Square Enix announces action-heavy spinoff Final Fantasy Origin

The next Final Fantasy spinoff is heavy on the action, and certainly doesn’t skimp when it comes to giant swords. At its E3 2021 keynote, Square Enix revealed Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin — yes, that’s the actual full title — which is billed as a collaboration between Final Fantasy veterans Tetsuya Nomura and Kazushige Nojima, and renowned action game studio Team Ninja. You can get a sense of the action in the trailer above.

It’s not clear how, exactly, the game ties back to the rest of the franchise, but the description certainly sounds very Final Fantasy:

With the memory of their struggle buried deep in their hearts... Jack and his allies, Ash and Jed, burn with resolve to defeat Chaos as they throw open the gates to the Chaos Shrine. Yet doubts remain — are they truly the Warriors of Light the prophecy foretold?  Step into a world of dark fantasy and revel in the exhilarating, action-packed battles.

In a statement, Nomura said that “While it is Final Fantasy, it feels different — but there’s no doubt that the blood of Final Fantasy runs through its veins. We’ve undertaken the challenge of finding this difficult middle ground for this mature and stylish title. We need a little time until we’re able to complete it, and while the battle system is a bloody one, it does link to the story, so I hope you’ll use this opportunity to give it a try.”

The game is slated to launch in 2022 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, though a PS5 demo will be available from now until June 24th.