Bravely Second: End Layer

 3DS
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 209 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 162 out of 209
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 209
  3. Negative: 25 out of 209
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  1. Rumic
    Apr 27, 2016
    7
    Return to Luxendarc to live a new adventure; It happens two years after the events of Bravely Default.

    In this new adventure we can visit most of the same city and dungeons (with a some new ones) That we could see in the first game. Includes several improvements for a fastest level up and combat system considerably There are some new jobs, and this time we can get the level 11, with    Return to Luxendarc to live a new adventure; It happens two years after the events of Bravely Default.

    In this new adventure we can visit most of the same city and dungeons (with a some new ones) That we could see in the first game.

    Includes several improvements for a fastest level up and combat system considerably
    There are some new jobs, and this time we can get the level 11, with a new and unique powerfull skill.

    The history is just ok, full of funny moments and easter eggs from movies or tv shows, if you like the classic jrpg this is for you.    … Expand
  2. Amberleh
    Jul 11, 2016
    7
    Let me start by saying that the first Bravely Default is one of my favorite games of all time- The characters, the story, the art, the unique battle system- It was a beautiful game and a must-play for JRPG fans. I was ecstatic when I heard there was going to be a sequel, especially since I only played the first game 8 months ago so I didn't have to wait too long!

    HOWEVER, as many have    Let me start by saying that the first Bravely Default is one of my favorite games of all time- The characters, the story, the art, the unique battle system- It was a beautiful game and a must-play for JRPG fans. I was ecstatic when I heard there was going to be a sequel, especially since I only played the first game 8 months ago so I didn't have to wait too long!

    HOWEVER, as many have already said, Bravely Second is a big disappointment to fans of the first game. While the overall gameplay and battle system is greatly improved, the story and characters were... not.

    They re-use dungeons from the first game, floor for floor, which is a bit lazy. But that isn't the biggest issue. Oh no. No, the biggest issue with this game can be summarized with two names: Yew and Magnolia.

    In theory they are both fine characters (Magnolia more so than Yew), but their dialogue is just atrociously cringeworthy. I honestly want to chuck my system across the room every time Yew spouts "FOR THE GRAVY!" Really translation team? Really? In general he's just kind of irritating and as others have already said, he and Magnolia just seem to try way too hard. Luckily, the return of Edea and Tiz help to soften the cringe by still remaining themselves and being fun and loveable characters just as they were in the first game. However, it just makes the player miss Ringabel all the more.

    With a game like Bravely Default, which, being a Square game, is VERY dialogue and character heavy, poor dialogue and obnoxious characters can really make it hard to play. They take away from the charm the first game had, sadly.

    The story is also not as compelling at the first game. The first game's story felt much more urgent, more unique. The game overall had a good amount of comedic charm and 'darkness' as well, but this game seems to utterly lack the dark elements or dire situations of the first. It does not tug at your heartstrings or have you gripping at your system at the drama. If anything it has you rolling your eyes at the constant "FOR THE GRAVY" quotes and really awkward and not very well done romance between Yew and Magnolia. It also has you wishing you could open up that damned gate back to Ringabel's world, dump Magnolia and Yew in it, and drag Ringabel back with you so the three of you can go save Anges undisturbed by the seemingly pre-pubescent lovebirds.

    While the battles and overall gameplay are much improved, there is one HUGE problem with them:

    It is now INCREDIBLY easy to level up WAY overlevel very, very fast. By chapter 3 my characters were already around level 50-60 and the bosses were never a challenge at all. I usually beat them in about one turn, which took a lot of the fun out of the game. Veterans of the first game should consider turning random encounters down to low at all times to avoid this.

    That said, if you really just need more Bravely in your life like I did, then it's still a worthwhile game. Just note that the story will not captivate you as the first one did.    … Expand
  3. finalinsanity
    May 4, 2016
    10
    Bravely Second takes the formula that worked so, so well for the first game and takes it up a notch.

    I won't delve into the story, as it's best experienced on your own; but I will sum up in saying that while the story isn't as subversive as the first game, the pacing and execution are bumped up by a large margin. Oh, and you may have heard people complaining about the localization being    Bravely Second takes the formula that worked so, so well for the first game and takes it up a notch.

    I won't delve into the story, as it's best experienced on your own; but I will sum up in saying that while the story isn't as subversive as the first game, the pacing and execution are bumped up by a large margin. Oh, and you may have heard people complaining about the localization being too "punny"; it deserves saying that for better or worse, contrary to popular belief this is NOT simply a product of NoA's localizing team. The Japanese version was pretty much just as pun-rich, and anyone claiming the puns "ruined" the localization are idiots who probably can't even read Japanese in the first place. Any claims of removed gameplay content are similarly false.

