Summary
Immersion as an element of game design has only really started becoming more emphasized in the last decade or two. Thanks to how much more technically advanced games have become in their presentation, it means developers are able to engross players into their worlds by making them feel as believable and realistic as possible, and one developer who’s made full use of this on more than a few occasions isSquare Enix.
BecauseSquare Enixoften prefers to base their games onthe fantasy genre, it’s not always easy to make these worlds feel immersive, considering how outlandish and over the top they can be. Considering how long they’ve been in the industry though, it makes sense Square Enix would by now have a good grasp of how to make an immersive game that sinks its hooks into the player and allows them to escape from the stresses of the real world for a little while. Here are the Square Enix games that fans consider to be most immersive in how they play, look, and sound.
This list will primarily feature games that were developed and published by Square Enix, along with titles that were made during their time being separate from Square and Enix.
Dragon Quest 3was considered to be an extremely innovative and ambitious game when it was released in 1988, not only because it was the first entry to dip into being open-world, but also because of itsunique day and night cycle. Depending on the time of the day, players will be able to find specific items, weapons, and characters scattered across the mysterious medieval world which will help them in their grand epic adventure.
These sorts of cycles have actually been seen in more modern RPGs such asOctopath Traveler 2, but the factDragon Quest 3featured it so early on made it a truly ambitious addition which added an extra layer of immersion to the whole experience. The fact that the map itself is so varied in its environments also helps to make this gigantic fantasy world feel alive and believable.
Once players are dropped onto the desolate surface of Earth inNier Automata, they’ll be free to explore a stunning world packed full ofvisual storytelling, which makes it hard not to want to explore every inch of what the map has to offer. Giant crumbling castles, rusty machines stuck in place, and long stretches of greenery all come together to create a world that feels empty and desolate, but also eerily believable.
Another reason why the game is often considered to be so immersive is due to how much variety it contains within its environment. One moment, players will be exploring a dimly lit amusement park, while the next, they’ll be scavenging resources in a torn-down dusty skyscraper. This attention to detail makes the world feel believable as opposed to simply being another video game sandbox, and when paired with the gorgeous graphics and intense combat system, it ensures the players' eyes will never need to leave the screen during a playthrough.
ThoughThe Quiet Manreceived mixed reviewsupon its release in 2018, one thing many reviewers commended was how much it committed to the deaf gimmick which is at the center of the story and gameplay. Because the main character, Dane, is almost completely deaf, players are forced to pay extra-close attention to the enemy’s movements in combat, which provides a unique twist that puts players in the shoes of the main character.
The Quiet Manis also a game that constantly switches between live-action and in-game segments, but because the visuals are respectable, it’s not always easy to deduce what’s real or not, making the world feel authentic. Even though the game largely went under the radar of many people or was just straight-up disliked, how it demands players' attention results in a unique, immersive, albeit flawed, game overall.
Rise of the Tomb Raideralready received a lot of praise for how well it managed to suck players into its open world, but the sequel,Shadow of the Tomb Raider, takes this to a whole new level, mostly because of its setting. Being primarily based in the jungles of Peru meantCrystal Dynamicscould get pretty creative with their sound design, as it allows the animals to remind players that they are trespassing across some dangerous territory just from their roars and howls alone.
The game also feels realistic due to its core gameplay mechanics, not only in terms of the stealth which is designed to be slow and methodical, but also in the amount of hunting Lara will need to do in order to acquire resources. This allows the game to feel like more of an immersive fight for survival where careful planning and strategy are required to make it through in one piece, rather than a game that is always giving players everything they need, which would easily take them out of the experience.
Final Fantasy 15is a game that’s dedicated to being as immersive as possible, and while this proved to be a little irritating for some players, there are many others who felt it enhanced the whole experience and helped to make up for the game’s shortcomings. For much of the story,Noctis and his friendswill be cruising through the open world in the Regalia, stopping at towns, chilling in cafes, and resting up at campfires as they go. The game is therefore much slower than what longtime fans were used to, but it also does an exceptional job at building the world and making the party feel like a genuine group of friends who can always enjoy one another’s company.
It’s also staggering how much detail went into the environment ofFinal Fantasy 15’sworld, not just in terms of visuals, but also with the many creatures and animals who can all be seen going about their own business when not being interacted with. The dynamic day and night cycle also contributes to the realism, along with the constant banter that the group is always having with one another. From the moment players start pushing the broken-down Regalia at the start of the game, they are instantly thrust into an enormous world that really stands out for how well-crafted it is, and how gorgeous it is to look at.
When creating the open world ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, it feels like Square Enix took everything people liked aboutFinal Fantasy 15’s, and improved upon it to make what some consider to be the most rich and immersive map to date. One such improvement was filling in the world with more towns and villages, while also leaving more than enough landscape for players to wander through when traveling from A to B.
Thankfully, there are still plenty of ways to get around which negate the need for Fast Travel, keeping players fully immersed in the world at all times. Of course, there’s also the deeply personal story, which in turn makes the whole world ofFinal Fantasy 7and its characters feel realistic and relatable. It does also need to be mentioned that the game benefits from the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller functions like the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, in case players didn’t already feel like they were right there with Cloud and the party ontheir hunt for Sephiroth.
