What is Bravely Second: End Layer?
WARNING: This article has spoilers for the original Bravely Default.
Bravely Second: End Layer is a direct sequel to Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, picking up two years after the original game. It features the same gameplay style both in combat and outside, but adds on a few new wrinkles to the formula. The series has been directly inspired by Final Fantasy, and even uses a lot of the same systems and story ideas.
Bravely Default started with a traditional story of a group of characters on a quest to save the world by visiting the four elemental crystals that protect it. Even the art style of the game matched some of the older Final Fantasy titles, especially the Four Heroes of Light and remake of Final Fantasy IV. Systems in the game match traditional JRPGs as well with battle, equipment and exploration. The battle system plays out with turns and players have varying choices of attacking, using magic and items.
Bravely Default and Second both try and streamline the JRPG formula by adding new options like fast forwarding combat or reducing enemy encounters, allowing players to speed through battles to get to story moments.
Bravely Second is developed by Square Enix and Silicon Studio, the same studio that worked on the original and 3D Dot Game Heroes. Everything about both this game and its predecessor emulates traditional Final Fantasy games, and Bravely Second tries to expand on the formula established with the first game. Let’s look at a few important elements from the game like story, gameplay, the job system and its length.
