Overview
Bravely Default is a turn-based role-playing game developed by Silicon Studio and Square Enix and published by Nintendo, released in 2013. I played it on 3DS.
I think it's a very good JRPG, with a lot going for it. And yet, for some reason, after playing several JRPGs, this one didn't blow me away. To be completely honest, I never really played it much.
Story and world
The adventure takes place in the world of Luxendarc, whose balance rests on four elemental crystals (wind, water, fire and earth). They have been plunged into darkness, causing disasters all over the world.
You follow Tiz, a young shepherd whose village of Norende was swallowed by a chasm, and Agnès, the vestal of the wind crystal. They are joined by Ringabel, an amnesiac womaniser who carries a mysterious journal, and Edea, a warrior from the Duchy of Eternia.
Gameplay
Battles use classic turn-based combat, with a system that gives the game its name. The Default command lets you defend and build up Brave Points, while the Brave command lets you spend them to chain up to four actions in a single turn, even if it means going into debt and sitting idle for the following turns.
The game also relies on a job system: you obtain new classes by defeating the bosses who hold them, and you can combine abilities from several jobs. You can also adjust the random encounter rate, and rebuild the village of Norende as the adventure goes on.
Graphics and music
The backgrounds have a watercolour-like style, with chibi-style characters. The soundtrack is composed by Revo, from the group Sound Horizon.
Verdict
Bravely Default has a lot going for it and remains a very good JRPG. But after several other JRPGs, it didn't blow me away and I never really played it much.