Eight paths directly into the innermost retro chambers of my heart.
Do you like lavish vintage console RPG-esque art? Do you like strolling around a cozy town talking to charming little people while listening to a soothing song? Do you like solving strategic puzzles to defeat gargantuan foes in mortal turn-based combat? This games takes all these disparate elements and puts them together into a single composition. The result has moments of elevated intensity, but this adventure is most remarkable for just how very comfortable it is. You can really spend a lot of time in here (and I did) because the experience is almost soothing. The variety of emotional tones and excellent pacing provide a refreshing rhythm to the experience. It’s never too one note. In the narrative, the sad stories are balanced out by the happy ones. In the gameplay, the cognitively engaging combat challenges contrasts with strolling through the cozy towns. In light of all this, I found Octopath II to be the most impressive retro-inspired JRPG to date.
In the abstract, it’s a strange mixture—fighting monstrous superbosses then dipping back into a flaneur-like existence in an adorable town. The chilling and the killing take turns on center stage—so to speak. It’s almost a paradox at the heart of the genre. (On the other hand, there’s something so charming about fighting all those wonderfully drawn sprites that it barely even registers as an act of virtual violence.) I can imagine that some people might intensely love exactly half of the experience and intensely hate the other. And which half you like depends largely on your disposition. But that contrast, that range of emotional intensity, that almost paradox, is an almost essential characteristic of this genre. If you like that mixture, then this is one of the very best examples.
If so, then go ahead and collect your tiny characters, get in your little battles, walk around the tiny towns and talk to all (yes, all) the other chibi people, then get in a little boat and sail across this vast miniature world.
Now let’s talk about some details.
The HD-2D style is even more stunning this time around. The detailed sprites, varied environments, and cozy towns are all lovingly crafted in their own way. Even the menus and text boxes and fonts have a certain tasteful, classic, restrained, Square look. The soundtrack is almost unfailingly good—and when it’s not to my taste, it is thematically appropriate.
The combat is excellent and consistently engaging. It’s smooth, it’s fast, it’s puzzle-like. There are resources to manage and strategies to ponder. It is similar to much else in the genre. Exploit enemy weaknesses, pick your attacks, use your boosts and specials wisely, manage your health and mana and status effects well—and you’ll eventually win. That sounds simple enough, but way it comes together is one type
of turn-based perfection. For comparison, the only (non-tactical) turn-based combat I’ve found this cognitively intriguing and would probably be SaGa Scarlet Grace, FFX, and X-2.
And these encounters are designed for speed. It’s like the designers asked “Can we make turn-based battles blazingly fast?” And they did . The transition to the battle screen is fast. The menus are responsive. The action animations are quick but impressive. The rewards screen is brief and takes a minimal number of clicks to get through. If you’ve never experienced some the molasses like battles during the PS1 and PS2 days, know that these are some high compliments. Trash mobs can usually be dispatched within a minute or so. Bosses and superbosses are appropriately challenging and will take longer. The progression systems (which are a mix of leveling, skills, jobs, and gear) are rich, interesting, and breakable in the best possible way. The towns are memorable and filled with charming npcs (often with hidden lives that range from comical to sinister.) The world feels vast and mysterious and rich. The way the world map is designed avoids those all too familiar boredom inducing vast empty spaces. There’s a SNES or PS1 openness—where the vastness of the world done in miniature just like the chibi sprites.
And this world is bursting with side quests and secrets. Dungeons are just about the right size—long enough to present some challenge, but brief enough to avoid degenerating into a slog. And, like in the original, there’s a neat visual search and path finding mechanic when it comes to side paths and treasure. This is a simple and common diversion in classic JRPGs— see the treasure chest and then puzzle out how to get to it. But due to the fixed camera angle and HD2D art style, there’s a bit more depth in the scene. This means designers can make the most of occlusion to misdirect and confuse the player. (This wayfinding element plays sort of like Toad Treasure Tracker if you couldn’t rotate the camera and there were fewer puzzles.)
The designers also introduced a day/night cycle along with the ability to shift between the two times at will. By changing day to night or vice versa, you can adjust the encounter rate seamlessly. And it makes for some puzzles here and there in the dungeons. The day/night cycle also made the towns feel even more lively because the npcs have different habits.
