Parasite Eve, Xenogears, FF7 & 8, Chrono Cross, Kingdom Hearts....so many games of those eras and so much nostalgia! All of those games' aesthetic alone has me wanting to revisit each and every one of them. Only game so far I still have yet to play through is FF10. I remember playing through the intro and then being turned off by the grid/sphere system. I do want to revisit it in this day and age, I may actually like it no that I'm older. And I definitely been wanting to try Racing Lagoon, just for the soundtrack alone!
@@Vynsentit’s seriously one of the best in the whole franchise. I think it embodies “final fantasy” more than any game in the series. The love letter if you will.
One thing I've noticed is that whenever I listen to ASMRs, the music always reminds me of something from a Squaresoft/Enix game. Whether medieval tavern music, a train ride or nature sounds, its always so calming. Shout out to the sound design teams behind these games👏👏
These 90's early 2000s Square's games always manage to transport me back in time. I was born in 2003, but when I play FFVIII, my personal favorite, I can picture myself turning the psx on, sat down on the floor, eyes glued to the small CRT tv with a weird stain in the top left corner. And such emotions are even stronger on PS2 since it is ACTUALLY nostalgic to me, whenever I play the first KH game, FFX or KHII, my mind travels back to those days. But I would extend these feelings to Square Enix and the PS3 era as well, I myself dislike FFXIII, but it's aesthetic is so ethereal and everything about it is so transparent macbook, windows vista, 2009 lmao. Not to mention TWEWY, basically a 2007 time machine.
Squaresoft was truly magnificent! Final Fantasy IX is such a beautiful experience and I'll never find anything to top it I'm currently playing FFVIII for the first time and I'm enjoying it a lot! Can definitely see it's the black sheep of the series though
I originally was going to, but backed out because I recently made a full length video on it 😅 it was one of the games that inspired me to make this video for sure!
I'd kill for Square to make a modern FF with FFX's sheer amount of color and style. Most triple A games are so grey anymore. At least it feels that way.
This video is amazing, although I feel like the menu from kingdom hearts should've definitely been mentioned. It's imo the most iconic menu square has ever done. Dearly beloved playing in the background with wave sounds, the art of Sora chilling by the ocean with a fish in his mouth and the nostalgic menu sounds just makes the aesthetic so amazing
Liminality really is so crucial to this aesthetic. These pre-rendered backgrounds so lovingly recreated alleyways and ticket kiosks we usually wouldn't glance at twice. They gave us small moments of contemplation to draw us in and make us _appreciate_ those transient structures and the little moments of humanity that happened there. When you see Tidus or Aya alone in the dark, staring into the distance, you can't help but wonder, "What's going on behind those eyes -- inside that head?" As you sit in the silence of that question, somebody can look back at you and ask the same thing. This silence, so we can be alone with our thoughts -- when somebody asked Hayao Miyazaki about it, he said the Japanese word for it is, 'ma.' If action is the sound of hands clapping together, _ma_ is the silence _between the claps._ Even the music has this -- battle music with frantic drums, but a gentle, contemplative drone, a liminal soundscape where you know the next beat is coming, but the gasp of silence makes you anticipate it more.
Final Fantasy 9, Brave Fencer Masashi, Chrono Cross, were never mentioned but were also just epic games. I miss the late 90's early 2000's era of Squaresoft so much. I get a warm nostalgic feeling just thinking back on these titles. Thanks for this video!
Definitely some classics! I still personally need to spend a bit more time with those titles tho 😅 Thank you very much for watching though, means the world! 😁❤️
Your videos just activate all the right neurons in my brain. Your deep appreciation and love for video games is truly addictive. This is the kind of feeling non gamers will never understand. I gotta admit though that I felt a bit saddened when you talked about Final Fantasy 7, 8 and then 10 skipping my favourite one XD The intro scene when booting the game alone just invokes such vibes and nostalgia in me. No hard feelings though ;) Always happy to see you talk about Racing Lagoon. I'm not big into racing games but some day I'll play it.
I really appreciate that 🥹❤️ And I absolutely would’ve included 9, I just have yet to play it 🥲 it’s on my list for the future though! And your support means the world, so thank YOU for always supporting 😁
Thanks so much for this lovely video - I was asked yesterday what my favorite game was, and the answer I came up with was classic Squaresoft - these games just had something special. Legend of Mana especially is one of my all-time favorites!
I still need to give Mana a play through! I’ve heard great things about it 😁 And thank you very much for watching! I’m happy to know that you enjoyed 💫
I grew up with the series since 1999 with FF8 and while my favorite FF game is 6 i would say asethically my favorite FF game is FF13. I think thats where the series as well as probably even SE games peaked in that aspect. 13 had this futuristic yet ethereal feel to it's world and ost. Even the way the menu opens with the logo shining in sparkling green lights and the white background was a sight with that calming music. The menu designs, cgi cutscenes, crystarium and even the ost felt like something entirely amazing, new and sleek. Despite the polarizing opinion of the game 13 definitely didn't miss in it's artistic vision of presentation.
