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Bravely Default II

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This article is about the 2021 video game. For the second game in the series, see Bravely Second: End Layer.
Bravely Default II
Promotional artwork
Developer(s)Claytechworks
Publisher(s)
Director(s)
  • Shunsuke Iwami
Producer(s)
Designer(s)Shota Fukubaru
Programmer(s)Kei Sone
Artist(s)
  • Hajime Onuma
  • Naoki Ikushima
Writer(s)
  • Yura Kubota
  • Tomoyoshi Nagai
Composer(s)Revo
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
Release
  • Nintendo Switch
  • February 26, 2021
  • Windows
  • September 2, 2021
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Bravely Default II is a role-playing video game developed by Claytechworks and published by Square Enix. It was released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch on February 26, 2021, with Nintendo publishing the game on the platform outside of Japan, and was released for Windows on September 2, 2021. It is the third main installment in the Bravely series, following the original Bravely Default and its direct sequel Bravely Second: End Layer, both originally released on the Nintendo 3DS. It features a separate story, setting, and cast of characters.

The game’s story follows Seth, a young sailor who is swept ashore in a foreign kingdom after a storm. There, he encounters Gloria, a princess seeking to protect four elemental crystals from hostile forces; Elvis, a scholar searching for an ancient, mysterious book; and Adelle, a mercenary with her own goals. Together, they undertake a journey across the game's world, confronting powerful adversaries as they attempt to recover the crystals and restore balance to the world of Excillant.

Bravely Default II was released to generally positive critical reception; reviewers praised the game’s unique visual style, dramatic soundtrack, and its innovative additions to the traditional JRPG turn-based battle formula, although some critics considered the game’s plot to be predictable. As of December 2021, publisher Square Enix confirmed that it had sold more than one million units on the Nintendo Switch.[1]

Premise and gameplay

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Bravely Default II is the third main game in the Bravely series, following the original game Bravely Default and its sequel Bravely Second: End Layer.[2][3] While Second was a direct story continuation from the original, Bravely Default II features a new story and cast of characters.[4] Similar to prior titles, the game plays as a role-playing video game with turn-based battles.[5]

The game contains an updated variant of the prior games' "Brave Point" system and use of collecting different "asterisks" to change a character's job class.[5] Bravely Default II features turn-based combat that builds on the series’ signature "brave" and "default" systems. Players can choose to "default" during their turn, which allows them to defend and accumulate Brave Points (BP), or "brave," using stored BP to perform multiple actions in a single turn. This system encourages strategic decision-making, as players must weigh the benefits of conserving actions against the potential rewards of unleashing them all at once. Compared to previous titles, Bravely Default II introduces improved job customization, enhanced visuals, and refined battle mechanics, offering players more flexibility and depth in character development and strategy.

Plot

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Bravely Default II is set in a new world from prior games, on a continent named Excillant divided into five different kingdoms.[6] The game follows four main characters; a mysterious young sailor named Seth, a refugee princess named Gloria, a traveling scholar named Elvis, and a mercenary named Adelle.[6] The party sets off across the continent to retrieve the crystals of the four elements. These crystals were stolen from Gloria's destroyed homeland of Musa. Meanwhile, Elvis is trying to decipher an ancient book that cannot be read under normal circumstances, but occasionally reveals secrets of the past when it comes into contact with an Asterisk, which are powerful magical gems that grant knowledge and power.[7] The book doubles as the system the player uses to save their progress.

During their travels, the four become this age's Heroes of Light, fighting to prevent the misuse of the crystals by warriors of the Kingdom of Holograd, its leader Adam, and his advisor Edna. Periodically throughout the world's history, an ancient evil called the Night's Nexus must be sealed away, and the crystals choose four warriors to do so. Seth is chosen by the Wind Crystal, Gloria by the Water Crystal, Elvis by the Earth Crystal, and Adelle by the Fire Crystal. As the adventure continues, Adelle reveals that she is actually a fairy and that Edna is her sister. Edna hates humans and is trying to summon the Night's Nexus to destroy them all. Edna is the one who stole the Asterisks from the realm of the fairies to distribute to Holograd's forces, used them to empower Holograd's forces to seize the crystals through conquest or influence, and let humans drain the crystals' power on frivolous matters rather than their true purpose of suppressing the Nexus.