The stories on the individual paths vary in tone and quality. The tone goes from comedic to melodramatic to darkly tragic. The quality ranges from not so good to okay to alright to cute to that was sort of poignant to the absurdity of that made me laugh. And yet I played every story because it’s just a pleasure to spend time in this world. And besides, many of the characters are likable enough— and when they weren’t, the combat mechanics kept me going. The creativity on display in the boss fights made it worthwhile to me. Each boss is an oversized pixel art spectacle on the outside with some intriguing puzzle box mechanics on the inside. These boss fights were really their own reward. And then they typically rewarded you with something interesting.
This review began with the phrase “Eight paths directly into my heart.” More accurately,it could have “eights paths set in a world whose systems and atmosphere lead into my heart no matter how much I did not resonate with the narrative in the path I chose.” That’s a bit too long for an opening line though.
There’s quite a bit of depth in the progression systems here. Interesting gear, job classes, and special secondary classes. Hunting for synergies in the menus is fun if that’s your sort of thing. Grinders should find plenty to do here: superbosses, ultimate weapons, hidden dungeons. For the first time since probably the PS2 era, I personally did every bit of optional content. And I was still sad to see it all come to an end.
Do you like lavish vintage console RPG-esque art? Do you like strolling around a cozy town talking to charming little people while listening to a soothing song? Do you like solving strategic puzzles to defeat gargantuan foes in mortal turn-based combat? This games takes all these disparate elements and puts them together into a single composition. The result has moments of elevated intensity, but this adventure is most remarkable for just how very comfortable it is. You can really spend a lot of time in here (and I did) because the experience is almost soothing. The variety of emotional tones and excellent pacing provide a refreshing rhythm to the experience. It’s never too one note. In the narrative, the sad stories are balanced out by the happy ones. In the gameplay, the cognitively engaging combat challenges contrasts with strolling through the cozy towns. In light of all this, I found Octopath II to be the most impressive retro-inspired JRPG to date.
In the abstract, it’s a strange mixture—fighting monstrous superbosses then dipping back into a flaneur-like existence in an adorable town. The chilling and the killing take turns on center stage—so to speak. It’s almost a paradox at the heart of the genre. (On the other hand, there’s something so charming about fighting all those wonderfully drawn sprites that it barely even registers as an act of virtual violence.) I can imagine that some people might intensely love exactly half of the experience and intensely hate the other. And which half you like depends largely on your disposition. But that contrast, that range of emotional intensity, that almost paradox, is an almost essential characteristic of this genre. If you like that mixture, then this is one of the very best examples.
If so, then go ahead and collect your tiny characters, get in your little battles, walk around the tiny towns and talk to all (yes, all) the other chibi people, then get in a little boat and sail across this vast miniature world.
Now let’s talk about some details.
The HD-2D style is even more stunning this time around. The detailed sprites, varied environments, and cozy towns are all lovingly crafted in their own way. Even the menus and text boxes and fonts have a certain tasteful, classic, restrained, Square look. The soundtrack is almost unfailingly good—and when it’s not to my taste, it is thematically appropriate.
The combat is excellent and consistently engaging. It’s smooth, it’s fast, it’s puzzle-like. There are resources to manage and strategies to ponder. It is similar to much else in the genre. Exploit enemy weaknesses, pick your attacks, use your boosts and specials wisely, manage your health and mana and status effects well—and you’ll eventually win. That sounds simple enough, but way it comes together is one type
of turn-based perfection. For comparison, the only (non-tactical) turn-based combat I’ve found this cognitively intriguing and would probably be SaGa Scarlet Grace, FFX, and X-2.
And these encounters are designed for speed. It’s like the designers asked “Can we make turn-based battles blazingly fast?” And they did . The transition to the battle screen is fast. The menus are responsive. The action animations are quick but impressive. The rewards screen is brief and takes a minimal number of clicks to get through. If you’ve never experienced some the molasses like battles during the PS1 and PS2 days, know that these are some high compliments. Trash mobs can usually be dispatched within a minute or so. Bosses and superbosses are appropriately challenging and will take longer. The progression systems (which are a mix of leveling, skills, jobs, and gear) are rich, interesting, and breakable in the best possible way. The towns are memorable and filled with charming npcs (often with hidden lives that range from comical to sinister.) The world feels vast and mysterious and rich. The way the world map is designed avoids those all too familiar boredom inducing vast empty spaces. There’s a SNES or PS1 openness—where the vastness of the world done in miniature just like the chibi sprites.
