Many people find it easy to turn Square Enix into the butt of many jokes in the gaming world, given the bizarre decision they've made when it comes to their Western developers before selling them off outright. However, recency bias can make many people forget about the massive presence of this company in the gaming industry, encompassing a rich and massive history that is full to the brim with some of the most important and beloved video games of all time.
In fact, this company has several amazing franchises under its belt that have all been received quite well by critics. Any person getting into the following franchises can rest assured that they're almost always going to have a great time, which is a testament to how many great IPs Square Enix has under its belt.
10 Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy is one of Square's greatest franchises, and it's easy to see why it makes the cut here despite having so many missteps. However, numerous re-releases and remakes have ensured that even the most average games in the series end up getting a great critic score eventually.
Of course, this entry doesn't take into account all the spin-offs and direct sequels present in the series. If that were the case, then the existence of Final Fantasy: All the Bravest would completely destroy any hope of this franchise making the list.
9 Chaos Rings
Chaos Rings is one of the most underrated trilogies Square Enix has ever made. The mobile-only approach for these serious and unique JRPGs really hurt the mainstream appeal of these titles.
The fact that all the games in this series have such a high critic score — including the much-reviled third game — shows just how excellent these JRPGs are. Hopefully, Square Enix will allow more players to check this game out on modern platforms.
8 Chrono
Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross are two of the biggest and most beloved JRPGs Square has ever made. The loose sequel to Trigger was a blast to play through, and the only disappointment most players had with this game was that it simply didn't live up to the legacy of the original, which was a herculean task to accomplish anyway.
Fans of great JRPGs should definitely try both games out, especially the first one. Chrono Trigger is easily one of the greatest video games ever made, and many modern JRPGs that are quite brilliant in their own right still remain under the shadow of this masterpiece.
7 Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts is one of the most popular Square Enix franchises that most people are quite familiar with. The convoluted story of the game has become the biggest running joke of the series that players still laugh at to this day.
Despite some people being disappointed by Kingdom Hearts 3, players can't deny that it's still a pretty decent game when not compared directly to its predecessors — an infinitely hard task to accomplish for passionate fans. Kingdom Hearts may be a harder series to get into now, but players who look past its dated design will absolutely love what this title has to offer.
6 Life Is Strange
Life is Strange is one of the best interactive narrative video games that fans will have a great time with. The games feature great characters, memorable stories, and unique mechanics that have turned this series into a wildly popular one.
The writing in these games can be somewhat hard to sit through, but players who get over this hurdle will enjoy everything else the Life is Strange games have to offer. It's one of the few Western games present in Square Enix's repertoire after they sold off the majority of their studios to Embracer Group.
5 The World Ends With You
The World Ends With You is one of the most stylish video games ever made, with its focus on urban trends and a unique combat system making it one of the most unique JRPGs fans can check out. The game finally received a sequel after years of waiting in the form of NEO: The World Ends With You.
While the sequel has its fair share of issues, it's still a very enjoyable experience for fans of the prequel. The first game can be harder to access, but its sequel is present on most modern platforms.
4 Deus Ex
Before selling Eidos, Square Enix helped fund the revival of the Deus Ex series through a prequel that introduced a new character called Adam Jensen. Both Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided are great games, although these experiences are quite flawed too.
It's a shame that Mankind Divided didn't reach the sales figures Square Enix wanted from this title. That being said, many people have argued that their sales expectations for the majority of their Western franchises were completely unrealistic.
3 Hitman
Hitman is an excellent stealth action series, with Square Enix rebooting this series as well with the release of Hitman: Absolution and the new Hitman game. The latter went for an episodic approach that was puzzling but possibly allowed the game to be bigger in scope than ever before.
The success of the episodic Hitman game allowed this series to stay afloat and release two other titles with Warner Bros. Agent 47 is an iconic video game character, and it's clear that his journey is far from over.
2 Tomb Raider
The Tomb Raider reboot was a massive return to form for the series. Lara Croft was in the limelight once again, and this encouraged Square to fun two games in this series that would carry over this gameplay while increasing the scope of the games.
However, while both Rise and Shadow of the Tomb Raider were fun open-world titles, they were also pretty bland compared to other games in the market. They attained good scores, but are largely forgotten in the grand scheme of things.
1 Bravely
Square Enix has proven time and time again that they're the kings of the JRPG scene. This is proven with Bravely Default and Bravely Second, two classic JRPGs that are way more complex and engaging than most people would expect.
The use of the job system coupled with the excellent turn-based combat and engaging narratives have helped both titles be quite successful. Fans can't wait to see what this franchise's third game will have in store for them.