Renowned Japanese publisherSquare Enixhas two brand-new video games that are receiving rave reviews from critics.Square Enix’s financials have not been all that great lately, but the company continues to put out high quality new releases.
Square Enix fans are likely most concerned with theupcoming launch ofFinal Fantasy 16. Currently scheduled to release on June 22,Final Fantasy 16will not just be the biggest Square Enix release of 2023, but it will potentially be one of the biggest new game releases of the entire year. There are a lot of games for Square Enix fans to play in the meantime, though, with two brand-new releases proving to be particularly worthy of fans' attention.
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On February 16,Square Enix releasedTheatrhythm Final Bar Linefor PS4 and Switch, earning widespread positive reviews from fans and critics alike. The latest installment in theFinal Fantasy-based music/rhythm spin-off series,Theatrhythm Final Bar Linemay very well be the best entry in the series to date. It has an 87 review aggregate rating according to OpenCritic, making it one of the highest-rated games of 2023 so far. And even though it’s a music/rhythm game, it’s still firmly rooted inFinal Fantasy’s style, so fans of the franchise should certainly consider checking out the game if they get the chance. Fellow Square Enix releaseOctopath Traveler 2, meanwhile, has yet to release, but it also has impressive reviews, earning an 86 overall rating so far.
Octopath Traveler 2’s release date is February 24, but reviews for the game have already been published. Many critics have hailedOctopath Traveler 2as far superior to the originalOctopath Travelergame, retaining what many liked about that title while addressing its biggest faults at the same time. Come February 24, those on PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch will get the chance to see for themselves ifOctopath Traveler 2truly lives up to the hype as the reviews seem to suggest.
BetweenTheatrhythm Final Bar LineandOctopath Traveler 2, Square Enix has had a very strong start to 2023, minus the lukewarm reception thatForspokenhas received. DiscountingForspoken, the year could very well prove to be one of the best years for the company in terms of acclaim for its games, assuming big titles likeFinal Fantasy 16andFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthlive up to expectations. It will be quite some time before reviews for those games are published, but in the meantime, Square Enix enthusiasts can check out the critically-acclaimedOctopath Traveler 2andTheatrhythm Final Bar Line.
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