Enix is known for its public Dragon Questmany people are known as the ancestors of JRPGS. On the other side, there was a square and created my own RPG franchise Final Fantasy.
No one could imagine a few years later, The two companies merge to turn what once was a fierce rivalry into an incredible partnershipeven better for fans.
But Square Enix isn’t alive Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest By yourself. Together, the two now have a catalog of famous IPS.
from Kingdom Hearts In Front missionThis list ranks the 10 best Square Enix franchises. Maybe I will convince you to soak your toes in a new game.
We used two criteria to choose a franchise.
– At least three original games must be released worldwide without counting remasters or remakes.
– Square Enix does not strictly own the franchises mentioned here. However, these technologies are ignored.
10 Front mission
Mecha, politics, strategy
Back in the PS1 era, I discovered a game called Front Mission 3. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the tactics or sci-fi genre, but I decided to try the game and see what it has to offer.
What I found was A dense story combined with political plot, betrayal, and highly customizable gameplaymecha with destructible parts and a satisfying gameplay loop. The intermesh between Wanzer and learning skills has always been a thrill.
The only reason Front mission At the bottom, not all games in a franchise maintain the same quality. The second and third entries reached new heights while the first was trying to find a footing.
Sadly, the fourth and fifth titles (the latter not released outside of Japan) received mixed reviews. Don’t even start me Front mission has been improved or Stay alivecompletely slaughtered the series by trying to turn it into a third-person shooter.
9 Chocobo
Spotlight Mascot
Chocobo started as a Final Fantasy It’s a mascot, but it didn’t take long for it to become its own series. The first Chocobo’s mysterious dungeonHowever, the West has come to know the series through the second title, Chocobo’s Dungeon 2.
Both are mystical dungeon games, the Roguelike Dungeon Crawler Subseries developed by Chunsoft. Chocobo The game is incredibly engaging and they dive deeper Final Fantasy Introducing myths, franchise monsters, jobs and spells in adorable designs.
The series continued to deliver other dungeon crawlers Final Fantasy Story: Chocobo Story and Final Fantasy Fantasy: Chocobo’s Dungeon. However, the Square mascot didn’t stop there. With a frank talent, Chocobo He also stars in games like Chocobo lace and Chocobo GPshowing wheel skills.
Sadly, only in Japan, several small games were released. The world of chocobosimulated the mini-games found in Final Fantasy VIIIor Chocoboland: Dice GameGBA board game.
8 Valkyrie Profile
On my side, my noble Ainherjar
Born on PS1, Valkyrie Profile It’s now a JRPG classic. With themes rooted in Norse mythology, we control the nominal Valkyrie who must recruit soldiers from deceased humans to face Ragnarok.
It’s the following Many tragic stories that normally end with the death of this character so they can join our party. It was heartbreaking, mature and truly original at the time.
The second game, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeriamaintains the same function, but transforms turn-based combat into something more responsive and strategic. However, the theme remained the same. We had it too Plume’s Contract In DS, it’s a tactical game.
Unfortunately, that was the last game released in the franchise. Valkyrie Elysiumnot developed by Tri-ace. It was a more common action RPG that attempted to gain traction using IP, but it was flattered and felt like a longtime fan slap from the face.
7 Saga
Most Underrated Franchises
No matter how strange it may look, it cannot be denied Saga It is one of Square’s most prolific franchises. It’s oddly a cult, and recently it’s starting to attract more attention from the company, but it still feels like a B-side entry.
Saga Created by Kawa Akitoshi, a combat designer Final Fantasy II. It’s not a coincidence Saga The game features an attribute-based progression system rather than leveling up, one of the franchise’s trademarks.
Another classic mechanic is a system that allows party members to learn new techniques in the central battle while facing strong enemies. It can save the day or destroy your group on the spot.
I’ve seen a lot of game overs as the characters that were supposed to attack were to instead learn defensive skills.
The truth is I respect Saga Boldness – whether it’s a completely nonlinear story or through innovative combat. In my opinion, Saga Scarlet Grace There is one of the best turn-based battle systems.
But low budgets always keep the game under control and sooner or later I lose interest for some reason. And no matter what, you have to promise to stay away Unlimited Saga.
6 Mana
The joy in the form of a video game
For those who enjoy colorful games with a cozy atmosphere and a laid back tone, but still full of challenges, Mana series. The franchise was born as Final Fantasy It’s an action RPG spinoff, but quickly created a unique identity.
and Over 15 titles will be born between remasters, remakes, ports and mobile games, Mana This is a franchise that always warms my heart. The plot usually involves using the power of the elemental, a creature full of personality and pizza, to protect the mana tree.
The focus is much more on the gameplay than on the story. Dawn of Mana And the latest entries, Mana’s Visionthere was a more standard storytelling format, but that was the exception. Above Mana’s Legend, on the other hand, features a quirky mechanism, especially in the way world maps work.
I will not diss series, Mana It always gave me a sense of existence Final Fantasy For a young audience. We hope that the series will continue to get stronger in the future, but the signs show the opposite.
