Every day from late December 2021 to mid-January 2022, we’ll be revealing our best games of 2021 bit by bit. Here’s number 16!

#16: Bravely Default 2

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC

Nothing screams traditional JRPG throwback like Bravely Default 2. Developer Claytechworks just flat-out did a new story involving four crystals, four main heroes who can switch between Jobs and classes, and just barrel through the opposition through turn-based combat involving saving turns and expending them in one go for a mega-damaging attack.

What sets this throwback apart is how dark the story gets from Act 2 onward. Even some of the game’s side stories get a lot of narrative love and care, with one of them in particular involving the game’s earlier pair of antagonists going through a reform of sorts, and without any direct involvement from our heroes whatsoever. Stories like these help add more flavour to what could be a standard copy-pasta reworking of the Bravely Default gameplay from past titles.

And even if it was, there’s still a bit more new shine and polish thrown in this sequel to make it more substantial. The game’s weight system, the way Jobs are handled this time around, and how you can mix and match certain abilities just opens up tons of game-breaking shenanigans against the game’s more overwhelming challenges.

Plus, the music slaps courtesy of Revo. You can’t go wrong with the addition of the man who brought joy to our lives with his Attack of Titan theme. Did we also mention that Bravely Default 2 has hands-down the best card game successor to Triple Triad that should be a standalone title?