Poll of the Day > I just played (and completed) Breath of Fire 2 for the first time

(+) Yeah! (+)

For anyone that is curious, I opted to play the GBA version (though I am under the impression there isn't a material difference between the two options).

Here are some thoughts:

Overall, the game was pretty solid. The story, while far from original or epic, kept me interested enough to read the dialogue and continue through. The characters were all unique and pleasant and the different environments kept me interested. Graphics and music were good but nothing amazing in my opinion.

As far as the game play goes, it's a fairly straightforward JRPG and for the most part it was fairly balanced in its difficulty. It made quite a few improvements over its predecessor from the balanced difficulty to overall variety. The inventory system was a little clunky and it seemed to take more effort than it should have to equip items and manage everything. My main gripe with this game was the random battles. Not only were they way, way, way too plentiful, the game makers decided to use the terrible "run or fight" style instead of individual characters attempting to run or an active time battle system that allows you to eventually run away. This really detracted from the overall experience since it basically forced me to fight every single random battle as no matter the difficulty the run option seldom, if ever, worked. While I understand that many games of this era had the same issue that doesn't change the fact that this one is particularly bad and greatly impacts the game.

Not too long ago I replayed Final Fantasy IV for the first time in many years and while I remembered it being a great game, I ultimately was slightly disappointed and set on it being an 8/10. That game was just slightly better all around that Breath of Fire 2 in my opinion so I am rating this 7.5/10.


TLDR - A solid old school JRPG but nothing to write home about.


Feel free to ask me anything and recommend if I should continue in the series given my experience or move on to something different.
---

Did you get the good or bad ending?

GreenTreeClub posted...

Did you get the good or bad ending?

Good question, also, how did you face your nightmare? And did you understand his poorly mistranslated hint towards a hidden item?
---

Love that game, one of my first rpgs along with SMRPG and Chrono Trigger. Funny enough though I never beat it, I got pretty far or close to the end but then I get bored, take a break, then forget where I was so I start over, done this quite a few times.

3 and 4 have a lot of random battles too so maybe you might wanna move onto something else.
---

Nichtcrawler X posted...

GreenTreeClub posted...

Did you get the good or bad ending?

Good question, also, how did you face your nightmare? And did you understand his poorly mistranslated hint towards a hidden item?

Interesting points. I probably got the bad ending where the main character turns into a dragon to guard from the demon coming back.

I'm not sure what you mean by nightmare, but if it's the part of the game that you are supposed to choose who to kill I tried to kill Jean and then went to sacrifice myself (though that might be mandatory).

I have no idea what you mean about a hidden item but I am sure there were quite a few side adventures I could have done and just didn't go out of my way to.
---

refureeman posted...

I'm not sure what you mean by nightmare,

Barubaru or something, the demon from the start you refight at the end.

The one that offers you a challenge.
---

darcandkharg31 posted...

Love that game, one of my first rpgs along with SMRPG and Chrono Trigger. Funny enough though I never beat it, I got pretty far or close to the end but then I get bored, take a break, then forget where I was so I start over, done this quite a few times.

3 and 4 have a lot of random battles too so maybe you might wanna move onto something else.

I understand the nostalgia, but I really do believe the other two games you mentioned are better and the final fantasies just do this formula better.

It's not that I am afraid of random battles it's just that the run command never seemed to work and most of my game overs were due to random battles instead of boss battles.
---

Nichtcrawler X posted...

refureeman posted...

I'm not sure what you mean by nightmare,

Barubaru or something, the demon from the start you refight at the end.

The one that offers you a challenge.

I went with the option to fight him as a group even though I read later that he has lower stats if you face him one on one. Unless this is not the part you were talking about.
---

refureeman posted...

I went with the option to fight him as a group even though I read later that he has lower stats if you face him one on one.

Yet in comparison still a tougher fight from what I remember.

From what I remember he gives a hint for an item in that room, but the translation is just completely missing the point.
---

Nichtcrawler X posted...

refureeman posted...

I went with the option to fight him as a group even though I read later that he has lower stats if you face him one on one.

Yet in comparison still a tougher fight from what I remember.

From what I remember he gives a hint for an item in that room, but the translation is just completely missing the point.

I'll be honest, the translations threw me off several times throughout the game. When I was a kid I would wander around aimlessly forever but now when I am lost I go straight to a walk through.
---

refureeman posted...

I understand the nostalgia, but I really do believe the other two games you mentioned are better and the final fantasies just do this formula better.

I can still like the game without it being just nolstagia ya know, I was never a fan of 3, 4 I liked though, but to each their own.

refureeman posted...

It's not that I am afraid of random battles it's just that the run command never seemed to work and most of my game overs were due to random battles instead of boss battles.

That's one of the challenges of old school rpgs, random battles wear you down.
---

I remember turning the game off several times at that one part in the end when the Jesus looking guy freezes you and you needed to touch the directional buttons to continue. I also enjoyed the feast scene (I think they were frogs if I remember correctly), one of the most memorable parts of the game.

Unfortunately, back when I was a kid I didn't know about the good ending so I never replayed it.

Is it worth to play the first one?

GreenTreeClub posted...

I remember turning the game off several times at that one part in the end when the Jesus looking guy freezes you and you needed to touch the directional buttons to continue. I also enjoyed the feast scene (I think they were frogs if I remember correctly), one of the most memorable parts of the game.

Unfortunately, back when I was a kid I didn't know about the good ending so I never replayed it.

That's funny, I had to replay that part because I didn't have the correct power going into the final boss and I can't believe how long it takes to break free. Definitely confused me the first time too.
---

dioxxys posted...

Is it worth to play the first one?

I am a stickler for doing games in order and even I will be the first to admit that you are probably better off skipping the first one. The connections are very loose and I don't feel its worth going back for.
---

darcandkharg31 posted...

refureeman posted...

I understand the nostalgia, but I really do believe the other two games you mentioned are better and the final fantasies just do this formula better.

I can still like the game without it being just nolstagia ya know, I was never a fan of 3, 4 I liked though, but to each their own.

I didn't mean necessarily that nostalgia was the reason you enjoyed the game (I went back to play FFIV and was slightly disappointed but still enjoyed it. My first system was NES and I have enjoyed going back and playing objectively good games from all time periods. I really do feel the other two games you mentioned are classics for a reason though, especially ChronoTrigger.

refureeman posted...

It's not that I am afraid of random battles it's just that the run command never seemed to work and most of my game overs were due to random battles instead of boss battles.

That's one of the challenges of old school rpgs, random battles wear you down.

Definitely. Maybe I was more patient when I was younger but it seems like it's a battle every other step.
---