Bravely Default

 3DS
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 693 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 557 out of 693
  2. Mixed: 81 out of 693
  3. Negative: 55 out of 693
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  1. asfj
    Dec 9, 2013
    9
    Wow, the atmosphere is classic, the scenery is elegant. I am waiting for such a game so long time. Maybe I am a bit out of date, but this is really my style. The only thing I don't like is the character setting, too cute.
  2. Falcus
    Dec 6, 2013
    8
    Awesome game, near perfect.
    People will hate on the voice acting and script, but that's their opinion.

    CG: 9.5
    PR: 9
    VI: 10
    AU: 10
    GP: 10
    LA: 10

    9.6/10
  3. PenisMan69
    Mar 5, 2014
    8
    The first half of the game is absolutely amazing. 30 hours worth of 10/10 material. Gameplay is amazing: There's a straightforward job (class) system and 24 different jobs, that mix together well. The plot is solid - not exceptional, but it does its job. Characters are pretty flat and bland - still, they do their part, as long as you're not expecting a tale of personal growth.

    The    The first half of the game is absolutely amazing. 30 hours worth of 10/10 material. Gameplay is amazing: There's a straightforward job (class) system and 24 different jobs, that mix together well. The plot is solid - not exceptional, but it does its job. Characters are pretty flat and bland - still, they do their part, as long as you're not expecting a tale of personal growth.

    The second half of the game is, at best, a 4/10. It's extremely repetitive. I can't say much more without spoiling anything, but... when you get there, you'll understand.

    Still, 100% worth playing this game.    … Expand
  4. nkanhai
    Apr 25, 2014
    9
    To be direct, this game satisfied an innate desire to play an evolved yet similar old-school Final Fantasy game from my youth. It may go under a different title, but I assure you this is a fantastic throwback to Squaresoft's jrpg heyday from the SNES/PS1 era.

    Graphics: The first thing you'll notice about the game is how it takes full advantage of the 3DS capabilities, offering    To be direct, this game satisfied an innate desire to play an evolved yet similar old-school Final Fantasy game from my youth. It may go under a different title, but I assure you this is a fantastic throwback to Squaresoft's jrpg heyday from the SNES/PS1 era.

    Graphics:

    The first thing you'll notice about the game is how it takes full advantage of the 3DS capabilities, offering beautiful environments and an excellent 3D effect. The first time you see the zoom-out effect you'll understand what I mean. The graphics stay true throughout, and for my part I never got bored. The character designs do follow a more cutesy type approach, but not to the detriment of the game. I found myself appreciating the artstyle, despite having really disliked the DS remake of FFII (IV) character models. Silicon Studio, the developer of the game (it was published by Square-Enix in Japan, and by Nintendo of America for the rest of the world), shows an incredible amount of artistic talent throughout the game.

    One thing I could have used more of, however, were extra FMV cutscenes.

    Gameplay:

    The most important gameplay element that sets this game apart from your typical turn-based rpg is that there is a option to either attack, Brave, of Default. The Brave option allows you command an extra attack, up to a maximum of 4. The Default option allows you to store up Brave points, also serving as a 'guard' like function, reducing physical damages taken from enemies. At later stages in the game, learning the battle system and how to properly use it becomes essential to beating some of the bigger and meaner bosses. It is an excellent system, and one of my favorite parts of the game.

    The class system is fun and interesting, with new and never seen before jobs that are creative and fun. I never felt compelled to max out all of the classes, and some are far more useful than others. I was also satisfied with the 'special moves' that characters could get after completing a number of actions. These special moves could be customized, which meant that they could be tailored to attack the weaknesses of certain bosses, allowing for more engaging loadout procedures.

    The game does not offer much up in terms of a battle arena or extra gameplay options, which in my opinion could have helped when the game started to feel slightly repetitive.

    Sound:

    The music in BD is excellent. I won't go into too much detail, but the tracks are varied and catchy, without ever getting on your nerves (even after your 30th dungeon crawl to one of the same tunes).

    The voice acting, however, I had some trouble digesting. I found both the English and Japanese voice acting only served to make the characters feel more childish and less accessible from an emphatic point of view. I very quickly turned it off and read the text instead. Some people seemed to enjoy the voicework, so I suppose this is purely objective.

    Story:

    This is where I'm sort of mixed, opinion-wise. I didn't love the story, but I didn't hate it either. It was a competent attempt at delivering a kind of scifi yet not storyline. Where it failed was in the character interactions, and more importantly, in keeping a steady and focused sense of narrative progression throughout. It would oftentimes jump back and forth, repeat cutscenes and dialogue exchanges, and resorted to some lazy corner cutting. It is not only noticeable, but disappointing. I honestly felt like the premise for the story was solid and even interesting, but its potential was let down by its execution.

    Hopes for Bravely Second:

    - I'd like to see more of those gorgeous environments and excellent 3DS battle stages.
    - Keep the music coming!
    - A more developed storyline, more focused on delivery than relying on its concept alone. Pay more attention to the character interactions, make the characters a bit more lively and less reliant on their stereotypical personalities.
    - Don't make me repeat the second part of the game 5 times, please. Extending the playtime in a game for the sake of adding bulk is annoying. I put 98h into this game, when it could easily have ended around the 60h mark.

    Thanks for reading!    … Expand
  5. SirFeitan
    Feb 13, 2014
    10
    I was undecided which game to buy for my new 3ds. I've found this one. Looked trailer and after I've seen "Square Enix" , I decided to give it a try. I am currently playing this game a lot of time and I'm really enjoying it pretty much. It reminds old times when I was playing my first rpg (ff 7), when you have to discover the story,fight enemies for raise your level. Music are alsoI was undecided which game to buy for my new 3ds. I've found this one. Looked trailer and after I've seen "Square Enix" , I decided to give it a try. I am currently playing this game a lot of time and I'm really enjoying it pretty much. It reminds old times when I was playing my first rpg (ff 7), when you have to discover the story,fight enemies for raise your level. Music are also fantastic. It really worth all the moneys. A fantastic adventure that every old RPG gamer should have in their own collection.… Expand
  6. TrueJustice123
    Jul 7, 2014
    10
    Okay, first off. This game, is my favorite Video Game of all time, and it is very hard to even get on my top 10 list, so you imagine how amazing this game is for me. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for RPGs, but this is more than a typical RPG.

    First off, the Visuals, absolutely gorgeous. There are a lot of minute details that are so fun to notice, such as noticing Anchiem has no earth    Okay, first off. This game, is my favorite Video Game of all time, and it is very hard to even get on my top 10 list, so you imagine how amazing this game is for me. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for RPGs, but this is more than a typical RPG.

    First off, the Visuals, absolutely gorgeous. There are a lot of minute details that are so fun to notice, such as noticing Anchiem has no earth underneath it, and is just hanging from its sides. There isn't much to say about the visuals except for the fact that they're absolutely stunning.

    The music. While it never stood out to me, it is still a very nice soundtrack that I wouldn't mind purchasing at all. Also, the Voice Acting is very well done. Anyone who says otherwise... Mrgrgr...

    The story... If I did explain even the first 30 minutes, I'd go way over the 5000 character limit. So, I'll explain just the intro. You are greeted by a little fairy, and she asks you to go on a journey, and to never leave. Not much choice with this game, or... At all... She assumes you say yes and thanks you, and you are introduced to our four main characters through the most beautiful cutscene in gaming. You see a Girl, wielding a sword, and you hear her explain herself. "I am Edea Lee" are the first things you hear. She is battling a Master of the sword and loses, she then is given a blade by the Swordsmaster after hers is broken, and then sent off. She is the daughter of the Templar, but you don't quite know who that is until later on. You then are introduced to a man in a city, he says he has no memory, but says his name is "Ringabel", which I greatly enjoy the pun of, he is introduced as a "ladies' man". You then see a girl in a temple. "I am Angés Oblige." You hear. She then says she is the "Vestal of Wind", whatever that means. (You find out later.) She is praying to a Green Crystal. (The Wind Crystal, it's a Final Fantasy-esque game, what did you expect?) Then it turns a black and seems to explode. You hear "Protect the Vestal!" and all the Torches lighting the area go black. You then are introduced to a young man, "My name is Tiz Arrior." you hear. He lives with hid Brother, Til, in the village of Norende, living a calm, peaceful life. Suddenly, the city starts being consumed by an abyss forming from the inside out. Tiz and Til run, but Til falls, Tiz manages to grab his hand and attempts to pull him up. Til says to his brother, "Let me go! We'll both fall at this rate!" and Tiz still keeps trying, but he loses his grip, and his brother falls... An amazing way to introduce you to the characters, huh? The rest of the story gets even better, especially with all the side-quests giving you bonus parts of the story (along with new jobs).

    The Gameplay is where the game shines its brightest, so, I'll start with the selling point of the game, the Brave and Default system. You have Brave Points, every action requires one Brave Point and you get a Brave Point at the end of a turn. You can use Brave up to three times per turn, allowing for a maximum of 4 actions per character. Default is the guard of this game, but not only that, but it doesn't cost Brave Points to use, so you can accumulate Brave Points over time. You can also Brave from the beginning and go into the Negative, but until you're back out of negative BP, you can't act. Also, there's SP, which is BP on steroids. You can accumulate SP by putting your DS in Sleep Mode while Playing, and every 8 hours, you get 1 SP. s with BP, you can get a maximum of 3 SP, and also go into the negatives. What makes SP so special is that you can use it at any time. Also, while attacking with SP, you can go over the damage limit of 9,999 and go all the way up to 999,999 damage in one attack, which is easy in no way, shape, or form. Also is the Job system. These are the incentives to doing side quests, unless you want the story like me. You can get ~9 jobs through the main story, but with side quests you can get all the others for a total of 24 each character can have 2 jobs at the same time, one primary, the other secondary. The primary job grants the look of the character and a passive ability and can level up. The secondary only has the battle commands for that job. You can switch jobs at any time, allowing for a lot of customization. Along with attack commands, when a job levels up you can unlock a support ability, which is an equip-able passive skill. You start with one support slot and unlock 4 more throughout the story. Some abilities take up more than one slot. A support skill can be used regardless of what job you are, whether you are using the job that it is from or not. The entire job system allows for so much character customization and I love it for that. There's also an equipment system and item system, generic Final Fantasy stuff. But the equipment is more like Dragon Quest 9's equipment system, minus effecting the character's look (minus costumes).

    So, yeah. My favorite game, and why. Do yourself a favor and buy it.    … Expand
  7. PuckMan
    Feb 26, 2014
    7
    Bravely Default has a turn based combat system of great depth. There's probably a little bit too much level grinding in it but it is satisfying when you feel your attacks becoming more powerful and your able to steam roll enemies which had previously been problematic.

    Then random battles are there for a reason. So you can experiment with different job classes and tactics and to try out    Bravely Default has a turn based combat system of great depth. There's probably a little bit too much level grinding in it but it is satisfying when you feel your attacks becoming more powerful and your able to steam roll enemies which had previously been problematic.

    Then random battles are there for a reason. So you can experiment with different job classes and tactics and to try out new equipment and magic. But there isn't enough content to go round and the ground hog day final chapters are extremely repetitive as you repeat yourself over and over and over and over again.

    Characters are so-so and the story is not worth mentioning. The street-pass features are pointless. Great presentation, graphics and music.

    Overall a highly polished turn based RPG with derivative story and not enough content for it's deep combat system.    … Expand
  8. alexaxa
    Apr 14, 2014
    9
    This game is what the most recent Final Fantasy should play like ! It's using the classic battle system from the most beloved RPG serie with the great job system from Final Fantasy V. There is a lot of configuration that allow you to play like you want to play (change combat speed, change encounter rate (even set to zero), auto combat for faster grinding ...) instead of trying to dictateThis game is what the most recent Final Fantasy should play like ! It's using the classic battle system from the most beloved RPG serie with the great job system from Final Fantasy V. There is a lot of configuration that allow you to play like you want to play (change combat speed, change encounter rate (even set to zero), auto combat for faster grinding ...) instead of trying to dictate how you should play (like in the recent FF XIII series with level cap, no exp or gil at end of combat etc..).

    The first fourth chapters are a 10/10 but the last four are more of a 6. Since the last chapters can be done really quickly (2-3hours vs 50hrs for the first fourth for me) , i give this game an 8.5 .    … Expand
  9. Plasmaneedle
    May 15, 2014
    9
    Bravely Default is a landmark JRPG. It's an interesting new take on the turn based battle system allows for whole new layers of depth adding new strategies and making the standard formula more addictive. And the enemies present a challenge which forces you to dig deep into the combat system to find new strategies for taking down enemies. The plot and characters aren't the greatest but theyBravely Default is a landmark JRPG. It's an interesting new take on the turn based battle system allows for whole new layers of depth adding new strategies and making the standard formula more addictive. And the enemies present a challenge which forces you to dig deep into the combat system to find new strategies for taking down enemies. The plot and characters aren't the greatest but they could be worse.… Expand
  10. MissJ
    Feb 25, 2014
    10
    Great game, so many skills and ways to custumize your character and a great story to boot, I do recommand playing with the japanese voice on. Hours of fun
  11. SweetCreature
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    Just wow, from the first moment you delve into this game the atmosphere just sucks you in. The innovative battle system doesn't sound like much on paper but it defines the game. I was so interested that I waited to play the game till a period of time where I wouldn't be disturbed. It's that attractive.
  12. im4k
    Mar 16, 2014
    10
    This game is amazing! Classic JRPG gameplay, with a unique battling system that handles very nicely. I will admit that the voice acting can be a bit cheesy, BUT this was EASILY solved by changing the game audio to Japanese (if you haven't done this yet DO IT!).

