You have too much free time and love awful games? I got something for you! Various Daylife not only has a weird name, it is also the worst RPG by Square Enix.
Square Enix is known for a series of great RPGs, such as Dragon Quest, Octopath Traveler, and of course, Final Fantasy, which is getting it's next installment at the end of February with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. But what about the less popular titles? Are there even bad RPGs from this publisher? The short answer is: Oh yes, there are.
Various Daylife: Square Enix's Worst Game On Steam
During the wait for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, I clicked through all Square Enix releases on Steam and got the idea to sort the list by reviews. At the very end, I found this gem, Various Daylife, which has 170 reviews and only manages to get a rating of 33%. The reviews quickly reveal the reasons why.
Before we delve into the game itself, let me mention something amusing. It seems that many players only have the game in their library because they bought it in a bundle with Octopath Traveler II, thus reducing the price for that game, which is an excellent RPG. Technically, they were paid to get Various Daylife.
However, the reviews still didn't turn out any better, as this quote by user Supes_SMTR shows.
I bought this with Octopath 2 since it was cheaper this way, therefore technically being given money to own this game and I still want my money back
Your Everyday Life In The Game Is Worse Than Your Real Everyday Life
Various Daylife was originally released for iOS in 2019, which certainly explains a lot of the criticisms. In 2022, it was ported to PC, Switch, and PS4. However, it didn't receive any upgrades that would justify this port, and people quickly and mercilessly passed their judgment.
The game is set in the year 211 of the Imperial Era, where a new continent has been discovered and needs to be explored. In the city of Erebia, you live your life, working in one of the 20 job classes, and socializing with other ordinary citizens. However, you're not so ordinary because you are part of an adventure guild tasked with exploring the continent and making it safe for others.
Sounds not too bad at first, if a bit uninspired. The issue with the jobs is the first major point that drives players to frustration. In the end, you are essentially playing an idle game here, but without the ability to be idle, as you have to click through menus repeatedly without even seeing what your character is actually doing for work.
But work is only half of life. The other half consists of adventures, defeating monsters, and traveling the world. Unfortunately, Various Daylife doesn't handle that aspect particularly well either. Your group travels through the landscape via a side-scrolling view without any control from you, occasionally encountering monsters. In turn-based battles, you beat them up without having to consult your intellect, as the game already marks the best actions for you.
Now, one could say: Fine, gameplay, whatever. If the story is good, I don't care about the rest. Well, in the reviews, it's labeled as boring and nonsensical, with the dialogues deemed sluggish and insignificant.
In the end, this game is a grindfest that screams "mobile game" from every pore. It looks cheap, plays cheaply, and wastes your valuable lifetime. It's no wonder that Square Enix tried to boost sales with the Octopath Traveler II bundle. However, it's hardly believable that the game was partly developed by the team responsible for Octopath Traveler and Bravely Default. I guess nobody is perfect.