Bravely Second: End Layer


 *  "Bravely Second" redirects here. For other uses of "Bravely Second", see: Bravely Second (disambiguation). 

Bravely Second: End Layer is a role-playing game for the Nintendo 3DS and the direct sequel to Bravely Default. It is set two and a half years after the events of Bravely Default and features two new protagonists alongside two returning on a journey in Luxendarc.

Gameplay
Bravely Second retains most of the gameplay systems of its predecessor, such as the Brave & Default battle system and acquiring Sleep Points for the time-stopping Bravely Second ability.

In place of Airy from the previous game is a new feature titled "Tell Me Agnès", in which Agnès will assist the party as their navigation guide on the touch screen of the menu.

Some of the new additions to the gameplay is "Consecutive Chance" and "My Set". The former will allow players chain multiple battles with each one containing a greater increase in difficulty and rewards. The drawback, however, is that Brave Points will not be restored between fights, so inadequate planning and recklessness will lead to early deaths. The "My Set" function will enable players to save their configurations for their jobs, equipment and abilities reducing the time one spends in the menu.

Bravely Second also retains the minigame of rebuilding a village on the touch screen. The party will be tasked with rebuilding Magnolia's hometown on the moon.

The in-game encyclopedia will be U's Journal, the personal notebook of Yew that will collect information on monsters, items, and abilities.

The "Barter Sub-Scenario System", a revamped version of sidequests found in the first game, will be introduced and centered around Edea. Focused on having players make important decisions by solving disputes between Asterisk Holders, it will reward them with asterisks as well as further that character's quest chain and side of the story.

Job system
Like its predecessor, Bravely Second utilizes the job system, featuring several new job classes in addition to the current ones. Asterisks are still being used as the catalyst for changing jobs. There are 30 jobs and over 300 abilities.

Summons
Like its predecessor, Bravely Second has summons that can be obtained after gaining the Summoner asterisk. All six summons return from the previous game, but two new summons debut in this game representing Dark and Light—Charybdis and Amaterasu, respectively.

Setting
The story takes place in Luxendarc, two and a half years after the end of the first game. Among the returning locations are Caldisla, Ancheim, Florem, Grandship, Eisenberg, and Eternia. Brand new cities include the Vatican-like city of Gathelatio, new headquarters of the Crystal Orthodoxy that lies between the Temple of Earth and the Holy Land, and the magical academy known as Al-Khampis.

Characters



 * Yew Geneolgia - The main protagonist of the game. He is a 16-year-old boy from Guatelatio, styled the "Soaring Falcon", and the leader of the Three Cavaliers tasked with protecting Agnès Oblige. In his artwork, he is shown with a book in the style of D's Journal with the initial 'U' on the cover.
 * Magnolia Arch - A "Ba'al Buster" from the moon, she has a sociable and daredevil personality with a habit of saying words in French. She bears the weight of being the last of her kind after a Demon Lord unexpectedly appeared. In combat, Magnolia is able to use the Bravely Second ability, which allows her to freeze time for short periods.
 * Edea Lee - A returning playable character from Bravely Default. After saving Luxendarc with Agnès and friends, Edea returned to her country, where she became the leader of the newly formed Ducal Guard. She joins the party in her own search for Agnès and judge the returning asterisk bearers.
 * Tiz Arrior - A returning playable character from Bravely Default. He had collapsed into a deep sleep after releasing the celestial being housed within him, and after an unknown period of time, he was found and rescued by Magnolia in a lab's white magic stasis chamber.

Bravely Default Special Movie
Bravely Second received a special movie teaser in Bravely Default, which is unlocked after completing the final chapter The End: Bravely Default. Alternatively, it can be unlocked earlier by inputting the  on the title screen.

Six months after the defeat of Ouroboros, Tiz Arrior releases the Celestial that he was told he had been carrying and collapses soon afterwards. Some time later, he awakens inside a White Magic restoration tank, where a guard comments that he has had cerebral dysrhythmia. A young woman suddenly appears and dispatches of the guards, scientists, and doctors in the room, as well as using the Bravely Second technique to help take down a powerful monster. She frees Tiz and introduces herself as Magnolia Arch, telling him that they are going to "some place nice."

Prologue: All for One, One for All!
Two and a half years after bringing peace to Luxendarc, Agnès Oblige becomes the newly inaugurated Pope of the Crystal Orthodoxy, and works to bring peace with the Duchy of Eternia. However, shortly before signing the peace treaty, Agnès is approached by Kaiser Oblivion and his fairy companion, Anne, Despite the efforts of Pope Agnès, her protector Yew Geneolgia, the Grand Marshal Braev Lee, and the dark knight Alternis Dim, the kaiser successfully defeats all of them and kidnaps Agnès.

A week later, Yew recovers consciousness and goes to Gathelatio's sanctum to check out its condition. His fellow cavaliers, Janne Angard and Nikolai Nikolanikov, approach him, telling him the news of their forces being wiped out and how the Glanz Empire, led by Kaiser Oblivion, is attack the Eternian Central Command. Yew decides to head to the empire's fortress, the Skyhold, to rescue Agnès.

Music
ryo was in charge of the game's soundtrack. Many tracks from Bravely Default will also return, including tracks exclusive in the English release and For the Sequel versions.

Release
The Collector's Pack of the game can be acquired through several locations and comes with exclusive bonuses from each retailer:
 * Square Enix eShop - includes Trinity Sword with the "Divine Night" ability.
 * Amazon Japan - includes Demon Strike with the "Shell Divide" ability.
 * Game Tsutaya and Tsutaya Online Shopping - includes the Holy Lance Garuda with the "Haste" ability.
 * Geo - includes the Dragon Breath with the "Physical Up" ability.

The pack includes a copy of the game, a specially made mini-figure of Pope Agnès Oblige, an art album, the art and novel of Bravely Default 200 Years Later: Shrine Maiden of the Wind, Edea Oblige, a CD containing a mini-soundtrack, a U Notebook, a rubber strap of Magnolia Arch and a serial code that can be redeemed for a costume in-game. It is sold for ¥15,984. The standard edition of the game is available for ¥6,458.

Allusions
The game possesses many pop-culture references.

Etymology
Both parts of the title "Bravely Second" and "End Layer" are references within the game.

During Chapter 4 Magnolia uses the term "bravely second" as a means of lifting Yew's spirit telling him it's a direct translation of a Moonlish term and means "courage to start again". During Chapter 5, Yew uses the term "end layer" as a reference to the destruction of their world which happened in the previous chapter.

Trivia

 * Similarly to Bravely Default, there is a hidden meaning behind the game's subtitle: during the final battle the game's full name appears and on the left of the words "End" and "Layer" are added letters S and P, respectively, forming "Send Player". The letters S and P are taken from the abbreviation of the resource used by the hourglass: Sleep Points.