Bravely Default Series

Even if it weren't for the stinger, the very fact that they introduced an unresolved plot thread with the Planeswardens pretty much proves they had plans to continue the series.

Honestly, I don't care any more, I should just stop watching the thread.

I refused to buy Bravely Second on principle, so why stick around?

Fantastic question.

On topic, leaving things open for a sequel is just good practice. Lots of things have done so in the past but had no follow up do to lack of interest or other issues.

Keep in mind that Square plans to make their future handheld games multiplatform with mobile. So if Bravely Third does happen presumably it will be on mobile at the very least. And if they go that route they might as well get the first two games on mobile. Which is why I expect the announcement to be a mobile port.

What's so objectionable about Second that makes you not want to buy it on principle?

I'm guessing the localization changes.

Probably all the censorship if I had to guess.

...really? that's kinda... sad.

I assumed he just disliked Bravely Default. I mean, c'mon. The time loop thing was annoying. Most of us here powered through it because the gameplay was good enough, but I can understand why it would put you off the sequel, even if you hear that the sequel improved on those elements.

If it's on principle, then it's probably the censorship. I steered clear of that entire mess ages ago, so as long as the game is fun, I couldn't give a rat's ass about the culture war behind it.

the censorship sucked (tho changing the appearance of the gun class was a good thing), but it didnt change the story or gameplay so i still enjoyed the game

like, what even all was changed? a couple costumes and the Gunslinger class? hell, the change to the gunslinger class was a good change beyond not making sense with "shamanism".

Actually, I had zero problem with any of the localisation changes.

What I found so horrendous was locking off jobs behind moral choices. I have issues with the game for locking off the best parts to New Game+ replays.

It's not really a New Game+ replay. You can get all of the jobs on one run through the game.

Also, I hope it's not culturally insensitive of me to say so, but I think the original Hawkeye outfit looks pretty awesome.

Yeah the choices were really more "Which one do you want now and which one can you wait until later to get?"

Hawkeye was changed from Native American-themed Disney costume to cowboy themed, and made less skimpy.

Pretty much every outfit that was skimpy was toned down.

And, arguably the biggest change, when picking from one of your two jobs during the first half of the game, the outcome of the conflict between the two Asterisk holders would often turn out negatively, sometimes in catastrophic ways, and Edea would sometimes express regret at her choice in the Japanese version. The second time around would make whatever choice made invariably for the better, though, so you get a happy ending eventually no matter what.

The western version cut out the "bad" endings altogether, so you'll always have a relatively happy outcome.

That said, they kept in the Wakou Warrior costume that was flat out dummied out of western Bravely Default, so at least I get to enjoy my eye candy for once.

edited 12th Oct '16 2:22:02 PM by Hashil

I don't really mind the eye candy, and didn't think that the Native American look of the class was offensive.

Also, I have to say that Second is one of my favorite 3DS JRP Gs of this year.

edited 12th Oct '16 2:32:10 PM by AlphaVII

I don't care one way or another, but if it's going to be there I like to see it available for everyone and not just the girls.

Wakoku Warrior was basically the male Bravo Bunny, but while the latter got censored in the west, the former was flat out dummied out - you can't even see it if you summon someone with Ringabel wearing it.

Yeah, the idea that the costumes are locked behind moral choices is pretty debunked by this point.

As for the Shaman class- I liked the costume and think it looked fine, but it is undoubtably offensive in how it was handled. Cowboy is much better designed and fits in way more nicely than Shaman does anyway.

I dont really care about how sexy the costumes are other than when it makes no sense and is sexy for sex's sake and takes away from what the class is supposed to be *cough cough vampire*

edited 12th Oct '16 2:40:27 PM by EpicBleye

tbh the female White Mage is almost as bad

it fit Holly's personality but is goofy as hell on shy Agnes and tomboy Edea

Wow, I was quite active in this thread way back when the game first out, but been ages since I've been here. I meant to pick up Bravely Second on release, but never got around to it...or to actually finishing the first game, despite repeatedly making it to the end of chapter 4. Eventually caved, got all the spoilers and found some of the fun of it was lost, alas.

Still, I'm playing Second at last and remembering what an incredible series this is. I'm also trying to avoid spoilers so far as much as possible. I'm currently at the end of the Eisen section, about to fight Angelo at the end of Chapter 1. Here's my current thoughts:

The game seems to have picked up on and fixed a lot of niggling issues from the first game - saveable party setups, better menu navigation (R-button to change encounter rates for example)...in general, the whole thing feels more refined and polished. The dungeons are better too, what with criss-crossing walkways and overall more height to each area. Aesthetically a lot better, and a lot more fun to play.

I have unfortunately come across several spoilers, including the existence of Chapter 5, meaning I can get the asterisks I missed the first time and what the choices are between. I know there's an upside to each option, but still, siding with De Rosa was agonising. So far, it's not been made clear that he's a serial rapist, which the first game left no doubts about, so someone who hadn't played the first game wouldn't know just how evil he is. Not the worst character in the game (a certain Salve Maker says hello) but siding with him was very painful. Had to though, as Red Mage just isn't going to be a class with value (much as I liked abusing Revenge in the first game), and Thieving is too helpful to pass up.

There's obvious expies among the new characters of previous characters - Cu Cullain is very much like Barras, for example, and I'm seeing Victoria in Minette. This doesn't make the characters bad however, far from it. Minette is a clear Otherkin but adorable all the same, and I hope I get to learn more of her, and Bella too.

The Bestiary, not totally unsurprisingly, spoils certain things. Not like the first game, but it spells out that Janne will be fought 3 times, meaning once alone before a final showdown alongside Nikolai. It also makes clear that his apparent Disney Death at the Fire Temple doesn't stick, not that I expected it to. I do find myself missing the information on people generally though, whereas it's only enemies covered here.

The new jobs are cool too; I was a big Spell Fencer user last time so naturally I've gravitated to Hawkeye here (racism aside, the job is awesome). Fencer is pretty useful too: Blazing Wolf - Wolf Fang - Goring Aurochs - Wolf Fang is a hard hitting job set, and the game even suggests that exact one. I've been using it the whole game and loving it, though I'll start focussing on Hawkeye itself soon. Triple Wield from the Charioteer is amazing too, especially since I can use a second weapon even with a two-handed one.

Run out of time to type but yeah, loving it so far. I'll probably mostly avoid this thread again until I play more, but if you are responding to the post, I'd appreciate if spoiler tags could be used even if the statute of limitations has technically expired, just as a courtesy. Appreciated folks!

I can't see many if any similarities between Minette and Victoria, to be honest.

The funny thing is that thematically the way the Crystals are used in BD ties together extremely well with the themes of Classic Final Fantasy, even connecting well to the Lifestream = mana = life = the Crystals = memories = skills = jobs = Asterisks formula.

Can't wait for a third BD.

i think that was kinda the point

that BD appeared just to be the classic and cliched FF with the crystals and the 4 heroes of light and whatnot

then it turns out that, surprise, your guidance character was evil all along and your journey for the crystals was actually hurting rather than saving

Now that the Nintendo Switch has been announced, do you imagine the next Bravely game on it?