Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster Review: A Classic RPG Reborn | The Gamerheads Podcast

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

Price: $39.99

Before roguelikes. Before deckbuilders. RPGs have always been—and always will be—my favorite genre. One of the standouts for me is Bravely Default: Flying Fairy. And I got the opportunity to play the game in advance of my review. Originally released for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan in 2012 (and in North America in 2014), the game now returns remastered for the Nintendo Switch 2. Beyond its refreshed visuals, the release includes two brand-new mini-games that make use of the Switch 2’s mouse controls. If you’ve never played Bravely Default—or you’re looking for a reason to dive back in—this is the perfect opportunity. At $39.99, it’s a fantastic launch title for the new system.

For those who’ve never played Bravely Default, its story is one of the most well-written—and memorable—in RPGs. Originally conceived as a spin-off of Final Fantasy: The Four Heroes of Light (released on the Nintendo DS in 2009), the game still carries the DNA of classic Final Fantasy, especially in its job system. But Bravely Default quickly grew into something unique, thanks in large part to its innovative Brave/Default battle system.

Bravely Default offers a risk/reward system that requires planning, patience, and knowing when to go all in.

This is one of my favorite aspects of Bravely Default—it adds a surprising amount of strategy to the turn-based formula. For instance, I can choose to Brave, essentially borrowing against future turns to unleash a flurry of attacks in one go—perfect when I’m trying to take out an enemy quickly with my heavy hitters. On the flip side, using Default lets me defend and store up turns, allowing a character to later unleash multiple actions in a single round or provide extended support for the team. It’s especially satisfying when I spot an enemy saving up their own Default turns—I’ll have my team hunker down in Default mode to weather the incoming storm of Brave attacks. It’s a risk/reward system that requires planning, patience, and knowing when to go all in.

While job systems aren’t unique to Bravely Default, this one offers a level of flexibility and depth that makes it stand out. I can switch a character’s job at any time and level up that class to unlock new abilities. Even better, when I switch to a new job, I can still equip a secondary skill set from a previously leveled class. The more I level up, the more tools I unlock—mages gain new spells, fighters earn powerful attacks, etc.. It all adds up to a hybrid approach that lets me build each character exactly how I want.

Another unique aspect of Bravely Default is its special moves—powerful skills that are unlocked either by leveling up or through city building (more on that in a bit). Each special move comes with a specific requirement before it can be used. For example, to activate Rejuvenate, I need to heal a certain number of times during battle. On top of that, I can attach bonuses to these moves—like stat boosts or buffs—which are earned by leveling up or expanding my city.

It’s a story about faith, humanity, and the gray areas in between. The real danger isn’t always the monsters I battle in the field—it’s the corruption creeping in from the shadows, testing the heroes’ resolve and challenging what they believe in.

I mentioned earlier that the story is one of my favorites—and for good reason. Bravely Default follows four heroes brought together by fate to stop a growing evil corrupting the four elemental crystals: Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth. Each crystal is watched over by a “vestal”—essentially a steward bonded to the crystal.

Agnes Oblige, one of the game’s main characters, is the Vestal of Wind. She sets out to purify the wind crystal—and the others—after a dark curse overtakes them. Along the way, she meets Tiz Arrior, a villager whose hometown was swallowed by the earth. He joins her, hoping to restore what was lost. Then there’s Ringabel, a philanderer with a mysterious diary that seems to predict the future. And finally, my personal favorite: Edea Lee, the daughter of a high-ranking Eternian military official. When she begins to question the army’s mission to hunt down Agnes and the other vestals, she defects—and joins the fight to save the world.

I mentioned the city-building aspect earlier, and this is another feature that really makes Bravely Default stand out. Tiz takes on the task of rebuilding his destroyed hometown, Norende—and this is where I get to decide what to prioritize. As the town expands, I gain more villagers, and I can assign them to different reconstruction projects. The more villagers I allocate to a shop or upgrade, the faster it’s completed—and the sooner I can reap the rewards. These include new special moves, powerful weapons and armor, and rare items. I can then purchase those items from a wandering traveler, who appears in towns and just before boss battles.