    I've been waiting a long time for a great JRPG that gets everything right. Reminds me of when I first played through Golden    This game is amazing! Classic JRPG gameplay, with a unique battling system that handles very nicely. I will admit that the voice acting can be a bit cheesy, BUT this was EASILY solved by changing the game audio to Japanese (if you haven't done this yet DO IT!).

    I've been waiting a long time for a great JRPG that gets everything right. Reminds me of when I first played through Golden Sun on GBA.

    I cannot stress enough, however, that just switching the dialogue language will make all the difference! Japanese dub w/English sub, you won't regret it!    … Expand
  13. Reace14
    Feb 7, 2015
    7
    Half of the game is repeated... not once, not twice... but over and over and over again. It's a cheap and lazy way of extending the game's play time. A HUGE flaw in an otherwise decent JRPG with a mediocre story but excellent class and ability system. The battle system and gear selection force a little more strategy into boss fights than I am accustomed to in JRPGs, and was one of theHalf of the game is repeated... not once, not twice... but over and over and over again. It's a cheap and lazy way of extending the game's play time. A HUGE flaw in an otherwise decent JRPG with a mediocre story but excellent class and ability system. The battle system and gear selection force a little more strategy into boss fights than I am accustomed to in JRPGs, and was one of the bright spots in an otherwise typical game. Learning the strategies for each boss was a lot of fun... even if they weren't exactly difficult. Only once or twice did my entire team wipe. Even the few times I did lose and reload from the last checkpoint, it was a simple matter of changing up gearjobsabilities to adjust to a new strategy. I would have scored it higher had I not had to replay certain parts of the game multiple times! Ridiculous.… Expand
  14. Mystril
    Feb 14, 2015
    10
    Bravely default is a gem. I have finally come around and warmed to JRPG's and this is one of the better ones out now (modern releases). If you like JRPG's aswell this one should be in your gaming catalogue. ATM. I can't wait for the second one, go buy this one asap.
  15. BasilZero
    Aug 23, 2014
    10
    Game: Bravely Default
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Squareenix/Silicon Studios System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS) Total Score: 95/100 Value Score: 9.5/10 • Story: 8/10 • Characters: 8/10 • GamePlay: 10/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 10/10 • Music: 10/10 • Length: 10/10 • Replay Value: 10/10 • Player Value: 10/10 Pros +Colorful cast of characters +Very Original Storyline +Game    Game: Bravely Default
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Squareenix/Silicon Studios
    System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS)
    Total Score: 95/100
    Value Score: 9.5/10

    • Story: 8/10
    • Characters: 8/10
    • GamePlay: 10/10
    • Graphics: 9/10
    • Sound: 10/10
    • Music: 10/10
    • Length: 10/10
    • Replay Value: 10/10
    • Player Value: 10/10

    Pros
    +Colorful cast of characters
    +Very Original Storyline
    +Game plays like classic Final Fantasy series
    +A lot of great aspects from the FF series such as the items, equipment, magic spells, enemy cameos, summon cameos and story elements
    +Job system is like a mixture of FF3/5's job system with FF9's leveling up system
    +A lot of customization such as changing enemy encounter rate, difficulty, speed of battles
    +A lot of social player features such as the ability to send your skills over to a friend
    +Unique mini game where you can rebuild Norende town which can yield to powerful items and extra boss battles with unique monsters
    +New Game+ is included with more than 1 ending
    +Well designed environments and overall design
    +Great sound effects and a fantastic sound track
    +A lot of replayability and length in the overall game

    Cons
    -Some of the characters seem generic or just too annoying
    -Storyline builds up great but somewhat becomes repetitive second half of the game with few people may hating this aspect although it brings somewhat of a few differences    … Expand
  16. Kirisoul
    Apr 21, 2014
    9
    Bravely Default is a paradox. Much of the game is incredibly innovative and fresh, such as the battle system, the writing, and especially the story (which takes the classic FF plot and completely turns it on its head.) Yet at the same time, it also clings endearingly to its roots in older games like FFIII, with its classic leveling and job systems, as well as the core overworld+dungeonBravely Default is a paradox. Much of the game is incredibly innovative and fresh, such as the battle system, the writing, and especially the story (which takes the classic FF plot and completely turns it on its head.) Yet at the same time, it also clings endearingly to its roots in older games like FFIII, with its classic leveling and job systems, as well as the core overworld+dungeon system that has been always mainstay of oldschool RPGs.

    I can't emphasize how important this juxtaposition of old and new is to the game's core. We have chibi characters with high pitched voices... making veiled sexual jokes and addressing issues such as business ethics and prostitution. The game opens with beautiful, symphonic music as one would expect from this genre. Then the rest of the soundtrack is full of electric guitars and head pounding drum beats. One could say that BD is a game that doesn't know what kind of style it wants to go for. But the developers have somehow managed to keep the game feeling cohesive, which is a feat in and of itself. The result is a truly fascinating and unique game.

    Moving into more specifics. I loved the graphical style of the game, which features cute, deformed characters on gorgeous backdrops. It works very well on the 3DS. The soundtrack is... outstanding. I can't even think of a good word to describe the score of this game, from its use of theme and variation to its huge variety of musical styles and instruments, all of which are executed perfectly.

    The gameplay is similarly well executed, if not a bit predictable at times. The sheer variety of strategic options in BD's battle system keeps battles interesting, and inclusions such as a fast forward button are welcomed for grinding sessions. Speaking of grinding, the overall difficulty of the game is very well scaled, and the final boss in particular pulls no punches, being able to OHKO a party that doesn't play defensively.

    All in all, BD is a standout title in the 3DS's already stellar library. Why did it lose 1 point from me? For me, it really comes down to the last 10 or so hours of the game, which progress very slowly, and feel like a bit of a cheap shot for extending the game's length. Then again, this is a 50-60 hour game, and by the time one reaches the aforementioned portion, the suspense in the plot should be enough to propel him/her to the end. Nevertheless, I felt it to be a slight blemish on this otherwise amazing game.

    I struggled to think of a way to close this review and sum up BD... But I really can't. There's just too much going on in this package to tie up and present. Go play it!    … Expand
  17. halcyon_zephyr
    Mar 15, 2014
    10
    This game is absolutely amazing! It is one of my favourite games of all time - if not my favourite! Now, it is a classic RPG style game. It is completely turn based and may seem slow to some people who do not typically like these styles of games. However, if RPGs are something that you love, then you will love this game! The characters are really interesting and you really get to know themThis game is absolutely amazing! It is one of my favourite games of all time - if not my favourite! Now, it is a classic RPG style game. It is completely turn based and may seem slow to some people who do not typically like these styles of games. However, if RPGs are something that you love, then you will love this game! The characters are really interesting and you really get to know them throughout all the cutscenes in the game (there are quite a few, actually). All the cutscenes are fully voiced as well, which is always a plus! The actual gameplay is super fun, and there are over like 30 different classes that you can play and level up all the way to 14 (which takes quite a while for each). When you get farther into the game, you can customize all the classes with different abilities that you have unlocked from others, to make a combination of classes. This is necessary in order to defeat harder bosses later in the game. However, this also means that you have to grind a little bit in the game as well - but in what RPG don't you have to grind in? Personally, I love grinding, so I played the game on hard/medium the whole time. If that is not your style, then you can put the game to Easy and just enjoy it for primarily the storyline - which is absolutely fantastic as well! This game makes grinding fun however, as you can speed up the battles to make them literally like 10 seconds long. It may seem like you can max out your classes really fast like this, but it does take a while. The game is just outstanding as a whole... definitely worth a playthrough... even if RPGs are not your thing!… Expand
  18. an_ill_wind
    Mar 19, 2014
    9
    Picked up Bravely Default last week with my 3DS, I’ve spent about 14 hours playing it, and I love it. And here’s a significant reason why: the Grind. The Grind is addicting and fun to play because of the loot you accumulate, the progression of your party (both levels and job levels/skills), and because of the robust job system. BD makes it easy to adjust the Grind to your liking, byPicked up Bravely Default last week with my 3DS, I’ve spent about 14 hours playing it, and I love it. And here’s a significant reason why: the Grind. The Grind is addicting and fun to play because of the loot you accumulate, the progression of your party (both levels and job levels/skills), and because of the robust job system. BD makes it easy to adjust the Grind to your liking, by increasing or decreasing the encounter rate and by being able to auto-play your battles at 4x speed, speeding things up, which I think is this game’s numero uno selling point (or should be). The meta-game involving Norende is also a gleeful time sink. Other reviewers have said that it feels “tacked on”, but I love it. There’s a lot of stuff going on in that mini-game. The way it makes you check in often reminds me of the perversity of farm games, and it’s an addicting and worth-while segment of the game.
    The story is sh*t, the voice acting is BAD, REAL BAD, except of course for that one guy who sounds like Mr. Slave in South Park. Most times I skip the corny Party Chats and Events that are ubiquitous throughout the game. They’re just so goddamn boring. The graphics are charming and must suffice, as with the music. I like to Grind, I love old-school JRPGs, I love the Final Fantasy Series, and I love this game.
    - Blonde McGuinn    … Expand
  19. SylaxSYN
    Apr 17, 2014
    6
    Though this game is quite fun with great audio and visuals, halfway through it becomes a nightmare and it soils said fun/audio/visual. That halfway mark not only turns the already dull story into a festering wound of nonsensical stupidity, but it also turns all the good things about the game against you. Grinding is one thing, that's to be expected with rpgs, but the monotonousThough this game is quite fun with great audio and visuals, halfway through it becomes a nightmare and it soils said fun/audio/visual. That halfway mark not only turns the already dull story into a festering wound of nonsensical stupidity, but it also turns all the good things about the game against you. Grinding is one thing, that's to be expected with rpgs, but the monotonous repetition that it forces you into becomes too much to handle. There's actually 2 endings that people reference, the generally accepted ending (end of chapter 4) or the final end after the game goes downhill (end of chapter 8). And the most insulting part of it all. You can actually beat the hidden boss(and any other boss for that matter) in 1 single attack. So if you want a good game, stop at the end of chapter 4, it's only misery from then on.… Expand
  20. danech10
    May 16, 2014
    7
    A great experience for about the first 12-15 hours or so, then it gets real boring real fast. The plot devolves into generic RPG fare, the characters start to get on your nerves, and the amount of backtracking put in place to pad out the game's length begins to rear its ugly head as well.

    There's tons of innovative little stuff in the game like Norende and abilink, and the battle system    A great experience for about the first 12-15 hours or so, then it gets real boring real fast. The plot devolves into generic RPG fare, the characters start to get on your nerves, and the amount of backtracking put in place to pad out the game's length begins to rear its ugly head as well.

    There's tons of innovative little stuff in the game like Norende and abilink, and the battle system (on normal difficulty) provides a nice puzzle at each of the boss fights, although most of the grunts can be taken care of in one turn.

    If you don't mind doing a lot of grinding between long stretches of absolutely nothing happening in the plot, then you probably won't mind. If you're the type of player that enjoys leveling up all the job classes fully, then you'll find plenty of opportunity for just that.

    But if you're looking for an interesting story told at a good pace to keep you engaged, you'll be a bit disappointed with BD.    … Expand
  21. OliverBridson
    Feb 24, 2014
    9
    Bravely Default embodies everything a modern RPG should be, massively customizable, expansive and engaging. It may not be perfect but it's ridiculous levels of customization and strategy possibilities cover wholeheartedly for any gripes you may have had with the story, which I personally enjoyed for the most part, especially the characters, most of them anyway. Easily the best traditionalBravely Default embodies everything a modern RPG should be, massively customizable, expansive and engaging. It may not be perfect but it's ridiculous levels of customization and strategy possibilities cover wholeheartedly for any gripes you may have had with the story, which I personally enjoyed for the most part, especially the characters, most of them anyway. Easily the best traditional RPG on the 3DS and a must own for any fans of Square's work.… Expand
  22. DystopicWinter
    Apr 8, 2014
    9
    I have to say, this game is amazing. The battle system is superb-- not too simple to bore the hardcore gamers, and not too complex to confuse the more casual gamers. The storyline itself could use some work (the first portion of the game felt incredibly rushed, in my opinion) but it's honestly an incredibly fun game to play. I'll say this, though: it almost feels as if the femaleI have to say, this game is amazing. The battle system is superb-- not too simple to bore the hardcore gamers, and not too complex to confuse the more casual gamers. The storyline itself could use some work (the first portion of the game felt incredibly rushed, in my opinion) but it's honestly an incredibly fun game to play. I'll say this, though: it almost feels as if the female characters are reduced to slabs of meat at times-- some mild, and usually subtle sexist remarks/stereotyping, and some suggestive comments-- which was, in my opinion, one of the game's major cons.

