Bravely Second: End Layer

Bravely Second: End Layer (Japanese: ブレイブリーセカンド エンドレイヤー, Hepburn: Bureiburī Sekando: Endo Reiyā)^[4] is a Japanese role-playing video game developed by Silicon Studio and Square Enix for the Nintendo 3DS, and is the sequel to Bravely Default. It was released by Square Enix in Japan on April 23, 2015, and is planned to be released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, and Australia in 2016.^[5][6]

Gameplay

The game, like its predecessor, is a role-playing video game, and reuses the battle system implemented in Bravely Default.^[7]

Story

The game takes place in the same universe as Bravely Default, occurring two and a half years after the events of the first game.^[8][9] Awakening from a coma, Tiz Arrior is rescued by Magnolia Arch, a young woman from the moon who is the last of the Ba'al Busters.^[1][10][11] The two are later joined by an Orthodoxy swordsman named Yew Geneolgia,^[12] a bodyguard to his religion's new leader Agnès Oblige; and Tiz's comrade Edea Lee, who has become leader of Eternia's Imperial Guard knights.^[13] The four search for Agnès after she has been abducted by the mysterious Kaiser Oblivion and his cryst-fairy Anne. According to Asano, the game explores more of the land of Luxendarc.^[14]

Development

As early as December 2012, talks of a sequel to Bravely Default arose, with producer Tomoya Asano requesting feedback from fans to be used for a sequel to the game.^[15] Talks of a sequel also arose again in June 2013, when game developer Yasumi Matsuno announced that character designer and lead artist Akihiko Yoshida was working on a Bravely Default sequel.^[16][17] In August 2013, Square Enix announced Bravely Default: For the Sequel, an updated version of the original that would implement new gameplay ideas developed for a sequel in the series.^[18][19] The name Bravely Second was trademarked as early as September 2013.^[20] The game's name was officially announced as Bravely Second in a December 2013 issue of Jump magazine.^[21] being named after a gameplay mechanic from Bravely Default: For the Sequel.^[22] Upon announcement, the game's only announced platform is the Nintendo 3DS.^[23] The game was approximately 30% complete around the time of its official announcement.^[1]

In December 2013, it was revealed that Yoshida had left Square Enix.^[16] Despite this, he states he still plans on continuing to work on the Bravely games,^[16] and Bravely Second will still retain the same anime art style established in the first game.^[21] albeit with characters having slightly more realistic proportions, being slightly less chibi.^[1] Initial brainstorming led to ideas such as having Magnolia wear a space suit or bunny ears, but this was ultimately scrapped to pursue a more "adult look", something the developers felt was missing in the first title.^[24] Asano also confirmed that the game will stay story driven as opposed to exploration driven, as with the first game.^[14] In April 2014, producer Tomoya Asano announced in Famitsu's Rumour Column that the scenario for the game was completed.^[25] In late July 2014, Famitsu magazine revealed that Revo would not be returning to compose the soundtrack for the game due to conflicting schedules, and that Ryo from the band Supercell would be taking his place.^[26]

On December 10, 2014, a trial version of the game was released on the Japanese Nintendo eShop.^[27]

Reception

In their review, Famitsu gave the game the score 36 of 40, consisting of the sub-scores 9, 9, 9, and 9.^[28]

Sales

Bravely Second was the best selling video game in Japan during its debut week, with 100,047 copies sold and 53.6% of the initial shipment sold out.^[29] This was a lower debut than that of the original Bravely Default; during its launch week, 141,529 copies were sold, which corresponded to 85.68% of its first shipment.^[30] Roughly 154,000 copies had been sold by the end of June 2015.^[31]

References

External links

• Official website (Japanese)