From time to time we are graced with a video game so elegantly and flawlessly done that it lays the groundwork for all future games in its genre. When the original Final Fantasy was released on the NES it was like no other RPG before it, shaping how turn–based role playing games would be done for years to come. While as of late the Final Fantasy series has gone in every direction imaginable, it seems only fitting that a game so heavily influenced by the earlier games should come along to remind us just how excellent the traditional JRPG can be. Bravely Default on the Nintendo 3DS brings innovation to the genre and is a celebration of everything that made those early JRPGs beloved by many.
Oh man…
I haven’t played a turn-based RPG for a loooong time that I enjoyed as much as Bravely Default.
The small tweaks and edits you can make to the game really make this one stand out. Creating your own (essentially) Limit Breaks, customizing your class with a cross-class ability, and pumping up or turning down the random encounter rate go a long way in making this game excel.
If you enjoyed any turn-based RPG before, or better yet if you fancy yourself an “old school” Final Fantasy fan, then you need to play this game. No question about it.
Read my full review of the excellent Bravely Default on Machinima’s Inside Gaming Daily blog here.
Laters,
Jsick