The Bouncer, Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy X are my favorite Squaresoft titles. Interestingly, those three were the final Squaresoft games to be released before they became Square Enix in 2003 (Final Fantasy X-2 was released under Squaresoft in Japan, making it the last Squaresoft game over there). You already dedicated a video to it, but I want to take a minute to talk about the vibes of The Bouncer because I think it possesses a truly unique aesthetic. The Bouncer, to me, feels like a comic book come to life-the worlds of Dog Street and Mikado Corporation both exude auras of dystopian nightlife and technological futurism respectively. From the warm and cozy atmosphere of the Fate bar to the mysteriously beautiful interiors of the Mikado building, each location in The Bouncer leaves an impression. Some of my favorite areas are the downtown central square (setting for the second battle in the game’s story), Mikado’s hanging garden (setting for the first Mugetsu battle), and the many laboratories found within Mikado HQ. The characters are beautifully written and each contribute to the lore of The Bouncer’s world. Sion is the star of the show of course, but the game’s story is told in such a way where there will always be hints towards bigger pictures that you can only get details on if you replay the game with the other characters. The backstory sequences presented during the loading screens are a creative way of incorporating crumbs of character development (with the only caveat being how quickly the game loads, so it’s tough to read the text in time). One of Sion’s backstory pieces even includes background music to further express the emotional weight. The Bouncer’s story presents itself as a run-of-the-mill “save the princess” story, but there are deeper nuances hidden within that reward research and theorization. The Bouncer is ultimately a story about the lengths you are willing to go for someone you love. Sion and Dominique are the main players here, and their relationship blossoms into that of a familial bond. It’s a beautiful depiction of a “found family” of sorts, especially when you consider Dauragon’s motives. The character relationships are wonderfully crafted. Sion copes with the death of his girlfriend in a manner that feels believable when you consider his loner archetype (provided through his backstory), and Dauragon copes with the death of his sister in a manner that is clearly unhealthy but… somewhat understandable given his backstory. Sion and Dauragon are, in fact, presumably based upon the dog and dragon relationship in Chinese mythology. Where the dog is loyal, obedient and kind, the dragon is violent, selfish and prideful. I may be inaccurately paraphrasing since I haven’t researched the lore behind it in a long time, but given Sion’s character emblem being that of the Dog Street mascot and Dauragon’s being a Chinese dragon (his name even being a romanization of the word “dragon”), this theory holds weight. The music of The Bouncer is a whole other topic. Sion’s theme song is the perfect “protagonist anthem” and serves as a great introduction to The Bouncer’s world. Conversely, Sion: Jet Black is an inverse of his standard theme song, instead opting for a villainous energy that evokes shadowy anger, opposite to the heroic courage of Sion’s normal theme song. Each character theme represents their personalities and vibe perfectly, and the cutscene songs are fantastic on their own merits. The song named “Affection” is actually a rendition of the game’s main theme song, Love Is The Gift, which itself is contextually purposed as Dominique speaking to Sion, thanking him for the love he gave her and vowing to return it to him. I could go on more about The Bouncer and its wonderful aesthetic, but we’d be here forever. The Bouncer is one of a kind and I think there’s more to it than people realize.
Ahhh, we just became best friends! Honestly if it weren’t for me already covering the bouncer beforehand, it definitely would’ve solidified a spot in this video! It’s by far one of square’s best visual works, and is one of those game’s you can’t help but love no matter how wonky it can be at times. Always happy to see other Bouncer enthusiasts!😁💫
ff12 has a really calming effect to me- first cause i love ivalice but tactics is hard and really a core game for ttrpgs which are far sweatier than 12 went for. but its interconnected world map did the trick with memorable locations. some corners of it were periless but always worth exploring with very clear visual qeues that for the most part (great crystal not withstanding) always left a unique impression. the nicer locations are comfy while the more trying areas felt as imposing due to it matching its difficulty with unique aspects to its weather and enemy variety. I dont think ive ever been to an rpg where the world itself felt alive like that. even these days with open world titans like cyberpunk77 or classics like mass effect. ff12 has rabanasty and that plucky yet punk af theme ear worming itself into my psyche. I love ivalice. and like final fantasy X i can hardly contain my desire to replay it, and i often still take it seriously trying to experience everything again including the hunts and item ggrabs. ive done completion runs 4 times. just cause how comfy it is for me. its the whole package. and its gorgeous.
FF8 has the best atmosphere. It's epic and big but also calming, fantastical, and uplifting. Rather than just dark ,isolated, gritty oppressive and brooding
Another great video. FF X was truly magical - though sadly the last truly outstanding FF in my opinion. Ever since the Sqare/Enix merge, SE went downhill. I spent like ~500h in FF X just to be able to beat all Dark Aeons without using Yojimbo. The good old times... Parasite Eve also always was a favorite of mine. What a beautiful game and the way they implemented New York as setting was phenomenal. That racing game you've shown was utterly new to me. It does look great though - I also had to think about Initial D at first. It kinda feels like you forgot Chrono Trigger / Cross, maybe Xenogears and maybe Vagrant Story though. Those were also really good.
I really appreciate you giving it a watch 😁 And I definitely wish I could’ve included more, I need to get more experience with some of the other games on Square’s catalog. Especially with my newfound obsession of RPG’s 😅
I started playing the fan translation of the first Chocobo’s Dungeon last night and there is something so genuinely enchanting about that era of Squaresoft games. Playing a new one feels like downright magical.
You'll have to make a whole video like this just for ff9 when you play it. Trust me, it's amazing. You'll love it. It brings everything you talked about here and wraps it up in a pretty bow.
Hey man, your videos are amazing! Thank you for doing what you do. I've been with you since like 1k subs (under another acct) and it's awesome seeing you grow. You deserve way more views and subs, and I know you'll get there in time. Can't wait to see more!
Kingdom Hearts 2's rendition of dearly beloved is one of my favorite pieces of music to listen to. I just lose myself in it. Kingdom Hearts franchise soundtrack overall is incredible.
Wonderful write up. I've been a Square fan since the early days of the SNES, and you are 100% correct. Even to the hardcore, Squaresoft were something special back in the day. They really were on top of the world. They were the Tony Montana of the gaming sphere. Today's generation will not understand. The confluence of talent, ambition, and the kind of fuck-you money that they had resulted in one of the craziest catalogues that gaming has ever seen, rivaled only by golden age Capcom, Konami, Treasure, and Rare. The power that little red triangle in their logo to move product can not be understated. It really is a shame they couldn't keep it together post-Spirits Within. God only knows how much better it could have gotten. Oh, and brilliant send up to Racing Lagoon. A criminally underrated gem that I had been aching to play since its' initial release, with my only barrier being my sloppy Japanese. I own a copy of the soundtrack, and it is one of my most cherished posessions.
I have to agree! That’s why I wanted to focus more so on their previous works, rather than the majority of their stuff after the Enix merge 😅 They really were putting out some of the best games the late 90’s had ever seen, and I’m super jealous about that Racing Lagoon soundtrack! I was thinking about buying one myself 😁 But thanks a bunch for watching, my friend! Really means a lot to me 🩵
Ahhh I have to agree! It’s quite cheap to attain, I was thinking of grabbing a copy just for looks 😅 But I’m very glad you enjoyed the video, thank you for watching!
