Bravely Archive released on Android and iOS devices today. The Bravely Default spinoff is making its English-language debut a year after the Japan-only version of the game had its servers shut down. Square Enix released the title without an announcement beforehand.
Bravely Archive is available on the Play Store on most devices running Android 5.0 or higher. Of course, there are restrictions to the devices it is available for, as the author’s Motorola Moto X Style is not supported currently. The game’s App Store page is not up at this time, although its official site has a link to that store.
The Bravely series spinoff is set after the events of the earlier games, within a parallel universe. Bravely Archive is a strategic turn-based RPG where players battle through dungeons with a colorful cast of characters. A built-in guild system allows players to join up with others online to defeat raid bosses and earn greater rewards. Players of the Japanese version likened its structure to Final Fantasy Record Keeper and were positive about the combat system. Players can swipe in specific directions to unleash different attacks or specials causing air combos, stuns, and other special effects.
Bravely Archive‘s Japan-only release was closed October 2017 by Square Enix. The game had amassed more than 5 million downloads after it launched in 2015. A second mobile game—Bravely Default Fairy’s Effect—was launched in March 2017 in Japan. Square Enix has not announced an expansion into other territories for that title.
Bravely Default launched on the Nintendo 3DS in October 2012. The turn-based RPG was well-received by critics and fans, receiving an 85 on Metacritic. The game started it’s life as a Final Fantasy title, and retained much of the DNA from that franchise. One reviewer called it “a Final Fantasy game in everything but name.” Bravely Default has sold over a million copies, and spawned a number of other games, including direct sequel Bravely Second: End Layer and Bravely Archive.
