Bravely Default: What's In a Name

Next week, Square Enix and Silicon Studio is releasing Bravely Default in the U.S. for the 3DS.  And though my experience with JRPGs is very limited, I must say, I'm pretty excited about the prospect of this title.  So much so that it may be a Day One purchase for me... despite what seems to be a wholly uninviting game title.

I have never played a Final Fantasy.  There.  I said it.  And so who knows what I'm getting myself into.  The Demo, however, provided an enticing enough peek to have piqued my interest and the largest portion of that comes down to the "Bravely Default."

I generally think of RPGs as basic turn-based affairs.  Picture Pokemon and choosing an action and watching it play out as my action and then my opponent's, in whatever order determined by the vast amount of statistical advantages and disadvantages.  When there is something added to that basic formula, I find myself intrigued.  In Jeanne d'Arc, there was an element that would allow you to continue turns based on finishing off a character -- think whittling away enemies HP and allowing a super-character to come through and clear a map on a single turn.  In Eternal Sonata, there was a timer and action limiter coupled with a light/dark dynamic that made the battle system new and original.

In the Bravely Default demo, the player chooses from a number of options for his four-member party.  The choices include standard attack and abilities/magic as well as "Brave" and "Default."  The twist in gameplay involves choosing to pass essentially under the "Default" option.  The party member assumes a defensive posture and does no action for that round.  "Brave" allows the opposite.  In other words, instead of passing on a turn, selecting "Brave" allows an additional action.  Whereas a turn usually allows only one move, "Brave" will let a character stack moves.  The flexibility is found within each party member, can allow for use of items in addition to attacks/abilities, choosing different targets to attack.  A cool consequence is that "Brave" can be used before saving attacks under "Default" with the penalty of foregoing future turns.  Of course, if those turns are not needed, no harm done.

The way that plays out is say I encounter a monster and want to dispatch it quickly.  I can "Brave" it with each character, four turns for four characters - 16 actions in one round.  Pwned.  Where this battle system becomes even more interesting is in boss battles.  There becomes a give and take with how to approach a multi-round affair.  Even in the demo, I discovered that the baddies get to use Brave/Default system as well which can turn out really well or poorly for my party.  And thus the name Bravely Default.

I am excited about the game and whether I get it Day One or down the road, it is definitely on my radar and may mean even more playtime for the 2DS.