Prolonged RPGs are one of many nice joys in my life, however it may generally really feel a bit formidable to pack one into just some weeks for the evaluation course of. As of penning this, I’ve performed simply over 70 hours of Octopath Traveler 0 and am nearing the ultimate few chapters in its important questline – and having performed these sorts of RPGs most of my life, I already know these “remaining few chapters” might be something however brief. Nevertheless, I am desirous to wrap them up in the approaching days as a result of it has been a worthwhile journey thus far. Between the brand new wrinkles in its dynamic fight system and a few implausible music that uplift its huge battles, Octopath Traveler 0 is hitting the best notes and delivering the issues I search from RPGs. The tales informed inside its numerous quest branches have been hit or miss, although, and I am nonetheless ready to see if the story will come collectively and hit its stride in this final stretch earlier than I settle with a remaining, scored evaluation.
With Octopath Traveler 0, Sq. Enix has tailored the 2022 cell recreation Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent right into a extra conventional bundle, serving as each a prequel to the unique and a reconfiguration of what is already accessible on telephones. No matter the place I land in my remaining evaluation, I am glad it exists in this type in any respect because it ditches the gacha/microtransaction components that have been used to construct your occasion and as a substitute has you recruiting crew members by way of sidequests. Thus, the higher elements of the cell recreation come to the forefront and spotlight that the muse of the sequence held up then and nonetheless holds up now.
Story is the place most of my reservations are because it hits some fairly excessive highs and pretty low lows. Whereas I am not anticipating it to be probably the most superbly written script or deepest character examine, I’ve discovered a number of plot beats to fall fairly flat because of some shallow storytelling, rudimentary dialogue, or issues that occur simply because. Comically evil villains make for bosses I get fired as much as completely destroy, but it surely’s arduous to take them critically at instances when their silly cruelty and thirst for energy is the primary hook, so I am not coming away with a way of satisfaction I’ve felt elsewhere (specifically, Octopath Traveler 2). Like the remainder of the sequence, godly powers linger in the background and slowly reveal themselves as you uncover the actual objective behind the eight divine rings, one in all which is assigned to “the chosen one” who’s your created protagonist. Regardless of the inconsistent high quality of its storytelling throughout this lengthy runtime, Octopath Traveler 0 runs at a good tempo and propels you ahead with out sitting on anyone story thread for too lengthy.
A giant a part of that is in how the primary questline is structured; after a tragic prologue the place your hometown is burned to the bottom, you are given three story branches to pursue the trio of villains accountable. Themed round energy, fame, and wealth, respectively, these three paths then converge right into a conclusion for what’s roughly the primary half of the general story (at about 40 hours). It then splits into three new questlines that decide up these themes as soon as once more, and though they retread comparable territory, the stakes get greater as extra of Octopath’s world will get concerned. That is loads to chew on, but it surely’s capable of hold momentum quite than making an attempt to construct eight separate tales that need to run in parallel. Octopath Traveler 2 was very profitable in this regard and made for a few of the most memorable RPG tales in current reminiscence, however it is a sensible course contemplating that this (and the cell recreation) facilities round recruiting loads of characters to swap in and out of your occasion. Sadly this implies most occasion members really feel quite disposable, so the disonance it creates is simply the trade-off that will get made.
Whereas I have never skilled the identical compelling, emotionally resonant character arcs I noticed in the second recreation, particular moments remind me that there is nonetheless some heartfelt stuff tucked inside. Whether or not it is a character wielding their ache from tragedy to summon a brand new energy mid-battle or a quiet, reflective cutscene again at city to remind you what “dwelling” actually means, Octopath Traveler 0 has temporary moments of greatness. The massive image is strong, too – the alliances and betrayals of varied kingdoms do not get slowed down in exposition and ship good quaint drama. The tales round Octopath’s world faith get a bit unwieldy in the case of the better lore, but it surely’s not incomprehensible and makes the mechanism of the church fairly clear. Just like the earlier recreation, class warfare and going from nothing to one thing stays a distinguished motif, and regardless that it generally fumbles the messaging right here, it is keen to speak about these subjects with sufficient readability. Whether or not or not all these threads repay, properly, that is what’s left for me to find out as I end the primary story.
