PAX East 2025: Bravely Default Remastered brings new life to the classic on Switch 2

In a private, closed-door session with Square Enix, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD was available to demo for Nintendo Switch 2. As a launch title for the new Nintendo System, this remaster of the classic turn-based JRPG comes with a bevy of enhancements, including quality-of-life updates, new minigames, and storybook visuals that have been upgraded from its 2012 debut on the Nintendo 3DS. With the Switch 2 version, the team has customized their version to work on the single Switch 2 screen. 

For those unfamiliar Bravely Default is a JRPG that follows the tales of four young souls, each with a different plight. One is a survivor of a cataclysm. One is seeking the truth of a journal in her possession. One is a defector from a dark army, and the last is a vestal who has been cast out of her duties. Together, they seek to save the land from a grim darkness by securing four powerful crystals. 

Heroes Summoned

Bravely Default was made with talent stemming from the visual novel Steins; Gate and talent from the Final Fantasy series. It was originally slated as a sequel to Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light before being converted into an original game. The game was praised for its mechanics and story, and as of November 2021, sold 3 million copies. A sequel was released in 2017. 

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD has received a stunning visual overhaul. The graphics move at a much higher framerate and feature more polish than before. When traversing the first open area, the open world felt like I was roaming the pages of an art book. It’s clear the team went in and polished up the visuals pixel by pixel. The same applies to cutscenes and the rest of the combat. 

Give It Your All

The combat, along with its Brave and Default modes, returns in full form. The draw to combat is to default attacks, saving them. When the turn comes, and at the player's discretion, they can unleash their attacks by selecting Brave. The same addictive combat is back, and for the short time that I played, it was tight and engaging. The demo lasted approximately ten minutes, but it showed the genuine improvements made to the original game. 

An additional demo showcased more of the mini games that Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD will feature and how the Switch 2 will utilize the specialized controls. One mini-game involved fighting a pirate ship. Using the Joy-Con as mice, a player can use the controls to pull a handle and launch a cannonball at the enemy ghost ship. Another mini game had one of the characters at a concert, and the joy-cons were used like glow sticks to match the dance pattern. 

New Tools for the Quest

The demo for Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD was short but showed that the game isn't just receiving a coat of paint. The remastered version has been redone from the ground up, and there are still more surprises being teased for the re-release. 

One of the last impressive hurdles is the fact that the game will work on a single screen, moving on from the dual screens of the 3DS. The game looks to maximize the functionality of the Switch 2 and fill in the gaps. 

Bravely Default is a New Beginning

There is much to be excited about. Bravely Default quickly became the favorite of many players for its story, characters, and combat. Now with the power of the Nintendo Switch 2, this classic can now find new life and new audiences with many other players. 

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD launches on June 5th, 202,5 as a launch title for the Switch 2.