    Aside from that, I personally would recommend this game to anyone.    … Expand
  23. GamingCharged
    Apr 13, 2014
    9
    This probably isn’t the first time you’ve seen the name Bravely Default. If you haven’t then I would assume you are probably sharing the same first impression that we all had: “WHAT DOES THAT NAME EVEN MEAN?!” I know; the developers couldn’t have picked a more awkward and confusing name if they tried. Despite the strange name, it has done remarkably well in the West. The game receivedThis probably isn’t the first time you’ve seen the name Bravely Default. If you haven’t then I would assume you are probably sharing the same first impression that we all had: “WHAT DOES THAT NAME EVEN MEAN?!” I know; the developers couldn’t have picked a more awkward and confusing name if they tried. Despite the strange name, it has done remarkably well in the West. The game received overall positive reviews from critics, and even topped the spectacular launch sales of Fire Emblem: Awakening last year. You’re probably asking, what’s the big deal with Bravely Default? Why is it so great? Find out in my review!

    In most RPGs, your party starts out small and slowly grows to somewhat of an army, but the developers decided to keep things small. In this game, you assume control of 4 characters. All four adventures come from different backgrounds and cultures, but are forced to unite due to the severity of the events that transpire. Tiz is a shepherd from a town that was literally swallowed up by the ground. His friends and family were all lost in the destruction; he was the sole survivor. Agnés is on a quest to bring power back to the four crystals, and is accompanied by an energetic fairy girl. Ringabel is an insomniac with a book that supposedly predicts the future. He’s also quite fond of the ladies. Edea actually met the caravan while trying to take Agnés captive on her ship. Once she realizes that she’s the one working for the bad guys, she joins your cause. This is only the beginning…

    Gameplay is the main attraction, and is what makes this game stand out from the rest. Bravely Default combines the traditional JRPG formula with some game-changing elements. You are able to tailor your gameplay experience to your liking. That means difficulty settings, enemy encounter ratio, and more are customizable – and at any point in the game. This makes the game very welcome to newcomers, as well as RPG veterans.

    When exploring the game’s world, you will never see enemies just waltzing around on the map. Instead, you enter battle via random encounters. Battle selections are essentially the same as other turn-based games, with two big twists. Brave and Default. That’s where the game’s strange title comes in, for those of you still wondering! Selecting Brave lets you take an extra turn during battle. You can take up to four extra turns at a time with Brave with all of your characters. If you play this way, the character you used will have to sit out of battle for the next three battles. This is totally fine for one-turn battles, but during longer battles, you can’t afford to take the risk of making yourself vulnerable. That’s where Default comes in. Select Default during battle to skip your turn and gain Brave points (BP). When opting to Default, you will be less vulnerable to enemy attacks. Once you get enough BP, you can unleash your multiple attacks on your foes one by one. This is an amazing feeling when done successfully, and it makes the entire battle seem worthwhile. Well done, Silicon Studio. Such a simple concept, yet so satisfying.

    Did you know that this game is a spiritual successor to Final Fantasy: The Four Heroes of Light on DS? The art style is pretty similar, and even the character models and enemies share similar attributes. While the graphics aren’t anything out of the ordinary, the hand-painted backdrops feel as if they were taken right out of a storybook. When you stop moving, some locations will zoom out to give you a bird’s eye view of the entire area. It would be nice to have an option to toggle between the views while moving, but it still is great to see these pieces of art in their full glory. Menus are user-friendly for the most part, with the exception of few out of place selections.

    I have some very mixed feelings about the game’s voice acting. I’m glad it’s there, but I have to be honest and say that it is second-rate at best. For example, some characters deliver their lines rather slowly. Because of this, I found myself getting in the habit of just reading the text and skipping to the next line before waiting for them to finish. It’s unfortunate, too, because the story is pretty charming for the most part! Music is very reminiscent of any traditional JRPG. With that being said, it’s somewhat forgettable, but still fits the game. Although you don’t have to pay too much attention to detail to notice some blemishes in this game’s presentation, the good outweighs the bad in the end.

    N3DS_BD_Screens_07Features

    There are a ton of extra features aside from the main game that will enhance your experience. SP, an entirely new concept, allows you to stop time during a battle and deal extra damage to your temporarily frozen enemies. However, these points are obtained at a cost. One way to gain SP is to leave the game on and put your 3DS in sleep mode for 8 hours. If you’re    … Expand
  24. ACM3PTS
    Oct 30, 2014
    9
    If you have a 3DS you should give this game a try. It's soundtrack is one of the best I've ever heard, the gameplay is challenging and addictive, and the job system is awesome. The story is good, nothing spectacular but good, and the characters are likable. By far the best thing in the game is the combat system and the smart enemy AI, they make the boss battles amazing. They also added theIf you have a 3DS you should give this game a try. It's soundtrack is one of the best I've ever heard, the gameplay is challenging and addictive, and the job system is awesome. The story is good, nothing spectacular but good, and the characters are likable. By far the best thing in the game is the combat system and the smart enemy AI, they make the boss battles amazing. They also added the option to lower or turn off random events which is a great inclusion for the casual market.… Expand
  25. var_stark
    Feb 23, 2016
    5
    As many said, this game is beautifully crafted, it is a new hope for turn based rpg, cool combat system, amazing bso, classes leveling... it lacks some exploration though. but the main problem for me is the second half of the game, instead of closing the narrative arch, or maybe just trying to swell the plot and explain the few important plot holes they decided to enlarge the life of theAs many said, this game is beautifully crafted, it is a new hope for turn based rpg, cool combat system, amazing bso, classes leveling... it lacks some exploration though. but the main problem for me is the second half of the game, instead of closing the narrative arch, or maybe just trying to swell the plot and explain the few important plot holes they decided to enlarge the life of the game by just repeating the main story with a few side quests, the worst thing is that the characters doesn't even try to do something about it they just do the same things until you complete all the bosses once again. It is obviously a lazy way to extend the game time, and it's annoying cause you just can't simply skip everything and go straight to the end, you have at least to re-kill the main bosses. Dude, i did it once, and it was hard, why do i have to do it all over again? did i do something wrong? why are you punishing me? that's not how a game should work, if i wanted to repeat the game i would simply restart the game and start all over again just for fun, but like this, it really looks like a punishment " Congratulations, you got to the end, but the bad guy won, so now YOU just have to do everything again, but harder this time" please no.… Expand
  26. ChanReview
    Feb 15, 2015
    8
    If you like Final Fantasy and every other typical Square Enix game, then this is for you! Graphics and art is absolutely stunning and the script is well done. Voice acting, one voice in particular, left much to desire; however voice is based on personal opinion. Game play is smooth, the option to adjust encounter rate was GENIUS (no zubat cave yay) and the dungeons were at a good length.If you like Final Fantasy and every other typical Square Enix game, then this is for you! Graphics and art is absolutely stunning and the script is well done. Voice acting, one voice in particular, left much to desire; however voice is based on personal opinion. Game play is smooth, the option to adjust encounter rate was GENIUS (no zubat cave yay) and the dungeons were at a good length.
    Lost points on unnecessary repetitiveness and character development and relationships was lacking. Only felt a real connection to one particular character.
    In saying this, I did not let go of this game for 3 days straight.    … Expand
  27. Titannumber20
    Mar 15, 2015
    8
    This game is , in my opinion, one of the best games of 2014. The battle system, from which the game derives is name, is very innovative. Other than the standard options, you have a 'Brave' and a 'Default' option. Using the 'Brave' option, you can attack multiple times in a turn and by using the 'Default' option, you can bide your time and attack. This makes for some interesting strategicalThis game is , in my opinion, one of the best games of 2014. The battle system, from which the game derives is name, is very innovative. Other than the standard options, you have a 'Brave' and a 'Default' option. Using the 'Brave' option, you can attack multiple times in a turn and by using the 'Default' option, you can bide your time and attack. This makes for some interesting strategical choices.
    This game also has a huge selection of jobs, each job being unique and having its own unique abilities and attacks. This offers even more choices to the player as you can play the game the way you want.
    This game also has a good story and a large amount of game time.
    One of the major flaws of this game is the repetitiveness of the second half of the game. Without spoiling too much, you are forced to repeat the same tasks over and over again. This just takes away all the momentum of the story and it turns out the be a grind. I almost stopped playing the game at this point.
    But I kept plugging away and I finally did finish the game, and the ending proved to be worth it.
    This major flaw alone should make the game get a 7/10, but honestly, I had a lot of fun with this game, and I have decided to award it an 8/10.    … Expand
  28. Reagan0
    Jan 1, 2016
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Yes, you've heard it a million times, the battle system of Bravely Default is to die for. It's a very strong spin on an archaic but arguably timeless RPG system. Not only do you have the emblematic Brave and Default features, but you also have Special moves, which play a unique minute-and-a-half battle theme for each character and give them bonuses until that theme ends. There's also a feature that lets you pause time and fire out a single move at once. The game is also a low-key city-builder (or village-builder) that lets you rebuild a town that is destroyed at the beginning of the game, all the while providing you cool pluses for doing so.

    On top of this, the art style of this game is wonderful and diverse. It's definitely a game you can play in 3D, at least as well as you can on the 3DS. You can see the grooves and the texture to the mountains and the buildings, which look hand-colored. There's profoundly amazing work on this game's art.

    On the other hand, THE SECOND HALF IS AWFUL.

    So, if it was better localized and the plot wasn't so vapid and repetitive, I'm sure I would like this game a lot more. Granted, I'm more on the casual end, but let's just say during the second half you might never want to play this game again. The ending is so convoluted and contrived. It makes Kingdom Hearts flip the damn table. (credit to Kingdom Hearts: at least they keep the whole story in one piece, and actually do it well).

    The game spends the first four chapters exploring different sections of the world that are easy to digest and explore over time. They each have their own world to them, and at the end you fight a certain boss.

    During the beginning of the second half, you have explored the entire map. You have to go back to each world and do a certain part of the story over again, then fight those certain bosses over again. Then, you do it again. And again. AND AGAIN.

    Maybe I played it wrong by rushing through the game. But then again, why is there even a wrong way to play it? The moral of the game, and they tell you this at every critical moment so it's not quite a spoiler, is this: Always question things. The ending of this game did not answer many of the questions I had. Questions like, why do you want me to buy Bravely Second points with real-life money? Isn't that pointless if the game has an end? Isn't that actually a horrible game mechanic that ruins the experience? Also, if I am supposed to question things, why do you throw a cop-out ending at me when I finally break the chain and destroy a crystal? Furthermore on destroying crystals, why didn't you give me the option to do that from the very beginning? Why did you give me training wheels and cap it immediately upon "Stop! That's it!" then take that away later on? How was I supposed to catch on with that cap preventing me from doing it every time until it became practical to the game's development? Speaking of things from the very beginning, if you're going to give me a means of exploring the entire world at the very beginning, then why do you just throw cutscenes at me telling me to go back whenever I'm just exploring and having fun with your world? And why do you expect me to be satisfied with an ending that is freaking ridiculous as this one? The theme of worlds constantly eating one another like the Greek Ouroboros symbol is cool, just like the rest of the game's art, but the script doesn't add up even a little! So many things happen at once that don't even fit together well! The entire game is explained with random explosions of exposition, and then it's all just thrown at you at once at the very end over a VERY monotonous boss chain! And that fairy MUST have said something other than "Thanks for stopping my sister's evil plan" in the original Japanese game. That is such a cop-out line. Why does the messenger of hell have a sister? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?! And if Tiz actually died in the eruption at Norende and the only reason, why does Bravely Second feature him? Is this some other world? Because the way you made me fight THE SAME FOUR BOSSES FOUR TIMES IN A ROW WITHOUT A HINT OF DIFFERENCE MAKES ME NOT WANT TO EXPLORE ANY MORE **** WORLDS ANETRUIANEITUYAIUTENHRI

    Sorry, sorry. I do really like the battle system of this game, and it drives it through a very cool game, up until the second half, which throws everything likeable about it out the window by making you fight the same bosses over and over again ad nauseum. I don't like that at all. It makes me profoundly frustrated just thinking about it because this game could've been so much better. This was supposed to be the game that would modernize this archaic genre and give it entirely new characteristics, like art and modern mechanics and 3D, and it just ruined so much inspiration at the end. At this point, "6" is a generous rating. You'd better be careful, game. Otherwise I might grow wings and start counting down to this review's Ouroboros-like destruction.    … Expand
  29. Rekiotsu
    Jun 1, 2016
    8
    Quite good, at the beginning this was great, but towards the end the story got quite confusing which kind of a unmade the greatness for me, thus overall I finished this game kind of disappointed. Still, technically this game was great at least, and story little bit better when you clear some things reading stuff from internet. This to say, worth playing.
  30. phyzx
    Dec 22, 2020
    5
    I was so excited to play this game. It had everything I kinda wanted in a jrpg. In many ways it was 10/10 for me. But I honestly can't ignore how bad the last half of the game was. I don't ever write reviews but I honestly regret buying this game because of how bad and pointless the story got. This is the first game that I really disagree with the general consensus on. It does have a goodI was so excited to play this game. It had everything I kinda wanted in a jrpg. In many ways it was 10/10 for me. But I honestly can't ignore how bad the last half of the game was. I don't ever write reviews but I honestly regret buying this game because of how bad and pointless the story got. This is the first game that I really disagree with the general consensus on. It does have a good list of pros, but it gets repetitive and lazy. If you haven't bought this game yet...I think you should spoil the story for yourself before you decide to buy it.… Expand
  31. SouthernSpearow
    Feb 17, 2021
    2
    It's refreshing to see people have the same thoughts and reactions to this game as me.

