Final Fantasy Origin’s character design goes full normie

Final Fantasy is practically synonymous with being extra, and tonally, the trailer for Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin definitely follows suit. The gang’s goal is to defeat Chaos, after all. So it’s kinda funny to see this action-packed drama features attire and character design that looks about as normie as a 7/11 parking lot.

Now, I’m sure there is a good reason for this. The title alone suggests that, perhaps, Paul Walker here has been pulled into a different reality—so of course there’s a little bit of dissonance. Plus, as my colleagues here at Kotaku kindly pointed out to me, games like Final Fantasy XV do offer more casual outfits.

While that’s true, I’d also say that Prompto and the gang are low key, which is not the same as normie. You get the feeling, looking at previous Final Fantasy protagonists, that they probably spend hours getting ready in the bathroom before going out like that. At the very least, the hair styling alone for many more casual FF protagonists is still likely worthy of its own budget line.

The guy above, who may or may not be named Chad, just kinda looks like some dude that you might meet at a gas station. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, and based on some of the screenshots, it seems like you’ll be able to equip more elaborate clothing, like so:

But I can’t be the only one struck by some of this official character design art, right?

The guys above look like dudes I might actually know. Arguably, that’s a feat in itself, as far as believable costuming goes. It’s certainly a step up over the generic blond leading this adventure. So while none of this is bad, it’s also just not quite what I’m used to when it comes to Final Fantasy. Right now, it’s looking intentional.

“While it is Final Fantasy, it feels different—but there’s no doubt that the blood of Final Fantasy runs through its veins,” creative producer Tetsuya Nomura wrote in a press release. “We’ve undertaken the challenge of finding this difficult middle ground for this mature and stylish title. We need a little time until we’re able to complete it, and while the battle system is a bloody one, it does link to the story, so I hope you’ll use this opportunity to give it a try.”