And this world is bursting with side quests and secrets. Dungeons are just about the right size—long enough to present some challenge, but brief enough to avoid degenerating into a slog. And, like in the original, there’s a neat visual search and path finding mechanic when it comes to side paths and treasure. This is a simple and common diversion in classic JRPGs— see the treasure chest and then puzzle out how to get to it. But due to the fixed camera angle and HD2D art style, there’s a bit more depth in the scene. This means designers can make the most of occlusion to misdirect and confuse the player. (This wayfinding element plays sort of like Toad Treasure Tracker if you couldn’t rotate the camera and there were fewer puzzles.)
The designers also introduced a day/night cycle along with the ability to shift between the two times at will. By changing day to night or vice versa, you can adjust the encounter rate seamlessly. And it makes for some puzzles here and there in the dungeons. The day/night cycle also made the towns feel even more lively because the npcs have different habits.
The stories on the individual paths vary in tone and quality. The tone goes from comedic to melodramatic to darkly tragic. The quality ranges from not so good to okay to alright to cute to that was sort of poignant to the absurdity of that made me laugh. And yet I played every story because it’s just a pleasure to spend time in this world. And besides, many of the characters are likable enough— and when they weren’t, the combat mechanics kept me going. The creativity on display in the boss fights made it worthwhile to me. Each boss is an oversized pixel art spectacle on the outside with some intriguing puzzle box mechanics on the inside. These boss fights were really their own reward. And then they typically rewarded you with something interesting.
This review began with the phrase “Eight paths directly into my heart.” More accurately,it could have “eights paths set in a world whose systems and atmosphere lead into my heart no matter how much I did not resonate with the narrative in the path I chose.” That’s a bit too long for an opening line though.
There’s quite a bit of depth in the progression systems here. Interesting gear, job classes, and special secondary classes. Hunting for synergies in the menus is fun if that’s your sort of thing. Grinders should find plenty to do here: superbosses, ultimate weapons, hidden dungeons. For the first time since probably the PS2 era, I personally did every bit of optional content. And I was still sad to see it all come to an end.
This review contains spoilers
Fuck you Evan.
Such a beautiful ass game, you just see the world that was lovingly crafted in this beautiful art style and won't stop exploring until you've seen it all. The story here is such a step up too with each character being extremely compelling, my favorites are Osvald, Throne, and Partitio. Throne gets special mention for having incredible Bazongas for a pixel art game, I'll also give a shout out to Agnea's "peaches".
I wrote a more thoughtful review but accidentally deleted it.
Long story short - I don't like the way this game makes you get invested in multiple characters' stories totally independent of the other characters. It's like playing multiple different single player games at the same time. It's mentally exhausting.
Octopath Traveler 1 also had this problem.
I will try to do some single-character runs eventually. Might suit me better.
Long story short - I don't like the way this game makes you get invested in multiple characters' stories totally independent of the other characters. It's like playing multiple different single player games at the same time. It's mentally exhausting.
Octopath Traveler 1 also had this problem.
I will try to do some single-character runs eventually. Might suit me better.
I promise! I tried it! I wanted to like it. Nice graphics and actually nice gameplay, but at some point it can't hold me like the first game. I'm sorry to say but I need to cancel it.
This is how you do a sequel. It keeps all the charm, visuals, and base gameplay from the first game while also improving on each category in many different ways. It allows the travelers to interact with each other more than ever before which was a big complaint for me for the first game. The gameplay has been enhanced as well with new additions added to the battle system that makes the fights that much more entertaining. The characters are all lovable and each has their own compelling story to go through. The final segment of the game is what takes it cake though. Throughout each of their own individual adventures, you slowly start to piece a connection together between them all, and by doing all of the side stories, you unlock the final chapter of the game. This is by far the most thrilling part of the game, and allows for the story to reach the heights that I was looking for the entire time. Seeing it all come together was so gratifying and made everything feel that much more impactful. This is another section in which I believe they improve upon the first game. Overall, while it's not perfect in my eyes, as I wish there were more side stories or cutscenes that could've eluded to the overarching theme throughout the game, it is very close and I enjoyed every second of the adventure.
I can't say much here without spoilers, but it's definitely a contender for the title of Best JRPG.
Cassidy's Favorite JRPG
Cassidy's Favorite JRPG
Early and mid game were awesome. I laughed, I cried, I had a really good time. Late game became boring, I felt like I had to grind. End game really picked up and was awesome again especially the last fight.
The soundtrack is awesome, the art style as well.
The soundtrack is awesome, the art style as well.
A massive improvement over the first game.
PARTITIO BEST BOY, WELL HOWDY
My game of 2023. Octopath Traveler 1 was a beautiful game that felt fairly polished, but lacked some of the depth I was hoping it would have. 2 polished the formula further and captured what I was hoping would be there in the first.
