Square Enix have detailed the changes coming to Bravely Default II, based on feedback from players of the game’s demo.

You can read our preview based on the demo here, though the final game will have several changes. Producer Masashi Takahashi states the demo was downloaded 1 million times worldwide (as of September 2020), and generated 22,000 responses (between March 30th to April 30th; 9,841 in the US, 6,898 in Europe, and 5,392 in Asia).

The majority of feedback gave the game four stars (40-47% across all regions). 80% of participants said they liked the game’s music, followed by the Job System (76%), Graphics (74%), the Brave/Default System (70%), Characters (70%).

Out of what participants did not like, Difficulty was at 33%, and Usability was 28%, (None at 22%). The demo was designed to show a sample as many elements of the full game as possible, and as such had trickier foes to deal with.

Nonetheless, players will be able to freely change between Casual, Normal, and Hard difficulties in the full game. The developers emphasize the easier difficulty will help those struggling with the early game, but all difficulty levels will have a decent challenge against bosses and later stages of the game. However, the final bullet points of changes state “Early part of game now easier”– with no distinction in difficulty.

Masashi also states that as participants asked for a form of turn-indicator, however the developers felt this “wouldn’t work well” with the Brave and Default commands, and make it too powerful for the player. This lead to a system that “will offer just the right combination of tactical certainty and exciting unsuitability.”

Similar to ATB mechanics in other RPGs, each character has a bar under their HP and MP indicating who will be next to act (doing so when the bar is full). However, enemies will only have an exclamation mark over them when they are about to act. Based on the footage below, any enemy with the mark will act before the next character’s turn.

Feedback also criticized how fast enemies were in the field, and that swinging your sword often failed to connect with foes. The final game will have monsters moving a little slower, the sword swing reaching further, and players being able to swing their sword while running.

Weak enemies will also run away (as some did during the demo), and strong enemies glow red. Should players beat a strong foe while under-leveled, they will get an “underdog bonus” for extra EXP.

Other improvements include being able to stop the battle introduction cutscenes, a clearer UI to show which character’s turn it is, and more detailed information in battle (such as status effects).

In menus adjustments have been made to fonts and background colors, pop-up help text is positioned differently, Jobs are easier to view and manage, and there are remapped controls (holding down Y or X instead of + or – for more information in a menu).

Finally, new settings available include being able to run by default, and changing the button for the Default command. Masashi states the above are “just a few of the countless improvements we’ve made.”

The game will launch February 26th, 2021. You can find the Player Feedback & Developer Update below. Players can also see new monsters and Job costumes therein.

You can find the full rundown (via Nintendo) below.

A brand-new entry in the Bravely series!

Embark on a search for four Crystals in the latest entry in the Bravely series. Explore a new world filled with new characters—with the atmosphere and gameplay the series is known for.

Four new Heroes of Light emerge

Save the continent of Excillant with the help of new Heroes of Light! Follow the story of the young sailor Seth as he sets out on a grand adventure and meets plenty of friends (and foes) along the way.

The Brave and Default battle system is back

Balance risk and reward in turn-based battles. Characters can make multiple moves in one turn, but then they may be unable perform actions for a while. Balance is key.

• A new world, a new story, and all-new Heroes of Light ready to save Excillant! Engage in turn-based RPG combat with a risk/reward system in the next entry of Square Enix’s Bravely series.
• The saga begins when our hero Seth, a young sailor, washes up on the shore of one of Excillant’s five kingdoms. Here, he meets Gloria of Musa, a princess who fled her kingdom when it was destroyed by evil forces bent on stealing its Crystals. He also encounters Elvis and Adelle, two travelers determined to decipher a mysterious and magical book. It’s up to you to stop the forces that threaten these heroes and all of Excillant.
• Select from many different jobs, skills, and abilities to customize each party member to fit your strategy. The more you learn, the more tactics you’ll wield. Find and defeat one of the powerful bosses who holds an Asterisk to take on even more jobs—take down Orpheus for the Bard job or fell Dag to become a Vanguard!

Image: Nintendo