Square Enix got behind-the-scenes antics for the Bravely Default remaster shared, but gamers are mostly outraged at what they DIDN’T get. Official Square Enix Twitter published an interview of producers Naofumi Matsushita and Tomoya Asano talking about the origins of the cult JRPG and what actually went into the shiny-new HD edition of the game. The replies were fertile grounds. Gamers rage on everything from Switch exclusives to that darned “key card” concrete issue.
What even sets this remaster apart? Bravely Default: Flying Fairy was birthed for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012 (2014 for the west) and was an instant hit with nostalgia-inducing turn-based combat and crazy job-swap mechanisms. Earlier this year, the HD remaster gave the gorgeous New Nintendo Switch a shiny look, down with all some useful QoL changes, and then gave it a physical edition which is basically just a download code in a box. Yeah. There is the drama.
The loudest backlash came mostly from collectors and purists of physical media. Many replies even demanded Square Enix to make a cartridge release instead of that “stupid game key card.” @nico__vgc said it rather plainly, “We want it to be released on an actual cartridge, not a stupid game key card.” @Kuno_Age_17 said he would play it if it was on the cart. @Revision_124c41 joked how the company probably switched from game cards to key cards because they’re a “derpy company.” Ouch.
Then came the PC requestors. A million people have demanded a Steam release, with @DeadDacian even saying that it’s a perfect Steam Deck game. @BlueBirdo0o was straightforward enough to say, “Waiting for PC release,” while @JoeCreakK added, “I’d love to play the game but I need to wait for a steam release :(” It gained a bit of traction with PlayStation players too. @Rfz93 said straight up, “Playstation. I’m not a Nintendo guy.”
There were a couple of smiles from the salt. @MikeusesAether shared a heartwarming tale about Bravely Default influencing him further than just being a game; @XValhart simply said, “Enjoying the game so far. 😀” Then @RaulOsuna spotted a weird bug with Ringabel’s Eastern War Garb not affecting his appearance after purchase. @MikeusesAether speculates that it might actually be censorship in the Western release, in classic Square Enix fashion.
Of course, with the obvious “where’s Bravely Third?” from @dothackzero72. Because if Square Enix is digging up Bravely Default for a Remaster, it’s only a matter of time before fans start calling for that esoteric third entry.
The dev interview is way late: instead of hyping the remaster, other things were occupying players’ minds. Physical copies. PC ports. Less key card. Maybe next time, Square?
