Retro Revamped is a series of review articles written about new games that attempt to embody the founding principles of their respective genres, whilst still yielding an experience that feels nuanced and fresh. What constitutes a game that “feels” retro is completely my subjective opinion, and may not have been the intention of the developers.
Introduction
Bravely Default was responsible for renewing my interest in JRPGs, following a prolonged hiatus resulting from burn out. When I first obtained Bravely Default, I held on to it for over a year before jumping in. Why? Well, because I feared I didn’t have the time to invest in an expansive JRPG. At the time this was true, considering I was working multiple jobs and going to school at night. When the doldrums of life were replaced instead by a more sustainable existence, I finally did venture into the world of Luxendarc my life quickly reverting back to my childhood. I went on an RPG binge that continues even now.
After taking a break from the Bravely Default for a while, exploring new JRPGs and childhood favorites such as Phantasy Star, I revisited the game and tied up some loose ends; namely defeating the secret Uber-bosses, The Adventurer and Comrade.
This additional taste of the Bravely world compelled me to finally commit to finishing the sequel: Bravely Second: End Layer; but how would it measure up to the well-regarded original? Would it continue to foster my reignited passion for JRPGs, or would it usher in a new era of RPG-fatigue?
Review
Visuals 8.5/10
Much like the original game the visuals in Bravely Second, in my opinion, are simply above average. Upon starting a new game, the player is treated to a visually stunning cutscene that is clearly attempting to be an Anime-style opening credit roll. Though it doesn’t do a ton to make apparent the upcoming narrative, it looks pretty cool, has an epic scale, and is accompanied by some fast-paced Japanese rock.
Whats interesting, is that this cutscene plays as an interlude between each of the game’s chapters, really reinforcing the aforementioned TV series-like presentation. I actually think this was an excellent design choice; it serves as a means to get the player amped up for the upcoming action, while simultaneously creating a binge-watching vibe that makes the game even more addictive.
Making a return in Bravely Second, are the absolutely beautiful, hand-drawn towns that were the highlight of the first game. Once again everything looks like it is out of a storybook, with the new locales being just as stunning as the recycled assets from the original. I hold the art style of the towns in the Bravely series, in the highest regard, and daresay it is some of the best art in the history of video gaming.
Despite the mindbogglingly stunning towns, the rest of the visual presentation leaves something to be desired. Similarly to Bravely Default, the sprites in the sequel are a little underwhelming, but continue to feel appropriate for what this game is trying to achieve aesthetically. There are some improvements over the previous game’s sprite work, however. To start, the new Jobs have very interesting costumes. This makes sense taking into consideration that unlike in Bravely Default, these classes are not simple re-imaginings of iconic Final Fantasy designs, but rather completely original creations. I particularly appreciated the designs of the Charioteer, Exorcist, Astrologer and Yokai Job classes, which standout as the best of the new additions in my humble opinion.
Another visual upgrade comes in the form of improved enemy boss sprites, particularly with regards to the asterisk holders, who are unanimously more interesting in appearance than those in the original. This is partially due to the novelty of their design relative to those in Bravely Default, but it would be unfair to say that these asterisk holder designs are not impressive on merit alone.
The standout bosses do not end there however, the newly discovered creatures called Ba’als also act as a graphical highlight. These creatures look like a bad acid trip, and I say that in the most complimentary way possible. Their designs are often neon, nightmare-inducing and downright weird. There are those that play a central role in the story, which are always well done, but the really creative ones are the optional bosses sent by friends in Fort Lune.
Aside from the somewhat improved, but still imperfect, spritework, Bravely Second’s dungeon interiors are also occasionally drab, much like the first game and the 3-D effect still works well, but is unnecessary.
Overall, despite improvements over its predecessor, Bravely Second cannot be rated higher than Bravely Default with regards to visual presentation. Enhancements aside, it still runs on the original game’s engine and re-uses a ton of old assets, so it cannot be considered superior. It is however above average and will likely be more than sufficient for most gamers.
Sound: 8/10
Being a follow up to, what in my opinion is, one of the greatest RPG soundtracks of all time, is no easy task. The one entrusted with this epic task was Ryo; once again a first-time video game composer.
To just get it out the way in the beginning, Ryo’s effort, though valiant, does not measure up to Bravely Default’s soundtrack. This is ok though, considering it is still a very well-rounded and varied collection of music. Ryo utilizes an impressive array of instruments, choral vocals, and samples of the previous game’s tracks to create something that is certainly above average, but still somewhat disappointing in comparison to the previous OST.
