First Impressions: Bravely Default
This past Thursday, North American 3DS owners who connected to the e-shop were able to download a demo of Square Enix’s upcoming RPG Bravely Default. While the game has already seen a Japanese and European release, this is North America’s first taste of the eagerly anticipated game, one we’ve been waiting for since the game was first announced way back in 2011.
Even though we only have the demo to sate our appetite until the game’s release next month, the demo itself is fairly robust, offering a very in-depth view of what we can expect in the future (all told, I spent about ten hours with this demo, which is longer than it takes to clear some games in their entirety). That being said, in case you were worried about ruining segments of the game proper, it’s worth noting that the demo features original content. What’s more, playing the demo gives players a chance to uncover exclusive bonuses that can then be used in the full game once it’s released. For anyone with even a passing interest in Bravely Default, checking out the demo is a no-brainer. But is the game any good?
Though you won’t find the words “Final Fantasy” anywhere in the game’s title, this game truly feels like a throwback to classic Final Fantasy gameplay (with some Dragon Quest thrown in for good measure). You’ll use spells like Curaga and Esuna, playing classes like Black Mage, Red Mage, and Valkyrie. You’ll revive killed party members with Phoenix Downs. And if you’re playing the mode on Hard, you’ll be doing the latter a lot.
That being said, for all the familiar territory Bravely Default covers, it still manages to feel incredibly fresh at the same time. Its turn-based fighting system offers several interesting wrinkles, most notably the Brave/Default system from which the game gets its name. Essentially, every turn nets your party Brave points, which in turn allow your characters to make moves (such as attacks, spells, using items, etc.). You can choose to use the points, or Default, going into defense mode and saving your points for later turns. The more points you have, the more powerful your attacks. Just be warned that your enemies have the same battle options. This risk/reward system may seem simple at first, but it opens up a whole new layer of strategy that makes the more involved battles extra intense.
Another area where Bravely Default shines is in its job system. Battles earn you both regular experience points as well as job experience points. As your class, which can be changed at any time, levels up you gain unique class abilities, such as the Black Mage’s Damage Dispersion, which distributes damage you take among your allies. As you experiment with different classes you can mix and match different class abilities, uncovering some deadly combinations that are a joy to discover.
In addition to the rewarding combat and customization system, Bravely Default makes great use of the 3DS’ Streetpass functionality. Passing by other people who have downloaded the demo adds villagers to your home town, whom you can send on jobs to build new stores or expand your territory (think Simpsons: Tapped Out). Players also can send info on their characters, which can then be used by other players as helpful summons when in a pinch. It’s a very unique use of the system’s ability, and I hope to see more developers push Streetpass in similarly thoughtful directions.
Finally, the game itself looks and sounds gorgeous. 3D backgrounds feel like something from a storybook (reminding me of the latter PSOne era Final Fantasies), and the game’s rousing symphonic score feels absolutely top-rate.
There are a lot of games I’m looking forward to in 2014, but after spending ten hours on this demo, Bravely Default quickly soared to the top of my list. It looks like it’ll be a must have for fans of old-school JRPGs, living up to the expectations it set almost three years ago.
Bravely Default comes out in North America on February 7, 2014.