    It starts off promising with decent story, interesting combat mechanics, and cool character abilities. However,as soon as you get through the main story once... you get to do it 4. More. Times. I spent over 25hours grinding and leveling up just to repeat the same thing 4 more times. This game is    It's refreshing to see people have the same thoughts and reactions to this game as me.

    It starts off promising with decent story, interesting combat mechanics, and cool character abilities.

    However,as soon as you get through the main story once... you get to do it 4. More. Times. I spent over 25hours grinding and leveling up just to repeat the same thing 4 more times. This game is repetitive with no good story and hours of grinding to stand a shot against the final boss.

    Promising combat but predictable story repeated for hours on end. Buy a fire emblem game or something instead of this.    … Expand
  32. letmebewithyou
    Feb 9, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Never been so in love with a game ever. Bravely Default is a definition of a video game art. Its art style, music and gameplay are some of the best among RPGs, old and new.

    When I played the demo, I thought the Brave and Default feature made the game easy but the full game changed my opinion. This feature changed the typical turn-based RPG gameplay drastically. You have to strategize what character goes to Brave or Default because spamming for Braves won't save you from most bosses and some random-encounter monsters.

    The job class system is really the reason why I was excited for this game. I was busy fanboy-screaming to myself while playing the game when I realized that I missed fanboy-screaming about the fact that I'll have an "asterisk" of my favorite Final Fantasy job class/character in Final Fantasy. Clue: He/she calls some powerful friends to destroy everything. :3

    The music is amazing. Most of the time, I find my characters not moving because I was busy listening to a dungeon music. lol

    While I'm just in about 10 hours to the game, the story so far is doing great.

    The graphics and art style are very beautiful.    … Expand
  33. SenshiV
    Jun 20, 2014
    4
    I feel sorry that many people commented on this game before finishing it. The game is great at the beginning, it's almost perfect. Then it becomes repetitive as hell and I am not specifying how to make the comment spoil-less, but I ended up hating it. Going over and over the same bunch of things reading the same dialog repeatedly with a little bit of something new that is totallyI feel sorry that many people commented on this game before finishing it. The game is great at the beginning, it's almost perfect. Then it becomes repetitive as hell and I am not specifying how to make the comment spoil-less, but I ended up hating it. Going over and over the same bunch of things reading the same dialog repeatedly with a little bit of something new that is totally irrelevant or could have been added to some other part in the game....I also believed it was the return of classic Final Fantasy as much that I called this game Final Fantasy Beverly Default, but I repeat, after the first half, i only wanted to throw away my 3DS to a solid wall and break it. *badwordhere* developers who tough doing that over and over was a good idea, hope you never make a game again..or do, but only make a 'first half' and them just leave it as it is.… Expand
  34. xs0u1zx
    Feb 12, 2014
    10
    I have been waiting over 10 years for a solid RPG to come out that gives you the classic 60+ hour game play that Final Fantasy once had given. Square did an amazing job with this game, and I STRONGLY recommend it to everyone! It also greatly encourages Street Pass by providing several features that utilize the feature quite well such as Ability link, building your town, friend summoningI have been waiting over 10 years for a solid RPG to come out that gives you the classic 60+ hour game play that Final Fantasy once had given. Square did an amazing job with this game, and I STRONGLY recommend it to everyone! It also greatly encourages Street Pass by providing several features that utilize the feature quite well such as Ability link, building your town, friend summoning and so forth.… Expand
  35. TheLurkingKing
    Feb 9, 2014
    10
    Bravely Default is a must-own to the 3DS. If you are a fan of RPGs and you are looking for a very amazing experience on your dusty 3DS, then Bravely Default is the game you are looking foward.
  36. tattoosteve
    Dec 9, 2013
    10
    This game is some of the most beautiful video game graphics I've ever seen. Words other reviewers have used are elegant and lush totally agree. Couldn't agree more in fact. That alone makes this game such a refreshing play. Just playing in pure beauty...
  37. Gamer4life1985
    Feb 9, 2014
    10
    My god! I have been waiting for such a classic game as this. In 3 days, I have already put more then 18 hours into this fantastic game. Everything is presented so well; and I don't understand the fuss with the characters, sure it has been better in other games but damn, everything more then makes up it. I really hope Bravely Second makes it stateside and they continue to make more.My god! I have been waiting for such a classic game as this. In 3 days, I have already put more then 18 hours into this fantastic game. Everything is presented so well; and I don't understand the fuss with the characters, sure it has been better in other games but damn, everything more then makes up it. I really hope Bravely Second makes it stateside and they continue to make more. This is must have game for any classic RPG gamer and 3DS owner… Expand
  38. Kayido
    Mar 7, 2014
    6
    The game have fantastic graphics and designs , have good songs + music and atmosphere.

    The game bear alot of similarities with the final fantasy series, it is a nice comeback to old rpg. It have many classes and options for combat and you can match any skills you want to create your ideal character. The story is a bit shallow and cliché , could have been better. The combat system    The game have fantastic graphics and designs , have good songs + music and atmosphere.

    The game bear alot of similarities with the final fantasy series, it is a nice comeback to old rpg. It have many classes and options for combat and you can match any skills you want to create your ideal character.

    The story is a bit shallow and cliché , could have been better.

    The combat system even with all its option and classes is not that good also , i could say pointless ... All you have to do is use all your bravery of each characters, use it on simple attacks , press auto (y) and you can kill anything except bosses in one round before they can act. What is the point in having so many classes ans skills if all you have to do is auto attack and win ?

    What i found pretty nice is the option to control how many monsters you encounter , so if you wish to grind some exp, just put the option to + 100% encounter. If you dont want pesty monsters ? No problem , downgrade it to 0% !    … Expand
  39. AcornHead
    Mar 5, 2014
    10
    Bravely Default is everything that makes classic turn based RPGs so great plus there is a new 'default' mechanic that lets you store up moves while defending so you can unleash huge multi-turn combo attacks later (or you can 'brave' a few turns in advance if you think you're tough enough to handle the counter assault)

    This game is a perfect 10. Go buy it now. It is full of lore and    Bravely Default is everything that makes classic turn based RPGs so great plus there is a new 'default' mechanic that lets you store up moves while defending so you can unleash huge multi-turn combo attacks later (or you can 'brave' a few turns in advance if you think you're tough enough to handle the counter assault)

    This game is a perfect 10. Go buy it now. It is full of lore and the story will draw you in as much as you let it...    … Expand
  40. noob123
    Mar 18, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. this game is a masterpiece
    i loved it . It is the best RPG game i have seen in years.
    For everyone who is looking for a great game to buy, well get this game!    … Expand
  41. domflo
    Dec 7, 2013
    9
    I did not play through this game yet, but so far, it's very solid. Gameplay is interesting and feels fresh, moreso than I thought it would, as the game has a very classic appeal.
    In many ways, it reminds me of Final Fantasy III (the DS version in particular), only that FF III's interesting aspects (mainly it's job system) where taken a step further and improved upon. The job system is    I did not play through this game yet, but so far, it's very solid. Gameplay is interesting and feels fresh, moreso than I thought it would, as the game has a very classic appeal.
    In many ways, it reminds me of Final Fantasy III (the DS version in particular), only that FF III's interesting aspects (mainly it's job system) where taken a step further and improved upon. The job system is basically there to substitute for the lack of character choices (from what I can tell, you'll have only the 4 main ones from (almost) start to finish), and it does so very well. Thanks to the game having only 4 main characters, these are more fleshed out than in other RPGs, which is often done in optional dialogue, similar to how it works in the two Star Ocean games on PSP. This means that people that just want to play the game don't have to read tons of lines if they choose not to. For the people that don't want to spend to much time in combat, there's Easy Mode, and the difficulty can even be changed while playing, allowing for the game to be finished even if your skill is lacking. You can also play all the way on hard mode though, so the game is only as hard or easy as you want it to be, which is a plus.
    The game also has a social game like feature, where you'll build up a town. It's very basic and real time based, but it adds to the game and will keep me playing day after day to build other buildings.
    There's also a feature called "Bravely Second", which allows you to stop time in combat. This'll use up Sleep Points (SP) which can be gained by having the game running while the 3DS is in standby mode, or buying them with real money. Many people complain about this, as it's one of the now infamous "microtransactions" usually found in free to play games, but to be honest, it's not like you'll use the Bravely Second power often, as it really only makes the game easier for you, which can already be done by changing the difficulty to "Easy" when you're stuck.
    The battle system, as I've said, is classic yet fresh. The game goes with a Bravely/Default feature (hence it's name, I guess), which allows you to attack multiple times in a row for the price of Brave Points (BP). These BP are acquired by waiting a round ("defaulting" it). You'll also gain one each time a round starts. You can choose to save up BP or use them up before having acquired them, which'll cost you rounds in the process. You'll be defenseless in these rounds, so oftentimes it's better to store up BP, as you can enter a command each round that way and don't have to endure the rounds without being able to do anything. This mechanic is interesting to play around with.
    The story, as far as I've played, is rather simple and Final Fantasy-esque. It's nothing special so far, but it's very solid and keeps my interest. The characters also have an interesting dynamic to them, which results in some funny lines, and I think they are rather entertaining so far. They do have some interesting backgrounds as well, so they're not one-dimensional jokesters on anything (this game isn't as funny as, say, Paper Mario 2, but rather more serious). I also like the voice acting. It isn't on the same level as, let's say, Persona 4's or Fire Emblem Awakening's English voiceovers, but it's solid. And even if you're not into English dubs, the game comes with the Japanese voice tracks as well. You can even change the text language to Japanese, should you want to do that (and French, Spanish, German and Italian, of course).
    All in all, this is a very solid JRPG. For people who have been starving for classic JRPGs (like me), you should be buying this game right now. And even if that is not usually your cup of tea, I suggest trying out combat in the demo that is available on the eShop (combat only because story and characters are not represented in that one). You might like it, as the game definitely doesn't feel outdated (despite it's classic approach). It has it's flaws, but it's highly enjoyable.    … Expand
  42. Nico85
    Dec 9, 2013
    10
    Really solid JRPG with peaks of excellence in graphic style and job system. If you like the genre don't let the micro transactions scare you, they are really non existent and a non issue. I really recommend it.
  43. Boyrex
    Feb 7, 2014
    10
    Bravely Default is a masterpiece: charismatic characters, long play and fun, great dificult, battles per turn reinvented, great graphics and, in my opinion, its has one the best soundtrack that I heard in my entire gamer life, each music is so perfect! That with this game I hope Square Enix open your eyes and try to make games like this.
  44. Spyder1012
    Feb 10, 2014
    10
    Honestly, this game is one of my all time favorites of all time. From the beautiful landscapes and dungeons that you find yourself exploring, to the incredible soundtrack (which I have downloaded and regularly use), this game is a work of art.
    The voice acting may be hated on by some people, but i personally have not found a problem with it.
    Although I may not be a connoisseur in the    Honestly, this game is one of my all time favorites of all time. From the beautiful landscapes and dungeons that you find yourself exploring, to the incredible soundtrack (which I have downloaded and regularly use), this game is a work of art.
    The voice acting may be hated on by some people, but i personally have not found a problem with it.
    Although I may not be a connoisseur in the JPRG genre, I have found the gameplay to be intuitive, easy to pick up, but most importantly fun.

    I wholeheartedly recommend Bravely Default, it is in my opinion a game for everyone and anyone to enjoy.    … Expand
  45. sunnisubmarine
    Feb 12, 2014
    10
    Bravery Default in short is why the 3ds this past year (even though it was released in '14) has dominated my purchase history for games. The 3d is blended perfectly and this game is visually stunning. When you enter a town you are presented with this amazing view of the whole town which looks like both CGI and a painting. The audios are really well placed and every new area comes to lifeBravery Default in short is why the 3ds this past year (even though it was released in '14) has dominated my purchase history for games. The 3d is blended perfectly and this game is visually stunning. When you enter a town you are presented with this amazing view of the whole town which looks like both CGI and a painting. The audios are really well placed and every new area comes to life with the music.

    The reason this game hasent gotten such a great review is not because the game but because the western market when it comes to rpg's. People are so obsessed with things being new or innovative. Bravery Default is a game that has taken me back to the days when games actually gave me a sense of wonder. Every time I enter a town I end up saying .. wow. The monsters early on make me think im battling epic beasts. What seperates this game from the rest is the atmosphere it creates while you play it.

    I havent talked about mechanics at all in this review but that is on purpose. This is a game with very polished mechanics that create good game play but the strong part of this game is its ability to keep you wrapped up. I used to play games with the mind of a critic, what does it do well? where does it fall short? I have come to the realzation that this ruins games before you even start.

