Square Enix is a name synonymous with role-playing games, having produced beloved franchises like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts. However, not all of the company's titles achieve lasting legacy. Many games with significant potential have been overlooked or are currently inaccessible on modern platforms.
These five Square Enix RPGs, though perhaps not entirely forgotten by their dedicated fanbases, have suffered a degree of neglect and are strong candidates for a comeback through ports, remasters, or full remakes.
Parasite Eve
Set in a chilling alternate-reality 1997 Manhattan, Parasite Eve places players in the role of detective Aya Brea as she confronts Eve, a powerful mutant capable of inducing spontaneous human combustion through mitochondrial awakening. The game, a sequel to Hideaki Sena's novel, was built on a modified version of the Final Fantasy 7 engine and blended RPG elements with survival horror, drawing comparisons to Resident Evil. While it spawned sequels, the original's unique blend of action-oriented combat and its contemporary horror themes make it a prime candidate for rediscovery. A reimagining using the Final Fantasy 7 Remake engine has even been suggested.
Bloodmasque
Imagine a stylish Square Enix RPG set in an alternate 19th-century Paris overrun by vampires. This concept was realized in the 2013 title Bloodmasque, which unfortunately launched exclusively on iOS devices, limiting its audience. Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles director Kazutoyo Maehiro, who served as a scenario designer for Bloodmasque, revealed that he had developed extensive lore for the game, spanning 3,000 years and extending into space. Maehiro expressed interest in revisiting the concept, noting its potential for a modern audience. The rich lore and unique setting suggest a compelling revival.
Xenogears
Developed during a period of bold creative experimentation at Square in the late '90s, Xenogears was famously overambitious and felt incomplete in its latter half, which leaned heavily into visual novel elements interspersed with boss battles. Despite these issues, the 1998 game was a commercial success and critically acclaimed. Plans for a sequel were eventually scrapped in favor of the CGI film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Creator Tetsuya Takahashi has since continued the Xeno series with Xenosaga and Xenoblade Chronicles. While a full remake might be a monumental undertaking, as suggested by Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi, a 3D remaster of the original daring RPG, potentially incorporating dungeons and combat into its second half, would be highly anticipated.
Final Fantasy Type-0
In 2011, the creators of Final Fantasy Type-0 explored the possibility of the series evolving into something akin to Persona, incorporating elements of school life and social simulation alongside supernatural threats. The game follows 14 students at an elite academy caught in a war. While it featured a calendar system and classmate bonds reminiscent of Persona, its narrative focused on an ensemble cast similar to Final Fantasy 6. Despite some underdeveloped real-time strategy sequences, the concept of a Square Enix franchise set in a magical school holds appeal. Although Type-0 received an HD remaster in 2015, a new installment in this subseries is long overdue.
Chrono Trigger
Widely regarded as one of the greatest RPGs ever created, Chrono Trigger was a collaboration between Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii and Final Fantasy's Hironobu Sakaguchi, featuring art by Akira Toriyama and music by Nobuo Uematsu. This 1995 Super Nintendo title introduced the New Game+ feature and a celebrated time-travel mechanic, boasting 13 distinct endings and a memorable cast. While Square Enix released a remaster of its sequel, Chrono Cross, in 2022, a modern console port or remake of the original remains unavailable, apart from Steam and mobile versions. Fans have eagerly called for a Chrono Trigger remake in the HD-2D style popularized by Octopath Traveler.