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[Jooxed]

Review: Bravely Default II - An Excellent Old-School JRPG That's Happy To Play It Safe

A brave new world, or a throwback to an older one?

www.nintendolife.com

Bravely Default 2 review: Bigger screen, few improvements

The 3DS charm didn’t join for the sequel

www.polygon.com

Review: Bravely Default II

Get brave again To some, the Bravely Default franchise exists merely on the peripheral plane. “We want more old school...

www.destructoid.com

Bravely Default 2 Review - IGN

A long, familiar JRPG journey with excellent customizable combat and beautiful backdrops that pass the time as you work through its extended stretches of grinding.

www.ign.com

Will add more as they pop up

 

[Jooxed]

Bravely Default II Review

Another Excillant adventure

www.well-played.com.au

Bravely Default 2 review: "Nostalgic but innovative, complex yet approachable, and overflowing with character"

Bravely Default 2 is one of the best games to point to when people ask what makes JRPGs fun.

www.gamesradar.com

 

[Fbh]

Did someone at IGN mix up the the music for the review or does this game recycle a ton of tracks from the first one?
Other than that sounds ok. Seems too grindy and generic in story and setting for my taste but I'm sure fans of will like it.

 

[Captain Toad]

Sitting at an early 80 Metacritic. About what I would expect.

I'm there. Some JRPG comfort food is exactly what I want right now.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Jack Videogames]

Polygon: "thE gAmE Is tOO hArd"

We remember your Cuphead and Doom 2016 videos, Polygon.

 

[Jack Videogames]

RIP Bravely Default franchise

Bravely Second got an 81 in Metacritic, basically the same score.

 

[Porcile]

"If you're turned off by the thought of grinding experience in a JRPG, then Bravely Default 2 might be a hard sell for you – but for me, a fan of notoriously grindy classics like Final Fantasy 6 and the Dragon Quest DS ports, there was an almost relaxing delight to leveling up my party with battle after battle." https://www.ign.com/articles/bravely-default-2-review

Who has to grind in the Dragon Quest DS ports? Those games are so refined that just playing through them normally with some strategy is more than enough! Can IGN actually get someone who knows how to play JRPGs to review a JRPG? No is probably the answer since this is IGN we are talking about here.

 

[demonstr8]

"If you're turned off by the thought of grinding experience in a JRPG, then Bravely Default 2 might be a hard sell for you – but for me, a fan of notoriously grindy classics like Final Fantasy 6 and the Dragon Quest DS ports, there was an almost relaxing delight to leveling up my party with battle after battle." https://www.ign.com/articles/bravely-default-2-review

In no way, shape or form is this true either. I'm being irrational but it bothers me greatly when someone presents their idiotic historical revisionist opinion as if it's an accepted fact.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Gamespot giving it a 6 because there's no auto battle functions seems a bit harsh lmao

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Any talk of whether or not the story is any good?

 

[Fake]

Gamespot giving it a 6 because there's no auto battle functions seems a bit harsh lmao

Bit?

Its just like IGN giving 7 to Mario 3D because when you fall over the edge you die.

 

[Lanrutcon]

Gamespot giving it a 6 because there's no auto battle functions seems a bit harsh lmao

That would sink it for me as well. Grinding was a huge part of the first two games, and doing that shit manually would irk me.

 

[Touch fuzZy. get BizZay]

important thing is, does it do the groundhog day twist please no

 

[Rean no Kiseki]

Too bad SE didn't learn from the previous 2 games, the world is still dull and characters don't develope outside of their clearly defined archtypes.

Will probably pick it up when it's 40$ or maybe even less seeing how i still haven't played Octopath.

 

[Nikana]

Bit?

Its just like IGN giving 7 to Mario 3D because when you fall over the edge you die.

So thats why I couldn't beat mario.

 

[sublimit]

Were the first two games heavy on grinding?

 

[Velcro Fly]

Seems like one of Gamespot or IGN are good for just an absolutely dreadful review for whatever game is coming out.

It is a job based RPG. Of course you have to fight enemies to level up a job to try it out. And if you can't figure out how to use the job system in the main story to play the game that is on your creativity.

Still bet the game sells a ton though. I know I'll enjoy it plenty.

Honestly feels like some of the complains are just people having to play it to completion on a deadline to write a review.

 

[Jack Videogames]

Were the first two games heavy on grinding?

Yes, but it was easy to find job combinations that set you up in an almost insta-win loop. Don't know if this is still true.

 

[daclynk]

Looking good so far. cant wait to pick it up.

 

[OrangeSun77]

These games have such a unique charm that I find it irresistible, I need this game

 

[Zog]

Who has to grind in the Dragon Quest DS ports?

Oh how I miss these 'you don't have to grind' posts that we see with damn near every JRPG.