Easily one of my new all-time favorites.
Easily one of my new all-time favorites.
My game of the year for 2023
I was always thankful that I enjoyed turn based rpgs, since I know its not a genre for everyone. However it had been a while since i engaged in one without and i never realized. Playing this game honestly reminded why the turn based rpg genre is my favorite in games. There is so much passion and love in every little corner. All the stories are satisfying and enojyable, the characters are all lovable ( Partitio the GOAT) the music is phenomal OH MAN honestly shouldve taken music of the year over FF16
The most impressive part of the game for me is how fresh every single fucking boss fight is in this game, it so so much fun. and the build variety is insane. ive never gone so far to experiment on different party setups before and this game really encouraged me to try all these different stuff.
Fantastic game from the start to the 95 hour mark.
I was always thankful that I enjoyed turn based rpgs, since I know its not a genre for everyone. However it had been a while since i engaged in one without and i never realized. Playing this game honestly reminded why the turn based rpg genre is my favorite in games. There is so much passion and love in every little corner. All the stories are satisfying and enojyable, the characters are all lovable ( Partitio the GOAT) the music is phenomal OH MAN honestly shouldve taken music of the year over FF16
The most impressive part of the game for me is how fresh every single fucking boss fight is in this game, it so so much fun. and the build variety is insane. ive never gone so far to experiment on different party setups before and this game really encouraged me to try all these different stuff.
Fantastic game from the start to the 95 hour mark.
Here is the thing with OT2. It's a better game than 1, but it doesn't do anything substantially different. This is why I find strange when some people call this a masterpiece while look down on 1. It certainly adds a lot of qol improvements, but the main core of the game is the same.
The main party interacts more, but still feels like eight travellers that simply share the road instead of a company of heroes.
The battle system is the same with some additions of some extra moves which barely add an extra layer of strategy. Having also 16 different skills outside the battle is an overkill and a perfect example of "just because you could, doesn't mean you should". Just like the first game apart from steal and guide most of them are useless, but now they are 16 of them!
It's bizarre that I sound negative for a game that not only I actually enjoyed, but I also believe it's superior to its predecessor. It's that based on the reviews I expected a major jump in quality, but what I got is just an improvement.
The main party interacts more, but still feels like eight travellers that simply share the road instead of a company of heroes.
The battle system is the same with some additions of some extra moves which barely add an extra layer of strategy. Having also 16 different skills outside the battle is an overkill and a perfect example of "just because you could, doesn't mean you should". Just like the first game apart from steal and guide most of them are useless, but now they are 16 of them!
It's bizarre that I sound negative for a game that not only I actually enjoyed, but I also believe it's superior to its predecessor. It's that based on the reviews I expected a major jump in quality, but what I got is just an improvement.
Truly a masterclass jrpg
JRPG in 2.5D beauty.
Octopath Traveller II took me by surprise when I first played its demo, as I remember disliking Octopath Traveller I's demo. This led me to purchasing the game and it was pretty good. The score and graphics are very pretty with nice game direction.
The gameplay is very much traditional JRPG turn-based combat but its own unique spin. This is in the form of enemy shield points where you have to break them down with the correct weakness of a certain weapon type or spell type. It also has a few other systems where you can power-up your attacks and have unique abilities to each character, which help make the game more strategic at times, especially with boss battles. Plus, the exploration is fun and you can interact with NPCs differently based on the characters' unique abilities. Also, the secret jobs were pretty cool to discover and to play with during battles. However for the most part, the game is quite easy with decent pacing as I never had to grind once during the character stories. The only time I had to grind was the final chapter of the game and the final chapter didn't have great guidance towards what your suppose to do which left me quite lost.
Story-wise it was pretty good for having 8 different stories in one game. Each story I found to be good and it had a mix of genre and themes, which allowed it to be a refreshing change of pace at times. Although, it did feel weird that party never really interacted with each other properly in each others main stories, outside the side stories. The only bad writing was the final chapter which felt like it was trying too hard to involve all 8 characters in a rushed way.
All in all, Octopath Traveller II is a very good and well-made JRPG due to the lack of grinding, good story, score and graphics but suffered from a lacklustre final chapter.
Top Games of 2023: https://www.backloggd.com/u/Aj_Waran/list/top-games-of-2023/
Octopath Traveller II took me by surprise when I first played its demo, as I remember disliking Octopath Traveller I's demo. This led me to purchasing the game and it was pretty good. The score and graphics are very pretty with nice game direction.
