Mr Viral
Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster Review
Bravely Default was probably one of my favorite games ever released on the 3DS. It’s an exceptional RPG, with a compelling story, deep mechanics, and charming visuals. This new version released for the Switch 2 is lovely, but is it worth re-visiting? Maybe! On the other hand, if you’ve never played this game before, there’s absolutely no skipping this one. Square Enix knocked it out of the park, and this is a slick, faithful remaster of that original heater.
The plot is your usual crystal-based business. Four heroes, a cataclysmic threat, many MacGuffins to retrieve. Honestly, it’s the dialogue and the smaller story beats that really shine through here. Agnes and crew are mercilessly sincere, with a grip of witty lines sprinkled liberally throughout the script. The tragic lows, the wondrous highs, and the stunning betrayals all hit just right. Edea’s voice acting in particular is delightful, just a great time from start to finish.
Crisp and Clean Visuals
I appreciate the cute and slightly weird art style, which has been cleaned up a tiny bit for the Switch 2 release. It used to be that the visuals were quite jagged and compressed on the 3DS. Seeing everything on the big screen really gave me a new appreciation for the character models and their many details. We’re strictly in 1080p territory here, but it’s a clean 1080p. Also, the framerate is a nice and stable 60fps. On the other hand, the graphics haven’t changed much. Everything looks exactly as you remember, just more crisp and clear. This is a remaster in the strictest, most technical sense of the word.
Also, I have to shout out the soundtrack. Several songs have burrowed deep into my brain, never to escape again. I catch myself humming stuff like overworld themes, the battle music, and multiple town songs at all hours of the day. This music gets its claws in you with remarkable speed. I don’t listen to game soundtracks as much these days, but the Bravely Default OST is a noteworthy exception.
Terribly Compelling Mechanics
Neither the music nor the story hook me as intensely as the mechanics, however. Bravely Default’s battle and job system are hopelessly compelling. I can’t get enough when it comes to maxing out job levels, combining jobs, and crafting perfect party setups. There’s around 20 different classes, or jobs, to master. Every time a new one pops up, I fully ignore the main quest until it’s acquired. I’ll happily blow six whole hours to master a given job, it’s downright unhealthy. I’m straight up ravenous when it comes to the grindy minutiae of this game. If you’re fond of any Final Fantasy game featuring a job/class system, this game’s mechanics will hook you like a fishing lure in your cheek.
But all of my fawning praise applies to the original release of this game. The remaster is pretty limited in what it brings to the table. You’ve got cleaner textures, a higher framerate, and some minigames. Said minigames are a lot of fun, don’t get me wrong. They work using the mouse controls, giving you a modern arcade experience in your living room. There’s a rhythm game and a ship simulator. It’s great, although rather brief. I’m just not sure that they’re enough to justify coming back for the remaster.
But if you’ve never played this game before, that’s a whole different story. Bravely Default is a fantastic RPG, one that’s easily worth your time and attention. The job and combat systems alone are worth the price of entry. Everything else, the charming graphics, the clever dialogue, and the catchy music, is icing on a delicious cake. I wish the visuals felt more worthy of the Nintendo Switch 2, but they still look better than ever before. If you’ve played the original, I’m not sure if you want the remaster. But if you haven’t, you simply can’t miss Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster.
***A Nintendo Switch 2 code was provided by the publisher***
The Good
Clean, crisp visuals
Cool new minigames
Game is still amazing
78
The Bad
Few new features
Last-gen graphics
Hard sell for old players