    In short. Dont treat bravery deault like this revolutonary game that will change the way rpg's are played rather get lost in the world it creates and love it for what it really is; a great game thats highly polished and will sweep you away. What else could you even ask for in a rpg?    … Expand
  46. rjthakid
    Feb 20, 2014
    10
    Bravely Default is the most epic, amazing throwback RPG I've played in years. The Job system is simply a thing of beauty. It's one of those rare RPGs that makes you WANT to grind to unlock those sweet new Job abilities. The Metacritic score of Bravely Default stands at 85 as of this writing. That is a travesty. It's an instant classic that deserves to be mentioned with alongside FireBravely Default is the most epic, amazing throwback RPG I've played in years. The Job system is simply a thing of beauty. It's one of those rare RPGs that makes you WANT to grind to unlock those sweet new Job abilities. The Metacritic score of Bravely Default stands at 85 as of this writing. That is a travesty. It's an instant classic that deserves to be mentioned with alongside Fire Emblem Awaking.… Expand
  47. elitefour
    Dec 6, 2013
    9
    Bravely default can be descripted
    as a reencarnation of RPG or reencarnation
    of Final Fantasy franchise.
    in other words, this game is AWESOME!!
    GOOD GAMEPLAY,GOOD GRAPHICS,AN EXCELLENT SOUNDTRACK
    AND A DEEP AND SOLID PLOT
  48. Ayreos
    Feb 8, 2014
    6
    The game's visuals are great. The soundtrack, a masterpiece. The gameplay is engrossing, but highly repetitive. To complete random battles without crippling yourself you will have perform anywhere from 16 to 64 commands in a single turn. After a short while, it gets repetitive. Repetitive are also all the dungeons of the game. The Job system is the star of the gameplay, but if you playedThe game's visuals are great. The soundtrack, a masterpiece. The gameplay is engrossing, but highly repetitive. To complete random battles without crippling yourself you will have perform anywhere from 16 to 64 commands in a single turn. After a short while, it gets repetitive. Repetitive are also all the dungeons of the game. The Job system is the star of the gameplay, but if you played FF3, FF5 or their derivatives, this is just more of the same. Bosses will often perform the same 2-4 moves in order, being almost impossible to defeat for the wrong combination of jobs, but extremely easy for the right one, which doesn't really allow for any emergent gameplay, despite the jobs' apparent potential for it.

    Finally, the rating is only 6 because story is to me the most important part of an RPG. Bravely Default tries to include higher depth and coherence than the usual JRPG fare, but fails to introduce any new structure to the game, which is an unforgivable flaw. Each dungeon concludes with a boss or event. If you are walking somewhere and there is a cave nearby, be assured that's your next story destination. There are 4 crystals and 4 continents, plus you can guess the order in which you will visit them from the very beginning. The game is, in short, extremely linear. While the plot tries to throw twists and mysteries at you, you will see everything coming long before it happens. The characters themselves are pure stereotypes. As a final blow, the endgame is already famously jarring and repetitive, involving forced grinding through the same content multiple times for a good ending.
    Notably, though, the english voice acting is remarkable. You will probably still hate Agnés.    … Expand
  49. merchers
    Jul 14, 2014
    3
    The game starts out rather interesting and the battle system is a new spin on turn-based fighting, but the dialogue is cheesy, the characters make terrible decisions that alienate them from the player, and the game loses all of it's steam about halfway through. After the halfway mark all boss battles are recycled multiple times and the player is forced to defeat them again and again withThe game starts out rather interesting and the battle system is a new spin on turn-based fighting, but the dialogue is cheesy, the characters make terrible decisions that alienate them from the player, and the game loses all of it's steam about halfway through. After the halfway mark all boss battles are recycled multiple times and the player is forced to defeat them again and again with very few variations, leaving you frustrated and unmotivated. It's very disheartening knowing exactly what is going to happen in the next 10 hours of gameplay. I quite liked the game at the start but ended up absolutely resenting it.… Expand
  50. CrazyPhilosoph
    Jun 28, 2016
    0
    This is the first game in my life that made me feel insulted. I am sorry, but if a game developer expects me to play through a game 5 times (with virtually no change at all) in order to complete one, freaking ONE, playthrough then you didn't do your job. It would not be that bad if there was at least something new with each cycle, but no. The characters become even more stupid and theThis is the first game in my life that made me feel insulted. I am sorry, but if a game developer expects me to play through a game 5 times (with virtually no change at all) in order to complete one, freaking ONE, playthrough then you didn't do your job. It would not be that bad if there was at least something new with each cycle, but no. The characters become even more stupid and the story comes to a halt as gracefully as a train wreck. The first half is alright, even though the battle system is somewhat boring. But of course people love it, because it is a Final Fantasy clone. This game is the only game in my life, where I don't understand why it is so beloved, most other games I can see why, but not here.

    I am sorry for the rant, but this made me feel like the developers didn't care and that gamers like anything as long as it is like 'the good old JRPG' (apparently they were correct about that).    … Expand
  51. Donelwero
    Feb 13, 2014
    10
    I'm only halfway through the game but I can say that I haven't been hooked to a game this way for a very long time. Loving the music, the characters, the story, the 3d effect is gorgeous.

    Some people complain about repetition in some part of the game, I say YES!!! I can play this game for months, even so, you can just set the auto function in minor fights and care about bosses and    I'm only halfway through the game but I can say that I haven't been hooked to a game this way for a very long time. Loving the music, the characters, the story, the 3d effect is gorgeous.

    Some people complain about repetition in some part of the game, I say YES!!! I can play this game for months, even so, you can just set the auto function in minor fights and care about bosses and healing maybe. And with so many options to customize the way you play, I don't see how repeating those things over and over could be THAT bad.

    Buy the game, it's AWESOME!    … Expand
  52. Mando44646
    Feb 18, 2014
    10
    I rarely give games perfect 10s as I rarely feel a game can live up to them. However, this is essentially the *perfect* modernized JRPG. This game is what Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest could or should be. Square Enix was a fool not to release this in the West; instead fans convinced Nintendo to localize and publish it. Games like this will make JRPGs relevant again outside Japan, whileI rarely give games perfect 10s as I rarely feel a game can live up to them. However, this is essentially the *perfect* modernized JRPG. This game is what Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest could or should be. Square Enix was a fool not to release this in the West; instead fans convinced Nintendo to localize and publish it. Games like this will make JRPGs relevant again outside Japan, while Square is doing its best to dig a whole for the genre with the FF13s.… Expand
  53. TheRavingTimes
    Feb 9, 2014
    7
    Bravely Default is a game that can be praised for taking the elements of a classic Final Fantasy title and install a brand new twist. The plot and characters feel like something straight from the SNES Final Fantasy titles with a more modern atmosphere and more fleshed out characters. Possibly one of the biggest selling point of this game is the gameplay which incorporates a simple yetBravely Default is a game that can be praised for taking the elements of a classic Final Fantasy title and install a brand new twist. The plot and characters feel like something straight from the SNES Final Fantasy titles with a more modern atmosphere and more fleshed out characters. Possibly one of the biggest selling point of this game is the gameplay which incorporates a simple yet innovated idea with bravely to allow characters to use multiple actions (so you can revive a character and then use cure to heal them all in one turn) and default which allows the characters to defend and stock up on BP (so you can use bravery without losing any turns). The music is another selling point though to be fair, Final Fantasy is known for its amazing music ever since its NES days and Bravely Default's music is nothing short to the greatness of past Final Fantasy titles. The game falls apart when voice acting and graphics comes into play. Though most of the main characters are good, some of the voice acting and dialogue for some of the characters are just unbearable or their voice feels mangled in some way. The graphics though charming feels weak compared to other 3DS titles. Despite its faults, I'd recommend Bravery Default to any RPG fan. Though Final Fantasy X is coming out on the Vita, the originality of Bravery Default, charms, and use of classic elements that were once common in the Final Fantasy series hold more value then the HD remake.… Expand
  54. NekoJonez
    Feb 8, 2014
    8
    Yes, this game uses a ton of the 3DS features quite nicely. Some mechanics are a tad bit flawed but hey, no game is perfect. Might write an article about this in the near future.
  55. Kabloosh
    Feb 13, 2014
    9
    Looks and feels like a true Final Fantasy title. None of this linear world crap, Great game, a true predecessor to the FF titles of the SNES/PS1 days.
  56. felixable
    Mar 7, 2014
    9
    Awesome, solid RPG game with tons of depth. The attractive part is that there are lots of classes available. Players are open to use over 10,000 job combinations to finish each quest. Also the enhanced round-based combat system creates a lot more possibilities of different tactics. Both of these features gives players lots of options to choose from in terms of difficulties, whether theyAwesome, solid RPG game with tons of depth. The attractive part is that there are lots of classes available. Players are open to use over 10,000 job combinations to finish each quest. Also the enhanced round-based combat system creates a lot more possibilities of different tactics. Both of these features gives players lots of options to choose from in terms of difficulties, whether they want to try out different combinations or just enjoy the story or both.

    Solid 9.5/10. （0.5 for area of improvement :P)    … Expand
  57. sumi9lives
    Aug 2, 2015
    1
    I'm not entirely sure why this game has such good reviews. Play it for more than an hour and you'll find it's really, really, really bad.

    In the first hour, the game seems promising, the story seems epic and quite classic, reminiscent of the NES Final Fantasy games, the battle and job system remains fresh with a few new twists to the standard turn-based combat. It goes all downhill    I'm not entirely sure why this game has such good reviews. Play it for more than an hour and you'll find it's really, really, really bad.

    In the first hour, the game seems promising, the story seems epic and quite classic, reminiscent of the NES Final Fantasy games, the battle and job system remains fresh with a few new twists to the standard turn-based combat.

    It goes all downhill from there shockingly quickly. The story and character development is utter garbage. Each of the four party members is a one-dimensional caricature and all interactions amongst the characters harp incessantly about their single defining trait. Every single conversation can be summed up below:

    * Main Character mentions how important the mission is
    * Female sidekick gets angry
    * Male womanizer makes some comment about women
    * Female sidekick gets angry again
    * another dude still has no clue why he's in this group

    ...Yeah.

    The battle system is interesting at first. Too bad it gets old extremely quickly with uninspired character abilities as well as repetitive enemies. Strategy boils down to either everyone using "brave" to bum rush the enemies in round one or everyone using "default" three times and then bum rush the enemies.

    The dungeons are extremely simple, boring, and tedious to go through.

    The villains are just as one dimensional as the PCs.

    NPCs and side quests feel like you're playing fetch quests in WOW.

    Seriously, everything in this game is awful. Don't play this game. I'm really and truly stumped why this game has positive reviews... I feel like most of them are from people who played the game for an hour, because it does take more than an hour to see how bad the game really is. I put in 25 myself... for some reason I had no other games to play and wanted to subject myself to torture.    … Expand
  58. Da3_who_knows
    Jul 4, 2018
    7
    To be honest I have only finished this game from the third try. At first I found it too difficult. It was my first game of this kind so I was a bit confused in the beginning. However there is a big big problem with this game. Whose idea it was to make gamers do same things over and over again? Not once not twice but freaking 6-7 times! This game mechanics was the most repulsive thing aboutTo be honest I have only finished this game from the third try. At first I found it too difficult. It was my first game of this kind so I was a bit confused in the beginning. However there is a big big problem with this game. Whose idea it was to make gamers do same things over and over again? Not once not twice but freaking 6-7 times! This game mechanics was the most repulsive thing about this game. I liked the music and game design a lot. A LOT. this was one of the things that made me wanna finish this game. I read many reviews saying that many gamers did not like the characters in this game. Well that is just unacceptable! (inside joke). In my opinion they were decent. I really liked many of them and reading the dialogs and watching their relationship developing was another thing that kept me going. So If you are a fan of JRPG and all do not hesitate go and check this game out. As for the others... well... good luck and may the force and determination be with you.… Expand
  59. Callacas
    Mar 28, 2014
    4
    There are a lot of things that this game does right, but a lot it does wrong. Let's start with the bad: Everything in this game except for the combat system and the story itself is completely messed up. The game has the philosophy that "if you did it once, you better do it five times more"! This is ludicrous. The game recycles all the bosses and a ton of dialogue five times over. EvenThere are a lot of things that this game does right, but a lot it does wrong. Let's start with the bad: Everything in this game except for the combat system and the story itself is completely messed up. The game has the philosophy that "if you did it once, you better do it five times more"! This is ludicrous. The game recycles all the bosses and a ton of dialogue five times over. Even Devil May Cry 4 didn't reuse it's game that much. But the recycled stuff is okay because it is worked into the plot itself.... Really? That doesn't make it okay. Artificial padding is artificial padding. All of the dungeons are some of the laziest I have ever seen as well. They just feel slapped together. Did they make them all over the weekend or something? Also, this is a single player game RPG, so why is there multiplayer? The multiplayer comes in the form of a facebook game. The facebook game also effects gameplay as well in a significant way. And that some of the bosses are almost impossible to beat on hard without keeping up with the facebook game so that you can get access to special gear to help negate their attack s. And that brings me to another point, the game's excuse for strategic combat is a boss who just uses a powerful attack (that probably ignores default) and attacks your entire party, wiping it out or almost wiping it out. Sometimes there's no way to dodge it or block it (see chapter 2 boss). Now, I'm not one to really care about fanservice in a game, but this game has a really shameful way of doing it. And that is when the fanservice distracts from a major plot point. Sometime close to the end of the game -and I am not going to spoil anything- but there is something in the middle of the screen. A plot twist. And the player is supposed to notice it, but off to the left of the screen is this chick's a$$ that is just there and hanging out. And being biologically inclined to look at it, you [I] do. And then the plot twist begins to glow, as if you were supposed to notice the thing. So you look up and say, "Oh, it's glowing, how nice." And back down to the a$$ you go! And you [I] miss that plot point, and you [I] are left feeling angry because you feel like you should have noticed it. It's blatant and shameless. I could go into the characters of the game at this point, but believe me, none of them are as good as everyone says they are. Two are intentionally bland and boring as their character and one stops progressing half way through only for their character to be picked back up at the end of the game, and even once that char's characterization is complete you feel like it's lacking. As if there was something else that could have been done. There is the last character who begins interesting, is interesting through the middle, and ends interesting. And there is a problem there. If the entire story has to carry itself on one character then there's an imbalance, It shows that attention and care was given not given to all of the characters as they should have. And the story fails because of that. Another thing, why are there micro-transactions in a singleplayer game? "But, reviewer man, there's only one micro-transaction and is optional, you don't have to get it if you don't want to. And it's not even that high priced! So what's your problem?" Am I the only one around here who feels like there should be no micro-transactions in a singleplayer game; or any internet connection required for any feature to function at all! Also, my last point. Is that the game feels like midway through development the developers figured out that the game was impossible to balance so they threw it upon the player to balance the game for them. This is seen in the design decision to include a meter to alter the frequency of random encounters (and even turn them off). And we see that the decision to include the meter was not originally in the early form of the game. The evidence for this is the spells and items that teleport you out of dungeons. it just...reeks of laziness. Don't get me wrong, it is a really fun game, the good parts are the one good character, the story itself (its just as epic as all other final fantasy games), and the combat. The combat alone should win an award for how well crafted it is! And the inclusion of an auto-battle function makes the grind easier as well, especially for a game whose combat system relies around making lots of moves in succession and can be tedious without it. So that's great.… Expand
  60. DreamCore
    Aug 28, 2016
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ** SPOLER BELOW **

