With
the path Square-Enix has gone down these days, you’d be forgiven if you assumed
a classic game that captured the spirit of the older Final Fantasies would never
see the light of day. But here we are; Bravely Default was released earlier
this year in America. I admit that I found it hard to get into at first, but
the effort was worth it. If you liked those old Final Fantasies, such as III, IV,
V, VI, or IX, you’re going to really enjoy this game.
Story
Bravely
Default is set in the world of Luxendarc, which is on the brink of being
engulfed by darkness unless the Four Crystals are awakened. Sound familiar? It
seems to be a plot ripped straight out of Final Fantasy III, but things soon
take a very dark twist. I was actually quite surprised to see the game delving
into heavy subjects such as child labor or the use of chemical weapons. The
seemingly cute and innocent graphical style hides a rather depressing world,
and I think it’s because of these darker elements that the plot has more depth
than the cookie-cutter "awaken the crystals story" that III had.
In
terms of characters, they aren’t bad, but seem a little bland and archetypal at
first. Tiz is your typical nice guy hero who has his home destroyed at the
start of the game. Agnes is a young woman with the duty to awaken the crystals
(though the game’s take on her character archetype is quite interesting).
Ringabel is your typical amnesiac character with a mysterious past (though said
past turns out to be outright terrifying and depressing when you’re able to
piece together some backstory later in the game). And Edea is an ex-Eternian
Sky Knight who sees the world in “black or white”. With that said, they do get
development as the game progresses; it’s nothing groundbreaking, but it's excusable
considering what this game was intended to be.
Gameplay
The
gameplay is where Bravely Default truly shines. Similar to the likes of Final
Fantasy V, you’ve got a lot of Jobs to choose from as the game progresses. Each
of these Jobs is unique, and none of them felt like they were useless. You’re
able to have a Job Command from a different Job Class set to your character,
allowing more variety. For example, I can set the White Magic Command to a
Black Mage, allowing him/her to cover both magical offense and healing. Each
Job also has several skills that you’ll learn as you level them up. You can set
these skills into skill slots, where they’ll remain active or take effect no
matter what Job you use. As a result, the game ends up having a lot of
customization.
The
battle system is also a unique twist on turn-based RPGs. There are two commands
in this game called “Brave” and “Default”. Using Brave allows you to stock up
to 3 extra actions for one character. Each action costs 1 BP, unless an ability
description states otherwise. You can stock up those actions in advance,
bringing your BP all the way down to -4. However, this leaves you as a sitting
duck once you’re done attacking. As for Default, it’s basically the guard
option with a twist. You gain one extra BP when you Default, for a maximum of 3
BP. To sum it up, you’re able to strategically save up BP and then use it when
needed, or you can make a gamble and use those turns without building up BP
first. But beware, enemies can also Brave and Default, leading to nasty
situations if you’re not careful.
Speaking
of enemies, this game’s actually quite challenging at first. Unlike other RPGs,
this game emphasizes strategy and Job setups. You can’t just spam Braves and
attack until a boss is dead; this will get you utterly destroyed. Making proper
Job combinations and knowing when to use certain abilities is crucial to
surviving.
On
the other hand, Bravely Default also has great user-friendly features. You’re
able to change the difficulty at will, adjust the encounter rate (or turn it
off entirely), and turn on/off EXP, JP, or money gain. These features are
really something a lot more games should have.
Early
in the game, since Tiz’s village is destroyed, he decides to rebuild it. This
brings in a unique element of gameplay; by Streetpassing with other people (or
updating your friend data on the save screen daily), you’ll gain villagers.
These villagers can be delegated to specific jobs, such as building a bridge or
a shop. The more villagers are working on one job, the less time it will take
for them to complete it. When you build or upgrade shops, their wares will
become available for purchase from the Adventurer (who shows up damn near
everywhere and acts as a save point).
Graphics
The
game uses a chibi-esque style for character models, and the artstyle is
reminiscent of Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light (which this game is meant
to be a spiritual successor to). The game looks vibrant and colorful, though as
I’ve said before, don’t let this artstyle fool you into thinking that this
game’s story is lighthearted.
Soundtrack/Voice
Acting
Bravely
Default’s soundtrack is amazing, with memorable themes everywhere. You’ll
quickly realize that the game is NOT screwing around when you first hear the
boss music for Asterisk Bearers (That Person’s Name Is) or the monsters
guarding the Crystals (Fighting to the End). Reevo did an excellent job on this
game’s music, so it’s a shame they won’t be returning for Bravely Second.
Length
It
took me around 50 hours or so to finish the story, but a lot of that time was
also spent grinding. There’s sidequests to do, and an optional dungeon to
unlock as well. However, the game does get somewhat repetitive during the
second half. How long that part will take also depends on if you plan on doing
everything in each chapter. Overall, though, it’s a good game if you’re looking
for something to clock a lot of time into.
Verdict:
9/10
Pros
- Nostalgic yet innovative battle system
- The plot can get quite interesting (and dark)
- Amazing soundtrack
- Great job system
- Lots of user-friendly features
Cons
- Characters can seem a little bland at first
- Second half of the game can feel repetitive
Anyone
looking for an RPG that evokes the classic Final Fantasy spirit should pick
this game up. It’s one of the best titles on the 3DS, and worth getting even if
it’s your first RPG.
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