Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster Brings Strategic Gameplay to Switch

Alright, settle in for a bit of a ride here. I gotta admit, I’ve never touched the Bravely Default on the ol’ Nintendo 3DS. Yeah, I know, I’m behind. Seems like everyone was buzzing about it like it was the next big thing after Final Fantasy. But life is full of surprises, right? And here I was at PAX East 2025, staring at a demo of Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster. Funny how things just drop into your lap sometimes.

First impressions? Forget those dual screens from the 3DS. It’s all about those crisp HD visuals now. Square Enix really threw all their chips in on this one. I started thinking aloud to a rep—because I’m just that person—about whether they’d give the same makeover to Bravely Second: End Layer. She gave me that look, you know? Like when you’ve hit a nerve but can’t quite read if it’s good or bad. Who knows, maybe I sparked something, or maybe she was planning dinner in her head.

As for the demo, man, it’s rough catching the RPG spirit with a clock ticking over your shoulder. I blitzed past most dialogues—sorry, NPCs. But the combat system? Now there’s a twist. You get this Brave and Default mechanic. Brave’s like, “all in,” unleashing up to four attacks, but you’re left wide open after that. Default is more of a slow burn, letting you defend and stack up turns. Of course, my reckless side just went Brave all the way, slashing at will—living dangerously, I guess.

And then there’s this whole job system I barely touched (time limits, argh). But what I saw? Totally hooked. Missing out on the 3DS version was a blunder, I admit. But hey, this HD Remaster is a pretty sweet introduction for rookies like me. Keep tabs on it when it drops for Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5. Same day as the console? Talk about timing.