You know what? This was a lot better than I thought it was going to be! I haven't played OG Octopath, but I've heard mixed things about it, but even I can tell from this game that everything about it was upgraded.
The visuals and soundtrack are absolutely stunning, probably one of the best looking and sounding games all year. The HD-2D style is so awesome and it was done amazingly here. The combat is genuinely really fun and strategic with a ton of strategy and a bunch of really good boss fights between the stories that actually are pretty tough.
And then there's the story, which I can TELL is a massive improvement from the original based on the way it's described to me. All of the characters in this game are super fun and well-written, with a ton of opportunities for fleshing them out in both the main story and the crossover side stories, which I hear isn't even IN the original. The way the stories intertwine feel super natural and the stories themselves are just a lot better written, with Throne and Temenos in particular being standouts for me.
I think what's kinda holding this game back for being a masterpiece for me is an ultimately petty reason. I think the overworld is fairly basic in its mechanical design (not creative, god no). I don't think I'm gonna remember any specific puzzles or setpieces in this world compared to something like Xenoblade 3. There's also the fact that each new recruit starts out super low-leveled, which makes sense but can be a bit of a pain.
But apart from that, this is just a beautiful game with an incredible soundtrack, fun jrpg combat, memorable boss encounters, a really well told, interconnected story, and a cast of characters I genuinely loved. Banger game. I was pleasantly surprised with this one.
The visuals and soundtrack are absolutely stunning, probably one of the best looking and sounding games all year. The HD-2D style is so awesome and it was done amazingly here. The combat is genuinely really fun and strategic with a ton of strategy and a bunch of really good boss fights between the stories that actually are pretty tough.
And then there's the story, which I can TELL is a massive improvement from the original based on the way it's described to me. All of the characters in this game are super fun and well-written, with a ton of opportunities for fleshing them out in both the main story and the crossover side stories, which I hear isn't even IN the original. The way the stories intertwine feel super natural and the stories themselves are just a lot better written, with Throne and Temenos in particular being standouts for me.
I think what's kinda holding this game back for being a masterpiece for me is an ultimately petty reason. I think the overworld is fairly basic in its mechanical design (not creative, god no). I don't think I'm gonna remember any specific puzzles or setpieces in this world compared to something like Xenoblade 3. There's also the fact that each new recruit starts out super low-leveled, which makes sense but can be a bit of a pain.
But apart from that, this is just a beautiful game with an incredible soundtrack, fun jrpg combat, memorable boss encounters, a really well told, interconnected story, and a cast of characters I genuinely loved. Banger game. I was pleasantly surprised with this one.