    To summarise, the game is a straight spit in the face.

    True, the first part of the game is amazing, but that's where it stops. The developer apparently ran out of money and decided to just have you repeat the same four bosses four more times. When I got to this part I stopped playing for a month before I decided to actually bother with finishing it. As it turns out, this was a big mistake as after killing the bosses 4 times you meet a boss that is literary impossible to beat. Even with all my characters at lvl 65 and beating everything to this point without too much trouble I literary get one/two shotted in the second phase of the boss. There is nothing I can do, and you can't go back to levelling up. You're stuck with no way to finish the game. Note that this is on EASY difficulty, don't even want to think about Normal or Hard. I wasted hours doing the repetitive part to be faced with this...

    Do yourself a favour and stay away from this game. It simply ain't worth it.    … Expand
  61. Clouddark
    Mar 26, 2014
    4
    Rather good for quite a while, though the game falls off from being one of the best games of the year, to utter trash about halfway in. That and due to the poor implementation of customization (you'll be hard pressed to ever find skills that synergize) makes it not as good as it could be.
  62. Jerem
    Dec 6, 2013
    10
    Absolument parfait le meilleur RPG de Square Enix depuis très longtemps!
    Digne d'un FF5/FF6, et Chrono Cross l'époque 16/32 bits
    Un vrai retour aux sources.
  63. montero
    Dec 12, 2014
    3
    I would describe this game with a single word: "repetitive". And it's not about lvl grinding. It's because you do the same stuff, beat the same bosses and keep reviving the crystals until it is painful and boring to death.
    This game was very promising during the first chapters: graphics are very nice, all dialogs are voice-acted, battle dynamics are good, and the job system is somewhat    I would describe this game with a single word: "repetitive". And it's not about lvl grinding. It's because you do the same stuff, beat the same bosses and keep reviving the crystals until it is painful and boring to death.
    This game was very promising during the first chapters: graphics are very nice, all dialogs are voice-acted, battle dynamics are good, and the job system is somewhat traditional but you can live with it. There are some awesome skills to obtain and everything was going so nice...
    But as you progress in the game, everything gets recycled and monotone. The end is extremely dissapointing. I completed the game but I really cannot recommend it.    … Expand
  64. Johnnyfaye-Hero
    Apr 1, 2015
    7
    A flawed Master piece: Bravely Default is a wonderful game that has a great turned based battle structure that allows you to manipulate the flow of the game by speeding up or slowing down the random encounter of monster. The game also has an amazing hand drawn background with the 3DS graphics the game looks stunning and also has an interesting story line and ideas but seems to drop offA flawed Master piece: Bravely Default is a wonderful game that has a great turned based battle structure that allows you to manipulate the flow of the game by speeding up or slowing down the random encounter of monster. The game also has an amazing hand drawn background with the 3DS graphics the game looks stunning and also has an interesting story line and ideas but seems to drop off quickly. Around half way the game just story of stops and rewinds , which at first is very interesting, but the game literally makes you do the exact same thing over again. It would possibly be a 10 if it wasn't for the fact that the game literally just stops and makes you do everything over again, same posses, same levels, everything with a few different conversations thrown in. Everything else about the game is fantastic, Bravely is a wonderful hand drawn game with few major mistakes thrown in. Some people find these flaws too much and stop playing it. I guess this would be the same as the ending of Windwaker where you have to go find the 8 pieces at the end. It seems tacked on, it seems like a weak attempt to extend the game. This means that Bravely Default is a good game instead of a classic...… Expand
  65. dark001001
    Feb 21, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing game ! You can change the job at anytime ,you can change the battle speed at any time , and you can even change the encounter rate at any time ! Wow ,all I thought before now become real ! Awesome !… Expand
  66. HappyPizzaMonk
    Jun 17, 2014
    10
    This is the best Japanese RPG ever. It has the best turn based combat ever and a great cast of characters. Better than any game on Playstation Vita. Get it now.
  67. TemplarGR
    Sep 10, 2016
    0
    There are 2 possible reasons this overrated trash got such high metacritic scores from so called "professionals":

    1) They never completed this game. After all, this game is huge, and we all know reviewers play their games on easy and never spend more than 2-3 hours before writing a review. I suppose if you look only at the first few hours, this game is a blast. It managed to deceive me    There are 2 possible reasons this overrated trash got such high metacritic scores from so called "professionals":

    1) They never completed this game. After all, this game is huge, and we all know reviewers play their games on easy and never spend more than 2-3 hours before writing a review. I suppose if you look only at the first few hours, this game is a blast. It managed to deceive me too.

    2) They were bribed, or scored it highly because of Square and Nintendo

    The game has good production values, nice visuals and really nice music. It is a blast to play early on, and the gameplay system is not bad at all.

    But, the problem with this game is that:

    1) It is a boring grindfest. It is very long to properly complete, very repetitive with tons of backtracking. And most random encounters are boring, you can disable them but if you do, you won't be strong enough for the bosses.

    2) The story is typical kiddie anime trash. With some added weeaboo waifu perversion. As an adult gamer, i cringed a lot.

    Also, i didn't like the village minigame it had.

    All in all, a solid 60 game that somehow exploded on metacritic for no reason. Giving it a 0 for balance.    … Expand
  68. Laku
    Dec 6, 2013
    6
    I played through the whole japanese version of the game a while ago and it's a mediocre game masked in run-of-the-mill final fantasy combat. If you've played any final fantasy before this game doesn't have much to offer, just more the the same. It's not a horrible game just don't expect anything original.
  69. OberiousLocke
    Jan 12, 2018
    0
    Huh, an interesting looking game that tries to break from the normal style of turn based combat. This might be worth a look.

    -Launched for full price
    -Includes any form of microtransaction.

    Nevermind.
  70. Ophenix
    Aug 31, 2015
    4
    This game isn't worthy of the 8.5 it has imo.
    The graphics is stunning and the battle system is cute but the plot is so horrible it pained me to play it.
    The characters are so one dimensional they boarder at satire. It isn't funny but it keeps trying and the princess, the second party member you get, is the most lazily written POS I've seen in a long long time. Vanille from FF13? She's    This game isn't worthy of the 8.5 it has imo.
    The graphics is stunning and the battle system is cute but the plot is so horrible it pained me to play it.
    The characters are so one dimensional they boarder at satire. It isn't funny but it keeps trying and the princess, the second party member you get, is the most lazily written POS I've seen in a long long time.
    Vanille from FF13? She's worse. She makes no sense and keeps harping on about nothing with a voice that makes you want to throw your 3DS out the window.
    I couldn't get past the 4th or 5th city, it was just THAT bad.
    If you need something to play on a flight or just don't care about the plot at all you can give this a try, otherwise pass.    … Expand
  71. poker909
    Feb 16, 2014
    7
    In every battle there is a button asking you to spend real world money on in-game items like your playing some free Korean mmorpg. Why does no one else see this as a major issue? I already bought the game, but it still wants more of my money, this is a huge flaw for me.
    Other than that the game lives up to the hype, and is a must play for jrpg fans. The brave/default battle system    In every battle there is a button asking you to spend real world money on in-game items like your playing some free Korean mmorpg. Why does no one else see this as a major issue? I already bought the game, but it still wants more of my money, this is a huge flaw for me.
    Other than that the game lives up to the hype, and is a must play for jrpg fans. The brave/default battle system works, but you do end up inputting a ton of commands for battles that take a couple seconds to execute, which only stands out because everything else is so streamlined. The story is good with dark and serious themes, but the light hearted overtone puts a limit on how emotionally attached you will become with the characters.    … Expand
  72. CorazonAzul
    Jun 18, 2014
    9
    In an ages-overdue delivery, Square-Enix finds dignity and declares not to have forgotten what a good J-RPG is. Surprisingly well intact, Bravely Default attentively caters to difficulty mongers and story-lovers alike. Rivaling or topping previous great J-RPG works among the expansive DS library, problems are few and achievements are high.
  73. pinball123
    Nov 8, 2014
    9
    This would be a 10 if it weren't for the second half. Simply a must play game for JRPG fans. The story and production is perfect in this game. Play it if you like JRPGS
  74. CCDavidson
    Feb 25, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is almost perfect. Yes, the script and voice acting are "eh" at times, but that's a given with any RPG. The 3D feature is not an afterthought, either, as it enhances the scenery in the game. The job and battle systems take a little getting used to, but if you play the demo or the primary game for at least 10 minutes, you'll master both of them.

    It's funny that some people have brought up "repetitive game-play." Ever played an RPG? It's repetitive.
    As for the ability to purchase SP points to get bonus moves, 1) it's not game-breaking and 2) the option to get bonus moves aren't even that worth it until the end of the game.

    As for the story, this isn't the "run of the mill" JRPG. Yes, you have to save the crystals, but it's rare to see a game such as Final Fantasy (Bravely Default being a spiritual successor) or other major RPGs offer a better plot twist than what was offered. Hint to those who haven't played - there's a clue in the title in both the Western release (Where the Fairy Flies) and the original version (Flying Fairy).    … Expand
  75. bearbishop
    May 2, 2014
    7
    This game was fun. Maybe a little too easy on normal once you understand brave system and get some of the better jobs. Now I'm on chapter 5: yesterday's scenery and I'm like WTF. Why on earth would I want to fight almost all of the bosses in the game again 3 Times? I mean sure put that **** in the game for the people who WANT to do it, don't force everyone to do it just to get theThis game was fun. Maybe a little too easy on normal once you understand brave system and get some of the better jobs. Now I'm on chapter 5: yesterday's scenery and I'm like WTF. Why on earth would I want to fight almost all of the bosses in the game again 3 Times? I mean sure put that **** in the game for the people who WANT to do it, don't force everyone to do it just to get the cinematic ending. They really just took what is honestly a game that would take about 45-55 hours to complete and bumped it up to more like 65-75. The other problem is the latter parts of the first part of the game are way too **** easy so I didn't even do any random encounters in chapter 4 so now I'm all under level and the damn bosses only dish out JP in chapter 5. I know I could fix all this, but seriously I was expecting the ending to be badass like FF3 where you just level up a little, collect the best gear, and go own the crystal tower. I just feel a little ripped off, because I would have been excited to finish the game if they had made a proper ending, but now I'm thinking of just playing DQ 6 instead.… Expand
  76. jaytomten
    Nov 18, 2015
    4
    If you had to finish this game to rate it the score would be much lower. The second half of the game is a major grind that adds very little to the story or game play. I don't recommend this game to anyone of my friends.
  77. TsukasaHiiragi
    Apr 2, 2016
    3
    Grindy, repetitive and has micro transactions. Should I continue? At least the game looks nice... as for the micro transactions, you can somewhat bypass that by leaving the game on in sleep mode - but still, its not a good system and reeks of a cash grab.
  78. Hey-its-Hudson
    Oct 22, 2014
    4
    So I have just completed Bravely Default after 96 hours. Now for my final thoughts about this game, a game that at the start I loved and would recommended it to anyone, but that love quickly turned sour as the game progressed past chapter 5 into nothing more than garbage. Although it did redeem some of its credibility back near the very end, it still felt like wasted potential. But all mySo I have just completed Bravely Default after 96 hours. Now for my final thoughts about this game, a game that at the start I loved and would recommended it to anyone, but that love quickly turned sour as the game progressed past chapter 5 into nothing more than garbage. Although it did redeem some of its credibility back near the very end, it still felt like wasted potential. But all my hopes laid on the ending, if the ending was satisfying I could let it pass, maybe all that hardship could be left behind, but no, bravely default up until the very end managed to stay a disappointment and I would not recommend this game. If I had to rate this I would give it two ratings
    Chapters 1-4 I would give it a 9/10
    Chapters 5-9 I give it a 4/10
    This game had solid characters, combat and fun bosses but then it just destroyed all that build up and made everything you do seem pointless and unrewarding. I hope all is fixed in its squeal Bravely Second, cause that combat and style is the only thing that is keeping me invested in buying it.    … Expand
  79. saxo27
    Nov 12, 2014
    4
    I feel terrible giving this game a low score. I very much wanted to like this game. However, the felt quite slow, the art style was a bit too dark at times and the characters were not appealing. I can understand how some players can love this game and I can see the effort and care the developers put into the game. From my perspective, I give it a low score. But, I can see someone playingI feel terrible giving this game a low score. I very much wanted to like this game. However, the felt quite slow, the art style was a bit too dark at times and the characters were not appealing. I can understand how some players can love this game and I can see the effort and care the developers put into the game. From my perspective, I give it a low score. But, I can see someone playing it and falling in love with it. Enjoy.… Expand
  80. crazycrab
    Jan 2, 2015
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bought this game expecting a masterpiece RPG, instead what I got was a huge disappointment. The plot, dialogues and characters are poorly written. The world map and dungeons are poorly designed. The job system and music are this game’s only redeeming points.