The gameplay is very much traditional JRPG turn-based combat but its own unique spin. This is in the form of enemy shield points where you have to break them down with the correct weakness of a certain weapon type or spell type. It also has a few other systems where you can power-up your attacks and have unique abilities to each character, which help make the game more strategic at times, especially with boss battles. Plus, the exploration is fun and you can interact with NPCs differently based on the characters' unique abilities. Also, the secret jobs were pretty cool to discover and to play with during battles. However for the most part, the game is quite easy with decent pacing as I never had to grind once during the character stories. The only time I had to grind was the final chapter of the game and the final chapter didn't have great guidance towards what your suppose to do which left me quite lost.
Story-wise it was pretty good for having 8 different stories in one game. Each story I found to be good and it had a mix of genre and themes, which allowed it to be a refreshing change of pace at times. Although, it did feel weird that party never really interacted with each other properly in each others main stories, outside the side stories. The only bad writing was the final chapter which felt like it was trying too hard to involve all 8 characters in a rushed way.
All in all, Octopath Traveller II is a very good and well-made JRPG due to the lack of grinding, good story, score and graphics but suffered from a lacklustre final chapter.
Top Games of 2023: https://www.backloggd.com/u/Aj_Waran/list/top-games-of-2023/
So far liking it at least as much or more than Octopath 1. Visuals and music are, again, stunning.
I really disliked the first game due to the insane grind, so I was hesitant on this one. However after David's praising, I knew I had to check it out.
Glad I did, it's a fantastic game. Each character's story was interesting and there were also cross path stories involving four sets of two. This addressed another another weak spot from the first game by making the characters actually interact.
Exploration was a lot of fun as the game opens up to you almost immediately. Exploring each area was always a treat with the breathtaking HD2D visuals and music to match. I always enjoyed searching areas to the fullest to find secret chests, shrines, and jobs along the way.
The battle system is almost perfection with a number of systems feeding into each other. Jobs allow you to unlock new powers and really beef up characters, tailoring them to your likings. The game tends to spike boss difficulty compared to the rest of the battles, so I did have to grind a little at times. But nothing close to the first games level of grind.
Couldn't recommend this game enough!
Glad I did, it's a fantastic game. Each character's story was interesting and there were also cross path stories involving four sets of two. This addressed another another weak spot from the first game by making the characters actually interact.
Exploration was a lot of fun as the game opens up to you almost immediately. Exploring each area was always a treat with the breathtaking HD2D visuals and music to match. I always enjoyed searching areas to the fullest to find secret chests, shrines, and jobs along the way.
The battle system is almost perfection with a number of systems feeding into each other. Jobs allow you to unlock new powers and really beef up characters, tailoring them to your likings. The game tends to spike boss difficulty compared to the rest of the battles, so I did have to grind a little at times. But nothing close to the first games level of grind.
Couldn't recommend this game enough!
Ótima experiência. Os gráficos e a trilha sonora são um show a parte. Mas, a história fragmentada pode desagradar algumas pessoas
Very fun game, but some arbitrary level checks near the end are kind of annoying. The game is beautiful and made me love the 2D-HD art-style. Fully delivered on what the first game promised. The ending seemed kinda rushed.
Fav. Game of all time 💜
fixes everything bad about the original, and adds new stuff that makes it 10x better than octopath 1, stories are all great, ost just as fire as the original (maybe more), and the gameplay is so addicting, it's just a perfect sequel. (agnea's story is the best btw if you don't agree you're just bad). (i respect liking castti's too).
esse jogo é bom, mas fiquei com preguiça de terminar
Un JRPG estupendo que, aunque apaña bastante bien muchos de los peores vicios del género, sigue cayendo en ellos (combates aleatorios, necesidad de parar a grindear, jefes frustrantes e injustos...). Aún así, es uno de los "clásicos" que más he disfrutado, y eso tiene muchísimo mérito.
La presentación es fantástica y los personajes protagonistas son todos interesantes a su manera. Algunas de las tramas se hacen algo más lentas o densas, pero en general son todas muy disfrutables.
El sistema de combate me ha gustado mucho. Quizá se hace algo repetitivo a la larga, pero es muy satisfactorio cuando consigues hacer una combinación buena de turnos y pegas un golpe de varias decenas de miles de daño.
Lo he disfrutado bastante a pesar de sus cosillas y lo recomendaría a cualquier fan del género. Si me ha gustado a mí, que tienden a cansarme, a vosotros os encantará.
