Bravely Second: End Layer

Genre: Turn-Based JRPG

Players: 1, StreetPass Supported

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Review:

Bravely Second is a Turn-Based JRPG released on Nintendo 3DS in 2016, and the sequel to 2014’s Bravely Default. Of course, just to make things more confusing, we would later see the release of Bravely Default II on the Nintendo Switch in 2021. However, where Bravely Default II is an entirely separate game set in a different world and featuring a different cast of characters, Bravely Second is a direct sequel to Bravely Default that follows events featuring some of that first game’s cast a few years later. As such, anything more than the slightest discussion of this game’s story will naturally spoil elements of the story of the first game.

The central character this time around is a young man named Yew whose job protecting returning character Agnès is shattered when Agnès is kidnapped in the midst of a ceremony to formalize a peace agreement. Seeking to save Agnès, Yew manages to scrape together a team of plucky heroes to rescue her, including some returning characters in addition to the new faces.

The story this time around is somewhat lighter and sillier than what was in the first game. Where the first game’s story and characters came across as quaint and old-fashioned, in this game they are often cartoonishly silly, such as a cadre of buffoonish enemy soldiers who struggle with any vocabulary words with more than two syllables, and Yew himself, who is a skittish worrier with a thick head of his own. While some might find the somewhat silly tone to be charming, others will likely find it makes the game harder to take seriously. In any case, it seems sure to be divisive.

The voice acting is still phenomenal, and I would say it’s even improved over the first game, and the voice actors do what they can with the material. The music, on the other hand, seems to be the weakest of the saga as of this writing, with a few decent orchestral tunes, but mostly forgettably synthesized music.

The graphics at least fare somewhat better here. This game uses the same style as the first Bravely Default game, using chibi-style 3D characters in a 3D world with a ‘storybook” art style, but this time around the characters and environments seem even more detailed with more varied animations.

As for the gameplay, not too much has changed from the first game – you still have core gameplay that builds on classic turn-based JRPG-style combat, an excellent class system, and the series’ signature “brave/default” system that lends combat a more strategic element. Most of the extra features of the first game also return, such as the minor town-building elements and extensive integration of StreetPass in various areas of the game.

However, there are some new additions here, mechanics that give players more utility to customize their characters or streamline combat. One standout in particular is the “consecutive chance” system where players who take down enemies in one turn get the opportunity to fight successively difficult opponents one after another to get increasing gains in experience and job points, providing an excellent challenge and also helping to cut down on grinding. As a result, I think in terms of gameplay, Bravely Second stands above its predecessor, and may even be the best game in the series in this regard.

However, taking everything into consideration, I think Bravely Second lies somewhere in the middle of the series overall. Yes, the gameplay is much-improved over the original, but the unimpressive music, goofier tone, and a story that really depends on players having completed the first game are all flaws that hold this game back somewhat. Still, if you’re a fan of JRPGs and especially if you’re a fan of the first Bravely Default, you should consider this game a must-have.

tl;dr – Bravely Second is a Turn-Based JRPG with a story that directly follows after the end of Bravely Default. This game iterates and improves on the already-strong gameplay of Bravely Default, and the graphical presentation is also noticeably improved. However, the tone of the story is somewhat sillier this time around, the music is less memorable, and this game is held back by the fact that those wanting to get the most out of the story really should have played through the first Bravely Default prior to starting this one. However, despite these issues, Bravely Second is still a phenomenal JRPG and any fan of that genre with a Nintendo 3DS should definitely add this game to their collection.

Grade: B+

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