Out of the thousands of video game developers in the world, one of the most enduring, impactful, and beloved is Square Enix. Although Square was founded in 1986 and Enix in 1975, they joined forces in 2003 to become an iconic video game development and publishing company. Square Enix has gone on to release hundreds of games across various consoles but isbest known for franchiseslikeFinal Fantasy,Dragon Quest, andKingdom Hearts.
As the world celebrated the beginning of a new millennium, one of the most impactful decades in gaming history began. The 2000s saw huge technological advances that transformed the landscape of video games forever, and Square Enix was one of the companies embracing these technologies to ensure they released crowd-pleasing games for their fans each year.
As the millennium dawned, Enix released a well-receivedDragon Quest 7whileSquare produced masterpieceslikeVagrant Story– butFinal Fantasy 9has to take the medal for the best game of the year from either company in 2000.
Final Fantasy 9has everything fans want from aFinal Fantasygame, complete with a medieval fantasy setting, RPG gameplay, turn-based combat, and an absorbing narrative with compelling character development.Final Fantasy 9even introduced Ability Points, a mechanic that Square Enix has gone on to use several times since. Earning Ability Points and unlocking them from equipped items added a layer of depth to the gameplay and made it even more rewarding. With stunning 3D characters and a memorable soundtrack,Final Fantasy 9remains a firm fan favorite.
2001 saw a few small releases from each company, butFinal Fantasystill dominated the year. Although Square releasedFinal Fantasy Chronicleson PlayStation to widespread acclaim,Final Fantasy 10was still their top game of the year.
Final Fantasy 10stands out as the first entry released for PlayStation 2, offering players an upgrade in visuals and voice acting as they guide Tidus and Yuna on their journey to defeat Sin – and of course, become Blitzball champions. This game introduced players to a more innovative way of leveling up,thanks to the Sphere Grid. But story is paramount when it comes toFinal Fantasygames, andFinal Fantasy 10’s is just as emotional as fans have come to expect from the series, exploring ideas of faith, sacrifice, and much more.
Enix released a couple ofGrandiagames in 2002, as well asItadaki Street 3, but Square proved yet again to be the company with bigger games. 2002 was a big year forFinal Fantasyas they re-released the first two games on PlayStation as well as the brand-newFinal Fantasy 11. However, the bestFinal Fantasygame was an ambitious crossover with Disney calledKingdom Hearts.
The idea of combiningFinal Fantasycharacters with beloved Disney characters seems bizarre on the surface but works incredibly well in practice,capturing the joy of childhoodwhile still being enjoyable for adults. In fact,Kingdom Heartswas groundbreaking upon its release and kicked off a series that has since amassed a huge following.Kingdom Heartsfollows Sora as he teams up with Donald and Goofy to battle the Heartless and save numerous Disney worlds. Players adored jumping through the worlds of their favorite Disney films, but the intense real-time combat and sprawling, often emotional storyline is what really made this one stand out in the hearts of fans.
2003 was the year in which Square and Enix merged to become Square Enix, but it was also a big year for fantasies, releasing titles likeDrakengardandSword of Mana. Naturally,Final Fantasystill dominated the year though, releasing bothFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicleson GameCube andFinal Fantasy X-2on PlayStation 2. Despite being the first direct sequel and featuring both fast-paced combat and great character development,Final Fantasy X-2was met with mixed reviews from fans. Fortunately, Square Enix releasedFinal Fantasy Tactics Advance.
Not only wasFinal Fantasy Tactics Advancethe franchise’s first foray into Game Boy Advance, but it was Square Enix’s best game of 2003. It brought the strategic gameplay of the series to a new console with a new story set in the world of Ivalice,following a group of childrenwho find themselves in an alternate version of their world. Crucially,Final Fantasy Tactics Advanceshowcases excellent gameplay with a huge range of character classes and a Law system that makes each battle fresh and unique.
2004 was a good year for Square Enix. They released bothKingdom Hearts: Chain of MemoriesandFinal Fantasy 1 & 2: Dawn Of Soulson Game Boy Advance, butDragon Questruled the year, thanks to its appearance inItadaki Streetand the PS2 remake ofDragon Quest 5. However,Dragon Quest 8proved to be the highlight of the year.
Bolstered by the merger to become Square Enix,Dragon Questgot the leg up it needed, finally releasingDragon Quest 8on PlayStation 2. Players could finally enjoy the series in a vast 3D open world with improved exploration and interactions with the environment. As players venture forth to break Dhoulmagus’ curse, players get to grips with the turn-based combat, made more interesting by the innovative tension system to unleash more powerful attacks. Although this was by no means the first entry in the series, it was the firstDragon Questgame to get serious fans in the West.
