Bravely Second: End Layer Critic Reviews

Traditional where it needs to be, and wildly humorous when it wants to, this is the perfect follow up to the spectacularly successful original title.

Bravely Second takes concepts from it’s predecessor and improves on them completely, making this the best game on the 3DS.

It's a very well-crafted more of the same, that once more finds great ways to modernize the JRPG formula. Still a must-have for fans of the genre.

Bravely Second is a sequel that is bursting in flavour. It features a world with so much depth, a story which twists and turns in meaningful ways, and clever tweaks to the combat that make the turn-based battles fun. Some sections drag on a little bit and a mild amount of dialogue tries to spoil the broth, but this adventure has had me hooked from beginning to end.

As a sequel, Bravely Second: End Layer does everything right. It improves on its predecessor in nearly every way, shakes things up enough to still be exciting for players who may have recently poured sixty hours into the first game, and offers a meaningful chance to reconnect with beloved characters. Even better, it's a nearly-perfect JRPG in its own right. Beautiful, well-written, and endlessly engaging in gameplay and story, this is a wonderful example of why people fall in love with the genre.

Bravely Second is a top-notch J-RPG. The original formula hasn't changed a bit, and that's a good thing, but it's been expanded with tons of class, skills and tactics to accommodate the need of every strategy fan. Some balancing issues won't affect an overall great experience.

The team behind Bravely Second put forth a big effort and love while creating the game that's easy to spot in every detail. Despite being a direct sequel sharing similar graphics, music and gameplay with its predecessor, the interesting new plot, that will keep the player anxious to know more; and the well designed battle system, that makes it fun to level up, make this title stand out as one of the best RPG ever made not only for Nintendo 3DS, but overall.

The somewhat clichéd plot, the inconsistent tone of the dialogue and the likeable, but ultimately forgettable cast do hold this game back from greatness, but despite these issues, Bravely Second: End Layer remains one of the finest JRPGs of the past decade and a welcome reminder of what can be achieved on the Nintendo 3DS’ ageing hardware.

Bravely Second is without question another memorable, worthwhile and undeniably essential play for anyone striving to get their latest RPG fix.

Everything you loved about Bravely Default, but with more interesting characters and a more captivating story."

Where Bravely Default excelled, Bravely Second repeats that success and leaves us with a heartwarming tale. One of the greatest 3DS titles to date and surely the crème de la crème of modern JRPG titles.

Bravely Second is exactly what a sequel should be, improving upon the foundation of the original while adding in its own ideas to further enhance the experience. The 60+ hour adventure is more consistent than the first game, and the main plot and side quests are more elaborate and engaging.

So if you like classic RPGs, there’s no reason to avoid any of the Bravely games, and if you’re not sure about this one for some reason, download that free demo and get crackin’.

Bravely Second is something of a rare JRPG sequel. It features the same battle system, world, and many familiar characters from the original. The new Jobs and even more convenient features for grinding make it a fun adventure for anyone who loved the original.

Bravely Second: End Layer is a worthy follow-up to Bravely Default, which in itself is one of the best RPGs on the Nintendo 3DS. Granted, if Bravely Default didn't move you the first time around, Bravely Second probably won't, either. For better or worse (but mostly better), it's a straight-up second helping of its predecessor.

Bravely Second might not take as many risks as a sequel should, but that doesn't matter so much when you experience the great character interaction, impressive graphics, outstanding soundtrack and addictive gameplay of this wonderful RPG.

It’s a love letter to the genre, written by someone who moved away, traveled the world, and learned some new things while still managing to stay true to their roots.

All the harrumph and bluster about cut content and changes does little to change the fact that Bravely Second: End Layer is a fantastic game that should satisfy fans and foes of the original game. There is a lot of revisiting, and some forced moral quandaries that I don't exactly agree with (from a logical stand-point), but they do little to affect my overall enjoyment of this game.

Bravely Second is a title that builds on the success of its predecessor without taking too many risks. There are only a handful of new mechanics and ideas present here, but as the original was brimming with so much innovation, I have a hard time holding it against the sequel for upholding the precedents made by its predecessor. In turn, it also stands amongst the best JRPGs on offer for the 3DS.

Playful proof that the classic RPG isn't dead.