Some people like to grind and it doesn't make them bad players, it's just a choice.

 

[MagnesG]

Unless you make the game super casual or have different elements that could attract casuals to try (they won't finish it) like Persona 5 /Fire Emblem for example, it will be hard for any JRPGs to have breakout success these days.

Even FF is flinging hard with their new action rpg antics.

The best thing to do is just by nurturing hardcore fanbase who truly enjoy these games slowly, and BD series is doing it right for now.

 

[SantaC]

Seems like a huge letdown

I am playing BS now with the same score and it is pretty bad.

I expected more

 

[oagboghi2]

Gamespot giving it a 6 because there's no auto battle functions seems a bit harsh lmao

Why?

I don't have 50 hours to spend grinding. The fact that you could move through BD1 so quickly because of the auto battle was a major feature for me.

 

[SantaC]

Gamespot giving it a 6 because there's no auto battle functions seems a bit harsh lmao

They also said story is weak which is a deal breaker

 

[Jooxed]

They also said story is weak which is a deal breaker

They are one of the only outlets that state this. Others are saying good things about the story

currently up to 82 on critic

 

[SantaC]

They are one of the only outlets that state this. Others are saying good things about the story

currently up to 82 on critic

Not IGN

 

[Captain Toad]

Oh how I miss these 'you don't have to grind' posts that we see with damn near every JRPG.

Some people like to grind and it doesn't make them bad players, it's just a choice.

Yeah, especially in games like FF6, which was mentioned earlier. There's tons of higher-tier spells and abilities you will only get by doing some grinding. That doesn't mean you HAVE to to beat the game.

 

[Belmonte]

Were the first two games heavy on grinding?

For a Dragon Quest fan like you, no. It is more or less like FFV: if you explore the dungeon you will be in a comfortable level to beat the boss, but you can grind to get more job skills.

I would say the Bravely series is grind friendly instead of heavy on grind.

 

[Zheph]

Some people have to do 3 fights in a row and call it a grind, interesting to know the definition of the reviewers in each case

 

[anab0lic36]

Scoring around about what I expected, I'll add it to my 'buy if I ever exhaust my current backlog of RPG's list.'

 

[sublimit]

For a Dragon Quest fan like you, no. It is more or less like FFV: if you explore the dungeon you will be in a comfortable level to beat the boss, but you can grind to get more job skills.

I would say the Bravely series is grind friendly instead of heavy on grind.

Contrary to popular belief i don't think the Dragon Quest games (at least the ones i've played) are heavy on grinding IF you like to explore and don't skip any battles ,with the exception of a few big difficulty spikes prior to certain bosses that DO need some grinding.

 

[Jooxed]

Not IGN

If you take ign as gospel idk what to tell you

 

[IbizaPocholo]

 

[Allnamestakenlol]

Not a fan of the character designs for some reason. That male character, Seth, keeps making me think CAAARRRLL from TWD show. Also don't like the design of that neckbeard sporting a pony tail.

 

[Danjin44]

I'm all in for this, we may never get Final Fantasy style job system from mainline FF anymore.

Were the first two games heavy on grinding?

There are people said Octopath is grindy but Its really not, in fact if you try match the recommended level the bosses become too easy. The most difficult in that game are optional bosses and the true final boss.

 

[Belmonte]

Contrary to popular belief i don't think the Dragon Quest games (at least the ones i've played) are heavy on grinding IF you like to explore and don't skip any battles ,with the exception of a few big difficulty spikes prior to certain bosses that DO need some grinding.

Yeah, I agree. As a matter of fact, I use the term "grind" to facilitate the conversation but I don't like the word. If someone is enjoying, it is not grind. Diablo games are "grind" incarnated, but since it is not turn based and have lots of loot, most people don't think there is any grind.

I feel like many people who complains about grind doesn't even like the gameplay loop of these games.

 

[McCheese]

Wasn't really interested in this but watched the reviews to find out what the reason for the low(ish) score is, once I heard it's very grindy, has difficulty spikes and gameplay is seriously old-school - I pre-ordered it arrives Saturday

 

[EDMIX]

I was half-joking. But sales are what matter at the end of the day for those companies.

This game probably has a higher budget than its predecessors, so I assume the sales expectations are higher.
Hopefully it will sell enough.

True.

I personally don't like the look compared to the first 2 titles, but I'm sure it will do just fine in sales. Semi OT, we waiting for Square to port that series over to PC, PS and XB.

 

[Kamina]

Not IGN

“Others” =/= “All Others”

 

[MagnesG]

Some people have to do 3 fights in a row and call it a grind, interesting to know the definition of the reviewers in each case

Is this really happening? Grind is a buzzword nonsense now, just wow.
Another thing ruined by journalism.