One of the things I truly love about Bravely Default’s story is its underlying conflict between tradition and change—between faith in the crystals and the vestals who protect them, and a growing movement to abandon those beliefs. When the crystals fall under a dark curse, it's not just a supernatural threat—it’s a power vacuum. Those hungry for control seize the moment, exploiting fear and uncertainty to advance their own agendas.

This isn’t just a tale of good versus evil—it’s a story about faith, humanity, and the gray areas in between. The real danger isn’t always the monsters I battle in the field—it’s the corruption creeping in from the shadows, testing the heroes’ resolve and challenging what they believe in.

The game doesn’t pull punches, and moments like that are where it really shines.

Bravely Default can be tough—especially when it comes to boss battles. Even the first major fight can catch you off guard. The game emphasizes strategy and problem-solving, which means I need to pay close attention to enemy behavior. If there’s a healer in the group, I obviously want to take them out first. Sometimes it makes sense to play defensively, saving up actions with Default. Other times, I’ll go all-in with Brave right away—it really depends on how the boss reacts. Some fights had me stumped at first, but once I learned their patterns, I was able to adjust my strategy and come out on top. It’s challenging and incredibly satisfying when it all clicks.

One thing I appreciate about Bravely Default is that it doesn’t play it safe. In most RPGs, after a tough boss fight, there’s usually some downtime—a chance to regroup, save, maybe explore a little. Not here. Bravely Default isn’t afraid to throw me into the fire. Let me give you an example: One side quest in particular is fairly challenging. After a tough boss fight, I learned that a corrupt merchant in town had ties to the enemy I just defeated. My party immediately insisted we confront him—and boom, I was thrown into another boss battle. And that one? WAY harder than the one before.

The game doesn’t pull punches, and moments like that are where it really shines. When I hit a wall, I know what I need to do: grind. Thankfully, Bravely Default doesn’t overdo it, but there are definitely moments where I felt the need to level up and fine-tune my strategy before moving forward.

It wouldn’t be a remaster without a visual upgrade—and Bravely Default on the Switch 2 looks absolutely beautiful. The character designs stay true to the original, but everything feels sharper and more refined. On the 3DS, some of the models always looked a bit muddy to me—but in this version, those details pop. The updated visuals really enhance the charm of the world and characters, without losing the aesthetic that made the original special.

Each minigame tracks high scores too, so there’s always a reason to come back and push for a better performance or a harder challenge.

The remaster also adds a couple of new minigames designed to show off the Switch 2’s mouse-style controls. One is a rhythm game where I move the two Joy-Cons (in mouse mode) to different points on the screen to match the beat of the music. Since Bravely Default has a fantastic soundtrack, I didn’t mind playing through a few rounds. Most of the rhythm segments involve hovering a line over a sphere or rotating the “mouse” left or right to match directional cues on screen. It’s simple, but fun.

The second minigame is a lot more complex—and a lot more fun. It puts me in the pilot seat of an airship, where I have to respond to voice prompts from the crew. One character might shout for me to flip a switch with the left Joy-Con, while another calls out to steer through a ring using the right one. I’m fixing steam leaks, pulling ropes to sound the horn, adjusting altitude levers, and more—all while under pressure. Each run ends with a frantic boss battle, where I have to man the cannons by pulling levers and lining up shots. It’s fast, chaotic, and a blast to play—a great way to break up the pacing of the main story.

Each minigame tracks high scores too, so there’s always a reason to come back and push for a better performance or a harder challenge.

Final Grade: A

Bravely Default is the perfect launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. Its story and gameplay remain some of the best the RPG genre has to offer, and the addition of new minigames does a great job showcasing the Joy-Con’s mouse controls. If you’ve never played Bravely Default before, you’re in for a treat. And if you have? Returning to this world on the Switch 2 feels just as rewarding—if not better—than the first time around.

Review code provided by Fortyseven and the Square Enix PR Team