Square Enix is ​​reliving its golden age

For those unfamiliar with Square Enix's golden age, formerly Squaresoft, it took place between 1997 and 2002 and brought a slew of titles that were a complete hit with fans and critics and Square Enix wants that era back.

[H9]

That's a bold statement, especially when the author mentions Chocobo GP and Babylon's fall after saying "here's the great titles that the company has planned", to each their own I guess

[celohill]

it's about personal taste. You don't need to consume what you don't like, you don't need to despise it too. We all desire the most basic thing: respect. Start there. We talk later.

[H9]

First I said "to each their own" which means I am acknowledging the fact that it's not wrong to like these games!
Second I said bold statement not crappy statement, meaning it's uncommon and surprising!
You can start by reading the comment, we talk later

[Godmars290]

That's all well and good, but for Square, its more about "Makin' Ze Monezies!" which they're not. At least from the like of BF and CGP. Cause of the stank.

[AirJohnston]

Talk like a normal person

[PapaBop]

The big difference here is that in Square's golden age, their games demanded attention, now, not so much. This article is based almost entirely on assumptions on unreleased games, so far this year, they've released Babylon's Fall and Stranger of Paradise. The former potentially sinking Platinum Game's independence aside, releasing either so close to Elden Ring was for Q1 financials imho and certainly a really really stupid move, They are certainly finding their groove in recent years but comparing now to back when they were trend setters is a bit much.

[annoyedgamer]

Babylon's Fall, Forewoken, and Shelved Deus Ex is the "Golden Era"?

[celohill]

Deus Ex was not Commented... The Story says "Now we have to wait for these next releases and hope for that era to return". Are you sure you really read?

[slate91]

Bro you are busy

[porkChop]

You're telling people to read. Bro how about *you* read the headline that *you* put on your own article. The headline that you chose says that Square Enix is currently reliving its golden age. Maybe you should have picked one that isn't the opposite of what you're trying to say.

[Army_of_Darkness]

If Babylon's Fall and Stranger of Paradise is considered the return of square enix's golden era, then we are in trouble cause those 2 games alone are getting shitted on like a pubic toilet.... Let's just hope forspoken changes that.

[jetMFset]

Found the imposter

[chadwarden]

"forewoken"....reall y dude?

[pietro1212]

Forwoken because it has a Black lead? I’m sorry Black people exist you racist dipsh@t

[Knightofelemia]

The golden age for SquareEnix was when they were called Squaresoft the moment Enix got added to the name the golden age died out. Squaresoft was producing great games and memorable JRPG's left right and center NES, SNES, PS1, and parts of the PS2 libraries show the golden age of Squaresoft.

[celohill]

That’s the point of the article, but with new projects coming, including the new Final Fantasies, I believe that Square Enix has the power to change it. If it’s gonna happen, it belongs to the future to answer.

[Knightofelemia]

They won't change and go back to the golden age most of that talent has left, working on other projects, or simply want to go down a different path. I want Bioware to change but that will never happen most of their talent left, EA interferes, the founding members just up and walked out, I wouldn't be surprised if Bioware is dangling by a thread before EA shuts them down. All you can do is cherish those memories of Square's golden age by remembering or playing the games that gave you those memories.

[PapaBop]

That's the problem with the article, it focuses on games nobody has even played. I'd love nothing more than a return to form from them but this article is stretching at best.

[shinoff2183]

Id like to see them return tonthe golden age as well. My playstation needs some suped up graphical turn based jrpgs. Enough of action rpg action rpg being shoved down are throats. I know you dont like it dont buy it. Ive honored that for the most part. Ff13 eh ff15 eh. I did dip into ff7 remake but i had to.

I dont know if im alone or not but id like to think most of us that played the original wanted something more like the original gameplay wise in ff7 remake then the action rpg we got. I will add im on chapter 17 at the end of that chapter i believe but i cant help but think what couldve been

[shinoff2183]

If your gonna negative me atleast tell me why.

[henbayward]

I'll take some more turn-based tactical, too. What I wouldn't do for a legit new entry in the Front Mission franchise (and an official FM 5 port).

[Stanjara]

The title is wrong. People want that golden age to come back. Today's Square is in low budget spitting age living off of ff14 whales.

[Inverno]

at this point there is no denying that Square is a company that has no idea what they're doing. Every other month they come out and talk about disappointing sales. Up until FF7 they've had no idea what to do with FF for years. They put out several disappointing games for every 1 good game, unlike the PS1 and 2 era when it was Square Soft putting out great games pretty consistently. Also they ruined KH

[Juancho51]

Those were literally the greatest gaming years off my entire life. I used to buy EVErY Squaresoft title, no matter what it was, for years straight. I will never forget the JOY those games brought me while growing up, never.

[CDbiggen]

Can't compare to that amazing time in the mid-late 90s, but I'm really enjoying Triangle Strategy.

[mikefizzled1]

Until Matsuda is forced out, I think Square will continue this negative trajectory. FFVII was a success, so is XIV but there's so many misfires, especially in its publishing arm.

[Muigi]

We need a Final Fantasy 6 remake!

[Chriswynnetbh]

Square Enix never had a golden age. In fact, Square Enix is responsible for ending Squaresoft's golden age.

[Shinox]

Once Square Enix make a new Parasite Eve game you can make titles like this , atm you need to settle down

[TheColbertinator]

They've recently released some of their worst games ever. The author is drunk.

[pietro1212]

That’s a bold statement to make they have unrealistic sales expectations for their western games, Dues Ex is pretty much shelved. Square is doing better than the PS3 era, but they have a long ways to go to compare them to their golden years as Square Soft and Enix

[tombfan]

I think they're having a black age, their last games aren't so well accepted and meh at best. I think the last great game they made was FFVII Remake (the last great, not the only game)

[killbillvolume12]

The Golden era was before enix joined them and it all went down hill.

[GoodGuy09]

No, theyre still very hit or miss lol. The greed they've been having gets annoying too. They need to release banger after banger to relive the golden square"SOFT" days. Its always a few bad ones, a few ok ones, 1 or 2 good ones, a few bad ones, rinse and repeat. The actual good ones are really taking their time to release let alone any information on that take 5+ years after reveal.

[MissAubrey]

🤣🤣

[anast]

This isn't what I have been hearing. They pushed those MTs on an already sh#$ game, 2.2 meta.

[jbrock11]

I was fortunate enough to experience the "Golden Age" at the time and no, this is nothing like it was back then. Square could literally do no wrong. From around like 1994-2001, it seemed like literally every game they made was a classic. They're a far cry from that today. There hasn't really been what I'd call a great mainline Final Fantasy ( non-mmo ) since the orignal FFX. And their other original IP's haven't been all that good either. Right now they're being carried by FFXIV, The Dragon Quest series and FFVIIR. I'd hardly call that a new "Golden Era".

And tbh, there probably won't be another era like that for a long time, if not ever, because of the change in how people are playing games these days. RPG's in the 90's were like the FPS/Battle Royale games of today. Literally everyone either played a game like FFVII back then or knew somebody that played it. Try asking a random gamer today have they played FFVIIR and you'll probably be lucky if they even understood what you just asked them.