    Speaking of gameplay, this game is well-and-truly a sequel; the basic mechanics are the same, with new jobs and skills adding into the mix to change up the experience. Many, many old jobs make a return as well, though the circumstances you encounter then may catch you off guard. The new jobs fill some old roles and create new ones, sometimes in absurd yet interesting ways; a personal favorite of mine is the new Charioteer job, which while not impressive on its own, has skills that allow you to equip weapons to your head and body armor slots! The absurd mental image is great in its own right, but it also has some fascinating synergies with other jobs. That's the beauty of the system; everything synergizes with something else, in some way, which makes team setup more important on a larger scale than a by-character basis. Though, you can still play assigning characters their own individual "roles" and get by just fine, the experience is much more rewarding if you try and create a team that works together as parts of a whole.

    The world of Luxendarc hasn't changed too much - just enough to keep things fresh, but not so much as to seem foreign. There's a healthy mix of new and old, though it's the new characters that are the real interest here. The main antagonist of the game, Kaiser Oblivion, is an interesting villain; his goal and motives seem unclear at first, but unfold as the game progresses, and for my money he's a fairly well-written character that has some sympathetic moments.

    If you didn't enjoy the first game, though it may depend on your reasons, you probably won't enjoy this game. But if you did, then this game is an excellent ride that fans shouldn't pass up on.    … Expand
  4. destroyer3242
    Apr 24, 2016
    10
    Long story short: If you loved the first one, you will most likely love this one as well.

    Both of the Bravely games are a hit or miss with people; You either like the story and where it takes it, or you think that it's something that sounded cool, but in reality you think it's boring. You either like the gameplay and how it tries to keep the genre fresh, but also familiar, or you    Long story short: If you loved the first one, you will most likely love this one as well.

    Both of the Bravely games are a hit or miss with people;

    You either like the story and where it takes it, or you think that it's something that sounded cool, but in reality you think it's boring.

    You either like the gameplay and how it tries to keep the genre fresh, but also familiar, or you think it's a gimmick that tries to continuously revive more classic styled jRPG games.

    You either like the characters and their quirks, stories, and designs, or you think that they're bland, one-dimensional characters that are stubbornly committed to how they are as characters.

    Bravely Second essentially takes what the first game did, and made steady improvements upon it while still keeping familiar to the first game. It still takes place in the same world, yet introduces new locations as well, so you will not very often find yourself doing dungeons you did in the first game (except in the case of side quests).

    But this also means that it is relatively necessary to play the first game before this, given that it's a direct sequel, which may be a difficulty for some who are looking to get into the series, which is why this is more of a game for the fans.

    In addition, the general voice acting quality has also been changed; While the first game had good voice acting, but bad voice directing (MRGRGR), this game generally just has bad voice acting all around. But, how you handle it depends on how you handle voice acting in general. In my case, I found myself getting used to the English voices rather quickly, similar the case when I played Xenoblade Chronicles. It's times like these where I tend to believe that bad voice acting quality does not necessarily mean that it is bad for the characters that they play. Of course, if you can't find yourself getting over it, you can always switch to the Japanese voice actors. The main perk is that you'll actually be able to understand more than half of Magnolia's dialogue since she uses English instead of French.

    Despite all the flaws the game may have, however, I would still give it a 10, simply because, in my case, the flaws are made up by the story, the environments, the gameplay, etc. Once I got this game, I simply could not put it down until I beat it, and I would argue that it would tie with Bravely Default in one of my favorite games, and even more so one of my favorite RPGs.    … Expand
  5. Darormor
    Apr 15, 2016
    10
    I've never played the first game, but anyone that is a fan of RPG's in general should check this game out. It's not a buy a 3ds just for this game type deal, but it comes very close.
  6. alexaxa
    May 22, 2016
    7
    I really loved bravely default but bravely second have a poor story, bad dialogues and too much reused assets (complete dungeons, characters etc..) . It's not a bad game per say, just not as good as the first one.
  7. ricklongo
    Sep 13, 2016
    5
    A few years ago, Square Enix released Bravely Default, a little masterpiece of an RPG that got sadly dragged down towards the end by an insane amount of grinding and repetition. For the sequel, I was hoping they'd avoid this sort of thing. Instead, we get what amounts to a few dozen extra hours of, well, repetition.

    Good things first: the game still looks and sounds great, while the job    A few years ago, Square Enix released Bravely Default, a little masterpiece of an RPG that got sadly dragged down towards the end by an insane amount of grinding and repetition. For the sequel, I was hoping they'd avoid this sort of thing. Instead, we get what amounts to a few dozen extra hours of, well, repetition.

