Square Enix is a ?Complete Failure?

[lord.jeff]

Square and Enix have always had hit or miss games, I think the main reason that we don't hold them on a pedestal anymore is that the market is more competitive, Final Fantasy was one of the few JRPGs that hit big in America it had a unique flavor to it but come PS2 so many companies wanted a piece of that and Square Enix was no longer special.

 

[The_Scrivener]

Squaresoft made inspired, innovative games. Square-Enix makes uninspired crap. Squaresoft could immerse me in a game like nobody else. Square-Enix makes me very aware that I'm playing a game at all times.

FFXII was the closest I came to enjoying a new generation FF, but that was only in the gameplay sense. I stopped exploring after 60 hours not because I stopped liking the story, but I realized after 60 hours that I didn't even know what the story was.

They're on record as saying Vaan was the main character because you can't have an older main character. (Morons. That pipsqueak never got near my party.)

FF games used to SAY something. They used to have focus and heart. FF games now are a androgynous fashion show with hollow top-down character designs that couldn't engage a five-year old (which is saying something considering how rainbow-spattered they insist on being.)

I stopped buying this crap years ago.

 

[The_Scrivener]

Square and Enix have always had hit or miss games, I think the main reason that we don't hold them on a pedestal anymore is that the market is more competitive, Final Fantasy was one of the few JRPGs that hit big in America it had a unique flavor to it but come PS2 so many companies wanted a piece of that and Square Enix was no longer special.

Even if the JRPG market wasn't more competitive, SE's games are worse than Squaresoft's games nearly across the board. There's a reason a massive amount of personnel left around the time of the merger. It was obvious things were going in the WRONG direction.

Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy Tactics
Super Mario RPG
Xenogears
Vagrant Story

Even the Squaresoft "missteps" like Saga Frontier are better than virtually all SE's modern titles. (With all due respect to those who enjoy Kingdom Hearts, the very premise of it to me is such an uninspired contrived fan service cash grab that I can't get 2 hours into any of them.)

If you do some research you'll also see that while SS was a focused game company, SE is a corporate media juggernaut. Going from a company that develops and produces quality interactive art to a cigar-and-suit acquisition culture is a great way for a company to make a lot more money and a lot of garbage games in the process.

 

[UberNoodle]

So why is it that only the 'Square' side of the merger which is sucking? The 'Enix' side is still going strong.

 

[Kizo]

Squaresoft made inspired, innovative games. Square-Enix makes uninspired crap. Squaresoft could immerse me in a game like nobody else. Square-Enix makes me very aware that I'm playing a game at all times.

FFXII was the closest I came to enjoying a new generation FF, but that was only in the gameplay sense. I stopped exploring after 60 hours not because I stopped liking the story, but I realized after 60 hours that I didn't even know what the story was.

They're on record as saying Vaan was the main character because you can't have an older main character. (Morons. That pipsqueak never got near my party.)

FF games used to SAY something. They used to have focus and heart. FF games now are a androgynous fashion show with hollow top-down character designs that couldn't engage a five-year old (which is saying something considering how rainbow-spattered they insist on being.)

I stopped buying this crap years ago.

I'm not sure I've ever read a forum post that I've agreed with so much. Well put.

 

[unstabLized]

I don't mind Square Enix. They're not the worst of the worst. Plus, Sleeping Dogs in my opinion was really badass.

 

[Heaven's Guardian]

I know people love to keep ripping on SE, especially over FFXIII, but honestly: it works. FFXIII was their fastest-selling game ever, and the sequel sold a few million copies without them needing to make any real edits to the engine or graphics. People keep calling them dumb, but it seems to me that they're making some really good decisions. Remember, they aim primarily for the Japanese market, and a lot of the criticisms that Western gamers throw at XIII (too linear, unlikeable characters, takes too long to get going) are either positives or untrue for Japanese gamers, who have been more influenced by the visual novel dynamic. So the correct statement that people need to make is "I don't like what Square Enix is doing, but I acknowledge that as a business, they are quite successful doing what they are".

 

[Norrdicus]

They are involved with Sleeping Dogs, Just Cause 2, Hitman: Absolution and Deus Ex: Human Revolution. And they treat PC gamers with more respect than almost any other publisher. They're more than OK in my book.

And in general, Square Enix has proven to be a very solid, good publisher that allows its developers enough creative freedom, budget and time for their projects, even if they themselves don't have good creative directors or designers anymore. They're almost an oddity

 

[jpoon]

Completely agree with the OP assessment. Squeenix is one of my most dislike developers of this generation, right down there at the bottom next to EA and Activision. None of them make games worth my time any more. There was a SINGLE exception to that rule and that was Deus Ex: HR. Even this game was a letdown however. I will admit I never played Sleeping Dogs but even with all the "rave reviews" I won't be buying it until it's dirt cheap, probably at the next massive steam sale.

Squeenix does not deserve my money any more. They have to fight tooth and nail if they ever want my wallet vote again, just like the other two shitbag devs near the bottom of my list.

 

[CrazyJew]

Square was awesome. Enix was awesome. Square Enix disappointed me.

 

[verdant monkai]

I suppose it depends what you define as a complete failure. They have one of the most popular (and longest) video game franchises on the planet (final fantasy). And they make everything from films to Batman action figures, ok profits may be down but they will probably pick up again. As a company I would say they do pretty well.

