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Octopath Traveler 2
MSRP $59.99
“Octopath Traveler 2 builds on its predecessor’s strengths to create one other charming retro RPG.”
Professionals
Partaking battle system
Improved character interactions
Incredible HD-2D visuals
Wonderful music
Cons
Annoying issue spikes
Uneven stage pacing
When Octopath Traveler launched in 2018, it quietly kicked off a revolution. Sq. Enix’s retro RPG featured a singular artwork fashion that might usher in a brand new period of “HD-2D” video games. The endearing pixel artwork complemented the 3D environments surprisingly properly, leading to Octopath Traveler’s timeless presentation. Within the 5 years because it was launched, different video games equivalent to Stay a Stay and Triangle Technique have used the identical fashion to nice impact, whether or not it’s by respiratory life into older titles or experimenting with different gameplay mechanics.
It wasn’t simply fashion with out substance, although. The primary recreation made good use of its modern artwork fashion with a incredible turn-based battle system and strong customization choices. Although it’s nonetheless one of many Change’s standout RPGs, it did nonetheless have points. Fight and artwork have been on level, however restricted interactions between its solid of heroes took a few of the punch out of its eight-hero premise.
5 years later, Octopath Traveler 2 is right here and seeks to treatment these points from the primary recreation, proving the sequence is greater than a fairly face. It pulls that off for probably the most half because of robust visuals, music, and a battle system that also feels recent. Nevertheless, there are nonetheless some ache factors of its predecessor that linger right here, specifically its grind-infested pacing and the occasional issue spike. The sequel is a particular stage up, however there’s nonetheless room for the sequence to accrue expertise.
Eight paths, eight tales
Octopath Traveler 2 takes place in Solistia, which is a way more industrialized setting than the primary recreation’s Osterra. The combo of contemporary know-how just like the steam engine and magical parts like curses and prophecies makes for an interesting location. Like the primary recreation, the story follows eight separate characters internationally. Every character has their very own distinct story, equivalent to Hikari, a swordsman on a mission to cease his brother’s war-mongering rule, and Castti, an apothecary with amnesia who’s making an attempt to recuperate her reminiscences by touring and therapeutic these in want. Gamers can decide and select which character to start out with, after which deal with every story’s chapters in any order from there.
Every story is intriguing in its personal method and, importantly, by no means overstays its welcome. The scholar Osvald’s story is especially compelling as he’s on a revenge quest for the one that framed him for his household’s homicide 20 years in the past. I liked seeing Osvald tread down a darkish path for vengeance, studying how far he would go to destroy those that wronged him. In Castti’s story, she learns harrowing particulars in regards to the apothecary clan she belongs to. Alongside her journey, she wonders if she’s truly higher off not remembering who she was earlier than. Her altruistic-natured occupation as a healer immediately conflicts with the sinister secrets and techniques that her clan holds.
The accompanying dungeons that punctuate every chapter are brisk to be able to accommodate all eight characters in the primary solid as properly. Most of them encompass linear passageways with a boss on the finish and a few diverging paths each every now and then with a treasure chest. Whereas the dungeon design is straightforward, it really works properly contemplating that it’s a must to play by way of all eight characters, every of which has at the least 4 chapters. Had dungeons been any extra elaborate, they may have been a laborious chore to get by way of.
One of many greatest points with the primary Octopath Traveler is that the characters had only a few crossovers between their very own tales. The sequel sadly retains that very same downside, although to a lesser diploma. Osvald’s revenge quest doesn’t intersect with Castti’s journey to recuperate her personal reminiscences, which makes the narrative really feel disparate somewhat than intricately woven collectively.
Crossover episodes present tender moments between characters …
The sequel solves that situation to an extent through a number of unlockable crossover episodes between celebration members as you proceed to progress by way of the sport. These crossover episodes present tender moments between characters that in any other case wouldn’t communicate to one another in any respect throughout their particular person character arcs. As an illustration, I loved how Hikari and the dancer Agnea bonded over their love of music by listening to a guitarist play beneath the complete moon. Agnea has probably the most light-hearted story of your entire solid as she needs to journey around the globe and entertain individuals along with her dancing, whereas Hikari takes a second from stopping his bloodthirsty brother to benefit from the night time sky view. The contrasting tones between their tales spotlight how totally different their adventures are individually, however these crossover episodes painting these characters with extra depth and the way a lot they’ve in frequent.