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A fantastic JRPG that, despite fixing several of the worst vices of the genre, still falls on them (random encounters, need to stop and grind, frustrating and unfair bosses...). Still, it's easily one of the most enjoyable "classics", and that's worth something.
The presentation is fantastic and everyone in the main cast is interesting in their own way. Some plots are a bit slower or dense, but overall they're all very enjoyable.
I really liked the combat system. It's perhaps a bit repetitive near the end, but it's very satisfying when you manage to string a good combination of turns and you deal a several-tens-of-thousands-of-damage blow.
I enjoyed it quite a lot despite its flaws and I'd recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the genre. If I liked it while I tend to grow tired of them, you'll love it.
La presentación es fantástica y los personajes protagonistas son todos interesantes a su manera. Algunas de las tramas se hacen algo más lentas o densas, pero en general son todas muy disfrutables.
El sistema de combate me ha gustado mucho. Quizá se hace algo repetitivo a la larga, pero es muy satisfactorio cuando consigues hacer una combinación buena de turnos y pegas un golpe de varias decenas de miles de daño.
Lo he disfrutado bastante a pesar de sus cosillas y lo recomendaría a cualquier fan del género. Si me ha gustado a mí, que tienden a cansarme, a vosotros os encantará.
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A fantastic JRPG that, despite fixing several of the worst vices of the genre, still falls on them (random encounters, need to stop and grind, frustrating and unfair bosses...). Still, it's easily one of the most enjoyable "classics", and that's worth something.
The presentation is fantastic and everyone in the main cast is interesting in their own way. Some plots are a bit slower or dense, but overall they're all very enjoyable.
I really liked the combat system. It's perhaps a bit repetitive near the end, but it's very satisfying when you manage to string a good combination of turns and you deal a several-tens-of-thousands-of-damage blow.
I enjoyed it quite a lot despite its flaws and I'd recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the genre. If I liked it while I tend to grow tired of them, you'll love it.
Using Ochettes Provoke Beasts ability you can summon a single use monster up to 6 times here's how
Step 1, Max Boost
Step 2, Open Provoke Beasts menu by selecting the skill
Step 3, Activate Latent Power while still in Provoke Beasts menu
Step 4, Close Latent Power Menu and Open Standard Summon Beast Menu
Step 5, Click on Scourge of the Sea 6 times
Step 6, Watch as you break every shield on the final boss in a single turn
Step 1, Max Boost
Step 2, Open Provoke Beasts menu by selecting the skill
Step 3, Activate Latent Power while still in Provoke Beasts menu
Step 4, Close Latent Power Menu and Open Standard Summon Beast Menu
Step 5, Click on Scourge of the Sea 6 times
Step 6, Watch as you break every shield on the final boss in a single turn
they finally added the ost on spotify! this game means a lot to me. no game has made me feel more like an adventurer than this game. a lot of jrpgs are immersive for the plots, environments, et cetera; however, there's something else about this game.
octopath traveler 2's setting honestly isn't anything new or too crazy. a large, sprawling fantasy world with magic, melee, the whole nine. the only real twist to the standard fantasy world this game adds is the start of an industrial revolution, solistia on the cusp of developing the steam engine, trains, and firepower. however, this is by no means to the game's downfall. octopath traveler 2 takes what is an already familiar setting to most players and perfectly polishes it. this is one of the most immersive games i've ever played; the formula of starting off with one traveler in an open world, running around wherever your heart desires and your stubbornness to ignore level caps takes you. journeying around and collecting each protagonist across the map one by one is a truly adventurous experience which leads no two players to have the same experience with this game.
the story structure of the game allows all kinds of players to enjoy the large time commitment that is playing a jrpg. not everyone is able to sit and play an 8 hour long session, and octopath acknowledges that. on days when i had work, i would come home late at night and tired. however, when i still had the urge to play, i was able to fit in one chapter of the story for whichever character i felt seeing. this easily digestible format allows any sort of player to enjoy the game at their own pace, and that's wonderful.
as i sit here writing this while listening to the game's amazing ost on spotify, i can't help but reminisce on all of the good times i had with this game. this reminiscence is what brought me on to pour out my feelings about this game to an empty echo chamber in the first place. i just needed to express my love for this game out loud, even if nobody can hear.
as i was playing this game, i went through a breakup with my then-partner of 3 and a half years. this game provided a nice escapism of that time and truly lets me look back on that month with fondness instead of sadness. the game's final messages taught me to look to the dawn of the next day, even if it seems dark. octopath traveler 2 is truly a personal journey i'll never forget. playing a video game has never felt so personalized and adventurous before. to you, who i feel like i wronged those many months ago, i hope you're doing okay out there.
