Support NeoGAF

[Jooxed]

Bravely Default II Is Satisfying My Need for an Octopath Traveler Sequel

Like most other 3DS enthusiasts, I was a huge fan of the original Bravely Default. The combat system felt familiar but unique, as the Brave and Default

twinfinite.net

Bravely Default 2 is a gorgeous and glorious return for the series | Hands-on preview | GodisaGeek.com

Whilst I've only played a preview of Bravely Default 2, I'm so in love with the world, the combat, and the Heroes of Light.

www.godisageek.com

There were some high expectations for Bravely Default II, especially after the 2 demos released ahead of the game. After playing the first hour of the game, it is clear that this title does not disappoint. It screams "Quality".

http://www.cubed3.com/preview/814/1/bravely-default-2-nintendo-switch

Bravely Default II Preview – Fortune favours the brave | TheSixthAxis

Waking up on a beach must be a scary thought, especially when you’re fairly sure you were spoken to by an ethereal voice after being shipwrecked, but Seth

www.thesixthaxis.com

 

[Kokoloko85]

Doesn’t look graphically much better than the original....

 

[JimboJones]

Seems like if you liked the previous entries this will also be a good time, shame about the artstyle, environment looks nice at times but the characters are a bit odd.

 

[Yoshichan]

is it a challenging game?

 

[TintoConCasera]

Have yet to play the 3DS ones so I'm not in a hurry, but I'm glad to read some positive things.

But yeah, count me in with those that desise the artstyle for the character models.

 

[Captain Toad]

I'm excited for this. I would have preferred a sequel or spiritual successor to Octopath Traveler, but I'll take this.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Nintendo got heat releasing early this year.

 

[RuneFactoryFanboy]

After two hefty demos, the second of which let you play through the entire first chapter of the game, I don't really see the point of looking to bloggers for impressions.

I really liked what I played. The characters seem very charming and I enjoyed their voice work. The battle system is still has that risk/reward aspect of it that keeps me thinking instead of just issuing mindless commands over and over. I like the new equipment weight system and how it affects agro. Most of the visuals look amazing, especially the dynamically zooming painted backgrounds. I'd only knock the visuals for the character models, they still look off-putting to me. Oh and the music is amazing!

 

[Exentryk]

Even though I'm not a fan of the changes made to the combat system, I'll be getting it anyway since I love this series. Maybe they'll return to the original combat system for BD3.

 

[Kagoshima_Luke]

Is this a direct sequel or a completely separate story?

 

[Jooxed]

Is this a direct sequel or a completely separate story?

separate story!

 

[Madflavor]

I'm at work right now and can't read all that (actually I'm just lazy), so can anyone sum up all of the impressions so far? Is it good? I know a lot of people liked the first game, and I did too, but I never played Bravely Second because I heard that one was disappointing. I thought Octopath Traveler was okay, I just hated that it didn't have much of a cohesive narrative.

I'm hoping for a pretty good jrpg. I'm not in the mood for something decent.

 

[Jooxed]

I'm at work right now and can't read all that (actually I'm just lazy), so can anyone sum up all of the impressions so far? Is it good? I know a lot of people liked the first game, and I did too, but I never played Bravely Second because I heard that one was disappointing. I thought Octopath Traveler was okay, I just hated that it didn't have much of a cohesive narrative.

I'm hoping for a pretty good jrpg. I'm not in the mood for something decent.

Positive impressions so far! Some negatives are the character art and now having an equip load.

 

[Pejo]

I don't get why they made the character art different if they weren't going to stop using chibis. The first two games characters were really well received and I personally think they look much better than this. Ah well.

 

[kamkamkam]

I cant wait to buy this, play through the first dungeon, then never touch it again.

 

[DarkestHour]

I'm at work right now and can't read all that (actually I'm just lazy), so can anyone sum up all of the impressions so far? Is it good? I know a lot of people liked the first game, and I did too, but I never played Bravely Second because I heard that one was disappointing. I thought Octopath Traveler was okay, I just hated that it didn't have much of a cohesive narrative.

I'm hoping for a pretty good jrpg. I'm not in the mood for something decent.

Worst part about Octopath is the battle system. It just made battles take longer and more effort than really necessary.

 

[Croga]

The original Bravely Default had one of my favorite battle systems of all time and also one of the worst endgame / final few chapters to a JRPG that I've probably every played.

I'll still play the hell out of this though just for the combat, just crossing my fingers the story doesn't go tits up again.

 

[AJUMP23]

I was into this game until I saw the characters and the heard the voice acting. Then I was out immediately.

 

[JunkerWoland]

With this game, I needed a compromise of maintaining either the combat or art style of the first game. Not to suggest this isn't a true Bravely Default, but I'm leaning towards it being a Bravely Default I'm not interested in playing.

 

[Meesh]

As much as I'm looking forward to BD2, I'd much rather see Octopath2. Maybe that's just me lol.
As an old school Jrpg lover though I'll buy and not complain too much.

 

[Fbh]

I'm calling BS on this Kotaku

Bravely Default II is the first game in the series on Switch, and not surprisingly the best looking and sounding one by far.

Outside of Towns it looks bad with that horrible character art style and asset store looking environments.
First one looked much nicer aside from resolution.

 

[Madflavor]

Considering the budget these games probably have, the character models don't bother me. Also anytime we get a turn based Jrpg in modern times, I count my blessings.

 

[Captain Toad]

The original Bravely Default had one of my favorite battle systems of all time and also one of the worst endgame / final few chapters to a JRPG that I've probably every played.

I'll still play the hell out of this though just for the combat, just crossing my fingers the story doesn't go tits up again.

