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. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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

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

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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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