Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster Brings Strategy to the Switch

Oh man, where do I even start? So, get this—I never played the original Bravely Default on the 3DS. Yeah, yeah, I know… kinda nutty since everyone swears it’s like the next best thing after Final Fantasy. Anyway, here I am at PAX East 2025, and surprise! Square Enix gives us a demo of Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster. Total curveball. So, let’s dive in, shall we?

First thing I noticed? No dual screens anymore—what a bummer, right? They made the graphics all snazzy in HD to make up for it, so I suppose it balances out. And there’s this shiny new UI. I poked the Square Enix rep about possibly doing the same for Bravely Second: End Layer. She seemed kinda into the idea but didn’t let anything slip. Maybe I’m onto something?

Okay, now let’s talk combat. I’ll admit, timed demos aren’t really my jam—who likes feeling rushed? Anyway, I sort of barreled through it, skipping dialogue like it was going out of style. Sorry, story! The battle system is actually pretty wild though. You’ve got “Brave” and “Default” moves. Brave lets you go all out, up to four hits, but then you’re a sitting duck for turns. Default, on the other hand, is all about defense and saving up your turns. I, uh, might have just spammed Brave and hoped for the best. Strategy? I’m working on it.

Sadly, I didn’t even touch the whole job system—ran outta time. But this remaster is looking awesome, honestly. Regret not trying it on the 3DS, but hey, perfect opportunity with this new version. Mark your calendars, folks! It’s dropping on the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5. Same day as the console, so no excuses!