The four main characters, after having collected all the four crystals, battle and defeat Edna. Gloria sacrifices her life to empower the crystals again and seal the Night's Nexus away, continuing the cycle of previous Heroes of Light. While the end credits are displayed, this is a "bad ending", and the player is expected to continue onward. Upon the player deciding to continue, Gloria's sacrifice is shown to be merely a vision of a possible future which the group witnesses within Elvis's mysterious book. While Gloria is fine sacrificing herself to save the world, Seth vows to find another way to destroy the Night's Nexus. Allowing it to awaken in Excillant and attacking it, however, only leads to another "bad ending" as the Night's Nexus continually regenerates itself despite the party's best efforts. After scouring the world for every Asterisk, the four learn that the book contains the memories of the Night's Nexus and that the Night's Nexus was once a human woman who attempted to consume all information in the world and went insane. As long as the book remains intact, the Night's Nexus can never be permanently destroyed. The player is able to wipe away the Night's Nexus's "save data" within the book, allowing for her to be truly defeated. The party travels across the ocean separating dimensions to the Nexus's lair and the four emerge victorious, defeating the Nexus completely.

Development

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The game was announced for the Nintendo Switch at The Game Awards in December 2019.[4] Series producer Tomoya Asano stated that the reason for the game's title, Bravely Default II, was due to his belief that Bravely Second did not live up to fans' expectations, and its critical and commercial underperformance made it difficult for the team to continue on the series.[8] Team morale and finances improved following the release of the Japan-only mobile title Bravely Default: Fairy's Effect and the 2018 Nintendo Switch title Octopath Traveler, and the team decided to return to the series with a fresh start, with a game more similar to the original Default game instead.[8] Revo, who composed the soundtrack for Default but did not return for Second, was announced to return for Default II.[2]

A demo of the game was announced and released on March 26, 2020, following a Nintendo Direct Mini presentation.[9] Square Enix announced that they would be taking fan feedback from the demo and implementing it into the final release.[9] The demo features a story not featured in the final game.[10] The demo was generally praised, though many publications noted that the demo was more difficult than expected.[11][12][10][13][5]

Bravely Default II was later released on Windows PC on September 2, 2021 via the Steam online platformer. Unlike the Nintendo Switch version, the PC version supports framerates up to 120fps (compared to 30fps on the Switch), resolutions up to 4K, faster loading times, and more detailed graphical settings.[14] It was later verified to have full Steam Deck compatibility including Steam Cloud Save support.[15]

Reception

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The game received generally positive reviews upon release. IGN's Seth Macy commended the game for continuing the battle and Job systems from the previous titles, its customization and strategy, and its tough but rewarding boss battles. However, he expresses disappointment in the sidequests and dungeon designs.[22] GameSpot's Steve Watts lamented some of the changes to the battle system, chiefly the removal of automated battles, thus making grinding more arduous.[20] Game Informer's Daniel Tack expressed similar praise for the battle and Job systems and found the experience fulfilling overall, but formulaic to the point of being dull at points.[19] RPGamer's Anna Marie Privitere singled out the lack of a quest log and the imbalance of some Job classes as negatives, but overall concluded that Bravely Default II was her favorite game in the series thus far.[28]

The game's presentation was generally praised by outlets. Macy called the visuals "jaw-droppingly beautiful" while adding that "the upgrade to the Switch has lost a little of their charm from the tiny worlds of the 3DS, and each location is stunning in HD".[22] Watts expressed similar praise, adding "anytime I got access to a new job, I would immediately play dolls with my four heroes, seeing each of their unique looks in the new outfits".[20] Tack called the visuals "all over the place," pointing out the contrast between some that were "quite picturesque and memorable" with strong lighting, and others that were "drab caves, earthy sprawls, and undercityscapes," concluding that the overworlds were merely to serve as a backdrop for enemy encounters.[19] Privitere praised the "lush environments ranging from grasslands to deserts and icy valleys to volcanic mountain heights". However, she commented that the chibi-styled character models, while not unattractive, were not quite so distinct compared to similar smaller-scale titles on the Nintendo Switch.[28]

