Few franchises have the legacy of Final Fantasy, a series with dozens of games released over 36 years. That puts Final Fantasy in a unique position to use its history and examine how the tropes the first game established influenced the rest of the franchise. While games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake toy with the series’ history, nothing goes as meta as Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, a deceptively subversive action game that examines the very nature of what it means to be a Final Fantasy game and puts a fantastic action combat system on top as a bow. It’s a fascinating experience that fully embraces campy storytelling. And it’s a must-play now that it’s free on PS Plus Extra and Premium.