As is becoming obvious, judging the composition as a standalone effort is nigh impossible. This is especially true considering the all-time performance delivered by the previous composer Revo, who was unable to return due to scheduling conflicts, but I will try my best to make a fair assessment of this OST.
To start, there really are some absolute gems on this album. Bravely Second opens strong with a high-quality title screen theme. The music starts off softly and slowly builds up to an powerful choral portion that helps add a sense of epic scale and wonder to the forthcoming adventure. I particularly like how Revo cleverly incorporates Bravely Default’s main theme into the composition’s latter sections, as much appreciated fan-service.
“Battle of Oblivion” is another highlight of the album. The opening moments are reminiscent of Castlevania’s quieter themes,with a lofty, sophisticated, but still menacing sound. It then abruptly launches into an absolutely rocking theme that really picks up where the previous game left off in terms of fast paced battle themes.
“The Imperial Army” helps set the stage for the game’s main antagonist by helping define the mysterious and all-powerful air surrounding him and his forces. The sister track “Sapp & Piddler’s Theme” modifies the original track to include the upbeat, guitar-laden sections Bravely fans have come to expect during epic battles. The track also adds a military-like choral section that makes battling these two goofy soldiers, feel like going up against an entire army.
“This Would Be Good, Too” is the shop theme in the game, and is a very short loop, but it is so goddamn catchy and well done. I honestly have never gotten this out of my head and continue to hum it months after finishing the game.
“Battle of Anne”, “Battle of Diamante”, “Battle of Anne 2” and “Battle of Providence” are special boss themes that are very well done and give off the hardcore, breakneck vibe of the original game. They are beautifully composed and sufficiently EPIC to establish the scale and stakes of the associated battles. Though an exceptional final boss theme, “Battle of Providence”, does not compare to “Serpent Eating the Horizon,” but honestly not much can.
The aptly named “Ba’al Battle,” which accompanies the in-game battles against the titular boss enemies, is probably one of the better compositions in the game with regards to accurately defining the action on screen. It delivers an incredibly creepy vibe by utilizing a child choral section, accompanied by awesome composition and strange outer space sounding effects, that blend to create the perfect theme for these extraterrestrial nemeses.
Other battle themes on the other hand are not only a let down compared to the original game, but a let down in general. “Battle of Tribulations,” the asterisk holder theme in Bravely Second, is simply dull and generic. It is a boring choral piece with some accompanying instrumentation that is well executed, but overall uninspiring. This is probably the weakest battle theme in the game, which is unfortunate considering how central asterisk battles are to the in-game mechanics and overall plot. It literally pains me to compare this to Bravely Default’s asterisk battle theme, so I won’t put myself through that.
“The Battle Bell Tolls”, the standard battle theme in Bravely Second, is also a bit of a let down, though less so than the “Battle of Tribulations.” It is memorable and somewhat exciting, but really feels generic. I like this theme, but do not love it, which is a shame because most of the player’s time will be spent in standard battles.
One of the stranger situations occurs with the game’s Special move themes, which are universally exceptional and well composed, but just feel a bit off. I actually love these themes, but they are, at times, indistinguishable from one another. Bravely Default’s special themes felt like an expression of each character’s individuality, while this game’s themes just feel like they could have been for any character.
Overall, Ryo manages to craft an exciting and appropriate soundtrack. It is very good, but is hard for me not to criticize it for missing in some key areas, such as the main battle, special move, asterisk battle, and even the overworld themes, which should be the bread and butter of an RPG soundtrack. Despite my criticism, I believe Ryo did a very good job and deserves to contribute to the OST of the next game in the series. I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing a collaboration with Revo in Bravely Third, but we NEED Revo back.
WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR BRAVELY DEFAULT (FIRST GAME) AND EARLY GAME SPOILERS FOR BRAVELY SECOND AHEAD !!!!… ALSO, PLEASE PLAY BRAVELY DEFAULT FIRST.
Gameplay 9/10:
Bravely Second picks up a few short years after the events of the first game, allowing the player to revisit the beautiful world of Luxendarc and some of the most lovable characters in RPG history. I was absolutely thrilled that the developers went in the direction, despite my expecting it due to the reveal in the perfect ending of the first game.
The game centers on a new protagonist, Yew Geneolgia, a member of the Crystalguard’s 3 Musketeers and only surviving member of the legendary House Geneolgia. Yew is accompanied by a supporting cast from the previous game to round out the battle party and primary NPC roles. Yew is somewhat annoying and only mildly likable, which is why Tiz, who has much more personality this time around, was quickly switched to the first party slot to take lead in my save file. Yew’s backstory and, pun intended, genealogy, are far more interesting than the character himself; the only saving grace of his presence in the game with the exception of a few emotional scenes and comedic relief.