Mann, I've never heard of Racing Lagoon, but that game sounds so damn cool. I haven't played a racing game since Need for Speed Underground 2 on PS2, even though I've had the itch. I was just waiting for the right thing, and this sounds like it. And its already existed this whole time. Thank you! Im so stoked to try it, I'm surprised I've never heard of it before even though it sounds so unique. And I think you're right that it could still do very well if released to the West today with nothing changed. Indie Games with old playstation / analog graphics are killing it these days. Thanks for bringing my awareness to this game!
honestly i've never heard of racing lagoon before but from the looks of it it could've been another one of those highly regarded ps1 timecapsule classics. the overall looks, cutscenes and jazzy jungle music... just chef's kiss
The aesthetic of parasite eve made is very memorable to me. I still randomly think about that game every now and then for that reason even though I haven't played it since it came out.
@@Vynsent just know they share the collective world of Ivalice. Ivalice is the most fleshed out and consistent final fantasy world. There’s actually a none final fantasy game that takes place in Ivalice as well called Vagrant Story by one of the acclaimed designers of Ivalice and final fantasy tactics. Ivalice is special. Hosting a bunch of races, airship technology, beautiful aesthetics. When I think of final fantasy and design philosophy and art direction my mind thinks of any of the Ivalice final fantasy settings. I highly encourage you to not only research it but play one as well set in Ivalice final fantasy setting.
Squaresoft era was my favorite time for playing games, especially during the late 90’s with their PlayStation titles. Vagrant Story, SaGa Frontier 2, Einhänder, Bushido Blade, Legend of Mana, Threads of Fate, and Brave Fencer Musashi are criminally never talked about as much compared to their bigger titles at the time. I’ll always defend Chrono Cross until I die despite it NOT being Chrono Trigger 2; I love the “what-if?” timeline of the consequences of saving the world in Chrono Trigger. It’s not better than CT, but damn is it a great game regardless. Also, love me some Xenogears, too!
I really wish I would’ve included Bushido Blade, I used to play that a ton as a kid! The look of those late 90’s visuals were super charming though. Plus, the sheer amount of content they would pack into those games were amazing! You could spend months on them 😅
Parasite Eve is goated, one of my favorite games of all time. Chrysler Building was a bitch but being able to do new game + over and over while upgrading your weapons and armor made you unstoppable.
Just a reminder to really follow peoples advice if your time allows it; give FF IX a try. Ofc it was my first so i am biased(100%) but nontheless is it such - a - great - game!
I really enjoyed this. Thank you. Have you ever played the Shenmue series? That's a comfort game for me, along with FFVII (whose aesthetic I really like) and the original MGS and Gran Turismo. Keep up the great work.
I played shenmue II many, many years ago 😅 I was much too young to really understand it at the time, but I definitely hope to revisit the series in the near future! Excellent choices though, those classic Gran Turismo vibes just can’t be beat 😁
@@Vynsent If you want an example of a great aesthetic, Vincent, tell me this music from Shenmue doesn't take you places - th-cam.com/video/yMMQEXzKcb4/w-d-xo.html
@@Vynsentdoesn’t surprise me as the mana series has always been like the awkward stepsibling to the final fantasy series. It’s not as polished as the final fantasy series. But the aesthetic and art style is always storybook, whimsical, and beautiful.
I would have to say I'm the oddball when it comes to Square...I'm in love with FF9 and FF12. I pre-ordered FF12 (still have the steelbook copy) and 13 in my late teens/early 20s and I only regretted 13. I enjoy 7 but I felt the only way to surpass 7 once you were exhausted by FF Fatigue was to either play the PSP version of Crisis Core or if they had just made a "remaster" of 7 using newer tech rather then a "remake". I need to take a second crack at Tactics as although I love the aesthetic and gameplay, I never actually got far enough in the game. I would love more FF12 spinoffs if anything. I always hated Kingdom Hearts, FF8 and FF10. They always looked very corny and very soap opera/teen "poppy" for my tastes. I will say that if Square every made a game or short film describing how 10 eventually becomes 7 (story wise), I'd be very open to it. Outside of that, I'd love to play the Front Mission and Xenogears games. To each their own though.
I definitely see where you’re coming from! The looks of 9 and 12 definitely have a different kind of appeal to them, especially compared to KH and FF10. To each their own though! All good games all around 😁
Nomura should have long been put aside as a producer. His creative and aesthetic style, which was refreshing in the late 90s, is now working against the franchise
Hey dawg, you cannot just put a part in your video that tells you where to download an illegal copy of a game online. That’s straight up illegal. You should edit that part out of the video. It even risks getting that website taken down.
I had a feeling I shouldn’t have done that 🥲 I thought it was kind of like abandonware at this point, but you’re right! I’ll see what I can do! Edit: also bit of a disclaimer, that website is only an English patch for the game. You still have to source your own copy for it to work!
@@Vynsent Hm okay, I misunderstood. Maybe just saying where you got the English translation isn’t illegal. I’m not sure though. Be careful though, don’t have Square coming after you lol.
I gave up in Rebirth cause it's just so tedious, constantly bombarding you with minigames and Ubisoft levels of generic open world tasks. Games shouldn't feel like second jobs but video game companies nowadays think we want 200 hours of boring filler quests and 10 hours of actual main storyline. Also the whole fascination with Multiverse in all forms of media lately already has been tiring and milked to death. Nowadays every franchise revolves around multiverse cause its a cheap tool for nostalgia bait fanservice and zero stakes plots. Sephiroth also has become a literal joke of a villain with how overexposed he is and how much he wants to hump Cloud
@@MONSTANIMATION I enjoyed FF7 Remake, even though it took me a while to get into it. I also have Rebirth, but have yet to play through it. Just like you mentioned, I heard that it has an overabundance of mini-quest and filler missions, which has kinda turned me off from starting it.
Man, I’ve beaten FFX 3 times and I want to love it…but I just don’t. I just don’t think the story is good. I like the pilgrimage aspect, but that’s about it. The battle system is amazing, but that doesn’t save it for me. Story and characters are what I play RPGs for and I just can’t connect with them in this game. I also think it’s one of the weakest soundtracks in the franchise. I actually don’t mind the sphere grid system, but I respect the game for its innovations. I’m gonna go through it again either at the end of this year or beginning of next. Maybe 4th times a charm?
