bravely default
Latest
Switch exclusive 'Bravely Default II' delayed to February 26th
The Square Enix RPG was supposed to arrive by the end of the year.
Best of the Rest: Sinan's picks of 2014
ATTENTION: The year 2014 has concluded its temporal self-destruct sequence. If you are among the escapees, please join us in salvaging and preserving the best games from the irradiated chrono-debris. Dark Souls 2 I've been known to perch on treetops with many a RPG, but even by my standards this was a makeout-heavy year. Four of my five picks are of the role-playing variety, and I've put more than 250 hours into that quartet alone. 2014 was a super-solid time for the genre, and that's evidenced by the sheer range of RPGs in my Best of the Rest. The only place to start this round-up is Drangleic. It was always going to take something truly special for Dark Souls 2 to stay out of its predecessor's shadow, at least for me. We are, after all, talking about following on from my game of the last decade. That proves a challenge too far for From's sequel, despite the many tweaks and additions it brings to the table. Crucially, Dark Souls 2 diminishes that sinking-into-quicksand helplessness, that sense of being lost, in every sense of the word. It is still there, but just that significant bit less so. Yet Dark Souls 2 remains an all-encompassing adventure like few others this year. It draws from both Dark and Demon's Souls to juxtapose a deep, foreboding world against an elegant simplicity of swords, shields, dungeons and big bad monsters. There are more pretenders to the throne now, but Dark Souls 2 still stands out as an idiosyncratic, unpredictable experience. For all my criticisms I plowed at least 100 hours into the world of Drangleic, and I'll be back on the plow when Dark Souls 2 hits PS4 and Xbox One in April.
Bravely Second promotes Bravely Default heroine to pope
Square Enix is ready to shed more light on the story of Bravely Second, the upcoming sequel to last year's (excellent) Bravely Default. New details regarding the characters and setting of the game have popped up on SE's official website, while Gematsu has translations. First, there's the character of Agnes. In Bravely Default, Agnes bore the title of Vestal as she traveled to awaken the four crystals. In Bravely Second, it seems Agnes has received something of a promotion, as she's now being referred to as pope of the Crystal Orthodoxy. We imagine being pope has its advantages - like being freaking pope - but on the downside, it also makes you prime kidnapping material, which is exactly what happens to dear Agnes. The Crystal Orthodoxy headquarters are located in Guatelatio, a city that will be introduced in Bravely Second. According to Gematsu, Guatelatio guards the highway that leads to the Temple of Earth and the Holy Land. Within its walls, Guatelatio also holds the Gate of Faith, a military institution that trains Orthodox Knights. So we've got the savior of the world, a military organization, and a lot of religious undertones. What could go wrong? Guess we'll find out when - and if - Bravely Second is released outside of Japan. But then, even Japan isn't sure when they'll get their hands on the game, as Bravely Second has yet to be given an official release date. [Image: Square Enix]
Fairy sales - Bravely Default ships one million worldwide
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is proving a commercial hit as well as a critical one, shipping an impressive one million copies worldwide. Square Enix announced (via Dengeki Online) the 3DS JRPG shifted 400,000 in Japan and 600,000 overseas, including download sales. While it has its roots entrenched in old-school Final Fantasy, Bravely Default is still a new property, so the figures are strong. They've already made a similarly strong impression on president Yosuke Matsuda, who said the game's global sales made his company reconsider its approach to JRPG development.
Best Buy offers buy one, get one free on Pokemon, Zelda, more
Those looking to catch 'em all might want to head down to and/or log on to Best Buy this week, as the store's current promotions include a buy one, get one free deal on select Nintendo 3DS games, including Pokemon X / Y. Of course, if you're less about monster wranglin' and more about helping manage the lives of your friends, the recently-released Tomodachi Life is also included in the promotion, as are quite a few other, quality titles. Here's the full list: Bravely Default, Disney Magical World, Kirby Triple Deluxe, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Mario Golf: World Tour, Pokemon X, Pokemon Y, Tomodachi Life and Yoshi's New Island. "I don't have a 3DS," you say. "Best Buy is also offering $30 off the silver 3DS that comes with Mario & Luigi: Dream Team pre-installed," we say. "Also, it's amazing that we heard your spoken word through the internet when we're not connected to a call service," we say. Oh boy, maybe we're finally developing our mutant superpowers! Here, let's put it to good use: We foresee these deals ending on July 26. And we're definitely psychic, didn't just read that off Best Buy's website or anything. [Image: The Pokemon Company]
Japan's new Bravely Default demo offers four free chapters
There are demos, and then there are demos that make half the game free. Step in a new Bravely Default demo out July 28 in Japan, which will let 3DS owners play chapters 1-4 of the Square Enix game without spending a single yen. So that's something like 30 hours at least of high-quality, old-school JRPG action for free. That, Square Enix, is some demo. Of course, you don't get that kind of offer without a catch, but it's only the exclusion of voice acting. Japanese audio is added back in with a 2,000 yen download (around $19.62 converted), which also adds the rest of the game with saves carried over. A multilingual alternative with English audio will be available starting August 7, priced 2,500 yen ($24.52.)