Yew’s newly introduced female counterpart, Magnolia the “Ba’al Buster,” on the other hand is a pretty solid character, despite fulfilling the sexy female role in a game whose graphical style doesn’t necessarily facilitate such a role. Luckily, her naivete and prowess in battle are genuinely endearing and her budding relationship with Yew helps make him more interesting than he’d be without her. An additional bonus is she oddly speaks French, which is apparently the language of the Moon in the Bravely universe.
Edea, probably the best protagonist in the series, and Tiz are still far superior characters however, and the original quartet far outshines the second game’s main squad when taken as a whole. Man I miss Ringabel.
The story itself, much like Bravely Default’s, is engaging, but not ground-breaking. While the original sought to bait the player into thinking they were suffering through a generic JRPG storyline for the umpteenth time only to “blind-side” them with a major plot-twist, the second game does no such thing; instead opting for a more traditional story… with another somewhat less telegraphed, but less exciting, plot-twist.
Unfortunately, pursuing a more traditional plot-line results in Bravely Second’s story being pretty generic, and a clear step-back from the previous game. Bravely Default’s plot was an absolutely spectacular concept, plagued by painfully obvious foreshadowing of the game’s most important plot twist and repetitiveness. Despite that, the original managed to break all expectations set by the early Final Fantasy titles to which they pay homage. Bravely Second on the other hand, merely acts as a medium to further explore the lore of the previous game via a rather pedestrian attempt of story telling in the same universe in a mostly NON-repetitive manner.
Despite the narrative being disappointing in concept, it is actually well-done in its execution. With exceptionally witty dialogue, “tent” conversations that offer some well-written fireside chat among the party, and the series’ characteristic fourth-wall breaking style, Bravely Second manages to envelop the player as the otherwise generic tale unfolds. I must admit there were moments in which I was completely consumed with some of the game’s sub-plots, particularly some of the side quests that involve making ethical choices, that could easily go either way depending on the player’s personal beliefs.
This capturing of the player’s attention is aided by the characters being so damn lovable, with humor tailor-made for an idiot of my caliber. It is almost reminiscent of the Working Designs Lunar series localizations from the SEGA-CD and PlayStation days, though admittedly not as good. The light-hearted approach to the sequel, though controversial among the fan-base, was in my opinion an absolutely spectacular choice, and absolutely the saving grace of the tale.
It is not all sub-sophomoric humor and double-entendre, however. Much like the original, the story manages to incorporate deep, emotional themes, like love, loss, betrayal and revenge. These themes are often incorporated into the backstory of the game’s antagonists, making even the most heinous of villains seem relatable. The mini-vignettes and in-game documents that reveal enemy motivations, outshine the game’s main narrative, and are without a doubt a highlight of the Bravely Second: End Layer.
Story aside, where Bravely Second really excels is in its battle system. Despite merely being a modified version of the previous game’s system, it is superior in every way. Bravely Second takes the mechanics that made Bravely Default special, and elevates them into the stratosphere, with a number of quality of life and strategical enhancements. These improvements allow for a much more polished experience compared to the already stellar original.
To start, the ingenious “Brave” and “Default” battle options are still central to the game’s core mechanics; with “Brave” sacrificing future turns in order to perform multiple actions immediately, and “Default” being a “Defend” option, with the added bonus of storing up future turns. Other key features, like Specials, Abilink, and “Bravely Second,” also make their return, giving fans more of the same exceptional gameplay they have come to expect from the series [See Bravely Default Review for more details].
Where Bravely Second improves however, is the minor additions that make the overall experience much more enjoyable. Firstly, the ability to chain consecutive battles in order to gain more experience and cash is absolutely enthralling, and a godsend. This addition is of course balanced by the risk of a potential Game Over for those players that get too greedy. This opens up innumerable avenues to override the traditional JRPG grind we have all come to know and love/hate.
Optimization of the grind is further facilitated by the addition of a more advanced Auto-Battle system. Rather than the ” Press Y and your party will perform their last actions” approach, Bravely Second opts for a much richer, deeper experience that couples with a new Job saving system to allow the player to store a number of tactics AND party configurations. These options make for seamless transitions between party compositions and auto-commands, streamlining the Bravely series’ already player-friendly approach to reaching the much sought after level 99.
These new features work together with the returning abilities to adjust Encounter Rate and Difficulty on-the-fly to deliver a welcoming, and fully-customizable experience for novices and veterans alike.
