Bravely Default 2 is arriving in the nearish future and with this new demo, I’m even more excited. I’ve been a fan of the series since the first one back on the 3DS. I loved its sequel which was just a continuation of the first one. But this time around we are in a whole new world. With new characters and a new story to take part in, this is sure to be a treat. Bravely Default is an amazing JRPG series that turns some of the JRPG ideas on their heads. While players still run around an open world, battle monsters in turn-based battles and level up there characters, there are a few things that make this series different. The biggest thing revolves around the title, Braving and Defaulting.
By Braving players will use up stored BP, and by defaulting they will gain a BP. Players can amass up to four BP and then attack 5 times, though this does take up Magic Points if a spell is used. These two ideas are in full force and the battles in the demo are quite tough. It’s been a while since I played the series so I was rusty and it was harder than I’d like to admit. But, it’s worth it in the end as winning battles feels good. The player has access to five different classes. These classes are vanguard, black mage, white mage, fighter, and a hidden class thief. To play the demo right players must assign their party members the right job and sub job and head out to grind. The wolves outside the starting demo town will wreck the player if they aren’t ready. Though eventually having every character brave to the max will be enough to wipe them out.
Grinding is an important part of learning how to play this game. Take on as many enemies as possible and earn money. Use this money to heal up at the inn and buy new weapons and armor. Make sure to outfit the party as best as possible. The only way to get through this demo is to strengthen the characters by leveling them up and arming them with the right skills, jobs, and gear. Players will also need to take on quests. NPC’s will have a symbol above their head that will tell the player if they have a quest. Take on as many of the quests as possible as the rewards are always worth the effort. It’s far easier to get through the rest of the demo when the characters are loaded with goods.
The world that the game takes place in is also amazing. The Desert is a beautiful yet unforgiving landscape. The town is filled with life and characters to talk too. The other areas in the demo are also great and overall the game looks amazing. Both of the other games in this series were on the 3DS so it’s great to seem them in HD this time around. Plus the voice acting in this game is amazing. The main characters are voiced a good deal of the demo. When they interact the player can hear how they feel. I’m a huge fan of dubbed voices and this series has never disappointed. Coupled with the fact that they are all European voices means it’s even more exciting. The music is also great. The sounds of the desert work well and the music is a touch peaceful. The battle music is amazing as they have all been. It’s thrilling jumping into battle knowing the music will be good. Nothing can harsh a game’s feel quicker than bad battle music. I will gladly listen to this theme as often as possible, especially when grinding.
This demo isn’t going to be easy for anyone, especially first starting. But it should entice players to pick up the game. Playing through it might take a while but after completing the demo there is a sense of satisfaction as it is quite difficult. I wasn’t expecting such a challenge but in the end, it made me even more excited to play through this impressive game. There’s a brave new world to explore, will the player pick up the demo or default to wait for the full game?