2005 was an interesting year for Square Enix, one in which many players disagreed with reviewers. For example, despite mixed reviews from critics forMusashi: Samurai LegendandRomancing SaGa, players had a blast, also enjoying releases likeGrandia 3andRadiata Stories. However, there was a special sequel that took the year by storm for Square Enix.
Kingdom Hearts 2picked up where the first game left off but expanded on the story massively. Players guide Sora as he once again teams up with Donald, Goofy, and an even greater range of characters fromFinal Fantasyand Disney. Together, they continue to visit new worlds and battle the Heartless, along with Nobodies and Organization XIII this time as well. Square Enix built from the foundations of the first game, giving the rich narrative more depth and complexity while upgrading the combat to make fights more dynamic and visually spectacular. To this day, fans still get giddy when they see Sora dual-wieldkeybladeswith extra abilities.
2006 saw the release of some excellent games from Square Enix, porting classicFinal Fantasytitles on newer consoles like Nintendo DS and PSP and releasing bothValkyrie ProfileandValkyrie Profile 2: Silmeriato critical and commercial success. Nevertheless, despite its turbulent time in development during which director Yasumi Matsuno left the project, their top game of that year was stillFinal Fantasy 12.
Final Fantasy 12returned players to Ivalice, a familiar setting fromFinal Fantasy Tactics, with a captivating narrative about politics, war, and rebellion. But what makes this one stand out is its departure from the usual turn-based combat. In its place, Square Enix embraced real-time combat with a Gambit system that allows players to customize how party members act in the heat of battle. Along with an open world and captivating voice-acted cutscenes,Final Fantasy 12received critical acclaim at the time and remains a favorite to this day.
2007 was a major year for Square Enix’s flagship franchises. It saw the release of a newManagame, a spin-offDragon Questgame on the Nintendo Wii, and severalFinal Fantasygames. While some older games were remastered and released on newer consoles, twoFinal Fantasygames topped the list for that year.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7boasted fantastic gameplay with a rich backstory to one of the franchise’s best narratives, butFinal Fantasy Tactics: The War Of Lionshas a slight edge to make it the best game of that year.Final Fantasy Tactics: The War Of Lionson PSP was the pinnacle of tactical RPGs at the time, offering players a complex yet engaging story and deep tactical gameplay. With improved graphics, cinematic cutscenes, and additional job classes, this update for the PlayStation system made it a quintessential experience for all tactical RPG fans.
As usual, Square Enix continued to expand their franchises in 2008, releasing games likeFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A Kingon the Nintendo Wii and a remake ofDragon Quest 5on the Nintendo DS. But the best Square Enix game of 2008 wasn’t actually part of a franchise. Released worldwide in April 2008,The World Ends With Youwas co-developed by Square Enix and Jupiter, taking inspiration from Jupiter’s previous gameKingdom Hearts: Chain Of Memories.
The World Ends With Youis an action RPG set in a stylized version ofShibuya in Tokyo, a district famous for its youth culture and fashion that makes it the perfect setting for the urban culture-inspired story. Known for its distinctive art style,The World Ends With Youfollows teenager Neku Sakuraba fighting for survival in the Reaper’s Game. Square Enix capitalized on the features of the Nintendo DS by including combat on both screens and having players perform attacks using the touchscreen or shouting into the microphone. Along with a memorable soundtrack,The World Ends With Youremains a cult classic for Square Enix.
Square Enix’s franchises were going as strong as ever in 2009, with new releases forDragon Quest,Kingdom Hearts, and of course,Final Fantasy. Coming out worldwide in the latter half of 2009,Dissidia: Final Fantasywas the only new game among numerous ports and remakes to celebrateFinal Fantasy’s 20th anniversary.
Dissidia: Final Fantasyis a spin-offthat offers a lot for fans of the series with its unique fusion of RPG and fighting game elements that adds great depth to the gameplay. Players enjoyed how customizable it was, able to tailor movesets and use experience points to enhance stats for each character. It also included an ingenious blend of real-time action and strategy, requiring tactical thought to make the most of “Bravery” attacks. But what madeDissidia: Final Fantasytruly special to fans was how it brought together characters from across the wholeFinal Fantasyseries, making it a perfect way to celebrate twenty years of an exceptional franchise and round out the decade.