    Good things first: the game still looks and sounds great, while the job wheel got expanded and is as fun as ever to slowly discover. The turn-based combat also inherits the excellence of the previous title, with options to take extra turns, save turns for later, and even new additions such as the ability to chain battle sequences and gain more experience. All of this makes battles a lot more dynamic than usual for similar titles.

    What begins to pull the whole thing apart is the world map choice. Basically, it's the same as the first game, with the addition of a few scattered new explorable sites. This means we get much of the same towns as Bravely Default, and (gasp) even some of the exact same dungeons. This is especially frustrating after the aforementioned grind that was the first game's ending; I already explored these same locations five or six times there, so chances are giving me more of the same here wouldn't really be a good idea.

    The story, sadly, is also much weaker here. Bravely Default's late-game grind was at least justifiable story-wise, and you got to feel that pleasant sting of realization when you figured out just what was going on all along. Bravely Second's tale, by contrast, feels largely soulless, with some atrocious dialogue sections and inexplicably lame catchphrases ("for the gravy", really?). Even the reveal of the subtitle secret, one of the coolest moments in the first game, falls completely flat by virtue of just how forced it is.

    I truly feel Square Enix has the makings of another classic RPG franchise with the Bravely series. Bravely Second, however, is a step backwards by pretty much every metric. If we ever get a third game, let's hope they finally decide to move on to greener pastures instead of trying to retread the same content over and over and over again.

    Rating: 5.0    … Expand
  8. Encore22
    Apr 15, 2016
    9
    If you liked the first game you will definitely not be disappointed, pretty much everything from the first game is in this game but enhanced.
    Great battle-system, smart "Programmed" grinding, fun light-hearted dialogue, lots of classes to experiment with etc.
    If you want something light-hearted with great, turn-based combat—this game will deliver just that.
  9. Piercey
    Apr 28, 2016
    9
    The Bravely series are a heap of fun for those who love traditional JRPGs. That said, they could also be a nice introduction for someone who hasn't played this style of game before. With lots of clever additions to make the 'traditional grinding' of leveling your characters more fluid and faster, there are lots of neat additions to Bravely Second that make it fun to play. The charactersThe Bravely series are a heap of fun for those who love traditional JRPGs. That said, they could also be a nice introduction for someone who hasn't played this style of game before. With lots of clever additions to make the 'traditional grinding' of leveling your characters more fluid and faster, there are lots of neat additions to Bravely Second that make it fun to play. The characters and story are engaging, and the scenery and gameplay are still fun compared to the first game. The only gripe I had was that it felt like there was quite a lot of 'recycled content' in terms of backgrounds, enemies, dungeons etc from the first game into the second. I suppose that would have been in part what allowed then to release Bravely Second so quickly after the first game, but to me it felt like overkill, hence missing the top score for this one. Other than that, I'm enjoying it, much like the first.… Expand
  10. Al_Khampis
    Aug 19, 2016
    9
    Gameplay-wise this game takes the already well-crafted formula from Bravely Default and makes it even better. New jobs with each one their own niche, more balancing and interesting new features like chain battles and more combinig options.

    Story-wise, and without stepping on spoilers, the story of the first game is way better. This one seems like they didn't know where to go and it's a    Gameplay-wise this game takes the already well-crafted formula from Bravely Default and makes it even better. New jobs with each one their own niche, more balancing and interesting new features like chain battles and more combinig options.

    Story-wise, and without stepping on spoilers, the story of the first game is way better. This one seems like they didn't know where to go and it's a mix of little things. The big bads, Ba'al are given a little explanation that is very unsatisfying.

    There's lots of re-use of assets from the first game, and the OST is way less epic and does less impact than Bravely Default's, it's more generic than the master pieces Revo did for the first one.

    But the gameplay is so good you will play for the battles and the characters more than the plot, music, and environments "per se".

    Great game, even if the first one was more well-rounded.    … Expand
  11. OdiumHell
    Sep 29, 2016
    10
    Uma espetacular junção de Valkyrie Profile e Final Fantasy Tactics, a ultima vez q fiquei tão impressionado com um game assim foi na primeira geração de console da sony, foi um choque nostálgico relembrar aquela obras primas em um portátil atual, entretanto Bravely Second: End Layer tem suas especificidades que garantem uma divertida e contagiante aventura, unindo o melhor de duas épocasUma espetacular junção de Valkyrie Profile e Final Fantasy Tactics, a ultima vez q fiquei tão impressionado com um game assim foi na primeira geração de console da sony, foi um choque nostálgico relembrar aquela obras primas em um portátil atual, entretanto Bravely Second: End Layer tem suas especificidades que garantem uma divertida e contagiante aventura, unindo o melhor de duas épocas distintas.… Expand
  12. MrKii
    Apr 17, 2016
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The gameplay and fighting is as good or better than the first part, however the story isn't. The characters are as unidimensional as they were in the first part, and probably one of the worst I've seen in a jRPG game since the early FFs. Some of them seem they're in the world just for eating food. After the 30th skit talking about food, I just skipped them at the first time they mentioned something edible (and that was 75% of the skits).

