Octopath Traveler 2 review: A masterclass in retro-RPG storytelling

8 heroes, 8 paths to consider

Like the to start with activity, Octopath Traveler 2 allows you decide on amongst 8 protagonists — each on their individual quest of self-discovery, but like any good Sq. Enix journey, these characters’ fates are about to develop into intertwined with every single other and the wider story. Lots of of the typical JRPG archetypes are here, there is the dispossessed monarch yearning to return to their land, help save their people and declare their rightful throne. The fanciful youthful artist who goals of a lifetime much less everyday. The idealistic particular person of religion whose conviction is shaken as their innocence turns into expertise, and the fight-hardened warrior looking for redemption after a life time of bloodshed.

In fact, none of these tales are wholly first, you’ve arrive across variations of them prior to, even in other Square Enix game titles. However, the artistry is in how Octopath Traveler 2 weaves these narratives jointly, and unlike games like Ultimate Fantasy, it is up to you as a player to make a decision how much you’d like to have interaction with each story. The match would make a lot more of an effort and hard work to interconnect the people in this sequel, and by the time the credits roll, individuals who felt like the primary did not do this as very well as it could have ought to be satisfied.

Square Enix

Octopath Traveler 2 seems even much more magnificent than the initially sport.

A quest at your individual pace

You select your main character at the start and typically play by the experience from their standpoint. You are going to also get to participate in via the other seven opening chapters the moment you fulfill these people in the sport world and increase them to your party. Even though, this is solely optional. If you like, you can decide to not participate in through these chapters, shorten the major recreation, and save these chapters for a long term playthrough as a distinct protagonist.

You can also determine to not engage in each and every chapter by when you 1st meet but do so later when in the tavern with them. This lends some additional replayability to the match, while we need to tension that this is effortlessly a 60-hour experience for these who acquire their time.

Each and every of the opening chapters is similar in duration and each and every one particular is created to spoonfeed you the game’s mechanics. You’ll be an expert following taking part in by way of all eight, and this will equip you well for when the experience truly commences. But a lot of the enjoyable in Octopath Traveler 2 lies in the journey. Simply just checking out the entire world, assembling your staff, and finding out about them and the land they’re from was a calming and partaking experience. We had been in no rush to conserve the environment, we were being possessing also considerably fun creating mates.

Though the first Octopath Traveler showcased a earth related to medieval Europe, as the very first five Final Fantasy online games did, the sequel offers a a lot more fantastical and culturally various environment. It’s also a person that explores eastern concepts, with Hikari’s chapter experience like it was encouraged by the courtroom of Mongolian Emporer Kublai Khan or even feudal Japan. Other locations reminded us of Japanese Europe, Bavaria, Istanbul, and numerous other locations from real lifetime.

Square Enix

The game’s characters are all uniquely diverse but mix jointly effectively as the tale unfolds.

Deep & strategic overcome

The switch-based mostly fight technique is identical to the original, but this time the sport provides some neat new things to make it extra dynamic. The increase procedure lets you to establish up more attacks which you can use appropriate away, or help you save and stack to inflict even additional injury later on. This produces a fun chance vs. reward system where by you’re constantly strategizing about the very best program of action. A flurry of boosted assaults might be enough to finish off a tricky boss – but can you survive prolonged more than enough to get there?

The activity also introduces a limit breaker system recognized as Latent Powers, which as soon as their bar is complete, lets each character to inflict enormous injury through a assortment of effective special moves. Some are more suited to crowd control though other folks are created to be made use of on a one opponent. It was exciting to take a look at them out even though discovering the planet and to see how strong they were when merged with the boosted attacks.

It is this deep, often challenging, and strategic fight that definitely separates Octopath Traveler 2 from the JRPGs of aged. There are so a lot of techniques to tackle each opponent and dungeon that we felt like even immediately after 60 several hours, we’ve only noticed a compact portion of what the activity has to supply. We’ve also not even outlined the intricate job system but or how some figures participate in along with many others. There’s even extra to do in the endgame, like some ridiculously difficult bosses that we’re nevertheless wondering how to get down. We’re self-assured we will, but we’re nonetheless to find a tactic that is effective for us.

Sq. Enix

The game functions a night-and-day procedure that alterations the globe all over you.

Verdict 5/5

Octopath Traveler is perfect on the Nintendo Change and lends alone properly to bitesize, portable gaming. Even though, it’s also a match that can be handled as a large epic experience when performed on PlayStation or Computer system. If you are a person who doesn’t love retro-stylized JRPGs, like the older Ultimate Fantasy video games, or didn’t just take to the original, then Octopath Traveler 2 is unlikely to acquire you about.

However, if you do, or extravagant providing them a test, then this sequel signifies the pretty pinnacle of the genre and reminded us why games like this are so celebrated and timeless. Octopath Traveler 2 is all about losing by yourself in mini stories that link to a wider, extra epic tale – a minimal little bit like The Lord of the Rings or a Music of Ice and Fire/Activity of Thrones in that regard. It’s also a recreation that allows you flex your strategic muscle groups as it plays on your nostalgia, all even though offering some thing new.

Reviewed on Nintendo Swap

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