Square and Enix individually have had a lot of difficult games that are hard to come back to. The greatest examples are the original Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games on the NES, which can be considered a little archaic by today's standards, especially since both games now have better remakes. The two companies merged in 2003 as Square Enix and the rest is history.
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There have also been some challenging releases since the merger. Perhaps none of these games are as frustrating as the Soulslike experience, but they certainly test players' patience. All of the following games are developed or co-developed by Square Enix and will focus on the default difficulty mode if additional modes are to be considered.
The world ends with you
Double standard
The world ends with you was co-developed by Jupiter and Square Enix for the hardest-to-play DS version. In battle, players can equip Neku Hero Badges, which can be activated through various means on the bottom screen. Tapping or slashing with the stylus can create fireballs or slashes, for example.
On the top screen, Neku's sidekick can be controlled with the face buttons, and controlling two characters at once to defeat enemies at the same time can be challenging. Doing two things at once is hard for any state of life, although there are ways to automate it The world ends with youstill deserves to rank as one of Square Enix's hardest games.
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
Classic Grind
The Dragon Quest the series is known for being challenging yet Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age fixes some issues, it may still be scrap. Enemies on the world map or in dungeons should not be a problem for players in turn-based battles.
However, whenever you encounter a boss, there is a significant increase in difficulty. There are several ways to revive characters early on, so an ally's critical hit will damage the party as a whole even more. Beating the game requires players to be tactful in battle and work hard for EXP. Moreover, it is a lengthy game that ranges from 80 to 100 hours, so it requires patience.
Final Fantasy 10-2
Hard reformation
Final Fantasy 10 it had its issues, but overall it's considered one of the easiest games in the series thanks to the side switching system and Yuna's Summons. Final Fantasy 10-2 has a small group of three girls and a significant increase in difficulty. Players need to be constantly aware of any situation, even normal battles, as enemies can quickly attack while players are busy scrolling through menus.
Like Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Ageboss battles are also a major challenge. There is a lot of healing magic which is a plus, and a normal grind set for EXP should get the player through most of the game. This means that the side dungeons feature an alarming increase in difficulty to the point where some players don't even bother.
Octopath Traveler
Unbalanced power
Octopath Traveler was co-developed by Acquire and Square Enix, and its unique gameplay loop is also its downfall. Players can choose one of eight characters at the start and then recruit seven more along the way. Each character has individual episodes that become increasingly difficult as players progress. All eight characters must have completed their entire campaigns to beat the game.
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The problem is that party members who don't participate in turn-based battles don't get EXP. RPG fans know that leveling up three to four characters can be challenging to beat, let alone eight, which is a huge waste of time. Between normal battles and boss battles, players really need to level up and get the best equipment for everyone if they ever want to finish. Octopath Traveler completely. Even then, it's not a guarantee, as bosses have ridiculously high HP levels and elaborate gimmicks, from doubling attacks to status ailments.
Front Mission 4
Lottery bet
Front Mission 4 is a tactical RPG that revolves around players customizing their mechs, called Wanzers. Most tactical RPGs are challenging because they are all about strategy, patience, and relying on a bit of luck. Players can move around the grid and target the enemy they want to attack with ranged or melee attacks.
Players can hit one of four areas: body, arms, or legs. Destroying the arm would disable attacks, blasting the legs would limit movement, and throwing the body into the air would kill the enemy instantly. The tricky part is that where players attack is mostly random, which can lead to a drag if the body doesn't get hit. Accuracy is also very important and enemies often outnumber players, leading to combat matches where replays are almost always on the table.
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13
Time is not on your side
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 is the last part of v Final Fantasy 13 trilogy starring only Lightning and Lightning. The combat system mixed with the different outfits that represent the classes make the battles engaging and fast. The combat isn't too difficult for the most part, but what makes this game difficult is the time travel, as players have a time-like countdown to follow The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
With so much time, players will feel rushed and thus make more mistakes than they actually would in an RPG. Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 is an example of a difficulty that is more frustrating than hard, but players can be so overwhelmed that they quit because it can be so annoying despite some really compelling elements.
Romancing Saga: Minstrel Song
A complete mystery
The Saga the series is not for everyone, as it rarely provides players with tutorials, other than in-game codexes or the manual for older boxed games. Romancing Saga: Minstrel Song is a remake Romantic Saga on the SNES, which looks great thanks to the watercolor finish. Players can choose one of eight characters to play, and some scenarios are more challenging than others.
For example, Hawke starts with a well-equipped group of pirates to balance turn-based battles, while Sif is alone and stuck in a harsh area where enemies can easily overpower her. Characters level up through repeated actions, including stats and skills. The randomization is often what kicks players in the most, along with the fact that they're given almost no guidance in any of the scenarios, even outside of the complex combat system, which is why it can be so hard to get into.
The last remnant
Randomized tactics
The last remnant
- Released
-
November 20, 2008
- ESRB
-
M For Blood, Language, Subtextual Themes, Violence
The last remnant it has a hybrid battle system that is part turn-based and part RTS. Outside of battle, players will create units made up of multiple party members. When battles begin, players have little influence over what these units do in battle, other than giving them a general target to attack and what type of attack they should use.
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Even in these attack groups, the skills they use are randomized and the leveling system is similar Saga series as units will level up based on what they do or what is done to them. Not knowing what units will do takes away control from players, making dying all the more frustrating. The original Xbox 360 version is the hardest to get into, while the remaster can be a bit more forgiving of the monster AI and the speed at which players level. Also, the remaster runs better since the original game had a big drop in frame rate.
Ogre Tactics: Keep us together
Get ready, aim, miss
Ogre Tactics: Keep us together is as old school as it gets, as the game was originally released on the SNES in 1995. Later revisions have helped tweak it a bit, such as this PSP version, where players can equip characters with weapons and classes to create a balanced party.
Aside from the AI being aggressive and enemy units coming in large numbers, the accuracy system is what makes the battles most challenging. More so than other tactical RPGs, characters can often miss even when it seems like the attack should connect. A wasted turn Ogre Tactics: Keep us together can mean another enemy unit that survives and helps dominate the player's party next turn.
Triangle strategy
A brilliant but difficult masterpiece
Triangle strategy was jointly developed by Artdink and Square Enix and is one of their latest tactical RPGs that is quite brilliant from every angle, from the HD-2D style to the story choices that make the difference. Normal tactical hiccups can challenge players, from enemy units outnumbering heroes to their attacks being more aggressive than most. That's enough to test even the staunchest tactical RPG fan, but it's what the characters bring to battle that makes all the difference, as there's a wide variety and they all have specific skill sets.
For example, in a vertical level, Jens can be useful for those who can build ladders, allowing the party to move faster. However, Jens doesn't have high attack stats, so it can be almost pointless to add him to the party just for this strategy. Who to bring and who to leave behind can put a strain on the player, which is both a positive and a negative, as completing a particular map can require a lot of experimentation with different groups.
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