Hey to each their own, my friend! It’s definitely not for everyone, and I’m sure nostalgia had a lot to do with my own personal love for it 😅 It has a special place in my heart, but It’s not without its flaws!
Uff, Square's "calming" design just irk me to no end. The stories are great, but all the art is incredibly bloated, full of irrelevant decoration. I hate the hair, clothes and exagerated manierisms of the characters so f*ing much.
![Crime Games Of The Early 2000's [Vol. 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VfzWZcYf3lc/mqdefault.jpg)
Parasite Eve, Xenogears, FF7 & 8, Chrono Cross, Kingdom Hearts....so many games of those eras and so much nostalgia! All of those games' aesthetic alone has me wanting to revisit each and every one of them. Only game so far I still have yet to play through is FF10. I remember playing through the intro and then being turned off by the grid/sphere system. I do want to revisit it in this day and age, I may actually like it no that I'm older. And I definitely been wanting to try Racing Lagoon, just for the soundtrack alone!
Tons of classics! And I definitely recommend giving FFX another try. The story alone has to be experienced 😁
parasite eve was stressful AF but with chill moments😂
Bruh… Squaresoft could do NO WRONG in the 90s! They just refused to miss from their largest to smallest titles.
I notice you didn't mention FFIX. Dali Village is like the epitome of Square calmness.
Ahhh, that’s one of the few FF I’ve yet to play! I definitely have it on my backlog though 🥲 It looks like such a chill game!
@@Vynsentomg you'll love it!!! The vibes are unmatched
@@Vynsent bro you gotta get on that one asap. It’s fantastic.
Yea you tweaked and will probably need to remake this video because 9 is extremely calm
@@Vynsentit’s seriously one of the best in the whole franchise. I think it embodies “final fantasy” more than any game in the series. The love letter if you will.
One thing I've noticed is that whenever I listen to ASMRs, the music always reminds me of something from a Squaresoft/Enix game. Whether medieval tavern music, a train ride or nature sounds, its always so calming.
Shout out to the sound design teams behind these games👏👏
These 90's early 2000s Square's games always manage to transport me back in time. I was born in 2003, but when I play FFVIII, my personal favorite, I can picture myself turning the psx on, sat down on the floor, eyes glued to the small CRT tv with a weird stain in the top left corner. And such emotions are even stronger on PS2 since it is ACTUALLY nostalgic to me, whenever I play the first KH game, FFX or KHII, my mind travels back to those days. But I would extend these feelings to Square Enix and the PS3 era as well, I myself dislike FFXIII, but it's aesthetic is so ethereal and everything about it is so transparent macbook, windows vista, 2009 lmao. Not to mention TWEWY, basically a 2007 time machine.
They’ve all got a place in nostalgia for me as well! I’m very glad you got to experience these magical titles, at such a young age!
Squaresoft was truly magnificent! Final Fantasy IX is such a beautiful experience and I'll never find anything to top it
I'm currently playing FFVIII for the first time and I'm enjoying it a lot! Can definitely see it's the black sheep of the series though
It’s a good one forsure! Some of my favorite artistic work from Square without a doubt 😁
Bro didn't even bring up the most aesthetic Squaresoft game..The Bouncer. Also the best OST.
I originally was going to, but backed out because I recently made a full length video on it 😅 it was one of the games that inspired me to make this video for sure!
@@Vynsent I see a man of exquisite taste.
I always put on Kingdom Hearts when want a chill gaming session, I’ve always loved the aesthetic and music it’s so chill.
Shimomura is the host man, didn’t realize how much she did before I did some research on her
It never gets old! I’m playing through it again as we speak 😅
I'd kill for Square to make a modern FF with FFX's sheer amount of color and style. Most triple A games are so grey anymore. At least it feels that way.
That would be amazing! Especially a modern FF with a more tropical setting such as 10. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind a remake even 😅
This video is amazing, although I feel like the menu from kingdom hearts should've definitely been mentioned. It's imo the most iconic menu square has ever done. Dearly beloved playing in the background with wave sounds, the art of Sora chilling by the ocean with a fish in his mouth and the nostalgic menu sounds just makes the aesthetic so amazing
Ahh, you really aren’t wrong. I love that menu screen so much, I can’t believe it slipped my mind! 🥲
Liminality really is so crucial to this aesthetic. These pre-rendered backgrounds so lovingly recreated alleyways and ticket kiosks we usually wouldn't glance at twice. They gave us small moments of contemplation to draw us in and make us _appreciate_ those transient structures and the little moments of humanity that happened there. When you see Tidus or Aya alone in the dark, staring into the distance, you can't help but wonder, "What's going on behind those eyes -- inside that head?" As you sit in the silence of that question, somebody can look back at you and ask the same thing.
This silence, so we can be alone with our thoughts -- when somebody asked Hayao Miyazaki about it, he said the Japanese word for it is, 'ma.' If action is the sound of hands clapping together, _ma_ is the silence _between the claps._ Even the music has this -- battle music with frantic drums, but a gentle, contemplative drone, a liminal soundscape where you know the next beat is coming, but the gasp of silence makes you anticipate it more.
It all makes sense as to why these older games are so memorable and captivating. Even when they suck, they’re still charming!
Chrono Cross and Legend of Mana were two other SquareSoft games from the 90s which were very aesthetically pleasing.
Chrono Cross was definitely a banger back in the day! Still need to play LoM 😅
I came here to say Legend of Mana. It’s gorgeous
Legend of Mana and Saga Frontier still holds very well today graphically
Final Fantasy 9, Brave Fencer Masashi, Chrono Cross, were never mentioned but were also just epic games. I miss the late 90's early 2000's era of Squaresoft so much. I get a warm nostalgic feeling just thinking back on these titles. Thanks for this video!
Definitely some classics! I still personally need to spend a bit more time with those titles tho 😅 Thank you very much for watching though, means the world! 😁❤️
Your videos just activate all the right neurons in my brain. Your deep appreciation and love for video games is truly addictive. This is the kind of feeling non gamers will never understand.
I gotta admit though that I felt a bit saddened when you talked about Final Fantasy 7, 8 and then 10 skipping my favourite one XD The intro scene when booting the game alone just invokes such vibes and nostalgia in me. No hard feelings though ;)
Always happy to see you talk about Racing Lagoon. I'm not big into racing games but some day I'll play it.