    The New Game + feature is ridiculous. Don't tell it's a new game + when it's not a new game +, and having to "bravely second" in the first game of "New Game +" without a clear clue is just insane (only matched by FFX-2 having to press X in a random sequence during the game in order to watch the proper ending). Quite a lot of people will skip the latter 3rd of the game unless he reads a guide.

    In the art department, Square seems it just went for the quick buck as they did with FFX-2 and FF13 (damaging the FF franchise), reusing most of their assets from the previous games. If they're not stopped they'll keep reusing those assets until they sell below their previssions, and then they'll say the market is not demanding jRPGs like they've done with their main series.

    At this rate, the best it can happen to the jRPG market is that Square-Enix stackholders decide to invest in Real Estate.    … Expand
  13. Ironblood
    Apr 27, 2016
    6
    I've changed my mind it's pretty meh, it's got some good music a great battle/job system and some really cool looking art, buuuuuuuuuuut... the characters are pretty freaking cringy and seem to get distracted pretty easily from the main quest which is of pretty great importance. The dialogue seems like it was written for prepubescents which is a damn shame because as far as characterI've changed my mind it's pretty meh, it's got some good music a great battle/job system and some really cool looking art, buuuuuuuuuuut... the characters are pretty freaking cringy and seem to get distracted pretty easily from the main quest which is of pretty great importance. The dialogue seems like it was written for prepubescents which is a damn shame because as far as character concepts go I like yew and magnolia I think they're interesting they just say a lot of stupid unfunny stuff which takes away from what could be a pair of pretty interesting characters. The thing is people are giving this game Effing 8's and 9's some doing so while also acknowledging that the story is a joke and the characters are annoying and try too hard. I can't rightfully give an RPG anything higher than a 6 if it's story and characters don't satisfy, I mean cmon that like half the game dude. Overall I'm pretty disappointed with this game Not because it's bad but because I liked the elements from the first game so much that this game fails to deliver on. If you don't care about the mediocre story and characters and the gratuitously frequent use of bad humor then the games definitely worth a buy otherwise stay clear unless it goes on sale.… Expand
  14. DarthSidious63
    Apr 19, 2016
    6
    Bravely Second has a good battle system and the variety of jobs but what holds this game down is the story. It is too juvenile and has bad voice acting. Either it gets lost in translation or Nintendo is catering to a young teen audience.
  15. cygnarite
    Apr 28, 2016
    6
    So, almost everything about this game is an improvement over BD. The classes are different and interesting, the abilities seem well designed with synergy between the classes a forethought, continuing battle mechanics solved the issue of battle being trivial due to your party being able to go all out on non-boss fights, MAGIC IS ACTUALLY USEFUL. The music is fantastic, at different timesSo, almost everything about this game is an improvement over BD. The classes are different and interesting, the abilities seem well designed with synergy between the classes a forethought, continuing battle mechanics solved the issue of battle being trivial due to your party being able to go all out on non-boss fights, MAGIC IS ACTUALLY USEFUL. The music is fantastic, at different times reminiscent of FF4, FF6, and FF7, while still feeling different and modern. Heck, even the UI and command structure got some much appreciated QOL upgrades!

    Why the 6 then? Well, I did say *almost* everything...

