Topic: Bravely Default: The Flying Fairy

@Tyranexx I mean the third form of Airy in Dark Aurora at "The End" chapter but I just browsed and it seems that there's Ouroboros after this so not the final boss but the final form of Airy. One more boss then LOL. Well, anything better than repeating half of the game indefinitely...

I will grind the team up, I'll try to reach 80, probably listening to music to not fall asleep. I thought that death protection was for Death (Doom), this game is so bad at explanations so thanks, I'll try that [EDIT: Nope, Death protection didn't do that, unfortunately]. So that's like in other games that you don't get killed but left with 1HP? That can be extremely useful.

I haven't played Bravely Second but I have it so after a break I will play it. In the first game's menu I don't see an option to copy files and I'm likely too late but I can always watch a video of the bad ending or perhaps the game lets you check it somehow.

Thanks. I have persevered 😅.

@Banjo- I assume you're now past the point of not worrying about spoilers, so this is more for the eyes of casual readers. It did seem you were referring to Airy, though I wasn't entirely sure lol. IMO Ouroboros is who makes the true boss sequence satisfying for reasons I won't get into. Airy as a character and boss is a bit underwhelming. I do recall her being a bit brutal until I had her patterns down better.

Yep, the game does involve some grinding, though IIRC I found it less tedious than some other games. Is it instant death you're having issues with? I was thinking you meant Doom. In that case, I'd try to obtain a Safety Ring for each party member.

I don't think there's a copy function, but I think you should be able to save the game in more than one slot? Though it has been awhile, so I could be confusing the game with something else... Anywho, good luck! You're almost there!

@Tyranexx A minor update. I finally reached Ouroboros, the real final boss, following your advice. I haven't beaten it yet, still figuring out the best strategy. I hope that Bravely Second is not this hard 🤣.

@Banjo- Good luck! He can be pretty difficult depending. As for Bravely Second....Let's just say that one can be hard depending on your actions. Really depends on how your progress in the game. There's some 4th wall breaking in that entry as well.

@Tyranexx Finally! I levelled up a RPG until 99/99 for the first time in my life and managed to beat it. The biggest problems are the overpowered bosses, the plethora of classes and mechanics, most of them not intuitive, and the brutal difficulty, even in "easy" mode, not to mention the almost endless story loops.

I used some advice I found for Ouroboros for anyone that has to beat the game yet.

The nightmare is over... 😅

@Banjo- Congrats on beating Bravely Default! I'm very happy for you, though I get the impression your ordeal was more harrowing than mine. It's been awhile - I think I beat this in late 2017 - but I think my party was in the low to mid-80s when I beat Ouroboros. I do agree that the bosses can be HP sponges; apparently since they were trying to honor retro JRPGs with this game, that unfortunately makes sense lol. I didn't mind the jumble of classes, though I do agree that finding out which ones match well takes either 1. knowing how a lot of classes work in games in general, 2. experimentation, or 3. using ye olde internet (which I did...a lot). I didn't invest much in some classes but definitely used some others. I don't recall offhand what strategies I used against Ouroboros, but I'm fairly certain I used a few combinations of what you have under that spoiler section. I was particularly fond of the Dark Knight, Swordsman, White Mage, Black Mage, Arcanist, and Ninja classes.

Congrats once again! If you're still wanting to tackle Bravely Second in the future, I can attest that it brought about a few QoL improvements to make that game less annoying overall. Those include slightly better story pacing (IMO), magic being more powerful, auto-battling, and more ways to make grinding/combat less of a hassle.

@Tyranexx I agree with you as well. I liked the first half of the game and the soundtrack, I hated the second half of the game. To give you another example, I loved Octopath Traveller. It's a game that allowed me to learn the mechanics naturally and it's the only RPG that I have played where I created my own dynamic combat strategies that were consistently effective. Of course, I've played others but I have never created complex strategies to optimise and even predict the battle. It felt almost like chess and I loved it. That made me feel intelligent and powerful and it was fun because I didn't need to read other people's strategies. The game looks great on Series X and that also helped. If it comes to Xbox I'll buy the sequel, if not, I'll get it for another console/PC someday.

