Almost every RPG in the 80s and early 90s started with four young warriors banding together to defend the world from evil. While there have been some alterations to this basic setup, the classic JRPG story still borrows heavily from the kind of themes more at home in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. That’s what makes JRPGs so timeless, familiar and arguably boring.
In Square Enix’ latest 3DS RPG, Bravely Default, it’s treading the same story found in the first Final Fantasy with four heroes going on a quest to save the world. This classic scenario may not have changed, but JRPGs don’t need it to. The JRPG figured out a long time ago that it’s the characters and their relationships that truly matter and Bravely Default seems to be embracing this wholeheartedly.
In the latest story trailer for Bravely Default, we’re given a brief introduction to the four characters players will become intimately familiar with over the course of the game. These characters belong to classic archetypes, including a priestess, a traitor, a survivor and a playboy. While it’s certainly not revolutionary, it’s comforting to know that the classic JRPG is still alive and well.
Bravely Default will be out on February 7 exclusively for the 3DS.