Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is one of the better Switch 2 launch titles, but the second half of the game is rough. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is the remastered version of the fan-favorite 3DS JRPG. Bravely Default going back to the basics of turn-based JRPGs while simultaneously introducing an innovative new combat system saw it earn high marks from fans and critics alike, kicking off a franchise of similar games that continues to this day.
Square Enix has long been a supporter of Nintendo, and so it's no surprise that it had a launch game ready to go for the Switch 2. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster takes the original game and updates it to meet Switch 2 standards by remastering the graphics to HD and adding mini-games that take advantage of the new console's unique mouse controls. Otherwise, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is largely the same experience that fans will remember from the 3DS days.
Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD: Main Quest List
Here is a complete list of all chapters and sub-scenario locations in Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster.
That means that Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster retains the original game's abysmal second half. I won't get into story details, but anyone that doesn't want to know how the second half of the game plays out may consider the following to be SPOILERS. Proceed with caution.
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster Reviews
- Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster currently has an 85 critic rating versus the original game's 84, but its score will fluctuate as more reviews are published.
After players have spent 25+ hours exploring the game world, fighting challenging bosses, and mastering the game's job system, they have to do it all again. They have to go back through dungeons that they have already completed, fight bosses that they have already defeated, and participate in a repetitive button mashing sequence. It's an absolute slog and drags the climax of the story down. What should be the game's most exciting moments are completely derailed by a baffling decision that seems to have been made for no other reason than to make the game longer.
But even though Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster doesn't do away with the 3DS original's lackluster final chapters, it's still a worthwhile investment for Switch 2 early adopters. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is only $39.99, making it one of the more-affordable launch titles, and it's still a great deal of fun, especially for fans of old-school JRPGs. The ending of the game is actually quite brilliant as well, even if the journey to get there is not ideal. As long as one can stomach the fact that Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is one of the Switch 2 Game Key-Cards, they should still get their money's worth and then some.
- Released
- June 5, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen // Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Number of Players
- Single-player