Bravely Default dev showcases rendering engine in tech demo
Silicon Studio might be better known for 3DS JRPG Bravely Default, but the company has its roots firmly in middleware development, including its YEBIS 2 post-processing engine. You may not have heard of YEBIS 2, but you've most likely already seen it in action. Its real-time natural light effects starred in last year's E3 trailer for Final Fantasy 15, and its post-processing effects also featured in Ubisoft's Kinect brawler The Fighter Within. YEBIS 2 lighting effects can also be seen in Saint Seya: Brave Soldiers, The Witch and the Hundred Knight and Valhalla Knights 3. While the video hints at Silicon Studio getting involved in its own "nex-gen" development, there's no indication the studio's hiring drive is for work outside of YEBIS 2. That said, Square Enix President Yosuke Matsuda recently revealed he's considering the company's approach to JRPGs following the success of Bravely Default. It's just speculation, of course, but it'd certainly be a prospect to see the two companies team up on a home console JPRG. In any case, fans of Bravely Default do have a sequel to look forward to in Bravely Second, although we're still waiting for any news of its ETA.
Square Enix to focus on JRPGs, niche appeal following Bravely Default's success
Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda mused on a potential shift in the company's focus in a recent interview with Nikkei Trendy (via Siliconera), admitting that the publisher "lost [its] focus" during recent attempts to engineer mass-market games for a worldwide audience. "Regardless of whether they're for smartphone or console, there's a difficult element to developing global titles, so we'll be making them without focusing too much on the 'global' aspect," Matsuda told Nikkei Trendy. "For example, in the past, when we developed console games with a worldwide premise, we lost our focus, and not only did they end up being games that weren't for the Japanese, but they ended up being incomplete titles that weren't even fit for a global audience." Matsuda specifically cited Io Interactive's Hitman: Absolution as a victim of this practice. "The development team for Hitman: Absolution really struggled in this regard," Matsuda admitted. "They implemented a vast amount of 'elements for the mass' instead of for the core fans, as a way to try getting as many new players possible. It was a strategy to gain mass appeal. However, what makes the Hitman series good is its appeal to core gamers, and many fans felt the lack of focus in that regard, which ended up making it struggle in sales." Square Enix reported disappointing sales for Hitman: Absolution and fellow mainstream-appeal effort Tomb Raider last year, resulting in a corporate restructuring and a shift in its publishing strategy. The worldwide commercial success of Square Enix's Nintendo 3DS JRPG Bravely Default has since made Matsuda reconsider the company's approach. "Bravely Default [...] ended up selling well all around the world," he notes. "For the new games we'll be developing from this point on, while this may sound a bit extreme, we've been talking about making them as heavy JRPGs. I believe that way, we can better focus on our target, which will also bring better results." [Image: Square Enix]
'Stiq Tips: Bravely Default Guide
Bravely Default is one of the best Final Fantasy games I've played in a long while (and Joystiq agrees). Yeah, I said it! With a tale of heroes and crystals, an open-ended job system, and even an airship, this "technically not Final Fantasy" RPG evokes the most nostalgic feelings of Square's glory days. Of course, along with all of that old school charm comes a few pretty tough concepts, which I'll go over in detail to help you with your quest. There will be no spoilers at all until the very end of the guide, which will be appropriately marked – and even then, they're pretty mild. Now that Bravely Default is officially available in North America, hopefully this guide will help you along your adventure!
New Nintendo eShop releases: Bravely Default, Retro City Rampage DX
New games! Yes, it would be nice to have a few more exciting eShop-only types, but at least we can start sending that tumbleweed on its way. Bravely Default headlines the also-at-retail games, and we'd recommend checking it out. In our four star review, we lauded the 3DS JRPG for mixing Final Fantasy sensibilities with modern design. Whether a new promo trailer really conveys that ... well, it doesn't, but it made us chuckle so we're throwing it in here. On the downloadable-only front, felonious indie Retro City Rampage comes to 3DS with lots of major tweaks, and it's another we had plenty nice to say about. Also, bike-former/plat-biker Urban Trial Freestyle is down to $3.50, starting later today and ending February 20. Oh, and don't forget the Super Indie Connection sale runs until February 13.