as this game displayed its final cutscenes, messages, and ending art, i couldn't express my feelings with anything but tears. i think i sat on that ending screen for at least 5-10 minutes and cried nonstop. there's just something special about this game that i can't describe. i do not think this game has the most amazing story i've ever consumed, nor the best characters ever written or insanely amazing gameplay. however, it truly is something special. i can't help but feel a deep love for this journey that i was allowed to be taken on. i've never missed playing a video game so much for the first time as i do for this one. i'm almost glad i didn't play octopath 1 before this. experiencing the format of this series for the first time with this game which, as far as i know, improved upon the first game in every single way, was truly unforgettable. to the entire team behind this game, thank you for giving me an experience i'll never forget. this game's story, characters, music, and full journey is something i will always hold on to.
thank you, octopath 2, for letting me journey with you. whether or not this series ever gets more installments, i'll always consider myself a traveler.
thank you.
octopath traveler 2's setting honestly isn't anything new or too crazy. a large, sprawling fantasy world with magic, melee, the whole nine. the only real twist to the standard fantasy world this game adds is the start of an industrial revolution, solistia on the cusp of developing the steam engine, trains, and firepower. however, this is by no means to the game's downfall. octopath traveler 2 takes what is an already familiar setting to most players and perfectly polishes it. this is one of the most immersive games i've ever played; the formula of starting off with one traveler in an open world, running around wherever your heart desires and your stubbornness to ignore level caps takes you. journeying around and collecting each protagonist across the map one by one is a truly adventurous experience which leads no two players to have the same experience with this game.
the story structure of the game allows all kinds of players to enjoy the large time commitment that is playing a jrpg. not everyone is able to sit and play an 8 hour long session, and octopath acknowledges that. on days when i had work, i would come home late at night and tired. however, when i still had the urge to play, i was able to fit in one chapter of the story for whichever character i felt seeing. this easily digestible format allows any sort of player to enjoy the game at their own pace, and that's wonderful.
as i sit here writing this while listening to the game's amazing ost on spotify, i can't help but reminisce on all of the good times i had with this game. this reminiscence is what brought me on to pour out my feelings about this game to an empty echo chamber in the first place. i just needed to express my love for this game out loud, even if nobody can hear.
as i was playing this game, i went through a breakup with my then-partner of 3 and a half years. this game provided a nice escapism of that time and truly lets me look back on that month with fondness instead of sadness. the game's final messages taught me to look to the dawn of the next day, even if it seems dark. octopath traveler 2 is truly a personal journey i'll never forget. playing a video game has never felt so personalized and adventurous before. to you, who i feel like i wronged those many months ago, i hope you're doing okay out there.
as this game displayed its final cutscenes, messages, and ending art, i couldn't express my feelings with anything but tears. i think i sat on that ending screen for at least 5-10 minutes and cried nonstop. there's just something special about this game that i can't describe. i do not think this game has the most amazing story i've ever consumed, nor the best characters ever written or insanely amazing gameplay. however, it truly is something special. i can't help but feel a deep love for this journey that i was allowed to be taken on. i've never missed playing a video game so much for the first time as i do for this one. i'm almost glad i didn't play octopath 1 before this. experiencing the format of this series for the first time with this game which, as far as i know, improved upon the first game in every single way, was truly unforgettable. to the entire team behind this game, thank you for giving me an experience i'll never forget. this game's story, characters, music, and full journey is something i will always hold on to.
thank you, octopath 2, for letting me journey with you. whether or not this series ever gets more installments, i'll always consider myself a traveler.
thank you.
This review contains spoilers
This is actually a horror jrpg.
Jokes aside, I very very much enjoyed this game so much more than the first one. The worldbuilding is phenomenal. I love the whole cast. Some of the characters' stories hit pretty hard to the point I cried. That means it's good.
Jokes aside, I very very much enjoyed this game so much more than the first one. The worldbuilding is phenomenal. I love the whole cast. Some of the characters' stories hit pretty hard to the point I cried. That means it's good.
Not everyone is going to jive with Octopath Traveler II, and I fully understand that. Its key flaws are that well, it's too easy compared to the original - and that its story is disjointed, just like the original. So it becomes niche in a genre that's already somewhat niche (JRPGs).