    The story is **** abysmal. It's So, so, so bad. It's very lighthearted, and extremely cheesy on purpose, and it just doesn't fit. The previous game had, among other things, an endboss who's goal was to ruin heaven with jealousy and strife, and devoured worlds in front of your eyes to break your will to fight him. This game so far has neko girl who substitutes cat noises into words as much as she can and a sniper girl named "Aimee" with the worst accent and writing I've ever seen short of "Jill, the master of unlocking" in the PS1 RE. The voice acting is average, but the script they're reading would have served a better purpose as toilet paper. The story/writing being so bad is an utter disappointment, because they got literally everything else right.    … Expand
  16. Genesis443
    Apr 25, 2016
    2
    The combat is great, loads of new and interesting jobs but the dialogue is just terrible, seems to have been written for kids. Which is a shame, as it is an otherwise great game, but my whole experience has been skipping every bit of speech resulting in me not really having much clue about the story besides the battles. If the dialogue was just slightly better then this game would beThe combat is great, loads of new and interesting jobs but the dialogue is just terrible, seems to have been written for kids. Which is a shame, as it is an otherwise great game, but my whole experience has been skipping every bit of speech resulting in me not really having much clue about the story besides the battles. If the dialogue was just slightly better then this game would be really good and would draw you in as engrossing JRPG's are meant to be, but it is just so poorly written that the experience is ruined.… Expand
  17. bloodless08
    Jan 23, 2017
    6
    I was so pumped for this game, so excited. I loved the first game and really looked forward to the new art style and continuation of the story in the sequel. Unfortunately the sequel didn't actually add anything to the previous game. The dialogue became significantly more childish and inconsequential in End Layer. I found myself cringing and growing impatient throughout 80% of the gamesI was so pumped for this game, so excited. I loved the first game and really looked forward to the new art style and continuation of the story in the sequel. Unfortunately the sequel didn't actually add anything to the previous game. The dialogue became significantly more childish and inconsequential in End Layer. I found myself cringing and growing impatient throughout 80% of the games early dialogue. I ended up trading the game back in at Gamestop after getting about 30%-50% through. This was really hard for me, as I usually complete every game I choose to purchase and start, and I had loved almost every aspect of the first game and watch Bravely Second's teaser trailer 6 or 7 times once I finished the game. I had expected the sequel to build character relationships even further, and tell a new and enticing story that would at least equal the first game's simple, yet fun, story. It did not, and months after trading the game in I believe I made the right decision. (Hopefully Octopath Travellers on the switch is fresh, and not overly childish like Bravely Second.)… Expand
  18. james50a
    May 6, 2016
    4
    In the first game to beat it you had to play through the same map and the same bosses at least 4 times which gets repetitive and boring extremely quickly. In End layer you once again get to play through THE EXACT SAME MAP only reskined in some places. As with the first game the first time you play through the map its fun and the story/gameplay is good. Sadly the game has the same pay toIn the first game to beat it you had to play through the same map and the same bosses at least 4 times which gets repetitive and boring extremely quickly. In End layer you once again get to play through THE EXACT SAME MAP only reskined in some places. As with the first game the first time you play through the map its fun and the story/gameplay is good. Sadly the game has the same pay to win feature as the first game and also forces you to grind beginning at chapter 5 everywhere that youve been before again with just a harder boss at the end with no new story. Almost replayed the game an additional time when it didn't make it clear i had to hit select during a particular cuteness to progress the story and you could be trapped into replaying the entire 4 chapters again for nothing.

    pros:
    -good game play mechanics
    -has voice acting
    -Decent storyline

    cons:
    -lot of grinding for no reason
    -gets repetitive
    -terrible map design
    -game is balanced around pay to win/ an 8 hour charge system that makes certain classes unviable without
    -lots of wait time for item stuff that adds nothing ie chompcraft which is a poor mans cookie clicker    … Expand
  19. carlvazq_
    May 6, 2017
    10
    Best JRPG of Nintendo 3DS, long and excellent game with an absorbing and shocking story. A beautiful art design with brilliant scenes. There are so many reason to play this JRPG master piece,
  20. Koru
    Oct 3, 2020
    2
    Continuing a brand new and great JRPG series, Bravely Second takes everything the first game did and poo-poos all over it. Take away your favorite characters from the first game and replace them with a 1-D French girl from mars
  21. BasilZero
    Dec 24, 2017
    10
    Game: Bravely Second
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Silicon Studios Publisher: Squareenix System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS) Year of Release: 2015 Length of Playthrough: 61 Hours Total Score: 97/100 Value Score: 9.7/10 • Story: 9/10 • Characters: 9/10 • GamePlay: 10/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 10/10 • Music: 10/10 • Length: 10/10 • Replay Value: 10/10 • Player Value: 10/10 Pros    Game: Bravely Second
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Silicon Studios
    Publisher: Squareenix
    System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS)
    Year of Release: 2015
    Length of Playthrough: 61 Hours

    Total Score: 97/100
    Value Score: 9.7/10

    • Story: 9/10
    • Characters: 9/10
    • 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 from the first game with additional of new cast of characters
    +Gameplay retains similarities of Final Fantasy aspects like the first game
    +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 like the first game
    +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
    +New Game+ is included
    +Well designed environments and overall design
    +Great sound effects and a fantastic sound track
    +A lot of replayability and length in the overall game
    +Progression of the 2nd half of the game far better than the first game