Back to Bravely Default, there were two tips that I used. The first one was Mimic, that I had never used. The second one was Compounding, that I had not used either because I didn't want to waste items experimenting. If you combine X-Potion and Hi-Potion you get a Re-rise spell. Do it four times and all the party has Re-rise.

What really saved me during the last battle in Bravely Default was being less aggressive. I used Curaga with Epic Casting (I think that's the name that makes magic not lose effect when casting on all allies) and I multiplied the Turbo Ether using Mimic after casting black magic with a buff, which is not very powerful, as you said. I used Dispel a lot to remove the enemy's buff. It's interesting because I only had a healer and I was attacking only with dark magic with the Arcanist's passive dark magic boost that uses more MP, while the other two characters were used for balancing the brutal game mechanics. I'm astonished because I played in Easy, level 99, and I only beat it because I was using a healer that always had BP, a patient attacker (black mage) and two characters constantly trying to balance the battle. You'd thought that at level 99 in Easy you could spam the A button.

I'll play Bravely Second after a break. I already have it. The QoL improvements you mention are encouraging. I don't think I'll buy Bravely Default II although I have a Switch. Maybe if it comes to Xbox someday. I know it's on Windows. Octopath Traveller II yes, I know I will play it someday even if it doesn't come to Xbox because I loved the first one. I think that Octopath Traveller is perfectly balanced and it taught me how to be a great and independent player without dying every time I failed. It doesn't have the best story nor voice acting but it's one of the games I've enjoyed the most because of how it let me improve as a player in an intuitive way.

@Banjo- In hindsight I do think the second half of the game is a detriment. I went in knowing about that aspect, so I don't think it affected me as much as some since I was mentally prepared. The second half is less about the decent story and can feel more like a boss rush where you can practice strategies more than anything. I recall using Mimic I think, though not Compounding lol. But yeah, most of the later battles are fights of attrition and the occasional cheap move. I also used the Curaga + Epic Casting (can't recall the name offhand either) combo. There are a lot of strategies that can be employed IIRC, and it seems like you came up with a pretty solid one!

As for Octopath Traveler I tried the demo, got the full game, played a few more hours, then dropped it once I realized the gameplay loop would be more or less the same. I also didn't find any of the story vignettes compelling or natural, and I was also scared off by some difficulty spikes I read about. I didn't dislike the game; I just didn't want to sit through 70+ more hours of it.

Your break is well earned. Bravely Second is my favorite of the 3DS pair and is a direct sequel. As for Bravely Default II, I own it on Switch but have it backlogged for now. No relation to the previous games IIRC outside of name, and I do like some (though not all) of the changes from previous entries. I may try Octopath Traveler II one day if I can find it for cheap since, from feedback I've found, I think it does fix some of the issues I had with the first game...though not all of them.

Thanks! 😊

I understand what you mean about Octopath Traveller and one has to really enjoy the game to invest those hours in it. It's the same with every RPG because they're repetitive and long. The most boring RPG I have ever played is... Pokemon XY.

To be honest, this feels like my 456th break playing Bravely Defaullt 😂. At least, now I can say it's beaten. I started Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch because it's on Game Pass. It's good this far.

Honestly, if I didn't have much of a backlog, I probably would've stuck with the first Octopath longer than I did. I don't believe it's a terrible game by any means, I was just put off by some of what I encountered and was more attracted to other games at the time. I really enjoy RPGs, but the narrative is king in my book, with mechanics/gameplay a somewhat close second. Repetition in and of itself doesn't bother me, it just depends on what else carries it...like in my current Dragon Quest VII adventure.

I agree on Pokemon X/Y at least in the narrative department; I almost dropped Y when I first played it since the game REALLY dragged between the first and second gyms. Not to mention the villain team was unoriginal and highly predictable. At least the bits with AZ and his Floette were mildly decent.... Haven't played Ni No Kuni yet, but maybe someday! I've heard decent feedback about it, though it seems to have a few detractors too.

