Reviews VideoGame / Bravely Second

Everything a good sequel should be and then some.

Bravely Default was a great albeit flawed game. It had innovative gameplay, compelling characters, an interesting story, and an intriguing setting. Sure, the game's second half consisted of doing the same Button Mashing mini-game over and over, but to me that was all forgiven by that amazing final boss fight.

With all of that being said, I'm glad to say that Bravely Second is just as good as its predecessor in nearly every aspect.

The game's story is focused around chasing and fighting the mysterious Glanz Empire, at the same time discovering their true goals while defeating their series of Jobmasters. There are numerous twists and turns, some I predicted and some I honestly didn't see coming, that ultimately results in a satisfying package.

The game's cast, both new and returning, are well-written. Yew is both Adorkable and interesting, especially when his sense of justice is questioned at numerous points in the story, Magnolia and her role as a Ba'al Buster is equally interesting, Tiz is now refreshingly Older and Wiser and Edea is still Edea. The returning Jobmasters are also fun to watch because of how much they've mostly reformed in-between the two games, especially when they come to blows in the sidequests, forcing you to side with one or the other. More often than not, I found it a struggle to pick sides, and that's why I love Second's sidequests; it's not a matter of right or wrong, it's a matter of choosing the opinion that you agree with more.

Gameplay-wise, everything's generally the same, with a few subtle but needed tweaks, such as being able to use the same item in combat multiple times at the press of a button instead of having to go through the same menus multiple times along with being able to save your job set-ups. Speaking of jobs, Bravely Second continues to innovate with the new jobs and abilities. Not only can you buff your allies or deal increased damage with some jobs, but to return to your character's state from a few turns ago? I honestly haven't seen that before. If I had one complaint, it would be that some jobs are more useful than others, especially during late-game boss fights (Catmancer and Patissier stick out to me on the useless side).

Moving onto the OST, this is one aspect that I think gets too much hate. Sure, nothing can top Default's, but Second still has some great tracks, even if some of the boss themes do sound a bit samey.

In the end, Bravely Second is a worthy sequel to Bravely Default. The story is interesting, the gameplay is still solid, the music is good, what more could you ask for?

...I dunno, maybe a Bravely Third?