The Greatest Square Enix Games That Didn't Get A Sequel

Square Enix has had a long track record of creating multiple IPs that are not only internationally renowned, but successful enough to place among the top 10 most popular franchises of all time. But what about the games that were crafted from the beginning of the company? And more precisely: What happened with the titles that have been obscured after Squaresoft and Enix became a single company?

Forgotten jewels, obscure titles which are frantically sought-after by collectors, and abandonware that should have seen a continuation to their series. This list spotlights some of the greatest Square Enix games that didn't get a sequel.

Vagrant Story

Father Of Modern Dungeon Crawlers And Soulslikes, Long Forgotten By Its Creator

Vagrant Story

JRPG

Systems

Released: May 15, 2000
ESRB: T For Teen due to Animated Violence
Developer(s): Square
Publisher(s): Square

Genre(s): JRPG

Vagrant Story is one of the classic Square Enix titles that could be considered the father of modern RPGs, and if we look closely at it, even the source of inspiration for modern Roguelikes and Soulslikes. This game was not only an out-of-the-series and unique title by Square Enix, but also the source of great controversy due to its relentless difficulty level and unique combo system. In it, players incarnate the Riskbreaker Ashley Riot, a special agent from Valendia's (that's right, the same world as in Final Fantasy XII) Knights of Peace. Through a series of unforeseen events, Ashley is accused of treason in the middle of a plot orchestrated by Sydney Losstarot, a disgraced noble and cult leader threatening to destroy the peace of the realm.

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The story is told through a series of cutscenes and small lore dumps instead of a continuous, streamlined narrative, which are triggered as Ashley chases Sydney and his accomplices through the labyrinthine city of Leá Monde. As Ashley slowly breaks free from the curse of brainwashing he was subjected to, players discover more and more about Ashley's past and why he is on a mission to stop the villain. Fighting like an unstoppable force of nature more than a man, the Riskbreaker beats tons of enemies, monsters, and even dragons, and as he becomes stronger and regains his skills, the story becomes darker and the stakes higher. Vagrant Story is as revolutionary in its mechanics, as intriguing in its lore. Extremely dark and cryptic for a Square Enix game, and most definitely, an experiment that could have used a sequel.

Brave Fencer Musashi

The Original Game Was Created By Squaresoft, But Square Enix's Version Never Got a Sequel

Brave Fencer Musashi

Action RPG

Systems

Released: November 10, 1998
ESRB: e

Genre(s): Action RPG

Brave Fencer Musashi was born out of the imagination of the legendary Yoichi Yoshimoto, in times when Squaresoft was in the midst of a resurgence stage. With Final Fantasy VII becoming one of the most successful games in the history of the company, a detached team of developers was working on a different type of game: an adventure platformer with real-time combat (instead of the usual turn-based battles that were the trademark of the company). The story is pretty straightforward: an isekai where the main protagonist Musashi, is reincarnated into a fantasy world once saved by his ancestor. In order to do so, he is given a powerful sword and tasked with picking up the legendary Lumina blade before the evil Thirstquencher Empire (yeah, that's the name of the bad guys) grabs it.

Unfortunately, this jewel of a series has been long forgotten, and its spiritual successor, made by Square Enix (Musashi: Samurai Legend), never connected with the audience. The reboot of the series received harsh criticism, despite exhibiting promising mechanics and maintaining the original game's intended design. Ultimately, the promise of a true sequel in the series was axed and vaulted, and fans of Musashi: Samurai Legend might never see a continuation of the story.

Xenogears

Originally Created As A Spin-Off, It Never Got A True Sequel, But Its Legacy Lives On

Xenogears

Released: October 20, 1998

Genre(s): JRPG

Many fans will recognize that the Xeno series originated with an unrelated title, yet deeply linked to the mainline games: Xenogears. The origins of the Xeno series were first thought of as a spin-off story for Final Fantasy VII, and developed by a detached team, aiming to cater to a different kind of audience. That is: fans of sci-fantasy games with mechas and lots of tough battles. It was also in the plans to become a sequel to Chrono Trigger, but plans changed along the way, and Xenogears acquired its own identity.

Lately, the development of this game led to the creation of the Xenosaga series (which ultimately met its downfall). Years later, the Xeno series (originally known as Monado) was born, starting with Xenoblade Chronicles. And even though Xenogears, Xenosaga, and the Xeno series are deeply linked in terms of origin, inspiration, and scope, they are not directly related. Only a few Easter eggs and references tucked in Xenoblade Chronicles and other titles of the series remain of the original Xenosaga, but fans of this groundbreaking title, unfortunately, are not going to enjoy a sequel anytime soon.

The Last Remnant

One Of The Best Turn Based JRPGs Ever Made

The Last Remnant

JRPG

Systems

Released: November 20, 2008
ESRB: M For Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Developer(s): Square Enix
Publisher(s): Square Enix
Engine: unreal engine 4, unreal engine 3

Genre(s): JRPG

The Last Remnant (TLR) is one of the greatest and most controversial games ever published by Square Enix, with the sole exception of the crumbling Final Fantasy: All The Bravest. TLR is a game that exhibits all the good and bad aspects of a generic JRPG, but taken to a whole new level. Some people believe it's a cult game that could have been handled better in both the technical and storytelling aspects. Others think of it as a true masterpiece. Among such divisive thoughts, the audience still agrees on something: The game is worthy of a sequel.

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Be it as it may, The Last Remnant is proof that a small team of developers can accomplish great things when banding together. From its deep-strategy combat to its larger-than-life encounters, TLR is surely a unique notch in Square Enix's publishing history, if not, the one of its most vanguardist titles made to date. Like other entries in this list, this series will not have a sequel (at least, not in the near future), but does it need one to be a great title? Let's just say that it's a title worth playing, at least once, if you love JRPGs.

Terranigma

An Extremely Dark And Forgotten Classic

Terranigma is a super dark and forgotten classic built for SNES by Qintet and published by Enix, and most likely, a unique game all in itself. For starters, its cover art, book art, and overall designs were made by none other than Kamui Fujiwara, a legend among mangakas, a self-made man, and also known for creating the art for the Dragon Quest manga series. The game was special from its origins: with humble yet deep mechanics, rooted in the brimming newborn JRPG culture, and telling a tale of light versus darkness in a much more cryptic and dystopian way.

A world with two faces: one bright on the outside, and one dark and corrupted on the inside. A story about a dystopian planet Earth and the terrible consequences of a war between God and the Devil, who had pushed humanity to the brink of destruction. Terranigma was most likely never meant to be a series, but that doesn't mean the game wasn't worthy of a continuation.