Now, that is the A-plot. There is a B-plot that revolves round rebuilding your hometown by way of an impartial however associated questline that is tied to the town-building system. Within the strategy of bringing your hometown again to life narratively, you truly rebuild it in an identical vein to Fallout 4 and even Ni no Kuni 2. You acquire crafting supplies naturally all through which then permit you to construct housing, retailers, and decor wherever you want inside sure parameters. It’s an pleasant aspect exercise, with tangible advantages that come from developing new buildings and recruiting new residents you invite from throughout the map. You get perks akin to discounted store costs, a self-sufficient stream of supplies, and a coaching floor for inactive occasion members to proceed leveling up, amongst different issues. City constructing could seem non-obligatory at first, but it surely turns into virtually important the deeper you get, particularly when you think about the story’s broader message about what dwelling means to you and the folks you take care of. It is a bit tacky at instances, however its coronary heart is in the best place because it will get sentimental about what it takes to rebuild after shedding every thing.
You get a ton of sidequests thrown at you as you progress in the primary recreation, a lot of that are a brief sequence’ of targets to unlock new occasion members – a few of that are forged members from the unique recreation. It is tremendous cool to see, however do not anticipate them to have any specific depth as the primary story is essentially centered on particular, non-optional characters. One factor I do get pleasure from about Octopath video games and RPGs like them is the sense of discovery and stumbling upon secrets and techniques or areas you would not go to in any other case, and the sidequests, if something, have been a great way to drag you in these instructions.
I have been on record saying Octopath Traveler 2 has one in all my favourite turn-based fight programs ever; it shines right here as properly and for barely totally different causes. The Increase and Break programs give the standard dynamic of hitting elemental affinities further depth. Enjoying the guessing recreation of discovering what enemies are weak in opposition to will get just a little tiresome, however as soon as that half is solved, scheming to your plan of assault primarily based on flip order to Break enemies and tee up the massive hits is oh so satisfying. Constructing every occasion members’ Increase factors so as to add further hits or enhance spell efficiency provides you one thing to plan round for turns properly in advance. And lining up all these variables whereas juggling the specter of hard-hitting bosses who impose some impactful standing illnesses have me feeling like a genius tactician. Octopath could be enjoying on our nostalgia with its HD-2D retro-style visuals, however I actually imagine it has frequently set the next bar for turn-based fight programs in fashionable gaming.
Get together composition is kind of totally different this time round since you’ve eight energetic occasion members always – 4 in the entrance row and 4 in the again who you possibly can swap between mid-turn. With 30-something characters in my present roster, it is an awesome quantity to course of and handle. However whereas the basics of Octopath’s fight system are acquainted, pairing characters as duos for the column they occupy is a novel strategic layer that permits for lots of flexibility in fight. And since they construct Increase factors individually, you possibly can dole out the massive hits extra ceaselessly and sustain a brisk tempo in battle. You sacrifice particular person character depth, nonetheless, as every occasion member has only one Job to progress by way of (apart out of your protagonist), however you possibly can a minimum of grasp particular Job expertise to then equip on different characters to diversify their moveset.
I am not fairly able to say whether or not I like this fight roughly than Octopath Traveler 2 since I discovered its character development extra significant, but it surely’s nonetheless been a welcome change of tempo that hits the turn-based highs that’ve made the sequence particular. The slow-motion cinematic digital camera cuts for Max Increase assaults and tide-turning restrict breaks nonetheless get me overrated, giving fight the visible aptitude that really makes the HD-2D type stand out when the motion picks up. The confluence of considerate gameplay, implausible graphics, and a banging soundtrack that contends with a few of the RPG greats, showcases why the style remains to be in good palms.
Octopath Traveler 0 has a lot firing off in parallel with its separate story branches, overarching themes, and complex-but-satisfying RPG fight system, and I am excited to see the way it all concludes as I inch nearer to the tip. Nice RPGs stay or die by how their remaining acts play out – with the expectation of untamed boss battles, story revelations, and determination to an 80-hour-plus journey, loads is using on it. And I am simply as desirous to finalize my ideas and emotions on Octopath Traveler 0 quickly after.