Bravely Default 2: Do I need to play the previous games first?

Bravely Default 2 will release on February 26, marking the first entry of the Bravely series to release on the Nintendo Switch. If you're interested in playing the game, which we expect will become one of the best RPG games for Nintendo Switch, you might be wondering if you need to dust off a Nintendo DS and check out the first two games in the series.

Luckily, no previous knowledge of Bravely Default's characters or events or its direct sequel Bravely Second: End Layer is required to play or enjoy Bravely Default 2. Despite the name, Bravely Default 2 isn't a sequel to Bravely Default. It's actually set in an entirely new world with four new heroes.

Bravely Default's name refers to the one thing the games all do share: the Brave and Default battle system. You can choose to use the Default command to skip your action and gain a Brave Point in combat. You can then spend those Brave Points to take up to four actions in a single turn, though your character will be left vulnerable for several turns equal to the extra actions taken.

If you want to get used to the system before Bravely Default 2 comes out, you can try playing one of the previous games. You might be better off just downloading the Bravely Default 2 demo. You'll have five hours to play through two of the game's dungeons and try some of the jobs that provide your characters with their special abilities. While your progress won't be saved if you buy the full game, you will earn 100 Platinum Points for playing.

Keep checking back here for more guides to Bravely Default 2 and our review of the game.