Phantasia.

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Far-Queue posted...

Line breaks bruh no fucking way am I reading that mess

Okay fine. Here you go:

For those not aware, yesterday Square-Enix announced a new non-numbered entry in the FINAL FANTASY franchise titled Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Based on the trailer, it essentially looks like it's going to be a remake of the very first FF game on the NES, but with modern PS5 graphics and an M rating. And yes, the game appears to be a PS5 exclusive at the moment. Not even PS4 peeps will be able to play it.

I don't know what the rest of you are thinking, but to me this looks like a huge step backwards in terms of maturity for the FINAL FANTASY franchise. Sure, based on the amount of blood we see in the announcement trailer and other promotional material (not to mention the protagonist's cocky, aggressive attitude), this is almost definitely going to be the first ever M-Rated FINAL FANTASY game, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's actually going to be a mature game. After all, let's not confuse blood, gore, and gratuitous violence with genuine maturity. Whether we're talking about books, movies, video games, or any other medium of creative story-telling, any piece of fiction that exemplifies real, genuine maturity should be able to incorporate a deep, intellectual and philosophical understanding of complex political machinations, grapple with profound romantic love interests and multifaceted human relationships, and present story themes which evoke feelings of compassion and empathy in the audience. Based on what we've seen in the trailer, Stranger of Paradise doesn't appear to do any of that.

Instead, we're presented with a seemingly simple-minded and arrogant young man named Jack (who resembles a slightly older version of Prince Joffrey from Game of Thrones, both in appearance and attitude) as he angrily and viciously slaughters his way through waves of monsters on a journey to kill an evil emperor known only as Chaos (who apparently was a knight formerly named Garland who disappeared some time ago). Why does Jack want to kill Chaos? The trailer doesn't say. Jack's motivations remain a mystery to us. As far as we know, Jack is just killing for the fun of it. That's not mature, it's just... well, infantile. It's also simple, and pathetically shallow. Prior FINAL FANTASY games had far more complex politics than this. What happened? Why the regression? Jack doesn't even come across as a mature and responsible adult in the trailer, he comes across as an immature grade-school bully, or the kind of obnoxious, snarky soldier who would commit war crimes at Abu Ghraib. And he's supposed to be the hero? Dear god, please, no...

Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means opposed to Square-Enix attempting to create a more adult-oriented FINAL FANTASY game with mature themes, and they were clearly aiming for a more masculine protagonist to contrast with the usual femboys the series is typically known for, but Jack's abrasive personality just makes him instantly unlikable and insufferable. It seems like Square-Enix was trying to create a cross between Dante from Devil May Cry and Kratos from God of War, but the way Jack is presented comes across as being closer to Percy Wetmore from the movie The Green Mile. That's not a good thing. Not if he's supposed to be the hero. A mature adult has confidence, but a child has arrogance. And Jack definitely comes across as arrogant rather than confident.

Prior to this, nearly every main FINAL FANTASY protagonist has essentially been more or less like Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 2. Now personally, I rather liked Raiden, but I can also understand why some people might prefer a man who isn't so much of a woman. If Square-Enix wants to get away from that femboy vibe (even if that aesthetic is popular among Asian teenage girls) and create a more masculine hero that's actually likable, then the character they should use as a template for that is Solid Snake (or Che Guevara, if we want to use an example from real life), not this pretentious Dante/Kratos hybrid of a manchild.

I like the abstract idea of an M-Rated FINAL FANTASY game, but from what I've seen so far, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin looks like it's going to be simultaneously both the most mature and the most infantile FINAL FANTASY game to date. And personally, I'm not so sure that's a good thing...

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Wait you're speculating all that off the fucking trailer?! lmao

ComradeSeraphim posted...

Why does Jack want to kill Chaos? The trailer doesn't say. Jack's motivations remain a mystery to us. As far as we know...

^ perfect summation as to why you shouldn't jump to conclusions. You admit you don't know what you're talking about. It's a trailer. They're not going to show everything lmao

Not saying you shouldn't judge a book by its cover because we're all guilty of that to some degree but goddamn dude you're writing a small essay describing your butthurt over a trailer... At least wait until we get some more details before you have a complete aneurysm.

Just to be clear I haven't finished a FF game since IX, I think. Since then, I've played a couple hours of XV. I'm barely a fan. I'm not defending this trailer, or the direction they're moving in with this game, certainly not fanboying this shit. I don't give a damn, really. But your reaction seems a bit much based on what I've seen of the game.

Go breathe into a paper bag bud, calm your nerves lol


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Far-Queue posted...

Wait you're speculating all that off the fucking trailer?! [...] It's a trailer. They're not going to show everything

If a game or movie has a plot with decent depth, it will absolutely be possible to tell from the trailer alone. If the story presented in the trailer is shallow and simple, then that's pretty much a guarantee that the story in the full product will also be shallow and simple.

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I asked in the other thread but nobody answered so I'll ask here. For FF6 are they remastering the original or using the shitty graphics from the Steam version?
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Revelation34 posted...

I asked in the other thread but nobody answered so I'll ask here. For FF6 are they remastering the original or using the shitty graphics from the Steam version?

You're talking about the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection? I don't think anybody knows yet, unfortunately...

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ComradeSeraphim posted...

If a game or movie has a plot with decent depth, it will absolutely be possible to tell from the trailer alone. If the story presented in the trailer is shallow and simple, then that's pretty much a guarantee that the story in the full product will also be shallow and simple.

Ur shallow and simple lmao


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Far-Queue posted...

Ur shallow and simple lmao

NO U! :P

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Maybe the immature protagonist is portrayed that way intentionally, so the game can then tell a more mature story about the world and the characters who surround him.

Kinda like FFX

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Metalsonic66 posted...

Maybe the immature protagonist is portrayed that way intentionally, so the game can then tell a more mature story about the world and the characters who surround him.

Kinda like FFX

So a game where the mini game in the game is better than the main game?
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That's most games, TBH

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Metalsonic66 posted...

Maybe the immature protagonist is portrayed that way intentionally, so the game can then tell a more mature story about the world and the characters who surround him.

Possibly, but I'm not counting on it...

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All I know is that I am here to kill Chaos

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Final FantaSouls

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Metalsonic66 posted...

Final FantaSouls

I'd rather have Final Sunkist.
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