Bravely Default 2

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 896 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Bravely Default 2 Game Cover
Bravely Default 2 is one of the best games to point to when people ask what makes JRPGs fun.
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Bravely Default II is the latest installment in the series by the creators of Octopath Traveler. This successor to the original Bravely Default features a new world, story, and Heroes of Light, accompanied by a fresh soundtrack from Revo. Embark on an exciting journey with new characters and challenges in this turn-based RPG.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Cloud
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 896 reviews
story158 positive mentions
grinding153 negative mentions
  • Engaging and nostalgic turn-based combat system with a unique Brave/Default mechanic.
  • Deep job system allows for extensive customization and experimentation with character builds.
  • Beautiful visuals and a fantastic soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
  • Generic and predictable story with one-dimensional characters.
  • Grindy gameplay with mandatory leveling that can feel tedious.
  • Lack of quality of life features, such as a quest log and minimap in dungeons.
  • story542 mentions

    The story of "Bravely Default II" is often described as generic and formulaic, following the classic JRPG trope of heroes on a quest to save the world by collecting elemental crystals. While some players appreciate its nostalgic charm and lighthearted moments, many criticize the plot for being predictable, lacking depth, and featuring one-dimensional characters. Despite its shortcomings, the game offers engaging gameplay and a rich job system, which some players find compensates for the story's weaknesses.

    • “Set in a colorful fantasy world, the game features a deep story, interesting characters, and lots of exploration.”
    • “I didn't expect to enjoy a rich, pleasant story about four heroes bringing hope and salvation to the world.”
    • “The story is fantastic.”
    • “The story is the same generic crap we've seen in a thousand other games going back to the very first Final Fantasy.”
    • “The story is pretty bland, there's no mini-games, and the character interactions are underwhelming.”
    • “The story feels like an afterthought.”
  • gameplay203 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its familiar turn-based mechanics, enhanced by the unique brave/default system that adds strategic depth. While many players appreciate the job system and the variety of combat options, some criticize the balance issues and the repetitive nature of encounters, particularly with bosses that employ frustrating counter mechanics. Overall, the gameplay is engaging for fans of classic JRPGs, though it may feel less innovative for veterans of the genre.

    • “Beautiful visuals, great gameplay, a strong story, and a drop-dead gorgeous soundtrack - Square has done it again.”
    • “The gameplay strikes a balance between Bravely Default I and II, with the jobs largely being re-imagined versions of those from the first game.”
    • “The core of the gameplay is the job system: as you gather jobs, you learn more and more abilities that you can use to augment many aspects of the gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay does not click much, and they even took out features in the previous two games like having a toggle to just repeat moves over and over so you can grind with your mind off the game.”
    • “Alot of bosses utilize mechanics that just are there to ruin your time, and extend your time.”
    • “However the gameplay has suffered immensely compared to the first two games, which has left me not wanting to finish this game.”
  • music166 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising the soundtrack composed by Revo for its beauty and ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, while others feel it lacks the memorability of previous entries in the series. Some standout tracks and themes are highlighted, particularly in battle and town settings, but there are criticisms regarding repetitiveness and a lack of variety. Overall, the music is generally regarded as enjoyable and fitting for the game's nostalgic JRPG style, though opinions vary on its impact compared to earlier titles.

    • “Beautiful visuals, great gameplay, a strong story, and a drop-dead gorgeous soundtrack - Square has done it again.”
    • “The music is absolutely sublime, Revo is an absolute godsend and I'm so happy he returned to compose for this game.”
    • “The soundtrack in particular is really good, it was composed by Revo, the same musician that worked on the previous Bravely games, and it's full of bangers.”
    • “The music is generic fantasy.”
    • “Music wise... bd2 continues to disappoint as its OST is one of the least memorable I have heard from Square ever.”
    • “Very generic fantasy OST with no standout track as far as I can recall, such a shame since Neo TWEWY released recently and has such a banger OST.”
  • grinding155 mentions

    The grinding in the game is a significant aspect, with many players noting it as both a core mechanic and a source of frustration. While some find the grinding enjoyable and rewarding, especially for job leveling and character progression, others criticize it as tedious and excessive, often feeling mandatory to succeed in boss fights. Overall, the game is described as very grind-heavy, with mixed opinions on whether this enhances or detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Not too grindy and a lot of fun.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I put about 80 hours into this game and most of it was grinding.”
    • “Overall, the game requires absolutely intolerable amounts of just mindless grinding.”
    • “It's not a bad game and I kinda enjoyed it, but it's very grindy and full of backtracking and the worst side quests I've seen in a while.”
  • graphics140 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the vibrant watercolor backgrounds and charming art style, while others criticize the character models and overall aesthetic as inconsistent or reminiscent of amateur designs. Many players appreciate the graphical improvements from previous versions, particularly on PC, but some report issues with performance, glitches, and a lack of depth in visual design. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered beautiful and engaging, they may not appeal to everyone due to their unique style and execution.

    • “It's great to see the game in 4K on Steam with its wonderful watercolor background and art style; it really is a highlight of these games.”
    • “The graphics are sublime and the story engaging.”
    • “The enemy designs are incredibly cool, the animations at 60+ fps (and without motion blur) have a lot of flair, the town backgrounds looking like paintings are wonderful, and the overall 'clay-like' art style is very pleasant to look at.”
    • “I can't explain it, but for some reason, so much of the graphics just do not look like something that should be coming from Square Enix.”
    • “The graphics are rather middling, and there doesn't seem to be any systems in battle or in the overworld save the job system and the brave/default system.”
    • “The art style was a huge turn off for me.”
  • optimization21 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly on high-end PCs like the RTX 3080, users report significant performance issues on the Switch version, describing it as "hot garbage." Some players experienced high temperatures and inconsistent frame rates, indicating that further optimization could enhance the experience. Despite these issues, many found the game enjoyable with good performance on PC, particularly at higher resolutions.