    The story is not just cliché, but also a poorly told cliché. The world is crumbling and no one seems to be doing anything except the 4 main character. The sea has become rotten and everyone just casually mentions it like nothing. There is no chemistry between the party members, how the party came together is also rushed and sloppy. The dialogues, most of the times are painful to listen at.
    Cities are beautiful but lifeless, the world map and dungeons both seems generic. Cities or countries are not explained at all, kings acts like fools with no regard to the rest of the world.

    The hometown can be rebuilt simply by assigning people to construct buildings? And seems to only serve the party’s shopping benefit. When I tried using the SP in a battle, the main character actually said some promotional words which is sad instead of funny.

    Auto battle function is clumsy, enemy’s information is hidden by a left analog stick toggle which is very unnecessary. Weakness must be examined. Brave and Default mode does bring something new to battles but that’s about it. To acquire new jobs you must go through various sub-story which only means more nonsense dialogue and plots that hurts your common sense and sense of humor.

    Played until chapter 2 in which the party decides to enter a beauty contest? That’s all I can bear. I guess the plot might develop and twist as the game progress but from what I’ve seen in the first 2 chapters, I want no part on what is about to happen next in the story.    … Expand
  81. moothemagiccow
    Feb 8, 2016
    5
    Almost a great game. If you stop playing at the end of Chapter 4, you've basically completed the game.
    The story is kind of dumb, the dialogue is terrible, the voice acting could be better, but the game itself? It's incredibly fun. Leveling up, getting new classes, learning skills and fighting bosses using the brave/default battle system is challenging and rewarding.
    But at the halfway    Almost a great game. If you stop playing at the end of Chapter 4, you've basically completed the game.
    The story is kind of dumb, the dialogue is terrible, the voice acting could be better, but the game itself? It's incredibly fun. Leveling up, getting new classes, learning skills and fighting bosses using the brave/default battle system is challenging and rewarding.
    But at the halfway point, you're asked to literally repeat the game's main goals. Then once more. And again. And you just want it all to stop. And all the challenge of fighting the same bosses becomes routine. Dull. Annoying. It's like being given a sports car on the condition that you only use it to deliver mail.    … Expand
  82. Dreonas
    Oct 4, 2017
    7
    I am not a fan of JRPGs or regular RPGs at all, but I must admit that I enjoyed a little bit this game; in fact, it is the first SquareEnix game that I finish.

    The battle mechanics were fine, the jobs were useful and versatile, the artwork was cool and the soundtrack was almost a masterpiece. The bosses were quite a challenge, but after the "deja vu sequence", they were boring. The    I am not a fan of JRPGs or regular RPGs at all, but I must admit that I enjoyed a little bit this game; in fact, it is the first SquareEnix game that I finish.

    The battle mechanics were fine, the jobs were useful and versatile, the artwork was cool and the soundtrack was almost a masterpiece. The bosses were quite a challenge, but after the "deja vu sequence", they were boring. The english dub was awful, so I recommend to play it with the original japanese voices.

    Maybe one of the main reasons why this game has many mixed and negatives reviews is for the way the plot unfolds. The beginning was mysterious, charming and amazing, but the other half is repetitive. Enjoying this game relies 100% in choosing "the right path", while taking the other one feels like a penitence in the purgatory. Perhaps punishing the players that way wasn't the best idea.    … Expand
  83. MisterCrux2
    Oct 10, 2021
    8
    I was really disappointed from Bravely Default they told me it was the heir of Final Fantasy it is, but is the heir of the very firsts Final Fantasies, not the heir of Final Fantasy VI, and those games aged orribly. This game really looks like it was born old, the story is really boring it has quite good dialogues but what happens is so basic and derivative, it's all a we have toI was really disappointed from Bravely Default they told me it was the heir of Final Fantasy it is, but is the heir of the very firsts Final Fantasies, not the heir of Final Fantasy VI, and those games aged orribly. This game really looks like it was born old, the story is really boring it has quite good dialogues but what happens is so basic and derivative, it's all a we have to purificate the crystal so we go to that city, but to purificate the crystal we need the dress so we go talking to the sage to know where it is, he says the item is in the cave, than we go to the cave. Everything is so classic and seen already, the best part are the optional dialogues but they're never really fun or deep. And this continues until near the end in the last part there's a plot twist that makes the story slightly interesting that was the only part that made me actually feel like I wanted to know how it continues, even if that plot twist wasn't really well played. Also I really appreciated that Ringabel in the last part becomes serious before he was so annoying, he couldn't end a phrase without making moves on the girls, it was so repetitive to see him doing that every single time. The game also has a couple of plot holes, the greater one is having Edea betraying the army and his father at the beginning, how is possible that a girl that was always told that the vestal is an enemy that would cause great pain to the world if her mission is fulfilled suddenly decides to betray her side and her father only because her collegue wasn't acting fine? Also in the last part there's something you can do to change the course of the events be smart and find out how to reach that final. Anyway what the game gains in the story in the last part is lost in the gameplay that becomes incredibly boring and repetitive. I also expected great things from the battle system, it looked very strategic, but it turned to be extremely basic and simple I imagined one had to use brave and default strategically, but in practice the best strategy is always making the characters attack four time when they can and let another character save bp so he could heal the others if there's need. It would have been a lot better if you could know before if the opponent was going to brave or default than you could decide strategically what to do and you wouldn' mess with the frustration of attacking four times an enemy who defaulted.
    Also the battle can become boring because they're so long and you have to press a lot of buttons to tell them what to do every turn. The boss battles especially are very long boss have tons of hp. Luckly there's an auto battle option where the characters repeat the last action you chose, but observing that the autobattle is able to win most of the fights just show how repetitive and no strategic the battle system is. I appreciated how the subquest are, they don't have a vast variety but they're near always quite well written and they give you jobs as a reward. Also the world is well done, the world map remembers the one of the old Final Fantasies and it isn't linear, but probably it was possible to do better, on the other side the dungeons are very simple they have a boring level design, sometimes they have very basic puzzles. The thing I enjoyed the most from this game is the art style it's really nice and enjoyable    … Expand
  84. dingdong
    Feb 16, 2015
    6
    When I first picked up the game and played through the first half of the story, I thought this would be an easy 9/10 review. It *almost* reminds me of the good ol' JRPG days, with great character building and tweaking (see FF job systems), and pretty decent story, too. But that all ended for me once I hit the half-way point of the story. I don't want to spoil anything but the second halfWhen I first picked up the game and played through the first half of the story, I thought this would be an easy 9/10 review. It *almost* reminds me of the good ol' JRPG days, with great character building and tweaking (see FF job systems), and pretty decent story, too. But that all ended for me once I hit the half-way point of the story. I don't want to spoil anything but the second half of the game is such an utter disappointment - incredibly repetitive with zero incentive to the story - to really keep plowing through. Bummer.… Expand
  85. Carlitoxic
    May 18, 2015
    9
    Of this game could be said that it is from squaresoft, not from Square-enix. A beautiful story with great characters, and a modern combat system. This RPG remembers the great timming for Super Nintendo and PSX RPG.
  86. Subject98
    Feb 7, 2021
    4
    I will admit, I'm very picky about turn based RPGs and hardly ever play them. There are some that I like but this one hit and doubled down on pretty much every gripe I have about this genre.

    On top of tons of job grinding, this one has time management mechanics and even a pay to win microtransaction they threw in there, how any of that is supposed to be fun or enhance the gameplay in    I will admit, I'm very picky about turn based RPGs and hardly ever play them. There are some that I like but this one hit and doubled down on pretty much every gripe I have about this genre.

    On top of tons of job grinding, this one has time management mechanics and even a pay to win microtransaction they threw in there, how any of that is supposed to be fun or enhance the gameplay in any way is beyond me.

    Even if you do get a good party going, the late chapters have battles and boss fights so unbalanced that you're forced to loop the same actions until the boss is dead, somtimes for over half an hour. If you step outside of that loop even for one turn then you're probably dead.

    I can usually stick with an RPG of this size if the story is interesting enough but I barely remember any of what happened. I think I cared less about the characters the further I got.

    This is one of those games that is so confident the player wont mind it's endless repetition that it continuously adds more and more ways to be a slog on top of it. After dragging my feet to the end of the story, I find out they want me to go around the world and beat all the major bosses again, not once, but like six more times before I can access the final dungeon and true ending. No thanks.

    The only big positive I would give Bravely Default is that it's beautiful to look at. I think seeing all the diverse locations and set pieces was the driving force for me to keep playing as far as I got. It's just a shame the rest of it had to be so tedious.    … Expand
  87. dman4380
    Sep 10, 2014
    8
    Bravely Default is a fantastic game. A traditional jRPG in nature, it also brings its own distinct style to the genre, and is sure to please fans of older Final Fantasy games. The story revolves around four youngsters brought together to protect the world from darkness. It's effective and engaging, although it does get repetitive in the latter half of the game. The soundtrack is excellent,Bravely Default is a fantastic game. A traditional jRPG in nature, it also brings its own distinct style to the genre, and is sure to please fans of older Final Fantasy games. The story revolves around four youngsters brought together to protect the world from darkness. It's effective and engaging, although it does get repetitive in the latter half of the game. The soundtrack is excellent, sporting many beautiful tracks. Bravely Default also has some of the nicest-looking graphics on the 3DS. The characters are chibi-style, and do not look harsh against the backdrops, containing some of the most beautiful hand-drawn backgrounds and locales I have ever seen. The gameplay is turn-based and in the same vein as older Final Fantasy games, with an extensive Job system allowing for great character customization. The uniqueness of its gameplay comes in the "Brave" and "Default" actions, which allow for stacking of commands in a single turn to decimate foes. For want of criticism, the game feels stretched and overlong, bosses have sudden and huge difficulty spikes, and the voice-acting can grate. If you're willing to overlook this, though, you're lloking at one of the best jRPGs in recent memory.… Expand
  88. Underpants158
    Oct 15, 2015
    8
    A game that starts off as a very cliche jrpg complete with elemental crystals, pure hearted lead character, and a bunch of under 20 year olds on a mission to save the world. It takes awhile for the story to get interesting and the characters to develop (i'm talking about 30 hours in) but boy what a payoff it is when they do. The default/brave system is a good enough gimmick tacked onto theA game that starts off as a very cliche jrpg complete with elemental crystals, pure hearted lead character, and a bunch of under 20 year olds on a mission to save the world. It takes awhile for the story to get interesting and the characters to develop (i'm talking about 30 hours in) but boy what a payoff it is when they do. The default/brave system is a good enough gimmick tacked onto the traditional jrpg combat system and the game allows you to change the difficulty and encounter rate. Judging from these last two features it would appear that the developers wanted to make a game more palatable to the modern gamer aka no grinding. However that is not the case as even on easy mode you will need to grind levels to progress. An other factor that really holds the game back is the end, when the story is getting good, nearly all of your gameplay is backtracking. Backtracking is necessary for the story they are telling but it felt like a chore and just after you have completed the chore of grinding. It is still a game worth playing and I am very excited for Bravely Second as a result of playing this game I just felt that those aspects held it back from being a true masterpiece.… Expand
  89. 794
    Mar 14, 2014
    10
    Not finished the game yet, but I absolutely love it. For the first time in a LONG time I'm actually playing a game that is challenging me! I love the character design and the voice acting is solid, too. Above all else though, the gameplay is simply fantastic. Don't miss out on this game!
  90. wubala
    Jun 12, 2014
    8
    First of all I like the BP combat system, adds a little bit of variety to your classic turn based rpg.
    The rebuilding of the town to unlock items and being able to send and receive moves to your friends is also kind of neat.
    The SP idea is cool (you get 1 point per 8 hours in sleep) but I don't like the idea of being able to buy 'SP drinks' with real money. Please leave the micro    First of all I like the BP combat system, adds a little bit of variety to your classic turn based rpg.
    The rebuilding of the town to unlock items and being able to send and receive moves to your friends is also kind of neat.
    The SP idea is cool (you get 1 point per 8 hours in sleep) but I don't like the idea of being able to buy 'SP drinks' with real money. Please leave the micro transactions to phone games.
    This game really utilizes the 3D and it looks great.
    Really my only issue with the game is that the story and dialogue is god awful.    … Expand
  91. ricklongo
    May 2, 2014
    9
    This is the same kind of Japanese RPG experience older gamers will remember from the SNES or PSOne, and I say this in the most complimentary way possible. Everything is here: an apotheotic world-saving plot, quirky characters, turn-based combat and loads of innovative features that should please old fans and new players alike.

