Ever since the original PlayStation, there has been a fruitful partnership between Square Enix and Sony’s line of consoles. Thankfully, during the years that the PlayStation 5 has been on the market, that relationship hasn’t weakened in the slightest.
From classic RPGs infused with modern sensibilities to high-end technical showcases that push the PS5 to its absolute limit, Square Enix has upheld its reputation this generation for crafting experiences that are epic in scope and polished in execution. Whether the games were made from the ground up for the PS5 or accessible as a PS4 game, they all prove why the pairing of this developer with this console manufacturer typically produces something magical.
10Trials Of Mana
It would take 24 years before audiences outside of Japan could finally play this long-awaited action RPG. But within the space of twelve months, gamers around the world could finally enjoy an officially localized version of the original Trials of Mana made available via the Collection of Mana and, perhaps even more interestingly, this incredible 3D remake.
The Trials of Mana remake works because of what it decides to keep from the original and what it decides to expand on. The multi-character story and snappy gameplay feel as fresh as ever, while the levels have been translated wonderfully into 3D—making for the definitive way to finally play this classic.
9NEO: The World Ends With You
After years of waiting for a sequel, Square Enix finally delivered fans of the cult-classic Nintendo DS game The World Ends With You with a worthy follow-up. NEO: The World Ends With You is dripping with all the contemporary Shibuya style and bravado that made the first game so memorable while taking big strides forward in its design, story, and combat system.
For one, this sequel is in 3D—infusing both the exploration and action with more dynamism and ensuring that every challenge in the Reapers’ Game feels continually fresh. NEO: The World Ends With You is a striking game that should be played by anyone with or without any prior TWEWY experience.
8Life Is Strange: True Colors
While Square Enix is most well-known as being a JRPG powerhouse, they have also published some excellent PS5 games outside of this genre. Case in point:Life Is Strange: True Colors—a poetically self-containedstory about grief, hardship, family, and some good-old-fashioned murder.
True Colors won’t take you nearly as long to complete as all of the other games on this list, but that doesn’t make it worth any less of your time. With vivid characters and one of the best-written stories on the PS5, you could do a lot worse than spending a dozen hours with this gem of a game.
7Octopath Traveler 2
Octopath Traveler 2has everything that diehard fans of classic JRPGs could hope for. Gorgeous HD-2D pixel art graphics? Check. Strategic and engaging turn-based combat? Sure thing. A fully fleshed-out party of characters, each with their own story, class, and moveset? You bet.
The beauty of Octopath Traveler 2 is how it revels in all the traditional JRPG elements you love while making smart decisions about where to modernize the formula. This game is like a warm, cozy blanket for any fans of Square Enix’s 1990s glory days and is proof that sometimes the best way to move forward is to take from the past.
6Live A Live
Live A Livewas kept behind localization restraints for nearly three decades—restricting gamers outside of Japan from playing this utterly intriguing vignette-style JRPG. Thankfully, after Square Enix remade the game in HD-2D for a number of systems, including the PS5, those barriers were knocked down.
And just as well that it made it out of Japan because Live A Live is truly worth the wait. With bite-sized stories taking place across different time periods, there is a lot of interesting experimentation going on with both the storytelling and gameplay styles that Live A Live employs.
5Kingdom Hearts 3
Speaking of waiting a long time for a game, fans of the Kingdom Hearts franchise had to sit through entire console generations before they could experience the third mainline entry in this charmingly obtuse Disney/Final Fantasy crossover.Kingdom Hearts 3more than lived up to the hype with some of the most deliciously enticing worlds, characters, and mechanics seen in the series yet.
From exploring the worlds of Frozen and Toy Story to using Disney Park attractions as attacks in combat, Kingdom Hearts 3 manages to lovingly pay homage to each of its many influences. When everything gets blended together this well, are you that surprised the final results are so fulfilling?
4Final Fantasy 16
Final Fantasy is Square Enix’s flagship series, so excitement levels were high when it was announced that the sixteenth mainline entry would be coming out for the PS5. When it released,Final Fantasy 16lived up to the hype with a stunningly gorgeouscinematic experiencethat made interesting use of some of the series’ most recognizable tropes.
Combat is slick and fast-paced; the story has all the political tension and melodrama you could ask for; and some of the best boss fights we’ve seen in the series yet. Final Fantasy 16 is worthy of the prestigious series it belongs to and will likely be remembered as one of the most beloved JRPGs of its generation.
3Dragon Quest 11: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age strikes the perfect balance between tradition and innovation. This JRPG contains all the classic Dragon Quest tropes that have proliferated for over thirty years, packaged together through spectacular production value and modern quality-of-life improvements that make the adventure feel as fresh as ever.
The story is engaging without being overly complex, the characters are likable while avoiding being over-written, and the combat has enough depth without feeling like a bottomless pit of systems and mechanics. It’s such a brilliantly cozy JRPG that does the Dragon Quest name proud.
2NieR: Automata
NieR: Automatabecame a surprise sleeper hit on the PS4 and continues to be one of the most idiosyncratic experiences on the PS5. With a plot that tackles themes of identity and the purpose of violence and gameplay that takes inspiration from seemingly every known genre imaginable, it’s safe to say there isn’t anything else quite like NieR: Automata.
The tale of 2B and the battle against the Machines is so rich with symbolism, meta-commentary, branching narratives, and fantastic science-fiction storytelling that once you dive in, you’ll want to keep playing until you reach as many of the game’s conclusions as you can.
1Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Regardless of how the rest of theFinal Fantasy 7 Remakegames turn out, at least this first installment in one of the most ambitious remake projects in gaming history turned out as great as it is. The early adventures of Cloud and friends have been lovingly translated into a newly realized high-definitionfantasy worldbrimming with character and atmosphere.
This game truly realizes its vision and successfully breathes new life into a story that means so much to so many people. Simultaneously a technical showcase and a thrilling experience, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is as good as Square Enix (currently) gets on the PS5.