Sales

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In August 2021, just prior to the release of the PC version of the game, Square Enix announced that the Switch version of the game had shipped over 950,000 copies worldwide.[29][30] On December 22, 2021, Square Enix announced that Bravely Default II has sold a million copies.[31]

Future

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In 2021, series producer Tomoya Asano stated that the game was well-enough received to work on further entries in the series, but that a sequel was likely 3–4 years out.[32]

References

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  1. ^ Doolan, Liam (2021-12-22). "It's Official, Bravely Default II Has Now Sold Over One Million Units". NintendoLife. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  2. ^ a b Minotti, Mike (December 12, 2019). "Bravely Default II (confusingly the third in the series) comes to Switch in 2020". Venture Beat. Archived from the original on December 13, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  3. ^ Ramée, Jordan (December 13, 2019). "Switch Exclusive Bravely Default 2 (Not To Be Confused With Bravely Second) Coming Next Year". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Lee, Justin (December 12, 2019). "Bravely Default 2 coming to Switch in 2020". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 13, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Macy, Seth (March 26, 2020). "Bravely Default 2 Demo: Turn-Based JRPG Goodness in a Gorgeous New Wrapper". IGN. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Wales, Matt (March 26, 2020). "Square Enix's J-RPG follow-up Bravely Default 2 now has a demo on Switch". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  7. ^ King, Austin (February 22, 2021). "Who Bravely Default 2's Playable Characters Are". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Wong, Alistair (April 14, 2020). "Bravely Default II Producer Asano Apologizes for Bravely Second". Siliconera. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Minotti, Mike (March 26, 2020). "Bravely Default II demo releases on Switch". Venturebeat. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Notis, Ari (March 31, 2020). "The Bravely Default II Demo Is Weirdly Hard, So Here's How To Survive". Kotaku. Archived from the original on April 28, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  11. ^ Oxford, Nadia (March 26, 2020). "The Bravely Default 2 Demo Wants to Drink Your Blood and Eat Your Bones". US Gamer. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  12. ^ Andriessen, CJ (March 29, 2020). "The Bravely Default 2 demo is not here to make nice". Destructoid. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  13. ^ Masem, Matt (April 1, 2020). "Bravely Default II Demo Impression". RPGamer. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  14. ^ Madnani, Mikhail (2021-10-08). "Bravely Default 2 PC Review • The Mako Reactor". The Mako Reactor. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  15. ^ Joshua, Orpheus (2022-11-04). "Bravely Default II Now Steam Deck Verified; Cloud Save Functionality Enabled". Noisy Pixel. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  16. ^ "Bravely Default II for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  17. ^ "Bravely Default II for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  18. ^ "Review: Bravely Default II". Destructoid. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  19. ^ a b c "Bravely Default II". Game Informer. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  20. ^ a b c "Bravely Default 2 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  21. ^ Wood, Austin (2021-02-25). "Bravely Default 2 review: "Nostalgic but innovative, complex yet approachable, and overflowing with character"". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  22. ^ a b c "Bravely Default 2 Review". IGN. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  23. ^ "Bravely Default II Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  24. ^ Rudek, Jordan (12 March 2021). "Bravely Default II (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  25. ^ Marie Privitere, Anna (15 April 2021). "Bravely Default II Review". RPGamer. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  26. ^ Sollosi, Michael (24 April 2021). "Bravely Default II". RPGFan. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  27. ^ Hawkins, Josh (25 February 2021). "Bravely Default 2 review: Modernly old-fashioned". Shacknews. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  28. ^ a b Privitere, Anne Marie (April 15, 2021). "Bravely Default II Review". RPGamer. Archived from the original on 2021-04-15. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  29. ^ "『ブレイブリーデフォルトII』Steam版9月3日(金)発売決定！ | トピックス | SQUARE ENIX".
  30. ^ Vitale, Adam (August 28, 2021). "Bravely Default II has surpassed 950,000 units sold on Nintendo Switch". RPG Site.
  31. ^ Romano, Sal (December 22, 2021). "Bravely Default II shipments and digital sales top one million". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22.
  32. ^ Triezenberg, Peter (7 September 2021). "Bravely Default Producer "Hoping" to Continue the Series Following Success of Bravely Default II". RPGFan.
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