In 2020, Sq. Enix launched an attention-grabbing ‘stopgap’ within the Octopath Traveler collection known as Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent. This free-to-play cell sport took the gacha strategy to design, usually launching new models and storylines to work together with because the years rolled by. The corporate wrapped up that preliminary model in January this yr, nevertheless it determined to design a brand new standalone model for consoles: Octopath Traveler 0.
Not fairly a straight port of the unique nor a model new sport, this recent launch converts a beforehand extra fractured sport right into a cohesive conventional JRPG that options no on-line components or microtransactions and feels extra in keeping with what you’d count on from a correct numbered entry. And whereas it’s not the true successor to Octopath Traveler II, OT0 nonetheless stands tall as one other nice entry within the collection.
The narrative right here is arguably essentially the most attention-grabbing facet, because it considerably bucks the collection pattern of providing numerous disconnected narratives following every of the first protagonists. For one factor, there’s now technically just one protagonist (your self-insert MC) and everybody else is merely an incidental addition to the plot. And whereas there’s nonetheless a nonlinear, chapter-based system that lets you pursue the primary story at your leisure, every chapter is now targeted on a particular antagonist.
Although intraparty interplay continues to be stored to a minimal, the storyline is nonetheless considerably extra streamlined and in keeping with what you’d count on out of a typical JRPG. You start as a resident of the cosy, pleasant city of Wishvale, which could be very shortly pillaged and razed to the bottom by a nasty group of villains. After reconnecting with one other survivor, you set out on a marketing campaign of vengeance a number of years later, looking key leaders of the assault, organising the primary arc of the overarching narrative.
What I actually favored about this storytelling strategy is how far more private and attention-grabbing it made the rogues’ gallery of villains. Not solely do the following chapters discover a few of the antagonists’ ethical greyness, however there are some genuinely shocking and darkish plot twists that add to the satisfaction if you lastly get an opportunity to punch these folks within the mouth.
I used to be at all times a fan of the best way the primary two video games dealt with their braided narratives, however selecting to centre the narrative this time on one protagonist and numerous villains which have made their life hell is an attention-grabbing and finally worthwhile change.
That each one stated, the size of the marketing campaign is a protracted haul. On condition that that is primarily based on a live-service gacha that grew fairly a bit, there are actually years of storylines to expertise—the builders themselves flagged that it ought to take you roughly 100 hours to clear, and that’s not together with the mountain of non-compulsory facet content material. I wouldn’t say that this large size is essentially a mark in opposition to Octopath Traveler 0, however simply bear in mind that the pacing and high quality can range over that point, as any narrative of that measurement can get unwieldy in some locations.
Gameplay in any other case follows the usual system of earlier video games, whereby you discover a sizeable open world, decide up quests, battle in turn-based battles, discover dungeons, and utilise Path Actions to work together with the varied NPCs you come throughout. Initially, you solely have two occasion members, however as you uncover and discover new cities, you finally develop the occasion to simply over 30.
All of which is to say, that is precisely the way you’d count on a brand new Octopath entry to play, and whereas I might have favored to see extra innovation on the gameplay facet of issues, it’s powerful to argue that the group didn’t stick the touchdown with the execution of their gameplay loop.
Fight stays largely the identical, with a key distinction being that you simply now have eight lively occasion members as an alternative of 4. Solely 4 of them are lively throughout a given spherical, however when a celebration member’s flip comes, they will tag out to let their backline accomplice take an motion as an alternative. The backline is greater than only a reserve in case somebody will get knocked down, too, as all characters within the rear on the finish of each spherical additionally acquire HP and SP.
Although the eight-character setup doesn’t massively change the general stream of fight that we’re properly accustomed to by now, I actually appreciated the extra strategic depth supplied by the additional members. You successfully construct BP (Increase Factors) twice as quick now, which might result in some loopy combos when you plan out your group proper, and there’s much more to suppose by as you take into account the varied abilities and talents of every member and plan upfront the way you’ll place them within the general formation.
Do you place two healer characters collectively to maximise your therapeutic output? Or do you pair one with a DPS character who might want to get cycled to the again to get well? The earlier two video games usually requested you related teambuilding questions, however right here that extra strategic strategy is current to a a lot increased diploma.