BUT - Octopath Traveler II is phenomenal if you can get past those flaws. Every party member is fantastic when it comes to characterization and voice acting. Their stories may vary in quality, but they're all at baseline good. There's more interconnectivity in OT2 compared to the original, more side missions where the party members mingle together, and the party members actually talk to each other mid-combat, etc. The new Latent Power system is great, as well as the other improvements to the first game's mechanics.
It's JRPG perfection, with a banger soundtrack to boot. It easily should've been nominated for Best Score and Best RPG of 2023. And quite frankly, it was my Game of the Year for 2023. Outstanding achievement for Team Asano, and I can't wait for what's next.
Score: 96
BUT - Octopath Traveler II is phenomenal if you can get past those flaws. Every party member is fantastic when it comes to characterization and voice acting. Their stories may vary in quality, but they're all at baseline good. There's more interconnectivity in OT2 compared to the original, more side missions where the party members mingle together, and the party members actually talk to each other mid-combat, etc. The new Latent Power system is great, as well as the other improvements to the first game's mechanics.
It's JRPG perfection, with a banger soundtrack to boot. It easily should've been nominated for Best Score and Best RPG of 2023. And quite frankly, it was my Game of the Year for 2023. Outstanding achievement for Team Asano, and I can't wait for what's next.
Score: 96
This game is the pinnacle of production values for a 2D JRPG. Incredible visuals and voice acting. One of the best JRPG soundtracks of all time. Gameplay is overall fine, with a decent story and a big improvement from Octopath 1. Gameplay became tedious eventually.
Octopath 2 is an incredible game, and the culmination of a number of lessons Square Enix learned from its predecessor.
This games' stories feel on average more engaging, and the gameplay's also seen great improvement with the addition of latent powers, day/night cycles and so much more. Every moment I spent in this world was absolutely magical, from the breathtaking visuals and OST, stellar voice acting, amazing exploration and engaging combat. Not all stories and characters here are made equal, which is unfortunate, but inevitable in a game with eight different stories to tell. Though Castti's one of the more fun and unique characters to play, her story left quite a lot to be desired for me. And Partitio's shining personality and engaging tale was bogged down by his relatively simple combat uses.
I still loved almost all of the characters in terms of both gameplay and story. From Ochette's relatively simple adventure mixed with the crazy beast summons to Castti's relatively forgettable story but amazingly unique latent power or Throné's marriage of debuffs and damage with an engaging tale, Osvald's crazy magic damage and gripping revenge plot, Partitio's BP dealing and ridiculous charisma, Agnea's heartwarming coming of age mixed with great buffs, Temenos' great mystery and white magic, or Hikari's charming shonen tale and massive damage numbers. I loved almost all these characters had to offer.
In any case, the group dynamic between these eight was much better explored in this entry, though I wish it could have somehow gone just that little bit further. Just that little extra push to make this game a true masterpiece. In any case, irrespective of some minor shortcomings, the world of Octopath 2 is definitely not one I'll be forgetting any time soon.
This games' stories feel on average more engaging, and the gameplay's also seen great improvement with the addition of latent powers, day/night cycles and so much more. Every moment I spent in this world was absolutely magical, from the breathtaking visuals and OST, stellar voice acting, amazing exploration and engaging combat. Not all stories and characters here are made equal, which is unfortunate, but inevitable in a game with eight different stories to tell. Though Castti's one of the more fun and unique characters to play, her story left quite a lot to be desired for me. And Partitio's shining personality and engaging tale was bogged down by his relatively simple combat uses.
I still loved almost all of the characters in terms of both gameplay and story. From Ochette's relatively simple adventure mixed with the crazy beast summons to Castti's relatively forgettable story but amazingly unique latent power or Throné's marriage of debuffs and damage with an engaging tale, Osvald's crazy magic damage and gripping revenge plot, Partitio's BP dealing and ridiculous charisma, Agnea's heartwarming coming of age mixed with great buffs, Temenos' great mystery and white magic, or Hikari's charming shonen tale and massive damage numbers. I loved almost all these characters had to offer.
In any case, the group dynamic between these eight was much better explored in this entry, though I wish it could have somehow gone just that little bit further. Just that little extra push to make this game a true masterpiece. In any case, irrespective of some minor shortcomings, the world of Octopath 2 is definitely not one I'll be forgetting any time soon.
This game actually goes pretty crazy. It's got the cozy JRPG vibes down, the mechanics have a lot of depth and customizability to snap the game in half(in a good way), and the characters and stories are great. The cast manages to feel like a cohesive party as part of a greater story in spite of its structure.