Why are people upset about the new Final Fantasy Origin trailer?

Steven Rondina Published 14/06/2021

It’s a good time to be a Final Fantasy fan right now. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake series has brought back a boatload of lapsed fans, Final Fantasy 14 is widely regarded as the best MMORPG in the world right now, and basically every classic installment in the series is available to play on modern consoles.

But Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin dampened some of the enthusiasm among fans surrounding the series.

The upcoming action game was one of the big reveals for Square-Enix’s E3 presentation. While there’s certainly cause for excitement when it comes to the game, the trailer left fans of the series feeling both amused and angry.

The trailer revealed quite a bit about Final Fantasy Origin. Instead of being a standalone title, there were numerous hints that the game will actually be a reimagining of the original Final Fantasy game. Included in that was the reveal of Garland, dressed similar to his appearance in the Dissidia: Final Fantasy fighting game series. It also showed off some gameplay, with the game looking like a blend of Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Yakuza.

All of that sounds interesting at face value, but fans took umbrage at what was described as “cringe” dialogue.

During the trailer, one of the main characters quips that “Chaos has been waiting” for the party. He later clarifies that he “wants to kill Chaos” and is really committed to doing so. From there he notes that the location they’re infiltrating is “the shrine of Chaos.” When he and his partners come face to face with Garland, he identifies him by dramatically saying “Chaos.”

With all of this set to dramatic operatic music, it was a level of unironic melodrama that is rarely seen. The internet promptly latched onto it and delivered a slew of high-quality memes.

Square Enix later released a statement from Tetsuya Nomura that discussed Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, with the legendary developer noting that the game was meant to be the “story of an angry man.” The full statement was translated, with fans chuckling over how on-the-nose the response was.

While the fan laughter certainly wasn’t the response Square Enix was looking for, the headaches didn’t end there for the company.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin demo broken, possibly by Chaos

Though the Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin memeing may or may not have been anticipated, Square Enix was prepped to deal with it by rolling out a demo version of the game. Square Enix has been able to garner enthusiasm for its games in recent years with early demos, and quality gameplay would likely offset the criticism surrounding the game’s lame trailer.

But the Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin demo wasn’t actually functional. Though fans could download the game from the PlayStation Store, the demo was corrupted and unplayable. Square Enix acknowledged this in a tweet and noted that a fix is incoming.

When is Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin coming out?

No release date was given for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin and Tetsuya Nomura noted that it may not be coming out anytime soon. Square Enix hasn’t been shy about releasing demos for games that are far away from being completed, so it may be a long while yet.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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