Paradise's Strangers Final Fantasy Origins is a new action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Team NINJA of Glory Tkumo, which is expected to land on PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S and PC platforms on March 18, 2022, and has also recently launched its third demo version. Before the game was officially released, we and a number of media interviewed Mr. Daisuke Inoue, the game director of SE, Mr. Fujiwara Hitoshi, the producer, and Mr. Fumihiko Yasuda, the head of the Glorious Tkumo Team NINJA Studio, to ask some new questions related to this work.
——The work has now launched three experience versions, what improvements have the development team made?
Producer: In the process of launching these three trial versions, we have carried out more detailed polishing of the game content, the biggest change in the third trial version is that the corresponding platform has become more, the previous trial version only has PS5/XSX, the two next-generation platforms, this time the experience version we also added PS4/Xbox One platform.
- Will the game be released on the first day of the patch? If so, what will be optimized and adjusted?
Producer: We will launch the first day of the patch, the patch content is basically to enhance the stability of the game runtime, fix bugs, etc., but does not include the game balance adjustments, this part we have determined before the game launched.
——Judging from the recent game release schedule, before which there was "Eldon's Ring of Law", followed by blockbuster works such as "Kirby of the Stars", is the development team worried that launching the game in this period of frequent blockbusters will affect sales?
Producer: The release date of this work was already determined as early as the time we learned that the blockbuster was frequent, but we felt that no matter what day it was scheduled, it was possible to collide with other games. The impact on sales can't be said to be non-existent, but it's even more significant for us to launch at a time when the player community is getting lively. We are very happy to launch this game at a time when the topic of gaming is hot.
- Which weapon is the easiest for new players to use? What is your favorite weapon?
Fujiwara Ren: Regarding the class I like, if I choose the class that is already in the current beta version, as a Final Fantasy player, I would prefer the "Liberator" who attracted me in name; regarding the type of weapon I like, I am not a very good player at playing action games, so I will prefer to attack weapons with a longer range, such as spears and great swords, and if I am a new player, I will recommend using a giant sword. But after all, it is safer to attack within a safe range, so it is not bad to choose a class that uses magic.
Daisuke Inoue: I prefer to wield my two-handed axe to attack, so I prefer classes that have corrections to the two-handed axe, such as Berserker, Dark Knight, and so on. But as a developer, I recommend that players choose the warrior class to play. Because the warrior has a skill called the War Roar, it can greatly improve the survival rate of the player.
Fumihiko Yasuda: I prefer professions that use martial arts, such as samurai monks and ninjas. These classes are basically melee classes, and the feedback during operation is also very good. If you are a new player, I also recommend the Greatsword, which is relatively simple to use.
- In the prologue, you can see that the scene in Final Fantasy XIV also appears, and there are many copies in FF14, why did you choose the pirate base?
Producer: Judging from the development of the plot, when we were thinking about what kind of journey the protagonist and his party had experienced, we decided to try some of the labyrinths in the series of works. And when the protagonist and his party had to go to sea, they happened to encounter pirates, and at this time, when we screened the scenes of encountering pirates in the series, we selected this pirate base from Final Fantasy XIV. So it's not that we have to choose this scene, but jack and his party will pass through such a place on their journey, so we chose this scene.
- Can you reveal how many levels have been selected from previous Final Fantasy titles?
Producer: The worldview of this game is based on the original Final Fantasy, and in the original Final Fantasy, the level in the original game needs to be redesigned, and the proportion is about 10% to 20%. The proportion of scenes based on the labyrinth of the past is about 70% to 80%, and the rest are original scenes.
—— Two questions about the original class: "Destroyer" can use the iron sword to kill the enemy with one blow, how does the development team ensure the balance of this move?
Producer: The Iron Sword does look like a one-hit skill, but the point is that it needs to be recharged, and if you don't master the timing, it's a very flawed skill. And also as in the Final Fantasy works, it is not 100% absolutely capable of knocking down the opponent, and the game factor is relatively large, so I think the destroyer's iron sword does not upset the balance.
- "Liberator" seems to be an evolution of the Dragon Knight, but the official demo doesn't seem to show the uniqueness of this original class, what is the more powerful aspect of the Liberator than the Dragon Knight?
Producer: Liberator is a profession that personally stands at the forefront and leads his companions forward, such as his ability "Omni-All-Around Defense" can inspire teammates to continue to fight, while improving the survival rate of their companions.
- After upgrading to the Liberator, is the Dragon Knight's Jump skill unusable?
Producer: Jump is a unique skill of the Dragon Knight, so you can't use this skill after you transfer.
- In the game, Jack acts with two companions, can he complete the level without cultivating the other two characters? Will it have an impact on the plot?
Producer: Can pass the level, will not have an impact on the plot.
- Is it possible to use Jack alone to clear the level?
Producer: Yes.
- There are many classes in this game, and you can get Soul Fragments in the game to increase the experience points of the class. Is this setting so that players can get started quickly when trying other classes?
Producer: Yes, Soul Shards are indeed props designed to make it easier for players to get started with other classes. In addition to the Soul Fragments, there is an item called Soul Crystal, which allows players to challenge them to more difficult difficulties.
- Death in Renwang loses all experience points, but there is no such death penalty in Final Fantasy Origins, so why is it designed?
Producer: I think there is nothing wrong with no death penalty, but in fact, the MP ceiling will be reduced when you die in this game, which brings some tension. We hope to alleviate the despair that players feel in the death after death, so that players can cheer up and challenge again, and adjust the style of the game to the state it is today.
——There are many game elements and introductions related to the series in this game, can this game be understood as a work that links the entire Final Fantasy series? Or is the work merely borrowing elements from the series?
Producer: The positioning of this work is closer to the latter statement. The connection, setting, etc. of the worldview has nothing to do with other series of works, and the worldview of this work will explain why the buildings and labyrinths of other series of works appear in this world, but there is no connection behind it.
——In the PSP version of the "Final Fantasy 1" anniversary edition, hidden elements such as "Labyrinth of Time" have been added to allow players to obtain more powerful equipment, and they can also fight against the classic BOSS that was not originally in Final Fantasy 1. If not, can I repeatedly challenge the previous BOSS after completing the level?
Producer: There's no such thing as Labyrinth of Time. Completing the level unlocks more difficult missions where players can challenge powerful bosses and receive more generous rewards to strengthen their characters, then continue to challenge more difficult missions.
In addition to dialogue in the plot cutscene, you can directly talk to each NPC through the main menu of the game, what benefits will these dialogues get, will this affect the development of the plot?
Producer: Jack and his party embarked on a journey to liberate the crystal, and some means were needed to achieve the purpose of liberating the crystal during the journey. At this point, how NPCs in the world react to Jack's behavior, so we've added this feature that allows players to understand NPC feedback.