    Cons
    -Cannot get stronger items/weapons from rebuilding the moon    … Expand
  22. AJCk19
    Jul 12, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It continues what the original was doing, except it doesn't have that terrible infinite loop ending. However, we don't get to play with the original characters, excluding one. The rest are just in as cameo appearances. 2 of the new characters you will come to enjoy though.… Expand
  23. Zastrow
    Mar 18, 2018
    7
    The combat mechanics and job system are refined a bit from the first game. It's overall a decent game but dragged down with really bizarre dialogue between the characters. The writers couldn't decide if they were writing unfunny cheesy comedy or a serious story, as the script constantly shifts gears between them. I still played the game all the way through and had a mostly enjoyableThe combat mechanics and job system are refined a bit from the first game. It's overall a decent game but dragged down with really bizarre dialogue between the characters. The writers couldn't decide if they were writing unfunny cheesy comedy or a serious story, as the script constantly shifts gears between them. I still played the game all the way through and had a mostly enjoyable time, but the game could have been better.… Expand
  24. JJTX
    Mar 24, 2019
    9
    Bravely Second is a gorgeous, charming, and thoroughly enjoyable sequel to one of the best JRPGs on the Nintendo 3DS.
  25. iipotato
    Jun 29, 2016
    8
    This review will suit more for returning players of the series and will have hints of spoilers.

    Bravely Second is a game that I anticipated for ever since I finished Bravely Default. And I have to say that there were many moments in the game which made me remember how excited I was for Bravely Second's release. Story: 7/10. Bravely Second's story is rather well-rounded in a way that    This review will suit more for returning players of the series and will have hints of spoilers.

    Bravely Second is a game that I anticipated for ever since I finished Bravely Default. And I have to say that there were many moments in the game which made me remember how excited I was for Bravely Second's release.

    Story: 7/10. Bravely Second's story is rather well-rounded in a way that involves the entire cast--be it asterisks and main party members and all. I have to say that it is the sidequests that interested me quite a bit, may I say that one specific sidequest definitely caught my attention because it gave me Bravely Default nostalgia. Anyways, the stories of the asterisk holders feel carefully thought out. Like the preceding game, Bravely Second explores the asterisk holders as characters--though, in Bravely Second, I find that the asterisk holders this time around expressed their personality entirely throughout their appearances. The main story, too, has a nice build up, however, the ending may leave you with an incomplete feeling. I felt like many things left unanswered in BD was fulfilled, yet BS leaves me with more. Also, the way the last battle plays out..is kinda...weird? The plot twist had potential, but...it was carried out rather awkward and rushed.

    Characters: 8/10. I have to admit, I probably was more critical of the new characters rather than the old. Due to different writers, the old characters feel a little different. But I think that despite the cheesy text in the beginning chapters or so, it's worth brushing it aside and just watching the characters grow.

    Music: 6/10. It's not as memorable and catchy as BD, due to quite the overuse of electric guitars, but there are songs that make me feel emotional and pumped whatnot. You can tell though, that effort was put into making the music fit each moment.

    Jobs: 9/10. I really enjoyed mixing up the jobs in this game and I already really liked doing so in BD as well. There's about 5 jobs in BD that do not carry over into BS, but there's new jobs that actually are similar in terms of skill but not in appearance. Instead of LV 14 max, it's 10 or 11. It's actually not quite difficult to max out jobs once you hit the mid/late chapters. There's spots you can definitely grind in, too. But grinding is not as heavily-encouraged like in BD. I maxed out my characters at LV 99, and yet many beat the game at like 50/60..maybe that's just me HAHA. But anyways, I think maxing out jobs has been made easier because there's a lot of good skills from the 30 jobs available that you want to choose.

    TLDR for a returning fan; The music may not be as memorable and the main story may feel awkward at times, but the side quests are pretty thorough, many characters are lovable, and you don't have to rage at the difficulty as much as before in the last game (if you did).    … Expand
  26. moothemagiccow
    Mar 8, 2017
    4
    This is $40 DLC for Bravely Default. The towns are the same. The dungeons are the same. The graphics are the same. The gameplay is the same. The characters are still basically the same. The only thing that is different is the story. Unfortunately, that story is so dull and tedious that I started skipping every cutscene and bit of dialogue after chapter 3. And even then, it recycles manyThis is $40 DLC for Bravely Default. The towns are the same. The dungeons are the same. The graphics are the same. The gameplay is the same. The characters are still basically the same. The only thing that is different is the story. Unfortunately, that story is so dull and tedious that I started skipping every cutscene and bit of dialogue after chapter 3. And even then, it recycles many elements from the previous game.

