10 Perfect Square Enix Games That 100% Still Hold Up

Square Enix’s catalog is so deep that it’s easy for great games to get buried under newer releases, remakes, and live-service experiments. Yet many of the publisher’s most memorable titles, besides giants like the Final Fantasy franchise, haven’t aged a day where it counts. Strong art direction, smart systems, and bold ideas still shine years later.

What makes these mostly forgotten Square Enix games hold up isn’t nostalgia alone. They remain mechanically satisfying, emotionally resonant, and often surprisingly modern. Whether through inventive combat, unforgettable music, or daring narrative choices, these ten underrated Square Enix games continue to feel relevant, and in some cases, even ahead of their time.

PowerWash Simulator

PowerWash Simulator sounds like a joke on paper, but its execution is so refined that it becomes genuinely timeless. The core loop of slowly cleaning grime from environments taps into a universal sense of order and satisfaction. There’s no reliance on trends or visual flash, just pure mechanical clarity.

What helps PowerWash Simulator hold up is how well it respects the player’s pace. You’re never rushed, punished, or overwhelmed by complexity. Instead, the game leans into calm repetition and environmental storytelling, proving that a simple idea, when polished, can remain lovable for years without needing reinvention.

Final Fantasy Explorers

Final Fantasy Explorers arrived during the height of the Monster Hunter-style gaming boom, yet it carved out its own identity. The game’s job system lets players experiment freely, blending classic Final Fantasy roles with cooperative action combat that remains approachable and fun.

Its charm lies in how faithfully it translates Final Fantasy iconography into a multiplayer-focused experience. Summons, spells, and enemies feel instantly familiar, while the lighter tone keeps sessions breezy. Even today, Explorers stands as a solid example of adapting a legacy franchise without losing its soul.

The World Ends With You

Few Square Enix games feel as inseparable from their identity as The World Ends With You. Its stylized visuals, genre-blending soundtrack, and unconventional combat all work together to create something instantly recognizable, even decades later.

What truly helps it hold up is its thematic confidence. The story’s exploration of isolation, identity, and connection still resonates strongly. Combined with gameplay that rewards creativity and experimentation, The World Ends With You remains bold, relevant, and refreshingly unafraid to be different.

The DioField Chronicle

The DioField Chronicle stands out for blending real-time tactics with strategic depth, a combination that still feels distinctive. Instead of overwhelming players with micromanagement, it focuses on positioning, timing, and smart use of abilities, keeping combat tense and readable.

Its restrained storytelling also ages well. Political intrigue, moral ambiguity, and grounded characters give the narrative weight without melodrama. The result is a strategy RPG that feels mature and deliberate, offering a focused experience that doesn’t rely on spectacle to stay compelling.

Radiata Stories

Radiata Stories remains beloved because of its living world. Nearly every NPC follows a daily routine, making the city feel alive in a way that many modern RPGs still struggle to match. That attention to detail gives the game lasting personality.

The branching narrative further elevates it. Player choices meaningfully alter the story’s direction, encouraging replayability without feeling forced. Combined with its colorful art style and lighthearted tone, Radiata Stories holds up as a reminder that ambition and charm can outweigh technical limitations.

Octopath Traveler II

Octopath Traveler II refines an already strong foundation into something enduring. Its HD-2D visual style strikes a perfect balance between nostalgia and modern clarity, ensuring it won’t look dated anytime soon. The presentation alone gives it long-term appeal.

Mechanically, the game rewards thoughtful planning through its Break and Boost systems. Each character’s story feels more confident and cohesive than before, creating emotional payoffs that linger. It’s a turn-based RPG that proves traditional systems can still feel fresh and satisfying.

Triangle Strategy

Triangle Strategy thrives on commitment to its mechanics, its themes, and its audience. The tactical combat emphasizes positioning and terrain, making every decision feel consequential rather than routine. That deliberate pacing gives battles lasting tension.

Narratively, the game leans into difficult choices with no easy answers. Its branching paths encourage reflection rather than power fantasy, which helps it age gracefully. By trusting players to engage with complexity, Triangle Strategy secures its place as a modern tactical classic.

ActRaiser

ActRaiser’s blend of action-platforming and city-building remains remarkably inventive. Few games even today attempt such a bold genre fusion, and fewer execute it with such clarity. Each half informs the other, creating a satisfying feedback loop.

The game’s timeless quality also comes from its atmosphere. Yuzo Koshiro’s soundtrack and the mythic tone elevate the experience beyond its 16-bit origins. ActRaiser still feels fresh because it prioritizes ideas and mood over raw technical prowess.

Brave Fencer Musashi

Brave Fencer Musashi stands out for its playful experimentation. Mixing action RPG mechanics with puzzle-solving, time-based systems, and humor gives the game a unique rhythm that hasn’t been widely replicated since.

Its hand-drawn aesthetic and lighthearted storytelling age particularly well. Rather than chasing realism, the game embraces stylization, allowing it to remain visually appealing. Musashi’s creativity and charm ensure it’s remembered not as a curiosity, but as a genuinely enduring adventure.

Tactics Ogre Reborn

Tactics Ogre Reborn proves that great design transcends generations. Its tactical depth, moral complexity, and branching narrative still rival modern strategy RPGs. Every choice feels impactful, both on the battlefield and in the story.

The Reborn edition enhances accessibility without sacrificing challenge, allowing new players to appreciate its strengths. With layered systems and emotionally weighty storytelling, Tactics Ogre remains a benchmark for the genre and Square Enix games, showing how thoughtful design can remain relevant indefinitely.