I really appreciate that 🥹❤️ And I absolutely would’ve included 9, I just have yet to play it 🥲 it’s on my list for the future though! And your support means the world, so thank YOU for always supporting 😁
Thanks so much for this lovely video - I was asked yesterday what my favorite game was, and the answer I came up with was classic Squaresoft - these games just had something special. Legend of Mana especially is one of my all-time favorites!
I still need to give Mana a play through! I’ve heard great things about it 😁 And thank you very much for watching! I’m happy to know that you enjoyed 💫
I grew up with the series since 1999 with FF8 and while my favorite FF game is 6 i would say asethically my favorite FF game is FF13. I think thats where the series as well as probably even SE games peaked in that aspect. 13 had this futuristic yet ethereal feel to it's world and ost. Even the way the menu opens with the logo shining in sparkling green lights and the white background was a sight with that calming music. The menu designs, cgi cutscenes, crystarium and even the ost felt like something entirely amazing, new and sleek. Despite the polarizing opinion of the game 13 definitely didn't miss in it's artistic vision of presentation.
You know, I’ve been plotting heavily on whether or not I should pick it up for my PS3. I think I will now!
Bro FF7 is fucking scary man! I just picked the game up and good lord! It’s amazing, it has music that’s super chill but also gives me chills!
It’s a phenomenal game without a doubt! I definitely know what you mean though, it’s got a hell of an atmosphere 😅
The Bouncer, Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy X are my favorite Squaresoft titles. Interestingly, those three were the final Squaresoft games to be released before they became Square Enix in 2003 (Final Fantasy X-2 was released under Squaresoft in Japan, making it the last Squaresoft game over there).
You already dedicated a video to it, but I want to take a minute to talk about the vibes of The Bouncer because I think it possesses a truly unique aesthetic. The Bouncer, to me, feels like a comic book come to life-the worlds of Dog Street and Mikado Corporation both exude auras of dystopian nightlife and technological futurism respectively. From the warm and cozy atmosphere of the Fate bar to the mysteriously beautiful interiors of the Mikado building, each location in The Bouncer leaves an impression. Some of my favorite areas are the downtown central square (setting for the second battle in the game’s story), Mikado’s hanging garden (setting for the first Mugetsu battle), and the many laboratories found within Mikado HQ.
The characters are beautifully written and each contribute to the lore of The Bouncer’s world. Sion is the star of the show of course, but the game’s story is told in such a way where there will always be hints towards bigger pictures that you can only get details on if you replay the game with the other characters. The backstory sequences presented during the loading screens are a creative way of incorporating crumbs of character development (with the only caveat being how quickly the game loads, so it’s tough to read the text in time). One of Sion’s backstory pieces even includes background music to further express the emotional weight.
The Bouncer’s story presents itself as a run-of-the-mill “save the princess” story, but there are deeper nuances hidden within that reward research and theorization. The Bouncer is ultimately a story about the lengths you are willing to go for someone you love. Sion and Dominique are the main players here, and their relationship blossoms into that of a familial bond. It’s a beautiful depiction of a “found family” of sorts, especially when you consider Dauragon’s motives. The character relationships are wonderfully crafted. Sion copes with the death of his girlfriend in a manner that feels believable when you consider his loner archetype (provided through his backstory), and Dauragon copes with the death of his sister in a manner that is clearly unhealthy but… somewhat understandable given his backstory.
Sion and Dauragon are, in fact, presumably based upon the dog and dragon relationship in Chinese mythology. Where the dog is loyal, obedient and kind, the dragon is violent, selfish and prideful. I may be inaccurately paraphrasing since I haven’t researched the lore behind it in a long time, but given Sion’s character emblem being that of the Dog Street mascot and Dauragon’s being a Chinese dragon (his name even being a romanization of the word “dragon”), this theory holds weight.
The music of The Bouncer is a whole other topic. Sion’s theme song is the perfect “protagonist anthem” and serves as a great introduction to The Bouncer’s world. Conversely, Sion: Jet Black is an inverse of his standard theme song, instead opting for a villainous energy that evokes shadowy anger, opposite to the heroic courage of Sion’s normal theme song. Each character theme represents their personalities and vibe perfectly, and the cutscene songs are fantastic on their own merits. The song named “Affection” is actually a rendition of the game’s main theme song, Love Is The Gift, which itself is contextually purposed as Dominique speaking to Sion, thanking him for the love he gave her and vowing to return it to him.
I could go on more about The Bouncer and its wonderful aesthetic, but we’d be here forever. The Bouncer is one of a kind and I think there’s more to it than people realize.
Ahhh, we just became best friends! Honestly if it weren’t for me already covering the bouncer beforehand, it definitely would’ve solidified a spot in this video! It’s by far one of square’s best visual works, and is one of those game’s you can’t help but love no matter how wonky it can be at times. Always happy to see other Bouncer enthusiasts!😁💫
your videos have an extraordinary aesthetic
That means a lot to me 🥹 Thank you!
ff12 has a really calming effect to me- first cause i love ivalice but tactics is hard and really a core game for ttrpgs which are far sweatier than 12 went for. but its interconnected world map did the trick with memorable locations. some corners of it were periless but always worth exploring with very clear visual qeues that for the most part (great crystal not withstanding) always left a unique impression. the nicer locations are comfy while the more trying areas felt as imposing due to it matching its difficulty with unique aspects to its weather and enemy variety. I dont think ive ever been to an rpg where the world itself felt alive like that. even these days with open world titans like cyberpunk77 or classics like mass effect. ff12 has rabanasty and that plucky yet punk af theme ear worming itself into my psyche. I love ivalice. and like final fantasy X i can hardly contain my desire to replay it, and i often still take it seriously trying to experience everything again including the hunts and item ggrabs. ive done completion runs 4 times. just cause how comfy it is for me. its the whole package. and its gorgeous.
I gotta agree! The art direction in 12 is incredible. Very soothing to the eyes 😁
FF8 has the best atmosphere. It's epic and big but also calming, fantastical, and uplifting. Rather than just dark ,isolated, gritty oppressive and brooding
Exactly! That’s what I love about it. Games are meant to take you into another headspace, and the FF series does a bang up job in doing so 😁
Another great video.
