Square Enix’s Best Game of 2016

Honorable Mention: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

It’s award season here at Twinfinite! Starting with a few runner ups, let’s look back at the best Square Enix games from this year and our 2016 winner! 

2011 saw the return of the acclaimed Deus Ex series with Human Revolution, introducing us to a brand new protagonist named Adam Jensen. Jensen’s story continued this year with Mankind Divided, a direct sequel to the previous title. Taking place directly after Human Revolution, Jensen is now working with Task Force 29 to help bring down terrorists that have been attacking recently. After the events at Panchea setting Augmented people haywire, tensions between the Augmented and non-Augmented have risen resulting in segregation from the world’s governments.

Mankind Divided holds many of the same gameplay functions that Human Revolution did, expanding Jensen’s arsenal with new weapons and powers. Each mission has multiple ways to approach its objectives, and the city-hub of Prague packed in a bunch of sidequests on top of that. Adam Jensen is just as gruff as ever, and there’s some interesting secrets to uncover about him this time around.

Mankind Divided was a bit shorter than expected and many of its story themes don’t quite stick the landing, but there’s still an interesting dystopian world to run around in and explore.

Honorable Mention: Dragon Quest Builders

Dragon Quest Builders was definitely a surprise when it was announced, a brand new Dragon Quest game that looked like it was adopting the gameplay of Minecraft. While the game does employ many of the same mechanics as Minecraft, Builders managed to be something fun and unique on its own.

Builders is actually set in the world of the very first Dragon Quest game, known as Alefgard. You play as the savior, who’s tasked with rebuilding the world after it’s been destroyed by the Dragonlord. The story mode sees you traveling to four different outposts, and having to gather resources to rebuild each one.

Like Minecraft, much of your time will be spent running around the world and hitting blocks to collect resources. As you’d expect, you oftentimes have to use those resources to build something, then use that something to build another thing, before using it in construction. Monsters roam the land outside of your keep, so you’ll need to do some fighting along the way as well.

There’s a central story in Dragon Quest Builders that plays out, and you also have villagers that will come visit your outpost, and even live there working daily tasks and helping out. The writing in the game is very well done, and manages to tread the fine line of being kid friendly while also being engaging for adults. Not to mention the gorgeous cel-shaded and voxel art style it’s presented in. Dragon Quest Builders is definitely one of the biggest, but most welcome, surprises of 2016.

Second Runner Up: I Am Setsuna

I Am Setsuna is the first title from Square Enix’s new studio, Tokyo RPG Factory. The team behind it were very vocal about wanting the game to emulate the classic JRPGs of the 1990s, with Chrono Trigger being a direct influence. For the most part the company succeeded with this sentiment, crafting an engaging RPG with a distinctly sad story.

I Am Setsuna focuses on a wandering swordsman named Endir, as he begins to escort a young girl named Setsuna who’s been picked as the sacrifice to save the people of her land. Across the game’s 20-30 hours you’ll encounter more characters that join your party, each with a bit of a tragic story of their own. Combat plays almost exactly like what you’d remember from Chrono Trigger, with characters taking turns and being able to join up for powerful combination attacks. It’s all presented in a gorgeous art style that evokes some of the aspects of sprite-based games, while still keeping things in 3D.

Everything backed up by a beautiful piano score that really helps nail the tone the game is going for. While it may be a bit shorter than some of the other big RPGs released this year, I Am Setsuna weaves a fascinating story of sacrifice, loss, and love. It’s definitely one of the more unique RPGs you could pick up from this year, and a nostalgic throwback for fans.

First Runner Up: Hitman

Square Enix really changed things up for the release of the new Hitman game, splitting it up into a “First Season” consisting of six different episodes. The first episode debuted in March, called the “Intro Pack,” it featured a prologue and the Paris location. This prologue functions as a prequel to the Hitman series, while the rest of the entries take place seven years after Hitman: Absolution.

You once again take control of Agent 47 and are given a target to kill within huge sandbox environments. With each episode IO Interactive gave players a huge amount of freedom to approach the kill how they wanted, and get creative with some interactable objects in the environment. Additionally, the game received a constant stream of updates and new content. Elusive Contracts were time limited missions to complete, and if you lost the target they’d be gone forever. On the other hand, you have also had Escalation Contracts, which are multilayered stages that require players to complete specific objectives.

Online Contracts also returned, allowing you to pick up to five NPCs as assassination targets, set kill requirements and then share them with other players. Square Enix and IO did a nice job of keeping releases consistent, with a stream of new content, and new episode only taking roughly a month each to release.

Winner: Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy XV finally released after 10 years, and luckily for fans, all that waiting paid off as Final Fantasy XV is one heck of an experience. Square Enix went all out with the newest Final Fantasy title, releasing a feature-length CG movie, five-part anime series, mobile game, multiple demos, and of course the main game.

Final Fantasy XV focuses on Prince Noctis of Lucis and his friends Ignis, Prompto, and Gladio as they fight to reclaim his throne from the Niflheim Empire. The four heroes are the core of the game, and their interactions and relationships make up the bulk of the story. Along the way you’ll grow to care about each one of them and their relationship with Noctis.

Final Fantays XV’s world of Eos is also an expansive landscape to explore by foot, car, and Chocobo. There are rest stops and dungeons scattered across multiple areas, and the game is absolutely packed with sidequests to complete as well. XV also takes a more modern approach to combat than ever before, with a real-time battle system that requires timing and strategy. Using Link-Strikes with your allies is vitally important to get the advantage on enemies, along with things like Blindsides and Parries.

Square Enix made a hugely ambitious game with Final Fantasy XV, one that has a huge world, lovable characters, and an unforgettable ending. Some of the story elements may be unclear but Final Fantasy XV is definitely an experience unlike anything else this year.

Congratulations to Final Fantasy XV, our pick for the best Square Enix game of 2016! Be sure to visit throughout the month for more award announcements including the big one, our game of the year for 2016!