For Better and for Worse, Stranger of Paradise Fans Might Like Lost Soul Aside

Now that it’s been out for about a week, opinions on Lost Soul Aside are beginning to settle into a firmer form. Its launch was handled in a questionable manner, to be sure—Lost Soul Aside was not made available to reviewers ahead of release, for instance—and this sparked some unnecessary animosity and skepticism. But with a bit more time, one can imagine a world where Lost Soul Aside is viewed for exactly what it is: a serviceable, stylish, and ultimately flawed character-action game.

This isn’t the worst thing in the world. Modern expectations dictate that every game, big or small, ought to be some kind of masterpiece, but there’s still plenty of room for a moderate hit like Lost Soul Aside. Hopefully, the game doesn’t suffer too much from its relative mediocrity, especially in a year as packed with hot releases as 2025. This situation brings to mind another flashy and contentious action game from just a few years ago, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, a project that was mostly swept under the rug in the years following its launch. And while Stranger of Paradise is meaningfully distinct from Lost Soul Aside, it’s not too hard to see the parallels between them.

Lost Soul Aside Could Be a Snug Fit for Stranger of Paradise Fans

Lost Soul Aside Has Stranger of Paradise’s Awkward Charm

One of the most notable elements of Lost Soul Aside is its endearing lack of coolness: its characters are stilted and bland, its costume design is hideous and outdated, and triumphant moments are often more cheesy than empowering. It might lack a certain element of style, falling short of similar action games like Bayonetta and Devil May Cry, but this isn’t for lack of trying. In fact, Lost Soul Aside seemingly wants to be “cool,” in a sense, and this is the first major similarity it shares with Stranger of Paradise.

Released in 2022, Stranger of Paradise is a reimagining of the first entry in the Final Fantasy series, following the stoic warrior Jack, who has about as much personality as a sheet of drywall. Jack’s defining characteristic is his unflinching desire to destroy Chaos, the game’s main antagonist, and his brusque, brooding attitude informs all of his interactions with other characters. There was seemingly an intention to make Jack something of a stereotypical badass, but he comes across as mostly boring and unoriginal, a stock-standard male action hero with precious little depth. This lack of charisma, ironically enough, has its own sort of campy appeal, but it’s not the only thing that Stranger of Paradise has in common with Lost Soul Aside.

Like Stranger of Paradise, Lost Soul Aside Is Saved by Great Combat Design

On a more unambiguously positive front, Lost Soul Aside and Stranger of Paradise both have excellent combat. For its part, Stranger of Paradise is much more methodical and soulsian in certain respects, while still borrowing from the character-action genre. On the other hand, Lost Soul Aside is a dyed-in-the-wool character-action game, with little to no soulslike influence. All the same, they are both flashy, stylish, and multifaceted.

Stranger of Paradise and Lost Soul Aside are both slick, corny action games with a lot of love poured into their combat design, but one could find deeper similarities still. Their visuals, for instance, are rather similar, especially in terms of character outfits and enemy design, and they both put a premium on their soundtrack. Lost Soul Aside will hopefully leave a longer-lasting mark than Stranger of Paradise, though.

Lost Soul Aside

Systems

Released

August 29, 2025

ESRB

Rating Pending

Developer(s)

Ultizero Games

Publisher(s)

PlayStation Studios

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

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