Okay, so picture this: I’m wandering around PAX East 2025, and suddenly there it is, right in front of me, the demo for “Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster.” I mean, I’ve never even touched the original on the 3DS. Crazy, right? Friends kept raving about how it was up there with Final Fantasy, and I just… never got around to it. But here I am, diving into this new HD version. Total newbie perspective incoming—lucky you.
First thing I notice: no more dual screens. Remember those? Or maybe not. Anyway, graphics are now crisply HD, like ridiculously crisp. And this new UI? Slick. I tossed out this idea to a Square Enix rep about a possible remake for “Bravely Second: End Layer” with the same snazzy look. She kind of nodded and was like, “Hmm, maybe.” Was I the deciding factor? Yeah, probably not.
Now, playing an RPG with a timer ticking? Yikes. I rushed through dialogues and cutscenes like I was on a caffeine binge. But the combat, oh man. Ever tried juggling while standing on one foot? Yeah, kind of like that. You’ve got these Brave and Default moves. Brave lets you go full berserker—four attacks at once, but then you’re a sitting duck. Default’s like taking a breather, saving up turns. I went full Brave, no defenses, because… why not, right? It’s a demo—live dangerously.
Oh, and there’s this job system—super intriguing. Didn’t have time to dig into it, though. But even with all the rushing, color me impressed. Missing out on it on 3DS? Probably should regret that a bit, but hey, at least there’s this remaster. June 5th is the release date, lining up with the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. Should be on your radar—or not. Up to you. But seriously, give it a look if you missed it the first time around.
