Does Bravely Default count as a "Final Fantasy game"?

[Night Fury]

Obviously it's not one of the core numbered games but could it be counted as a spinoff in the vein of, say, the Tactics games? There are many similarities present, such as item names and so on.

What do you think? Is it a Final Fantasy game or something different?

This thread brought to you by Fynn constantly adding this series to the FF-centric site polls.

I like to see it getting added, really. It's still an SE title - not Final Fantasy, but I like a bit of variety to the polls!

I still stand by Agnes being a poo character though

[Fynn]

Well, she can be annoying, that's true. But I still kinda like her

One thing I really liked about Bravely Default was that the girls were the pro-active ones, driving the plot forward. The guys were like "okay, i guess we'll tag along"

[Loony BoB]

One thing I really liked about Bravely Default was that the girls were the pro-active ones, driving the plot forward. The guys were like "okay, i guess we'll tag along"

my life

[Fynn]

Well, whatever the "objective" argument is, apparently there are many people who think like me since, unlike other series that (arguably) spun off from FF like Mana, SaGa, and Chrono Trigger, Bravely Default and Barvely Second are covered very extensively on the FF Wiki. Even if we do treat it as one of those IPs, it goes without saying that it is the one that has the most common elements wih FF out of all of them

Also, according to the wiki in question: "Although the game has an original title, it is considered a spiritual successor of Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, a "gaiden" or "spin-off" of the main Final Fantasy series, by its creators. The game follows the traditional Final Fantasy storyline of crystals and the Warriors of Light with the traditional job system gameplay, and the "Flying Fairy" in the Japanese title alludes to Final Fantasy by having the same initials."

So the creators basically consider it a spin-off, much like Crystal Chronicles, and not a separate IP like Chrono Trigger or Mana.


And here's a list of FF allusions within the game, just to finish this little post off.

[Shauna]

There's that super fun term "spiritual successor" again! If only that referred exactly to what Bravely Default is in relation to Final Fantasy.

It's like Bioshock and System Shock. Carrying over many of the same themes, etc, but Bioshock is not a System Shock sequel. It is a spiritual successor!

[Fynn]

Well, yeah, it is exactly that, but then you could argue that most games within the FF series are that because direct sequels are rare. Like, Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light is definitely a spiritual sequel to FFIII DS, and yet it still counts as an FF spin-off. In my mind then, Bravely Default is also an FF spin-off series, much like Crystal Chronicles or Tactics, though I understand why the consensus is that it's a new IP. For me, personally, the FF elements are just way more prevalent here than in Mana, SaGa, Chrono, etc., which I've already mentioned, to be a new IP. But again - that's just me.

[Loony BoB]

To be fair (and not that it would really change my personal opinion)...

Although the game has an original title, it is considered a spiritual successor of Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, a "gaiden" or "spin-off" of the main Final Fantasy series, by its creators

I don't often do this, but because I'd be interested in seeing it: [citation needed]

[Fynn]

To be fair (and not that it would really change my personal opinion)...

Although the game has an original title, it is considered a spiritual successor of Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, a "gaiden" or "spin-off" of the main Final Fantasy series, by its creators

I don't often do this, but because I'd be interested in seeing it: [citation needed]

Take it up with the wiki editors, man


By the way, the discussion we're having is a way more common thing than I thought. I think a good comparison was made in the thread that I linked up - Bravely Default is to FF what Persona is to SMT. The roots are the same, they kinda went to different directions, while still maintaining very common elements. And in both cases it's debatable is one series still belongs under the umbrella of the other

[Skyblade]

To be fair (and not that it would really change my personal opinion)...

Although the game has an original title, it is considered a spiritual successor of Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, a "gaiden" or "spin-off" of the main Final Fantasy series, by its creators

I don't often do this, but because I'd be interested in seeing it: [citation needed]

Take it up with the wiki editors, man


By the way, the discussion we're having is a way more common thing than I thought. I think a good comparison was made in the thread that I linked up - Bravely Default is to FF what Persona is to SMT. The roots are the same, they kinda went to different directions, while still maintaining very common elements. And in both cases it's debatable is one series still belongs under the umbrella of the other

And in both cases the spin-offs are superior.

[Wolf Kanno]

Well, whatever the "objective" argument is, apparently there are many people who think like me since, unlike other series that (arguably) spun off from FF like Mana, SaGa, and Chrono Trigger, Bravely Default and Barvely Second are covered very extensively on the FF Wiki. Even if we do treat it as one of those IPs, it goes without saying that it is the one that has the most common elements wih FF out of all of them

Actually Final Fantasy Adventure (Mana), the Legend series (actually SaGa), and Vagrant Story also have full coverage on the FF Wiki, so I wouldn't necessarily call it evidence.

BD is pretty much an FF in all but name, but I prefer to think of it as a separate IP that has grown away from the source material much like Mana and SaGa have from FF. Also Chrono Trigger has more in common with DQ than FF if you ask me.

[Mirage]

Not being part of the FF franchise allows them to take the game in any direction without pissy FF "fans" complaining that the game is too different (whatever they mean by that).

[Formalhaut]

Sorry to keep parroting 'spiritual successor' but I'm with Shauna and Mirage. Being its own thing can allow it to grow beyond whatever constraints having 'Final Fantasy' gives it.