KàIRóS
Member
I've had this game since the 2021 launch but had to skip it back then, I just couldn't focus on gaming in general during the pandemic, however the recent announcement of the Bravely Default 1 remaster made me remember about it and I kid you guys not I've been absolutely obsessed with BD2 for the past month or so, I genuinely think it's the best Square Enix game since Dragon Quest XI and yes I also loved Octopath Traveler 2 but this game right here is truly something special among JRPGs (IMO)
The Best Version of the ATB Battle System and FF Job System ever
Unlike BD1 and BS:EL which used a classic turn based system ala FFI-III, BD2 uses a modified ATB system, particularly the one from FFV as that game also had the classic Job System (FF Class System) and for that reason alone many players (including me) still consider FFV the best Turn Based FF gameplay wise but BD2 takes that template even further with new classes, a lot of QoL improvements, and also the Brave and Default mechanics from the previous BD games, some of the later classes can even affect turn order like the delay and turn cancel mechanics in the Grandia games! I absolutely adore the combat in this game and it's without a doubt the biggest highlight of the game, seriously if you like turn based you NEED to play this game.
Meh Story for most of the game but then you get to the ending and OMFG...
The story while not terrible is for the most part generic for quite a big chunk of the game and using many tropes from the previous BD games, there's a few plot twists here and there to keep the player engaged, some revelations from the characters, some unexpected detours, etc, basic plot twist stuff but then you get to the ending (or first ending I should say) and things get really really interesting, suddenly you start caring for characters that were lackluster up to that point, the other BD games also did this but in a worse way in my opinion, the rush of the multiple endings is not something I've seen often, it's kinda like the multiple endings in Chrono Trigger or in Yoko Taro games (Nier/Drakengard) but way more tense, unexpected and emotional and I really liked it.
Eargasmic soundtrack, Minigames and classic Overworld Map design, just a good ol' JRPG
Oh man the battle themes in this game are so incredible and bombastic, here I am fighting some random painter girl and her theme has absolutely no right to be this stupidly epic, you end up entering combat just to have a bop to the battle themes, it also has a really good card battler minigame (why do JRPGs have so many good ones?) it uses a classic overworld map design for nostalgia, exploration and enemy challenges AND they also prevented the horrible backtracking of the second half in BD1, finally the post game is also a highlight as it keeps giving you new classes and ways to play even that late into the game, just a pure classic JRPG.
This game was an easy 10/10 for me (and I played the shittier Switch version BTW), absolutely outstanding JRPG, I might even include it in my top 10 JRPGs of all time who knows, right now I'm just crossing my fingers for a new game, please SE do it, you are pardoned for the shit you've done lately if you do
The Best Version of the ATB Battle System and FF Job System ever
Unlike BD1 and BS:EL which used a classic turn based system ala FFI-III, BD2 uses a modified ATB system, particularly the one from FFV as that game also had the classic Job System (FF Class System) and for that reason alone many players (including me) still consider FFV the best Turn Based FF gameplay wise but BD2 takes that template even further with new classes, a lot of QoL improvements, and also the Brave and Default mechanics from the previous BD games, some of the later classes can even affect turn order like the delay and turn cancel mechanics in the Grandia games! I absolutely adore the combat in this game and it's without a doubt the biggest highlight of the game, seriously if you like turn based you NEED to play this game.
Meh Story for most of the game but then you get to the ending and OMFG...
The story while not terrible is for the most part generic for quite a big chunk of the game and using many tropes from the previous BD games, there's a few plot twists here and there to keep the player engaged, some revelations from the characters, some unexpected detours, etc, basic plot twist stuff but then you get to the ending (or first ending I should say) and things get really really interesting, suddenly you start caring for characters that were lackluster up to that point, the other BD games also did this but in a worse way in my opinion, the rush of the multiple endings is not something I've seen often, it's kinda like the multiple endings in Chrono Trigger or in Yoko Taro games (Nier/Drakengard) but way more tense, unexpected and emotional and I really liked it.
Eargasmic soundtrack, Minigames and classic Overworld Map design, just a good ol' JRPG
Oh man the battle themes in this game are so incredible and bombastic, here I am fighting some random painter girl and her theme has absolutely no right to be this stupidly epic, you end up entering combat just to have a bop to the battle themes, it also has a really good card battler minigame (why do JRPGs have so many good ones?) it uses a classic overworld map design for nostalgia, exploration and enemy challenges AND they also prevented the horrible backtracking of the second half in BD1, finally the post game is also a highlight as it keeps giving you new classes and ways to play even that late into the game, just a pure classic JRPG.
This game was an easy 10/10 for me (and I played the shittier Switch version BTW), absolutely outstanding JRPG, I might even include it in my top 10 JRPGs of all time who knows, right now I'm just crossing my fingers for a new game, please SE do it, you are pardoned for the shit you've done lately if you do
