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If you want a quick list of some of the best Square Enix games you can play right now, we’ve got you covered. Square Enix has always been around for most people. But for the more experienced gamers out there, we remember when SquareSoft and Enix were both around. At the time, these two Japanese companies were the most important competitors. SquareSoft’s best-known games were the Final Fantasy games, while Enix’s Dragon Quest games were keeping up.
When these two giants joined forces, it was one of the biggest business deals in the world. As a result, all of the biggest JRPG series were rolled into one company called Square Enix. Since that merger in the early 2000s, this developer and publisher has grown to include many western studios and franchises. Square Enix is a legendary game developer and publisher that has helped make some of the biggest and best games on the market.
Best Square Enix Games
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
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It’s hard not to feel sorry for Final Fantasy XII a little bit. Even though it doesn’t get nearly as much hate as the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, the fact that many fans ignore it is, in some ways, even worse and does the game a huge disservice. No, it may not be one of the best Final Fantasy games out there, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a lot to offer.
At the end of the day, Final Fantasy XII does a great job of building on what its offline predecessor started. It might also have a better story than a lot of the other Final Fantasy games, but the fact that its characters aren’t as interesting makes up for some of that. The battle can also take some time to get used to, and The Zodiac Edition is without a doubt the best way to play it.
Pros
- A second chance for an underappreciated classic
- Free exploration of a huge, attractive world
- Fast-paced, addictive combat
- Looks and sounds incredible
Cons
- Many of its original flaws remain intact
- Graphics showing their age
Dragon Quest Builders 2
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Dragon Quest Builders is one of the more unique JRPG spin-offs to come out in the last few decades. The critics liked the second game the most out of the two that have come out so far. It’s a bit like a mix of Minecraft, Animal Crossing, and one of the earlier Mana games, though some fans of the series might say it looks a lot better than any of those.
Like its predecessor, Dragon Quest Builders 2 has a basic hack-and-slash combat system, and, as the name might suggest, the game is mostly about building and making things. It doesn’t have as much depth as other crafting games, though, because the developers chose to spend most of their time making an interesting story.
Pros
- A huge, expansive world to explore filled with surprises
- Building mechanics are both easy to learn and fun to experiment with
- Many of the characters you meet are wonderfully written
Cons
- Tutorials can often feel overlong and intrusive
- Camera options are limited and oftentimes frustrating
Tomb Raider
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Even though the Tomb Raider series got off to a good start, it really started to lose its way around the turn of the century. A series of mediocre games pretty much killed any interest there had been in the franchise. The team at Crystal Dynamics was able to bring the series back from the brink because there was just enough life left in it.
It also gave Lara a personality and backstory that were much easier to understand. Every part of the presentation is great, and the story is well-written and full of exciting moments. It’s debatable whether or not it really needed a multiplayer mode, but Tomb Raider’s single-player mode is more than enough to make it worth the price of admission.
Pros
- Ridiculously great graphics
- Great environment
- Lara’s world feels brutal, dangerous and frightening
- Amazing combat
Cons
- No tombs
- Poor dialogue
- Mediocre facial animation
Just Cause 2
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Just Cause is a series of games that are mostly known for their tropical settings, rebellious attitudes, and explosive gameplay. The amount of support for this series is directly related to how many explosions are in the games. The first game was made by Eidos Interactive, but after Square Enix bought that company, the series is now made by their European branch.
Just Cause 2 turned out to be much better than the first game, which brought a lot of attention to the series and, of course, led to more games. When it comes to pure fun, there aren’t many games that can even come close to Just Cause’s level of destruction. Overall, it is one of the best Square Enix Games that you can download from here.
Pros
- Looks gorgeous
- Grappling Hook is badass
- Hijacking stuff never gets old
- Pure unadulterated mayhem
Cons
- Worst voice acting EVER
- Clunky driving mechanics
- Crappy plot
SaGa Frontier
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In the early days of Square’s Final Fantasy franchise, the idea for the first of two series came to mind. The first game in the SaGa series was originally called “The Final Fantasy Legend” in the west. The SaGa games are known for being much more open-ended than most Final Fantasy games, which are usually linear and based on a story.
Even the oldest ones led the player along a certain progression path. This game has a lot less of that, and SaGa Frontier, one of the best in the series, lets the player choose from a number of main characters, each with their own story. The game is also proud of the fact that the player can choose where and when to go, so they can explore as much as they want.
Pros
- The battle system is ever-engaging
- The visual and UI improvements make handling the game at large much easier
- Eight unique player choice-propelled storylines
- Thematically interesting no matter how you look at it
Cons
- You will get lost, and you will do it all the time
- Incredibly difficult to wrap your head around initially, to the point you may just give up
Dragon Quest XI
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Final Fantasy is the most popular JRPG, but Dragon Quest was a big influence on all JRPGs, including the first Final Fantasy. The story of Square Enix is that it came from the coming together of two big names in the JRPG scene. The Square half was Final Fantasy, and the Enix half was Dragon Quest.
Together, they built and published both franchises and became the “final boss” of JRPG companies. Years have passed since this fateful meeting, but Dragon Quest XI stays true to the JRPG roots of the series while still being a great game for modern audiences who enjoy all the new features that bring the series up to date with more modern games.
Pros
- A gorgeous, huge world to explore
- Battle system is simple yet challenging
- Ensemble cast is bright, vibrant and lovable
- Doesn’t take itself too seriously
Cons
- Doesn’t advance the formula in any major ways
- Conventional to a fault at times
Final Fantasy Tactics
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One day, Square Enix will give this game the remake it deserves, or they might even make a new modern game in the same style. But until then, you can still play Final Fantasy Tactics on your phone or, if you still have a PS Vita, on that as well. Tactics takes place in the interesting area of Ivalice and tells a fascinating story about political intrigue, betrayal, and backstabbing.
It’s very different from any other Final Fantasy story you’ve seen, and a lot darker than what you’d find in the main series. Now is a good time to play this lost classic again, since FFXIV’s Alliance raids and the recent re-release of FFXII: The Zodiac Age have brought Ivalice and the Tactics story back to life.
Pros
- The beautiful new cutscenes
- The deep character creation
- Watching the plot unravel
Cons
- Camera can obscure your view
- It’s too hard for some
NieR: Automata
Square Enix’s 2017 game NieR: Automata was a critical and commercial success, so much so that the studio quickly gave the go-ahead for a remaster of the original game for PS3 and Xbox 360 with some extra features. This isn’t your typical sad sci-fi story about androids. Instead, it’s a creative mix of genres with witty writing, insanely good music, and a fascinating story structure that keeps you glued to your screen from the beginning to the end.
Every character in this game seems to have a lot going on, and even after spending hours with them, it’s hard to get rid of the feeling that they’re still keeping something from you, that there’s more to learn about them. NieR: Automata is set up like an onion: the more you play, the more layers of complexity you’ll get peel back, only to find out how much more there is to find.
FAQs
What is Square Enix best selling game?
Square Enix is best known for its role-playing video game franchises. Video games are the company’s main focus. Final Fantasy, which started in 1987 and has sold more than 173 million copies around the world as of March 2022, is its best-selling property.
What are the iconic Square Enix games?
Most people know the company for its role-playing video game series, such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts.
What is Square Enix biggest game?
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Final Fantasy XI
- Final Fantasy VII
Who is the strongest Square Enix character?
At the end of Final Fantasy 6, Kefka Palazzo turns himself into the literal God of Magic. This puts him at or near the top of a list of the strongest mages in Square Enix games.
