We're a couple of years into the Nintendo Switch's life cycle, and we still have a lot of great games coming for the system. One of these is Bravely Default II, Gamespot‘s Most Anticipated Game of the Year for 2020. Still, it turns out that the game isn't exactly coming this year, with its release date getting push backed. We let you know everything you need to know about Bravely Default II. Buckle up and get ready for this adventure.
A not-so sequel
Bravely Default II is a sequel to Square Enix's Bravely Default and Bravely Second. Bravely Default II will act as a soft reboot, not directly connected to the stories of the first two. It keeps a lot of elements the same as its predecessors, but its story and setting will be completely different.
The producers decided to move away from the original story because of the fan reaction towards Bravely Second. While the game received widespread critical acclaim, producer Tomoya Asano said that they felt the game didn't live up to the fans' expectations.
“…I would like to apologize regarding Bravely Second. Despite lots of expectations for Bravely Second, I feel that there were parts that did not meet the expectations of fans,” says Asano. “Our reflection on the shortcomings has become a strong rooted aspect of all the games our team is working on.”
One of the things that might have disappointed long-time fans with Bravely Second was its soundtrack. Thankfully, the composers for Bravely Default, Revo, are returning as composers for this title.
A remarkable demo
Bravely Default II was first unveiled during The Game Awards 2019. One year later, the hype surrounding the game still hasn't subsided. One way that the producers did to make sure that fan interest will be ever-present is by releasing a demo. The game demo, which was made available on the Nintendo eShop last March, giving players ten hours' worth of gameplay. Players will not be wasting their time playing the demo. The base game will be able to recognize the demo's save file, and will give rewards based on the player's progress.
The demo introduced the game's main characters: the sailor Seth, Princess Gloria of Musa, the scholarly Elvis Lazlow, and the mercenary Adelle Ein. It also established the setting, the Continent of Excillant, and the party's quest to find the lost Crystals.
Fans were relieved when they found out that the game retained the “Brave and Default” mechanics of the original, as well as the Asterisk job system present in the previous titles. “Brave and Default” allow the player to skip their turns to allow them to execute multiple actions on future turns. The Asterisk job system allows players to acquire new jobs by defeating bosses. Players can apply these jobs to all of their party members. This allows players to customize, mix, match, and personalize their party compositions.
Fans liked the game's demo, but as a work-in-progress, the developers opened up their inboxes for player feedback. Receiving over 22,000 feedback forms, the developers have added quality of life improvements into the game. One of the biggest complaints players had was related to the battle mechanics. The developers have since resolved these issues.
Bravely Default II Release date
Perhaps due to the high volume of feedback received by the developers, they've ultimately decided to delay its release. Initially announced for the Nintendo Switch's 2020 lineup, the developers pushed the release back to February 2021. This was revealed in a Nintendo Direct Mini last month, which also featured a brand-new trailer for the game. The latest trailer showcased the Asterisk Holders: people you have to defeat to gain new jobs for your characters.
Bravely Default II is a Nintendo Switch exclusive. Players will be able to get their hands on the game on February 26, 2021. That release date gives you more than enough time to revisit the first two games.
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