6 Hardest Open-World Games Published By Square Enix, Ranked

When a player boots up a Square Enix, they’re guaranteed to be thrown into a thrilling adventure full of lovable characters and a compelling story. These beloved developers have always been unique in how they make their games, but Square Enix has also become renowned for their games being difficult, which is a trend that has remained intact even to this day, and it’s especially the case for their open-world titles.

Though the inclusion of an open world can usually make a game easier, since there are more ways for a player to become stronger and better prepared for battle, Square Enix always knows how to ramp up the challenge through the game’s mechanics and systems. As a result, they’ve come out with some truly unforgiving open-world titles over the years which, while still worth jumping into, can definitely be a challenge to see through until the very end.

Before jumping in, it should be noted that some of these games contain maps that are split up into multiple larger areas, but that can still be fully explored as one giant interconnected open world.

6 NieR: Automata

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.4

Nier Automata’s fast-paced hack-and-slash gameplay can take a little getting used to, but it’s worth trying to master it as soon as possible since this game really won’t pull any punches. This is made pretty clear from the moment players are dropped into the game and are thrust into a swarm of enemies with little more than a basic tutorial that flashes on screen. Thankfully, this is by far the hardest part of the experience, since 2B will eventually be able to get Chips to enhance her abilities, but the boss enemies will still ensure things never become too easy.

Though a few areas of the open world are initially locked off, players will gradually be able to open them up and explore every nook and cranny to acquire the resources they need to progress through the game. It can also be useful to upgrade 2B’s companion bot which will be able to stun some of the weaker enemies to avoid anything them getting the jump on players during a chaotic encounter.

5 Octopath Traveler

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.29

Octopath Traveler is very much an homage to classic 90s RPGs, and while it certainly looks the part, it’s a lot more modernized in its world design than its inspirations. After picking one of the eight playable protagonists, players will then be free to explore the world of Orsterra while linking up with their party members along the way. The truth is, this variation of characters means that it can be easy to form a team early on that can struggle through some of the game’s tougher enemy encounters.

Tressa and Primrose for example are primarily designed as support units, so if someone were to acquire them first, it would end up making the battles a lot more arduous. The Boost system, while powerful, can also be a big risk to use due to how many resistances the enemies can have, so players will need to experiment with their weapons and techniques to uncover the best way to deal with particular foes along their grand adventure.

4 Octopath Traveler 2

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.31

Considering how beloved the first Octopath Traveler was, Square Enix decided to keep most of the core mechanics and systems intact for the sequel, though many people argue the game also feels slightly more difficult, and there are a few reasons why this is the case. For one, the game removes a lot of the more overpowered job combos featured in the first entry, and this also applies to tools such as BP items which would make the battles so much more straightforward.

Bosses also hit a lot harder this time around, so grinding out levels becomes much more of a common occurrence. This isn’t as bad as it sounds though, since Octopath Traveler 2’s world is packed full of rewarding side missions, thrilling monster encounters, along with plenty of environmental variation which makes every area feel truly fresh and unique. It’s also important to use the day and night cycles for leveling up specific characters and their unique abilities, otherwise, it can cause some members to slip behind stat-wise, especially if they also aren’t being used in battle.

3 Dragon Quest 11

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.38

It does admittedly take a little while for Dragon Quest 11’s world to fully open up, but once players are set free in the big and wonderful world of Erdrea, they’ll have a ton of places to explore. Because these locales are so far away from one another though, it does mean there are always at least a few enemy encounters that players will be forced into when traveling from A to B, so having the correct gear, equipment, and party members at all times is crucially important.

Because weak enemies grant virtually no EXP on being killed, it essentially negates grinding altogether and forces players to rely on their actual skill in combat to take down the tougher monsters, especially the Hard enemies who can be absolutely brutal to take down. Speaking of the combat, buffs, and debuffs are especially powerful in Dragon Quest 11 due to how durable and strong the monsters can be, so it’s important to get creative with spell combinations to make it through the mid to late-game fights in one piece.

2 Bravely Default 2

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.35

In the lead-up to Bravely Default 2’s release, the open world was the biggest aspect of the game that became the main selling point. The first game already established a rock-solid and incredibly fun combat system, so by adding a large and expansive map, it resulted in what many consider to be an excellent, yet very hard, sequel to the much beloved original. Bravely Default 2 is a game that forces the player to think about their party composition before going into a battle, otherwise, things can end up going sour pretty quickly.

For example, rather than dedicating a single character to be a healer, it’s possible to get a damage dealer like Seth and grant him Shieldmaster abilities to double as an offensive unit and a medic. This is just one example of the many different ways players can influence the stats of their characters, but it’s essential to take some time doing this since all the bosses in this game can be very unforgiving. Exploring every inch of the open world can also be worthwhile, since there are plenty of antidotes and potions that can be acquired, along with weapons and gear, so it’s never a bad idea to spend an hour or two preparing rather than rushing in blindly.

1 Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Game FAQ Difficulty Rating: 3.41

If there were ever any doubts about Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s hotly anticipated sequel being as good as its predecessor, they were all immediately squashed when the game was finally released in early 2024. Rebirth manages to capture the style and charm of the original 1997 game, along with the compelling character arcs and story beats, alongside featuring a fluid combat system, and all so many minigames. The main reason many consider it to be such a difficult experience though is the sheer amount of variety it offers.

This not only applies to the missions and side quests which are extremely different in how they each play, but also the party composition. Party members are designed to work in conjunction with one another for Rebirth, so in order to maximize the damage being dealt, players will need to enhance the bonds of their party members over time while also leveling them up in combat. There’s also just the simple fact that this is the largest open world that Square Enix has ever created, so seeking out all the most valuable resources and weapons can be a difficult task, to say the least.