Interview with Square Enix about Bravely Default Remastered and Switch 2 – Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster

Just in time for the launch of Switch 2, Square Enix took the opportunity to revamp its critically acclaimed role-playing game Bravely Default into its version Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster. As you know, we’ve already reviewed it, but we also took the opportunity to chat a bit with Bravely -series general producer Tomoya Asano and producer Naofumi Matsushita.

We discussed the new version and how they approached work on the re-release, but the conversation also turned to Switch 2 and what it has to offer.

Gamereactor: What were the biggest technical challenges in porting the original game from the Nintendo 3DS to a device with such a larger screen and HD graphics, like the Switch 2?

Matsushita: That should be the user interface. Because we had to restructure the information separated across two screens for one screen, the whole user interface had to be completely redone. We struggled to make a user interface that makes it easy to play and also intuitive for beginners. Also, the AR movies in the original game could be viewed from different angles by moving the Nintendo 3DS, but for this remaster we made sure that players could change the camera angle using the normal controls so that the experience was as close to the original game as possible.

Gamereactor: What are the advantages and disadvantages of having one large screen instead of two smaller ones?

Matsushita: There were some real advantages to seeing all the menu items and controlling them directly from the touchscreen, but there was also the disadvantage of the screen being small, so it was sometimes difficult to see and figure out where in the menu each item was. When it came to rearranging the entire user interface on one screen for this remaster, we revised and reorganized the way the menu items were separated from each other, and distributed the buttons so that they were better suited to conventional controls. I think the end result is a screen layout that retains the gameplay feel of the original game, while making the controls simpler and the on-screen information clearer. Compared to the original, I think there are now more advantages than disadvantages.

Gamereactor: Did you change anything about the balance or design of the game to better suit today’s audience, and if so, what and why?

Matsushita: The balance for the game is based on the Western release of the original Bravely Default, which was subsequently re-released in Japan under the title For the Sequel, but we heard some feedback that the opening section of the original game was too difficult, so we lowered the cost of magic a bit and reconsidered the monster formations for this section. Because Nemesis’ bosses, originally designed to be sent between players using StreetPass, were meant to be shared without connecting to the Internet, we redistributed them in the game as optional side content and also rebalanced their stats.

Gamereactor: How do you balance the need to maintain the original experience with adding new Quality of Life features?

Matsushita: Our goal for this project was to re-present the experience of Bravely Default to modern players, and because we wanted to respect the gameplay experience of the original, we decided from the beginning of the project that we would not change the story or the balance of the game.

For people who have played the original, it will be the second or third time they play it, so “ease of gameplay” was set as a goal to be achieved from the beginning of the project. So we incorporated as many improvements from Bravely Second and Bravely Default II into this game as possible. You have the recommended level view, the option to save tasks and skills as sets, the Heal All feature, etc., etc., etc., etc. They are all small things, but I think by adding them we were able to bring the game up to modern standards.

We were aware that there were many different things from the original game that players would or would not want changed, and we also understood that there would be certain areas where fans would be happier if we didn’t change or add anything. Our guiding principles were: “don’t change the gameplay experience.”; and “improve playability”, and so we made judgments for each of the game’s specifications where appropriate and balanced these two ideas.

Nothing would make me happier than if people played the game and felt that we balanced everything just right in this game. That would be really great.

Gamereactor: Tell us about the reasoning behind the creation and inclusion of the minigames Luxencheer Rhythm Catch and Ringabel’s Panic Cruise?

Matsushita: One of the unique selling points of Bravely Default was that it used different system features, so if we were going to release it on a new system, we also wanted to add features exclusive to the new system. Cattle Call, the developers of the remaster, is also hugely passionate, so we agreed to try to make something with mouse control.

Asano: As a creator, it’s fun to make something with new features on new hardware. I think everyone likes to find out for themselves how it feels to control a game with a mouse in each hand, so I’m glad we were able to include some of these kinds of mini-games right at console launch.

Matsushita: We worked with Cattle Call to make proposals for many different minigames, but we thought it would be better to enrich the content of each minigame, and so we ended up with the two minigames that are in the game. We came up with Luxencheer Rhythm Catch very easily. We thought a rhythm game with two mice for controls would be a new experience, unlike anything that has been done before, and we thought it would be obvious what the game was about just by looking at the screen.
For Ringabel’s Panic Cruise, we just said: “Let’s use dual mouse controls to create something we’ve never seen anywhere else!”

Gamereactor: What was it like working on Switch 2?

In developing this game for the Switch 2, and with the release to coincide with the launch of the system, we worked closely with Nintendo and Unity to share information with each other, and the developer Cattle Call also received technical support for any challenges they encountered. for which we are very grateful.

I also think that playing on the latest Switch 2 hardware means that players can revisit the universal elements of the game, such as the visuals and music, while at the same time testing and experiencing the technical capabilities of the hardware, and I think this is a very attractive prospect. I think the Switch 2 allows us to more easily convey the fundamental charm of the original game, so I really hope that players will enjoy playing this game from a fresh, new perspective.

Gamereactor: What new features and improvements do you think are most important in this release?

Matsushita: I think the biggest challenge for us was adding the two mini-games.

We went forward with the goal of making them of sufficiently high quality so that they each stood on their own merits as games, but of course we had a firm deadline for console release, and I felt we might not have enough time…. So to make sure there were no delays, I directed the project itself to speed up decisions to confirm specifications and optimize development progress, and discussed with QA to adjust the schedule of testing the minigames to suit them until the end, so I’m satisfied that we were able to finish them without leaving any regrets.
I think we succeeded in using the Switch 2 mouse controls to create something for players to experience and enjoy the world of Bravely. If people play these mini-games and feel the same way, then I will feel very happy indeed.