    One big change to the game is a system that lets you get experience and job points faster, and fight without pressing a button. You can sit there and spin the joystick in a circle while occupied with something else and your levels will skyrocket. This is about as entertaining as the main story.

    Apart from the ten or so new jobs, which are not that impressive, you get the chance to earn every job from the previous game in a series of sidequests. Frankly, they're usually not worth it. For example, the White and Black mage were replaced with new jobs that cast better spells for less MP, but you can still get the old classes if you want. In the sidequest, you're given a fairly brief story where you have to jog around and eventually given a dilemma represented by two characters. Whatever choice you personally agree with will probably result in you getting the wrong job.

    This kind of recycling is not limited to content from the previous game. You will end up fighting the same (new) bosses multiple times, often returning to earlier locations to do so. The pacing is also pretty bad. By the time a second (small) slew of jobs are introduced, you will have a perfect, balanced team - no need to try out a new class. The game already felt like a slog by the time I was halfway finished, but beyond that, it got astoundingly repetitive. It's missing the challenge and tactics of the first game, but kept the awfulness of playing the same parts over and over.    … Expand
  27. Dormarth
    Oct 24, 2019
    6
    As a fan of the first, I was extremely let down by the sequel. The game feels more like an expansion to the first, which isn’t a bad thing. The combat is great as ever using the brave and default system along for combat complexity. The new locations are interesting and have good music to accompany them. The new classes are interesting and fun to use including a Knight that can possesAs a fan of the first, I was extremely let down by the sequel. The game feels more like an expansion to the first, which isn’t a bad thing. The combat is great as ever using the brave and default system along for combat complexity. The new locations are interesting and have good music to accompany them. The new classes are interesting and fun to use including a Knight that can posses enemy’s and a Catromancer, this can allow you to use enemy abilities and talk to cats. However, the characters and story are abysmal. It’s painful to sit through the dialogue and story and the voice actors do the best but still comes off as irritating due to the childish dialogue. The combat this time however is flawed, I was able to get past the vast majority of boss fights by buying high level magic items which you can get plenty of by upgrading your town (this May also be true for BD however I was unaware while playing the game). They also haven't learned from their mistakes, the game requires you to play through the entire game twice to unlock the true ending which is tedious and feels like padding.

    Overall I would only recommend to fans of the first who really want more of the characters, world and combat. Dispute what some say it is definitely not for new comers as it’s so self referential it can suffocate new players.    … Expand
  28. Maarten95
    Nov 22, 2020
    9
    Still a great game that rivales final fantasy. Soundtrack is still great aldo I did like the previous game a bit better on this part. Dialogue however improved and the story is enjoyable.
  29. SamComedian
    Jan 27, 2019
    10
    Mi puntuación a Bravely Second es de 10, me explico;
    La duración del modo historia es excelente, mas de 50 horas ( en mi caso 67h y 43min ). La jugabilidad es muy original y divertida, por turnos y con diversas mecánicas como, invocaciones, magias, diferenciaciones de clases, etc. Los personajes tienen mucho carisma ya que los conocemos del anterior juego ( Bravely Default ), Bravely    Mi puntuación a Bravely Second es de 10, me explico;
    La duración del modo historia es excelente, mas de 50 horas ( en mi caso 67h y 43min ). La jugabilidad es muy original y divertida, por turnos y con diversas mecánicas como, invocaciones, magias, diferenciaciones de clases, etc. Los personajes tienen mucho carisma ya que los conocemos del anterior juego ( Bravely Default ), Bravely Sencond es su continuación directa. Contiene una de las mejores bandas sonoras de la historia de los videojuegos, si la del primer Bravely ya era fantástica, éste lo supera. En definitiva le pongo un 10 sobre 10 ( comparándolo con juegos de su plataforma, 3DS ). Mi onceava crítica u/o review.    … Expand
  30. jeremymd
    Jan 24, 2019
    6
    Loved the first game and was really excited to play the sequel considering it was set at the same location with apparently the same characters.

    The dialogue and the main protagonist was beyond cringe-y. Not sure whether this was a localization issue or whether the main character was supposed to be so unbearable and uninteresting. As I played on, I appreciated the quality-of-life    Loved the first game and was really excited to play the sequel considering it was set at the same location with apparently the same characters.

    The dialogue and the main protagonist was beyond cringe-y. Not sure whether this was a localization issue or whether the main character was supposed to be so unbearable and uninteresting.

    As I played on, I appreciated the quality-of-life improvements but ultimately I couldn't help but feel that this game was just a hammy parody of the previous game. Towards the 20-some hour of play, I just couldn't take the game seriously anymore. Maybe that was its intention, but I think it's a bad decision considering how epic and touching its predecessor was.