FF X was truly magical - though sadly the last truly outstanding FF in my opinion. Ever since the Sqare/Enix merge, SE went downhill. I spent like ~500h in FF X just to be able to beat all Dark Aeons without using Yojimbo. The good old times...
Parasite Eve also always was a favorite of mine. What a beautiful game and the way they implemented New York as setting was phenomenal.
That racing game you've shown was utterly new to me. It does look great though - I also had to think about Initial D at first.
It kinda feels like you forgot Chrono Trigger / Cross, maybe Xenogears and maybe Vagrant Story though. Those were also really good.
I really appreciate you giving it a watch 😁 And I definitely wish I could’ve included more, I need to get more experience with some of the other games on Square’s catalog. Especially with my newfound obsession of RPG’s 😅
I started playing the fan translation of the first Chocobo’s Dungeon last night and there is something so genuinely enchanting about that era of Squaresoft games. Playing a new one feels like downright magical.
Oooo I need to give that one a play! You aren’t lying though my friend. Square really knows how to create a magical world 😁
You'll have to make a whole video like this just for ff9 when you play it. Trust me, it's amazing. You'll love it. It brings everything you talked about here and wraps it up in a pretty bow.
I definitely will! Maybe a part two 😁
@@Vynsent looking forward to it!!!
Hey man, your videos are amazing! Thank you for doing what you do. I've been with you since like 1k subs (under another acct) and it's awesome seeing you grow. You deserve way more views and subs, and I know you'll get there in time. Can't wait to see more!
I really appreciate that more than words can describe! 😁 Definitely keeps me focused on making the best content possible 💪 Thanks again!
Nomura's art & Uematsu's music is still yet to be beaten in my opinion.
It’s top tier forsure! Love all of it 😁
Parasite eve trailer on the ps1 demo disk gave me a panic attack in Tijuana
That’s probably top 3 Tijuana stories I’ve ever heard 😂
Kingdom Hearts 2's rendition of dearly beloved is one of my favorite pieces of music to listen to. I just lose myself in it. Kingdom Hearts franchise soundtrack overall is incredible.
man u make the best videos🏆
I do my best ❤️ Thank you for watching! 😁
Squaresoft games on the snes and ps2 are the ones I grew up on. First being Chrono Trigger 🐐
The good ole days! 💫
Oh here we go - great topic!
Thank you! I hope you enjoyed 😁
@@VynsentI feel like you should have included ff9!
Good video tho :)
Wonderful write up. I've been a Square fan since the early days of the SNES, and you are 100% correct. Even to the hardcore, Squaresoft were something special back in the day.
They really were on top of the world. They were the Tony Montana of the gaming sphere. Today's generation will not understand. The confluence of talent, ambition, and the kind of fuck-you money that they had resulted in one of the craziest catalogues that gaming has ever seen, rivaled only by golden age Capcom, Konami, Treasure, and Rare. The power that little red triangle in their logo to move product can not be understated.
It really is a shame they couldn't keep it together post-Spirits Within. God only knows how much better it could have gotten.
Oh, and brilliant send up to Racing Lagoon. A criminally underrated gem that I had been aching to play since its' initial release, with my only barrier being my sloppy Japanese. I own a copy of the soundtrack, and it is one of my most cherished posessions.
I have to agree! That’s why I wanted to focus more so on their previous works, rather than the majority of their stuff after the Enix merge 😅 They really were putting out some of the best games the late 90’s had ever seen, and I’m super jealous about that Racing Lagoon soundtrack! I was thinking about buying one myself 😁 But thanks a bunch for watching, my friend! Really means a lot to me 🩵
Bro's talking about Racing Lagoon??? Instant like
Had to! 😁
Parasite Eve was tough, but great! My favorite FF is 6, hands down =)
Great video, as always banger contents bro 😁👍🏻
If I can give an idea for a next retrospective I wish also for a Atlus one, that would be awesome.
Absolutely! Putting that on my to do list now 😁
@@Vynsent Great! Thanks for accepting my request 😄
FFX is still such a beautiful game… and those cutscenes 😮💨😮💨😮💨
Classic!
Great video. Racing Lagoon looks awesome! I’ve never heard of it. Shame it’s only in JP, looks like an awesome game to own physically.
Ahhh I have to agree! It’s quite cheap to attain, I was thinking of grabbing a copy just for looks 😅 But I’m very glad you enjoyed the video, thank you for watching!
Mann, I've never heard of Racing Lagoon, but that game sounds so damn cool. I haven't played a racing game since Need for Speed Underground 2 on PS2, even though I've had the itch. I was just waiting for the right thing, and this sounds like it. And its already existed this whole time.
Thank you! Im so stoked to try it, I'm surprised I've never heard of it before even though it sounds so unique.
And I think you're right that it could still do very well if released to the West today with nothing changed.
Indie Games with old playstation / analog graphics are killing it these days.
Thanks for bringing my awareness to this game!
Absolutely! I’m confident that you’ll love it, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before 😁 Very fun though!
@@Vynsent Crazy quick reply! haha
Also, great video! Can't wait to watch your backlog. Keep it up, mah dude!!
honestly i've never heard of racing lagoon before but from the looks of it it could've been another one of those highly regarded ps1 timecapsule classics. the overall looks, cutscenes and jazzy jungle music... just chef's kiss
It’s an obscure one! Definitely fits the bill of Squaresoft’s late 90’s goodness tho 😁 honestly wish it could have been released in the states!
The aesthetic of parasite eve made is very memorable to me. I still randomly think about that game every now and then for that reason even though I haven't played it since it came out.
I can relate! I hadn’t played it much until more recently, but that cover art had been stuck in my brain since the 90’s 😅
I remember looking at the CGI render artwork of FF7. They were so relaxing and calming and also awe inspiring.
Nothing like seeing it for the first time! Was ground breaking for it’s time, without a doubt 😁
Love this, FF8 is my fav game of all time
Def one of the best FF games! 😁
personal Favorite of the franchise is VI and IX ♥️ if one day Square decides to remake VI, the visuals would definitely blow everyone
Would love to see a remake of it!