@Tyranexx I think it's the hollow interactions and the dialogues what make Pokemon X/Y the most boring RPG I've ever played. If you appreciate the narrative the most, you'll like Ni no Kuni ("Second Country"). What I'm not liking is that it's a real-time RPG but the battle commands are not fixed on screen but they are balloons, so the battle starts, the enemies attack quickly and you have to read the balloons and navigate them like a wheel to choose Defend or any of the attacks/spells. I like the game because it's beautiful and although it's not fast-paced the story keeps me interested. The combat is not well designed but there are many original things that they have added as RPG elements, like how you get spells. The UI is nice (outside combat) and there are extras like story books that you need to read to properly interact with a certain character. It's full of nice ideas I've never seen and quality of life features, so it's shocking how the combat stayed clunky during development, even more considering that this is a PS3 remaster.

@Banjo- Pokemon X/Y were a huge letdown after the decent plots in Black/White 1/2; IMO the Pokemon series hasn't topped those in the writing department yet...though I admit I haven't played one of the newest entries yet. Dropping Pokemon games until long after the end credits was unheard of for me before that point. I persevered with Y however. Mechanically X/Y are fairly solid games, but everything else...ouch.

I've heard great things about Ni No Kuni, particularly when it comes to art style, graphics, and the plot. You're confirming some of the mixed things I've heard regarding the combat though. I'll likely play it sometime in the future since I'm a Studio Ghibli fan.

Anywho, you've more than earned your latest Bravely Default break. XD

Exactly what I did with Pokemon Y. I'm not going to lie and say that it was as exhausting as Bravely Default but just boring and I just wanted to beat it quickly 😂. Thank you for your tips during that Bravely Default journey during the years ha ha.

I played a bit more of Ni no Kuni yesterday, near 10 hours overall. I wanted to share with you some good news trying not to spoil too much. I'm the kind of slow adventure player checking corners, talking to NPCs and looking for nearby items. The side quests are simple but very easy to track. Taking that into account, after the first 10 hours, you don't play alone anymore but some CPU company gets involved and that makes combat much more fun and forgiving. I was happy when that change unfolded. I know it's a bit of a spoiler but I want to give hope to new players because before that point, combat is overwhelming and was ruining the game for me.

@Banjo- No problem at all! Happy to help when I can...even if it has now been awhile since I've played the game. I did eventually finish Pokemon Y, but the opening hours really dragged for me. In hindsight I was also quite busy IRL at the time, which probably didn't help my patience or focus.

Sounds like we're both similar when it comes to RPGs and some more open games in general lol. I like exploring, checking everything (Dragon Quest and Zelda both have conditioned me well. XD), talking to NPCs, finding Easter Eggs, etc. I don't personally consider that Ni No Kuni tidbit as much of a spoiler since it deals more with mechanics. I'm usually wary when it comes to plot details, new characters/their purpose, and areas past the early parts of a given game. That is good information!

@Tyranexx It's a pleasure talking to you 🤗. Yep, I also beat Pokemon Y and I remember turning the in-game TVs on and read silly things and the boring dialogues between me and the NPCs. After the second gym, as you said, it goes faster and you tell yourself to beat all the gyms and complete the "story". I thought it was a good idea to have roller skates to go faster but even that it's clunky. I think the bicycle in Ruby was easier to use. Those are the only Pokemon games I have beaten but I have all the GBA, DS and 3DS titles so I'm open to suggestions for the future. I even got Pokemon Yellow and Crystal on the 3DS eshop. Yes, I remember the GB craze when I was just a kid but I wasn't into Pokemon at that time and just played Ruby back then. It was fine: a portable game with tidy and clean graphics and UI but I never tried to get the 100% as I do with other games.

