[ 1st Playthorugh Review ]
OCTOPATH demonstrated waht square does the best : making classic RPGs fun even with outdated mechanics like random encounters.
You have 8 characters to choose from at the start of the game , each with their own story and chapters in a world that's interconnected. You start with one and searc for the others to forma party and continue to progress. It's a really interesting concept since you can freely travel the map in the order you like the most , seeing what are the most dangerous areas and planning what to do next. Eaxh character as also a unique afield ability that lets you interact with the NPCs in different ways. the're small but impactufull in the right cases. In reality there are 4 types of field action , but there is a bad and good way to perform them. For example Tressa's ability is that she can buy items from other characters and some of them have really great ones. therion on the other hand can steal thoose object avoiding you the hassle to pay for it , but there is a probability you can fail to steal and you try more than 3 times your reputation will fall and NPCs will not help you anymore unless you pay someone to raise up your reputation. It's a really interesting world to explore and it rewards you really nicely especially if you're brave enogh to fight the RNG adventuring in the most dangerous zones and getting broken items early in the game. It's so much fun.
The combat system ALSO has really interesting tweaks. Each enemy has various weak points that you can discover using certain type of weapons or magic. Once you hit them enogh you'll stun the enemy giving you the chance to deal massive damage or having room to recover your entire party. Then each turn your characters will receive power points wich can be used to power up your next move up to 4 times. This combat ystem is awesome since it's a sort of puzzle with so many broken outcomes that you have to figure out. experimenting and exploration is heavily incentivized and the game has one of the best boss design i've seen in a classic RPG , making the most out of the combat system and heavily rewarding good plays.
With all theese goods OCTOPATH execution didn't show it's full potential to me. The stories where hit or miss a lot of times and the thing i disliked the most was the poor IF not inexistent interactions between the other party members.They're together but it doesn't feel like it. Also there is too much RNG abuse when it comes to grind and finding strong options for mechanics in the game that uses it , like hunting for monsters to use in battle. The game sometimes feels slow and repetitive even if exploration rewards you well.
Overall Octopath is a really interesting take in the classic RPG formula that isn't scared (unlike modern FF) to challenge the player. This might be the start of something great if done with more polish and attention to the story and character interactions. I had a good time nontheless and the overall quality of the game keeps up for all of its entirety. Oh and yeah as always the soundtrack is amazing.
[ 8.0 / 10 ]
OCTOPATH demonstrated waht square does the best : making classic RPGs fun even with outdated mechanics like random encounters.
You have 8 characters to choose from at the start of the game , each with their own story and chapters in a world that's interconnected. You start with one and searc for the others to forma party and continue to progress. It's a really interesting concept since you can freely travel the map in the order you like the most , seeing what are the most dangerous areas and planning what to do next. Eaxh character as also a unique afield ability that lets you interact with the NPCs in different ways. the're small but impactufull in the right cases. In reality there are 4 types of field action , but there is a bad and good way to perform them. For example Tressa's ability is that she can buy items from other characters and some of them have really great ones. therion on the other hand can steal thoose object avoiding you the hassle to pay for it , but there is a probability you can fail to steal and you try more than 3 times your reputation will fall and NPCs will not help you anymore unless you pay someone to raise up your reputation. It's a really interesting world to explore and it rewards you really nicely especially if you're brave enogh to fight the RNG adventuring in the most dangerous zones and getting broken items early in the game. It's so much fun.
The combat system ALSO has really interesting tweaks. Each enemy has various weak points that you can discover using certain type of weapons or magic. Once you hit them enogh you'll stun the enemy giving you the chance to deal massive damage or having room to recover your entire party. Then each turn your characters will receive power points wich can be used to power up your next move up to 4 times. This combat ystem is awesome since it's a sort of puzzle with so many broken outcomes that you have to figure out. experimenting and exploration is heavily incentivized and the game has one of the best boss design i've seen in a classic RPG , making the most out of the combat system and heavily rewarding good plays.
With all theese goods OCTOPATH execution didn't show it's full potential to me. The stories where hit or miss a lot of times and the thing i disliked the most was the poor IF not inexistent interactions between the other party members.They're together but it doesn't feel like it. Also there is too much RNG abuse when it comes to grind and finding strong options for mechanics in the game that uses it , like hunting for monsters to use in battle. The game sometimes feels slow and repetitive even if exploration rewards you well.
Overall Octopath is a really interesting take in the classic RPG formula that isn't scared (unlike modern FF) to challenge the player. This might be the start of something great if done with more polish and attention to the story and character interactions. I had a good time nontheless and the overall quality of the game keeps up for all of its entirety. Oh and yeah as always the soundtrack is amazing.
[ 8.0 / 10 ]
Reviewed on May 21, 2023