A Change 2 launch title that gained’t put you into Default.
On the Nintendo Change 2’s launch day, they’re placing out the unique Bravely Default out in HD, aptly titled “Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster.” This was a 3DS recreation initially launched in 2012 earlier than popping out within the West a 12 months later through a barely reworked, barely expanded format.
There’s an entire historic context behind this recreation and the way it initially began as a Last Fantasy spin-off earlier than changing into its personal franchise, however I’ll largely skip that. Wikipedia exists for a cause, and I’m guessing an NWR alum wrote that article and/or video higher than I ever might about 47 years in the past.
What I’ll say is that the unique Bravely Default is a turn-based JRPG – and a rattling good one I hear – that began the entire “Courageous/Default” mechanic utilized in a number of Sq. Enix RPGs since (such because the Octopath Vacationers). Whereas your get together fights monsters, you possibly can select to “Default,” during which you don’t assault and save up a transfer for a future flip, or “Courageous,” which lets you spend as much as three banked turns (4 together with your present one) to do a bunch of harm towards enemies abruptly.
There are different intricacies, however all you have to know is that it’s a very cool system that differentiates itself from the meat-and-potatoes points of many contemporaries.
I’m on this launch partly as a result of I’ve performed Bravely Default II and Octopath Traveler II however not this predecessor. I hear Bravely Default is a very good time (we’ve got critiques
testifying to this) – a kind of 70-hour RPGs that evokes SNES-era Last Fantasy whereas providing its personal trendy twists. It helps that Flying Fairy HD Remaster is popping out effectively under “full worth” – $40 MSRP within the States – which feels sensible and smart towards $70 and $80 first-party releases.
I performed Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster throughout a quick appointment demo throughout PAX East 2025. I performed with Pleasure-Con 2s within the new grip for the RPG components, and I performed the 2 new minigames with mouse controls. We weren’t in a position to play on handheld (solely TV), and I’ll observe that what I performed was a improvement equipment so technically I can’t communicate to the Change 2 ultimate retail expertise. Joysticks appear actual good although!
I performed the primary 10 or so minutes of Bravely Default (up by a number of random encounters in that first cave) and hey, it appears to be like good. You may inform it’s a remaster of the 3DS recreation somewhat than a full on remake (which is completely wonderful), but it surely seemed sharp and ran nice. Due to preview limitations, we weren’t in a position to take direct and even oblique gameplay to test issues out on our finish, but it surely felt prefer it was operating at 60fps (a minimum of). Particular shout out to the hand-drawn backgrounds from the unique recreation, which look additional fairly with the improved decision.
Flying Fairy HD Remaster additionally contains two new minigames that make the most of the Change 2’s mouse controls: Luxencheer Rhythm Catch and Ringabel’s Panic Cruise.
My preliminary impression of the Change 2’s mouse performance is that it looks as if each different factor like this Nintendo has executed within the final 20 years; on one hand it clearly didn’t really feel practically pretty much as good as a typical laptop mouse, however on the opposite, some children are most likely going to get into the Civilization franchise by this management scheme and that’s fairly cool.
Luxencheer performs nearly like a tackle Theatrhythm the place you progress the left and proper Pleasure-Con 2s as cheering apparatuses to the rhythm of some songs, urgent the shoulder buttons now and again for particular beats. Though it was awkwardly enjoyable and kinetic transferring the left and proper controllers round a espresso desk to catch notes, I can’t actually say I felt the “rhythm” piece. I did play on a neater issue (I like rhythm video games however wished to be environment friendly with restricted preview time) so perhaps more durable difficulties will really feel higher.
Ringabel was extra up my alley as a result of it performed into the basic awkwardness of this management scheme. You pilot an airship in first-person and fly by rings at completely different elevations whereas utilizing your mice as palms to manage the airship dashboard. The purpose is to juggle turning the wheel whereas managing an elevation lever, the occasional valve you have to repair, and numerous buttons that the sport often instructs you to test. It’s foolish and overwhelming, and I feel that is the one of many two that has get together recreation potential.
These are each pretty small bonuses that act as a pleasant utility of Change 2 performance on launch day. It’s not the promoting level, however somewhat a cute little factor. The brand new launch additionally features a single-screen UI, the StreetPass mode redesigned with community performance, and high quality of life upgrades reminiscent of fast-forwarding.
Right here’s all you have to know: on June 5, Sq. Enix is promoting an HD model of an enormous, well-received JRPG from the early 3DS period. It’s launching at a reasonably good worth, and it looks as if they did a reasonably good job with it. There are nonetheless questions on whether or not each function from the unique recreation comes again (the spokesperson I spoke with talked about that there’s extra to share RE: among the early questions people had), but it surely appears fairly good!
