I under a moral obligation to finish the fucker, alas

Reads like a [3]

Honestly with most jobs I got to a near enough point with each, then changed to new jobs as they became available. Usually means carrying one party member for a short while til they get some new skills with a given job.

Most of the maxing out can wait til the last chapters, but if you want to grind now, double encounter rate and auto battle in some good exp areas. I think some forest area on the right of the map is useful. Near yulyana woods or the flower festival from chapter 2.

I honestly cant remember much about compounding. Might have just relied on one or two handy combos and left it at that. Weapons, I just equip the best stats.

Otherwise its been about 3 or 4 years since I played it. From memory I think you are playing it how I did - I worried about the maxing out later on, and even then it was never essential, just something I enjoyed doing. 

I'm not going to guess where you are story wise, but I enjoyed it very much which Im happy to discuss later on when youve finished. I think consistency wise it works as a nice, self-contained adventure not unlike Chrono Trigger.

The second is worth it if you like the first, but it’s basically the same maps, with the same jobs, just some different characters and a different story.

The story GOES places in the first one though, gets a bit heavier as well and the characters go through some meaningful changes.

If you can find chrono trigger around definately pick it up, I have a DS copy I’ve been meaning to finish one day, and last I saw on ebay they were £40+ here. Like you I’ve never finished it either...

There's a super easy grind point in the game, think it opens up in/after chapter 5? But yeah you will easily get to lvl 99 and max out any jobs you like. I think I maxed out a monk or two with the ability to do more damage with no weapons equipped, which obliterated most things.

Oh yes, chapter 5 goes and goes

This is making me want to play it again! I even bough 4 warriors of light on DS to play one day which was their previous game.

Chapter 5 is a make or break moment

Getting closer and closer to chapter 5. I need to get some grinding in though, a new job sub quest has opened and I want it. Recommended level for taking that on is somewhere between 60 / 65, and I'm at 55. Want more money anyway as I have hardly bought and armour things since the second crystal. Spend all my money on weapons and items.

Must say that some of my new weapons have some nice attack effect animations going on. Still loving the art direction.

There's hardly anything that bothers me in this game, I could do with cheaper turbo ethers, and it would be nice that when I've examined a monster, it would be added to the bestiary. I keep forgetting weaknesses.

cosmicjellybean wrote:

I genuinely can’t remember using ethers in JRPGs.

This is why I think I'm not using the battle system the way its intended. I might need to default more? Did the earth crystal temple last night, which is a pretty big one and has loads of going a floor up, down again, go up on a different corner etc. I had to heal quite a bit so once I was on the last floor I needed to heal but was out of mp. Both on my red mage and Ninja with white magic. I haven't thought of the swapping jobs between fights and it's no big deal in the end. I'll just buy a turbo ether at the adventurer before going into the last area of a dungeon. It's just that 150mp doesn't seem much when you have over 400.

I've also used a teleport stone to warp to the start of a dungeon and walked back to the inn with encounters set to 0. That gave me a couple extra fights on my way back, and since the route through a dungeon usually is pretty quick once you know the way I didn't mind it.

At least I know where I'll grind for the chapter 4 sub scenario, just outside the room with a bed to heal myself. Seems to be the best spot so far, often 4 enemies, 1000+ exp decent JP and PG. I want them eggs and fancy weapons.

Sub Scenario I'm talking about

Had a go on the Bravely Default 2 demo.

The general aesthetic is absolutely lovely. The world and backgrounds that seem painted on, the smooth traditions between exterior and interior, the speech bubbles and tea stained menus. Gorgeous.

Voice acting seems good enough, although some of the delivery seems slightly wonk, nothing massive.

Combat is bravely default, so that’s fine.

RNG on items seems a bit shit - took about 15 to 20 wolves to get 5 wolf pelts for a side quest.

And there’s a jarring chasm between the quality of the models, which are all very Unreal Engine and have shiny armour and hair and stuff, and the battle animations...which are pure jank. Try doing a physical attack with a black mage and see what I mean. Character models very modern, animation...very much not so.

Some UI issues - floating item descriptions which can insure vital information isn’t good, but hopefully they can clear that up.

Overall, it still needs work, but it is good enough for me to keep an eye on it.