I gotta try that racing game that looks so sick
It’s awesome! I loved my time with it 😁
My guy, glad to see you back in the saddle!
Glad to be here ❤️😁
Add "nostalgic" and "cozy" to your title and you got the TH-cam buzzword bingo complete.
#cozy 😁
Lived in a unfinished concrete basement at 9 years old playing Parasite Eve. Really taught me how to evercome fear and make it to a save.
Ahhh, those beautiful core memories 😅👏
I simply love final fantasy tactics and tactics advance and the aesthetics of 12. Those are my favorite designed final fantasy’s.
I’m hoping to spend some more time with all of those! There’s still a lot I have to experience from the FF series 😅
@@Vynsent just know they share the collective world of Ivalice. Ivalice is the most fleshed out and consistent final fantasy world. There’s actually a none final fantasy game that takes place in Ivalice as well called Vagrant Story by one of the acclaimed designers of Ivalice and final fantasy tactics. Ivalice is special. Hosting a bunch of races, airship technology, beautiful aesthetics. When I think of final fantasy and design philosophy and art direction my mind thinks of any of the Ivalice final fantasy settings. I highly encourage you to not only research it but play one as well set in Ivalice final fantasy setting.
Squaresoft era was my favorite time for playing games, especially during the late 90’s with their PlayStation titles. Vagrant Story, SaGa Frontier 2, Einhänder, Bushido Blade, Legend of Mana, Threads of Fate, and Brave Fencer Musashi are criminally never talked about as much compared to their bigger titles at the time.
I’ll always defend Chrono Cross until I die despite it NOT being Chrono Trigger 2; I love the “what-if?” timeline of the consequences of saving the world in Chrono Trigger. It’s not better than CT, but damn is it a great game regardless. Also, love me some Xenogears, too!
I really wish I would’ve included Bushido Blade, I used to play that a ton as a kid! The look of those late 90’s visuals were super charming though. Plus, the sheer amount of content they would pack into those games were amazing! You could spend months on them 😅
Parasite Eve is goated, one of my favorite games of all time. Chrysler Building was a bitch but being able to do new game + over and over while upgrading your weapons and armor made you unstoppable.
Nomura was the character designer for 2000s beat 'em up The Bouncer
You got that right! Loved the design of all those characters
Just a reminder to really follow peoples advice if your time allows it; give FF IX a try. Ofc it was my first so i am biased(100%) but nontheless is it such - a - great - game!
I definitely plan to add it on my PS Vita and give it a play! Looks amazing 😁
I really enjoyed this. Thank you.
Have you ever played the Shenmue series? That's a comfort game for me, along with FFVII (whose aesthetic I really like) and the original MGS and Gran Turismo.
Keep up the great work.
I played shenmue II many, many years ago 😅 I was much too young to really understand it at the time, but I definitely hope to revisit the series in the near future! Excellent choices though, those classic Gran Turismo vibes just can’t be beat 😁
@@Vynsent If you want an example of a great aesthetic, Vincent, tell me this music from Shenmue doesn't take you places - th-cam.com/video/yMMQEXzKcb4/w-d-xo.html
Subscribed!
Welcome to the team, my friend 💪🥹
My first Square game was Rad Racer for the NES.
What a classic!
Great video!!!
Very glad you liked it! Thank you for watching 😁
The epitome of all of this is the mana series. Sword and legend of mana in particular being high points of this aesthetic.
I’ve gotta give it a play! Somehow I’ve slipped through all of these years without giving it a chance yet 😅
@@Vynsentdoesn’t surprise me as the mana series has always been like the awkward stepsibling to the final fantasy series. It’s not as polished as the final fantasy series. But the aesthetic and art style is always storybook, whimsical, and beautiful.
Been waiting for one of these great job
BTW Vincent what do you use to get ps2 games looking like that?
Really glad you enjoyed my friend! And I use an emulation software for capturing the gameplay 😁
new Vinny video let’s go
Happy to be here! 😁
I miss squaresoft 😢😢😢😢
They did it right 🥲
Damn, your video make me miss hironobu sakaguchi.i wonder what final fantasy would be if spirit within doesnt come out
It’s definitely interesting to think about! Hironobu was without a doubt a important piece of square’s early charm!
Chrono Cross takes the cake for the best aesthetic of a game ever
I fumbled on including that 🥲
I would have to say I'm the oddball when it comes to Square...I'm in love with FF9 and FF12. I pre-ordered FF12 (still have the steelbook copy) and 13 in my late teens/early 20s and I only regretted 13. I enjoy 7 but I felt the only way to surpass 7 once you were exhausted by FF Fatigue was to either play the PSP version of Crisis Core or if they had just made a "remaster" of 7 using newer tech rather then a "remake". I need to take a second crack at Tactics as although I love the aesthetic and gameplay, I never actually got far enough in the game. I would love more FF12 spinoffs if anything. I always hated Kingdom Hearts, FF8 and FF10. They always looked very corny and very soap opera/teen "poppy" for my tastes. I will say that if Square every made a game or short film describing how 10 eventually becomes 7 (story wise), I'd be very open to it. Outside of that, I'd love to play the Front Mission and Xenogears games. To each their own though.
I definitely see where you’re coming from! The looks of 9 and 12 definitely have a different kind of appeal to them, especially compared to KH and FF10. To each their own though! All good games all around 😁
I... I cant believe you made this video without talking about ff9...
I fumbled hard 🥲 I just haven’t gotten the chance to play it, as I would like!
Check out star oceans the second story's mars village. My favorite track of the game
Will do! I’ve been wanting to get more acquainted with the series 😁
👏👏👏👏🤌👌👍👏👏👏
But FFIX will always be my fav of the series!
Definitely a classic!
How I wish they remake Vagrant Story, Parasite Eve, Chrono Cross, VI, VIII, IX, Tactics, and Xenogears
Would be amazing! If they love money like I think they do, they’d be smart to do so 😅
Everyone is in thier zen untill a marlboro pops up and cast bad breath 😅😅😅 den circles everyone
Maaaaan, this is so relatable 😂
You jumped right to 3d model tech
I should’ve done some 2D, I was being a bit too nostalgic 🥲
I am 99% sure its Lionhart, Like a Lion in the jungle 🦁
I think you’re right 😅
Legend of Dragoon is also a good one to play. That menu music is forever with me.
