Octopath Traveler 2 Review – Go Your Own Way

Octopath Traveler was a pleasing shock when it debuted just a few years again. Its then-new HD-2D engine was a delight to behold, and the gameplay drew inspiration from a few of Square Enix’s most storied franchises: a deep Final Fantasy-style class and customization system combined with the non-linear exploration and story of the SaGa collection with a splash of fight that took cues from Bravely Default. These are nice inspirations to attract from, nevertheless it resulted in a recreation that, whereas wonderful, gave the impression to be struggling for a definite identification. Perhaps the builders acknowledged this as well–with Octopath Traveler II, Square Enix appears to be making an attempt so as to add new gameplay components that give the franchise a character of its personal. And, for essentially the most half, it has succeeded admirably.The core of Octopath Traveler II is a conventional, turn-based JRPG with most of the standard gameplay components: cities and dungeons to discover, goals to finish, and many others. Where most JRPGs current a linear technique of development, nevertheless, Octopath Traveler takes a really completely different method: You start the sport by deciding on a “main” character from eight candidates. This character has their very own distinctive background, story arc, and targets, and can function a continuing presence all through your playtime. After an introductory story chapter, you’re then free to discover the world to your liking. Eventually, you may meet the opposite seven characters, permitting you to convey them into your social gathering and observe their storylines as properly, all culminating in a finale that ties the person story threads collectively.The concentrate on particular person character arcs slightly than an enormous, high-stakes risk for a lot of the recreation’s runtime is refreshing, permitting Octopath Traveler II to inform a wide range of intriguing tales that adjust wildly in each tone and focus. Some of them are comparatively weaker, however others command and maintain your consideration and hold you anticipating extra. Agnea’s star-struck seek for fame is notably bland, as an illustration, whereas Temenos’ investigation right into a homicide plot by a non secular cult and Throne’s quest to kill the adoptive dad and mom who raised her are wonderful stand-outs. My private favourite questline is the story of Osvald, who I selected as my beginning character–a story of a scholar who plans a Count-of-Monte-Christo-style jail escape and revenge after being framed for the homicide of his circle of relatives by a scheming colleague.As quickly as you end the primary a part of a personality’s story, you are allowed to proceed on to the following chapters, as there are not any arduous boundaries to progressing the way you select. That does not imply you’ll be able to stroll anyplace on the earth and not using a care, nevertheless: Some areas function considerably extra harmful foes than others, and making an attempt to stumble by them with a low-level social gathering is kind of an excessive risk–albeit one the sport does not stop you from making an attempt when you really feel assured in your survival abilities. In truth, going into dangerous locations can yield some main rewards, however there’s nothing notably punishing about taking part in it protected, both. Octopath Traveler’s lack of hand-holding in comparison with many different JRPGs could also be off-putting at first–it does not provide a lot steering except for very primary tutorials–but the liberty it grants you to discover and try challenges on the consolation stage you select is one in all its strongest factors.One of essentially the most fascinating sides to exploration are the Path Actions distinctive to every character. Path Actions can be found when interacting with the vast majority of NPCs, permitting you to interact with them in a wide range of methods: buying gadgets, studying skills, gaining additional data wanted to finish important and subquests, and even recruiting them as helpers in fight. New to Octopath Traveler II is a day/evening cycle (which, fortunately, you’ll be able to management at will) that modifications which NPCs seem and what Path Actions can be found to you. For instance, service provider Partitio should buy gadgets from NPCs throughout daytime at discounted costs, whereas at evening he can rent characters as assistants in fight. There is overlap within the features of characters’ Path Actions, however judging which is most helpful in a given state of affairs provides a enjoyable layer of technique not usually current in JRPG city exploration.Octopath Traveler IIGallery Then we come to fight, which is essentially the most satisfying and fascinating factor of Octopath Traveler II. The turn-based encounters construct upon the muse set by the unique, emphasizing the necessity to strategically break down enemy defenses by the usage of particular abilities and weapons. There’s additionally a “boost” system that permits you to considerably improve the efficacy of characters’ actions by consuming the Boost Points that construct up slowly throughout every flip of fight. The distinctive nature of every character extends to their efficiency in fight: Every social gathering member has a number of particular person abilities and quirks that considerably have an effect on their particular actions and the stream of fight as a complete Samurai warrior Hikari brings fight abilities discovered from NPCs into the fray, whereas apothecary Castti can combine gadgets collectively to create useful or dangerous concoctions. Perhaps essentially the most enjoyable of those abilities is that of Ochette, a beast-woman who can seize enemies and cook dinner them into health- and status-restoring meat–or hold them to make use of their abilities in fight.You do not need to be content material with simply the default abilities of your characters, both. Like the unique recreation, you’ll be able to assign characters a sub-job, which is able to permit them to be taught energetic and passive abilities particular to every class, in addition to equip a greater diversity of weaponry. Playing round and discovering notably efficient combos of substances, social gathering composition, and skillsets is kind of gratifying and rewarding, with every new talent unlock including one thing new to your general repertoire–and hidden job courses and EX abilities discovered over the course of the sport add much more surprises and choices. A brand new factor of Octopath Traveler II’s battle strategizing is Latent Powers, character-specific Limit-Break-style skills that may dramatically have an effect on fight when used on the proper time. Every social gathering member’s Latent Ability is completely different: Osvald can remodel multi-target assaults into intensely highly effective single-target strikes, Throne can take an additional flip, Hikari and Ochette get entry to new assault abilities, and Temenos can break by defenses with any assault. Using these abilities in tandem with a fastidiously crafted setup can create delightfully devious outcomes. For instance, you’ll be able to have others buff Osvald’s magic assaults, assault to place the enemy right into a damaged state, after which use Osvald’s Latent Ability and several other boosts to create a massively damaging single-target spell strike that melts away enemy HP like butter. Finding efficient instruments and setups can help you get by fight conditions that, usually, you may be horrendously under-leveled for, which yields immense satisfaction when all goes in keeping with plan. Which, generally, it does not, however that is danger for you.Octopath Traveler IIGallery Octopath Traveler II is not with out some quibbles and frustrations, although. Every character that joins you begins out at a low stage, requiring a time funding earlier than they stand up to parity with the remainder of the social gathering. Dungeon and discipline exploration could be very primary, with little in the way in which of puzzles or gimmicks to boost typical path-following–with only some facet roads resulting in treasure chests taking you off the crushed path. Sometimes you are overwhelmed with selection paralysis as to what to do subsequent within the varied tales, whereas at different occasions you’re feeling like your entire potential subsequent strikes are high-level adventures which will put you in means over your head. The danger/reward system for sure Path Actions is completely nonsensical: I will not get my popularity on the town tarnished for mugging or choosing fights with individuals, however I’ll if I fail to entice an NPC to affix my social gathering? These aren’t enormous flaws by any stretch, however they’re issues that I hope can be ironed out and spruced up in potential future installments.Octopath Traveler II is a perfect sequel. It builds upon the foundations of the unique by enhancing on what labored, establishing widespread pillars of design and gameplay–combat mechanics, Path Actions, freeform progress–that will hopefully carry forth by future video games. It additionally iterates upon ideas and concepts borrowed from different JRPGs–the day/evening cycle and Latent Abilities–that improve the general expertise. Octopath Traveler II is a delight from begin to end, and has left me wanting ahead to seeing the place this collection will take itself sooner or later.