Enix started in 1975, while Square started in 1986. Two great Japanese companies on their own, but one massive conglomerate together after they merged in 2003. In their combined library, they have games that will entertain players for years if they could only play Enix, Square, or Square Enix games.
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That said, anyone who doesn’t have the time to go through their libraries, this is the next best thing. These are the ten essential games that show a diverse set of titles from interplanetary missions to fighting monsters in the afterlife. They will be ranked on their overall quality, taking into account graphics, replay value, combat, music, stories, and more.
Triangle Strategy
HD-2D Tactics
Triangle Strategy
- Released
- March 4, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Tactical
Triangle Strategy is a great modern example and a fun spiritual successor to Final Fantasy Tactics, but with a bit more ambition. Characters are still class-based and move around on grid-based tiles, but there is more to it.
Instead of switching classes, each character is unique, from ladder builders to hawk riders, which all adds to the strategy of Triangle Strategy. Also, with a branching path and choice system, players can all have their own unique playthrough when they get into this HD-2D tactical RPG.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R
A Classic Remade
Star Ocean: The Second Story R
- Released
- November 2, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is another HD-2D style game and the second remake of what started as a PS1 action RPG. Players can choose to be a space cadet, Claude, or a mage stuck on a fantasy planet, Rena, but either way, the two stories will connect.
Combat is in real-time, but players can pause to initiate various strategies if they need to. It’s a sweeping epic that combines the best of both genres, fantasy and sci-fi, updated for a modern audience that missed the several previous versions and the one Star Ocean game RPG fans should play.
Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars
Beyond Charming
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- Released
- May 13, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was made by Square for Nintendo on the SNES, which is a collaboration that couldn’t have been better. They went all out for Mario’s first RPG, incorporating platforming into exploration and in combat.
Instead of a typical turn-based system, players could actively block attacks or improve their own. With classic characters set in a familiar world, Square gave the game enough of a twist with their own originality to help it stand out, and Switch fans can even play a remake, although the SNES original has more charm.
The World Ends With You
Busting To The Beat
The World Ends With You
- Released
- July 27, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo DS, Switch, Android, iOS
The World Ends With You utilizes the DS in perhaps the best possible way, more so than any other action RPG on the handheld. As players explore the alternate side of Shibuya, they will fight battles on the bottom screen with the hero, Neku, tapping and swiping attacks.
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On the top screen, players can use the face buttons to attack enemies with Neku’s revolving partner. The battle system would not be half as good without the J-Pop and hip-hop music, plus the story, while slow at times, features an evolving cast of charismatic heroes, rivals, and enemies that are unforgettable.
NieR: Automata
Become As Gods
NieR: Automata
- Released
- March 7, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
NieR: Automata is not an easy game to comprehend because it takes multiple playthroughs to get to the meat of it all. On the surface, it’s a slick action game set on a post-apocalyptic version of Earth wherein battle androids are trying to destroy the remaining robot invaders who took over the planet.
Haunting music, fluid combat, and an intricate story all make this one of the finest action games around, thanks in part to PlatinumGames’s collaboration. It may be melancholy at times, but some of the best RPGs are the ones that make players think afterwards.
Kingdom Hearts 2
My Friends Are My Power
Kingdom Hearts 2
- Released
- March 28, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
Kingdom Hearts 2 admittedly has a slow start, but once things catch back up to Sora, players will forget all about the beginning. It’s an improvement in every sense with a deeper story, more original than just rehashing Disney content, and the combat system is where things really shone.
Transforming between different Keyblade modes or combining attacks with partners all helped combat feel more engaging. The graphics still look stellar even with the PS2 version, but there’s no excuse not to play the more accessible HD version now.
Vagrant Story
A Gothic Dungeon Crawl
Vagrant Story
- Released
- May 15, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Animated Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Vagrant Story is a PS1 turn-based hybrid that Square fans have not been able to forget, even though it is not easily playable today. The game mostly takes place in one location, although the area evolves within, sort of like exploring Dracula’s castle in the Castlevania series.
As Ashley, a knight, players can run into enemies in real-time with the ability to dodge. On their turn, players can pause the game to select a monster to attack, or a specific region in some cases. This dark fantasy is challenging, haunting, and still one of the most unique Square games decades later.
Chrono Trigger
A Miraculous Team Up
Chrono Trigger
- Released
- March 11, 1995
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Chrono Trigger was a collaborative effort between the best minds at Square and Enix at the time, which turned into a game way ahead of its time. Monsters appeared in dungeons, combat was turn-based but fast, and there were no enemies on the world map.
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The combo system between characters in battle was also slick, along with all of the music. The time travel was also influential between the different eras, changing the map’s layout to show how certain choices could affect the future. On every level, Chrono Trigger is a masterpiece, and if not for some more storied franchises, it could be number one.
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
The Luminary Shines Bright
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
- Released
- September 4, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Simulated Gambling, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age is the latest game in the franchise, and while there are some archaic things about it, it’s that classic mentality that helps it stand out. As the nameless Luminary, players will travel the land to gather a party to stop an evil lord from destroying the world.
It is a stereotypical plot, but the charisma of the party and the weird NPCs players will meet along the way can help the story with its shortcomings. The battle system features a classic turn-based design, with four characters all ready to give it their all. With a strong production value and a moderate challenge, this should be the first Dragon Quest game players pick up.
Final Fantasy 9
Once More For Good Measure
Final Fantasy 9
- Released
- July 7, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
Final Fantasy 9 represents everything that makes Final Fantasy a classic franchise, heightened to a perfect degree, along with Square as a company. The fantasy world feels alive thanks to the big cities bustling with races of all kinds. The adventure is somewhat cliche featuring warring kingdoms, crystals, and androgynously dressed villains, but the main cast is some of the strongest in the series.
Combat is turn-based, with each character representing a classic Job like Vivi the Black Mage. There’s a lot to say about Final Fantasy 9, but perhaps it’s best experienced through gameplay rather than words, because even though it looks dated, it is better than many modern RPGs on so many levels.
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