Tagged

Square Enix

A collection of 43 posts

Opinion

Finding Nostalgia in a 1992 Game I’ve Never Played

A recollection of the SNES’ most divisive Final Fantasy game

Review

A Musical Journey - Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

The newest installment in the Theatrhythm series from Square Enix is a fun mix of soundtracks and characters.

Review

Octopath Traveler II Impressions

Surpassing the original in nearly every way

Feature

SUPERJUMP PVP: Party-Based JRPGs

Vitor Costa and Alex Anyfantis examine the pros and cons of Japanese RPGs with party-based narrative and gameplay

Opinion

Are Video Games Worth Getting Excited Over?

Forspoken highlights the poor state of new games and an industry in dire need of new ideas

Review

Forspoken: An Imperfect But Promising Beginning

While the game has some rough edges, it's worth trying out

Opinion

Dragon Quest V Will Never Die

Some stories are eternal

Opinion

What Makes a Great RPG?

There’s no silver bullet, but there are some key ingredients that all great RPGs share

Feature

Octopath Traveler and Constructing an Eight-Fold World

Melding eight stories into one makes this narrative one to experience

Opinion

What the Next 35 Years of Final Fantasy Could Look Like

Square Enix's flagship franchise turns 35... what might the future hold?

Opinion

Is Life Truly Worth Fighting For?

'Endwalker' dives into the philosophical boundaries of JRPG’s greatest trope

Feature

Nobuo Uematsu and the Synthetic Neoclassicism of the Fantasian Soundtrack

Examining Nobuo Uematsu's ideas and techniques in what could be his last complete OST for a video game

Opinion

The Little Light Within: FFXIV's Endwalker and the Fierceness of Hope

Hope is sometimes the most audacious goal

Feature

Final Fantasy Online: How Game Design Influences Community

Examining the social impact of design choices in Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XI

Interview

Various Daylife: An Interview With Tomoya Asano and Masaaki Hayasaka

Exploring the design decisions behind Various Daylife

Feature

The Magical, Aristocratic Symbolism of The DioField Chronicle

Examining the ideas and techniques in Isamu Kamikokuryo's concept art

Feature

Bravely Default as Ergodic Literature

Will you be brave enough to unravel the story?

Feature

The Legend of Chrono Cross

Reflecting on Square Enix’s classic JRPG sequel

Feature

Live A Live and Its Wordless Prehistory

Examining the concept of "ludonarrative consonance" in Live A Live

Feature

Origins of the Strategy RPG (1982-1995)

An exploration of the early days of the strategy RPG genre

Opinion

Naoki Yoshida Is Right: Game Design Is Changing

Final Fantasy's latest superstar leader opines on where game design is going

Preview

Valkyrie Elysium Impressions

The demo heralds a possibly mythic return for the forgotten series

Review

Live a Live Reviewed in the Style of Live a Live

Short and sweet

Feature

Chrono Trigger/Chrono Cross and Temporal Ontology, Part 2

Understanding existence and identity in the different time structures of Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross

Opinion

Not a Disney Fan? Kingdom Hearts is Still Worth a Try

There's a whole lot more than Disney to enjoy in this franchise