What Bravely Default 2’s Difficulty Settings & Changes Are
Even though the game only released last week, Bravely Default 2 is getting a lot of attention for how difficult it is. The long-awaited JRPG has proved to be divisive among players, with many criticisms hurled at the the game's difficult bosses and amounts of grinding. Here's everything to know about Bravely Default 2's difficulty settings and how it changes gameplay.
Bravely Default 2 comes with three basic difficulty settings: Casual, Normal, and Hard. Casual mode may be the game's "easy" mode, but it's not as breezy as some people might expect. There's still strategy involved with the fights, especially boss battles, and players may have to stop to get more JP for their job classes to increase their power. Compared to the easy modes in some RPGs, Bravely Default 2's Casual mode is definitely more challenging.
The Normal difficulty is perhaps what's caught the most people off-guard. Longtime RPG fans may be okay with this setting, but newcomers may be thrown off by just how difficult Normal mode is. This mode is pretty tough, and it requires a good bit of strategy in Bravely Default 2 to progress through the main story. The Hard difficulty can be extremely tough to get through at times, and even longtime RPG veterans may choose to avoid this setting. Typically, players who choose the Hard difficulty setting can expect to die a lot - and bosses will definitely need more trial-and-error approaches.
Thankfully, the difficulty settings for Bravely Default 2 can be changed at any time. All players need to do is open up the Main Menu and go to Settings. The Difficulty option can then be raised or lowered accordingly. Essentially, the differences in difficulty come down to how often an enemy attacks. In Casual, an enemy will attack less frequently than in Normal - and enemies will attack much more often in Hard.
The key to progressing and beating Bravely Default 2 is learning how the game's Abilities and Jobs systems work early on. Oftentimes, a higher job rank is better than a higher level - and passive abilities are important for giving characters some nice boosts. The other important feature is the Brave and Default options in combat, and using these strategically will be the difference between survival and defeat.
Since the difficulty settings can be changed in Bravely Default 2 at any time, players should consider experimenting to see which playstyle works best for them. While Bravely Default 2 can certainly have its challenges, with the right strategies and difficulty setting, players should be able to progress through the game at a pace they like.