    You command a party of four characters with different    This is the same kind of Japanese RPG experience older gamers will remember from the SNES or PSOne, and I say this in the most complimentary way possible. Everything is here: an apotheotic world-saving plot, quirky characters, turn-based combat and loads of innovative features that should please old fans and new players alike.

    You command a party of four characters with different backgrounds: good-boy Tiz, who has witnessed the destruction of his home village; Agnès, vestal of wind, an important religious figure; Ringabel, a mysterious womanizer who has lost his memory; and Edea, daughter to one of the main antagonists. They are filled with personality and there's a lot of character development through the story. Some dialogue sections and cutscenes overstay their welcome, but there are many genuinely interesting moments, usually featuring Ringabel and one of his antics.

    Arguably, the best feature in display is the job system. The game has a very Mega Man-like way of getting new abilities: after they are defeated, some bosses give you their "job asterisk", which allows you to assign that job to any of your characters. Aside from their current job, each character may keep a number of abilities gotten by their previous ones, leading to some great opportunities to mix-and-match in search of the perfect combination.

    There's also great innovation in the turn-based combat with the "Brave" and "Default" abilities: the former lets you take turns in advance in order to act more times on a single sitting, while the latter allows you to "save" action opportunities for later. It works perfectly, and adds quite a few layers of strategy to the tried-and-true formula. Another noteworthy feature is the rebuilding of Norende village, a simple and cool real-time strategy subgame that gives you access to more special abilities, weapons and items. It's also worth noting that the game features microtransactions, but don't worry: they are largely useless, and you can get everything in the game without spending a single extra dime.

    The story is your typical JRPG fare, very reminiscent of earlier Final Fantasy games, and as such isn't terribly innovative. It's usually interesting enough to keep you playing, featuring a lot of twists and turns, and overall avoiding simplistic manichaeism. The world is well-built, but that still doesn't justify the humongous amount of backtracking forced on the player in the late game, which is one of the game's main flaws. The story keeps getting more intriguing precisely at that time, however, which will be a good reason for most players to persevere.

    Filled with content and offering a potentially huge main campaign (at over 100 hours, it is by far my most-played game on the 3DS right now), Bravely Default is a tight package that should keep any RPG fan happy. It's Square Enix going back to its roots and doing more of what they do best.

    Rating: 9.0    … Expand
  92. Wawacoffee89
    May 27, 2014
    9
    Very good Square Enix! Back to the basics. I couldnt beg enough for a traditional, turn based rpg. Now all they need is a console game, and ill be in love again =) This delivers this and much more. Story is awesome, job class intergration with each character plus the more friends you have, the more benefits you get from them. 100+ hour game to do everything. A def play for 3ds owners andVery good Square Enix! Back to the basics. I couldnt beg enough for a traditional, turn based rpg. Now all they need is a console game, and ill be in love again =) This delivers this and much more. Story is awesome, job class intergration with each character plus the more friends you have, the more benefits you get from them. 100+ hour game to do everything. A def play for 3ds owners and rpg lovers.… Expand
  93. AJCk19
    Jul 12, 2021
    8
    This game could have easily got a perfect score. But (and not to spoil it) the ending will agitate you.

    Besides that, it takes our favorite turned based jrpg formula, and improves it immensely. By allowing you to turn off random encounters or even increase it. Provides such a ease of life situation. You can also change the difficultly at any time. Lastly, the main feature of storing    This game could have easily got a perfect score. But (and not to spoil it) the ending will agitate you.

    Besides that, it takes our favorite turned based jrpg formula, and improves it immensely. By allowing you to turn off random encounters or even increase it. Provides such a ease of life situation. You can also change the difficultly at any time. Lastly, the main feature of storing your turns, to then do more damage, is satisfying!    … Expand
  94. Metaru
    Feb 23, 2014
    9
    Bravely Default to been a good game as if revived some FF saga, although that is a spin off. history divided into two mentalities or not to follow the beliefs of the crystals takes a lot of history middle age, music is the small feast where one can revel in every moment and enjoy excellent graphics showed that the capacity of the Nintendo 3DS is super powerful, no doubt a great game byBravely Default to been a good game as if revived some FF saga, although that is a spin off. history divided into two mentalities or not to follow the beliefs of the crystals takes a lot of history middle age, music is the small feast where one can revel in every moment and enjoy excellent graphics showed that the capacity of the Nintendo 3DS is super powerful, no doubt a great game by Square Enix.… Expand
  95. Aozz101x
    Sep 22, 2015
    9
    i could never get into this game,
    Bravely Default is one of the beautiful RPG games on there,
    The game concept is interesting, and game itself is fun, but at the end it really not my cup of tea, and maybe even the sequel won't be ether.
    9/10
  96. cidgrad01
    Dec 18, 2014
    10
    Considering how awful the Final Fantasy 13 series has been, I was afraid Bravely Default would be yet another disappointment from Square Enix. I am happy to say my fears were unfounded. Bravely Default is an amazing RPG that channels the best of the Final Fantasy series without feeling like it is standing on its shoulders.

    It’s as if Squeenix drafted a team of long time Final Fantasy    Considering how awful the Final Fantasy 13 series has been, I was afraid Bravely Default would be yet another disappointment from Square Enix. I am happy to say my fears were unfounded. Bravely Default is an amazing RPG that channels the best of the Final Fantasy series without feeling like it is standing on its shoulders.

    It’s as if Squeenix drafted a team of long time Final Fantasy fans and let them put whatever they wanted into the game (except the name Final Fantasy in the title). I went in expecting a shallow time-waster that would feel like a FF5 clone. This is not true at all. My biggest surprise is how much I enjoyed the story and grew to like the characters. The overall tone is more lighthearted than, say, FF7 but B.D. still manages to deliver a fun narrative that keeps you playing. This includes surprisingly sharp dialogue and genuinely funny exchanges (such as Edea’s pronunciation of “Mrgrgr!” and her frequent bickering with Ringabel).

    The narrative is not the only thing that will keep you playing, though. Everything else is great, too, from the voice acting to the music, visuals & gameplay. The whole brave/default system is a brilliant idea which breathes new life into turn-based combat. It goes very well with the large number of jobs you can unlock.

    I could go on for quite a long time naming all the features I love about this game, but suffice it to say that you will like it if you are an old school Final Fantasy fan or a RPG fan in general. If you already have a 3DS it is a must play and if you don’t have one and like RPGs, you should think long & hard about getting a 3DS. If Squeenix is going to continue sinking the FF series into the toilet, then B.D. is a wonderful start for a new series that can be its successor.    … Expand
  97. mr_dad
    Aug 28, 2015
    9
    You can turn off the random battles!

    Since modern Final Fantasy is obsessed with turning itself into an action RPG series (with varying degrees of success), Bravely Default is a proper return to turn based JRPGs of the 16bit era. The story is nothing original, but still handles it's themes of tolerance and loyalty very well alongside a likable cast. The amount of customization in the    You can turn off the random battles!

    Since modern Final Fantasy is obsessed with turning itself into an action RPG series (with varying degrees of success), Bravely Default is a proper return to turn based JRPGs of the 16bit era. The story is nothing original, but still handles it's themes of tolerance and loyalty very well alongside a likable cast. The amount of customization in the job system, coupled with the deeply strategic new "Brave/Default" system, makes the gameplay feel wonderfully familiar yet a huge step towards the future for classical JRPGs.

    And guys, you can turn the random battles off!

    THE GOOD
    + Seemingly unlimited customization.
    + So much humor and personality that has been sorely lacking in many recent JRPGs.
    + You will never get tired of this glorious soundtrack. Never.
    + Adjustable difficulty and encounter rate. Seriously, I cannot emphasis how welcome this is.
    + The final chapter is wonderful.

    THE BAD
    - The premise is pretty standard.
    - The last several chapters (excluding the TRUE final chapter) redefine the word "repetitive."    … Expand
  98. midway23
    Dec 10, 2014
    6
    While the art style and new interesting take on the battle system make "Bravley Default" stand out from other JRPG's, its gameplay mechanics still feel incredibly outdated by today's standards. While some fun can be found, the absence of a decent story and the inclusion of near terrible voice acting, makes me question if this game was really worth going through.
  99. rhaynes7
    Feb 27, 2014
    8
    Bravely Default is a very lengthy adventure, and an immensely enjoyable one. I'm not the biggest jrpg fan, but occasionally, I get a craving, and Bravely Default was there to satisfy.

    Overall, the game has a few things that are outstanding and a few things that are simply ok. I really enjoyed the battle system and the music especially. The art direction is excellent too, every locale    Bravely Default is a very lengthy adventure, and an immensely enjoyable one. I'm not the biggest jrpg fan, but occasionally, I get a craving, and Bravely Default was there to satisfy.

    Overall, the game has a few things that are outstanding and a few things that are simply ok. I really enjoyed the battle system and the music especially. The art direction is excellent too, every locale is unique and flavorful. They are the icing on this cake.

    However, there were a few dry spots in this cake that prevented it from being a game that really sticks with me. My main issues lie with the game's overall pacing. At first you're finding new bosses and new side quests by the dozens. After fighting so many bosses and doing so many side quests, I came to dread seeing those blue exclamation marks as my sense of duty propelled me onward. Some of those boss fights can drag on for what seems an eternity. They can for quite a long time, but don't really change their overall pattern until they're HP critical and then proceed to KO your entire team forcing you to start anew. An incredible frustration. Due to in game circumstances, you'll have to fight many of these bosses a second time, though the stories reasoning for doing this is really quite interesting and a part of the stories great plot twist.

    My second issues lie with the generic dungeon set up. There's nothing to make them stand apart once you've gone through the game's many traps.

    Overall though, this game won my heart through it's excellent battle system, it's infectious music, and an overall strong structure. I would readily recommend it, just beware of the end. If you're not a fan of rehashing a few bosses and the occasional tedious pacing, you may need to steer clear.    … Expand
  100. Inryoku
    May 1, 2014
    5
    This game is really fantastic in a lot of ways, like its nice to look at artstyle, the lovable characters, the good combat system with a nice twist and a interesting story. But after playing it for 50+ hours I'm done with it completely before even getting close to the ending because of repetition being a part of the story.... There is nothing worse in video games than having to do the sameThis game is really fantastic in a lot of ways, like its nice to look at artstyle, the lovable characters, the good combat system with a nice twist and a interesting story. But after playing it for 50+ hours I'm done with it completely before even getting close to the ending because of repetition being a part of the story.... There is nothing worse in video games than having to do the same stuff over and over and over again but unfortunately this is what the player is doing for the majority of the game. The Street Pass is completely useless if you're living somewhere with no Bravely Default players around making a rather big part of the game unbeatable. At least everybody can adjust the difficulty depending on what the person wants from this game by making it either pathetically easy or a grind fest for the hardcore gamers with too much time at their hands. If you're looking for an engaging experience from beginning to end you'll be sorely disappointed. I can only recommend this game to people who don't mind seeing the same stuff over and over again.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best 3DS Game of 2014
3
#3 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2014
3
#3 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 67 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 67
  3. Negative: 0 out of 67
  1. Quarter to Three
    Apr 14, 2014
    100
    It sounds like a lot, and it is, but not in an overwhelming way but in a fantastic, three in the morning, I can’t stop playing this game kind of way. When it all comes together and you destroy a boss that gave you troubles just a few job levels ago, it feels great.
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  2. GameCritics
    Apr 8, 2014
    70
    It's got a lovely fresh coat of paint, but underneath that Bravely Default is the same old thing.
    Read full review
  3. Level7.nu
    Feb 16, 2014
    90
    Bravely Deafult is the best game from Square-Enix in a long time and a must for fans of classic Final Fantasy. The battle and work system, as well as the history and the graphics is natural progresses of a gamemaking many deemed nostalgic.
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