    If you've played Bravely Default and you found the characters endearing, don't play this.    … Expand
  31. new2dsxl
    Sep 6, 2019
    9
    As a sequel, Bravely Second: End Layer does everything right. It improves on its predecessor in nearly every way, shakes things up enough to still be exciting for players who may have recently poured sixty hours into the first game, and offers a meaningful chance to reconnect with beloved characters. Even better, it's a nearly-perfect JRPG in its own right. Beautiful, well-written, andAs a sequel, Bravely Second: End Layer does everything right. It improves on its predecessor in nearly every way, shakes things up enough to still be exciting for players who may have recently poured sixty hours into the first game, and offers a meaningful chance to reconnect with beloved characters. Even better, it's a nearly-perfect JRPG in its own right. Beautiful, well-written, and endlessly engaging in gameplay and story, this is a wonderful example of why people fall in love with the genre. Simply put, Bravely Second is a must-play for JRPG fans, and one of the 3DS' finest games to date.… Expand
  32. Poochingus
    Nov 14, 2019
    8
    This game has its ups and downs. Sadly this sequel is not the kind you can just love on the face of it. It makes trades. There is recycling of assets and such yes, but that doesn't make the game bad in my eyes. The worst aspect is that the two new characters aren't as strong as the ones they replace from the original, though the new baddies are every bit as interesting as one could hope.This game has its ups and downs. Sadly this sequel is not the kind you can just love on the face of it. It makes trades. There is recycling of assets and such yes, but that doesn't make the game bad in my eyes. The worst aspect is that the two new characters aren't as strong as the ones they replace from the original, though the new baddies are every bit as interesting as one could hope. Back are the moralistic sacrifices of the first game, and we get a better glimpse into the greater mystery of the games, making you want a third title all the more(which I doubt we will ever get).

    But while characters aren't as good, the story still has great quality, and the combat is even more polished than before as well as adding new classes and removing some of the less popular and useless(or just plain broken) ones from before. The balance is much better, though I will miss the cheese combo to farm, which they do make up for by adding a new system to stack XP quickly when you farm.

    I will forever credit the developers for making it possible to play the game with one hand, making being super lazy while playing the game something I start to miss in other games.    … Expand
  33. hector_bcn98
    Nov 4, 2022
    8
    Reutiliza casi todo lo del original, por lo que se puede tomar como una secuela poco renovadora de Default. Igualmente, si te gustó, juégalo, pero aseguraté de dejar un par de años entre uno y otro.
  34. robogiraffe
    Mar 17, 2021
    6
    The combat system is amazing, since it's just a slightly enhanced version of the original. This game could've been a 10/10 if it was based solely on the combat, but that's not how reviews work. Unfortunately, the rest of the game is sorely lacking. The OST is terrible, the characters are annoying, the writing in general is just plain bad and not as funny as they think. There's a hugeThe combat system is amazing, since it's just a slightly enhanced version of the original. This game could've been a 10/10 if it was based solely on the combat, but that's not how reviews work. Unfortunately, the rest of the game is sorely lacking. The OST is terrible, the characters are annoying, the writing in general is just plain bad and not as funny as they think. There's a huge tonal shift from the first game and it just feels out of place. And why did they change the pronunciation of Edea's name? Oh right, to make one stupid pun. Seriously, the names in this game are truly horrible.… Expand
  35. Sterrewiggelary
    Nov 12, 2022
    10
    An absolutely excellent sequel. I love sequels that are more of the same, but full of quality of life improvements.
  36. Vladamir8
    Mar 21, 2023
    10
    this game is the best game I have ever played hands down, everything about it is phenomenal

Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best 3DS Game of 2016
13
#13 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2016
10
#10 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 70 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 70
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 70
  3. Negative: 0 out of 70
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Nov 7, 2016
    80
    Natural Japanese RPG with beautiful graphics, interesting strategic possibilities, colony building on the Moon and toy manufacturing. Seriously. [Issue#267]
  2. Kill Screen
    Jun 23, 2016
    50
    By trying to optimize it, the brave/default system inadvertently lays bare the arbitrariness structuring the player’s relation to the game, the role one ostensibly plays becoming repeatable and, indeed, automatable in yet another striking parallel to the looming “new economy.”
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  3. Toronto Sun
    Jun 21, 2016
    90
    My only hope is that the developers at Silicon Studios haven’t reached their own end layer with this series. They’ve essentially perfected the Bravely formula, and I look forward to how they might change things up in the future.
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