    • “Art style, music, and optimization are all great.”
    • “✅ Performance, which was a huge issue on the Switch, is almost completely resolved here.”
    • “It's pretty well optimized, has all the regular resolutions up to 4K.”
    • “I'm happy for the port, but I wish a bit more was done on the optimization front.”
    • “The game is not optimized very well, so expect to use high TDP to hit consistent FPS.”
    • “I own the Switch version and the performance on that thing is hot garbage compared to the PC version.”
  • humor16 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by witty dialogue, amusing character interactions, and a blend of intentional and unintentional comedic moments that keep the story engaging. While some players found the overall narrative lacking compared to previous titles, the use of regional dialects and entertaining side quests added to the comedic charm. However, the humor can sometimes be undermined by stiff animations and a basic plot, leading to moments that are unintentionally funny.

    • “The whole story is filled with great story moments, funny character interactions, and it does it at a pace that never felt like it dragged on.”
    • “This isn't to mention the hilarious contrivance of being found on the shore initially by the princess' most trusted knight and thus getting embroiled in her story in the process.”
    • “Overall, it's a fun turn-based JRPG and the characters are pretty hilarious, both in an intentional and unintentional way.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is polarizing, with some players finding it lacking in depth and engagement, describing the story as simple and boring, while others appreciate its occasional emotional moments and heartwarming elements. The character portrayals, particularly in the Japanese voice acting, are noted for adding emotional weight, but overall, the narrative fails to reach the emotional heights of its predecessor. Despite mixed feelings, some players still find the game enjoyable and capable of evoking feelings of sadness and attachment.

    • “The comparative to the original is just completely heartbreaking.”
    • “Do you want to experience a rich, emotional story with deep battle systems loaded with tons of options and endless replayability?”
    • “It's also super pretty and if you let yourself love the characters, it seems like a very tragic and heartwarming story.”
    • “Horribly boring story, gives you zero motivation to care about anything that's going on.”
    • “Tldr: boring story, terrible design, ok gameplay.”
  • character development15 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the strong character arcs and engaging animations, while others criticize the lack of depth and emotional expression due to the chibi character designs. Many feel that the story and character motivations are often weak, detracting from the overall experience, although some side quests do provide meaningful development. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some finding the character development top-notch and others deeming it flat and unimpactful.

    • “I love how each job has its own character designs too.”
    • “Storyline: standard JRPG fare with a few twists and turns, but the character development and acting in the game, in my opinion, is top notch.”
    • “Lovely animations and really interesting character development.”
    • “If you play RPGs because you like rich stories and fascinating settings and the personal drama of character development, this is not that.”
    • “Character development is just not there, and almost all of the antagonists' motivations are kind of weak.”
    • “Some side quests are worth doing because they add character development, but the ones that don't have cutscenes are brain-dead boring.”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, particularly on PC and Steam Deck, where it runs smoothly with minimal issues and improved load times. However, some users report significant graphical glitches and black screens when interacting with vendors, indicating inconsistency in performance across different platforms.

    • “By the way, I played the entire game on my Steam Deck without any issues. It runs great out of the box, and with a few tweaks, I can squeeze between 4 and 5 hours of gameplay on a full charge.”
    • “Runs great on PC.”
    • “Runs great, and the load times are much better here than on the Switch.”
    • “Black screens almost every time you talk to a vendor and glitches out graphics far too much to give it a positive review.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere in Bravely Default II is generally appreciated for its grounded, fairy tale-like quality, enhanced by effective music that complements various gameplay scenarios. However, some users express dissatisfaction with the town and map designs, suggesting a disconnect between the setting and overall experience.

    • “Bravely Default II's story plays out much more like a generic fairy tale and feels like much of its overall atmosphere is fairly grounded in reality.”
    • “I like the settings and atmosphere, even though I don't like the town and map designs.”
    • “Bravely Default II's story plays out much more like a generic fairy tale, and much of its overall atmosphere feels fairly grounded in reality.”
    • “The music sets the atmosphere very well, whether you are traveling or spying on evil.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its rich story, extensive class system, and a dynamic combat system that encourages experimentation. However, some players may find themselves less inclined to replay it immediately due to other gaming commitments, and achieving all accomplishments typically requires at least two playthroughs.

    • “Do you want to experience a rich, emotional story with deep battle systems loaded with tons of options and endless replayability?”
    • “It's a very fun turn-based game with a lot of replay value, a very large and fun class system, a combat system you can speed up by taking multiple attacks at once (high risk, high reward), and as with most of the games this company produces, it has an amazing soundtrack on the same level as the Final Fantasy franchise.”
    • “For those who love to net each and every achievement, unless you're an absolute pro or masochist, you'll need to do at least two playthroughs to unlock all achievements.”
    • “As for replayability, I doubt I'll be returning to this game soon as I have five games that I'm actively playing and trying to complete. I want to focus on that. For those who love to net each and every achievement, unless you're an absolute pro or masochist, you'll need to do at least two playthroughs to net all achievements.”
    • “The game lacks significant changes in subsequent playthroughs, making it feel repetitive and less engaging after the first run.”
    • “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in, as the side quests and additional content don't offer much variety.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization model has improved significantly, as users appreciate the absence of microtransactions compared to previous installments.

    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't pressure players to spend money.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of content without requiring additional purchases.”
    • “There are no microtransactions, unlike the previous parts.”
    • “The monetization model feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

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Play time

27hMedian play time
49hAverage play time
8-90hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs

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