Largely agreed with Jordan’s analysis of the Bravely Default II demo.
Positives were the soundtrack (another top-tier Revo endeavor) and I liked the continuation of pop-up book graphics.
From my perspective, none of the changes introduced in the demo created a better experience than what we saw in the first two games. While this Switch title may be an entry point for new fans, I agree that it fails to harness any of the console’s features that would create a unique and appealing experience.
In terms of where I would begin with fixes...a turn indicator for each character and enemy would be my first (and arguably most pressing fix). Not having this detracts from both the benefits of defaulting and the strategic element of combat.
I would also prefer a return to the random encounters of the first two titles vice seeing characters on the overworld map. The ability to adjust the encounter rate in the first two games ranked among my favorite aspects.
The in-combat dialogue needs to be toned down or eliminated entirely. Listening to Elvis repeat “Eat Sorcery” ad nauseam quickly grates on my nerves.
A buff/debuff indicator showing the number of turns they last might be another helpful quality of life change.
Thanks to the cast for yet another excellent discussion! (Still hoping for an Octopath episode—agree with Jordan’s take on that game as well.)