Counting Square and Enix's pre-merger runs, Square Enix has been around in some form since the mid-1970s. Even if only the post-2003 fusion era is considered, the company is responsible for developing and/or publishing some of the greatest games of all time, particularly within the RPG genre. Square Enix's portfolio covers a wide spectrum of masterpieces, quite a few of which feature protagonists who are charged with changing or saving their respective worlds.
While nearly always powerful, most Square Enix games do not have OP playable characters, at least not to the point that you can overwhelm enemies without facing much of a challenge. However, as always, exceptions exist. If you are craving temporary godhood, I recommend checking out these Square Enix games. They are not all necessarily beloved, but they are fun when approached with a "let's blow everyone away and have a good time" mindset.
Here are some notes and criteria:
- Games developed by Square Enix will be prioritized, and projects developed by subsidiaries will be considered. However, games published by Square Enix but developed by a non-subsidiary developer will not be included. This eliminates Team Ninja's Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin and tri-Ace's Star Ocean.
- While I will be making one exception, as it frankly cannot be omitted, games that need to be intentionally broken by players will generally be ignored. You have to feel like a god organically through a standard playthrough.
- Real-time combat games will be slightly prioritized, just because they are a better fit for this topic.
- Playing as an actual god does not matter if the character does not feel like one.
6 Marvel's Avengers
You Play As A Literal God, And Thor Feels Like One
Marvel's Avengers
- Released
- September 4, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Crystal Dynamics
- Platform(s)
- PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia, PC
Starting with one of the most polarizing games of the last decade, and "polarizing" is being kind, Marvel's Avengers garnered a lot of fair criticism, most of which I feel is justified. That said, to give credit where credit is due, all the core Avengers (not named The Hulk) are not only fun to use but also feel suitably powerful. Iron Man can rain destruction from up high, while Captain America's shield is an absolute blast to master. Ms. Marvel and Black Widow are also quite capable, particularly the former.
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Sometimes, you just want to feel powerful. These open-world games are all about powerhouses wrecking fools.
Finally, there is Thor, who very much lives up to his moniker as the God of Thunder. Odin's son is an absolute beast during missions, with Mjölnir being incredibly satisfying to use. All his abilities reinforce his deity status, be it Odinforce, God Blast, or Bitfrost. Honestly, I wish Square Enix had just taken Thor and created a game around him. It would have been so much better.
5 Final Fantasy 16
A Dominant Final Fantasy Protagonist
Final Fantasy 16
- Released
- June 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
While nowhere close to surpassing Lightning, who might as well be a straight-up god in her sequel games, Final Fantasy 16's Clive is comfortably among the strongest protagonists in the franchise, in terms of lore. More importantly, his story-based power is not only reflected by the combat, but he feels even more powerful than he should be.
This one is a bit of an odd case, as FF16 is rather notoriously easy, at least on the first playthrough's default difficulty. The hack-and-slash combat is fast-paced and visually striking, and Clive overwhelms enemies quickly and without any major issues. Honestly, you don't need to master or particularly engage with the mechanics to run through the campaign; more often than not, you can just be a button-mashing god.
I'll also add, Clive has plenty of cool abilities that enhance that feeling of being a god.
4 Forspoken
Become A Goddess Of Magic
Forspoken
- Released
- January 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Luminous Productions
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5
Ah, another polarizing modern Square Enix game. Forspoken seems like the perfect candidate for an eventual redemption story, but that has not really happened yet. Still, if you do have access to PS Plus Extra and are looking for an open-world game with an OP mage, Forspoken is more than worth a download and a try. Yes, it is far from perfect, but that does not mean it has no positives to offer.
If nothing else, Forspoken has an awesome magic system that influences nearly every part of the gameplay loop, from movement to combat. You gain control over the elements, gradually learning how and when to jump between powers to spread chaos and destruction. With more than 30 spells to unlock and master, you have enough freedom to craft a build that suits your preferences, and the game makes sure that most of these abilities are fun to use and visually impressive.
3 Final Fantasy 8
Break The Game, Become A God
Final Fantasy 8
- Released
- February 11, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Here it is – the exception. Technically, you can break a lot of turn-based JRPGs by grinding or abusing a specific mechanic; however, usually, it requires quite a bit of time or a lot of know-how. While playing normally should keep the difficulty level somewhat balanced, Final Fantasy 8 is probably the easiest Square Enix game to break, at least within this franchise.
The most common way is to manipulate the Card System and get a bunch of items that are way too powerful for the early parts of the campaign, but this is not the only way to break FF8. Certain basic early-game spells feel way too powerful, and it is not particularly hard to ensure Squall has items and weapons that can wreck most enemies. While most game-breaking methods require actions that go beyond standard actions in a typical playthrough, they are not so far beyond the norm that they are a big hassle to trigger. Besides blasting opponents without much hassle, you do kind of feel like a gaming god when you deliberately break a game.
2 Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion
The Game Breaks Itself, You Become A God
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion
- Released
- December 13, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix, Tose
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
Reunion was picked due to it being the more likely version that players might try nowadays. That said, everything holds true for the PSP original.
I generally avoid breaking games on a first playthrough, as I want to get the experience that the developer intended. However, Crisis Core just cannot help but turn Zach into a walking god soldier who can power through late-game bosses with just a handful of hits, and the ascension happens suddenly.
Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion: 5 Overpowered Builds
To dominate in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reuinion, players should try these overpowered builds for early, mid, and late game — and even NG+!
Although never extremely difficult, the first few hours present a relatively decent challenge while players have access to weak Materia and DMW summons. However, Materia is easy to level up and master, and the campaign's shorter-than-average length and easy optional missions mean you start equipping powerful gear and abilities quicker than typical for an RPG, and casual enemies do not have an answer. Along with getting a lot of flak for its randomness, the DMW system also breaks the game during the second half, granting out occasional bonuses that empower the already nearly-unstoppable Zach.
Maybe I just got lucky in my playthrough.
1 Kingdom Hearts 3
Sora Is Square Enix's OP God
Kingdom Hearts 3
- Released
- January 25, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Once upon a time, Kingdom Hearts was willing to produce a difficult action RPG. That lasted for about two games, and the series then decided to go down a different route and turned Sora into an OP protagonist with ridiculous and awe-inspiring powers. KH2 started this transition, and KH3 pushed it to the breaking point. Rather than slowly picking up new skills and unlocking mechanics, Sora is pretty much unstoppable right from the start, reflecting his journey throughout the decades.
While maybe a bit too easy for its own good, I respect KH3's decision not to reset Sora back to zero, instead letting him be the overpowered hero he had worked tirelessly to become. He is agile and strong, while having access to magic, summons, transformations, and limit breaks. Sure, he gets better keyblades, but he hardly needs the Ultima Weapon to act like an action god. Sora can do it all; you can do it all.
Square Enix Games With The Best Exploration
Square Enix games aren't always known for their rich worlds, but this developer has built some great titles that offer deep and rewarding exploration.