That’s a classic! Really love the art style in there as well 😁
I agree. It has always been one of my favorites!💯
@@Vynsent I loved the art too! 😁 Definitely a slept on game but has a solid fan base. We need a proper remake!
@@kevenbass6398 yeah man , that game has so many good things about it.
I think Final Fantasy 8 is the most deserving of a remake of any final fantasy game. There is a top tier FF game in there.
"you'll probably feel the closest tie with that specific advert" or I hate all ads so I don't feel shit.
That too 😂
How dare you skip the best installment in the series! 7 8 10 is not how one counts! 😤 Good video though 😁
I fumbled on 9 🥲 I still need to play it a bit more! Very glad you still enjoyed tho 😁
Nomura should have long been put aside as a producer. His creative and aesthetic style, which was refreshing in the late 90s, is now working against the franchise
Ahhh man, would I love to see some more Nomura these days 🥲
They should bring back Amano. His visual aesthetic is Final Fantasy to me.
Nooo, why did you talk about the visuals of FFX and then show footage from the remaster, the original models looked so much better 😭
I agree, it was for the sake of convenience that I used the remaster footage 🥲 I definitely love the charm of it on PS2 the most!
damn bro how much stress you got?? Yea I love final fantasy 10, been awhile since ive played it actually
Haha luckily nothing I can’t handle! 😝 But yeah, I’ve definitely grown to appreciate FFX more over time!
By the thumbnail, it is mostly "Nomura" aesthetic.
He plays an important role in it! 😁
Real talk, I took a 5 minute break from this video to listen to Simple and Clean XD
It’s a must 😂
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
My boi 😎
Hey dawg, you cannot just put a part in your video that tells you where to download an illegal copy of a game online. That’s straight up illegal. You should edit that part out of the video. It even risks getting that website taken down.
I had a feeling I shouldn’t have done that 🥲 I thought it was kind of like abandonware at this point, but you’re right! I’ll see what I can do!
Edit: also bit of a disclaimer, that website is only an English patch for the game. You still have to source your own copy for it to work!
@@Vynsent Hm okay, I misunderstood. Maybe just saying where you got the English translation isn’t illegal. I’m not sure though. Be careful though, don’t have Square coming after you lol.
FF 9 when?
I fumbled the bag 🥲
@@Vynsent That's okay. I still subbed because this video was so amazing. Working through your backlog now.
Einhander, Final Fantasy VIII and Parasite Eve.
All bangers! I almost included einhander 🥲
amazing video. good job man!!!! enix/atlus next? atlus leads the aesthetic game these. days lol persona is such a stylish beast
Got it in my list of to do’s! Will definitely be covering in the future 😁 Thank you for watching by the way!
I am a little confuse because I never got to expericence squaresoft
Hopefully this video could give you a nice introduction into them!
@@Vynsent it definitely did thank you I love your video you always bring me joy
@@Vynsent
it definitely did thank you I love your video you always bring me joy
@@Vynsent I always thought Nintendo made the FF series
It’s never too late my friend…
Sad that square turned into Odio now.
It’s the way of the industry nowadays 🥲
They weren't called Square*Soft* for nothing.
You aren’t wrong 😅
What media is 0:22 from?
It's a stock video from a site called "Pexels"! Search "Retro" and you can find it on there :)
FF7 remake is just missing... something... the original has. Other than my childhood nostalgia of course!
Haha I definitely know what you mean! I really love the remake, but it has a whole different vibe to it 😅
I gave up in Rebirth cause it's just so tedious, constantly bombarding you with minigames and Ubisoft levels of generic open world tasks.
Games shouldn't feel like second jobs but video game companies nowadays think we want 200 hours of boring filler quests and 10 hours of actual main storyline.
Also the whole fascination with Multiverse in all forms of media lately already has been tiring and milked to death. Nowadays every franchise revolves around multiverse cause its a cheap tool for nostalgia bait fanservice and zero stakes plots.
Sephiroth also has become a literal joke of a villain with how overexposed he is and how much he wants to hump Cloud
@@MONSTANIMATION I enjoyed FF7 Remake, even though it took me a while to get into it. I also have Rebirth, but have yet to play through it. Just like you mentioned, I heard that it has an overabundance of mini-quest and filler missions, which has kinda turned me off from starting it.
@@MONSTANIMATIONthis an wild ass take lol
You can do 0 side quest and be fine lol
Dude why did u open the video with defining aesthetic
Made me feel like I was watching some ai shit
My intro’s definitely aren’t for everyone lol
You just skipped 9 ._.
I did a bad thing 🥲
Famicom and nes are the same system i think u meant SNES
That was my mistake!
Man, I’ve beaten FFX 3 times and I want to love it…but I just don’t. I just don’t think the story is good. I like the pilgrimage aspect, but that’s about it. The battle system is amazing, but that doesn’t save it for me. Story and characters are what I play RPGs for and I just can’t connect with them in this game. I also think it’s one of the weakest soundtracks in the franchise. I actually don’t mind the sphere grid system, but I respect the game for its innovations. I’m gonna go through it again either at the end of this year or beginning of next. Maybe 4th times a charm?
Hey to each their own, my friend! It’s definitely not for everyone, and I’m sure nostalgia had a lot to do with my own personal love for it 😅 It has a special place in my heart, but It’s not without its flaws!
You only focused on the 3d games 😢
I was running on nostalgia 🥲
PUT AYA INTO TEKKEN 8
PUT THE 2ND CHARACTER IN PROTOTYPE 2
SINCE TEKKEN HAVE A SCRATCH CHARACTER ZOMBIE
🫡🫡🫡
Damn went from VII-VIII-X fuck Final Fantasy IX fans I guess.
I’ve yet to play it fully, I didn’t feel I would be able to confidently cover it 🥲 I do apologize though!
Before enix ruined everything
It’s happening to all the great studios, sadly 😩
Uff, Square's "calming" design just irk me to no end. The stories are great, but all the art is incredibly bloated, full of irrelevant decoration. I hate the hair, clothes and exagerated manierisms of the characters so f*ing much.
Aye, to each their own! It’s what makes it for me personally 😅