The primary Octopath recreation featured banter conversations between two characters after sure story occasions, the place they might touch upon what simply unfolded. They have been merely transported to some mysterious black void to have the dialog, although, interrupting the immersion. These make a return within the sequel, however this time round, the 2 characters may be seen speaking with the suitable metropolis background behind them. It’s a minor change, nevertheless it makes the banter really feel much less alien and extra half of the particular world. Banter scenes do lack voice appearing although, which feels just like the one missed alternative in buffing the sequel’s method to the story.
Hold stacking factors
Octopath Traveler 2’s greatest promoting level is its fantastic battle system, which largely stays unchanged from the primary recreation. The turn-based fight makes use of the BP mechanic, the place on the finish of each flip, every character will get one BP and might maintain a max of 5 BP at a time. Characters can use as much as three BP per flip to both strike a number of instances in the identical flip or amplify a ability’s energy.
The battle system encourages me to strategize and adapt to totally different conditions on the fly.
It’s a incredible spin on the standard turn-based fight system that makes you’re feeling far more engaged with each single flip. Enemies even have numerical shields, which drastically lower the quantity of harm they take out of your assaults. By putting an enemy’s elemental or weapon weak spot, you possibly can deplete their shields to zero which immobilizes them till their subsequent flip and makes them take extra injury.
The battle system encourages me to strategize and adapt to totally different conditions on the fly. Maybe I used to be going to launch an all-out offensive on a boss, however then it alerts that it’ll unleash its final assault on its upcoming flip. Consequently, I now should prioritize breaking its protect so it doesn’t occur. It’s a fragile stability between saving up your BP while you want it probably the most to interrupt shields and making an attempt to optimize the restricted time you will have earlier than enemies recuperate them. There’s all the time an invigorating sense of rigidity in case the battle goes sideways. However when every little thing goes as deliberate, there’s immense satisfaction in unloading big quantities of harm onto a boss.
The customization, by comparability, is somewhat simple. Every character has their assigned beginning class like cleric and hunter. As you progress additional into the sport, characters are in a position to equip a second sub-class to present them entry to much more expertise. Whereas the assigned beginning class can’t be modified, the addition of a sub-class offers a lot flexibility in how I’d construct out my most popular celebration setup. I gave the thief, Thorne, the inventor subclass as a result of she doesn’t have entry to many weapon sorts to hit weaknesses with. The inventor had a catapult ability that had all of the out there weapon sorts, in order that helped compensate for Throne’s flaws.
Although I’m excessive on the moment-to-moment gameplay, the RPG can have some irritating issue spikes. Because of its open-ended construction the place you possibly can progress every story in any order you’d like, there are occasions you’ll encounter a surprisingly laborious boss. Fortunately, you possibly can go away at any time to deal with different tales concurrently and up your characters should you’re having hassle with a specific boss. The problem, although, is inconsistent leveling. Solely celebration members who take part in battle obtain expertise factors. Every chapter has a really helpful stage for a personality and so generally I felt like I needed to needlessly grind so they may meet that threshold. One thing like an expertise share that the Pokemon sequence has would’ve been very useful in stopping different characters from falling behind.
Oozing with fashion
Each the sport’s artwork fashion and music shine right here, which isn’t any shock contemplating it was the primary recreation’s core function. Take the presentation throughout huge battles, for example. Bosses are offered as larger-than-life and have a foreboding presence, even when they’re simply normal-sized. Within the service provider Partitio’s story, there’s a boss that appears like an harmless little canine outdoors of battle. However when you interact with it, its in-battle sprite balloons into a large menacing bulldog.
The sport’s electrifying soundtrack additionally provides to the thrill and hostility of fight. Outdoors of battle, there are totally different tracks to assist spotlight the various settings throughout Solista. Agnea’s hometown is a bustling metropolis of leisure, so it’s becoming that its theme options upbeat jazzy music that you simply’d hear in downtown Chicago. Hikari’s hometown of Kyu is full of conventional Japanese flute music, befitting his jap Asian-inspired roots.
Octopath Traveler 2 is a really beefy JRPG recreation that can simply final over 60 hours to even get to the tip credit. There are a ton of customization choices for characters and the battle system feels enjoyable and attractive to play regardless of having a few of the similar points that plagued the primary one. Even with a few of these lingering flaws begging to be ironed out, the sequel is sufficient of an enchancment that I’m prepared to affix alongside for no matter journey comes subsequent.
Octopath Traveler 2 was reviewed on Nintendo Change.
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