Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster review: a treat for fans of traditional JRPGs
3-7-2025
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Domagoj Belancic
The Switch 2’s launch line-up includes some gems that deserve more attention. One of them is the remaster of 3DS role-playing game Bravely Default. If you like traditional Japanese RPGs, you should definitely give this cult classic a chance.
Admittedly, Bravely Default had only ever been on my radar as a result of a bizarre censorship scandal. The Square Enix JRPG originally came out on the 3DS in 2012. Some of the game, however, was toned down for the western release. Revealing costumes were tweaked, sexual references in dialogues were rewritten and years were added to the ages of main characters who’d previously been minors.
Now, roughly 13 years after its release, the role-playing game has been remastered in HD for the Switch 2. Nobody cares about the «censored» content any more. Instead, role-playing game fans are using the new edition to indulge in their memories of this unique JRPG. My curiosity’s piqued. When I delve into the adventure for the first time, I fall in love – despite the outdated graphics.
Is this Final Fantasy?
Bravely Default originally started out as a Final Fantasy spin-off. I notice this as soon as I start playing the game; from the story to the characters to the music, everything’s reminiscent of Square Enix’s best-known role-playing franchise.
Luxendarc, the game’s colourful fantasy world, is on the brink of destruction. Inexplicable magical events have shrouded four vital crystals in darkness. The natural world is going insane, monsters are appearing and people are living in fear. Like I said, Final Fantasy.
In the game, you play a total of four characters. The story centres around Agnès Oblige, a crystal priestess keen to reawaken all the darkness-shrouded crystals with her magical powers. At her side is Tiz, the sole survivor of a village that’s disappeared into a magical abyss. There’s also Edea, a warrior who initially works for the enemy but then switches sides.
The most exciting background story, however, is that of randy womaniser Ringabel. Apart from the fact that he’ll hit on anything with a pulse, he has amnesia. He carries a notebook with him that predicts certain events in the story – almost as if he’s experienced the whole thing before.
I like the characters and the story. Although it isn’t particularly complex, it offers more than enough to motivate you to keep going until the end of the 40-hour adventure. The dialogue is witty and the mystery factor surrounding Ringabel’s amnesia keeps me guessing.
The combat system keeps me glued to the controller
On your journey through Luxendarc, you take on the role of all four characters at the same time, fighting against all kinds of monsters, undead and human opponents. The special turn-based combat system sets the game apart from comparable RPGs, mainly because of the eponymous Brave and Default system.
Instead of selecting just one action per round and per character, you can use the Brave option to perform up to four actions in succession per character. The downside is that you then have to wait four rounds before you can make a move with that character again. You can also use Default to withhold an action in one round, opting to defend instead. This way, you «save» action points for some other time.
The fact you can use your action points flexibly gives the gameplay captivating strategic depth. You can revive a fallen party member in one round, strengthen them with a potion and then attack two more opponents. It’s brilliant! If you miscalculate, however, you’re left helplessly exposed to enemy attacks.
Apart from its one-of-a-kind Brave and Default system, the game offers up tried-and-tested JRPG fare in battles. You dispatch your opponents with physical attacks, mighty special moves and spells involving different elements (fire, water, wind and earth).
Your characters develop their skills with a flexible Final Fantasy-style job system. Attacks and attributes learned on one job can be combined with attacks and attributes learned on others. The possibilities are seemingly endless. I’m always discovering new synergies between party members and destroying enemies in creative ways.
A «convenient» role-playing game… with exceptions
I really have to praise this game for its flexibility. Various quality-of-life functions mean even the most impatient gamers can play the RPG.
For instance, you can adjust the frequency of random battles in dungeons and in the overworld according to your needs. Whenever I want to level up my party members for an upcoming boss fight, I increase the frequency to 200 per cent. If I don’t feel like dealing with pesky monsters, I bump it down to 50 per cent or completely deactivate random battles by using an item.
In battles themselves, you can choose to make time pass twice or four times as fast. You can even programme, save and automatically execute certain attack combinations. Most of the menu navigation’s designed to require as few clicks as possible.
This is probably a good time to give you a heads-up on two more things. Despite these «convenient» quality-of-life improvements, the game’s frustratingly hard in some places. Around halfway through, I switched to a lower difficulty level so it wouldn’t be such a relentless grind.
What’s more, the final fifth of Bravely Default is very… odd. If you’ve played the original, you’ll know what I mean. Without giving away too many spoilers, the ending of the story is pretty darn exciting. In terms of gameplay, on the other hand, it falls well short of the rest of the adventure as a result of its unnecessarily repetitive structure.
Debatable High Definition
I also like the new edition of Bravely Default’s graphical style. The whole world is depicted in a dreamy watercolour look. Its inhabitants and even the monsters all seem cute and cuddly. Against the backdrop of this child-like style, I find the 2012 censorship scandal all the more bizarre.
I’m disappointed by the technical implementation of this HD remaster. Sure, the game runs at a much higher resolution than on the 3DS mini display, but no changes have been made to the character models and textures. They still look very low-poly and lacking in detail. While I can put up with that lack of detail in handheld mode, the game looks like a relic from a bygone era when I play it on my 83-inch TV.
At least Square Enix has added two new minigames to the remastered edition. For the controls, you use both Joy-Cons at once in mouse mode. Rhythm Catch, as the name suggests, is a rhythm game. In it, you use the Joy-Con mice to catch emerging notes to the beat of an excellent soundtrack. In Ringabel’s Panic Cruise, you steer your crew’s airship with both mice at the same time. It’s an intense multitasking game involving steering, firing cannons, repairing the ship and following orders. And it’s so good that I wish there was a «real» game with the same premise.
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is available for the Nintendo Switch 2. Square Enix provided me with a test copy.
In a nutshell
An enchanting role-playing game with gripping battles
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is an excellent role-playing game that’s unfortunately only been given a minimal remaster. The unique combat system, well-conceived story and numerous quality-of-life improvements set this JRPG apart from others in the genre. If you’re a role-playing game fan who’s never played the 3DS original, I’d recommend you try the Switch 2 remake. As long as you can get past the crummy graphics and unnecessarily repetitive ending, that is.
Pro
- Unique combat system
- Various quality-of-life functions for impatient players
- Fun mouse minigames
Contra
- Disappointing «remastered» graphics
- Exciting content, but the gameplay at the end is tedious
Header image: Square Enix
Domagoj Belancic
Senior Editor
Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.chMy love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.
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