The Square Enix Phoenix

I don't think it's a big secret to all of us that Square had been in a bit of a rut in the West during the last console generation. Final Fantasy XIII wasn't really resonating all that well with fans, XIV had earned the not-so-coveted title of Worst MMO Ever and Tomb Raider was deemed a complete failure after selling even millions of copies having only achieved profitability THIS YEAR.

You did good Lara, you did good.

But it seems as though things are starting to turn around, which makes me very excited. I've been a fan of Square's work ever since I was young and even consider Final Fantasy IX my favorite game of all time. It seems as though Square is finally realizing what its fans truly want. But what steered them wrong in the first place?

I really do like you, but here's where it all went wrong.

Square simply got caught up in what some have taken to calling the "Hollywood-ization" of gaming (or the less subtle term "The Call of Duty Effect") You see, Square noticed that big blockbuster games sold well. Pretty cutscenes, lots of action and the so called "epic" moment had become the main selling points of gaming. If you consider this it's easy to see part of the reason that Final Fantasy XIII went so, so wrong. An overly-simplistic level design coupled with an insane focus on graphics over both gameplay AND story led to a pretty mediocre title overall that instilled a fiery rage in many a Final Fan. I personally didn't mind the titles that much but compared to their earlier work it's easy to see that this route would make anyone who was a fan of a deep story that didn't require reading a Codex to understand a little bit angry. Square did begin rectifying its mistake recently. I actually consider Lightning Returns one of the most fun Final Fantasy titles I've played and praise its difficulty and inventive battle system. But two titles are really turning Square around and that's Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and Bravely Default.

I love you guys. Especially Ringabel......mostly Ringabel.

I'm not really going to delve into FFXIV because there's actually an entire other post I have dedicated to that game and Naoki Yoshida. But Bravely Default really deserves some praise. It's a prime case of a company going back to their roots and realizing that they didn't need to fix what wasn't broken. The battle system is complex and challenging, the jobs are unique and fun and every character you encounter is absolutely delightful. I hear the game has some issues with repetition late into the title but I actually haven't finished yet just because I'm having so much fun grinding away. The success of Bravely Default has made Square realize that the West does want JRPGs. That's an absolutely monumental achievement. I'm hoping this will make them rethink their strategy overseas. And maybe they'll do something else for us. Like, I don't know, release Final Fantasy Type-0 in the West?

I just want it so badly.

It's clear that Square-Enix has realized that there is a better path to achieve the success they want. And they're taking the opportunity presented to them instead of just continuing to do things the way they have. I'm hoping this turnaround means a second coming of the old Square I knew and love. I'm hoping it leads to a rebirth of the JRPGs that garnered so much love in the PS1 era. But that may be asking a little much. Right now, I'm just hoping this means Final Fantasy XV is as awesome as I pray it's going to be.

Hope Noctis is less moody than I think he's gonna be. Oh well, his blonde buddy seems fun.