[Nintendo 3DS] Bravely Default ROM Download

Bravely Default ROM Description

It’s hard to talk about Bravely Default without mentioning Final Fantasy. Bravely Default has a story revolving around crystals, spells named Firaga, and airships, but in many ways it executes Final Fantasy better than recent Final Fantasy titles.

Instead of a convoluted plot with tons of weird terminology that needs its own dictionary, Bravely Default is based on a clean, classic template. But the game doesn’t just rest on nostalgia. While the innovations and refinements seem small, together they make Bravely Default one of the best turn-based RPGs in years.

The Brave and Default System

While it sounds like a meaningless combination of words, the game’s title stems directly from its excellent core battle mechanism, the Brave and Default System. It allows players to use actions from subsequent turns in advance or bank turns for later use, adding an element of risk and reward to familiar battles.

Deciding when to hold back and when to go all out can be even more important than choosing the right attack.

The Job System

While not as innovative as the Brave and Default System, the Job System also adds a similar level of complexity to battles. There are a total of 24 jobs, and each job dictates a character’s equipment, abilities, and support skills, regardless of which job is currently equipped.

Players can also combine jobs, using abilities from one job while equipped with another. This mixing and matching adds to the near-overwhelming number of party build options, as there are hundreds of ways to build a team.

There are no definitively right answers, and much of the fun comes from experimentation. When you think you’ve found the perfect party, an especially difficult boss will come along to wipe out your team, forcing you to change your approach.

Throughout 70 hours of playing Bravely Default, we never kept the same setup for long. The one downside to job switching is that it requires grinding, especially late in the game. The best skills for each job are often only found at their maximum levels, meaning a lot of aimless battling to run around in circles.

At least Bravely Default eases the tedium of constant fighting by letting players change the encounter rate anytime they want. Rather than having to fight through a dungeon again after beating the boss, turning off battles saves the hassle.

The ability to speed up animations in battle and skip them also doesn’t hurt.

The End Game

Unfortunately, Bravely Default doesn’t eliminate all the bad habits of the genre. The final section of the game forces players to replay the same five dungeons four times in a row, each one practically identical to the last, making it feel like unnecessary padding. It’s such a drastic drop in quality that it’s almost a different game.

Luckily, the final battles are among the game’s strongest, ending everything on a high note.

The Story

Almost everything about Bravely Default clings to familiarity, including the story—a group of young heroes setting out to restore four crystals, which keep the elements of the world in balance.

The plot eventually plays with your expectations, but it also constantly telegraphs its big twists to the point of annoyance. That’s not to say there aren’t surprises, but at least a few times it makes you feel like Bravely Default doesn’t think highly of players’ ability to connect details.

The social features

The social features work well but are relatively minor. Arguably the most useful is your StreetPass village turning into villagers, who can gradually restore shops providing weapons, armor, and other advantages. Another way to get ahead is through SP drinks, which can be purchased with real money or accumulated SP points over time. SP drinks provide a free turn in battle, allowing a character to attack without consequence.

Conclusion

With all its strengths, the best quality of Bravely Default is the underlying enthusiasm that seeps into nearly every aspect.

Bravely Default isn’t trying to attract mainstream attention or prioritize style over substance. Instead, it sets out to create a specific type of game, one no longer as popular in the West.

Whether or not it finds an audience, few RPGs capture that sense of wonder from the old days as well as Bravely Default.

Overall, Bravely Default is an excellent JRPG on the Nintendo 3DS platform that both longtime fans and newcomers can enjoy.