However, particular person character development has been kneecapped a bit, and I am not as a lot a fan of the way it’s been carried out. The power to multiclass in earlier video games stored character-building attention-grabbing all through the entire expertise as you consistently unlocked new class varieties and located new methods to mix completely different class skills to result in some models that really ‘broke’ the sport. Right here, there aren’t any second courses; you may solely progress a personality alongside their default assigned class.
There may be some variation launched by equipping Battle Abilities and Assist Abilities gained from NPCs, granting boons like the power to utilise wind assaults or elevated therapeutic output. Nonetheless, these really feel extra restricted than giving a personality entry to all the skills that come together with a brand new class, and it results in characters feeling pigeon-holed into the clear roles they’re designed to fulfil.
There’s one thing to be stated about having a roster of bespoke characters who develop into merely extra of what they already are in the beginning, however I’ve at all times considered the Octopath Traveler video games as encouraging you to seek out methods to make occasion members overpowered by constructing them far past their preliminary loadouts and right here that undoubtedly feels reined in.
On condition that there’s technically solely the one protagonist on this sport, the Path Motion system has been tailored. Now your protagonist can do all of the actions (corresponding to stealing, inquiring, or haggling) and the success fee is set by how a lot you’ve grown their wealth, energy, or fame stats by finishing numerous quests and facet quests. Which stat will get checked is determined by what the character you’re speaking to values most, and this additionally impacts what path actions can be found to make use of on them. General, this does not really feel like a major change, however I appreciated the way it gave you cause to usually return to cities, as many NPCs are clearly manner above the degrees you’re at if you initially meet them.
Maybe the headlining new characteristic is the addition of townbuilding components when you slowly rebuild Wishvale to its former glory. Merely speaking to your carpenter buddy, Stia, or interacting with a workbench will flip the overgrown ruins of the once-quaint city right into a grid the place you may place new buildings, paths, and decorations in response to your liking. A few of these buildings have a extra practical passive worth, too, corresponding to how the pub lets you deliver meals and prep dishes to offer your self an edge in battle for a sure variety of turns.
As you discover new cities, some NPCs may have the ‘Invite’ Path Motion, which helps you to invite them to Wishvale to contribute to the neighborhood. Each NPC has some type of passive capacity that may have an effect on issues like crop manufacturing pace or JP (Job Factors) acquire in battle, and housing them in your city helps you to construct these up over time. Plus, inviting extra residents causes the general city degree to extend, unlocking new buildings to construct, and allows you to place extra properties the place you’d like.
I appreciated how the townbuilding managed to really feel each instrumental and non-compulsory to the sport’s development. Although there are plot causes for why it’s a must to construct up the city to a sure level, it’s one thing you can in any other case select to disregard when you’d moderately simply keep on the highway and maintain pushing on to the subsequent quest.
However, there’s a lot to dig into right here if you wish to get within the weeds of constructing essentially the most picturesque city attainable as you usually return to reap the rewards. And whereas there are concrete gameplay advantages from investing in and interacting along with your city, they aren’t so monumental that you simply’re handicapping your self when you select to solely return to Wishvale when crucial.
So far as visuals are involved, this entry falls neatly between the constancy of the earlier two mainline video games. It is clear that it was constructed with many reused belongings from the primary Octopath Traveler, however there are some particulars and prospers current that may remind you extra of the second sport.
The Swap 2 model runs fairly properly, too, and seeing the motion unfold at 60fps makes the whole lot seem that a lot nicer. It undoubtedly appears like a slight step down when you’re taking part in this proper after placing loads of time into Octopath Traveler 2, however general the HD-2D artwork fashion right here nonetheless holds up exceptionally properly and appears attractive in movement.
Very like how the visuals really feel like a mix of the earlier two video games, the soundtrack gives a wide range of tracks and remixes from its predecessors, with some new tracks thrown in there to accompany the brand new content material. Although it’s a bit disappointing that we didn’t get a brand new full-fledged soundtrack for this launch, the brand new music feels proper in keeping with the earlier tracks, that are simply as wonderful as they had been after we heard them for the primary time.
