When the first Bravely Default launched in 2014, it represented a return of sorts. Developer Square Enix made its name with classic turn-based roleplaying games like Final Fantasy, but those eventually gave way to bigger, more cinematic experiences. With Bravely Default, Square was going back to its roots. It may have technically been a new franchise, but the game was pure classic Final Fantasy-style adventuring. It even introduced a novel battle system to help it from retreading too much new ground.
So where does that leave a sequel? Bravely Default II — technically the third game in the series, following 2016’s Bravely Second: End Layer — does all of the same things that made the original so interesting. But seven years later, it…