I like square Enix as far as I know they dont practice half as much of the online pass, on-disk dlc shit, that assholes like Capcom and EA do.
I also like FFX and I thought FFXII was decent. This I understand is not true for most people but I am pretty easily pleased with games about spiky haired, big eyed people. If you sat me down in front of a poorly animated dancing anime Otter loop for 30+ hours, and convinced me it was FF14 I would probably enjoy it.

 

[Epona]

Hey Square-Enix! Here's a hint! Drop turn based combat, it'll do you a lot of good.

Yes, because we don't have enough action RPG's?

 

[The White Hunter]

There was a point in time where I bought anything with the Squaresoft/Square Enix name on it.


Now, unless I see otherwise, I assume everything with that name is shite.

And bam you've summarised everything that needs to be said here.

I used to buy anything they made unblinkingly, because Square was a stamp of quality, but now they churn out shit mostly and are just another publisher. Rcent good games have included Deus Ex and Sleeping Dogs but fuck I need a good Final Fantasy again.

 

[The_Scrivener]

Squaresoft made inspired, innovative games. Square-Enix makes uninspired crap. Squaresoft could immerse me in a game like nobody else. Square-Enix makes me very aware that I'm playing a game at all times.

FFXII was the closest I came to enjoying a new generation FF, but that was only in the gameplay sense. I stopped exploring after 60 hours not because I stopped liking the story, but I realized after 60 hours that I didn't even know what the story was.

They're on record as saying Vaan was the main character because you can't have an older main character. (Morons. That pipsqueak never got near my party.)

FF games used to SAY something. They used to have focus and heart. FF games now are a androgynous fashion show with hollow top-down character designs that couldn't engage a five-year old (which is saying something considering how rainbow-spattered they insist on being.)

I stopped buying this crap years ago.

I'm not sure I've ever read a forum post that I've agreed with so much. Well put.

Thank you! We have found a positive amongst negative sentiment.

(Social Link Level Up)

 

[keiji_Maeda]

Hey Square-Enix! Here's a hint! Drop turn based combat, it'll do you a lot of good.

That's a rather controversial statement to old-school JRPG lovers. And most JRPG lovers as a whole. Most of them would say that turbased combat is an integral part that that gives it the particular flavour required for a "Proper" jrpg.

 

[shrekfan246]

(With all due respect to those who enjoy Kingdom Hearts, the very premise of it to me is such an uninspired contrived fan service cash grab that I can't get 2 hours into any of them.)

Funny enough, the first Kingdom Hearts was actually one of the last games Square made before the merger.

 

[keiji_Maeda]

Squaresoft made inspired, innovative games. Square-Enix makes uninspired crap. Squaresoft could immerse me in a game like nobody else. Square-Enix makes me very aware that I'm playing a game at all times.

FFXII was the closest I came to enjoying a new generation FF, but that was only in the gameplay sense. I stopped exploring after 60 hours not because I stopped liking the story, but I realized after 60 hours that I didn't even know what the story was.

They're on record as saying Vaan was the main character because you can't have an older main character. (Morons. That pipsqueak never got near my party.)

FF games used to SAY something. They used to have focus and heart. FF games now are a androgynous fashion show with hollow top-down character designs that couldn't engage a five-year old (which is saying something considering how rainbow-spattered they insist on being.)

I stopped buying this crap years ago.

I'm not sure I've ever read a forum post that I've agreed with so much. Well put.

Thank you! We have found a positive amongst negative sentiment.

(Social Link Level Up)

Seems most people so far can agree that Squeenix (love that name)doesn't make good games anymore, but does everyone agree that the decline started rather recently (IE 2-3 years?)

 

[KRbertsproduck5]

What remakes are they focusing on? They are finally just now remaking some kingdom hearts game after 5 or 6 years of begging for the current generation, still no ps1 final fantasy remakes and a new FFXIII very now and again. Personally I just expect more from them.

 

[Icehearted]

So...
I guess I'm the only one here who liked Human Revolution...
I'll be leaving this thread now.

Most people attribute Human Revolution's awesomeness to Eidos, not Square.

Others have mentioned Eidos, so I'll skip that part and mention that I liked it too, but due to deadlines the game was sold incomplete. There are substantially large chunks of the game that were complete, including entire cities, that had to be left out. Usually it's the publisher that imposes demands on deadlines being met, and in this case that would have been SquareEnix. Feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken here.

It was good, but it was almost great.

 

[barbzilla]

So...
I guess I'm the only one here who liked Human Revolution...
I'll be leaving this thread now.

Nope, I was coming in to say they've done tons of good stuff since the merger, it just hasn't been in the typical JRPG realm they were known for.

OT: I think it is sour grapes IMO. My reasoning: He seems to ignore the successes they've had since the merger and focus on the failures. One of the glaring issues here is, he forgets to acknowledge they are trying new things. I won't say they have all worked, I would actually say they have had a fair amount of failure with their new ideas. The point is, they are trying new things. Had they not tried anything new at all, they would still be in the same boat. Ask any business major what happens when you avoid change, they will tell you that you will die (as a business). Stagnation is part of what many people are complaining about so much in the industry right now, yet the same people also cry foul when a company tries a new direction and it fails.

On the other hand, I am not going to defend what they have done to FF series. When a change fails, you don't keep the change for your next product.

Captch: It's Super Delicious.... no captcha, and I am tired of you putting words in my mouth (keyboard)