KEY POINTS

  • The "Strangers Of Paradise" demo is now playable on the PS5
  • The game mixes the fast-paced combat of "Nioh" with elements of "Final Fantasy"
  • "Strangers Of Paradise" is set to release some time next year

Shortly after a disastrous launch, the trial version of the upcoming action RPG “Strangers Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins” is now playable for PS5 owners thanks to an emergency patch released by the developers.

The original version of the demo that players could download was apparently corrupted, preventing anyone from accessing its contents. Square Enix managed to resolve this issue after deploying two patches that stabilized the game, bringing it to a playable state.

“Strangers Of Paradise” is an action RPG spinoff with “Souls”-like elements set in the world of the first “Final Fantasy.” Team Ninja, the developer of “Nioh,” is in charge of creating “Strangers Of Paradise” along with some help from “FF7 Remake” veterans Tetsuya Nomura and Kazushige Nojima.

Combat in this game shies away from the traditional turn-based battle system in favor of Team Ninja’s fast and lethal gameplay style as seen in their previous titles. “Strangers Of Paradise” will feel very familiar to anyone who has played either of the “Nioh” games in the past, but the developers have added some new features to the game’s combat system to make it unique.

Garland in Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origins
Garland in Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origins Square Enix

“Final Fantasy’s” job system will be present in “Strangers Of Paradise,” creating an extra layer of depth and customization to certain playstyles. Different jobs will give players access to different abilities, attacks and equipment.

The reveal for “Strangers Of Paraidse” in Square Enix’s E3 showcase was mostly negative. The cookie-cutter edgy character design and bland color palettes drew some flak from the community while the main character’s repetitive mentions of “chaos” became an instant meme.

On the other hand, those who have actually tried out the demo noted that “Strangers Of Paradise” is actually very good. Players praised the responsiveness of the controls, the meaningful loot system and the overall feel and flow of combat. Some have noted that the game reuses animations from “Nioh” but has enough new content to make it feel distinct.

The demo can be downloaded for the PS5 via the PS Store until June 24, and Square Enix will be using player feedback from the demo to further improve the game before the full version is released in 2022.

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