Examining Why Bravely Second Fell Short of Bravely Default

Bravely Second had the potential to be a worthy sequel, but instead of surpassing its predecessor, Bravely Default, it underperformed. In fact, its poor reception in Japan nearly killed the series. When Bravely Default II was announced, Team Asano even issued an apology to Japanese fans. I bought Bravely Second on launch day, played through it, and read reviews, so I knew it had its issues. But aside from complaints about the music, I didn’t fully grasp how damaging its failure had been until I watched a video by YouTuber RedNovaTyrant that detailed how the game’s reception hurt the franchise.

After watching the video, I was shocked at how deeply Second’s failure impacted the series. While the video was informative, I was left with lingering questions, and some topics I had hoped Red would cover were absent. To better understand what went wrong, I decided to replay Bravely Default and Bravely Second. There are many aspects I could discuss, but I’ll focus on three key factors that contributed to Bravely Second’s downfall: the change in composer, frivolous writing choices, and excessive reuse of content.

Revo is a beloved figure in the Bravely community. Before becoming the musical force behind Attack on Titan with Linked Horizon in 2013, he composed the soundtrack for Bravely Default and released his first album under Linked Horizon in 2012. He even held a concert for the game’s soundtrack https://gonintendo.com/contents/23226-the-standout-performances-of-the-bravely-default-linked-horizon-concert. Fans were deeply disappointed when it was announced that Revo wouldn’t return for Bravely Second due to scheduling conflicts, with some refusing to buy the game because of it. I discovered the Bravely series in 2015, and learning that Revo wouldn’t be involved in Second was a letdown. His music in Default was a transformative experience, especially after watching the concert—it changed the way I viewed game soundtracks.

Despite my disappointment, I still bought Bravely Second on launch day and finished it. But while playing, I could feel something was missing. The music didn’t carry the same magic. Ryo, Second’s composer, isn’t bad by any means, but he simply isn’t Revo. For instance, the map theme in Default gave me a sense of grand adventure and wonder. In Second, the map theme felt like a casual stroll lacking in excitement and depth. Ryo’s heavy reliance on electric guitar, especially for the character themes, felt uninspired. All four protagonists in Second had themes dominated by electric guitar. In contrast, Default gave each character a unique sound: Tiz with a tin whistle, Agnes with a violin, Ringabel with an accordion, and Edea with a saxophone. Even today, fans still criticize Second’s music, particularly the character themes.

As I mentioned, the music in Default enhanced the entire experience, and the concert made it feel even more special. When I beat Second in 2016, I felt empty. There was no concert to look forward to, and Revo’s absence left a noticeable void. My disappointment was so strong that I began hoping for a musical change in the next game, which I believed at the time would be Bravely Third. I wanted Revo back, and I got my wish when he eventually reprised his role for 2019’s Bravely Default II.

Music aside, Bravely Second had other issues, especially with its writing. Although the Western localization improved some parts, the writing still felt silly, repetitive, and occasionally tone-deaf. A good example is when the party defeats Minette Napkatti, an asterisk holder. In what should be a serious scene, Yew makes a string of cat puns as Minette dies. It’s cringeworthy and completely undermines the moment’s emotional weight.

The writing also weakened Edea’s character, my favorite female protagonist in the series. In Default, she was bold and principled, never afraid to stand up for what she believed in. She still has that fire in Second, but her character is diminished by an overemphasis on her love for food. While she talked about food occasionally in Default, in Second it becomes a running gag. I’d head toward the next objective only to get a party chat notification, and nine times out of ten, it was Edea talking about sweets. It quickly grew tiresome. What was once a fun quirk became her defining trait, diluting her character.

The final nail in the coffin was Second’s lack of new content. While there are five new towns (like Gethlatio), a few new dungeons, twelve new asterisk holders, and 47 new music tracks, much of the game recycles content from Default. Revisiting old locations, characters, and music can be nostalgic, but Second relies on them so heavily that it feels more like DLC than a full-fledged sequel.

In the end, Bravely Second struggled due to its change in composer, questionable writing choices, and reliance on reused content. Though it had the potential to shine, it ultimately failed to live up to the high expectations set by Bravely Default. Still, despite its flaws, I enjoyed revisiting it and continue to hope for a Bravely Third—one that brings back the magic and music we all loved.