5 Star Ocean
Lightsabers meet the Great Sword
Enix was the only publisher willing to bet on Trias when they wanted to launch. Star Ocean. Because it’s one of my favorite JRPG series and one of the few series that has been able to organically mix elements of science fiction and medieval fantasy.
All entries follow the same setting: Sci-fi characters collide with medieval characters and create brand new dynamics Not only between them, but also in gameplay. The game also includes symbolism equivalent to magic.
Although we admit that most of the plots in the entry are unshiny, the characters beautifully pick up slacks with their private action system. All titles take place on the same timeline, but most are very far apart.
The action combat is solid, but the Star Ocean franchise stands out in its progression system. The franchise has one of the best craft mechanisms in JRPGS.
The item creation feature allows you to extend your gameplay wildly. This allows you to beat the game within the first few hours on a giant bunny ride on an overworld map from stealing from the NPC you’re talking about.
4 Neil
I question your existence
First I grouped it Draken Guard and Neil Because they take place in another universe. But both deal with heavy themes and portray death and disasters like Sunday’s matinee film, Neil I was in the spotlight for a while. Draken Guard It faded vaguely.
Maybe it’s Yokotaro’s fault and she’ll always throw 2B into every crossover imaginable to keep her relevant. But he didn’t have to do that Nier: Automatic Despite how you question its relevance in the world, it is one of the best actions of RPGS.
nevertheless Nier: Automatic It is the most well-known title. The franchise actually started simply Neil 7th generation of consoles. There are two versions in Japan, one called Neil Replicant And the other Gestalt.
The first follows a young man trying to save his sister, and the other an older man trying to save his daughter. Gestalt I saw an international release on the PS3 and Xbox 360, Replicant I got a remaster of AS Nier Replicant Ver.1.22.
I know it might be stretching, but I have included Neil’s reborn With a mix. Mobile games will no longer be available, but this is Canon series. The game has turn-based combat and was set up in cage, the server of the moon after the event of Nier: Automatic.
3 Kingdom Hearts
It’s a franchise in a Disney franchise, but Square Enix keeps it in mind
Technically, Kingdom Hearts It’s not a Square Enix franchise. Its IP is 100% owned by Disney, just like SORA. But let’s be real. It’s just business talk. Given that Donald can cast Zettaflare, he is a member of the Square Enix Party in my book.
Kingdom Hearts That fun mashup you know well? Final Fantasy And Disney characters come together in wild crossovers as they try to stop the power of darkness from taking over people’s minds.
What began as a humble entry that marked Disney World and another aspect of its characters slowly escalated into interdimensional battles that included time travel, clones, and lore that is more complicated than the human brain.
Still, each individual filmed Kingdom Hearts The title can make us fall in love with the power of its characters, their struggles, and their cliched friendship. I watched manga all my childhood, After playing these games, I never approached Donald and Goofy.
All of this is combined with one of the best action RPGs the JRPG genre has ever seen. Finally, Kingdom Hearts It’s not just Final Fantasy Or Disney fans. It’s for everyone.
2 Dragon Quest
The biggest rival of Final Fantasy
Japanese history has struggled to identify the first RPG released in the market. However, in the eyes of fans and official accounts, Dragon Quest It included J in a JRPG and introduced roleplay to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Inspired by Ultima and magic, Dragon Quest There is a simplified interface, a streamlined progression system, a massive overworld, and a standard story, but it’s heart-filled. Most importantly, it was a pioneer.
What surprised me the most was that since its birth in 1986, Dragon Quest It’s never stopped Dragon Quest. There were all sorts of spinoffs, movies, manga, anime, but in the end Whether you’re playing the first mainline or the latest mainline, you’ll recognize it right away Dragon Quest.
Classic turn-based combat, hero journeys with a quiet protagonist, side characters full of talent and personality, and timeless designs of Seizan Akira are always elements of any title.
We hope that Yuji Horii will continue to fascinate us with brand new entries in a wonderful world for many years. Dragon Quest.
1 Final Fantasy
Dragon Quest’s closest friends
Well, the first place was not able to go to other franchises. None Final Fantasythere are no squares. Without that success, Square Enix might not be there. Perhaps most of the franchises I mentioned earlier do not exist.
Do you like it? Final Fantasy What you say in a new entry “lost the essence” because of what you’ve done in the past, or you’re a deep nostalgic fan who’s been supporting the franchise since day one. Final Fantasy It’s here to stay.
As Sakaguchi, Yoshida, Yoshida and many others who worked on the franchise said, Final Fantasy Anything the creator wants it. It can be a fantasy adventure, a terrorist journey through a cyberpunk world, or even a modern tale with magical elements.
All entries and gameplay changes allow whiplash. I’ve been waiting for years Final Fantasy vs. XIII And I got it Final Fantasy XVone of my least favorite entries.
Meanwhile, I fell head overhead for what they did Final Fantasy XVI. Still, I don’t care if they regained turn-based combat to the next mainline.
What makes crystal magic so affectionate is the myths built around the universe. It can be a recognizable monster, mascot, spell name, summon, or iconic character design by Tetsuyawanra.
I don’t know what to expect from the following Final Fantasy It’s the biggest pain fans can experience, but it could be the best surprise they can get across a whole generation of consoles.