I don't like plot, areas or characters spoilers either. Back to Ni No Kuni, I'm glad that you don't consider it a spoiler and, like you said, it's just vaguely explaining the evolution of the combat mechanics. The Legend of Zelda definitely influenced me as well in getting everything, Ocarina of Time was my first Zelda and still is one of my favourite games and my favourite Zelda game along with Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess. The only Dragon Quest I've played is IV on DS and I loved it so I have bought as many as available (on DS, 3DS and Xbox). I really think that you'll like Ni No Kuni once you find the time to play it. Sometimes we are busy in real life or just want to play something else or take a break.

@Banjo- I do enjoy our conversations too! I'll admit I've cut down on my forum use a bit over time and usually don't venture too far from the General and Switch forums these days. It depends on the topic though! Especially if it involves RPG series I'm fond of, warts and all...like a certain game this thread relates to. I did like the roller skates in my Pokemon Y playthrough as a bike alternative, but in hindsight...yeah, the movement was clunky. It's hard to go wrong with any of the earlier Pokemon titles IMO, depending on what you're looking for. You've grabbed what I consider are arguably the best of the first two generations on the 3DS VC. The GBA entries are decent, albeit a bit slow. IMO The series hit its peak in many ways - story, fun mechanics, challenge (Well, compared to later games) - on the DS. Though Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire are decent remakes of Ruby/Sapphire.

The Legend of Zelda series is arguably my favorite Nintendo series, though my first game was later than many: Twilight Princess on the Wii. It took me two tries, but I was hooked the second time. Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are both up there for me as well, though I've only played the 3DS entries of those two (OoT 3D was my main motivation to buy my first 3DS). I've since played/beaten every main series Zelda release barring Four Swords Adventures since that's currently trapped on GameCube. As for Dragon Quest, I'm still gradually catching up on the series. I think I'm close to finishing VII on 3DS, and have loved/finished VIII (also on 3DS), IV (DS), and V (DS; my first). I do think I'll like Ni No Kuni, Ghibli fan I am.

@Tyranexx Me too, I take breaks from forums and internet in general to focus in real life. We have a similar experience with many games, that's interesting 😉. "Back on topic" 😂, I can't believe I finally beat that game. It's been years.

@Banjo- Eventually is better than never, my friend. Though it's fully up to you if returning to a previously shelved game is worth your time. I don't bounce between different games very much until I finish them unless I don't like what I'm playing...which is rare these days since I'm much better at vetting games unless I'm taking a chance. I am much less of a 100% completionist than I used to be however. XD

@Tyranexx As we grow up, we learn what we like and we don't like 😉. The thing about Bravely Default is that I had invested too much time to give it up. Sometimes, I take chances too but more usually on Game Pass where I can try a game and give it up as quickly as I feel like because I haven't paid anything extra. If there's a new game that I don't know if I'll like and it's not on Game Pass then I get as much information as possible and try to play it before buying it. I don't let reviews decide for me anymore because I have realised that one can like what others don't and vice versa. This generation and the generation before, I don't think I've taken chances at all 😂. Well, Mario + Rabbids on Switch. It's fine but it's not something I really like. I am less of a completionist, too, but I admit that it's very rewarding being so in some games, like Immortal Fenyx Rising to name something "new". If I replay some of my favourites, 100% is part of the playthrough because that's how it always have been for me, e.g., Banjo-Kazooie. Some games are much more fun 100% 😊.

@Banjo- I completely get not wanting to drop a time investment lol; typically if I've invested a lot of time i in a game and know I'm close to finishing it, I'll go on too. Sort of like my recent bout with Dragon Quest VII. Finally reached the end credits yesterday. I sorta got the itch to move on a couple weeks back but knew I was close...and I wanted to see how things ended lol. If a game is part of a franchise I trust....No questions asked, I'm grabbing it! Outside of that, I usually use reviews, gameplay vids, and other impressions to help me decide. Plus I do know my tastes quite well by now. I will still 100% games, but typically if they're shorter, I like it well enough, obsessive fan craziness, or any mix of the three.