Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is out this week on PS4, PS5 and PC. However, if you pre-ordered or purchase the Deluxe Edition, you can get 72-hour early access meaning you can play the game starting today. Sadly, like all games published by Square Enix, they don’t provide early review codes in SA so we can’t share our thoughts on the game. Thankfully, the embargo dropped yesterday so we can share what other critics think of it.

By the look of things, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin isn’t the Game of the Year by a long shot but reviews say there’s a lot of fun to be had in the game. Critics praise the game’s excellent combat while also touching on the over-the-top writing.

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At the moment, the game is sitting on a 72 on Metacritic and a 75 on Opencritic. Reviews mostly criticize the game’s lack of polish which was present even during the latest game demo that released last week. Some cinematics are refined and well designed while others show a clear lack of visual fidelity and if anything, look like a completely different game. Here are are handful of Strange of Paradise reviews.

IGN – 8/10

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin’s story doesn’t come together until the final hours, but when it does it pairs nicely with a solid and engaging action combat system and a strong dose of FF nostalgia. – Read the full review here.

Game Informer – 7/10

Stranger of Paradise is the strangest Final Fantasy game yet, bounding wildly between awful and fantastic. If you can tolerate Jack (and that’s a big ask), the excellently crafted combat is worth a look. You may be coming to this game for the story and Final Fantasy experience, but it’s all about combat and little else. – Read the full review here.

GameSpot – 7/10 

There’s a lot of meme potential in Stranger of Paradise thanks to its willingness to be aggressively confusing, but fun, varied combat carries its most WTF moments forward. Read the full review here.

Destructoid – 8.5/10 

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won’t astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash. Read the full review here.

God is Geek – 8/10

It’s far from the best Final Fantasy game. It certainly isn’t the best action game. But it’s still a fast-paced and enjoyable playthrough. Read the full review here.

Remember, you can download the free demo for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin on PlayStation today.

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