Final Fantasy Origins really really feels like I'm back in Nioh. Visual fidelity aside which is a pretty significant step back, but the weapon switching, the loot, the skill trees, the combo building, and the combat in general are all very much pulled from Team Ninja's prior fantastic titles. The Final Fantasy window dressing REALLY does pull a lot of weight for me here, being able to use FF Classes and fight FF mobs is just what I wanted. They key gameplay differentiator that makes this game stand out from Nioh for me is the Soul Shield and Instant Abilities. The Soul Shield is like your parry which you can only hold out for so long, and when you get hit with certain named attacks, it triggers your "Blue Mage" capabilities and allows you a limited number of uses of that move. It also increases your maximum MP allowing you to use more spells/abilities. An early example was when I found a cactuar and used my soul shield against it, and was therefore able to use 1000 Needles a couple of times. This really helps the combat feel much more customizable and every job has a unique flare to it with it's standard R2 ability.

As far as the story goes, it is an earnest and thoroughly entertaining adventure. Jack is a phenomenal protagonist and his dynamic with Ash, Jed, Neon, and Sophia is a joy. The music is incredible, reflecting most of the Final Fantasy titles referenced in the game. A point of contention for some people seem to be the level design, but I actually quite liked it. They are often maze-like, making you feel lost with all the different directions to go along side the great shortcuts implemented. This makes me feel like I actually am in proper Final Fantasy dungeons as I run around looking for secrets and the way forward. All in all, SoP exceeded my expectations and I hope this isn't the last time we see Team Ninja crossover with Final Fantasy. "It's a mercy to forget."