Bravely Default Reviews
Bravely Default is classic Final Fantasy in everything but name only. Despite dropping the famous moniker and attempting to become a successful new RPG series in its own right, this is the game that Final Fantasy fans have been missing in their lives for far too long. The added beauty of this very traditional role-playing experience is that it is accessible to all types of players due to the difficulty options and simple tutorials, making for a game that is great for those still new to the genre, but also offers a lot of challenge for the more seasoned gamer that demands it. Bravely Default is a great start for this new Square Enix franchise, and proves that allowing other developers to craft the types of RPGs that have been long-missed by the Final Fantasy company's fans can lead to extremely positive results. This is one game any RPG fan should be setting money aside for, whether they already own a Nintendo 3DS or not.
Bravely Default is, for better or worse, a pretty good '90s RPG
Bravely Default: Where The Fairy Flies comes remarkably close to being one of the best JRPGs I've ever played. The combat system is exciting, difficult, and highly customizable. The early design is wonderful, and the level of freedom with the game's difficulty makes it easy for anyone to play. Unfortunately, the game design falls so heavily in the last chapters that it becomes a chore to finish. That's still 25 hours of great gameplay before 5-10 hours of tedium, but it's enough to drag down the experience. If you're a JRPG fan, you must play Bravely Default. It comes so close to greatness that it's possible to overlook its glaring flaws. Just be warned that it'll be a slog to get to the end.
Bravely Default dares to refresh the classic Final Fantasy formula with quiet yet confident innovations across the board, resulting in one of the best JRPGs of 2013 and a fitting end to a barnstorming year for Nintendo's handheld.
Bravely Default is a triumphant blending of a classic template with some fresh ideas and modern user-friendliness, albeit with a few areas that could still be refined before going on to the next level.
An old school RPG with a modern twist, filled with customization options and an intuitive battle system that never gets dull.
Amazing plot line, with great twists and character development.