Nintendo World Report - 9.5/10
One thing that must be said about the title, is that the game looks and sounds great. The environments and characters have this uniquely drawn look to them, which makes them adorable to look at. There are moments when it all looks like a painting in motion. The 3D effect helps bring all of this to life, as it gives the dynamic camera angles and details more legs to stand upon. The music adds even more to the experience.
Bravely Default is a reminder of why the Nintendo 3DS was so strong this year. Various gameplay elements have never been this balanced before, and the story will keep you interested for many hours to come. The same goes for the presentation, which shows how lush and endearing games can truly be on the system. As a farewell to 2013, Nintendo of Europe couldn't have picked a better title. Not only because of quality, but also because it will last you for the remainder of December.
Summary
Pros
Brilliantly connected with StreetPass and online
Enjoyable Norende restoration sidequest
Lush and strong presentation
Plot that never stops being intriguing
Trifecta of interesting gameplay elements
Cons
Useless microtransactions
Bravely Default is also a pretty beefy game, with a ton of content and a lengthy narrative. With the difficulty options, you can make this game as easy or as hard as you want, which should please those who believe they don’t have time to play RPGs any more. I count myself as one of those people, and I haven’t been able to enjoy a game of this genre in years, until this one.
VERDICT: It’s a brave (geddit?) move on Square-Enix’s part to not stamp Bravely Default with a more popular title, because ironically, Bravely Default is one of the best Final Fantasies in years. Taking the very best of 8/16-bit entries of the series, and bringing them up to date with some beautiful graphics, clever features and engaging gameplay, this is a must for someone looking for a more traditional JRPG. On a system that has been lacking some meaty RPG action, this is a superb combination of old school gameplay with modern day additions that makes for an adventure you don’t want to miss.