Part of me wants a JRPG in the vein of the original Dragon Quest/Warrior. Basically, no plot. Just gameplay, exploration and stat building.

 

[Shifty1897]

I'll buy it in hopes they'll make another Octopath Traveler for Switch (hopefully with a better story and writing, the only problem with that game).

 

[Jooxed]

I'll buy it in hopes they'll make another Octopath Traveler for Switch (hopefully with a better story and writing, the only problem with that game).

They mentioned they are working on one when they announced the mobile prequel.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Kamina]

So tired of JRPGs with chibi-artstyle. FF7R was really refreshing.

 

[Basilisco V.]

After playing the second demo, I enjoyed a lot the gameplay and the visuals were fairly good. When you get a hand of the battle system, the battles are a blast.

 

[Animagic]

I didn’t enjoy the other games, so I’ll be skipping this. The art design seems weird also. Big downgrade in design of the characters from the illustrator they used before.

 

[Mister Wolf]

The creature design looks really good. As for the human characters, I don't like nendoroid artstyle but it won't prohibit me from enjoying the game.

 

[recursive]

Even though I'm not a fan of the changes made to the combat system, I'll be getting it anyway since I love this series. Maybe they'll return to the original combat system for BD3.

I haven't been following this to closely. What are the changes?

 

[Exentryk]

The battle system isn't round based anymore. Both previous BD games and even Octopath Traveler were round based, which means all 4 characters and all enemies get one turn each in a bounded round. Now, speed is king, and a faster character can get multiple turns before a slower gets even one turn.

How this changes the battles compared to previous BD games is that now using Braves and going into negative slows you down. Also Default doesn't execute at the start of the round (since no rounds exist), which means slower characters can get hit and die before they even get to default. So the core mechanics of this series (Brave and Default) function poorly compared to previous games.

It can lead to stuff like below where the player doesn't even get a chance to react.

 

[Mister Wolf]

The battle system isn't round based anymore. Both previous BD games and even Octopath Traveler were round based, which means all 4 characters and all enemies get one turn each in a bounded round. Now, speed is king, and a faster character can get multiple turns before a slower gets even one turn.

How this changes the battles compared to previous BD games is that now using Braves and going into negative slows you down. Also Default doesn't execute at the start of the round (since no rounds exist), which means slower characters can get hit and die before they even get to default. So the core mechanics of this series (Brave and Default) function poorly compared to previous games.

It can lead to stuff like below where the player doesn't even get a chance to react.

Haha. They beasted on him.

 

[Myths]

Haha. They beasted on him.

 

[Punished Miku]

I pre-ordered it. I loved Octopath, and I will always support SQEX funding and publishing games like these. This is an easy purchase for me.

I didn't play the demos, so I'll mostly be going in dark whenever I get around to playing it (also have 3D World coming in 3 days).

 

[Captain Toad]

I've tried to get into Bravely Default and Bravely Second on 3DS, but I just don't like playing on 3DS.

I hope this does well, and they port the other two games over to Switch.

 

[Andyliini]

Definitely getting this. I loved Default and Second on 3DS, altough I could not get into Octopath. Hopefully I can beat Super Mario 3D World before this comes out.

 

[Fugitive Sex]

So tired of JRPGs with chibi-artstyle. FF7R was really refreshing.

I couldn't disagree more. The horror inducing 'realism' of that game was so off-putting.

 

[carlosrox]

I cringe every time I read JRPG. The gayest fucking "genre" name ever.

It's just RPG for fuck's sake.

 

[teezzy]

Nothing pairs better with a JRPG than a fat juicy steak and a large glass of whole milk

Can't wait

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Nothing pairs better with a JRPG than a fat juicy steak and a large glass of whole milk

Can't wait

I cringe every time I read whole milk. The gayest fucking "drink" name ever.

It's just milk for fuck's sake.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

I drink the milk

even though i'm intolerant

the whole milk

 

[Kenpachii]

This actually looks great.

 

[MagnesG]

Worst part about Octopath is the battle system. It just made battles take longer and more effort than really necessary.

Nah. Fast battle doesn't means it's good.

 

[Exentryk]

Nah. Fast battle doesn't means it's good.

Battles don't take long in Octopath anyway. That poster just needs to git gud.

 

[MagnesG]

Battles don't take long in Octopath anyway. That poster just needs to git gud.

Exactly, it's always people who only button mash and doesn't strategize that got stuck with long sessions.

 

[DarkestHour]

Battles don't take long in Octopath anyway. That poster just needs to git gud.

The battles having unnecessary shields for every single enemy has nothing to do with "git gud" and everything to do with making the battles drawn out. I'd understand if it were for bosses, but having to go through multiple shields for every enemy and then damaging actually inflicting damage on them just draws the battles out for far longer than necessary.

 

[Zheph]

It went from okay sure to a possible day one
looking good, some very nice previews

 

[Exentryk]

The battles having unnecessary shields for every single enemy has nothing to do with "git gud" and everything to do with making the battles drawn out. I'd understand if it were for bosses, but having to go through multiple shields for every enemy and then damaging actually inflicting damage on them just draws the battles out for far longer than necessary.

Like I said, if you understand and apply the boost system well, you can finish pretty much every random encounter in one round. You just need to spend more time with the game and improve your strategies.

 

[Soodanim]

I cringe every time I read JRPG. The gayest fucking "genre" name ever.

It's just RPG for fuck's sake.

JRPG is distinctive enough a term that people know what to expect and why it's different from RPGs in a wider sense, especially as time goes on and there's more focus on the various flavours of RPG.