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Stranger of Paradise is a wild ride, the sort of dumb fun that's been missing from my gaming experience for a while. It gleefully embraces and exaggerates every stigmatized trope within the Final Fantasy series, creating a unique cocktail of hilarity, bewilderment, and awkwardness.

"I have to kill chaos." This sentence has become synonymous with Stranger of Paradise, and for good reason. It's the game's rallying cry, and the obsession with chaos permeates every aspect of the story. While the plot may initially appear paper-thin, it gains depth when you consider its connections to the original Final Fantasy. This revelation turns the narrative into something far more meaningful, providing long-term fans with a satisfying payoff. The squad may seem basic, but the protagonist, Jack, subverts every typical trope in a manner that's entertaining, albeit in a deconstructive way. Despite some dialogue hiccups, the game's B-movie vibe is intentional, enhancing its overall charm.

The gameplay is a relatively straightforward Hack and Slash. Directly resembling Nioh but with more impactful spells and a mana system. While the main game is generally easier than Nioh, the difficulty depends on your build. Weapon selection is tied to your job, so there is no real build variation.
Jobs need to be unlocked by leveling your already unlocked jobs. Later jobs being more potent, necessitating leveling up weaker ones. This progression system ensures variety and entertainment, even if not all jobs are equally balanced. Multiplayer is an option but isn't widely utilized, though NPCs with limited job selections are serviceable and offer enjoyable banter. The gear system is a sticking point, with a surplus of loot that makes organization needlessly arduous. Despite offering various effects, gear ultimately doesn't alter gameplay significantly and mostly only change numbers.

The audio design is competent. Remixes of old tracks pay homage to the series' history, while new compositions are less memorable, aside from some center themes. Sound effects shine, enhancing the overall satisfaction of combat with great weapon, magic, and skill sounds. Everything feels impactful and the sound of finishers does not get old over the course of the game. Which is noteworthy as this specific sound follows you over the course of the whole game.

The visual and level design is serviceable but lacks the creativity found in titles like Nioh. Stranger of Paradise recycles areas from the main series, resulting in a feeling akin to the Leonardo DiCaprio meme of him pointing at the TV. It's forgettable, with unremarkable gimmicks that fail to elevate the experience. The linear level design doesn't offer much depth, relying on straightforward interactions without clever puzzles or skill-based challenges. While character and monster design maintain their visual fidelity, they lack the allure of something truly innovative. Conceptually, the game does nothing wrong, but it just lacks outstanding qualities that make levels more than going from point a to point b.

Stranger of Paradise stands as the ultimate guilty pleasure within the Final Fantasy franchise. It brings forth commendable qualities and a bold ambition to reframe a classic that birthed the series. If you consider yourself a fan of Final Fantasy, and if you've enjoyed games by Team Ninja (even if you have a soft spot for Metroid: Other M), you'll discover much to savor in this daring title. It's a mix of nostalgia, absurdity, and ambition that defies the conventional and aims to entertain in its own quirky way.

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As of now, meme curators dominate Steam. So consider following me for reviews that actually cost me some time (and effort) to create. I don't think this will change much, but the majority of my readers are not followers. I am still going to pump my heart into these reviews.
https://store.steampowered.com/curator/31884377-If-It-Is-Insane/

[quote] [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/31884377-If-It-Is-Insane/]Check out my curator page for more awesome reviews[/url] [/quote] [h1]TL;DR[/h1] Stranger of Paradise is a wild ride, the sort of dumb fun that's been missing from my gaming experience for a while. It gleefully embraces and exaggerates every stigmatized trope within the Final Fantasy series, creating a unique cocktail of hilarity, bewilderment, and awkwardness. [h1]Story[/h1] "I have to kill chaos." This sentence has become synonymous with Stranger of Paradise, and for good reason. It's the game's rallying cry, and the obsession with chaos permeates every aspect of the story. While the plot may initially appear paper-thin, it gains depth when you consider its connections to the original Final Fantasy. This revelation turns the narrative into something far more meaningful, providing long-term fans with a satisfying payoff. The squad may seem basic, but the protagonist, Jack, subverts every typical trope in a manner that's entertaining, albeit in a deconstructive way. Despite some dialogue hiccups, the game's B-movie vibe is intentional, enhancing its overall charm. [h1]Gameplay[/h1] The gameplay is a relatively straightforward Hack and Slash. Directly resembling Nioh but with more impactful spells and a mana system. While the main game is generally easier than Nioh, the difficulty depends on your build. Weapon selection is tied to your job, so there is no real build variation. Jobs need to be unlocked by leveling your already unlocked jobs. Later jobs being more potent, necessitating leveling up weaker ones. This progression system ensures variety and entertainment, even if not all jobs are equally balanced. Multiplayer is an option but isn't widely utilized, though NPCs with limited job selections are serviceable and offer enjoyable banter. The gear system is a sticking point, with a surplus of loot that makes organization needlessly arduous. Despite offering various effects, gear ultimately doesn't alter gameplay significantly and mostly only change numbers. [h1]Sound Design[/h1] The audio design is competent. Remixes of old tracks pay homage to the series' history, while new compositions are less memorable, aside from some center themes. Sound effects shine, enhancing the overall satisfaction of combat with great weapon, magic, and skill sounds. Everything feels impactful and the sound of finishers does not get old over the course of the game. Which is noteworthy as this specific sound follows you over the course of the whole game. [h1]Visual and Level Design[/h1] The visual and level design is serviceable but lacks the creativity found in titles like Nioh. Stranger of Paradise recycles areas from the main series, resulting in a feeling akin to the Leonardo DiCaprio meme of him pointing at the TV. It's forgettable, with unremarkable gimmicks that fail to elevate the experience. The linear level design doesn't offer much depth, relying on straightforward interactions without clever puzzles or skill-based challenges. While character and monster design maintain their visual fidelity, they lack the allure of something truly innovative. Conceptually, the game does nothing wrong, but it just lacks outstanding qualities that make levels more than going from point a to point b. [h1]Conclusion[/h1] Stranger of Paradise stands as the ultimate guilty pleasure within the Final Fantasy franchise. It brings forth commendable qualities and a bold ambition to reframe a classic that birthed the series. If you consider yourself a fan of Final Fantasy, and if you've enjoyed games by Team Ninja (even if you have a soft spot for Metroid: Other M), you'll discover much to savor in this daring title. It's a mix of nostalgia, absurdity, and ambition that defies the conventional and aims to entertain in its own quirky way. [quote=author] As of now, meme curators dominate Steam. So consider following me for reviews that actually cost me some time (and effort) to create. I don't think this will change much, but the majority of my readers are not followers. I am still going to pump my heart into these reviews. https://store.steampowered.com/curator/31884377-If-It-Is-Insane/ [/quote]