Square Enix had a pretty decent year as far as video game releases go. This includes all of its partners as well, such as studios Eidos. Their outreach this year has been wide, ranging from brand new IPs to long awaited sequels to remasters — even with some stellar DLC and expansions in the mix.
The new games they unveiled in 2021 make Square Enix look like they could have an even bigger year in 2022. Forspoken and Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin have release dates so hopefully they can make those deadlines work. But as for 2021, which Square Enix games stood out the most — for either good or negative reasons? Were there even any bad games to discuss? Let’s go through the entire year and find out.
13 Balan Wonderworld
Balan Wonderworld feels like a spiritual successor to Nights into Dreams. It’s a traditional platformer but with the added twist of costumes. These special suits can give the players unique powers from extra jumps to drill attacks. It’s bright, colorful, and everything seems to be in place for a good time.
However, the final package just didn’t seem finished beyond a prototype phase. Most players felt it was simply lacking in content and polish.
12 NieR Replicant
Nier Replicant is a remaster, but also technically a new game. In Japan, this game was launched in 2010 with two separate versions. Nier Replicant featured a young protagonist, while Nier Gestalt had an older protagonist. North America got the latter version, which was just called Nier.
History aside, what did and didn’t work in 2010 is still true with this remaster. The music and story are strong, but the gameplay and world aren’t. It's an enjoyable game, but many players find it dense and hard to get through.
11 SaGa Frontier Remastered
SaGa Frontier Remastered is an update from a 1998 PS1 game. It looks better than it did back then, but that’s about the only improvement this remaster features.
The SaGa series has always been a tough sell for the company. The branching paths and protagonists deserve praise, even if it is easy to get lost. The bizarre turn-based leveling-up system can be hard to swallow for most gamers though.
10 Legend Of Mana
Legend of Mana was one of the last big PS1 games when it launched in 2000. It was also one of the best looking for the console. The remastered 2021 visuals only enhance what was already gorgeous to begin with. The music also stands the test of time.
The action gameplay has been improved marginally, but not much work was done to the project overall. The lack of direction may put some players off, as there isn’t much story and aren't many goals to pursue.
9 Actraiser Renaissance
Actraiser Renaissance is a remake of a Super Nintendo game from 1991. It was an unusual blend of two genres at the time, and remains unique now.
In this title, players must rebuild civilization and keep watch over them in a sim-like overworld map. When the civilization is in trouble, players must go down to Earth and fight off enemies in 2D action platforming segments. Not much changed in the remake but it’s still a good, albeit short, time.
8 Life Is Strange: True Colors
Life Is Strange: True Colors was developed by Deck Nine as opposed to the series’ original creators, Dontnod Entertainment. Despite that, True Colors still feels like a bona fide sequel. It pushes the series forward by giving players more open-ended gameplay.
True Colors is an open sandbox, where quests can usually be tackled in random order. This game's empathetic powers aren't quite as cool as time traveling through photos, as in the first game. However, they can still create some visual wonders for the eyes, as well as a compelling story.
7 Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars
Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is an interesting take for a card game. Players assume the roles of three plucky new heroes, who are all trying to find a name for themselves by defeating a dragon that is rampaging the land.
The story is narrated by a game master, and traversing the world feels very much like a board game or tabletop RPG. The gameplay is simple, but effective. The best parts about it are the art and music. The game came out of nowhere and not many played it, but they should have.
6 Outriders
Outriders was a surprise hit when it launched in the early half of 2021. It was a co-op cover shooter wherein characters also got special abilities like fire magic. It was fun to slay enemies with friends but it could get overwhelming when playing alone.
The story could have used some tweaking and there were quite a few bugs at launch. But still, as an introduction to a new IP, it was a good first effort overall.
5 Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergradewas the re-release of the 2020 smash hit. It featured a lot of quality of life improvements such as a photo mode, better graphics, and a nicer frame rate. Those alone weren’t enough to make it worth discussing a year later though.
What made this release notable was the inclusion of the Yuffie-focused DLC. It was short, but the three to four hour campaign made the journey well worth the extra effort.
4 Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is the last game Square Enix put out in 2021, launching early in December. It is the fourth expansion to the popular MMO, and this train is seemingly unstoppable.
The Endwalker expansion is so popular that the company had to halt sales temporarily due to the impressive online numbers. Not many games can boast like that. It mainly adds more of the same to the existing meta, but that’s a good thing for most players.
3 Neo: The World Ends With You
Neo: The World Ends With You is a long-awaited sequel to a beloved Square Enix title. The World Ends With You was a 2008 DS game — that's how long it took to get this sequel made.
On the downside, it doesn’t do enough to differentiate itself from its predecessor. It can also feel a bit padded at times, since there aren’t many environments and the days are repeated since, this is a time loop game. However, the positives are strong too: fun and frantic gameplay, beautiful anime-inspired visuals, a killer soundtrack, and more.
2 Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was another surprise for fans. It was announced earlier in 2021 and came out on time in October. It was relatively glitch-free at release, which is still amazing to see from a AAA game.
There were some oddities in regards to the characters that were hard to get used to at first, after being with the Marvel movies for so long. With time, though, the cast was easy to bond with. The shooting mechanics, varied environments, and story all made this game a must-play.
1 Bravely Default 2
Bravely Default 2 is a classic RPG that harkens back to Square Enix’s greatest strengths. It features turn-based combat, a job system, and an overworld map. It also features modern mechanics like auto-battle and a fast-forward button. It’s a lengthy RPG too, giving players hours of content.
There aren’t many surprises in the somewhat predictable story, and some end bits do drag on. However, for those looking for an old-school RPG from the masters at Square Enix, this is it.