Joystiq Weekly: News, reviews and original content from January 27 - February 2
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" recap of the week's most happening ... happenings. Yes. We'll summarize the biggest news, freshest reviews and original content from each week every Sunday, just in case you missed it while tending to your weekday grind. We'll also segue into each section with a reaction gif to the top story, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Now that we've reached life's designated "timeout" known as the weekend, let's dive in to this week's biggest moments:
Bravely Default review: Crystal Clear
Bravely Default is almost to the Final Fantasy series what Casino Royale was to James Bond films. Unlike the 2006 film, the so-billed spiritual sequel to Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light doesn't convey its modernizations immediately. In its first hours, Bravely Default is like a dry homage to the games Square Enix's series was built on. There's no cold-blooded drowning in a sink, just four heroes, pre-rendered backdrops, turn-based combat, and phoenix downs. Name or no, it's soon obvious the game is a Final Fantasy, and at first little more than familiar. The renovations are there, though, and as they unravel a maturity reveals itself. No, not the gritty maturity of a complicated spy, but a grownup warmth, an understanding that gaming is not what it was in 1987 or 1997 or even 2006, but it's not dissimilar. The paradigm shift in Bravely Default is not making Final Fantasy into something new, but reaching back and dragging the series' past into the modern day – with care, that is. Like Casino Royale, the 3DS game trips over old foibles, but make no mistake: Bravely Default is a return to form in more ways than one.
Bravely Default distils its story into a brief trailer
A fantasy world plagued by evil? Check. Powerful magic crystals? Check. A party of four heroes to save the day? Check. Lots of patently ridiculous names? Double check. Bravely Default has the hallmarks a Square JRPG, there's no doubt of that. The 3DS game is two weeks out from hitting North America on February 7. In the meantime, check out the eShop demo to play a side story that's not in the game itself.
Bravely Default outfits, ages altered in Western release
North American 3DS owners won't be graced with the presence of Bravely Default until February 7, but someone with a European copy of the game has noticed changes to outfits and ages of certain characters. The above image was posted by an IGN forum member and showcases the same outfit in different versions of the game, with the Western release's outfits being on the left side. The Final Fantasy Wiki also notes a boost of three years' age for the protagonists, making Bravely Default's youngest stars like the above Edea 18 years old instead of 15. Of course, tweaking content during a game's journey to Western audiences is nothing new. The sprite for Siren was covered up in the US release of Final Fantasy 6, for instance. The age bump might also be an effort to avoid problems like those experienced by Dead or Alive: Dimensions, which was not released in parts of Europe due to some of its cast being underage while appearing in risque situations.
Bravely series' success depends on Bravely Second, producer says
While Western fans continue to wait patiently for the February 7 debut of 3DS roleplaying epic Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, series producer Tomoya Asano believes that the future of his franchise hinges on its sequel, Bravely Second. "I believe that the future of the Bravely series will really depend on the success of Bravely Second," Asano told 4Gamer in an interview translated by Siliconera. "With that in mind, the year 2014 will be a very important year. Without forgetting the major premise of making a good game, I'd like to keep doing more, so please keep an eye out for us!" Though a Western release of Bravely Second - assuming it's successful enough to warrant one - is still a ways off, yesterday brought us a free demo of Bravely Default: Flying Fairy. The price alone should be motivation enough for you to try the 3DS RPG, though keep in mind that some of the game's more racy outfits have been given a modest aesthetic for the English-speaking world. As Destructoid illustrates, cat girls aren't quite as slinky outside of Japan and bare midriffs are much less bare.
New Nintendo eShop releases: Bravely Default demo, Mega Man X2
This week's eShop content will look largely familiar to those who follow these posts on a regular basis. Some of this week's offerings have already been live on their respective eShops in between the holidays. Save for Mega Man X2 on the Wii U Virtual Console and a demo for upcoming 3DS RPG Bravely Default, this week's content dump is comprised largely of stuff Nintendo announced last week – like Dr. Luigi (which launched two days ago), Super Punch-Out!! and Mario Tennis. The full version of Bravely Default launches on the eShop and at retail on February 7. There is also a limited-time sale on Atlus games to consider. From now until January 6 at 12pm ET, select games in the Shin Megami Tensei and Etrian Odyssey series are on sale, as is 2D brawl-em-up Code of Princess. Hop on past the break for the full list of this week's eShop content.
Bravely producer wants a new Bravely every year
North America still hasn't gotten its hot little hands on Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, and already the producer of its sequel, Bravely Second, is hoping to annualize the series. In a recent interview with Dengeki (via Siliconera), producer Tomoya Asano said he'd like to see a new Bravely game every year. Specifically, when Asano was asked when Bravely Second will be released, he noted his hopes for making Bravely an annual series, meaning he hopes for a 2014 release for Bravely Second. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is slated to arrive in North America on February 7. A side-story demo will arrive on the 3DS eShop on January 2.
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy to get side-story demo on January 2
A demo for Bravely Default: Flying Fairy will reach the eShop on January 2 and follow a side-story not featured in the game itself, Nintendo announced during their Nintendo Direct event this morning. The full game will is set to fly on February 7 and is getting a statue-less collector's edition.
