Bravely Default 2 - Preview, our opinion before the review

Bravely Default 2 will be available soon and, waiting for our official review, we can start talking about the game by rattling off some more details. The title, developed by Claytechworks to Nintendo Switch and published by Square Enix, winks a lot at the turn-based JRPGs of the past, bringing the player in mind to when this type of experience was almost the order of the day. Although we cannot go too far, it is enough for you to know that we are very satisfied with the way things are going. We also remind you that for those wishing to try the work before purchasing it is possible to download the Final Demo available in the eShop.

As it once was

As for the plot, at present we do not yet think the time has come to talk about it specifically, given that it remains a crucial part of the experience. However we can tell you what has been disclosed so far, so that you can better contextualize what you will read later. Let's start by saying that Bravely Default 2 is a story that it can be easily addressed even by newcomers to the saga, without any need for previous knowledge; however, some references will be glaring and clearly clearer in the eyes of historical fans. The four protagonists will have to find the crystals of wind, fire, earth and water, so that they can restore peace to the kingdom and defeat the threat that is spreading among those lands. The characters will have to shed light on the mystery, and fix it, avoiding the destruction of the entire continent.

Each of the team members has their own past and their own goal, the game itself will slowly reveal all the information that will help you understand the characters better. On the front of the dialogues, the game shows an enviable writing, with deep stories and narrative plots, never banal, and some very strong. Despite the lightness of the style of production, the issues addressed in Bravely Default 2 can be quite heavy for a particularly sensitive audience. For us this is a plus not to be underestimated, because it is clear how the tones used to narrate certain scenes are clearly oriented to an audience composed mostly of veterans of the JRPG. Precisely this direct way of telling the facts allows some scenes to remain well impressed, also leaving very deep questions to the player himself.

Although it presents a classic and quite overused narrative opening, Bravely Default 2 can immediately cut out its own distinct personality, bringing out peculiarities that you will hardly find in other types of production.

A complex adventure

Although the title is accessible, don't expect to have an easy life: each battle will have its own story, and adopting different strategies will be central to the final victory. Let's start with the first thing that immediately catches the eye, that is the party: the team will always and only consist of the four protagonists, but often you will be accompanied by guests who will make their skills available independently. Having such support, especially for novices, will be very important to master the combat system perfectly, which could surprise you for its depth. The classic mechanics of the series, namely those of Brave and Default, return in a preponderant way, marking the various clashes turn after turn. This system guarantees a strategic component that is difficult to replicate - which could almost come to bother 5 person at the level of possibilities and dynamics - but which, if not exploited to the fullest, can penalize (even greatly) the user.

Before continuing, let's clarify: the Default command allows you to warn yourself, making the character gain money PB (Brave points). These can be accumulated one per turn up to a maximum of three. The heroes, however, can perform multiple moves in the same turn, depending on the aforementioned PB in their possession. You can, for example, repeatedly hitting an enemy to kill them in one turn, resurrect and heal an ally or, why not, examine all the enemies in front of you before starting to fight seriously. If used at its best, the mechanics of Brave and Default can greatly influence the course of the clashes. In fact, remember that PB can be accumulated even in default, but those "borrowed" you will return them at a high price: the character will not assume any defensive posture, nor will he perform any moves: he will be totally helpless until the minimum PB needed to fight is regained. Often the best solution will be to accumulate Default points, so you can unleash all your fury at the right moment.

It is therefore easy to understand that a correct use of the two commands will soon be decisive in clashes, being able to overturn the result at any time. Keep in mind, however, that this feature will also be available for enemies, so during the fights always pay close attention, because even the easiest fights can quickly become insidious. To the above is added a system of classes, which can be equipped for a maximum of two per character, which can be changed at any time outside the fighting. For now what we can say is that while any character can fill virtually any role, everyone has their own predisposition, and distorting it too much may not be convenient in the long run. The result so far looks great, and the goal has been achieved. Although we still need to deepen many things, what we have tested has shown that the game offers the user all possible means to move forward, and the strategy - which is inevitably influenced by the classes - will be fundamental. You can create a sort of "definitive build" or specialize in various aspects, the final choice is up to you alone.

Conclusions

Despite being a preview only, our last contact with Bravely Default 2 before the review was really positive. Except for huge surprises, Nintendo is preparing to release yet another prominent exclusive, which gives even more value to a splendid console like Switch. Pending the final judgment, we strongly advise everyone to keep an eye on the new title developed by Claytechworks even more.