Perhaps most central to the game’s battle system is the addition of a completely new roster of Jobs. These new classes do what the old Jobs did, but better. To name a few, there are Wizards that can combine magic with special Spellcraft abilities, allowing for multi-target, priority, or long-term attacks; Guardians which can possess, control, and combine stats with both enemies and allies; Charioteers which can Triple- or Quad-Wield, allowing the player to equip a weapon to the head and body slots as well as both arms; the Patissier who uses food ingredients to buff the party and even inflict the new Ghost status on enemies and allies, which makes them invincible, but only able to use Magic; and finally my favorite new addition, the Exorcist, who can reverse the flow of time to revert a players status back to a previous turn (God-tier healer anyone?).
Aside from those mentioned there are many more, including nearly all the Jobs from the previous game. The final count being a whopping 30 Jobs, resulting in nearly endless strategic possibilities. Be warned though, much like the first game, it is possible for the astute player to create a number of God-like, literally invincible teams that can plow from the mid-way point of the game onward with almost no effort. This can potentially ruin the experience if one is not careful. On a lighter note, discovering these combinations without the aid of the guide made me feel like an absolute genius, and it is so rewarding to discover a perfect combo without help. This also helps facilitate online discussion about the game, comparing strategies and team builds. Upon completing the game I was excited to see that there were even more combinations for dominant teams made by much smarter people, I would have never dreamed up on my own.
Besides the Main Quest, countless Sub-Quests, and milking the battle system for all its worth, there are also two major mini-games that offer a change of pace and opportunity for item/cash farming.
First is Fort Lune, a nerfed version of the previous game’s Norende town-building mechanic. It works in much the same way in that friends and online strangers can populate the town and be assigned building projects. As buildings are completed over the hours the 3DS is in Sleep Mode, different merchants open up shop, selling a variety of useful items that can be accessed at any time.
Unlike Norende however, weapons and armor are NOT available, likely to balance the game. This is fine however, considering the shop with top tier weapons, armor, and Experience boosting items are instead located in a secret town somewhere on the world map.
Also like the previous, game the town is also used as a hub to battle bosses sent by friends. This time the enemies are the Ba’al menace that has been plaguing the moon and Luxendarc. These bosses are always interesting and tend to have specific gimmicks that make them even more difficult than their stats suggest. For example, one boss has an ability that drastically increases evasion, making most hits not land. So keep busting those Ba’als ;).
Aside from Fort Lune, there is also the Chompcraft mini-game that allows the player to gain CP for constructing Chomp dolls. CP can be exchanged for prizes and cash, which pretty useful, but I mostly steered clear. My reasoning for avoiding this mini-game is I do not have fun Chompcrafting, but I cannot stop.
For example, a few times when I was sacrificing time I could be sleeping for work to play Bravely Second, I would come within a half-hour of my goal bedtime. I said to myself: “Oh, I’ll just get some Chompcraft in real quick, so I don’t get wrapped up in a dungeon or in some sub-plot for another hour.” All of a sudden, it’s three hours later and I am still filling cartons with green dolls, with soulless piercing red eyes, not enjoying myself in the slightest… but I just couldn’t stop. The hypnotizing sound of stuffing empty doll flesh with cotton to the backdrop of the Bravely Second soundtrack makes it impossible not to try just one more time. Maybe I’ll get a Chompette, or Golden Chomp this time… nothing like a rare chomp CP bonus to further ensnare me in this torturous game and potentially set me up for mononucleosis due to lack of sleep. The first rule of Chompcraft: Don’t start playing Chompcraft. FUCK CHOMPCRAFT.
ANYWAYS…
Overall, Bravely Second: End Layer, successfully supported my passion for JRPGs re-kindled by its predecessor. With its charming humor, solid soundtrack, and absolutely spectacular battle system, it managed to keep the somewhat newly re-ignited flame I have for JRPGs alive. The Bravely series has compelled me to both revisit the JRPGs of my past and consume new iterations of the genre with a fervor equal to that of my pre-pubescent, RPG-obsessed self. Since completing End Layer, I have continued on to Star Ocean (SNES), Final Fantasy VIII (PSX), Final Fantasy V (GBA), and Octopath Traveler (Switch). These titles help satiate me while I continue to wait impatiently for the Third entry in the Bravely series, which I hope is on its way now that Octopath is finally released.
Check Out Some of My Other Bravely Series Resources:
Retro Revamped # 1: Bravely Default (3DS)
Secret Bosses #1: Bravely Default Adventurer and Comrade