I have been picking away at Bravely Default II since its release back in February and I have to say, it has been wonderful. This classic JRPG has given me everything I could ever want from an RPG and more. The more I play and explore, the more I fall in love with this title.
Traditional JRPG
Bravely Default II is definitely a traditional JRPG experience. Gameplay consists of classic turn-based combat, overworld exploration, and a job system that satisfies all of my RPG needs.
The game lets you set a difficulty level and I personally have been on normal. Even at normal though, I have noticed a consider amount of difficulty and I have definitely enjoyed that. It has been a while since I have played an RPG that is scaled perfectly, and this one is for sure.
With each new area I explore, I feel less powerful and need to take a few moments to level up a bit. It is not too grindy either, as every battle benefits both your character level through EXP and job level through JP.
A Deep Job System
The job system gives you a lot of freedom in building your party, and each character’s base stats are the same so you can give your characters whatever jobs you want. You can equip them with a main job and a sub-job, but the sub-job will not gain EXP, so it is best to put a maxed job in that slot.
You can unlock jobs by defeating bosses and collecting the Asterisks that give them their power. Once you possess that Asterisk, any character can be any job at any time. It is a really neat way to unlock jobs as you get a little preview of what that job is capable of since you have to battle it.
Each job has skills you will acquire with each level. Some are passive and some are abilities you can use in battle. Every passive ability you learn can be equipped even if the associated job is not equipped. That has lead me to level up so many jobs just to access their passives for other combinations.
I have unlocked almost 20 jobs so far and I know I have some more to unlock. These range from the classics like White Mage and Black Mage but also include more unique jobs like Pictomancer and Spiritmaster. I am excited to see what other jobs I still have left to unlock.
I have spent a considerable amount of time leveling up different jobs and have never felt over-leveled. Instead, the game has remained challenging and I wouldn’t have it any other way. You can also utilize monster treats to lure certain monsters into consecutive battles which will yield multiple battles in a row as well as a JP boost.
I think this is probably the most appealing aspect of this game to me. I have had a ton of fun messing with job combinations and seeking out the best passive abilities for a good character build. The level of freedom it offers is just so unique as well and you can really make some powerful character builds.
A Compelling Story
I have been thoroughly invested in the story of this game as well. At times it can feel kind of slow-paced but it has generally intrigued me and kept me interested. I have not yet finished the game but I am eager to find out more.
Princess Gloria of Musa is trying to find the crystals that were stolen from her kingdom when it was taken over and destroyed. Along the way, Seth, Elvis, and Adelle accompany her on her mission and all four become Heroes of Light. It has been a joy to watch each character assume their role as a Hero of Light.
I’ve enjoyed traveling to each new town, helping the people there, and searching for the crystals. The story has been easy to follow as well, which is important for an RPG of this size. There are also side quests you can do which will have you explore some of the optional dungeons in the nearby areas.
No Rush To Finish
I am in no rush to finish this game. I am enjoying every second of it and definitely still have a ton of jobs I want to level up. I love that there are no restrictions in character jobs and you can change as many times as you want. As I mentioned above, the jobs are certainly the highest selling point for me about this title but so far the story and characters have been enjoyable as well.
All in all, I cannot recommend this game enough if you are a JRPG fan. It is a breath of fresh air much like Octopath Traveler was, and I’m excited to see this genre still alive and thriving in titles like this. I can’t wait to play the rest of this game and explore everything it has to offer.
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