Square Enix is mostly an RPG company and its two biggest franchises areDragon QuestandFinal Fantasy.Dragon Questhas remained a fantasy RPG since it began in 1986 whereasFinal Fantasyhas taken more chances with technology. Perhaps the best example isFinal Fantasy 7which had modern tropes from big cities to robots to snowboarding mini-games.
It was a modern and futuristic take on society in 1997 but there are better examples of games from Square Enix that capture that modern energy better. These games play with the mundane and heighten expectations. Not all of them were executed well as told by reviews, but their ideas are respectable.
This list will consider video games either published or developed by Square Enix, as well as its predecessor Square before the 2003 merger.
The Bouncerwas a game released close to the PS2’s launch. Square Enix fans may remember this one because the main character, Sion, looks like a cross betweenSora fromKingdom Heartsand Squall fromFinal Fantasy 8. It’s a brawler at its core, featuring other playable characters besides Sion and other stories too.
The game takes place in a modern-looking city akin to New York City with a few more glitz and glam thanks to the neon signs. The city, Edge, is absolutely teaming with villains which is what helps make a good brawler.The Bouncer, despite some fan outcry, has never received a port or sequel.
6Ehrgeiz
A Wrestling Game With A Final Twist
Ehrgeizis a wrestling game that primarily takes place in various arenas without outside exploration. One can assume then that this world is not fantastical despite some of the cameos. That’s becauseCloud fromFinal Fantasy 7is a guest in it.
He’s not the only one though as Tifa, Zack, Yuffie, Vincent, and Sephiroth join Cloud in the arena. With so manyFinal Fantasy 7cameos, it’s odd the entire cast isn’t in it like Aerith, Barret, Cid, Red 13, and Cait Sith. Snubs aside, it was a fun enough wrestling game for the era, and Square Enix hasn’t made or publishedmany fighting games, making it feel more special.
MindJack is a unique concept that some games have tried before, likeSuper Mario Odysseyvia Cappy. It’s a somewhat futuristic society although it’s more grounded making it worth mentioning. The police can possess bodies via technology to get new perspectives in battle.
While players possess an NPC, their hero would go on autopilot. The game did not review well but it’s not without merit. Square Enix did try this concept again with a more established franchise viaThe 3rd Birthdaywhich was aParasite Evegame.
Murdered: Soul Suspectis a gritty detective story that takes in one of the spookiest places in the United States, Salem. It’s not a one-to-one recreation of the city but it has the same old-timey vibes that attract so many visitors to its gates year round. The story follows Ronan, a cop who is gunned down and now he’s a ghost.
Players can do all manners of ghostly things like passing through walls or possessing certain characters. It’s a slow-paced adventure with a few action bits thrown in for good measure. Probably the most notable thing about the game are the ghosts that chase Ronan who look like Dementors from theHarry Potterseries.
Parasite Evewas based around a 90s version ofNew York City, or at least a small section of it. It also followed a cop but Aya was not gunned down like Ronan inMurdered: Soul Suspect. Instead, Aya comes in contact with a being known as Eve who awakens deep psychic abilities within her.
This allows players to throw fireballs in battle, as one example, but they will mostly use guns to take down monsters. Everything in the game is based on a mutated creature from a sewer rat to a zoo monkey. It’s likeResident Evilspliced itself withFinal Fantasy.
The Quiet Manis a deeply fascinating game that did not turn out well for Square Enix. It is one of their lowest-reviewed games on Metacritic, but it does have merit to it. One can appreciate it like agame so bad that it’s good.
The story follows a deaf man named Dean in a big city who is plagued by gangsters trying to do him in. Like Dean, players cannot hear anything which was certainly a thematic choice. Once players beat this brawler, a sound version can be unlocked. Cutscenes are mostly filmed with real actors but the gameplay uses in-game graphics for one wild juxtaposition for an even wilder ride.
The World Ends With Youis the best game that represents this idea of Square Enix making a game based on modern society. It usesJapan’s Shibuya districtrather well culturally. It’s a place people go to catch up on fashion which plays a big role in equipment.
The hero, Neku, can equip clothing and pins with brands on them. Players can get boosts in battle if they wear the corresponding branding in certain districts of Shibuya. The influence of hip-hop and pop also made it feel fresh in 2008 when it was originally released on the DS in Japan and it is still a good representation of Shibuya today.
