Octopath Traveler II review: A game of straightforward pleasures

RPGs — additional especially, those from Square Enix — are getting a nostalgia moment. Dispensing with the graphical and gameplay trappings of present day video games, like Dragon Age: Inquisition or Persona 5, Square Enix has released various video games equivalent to the RPGs of yore. These are the games with sprite art, convert-based mostly combat and deep stories informed in text bins. A single of their initially ventures in this throwback genre was 2018’s Octopath Traveler.

Now the sequel, Octopath Traveler II, is out. And it begs the question: How do you enhance on the initial whilst sticking to the vision of an old-school RPG? The solution is in the refined variances and the gameplay tweaks. OT2 builds on the initial in modest ways, instead than with huge adjustments, and what we’ve received is a match that is an improve in most means that subject — although it is still not entirely it is individual entity.

Octopath Traveler II, inspite of getting a sequel, follows a new solid of 8 characters in a new planet with new challenges. They are:

• Osvald, a scholar out for revenge following staying framed for the murder of his spouse and children.
• Castti, an amnesiac apothecary out to find her real id.
• Throné, a occupation thief out to slay the abusive masters who command her.
• Ochette, a beastly hunter out to stop an oncoming calamity.
• Partitio, a merchant out to help you save his impoverished hometown.
• Agnea, a dancer out to turn into abundant and renowned.
• Temenos, a cleric out to remedy a series of mysterious murders.
• Hikari, a samurai out to enable the country that exiled him

As the over suggests, every single character has their possess story, with the initial just one you enjoy acting as the point-man or woman for the social gathering in all non-unique interactions. I chose Temenos (since I’m constantly down to clear up a murder secret) and later on seasoned the other characters’ stories when he encountered them.

A golden mild: What’s to like

The new octet of heroes are a various bunch, in the perception that you are going to obtain between them whatever story you might wish to perform. Agnea’s tale about getting a dancer is uncomplicated and clear-cut, whilst Throné’s tale about freeing herself from the manage of her abusive handlers is dark and elaborate. Just about every tale rolls out in a considerably organic vogue, with each and every character progressing separately as the party visits the spots in which each chapter performs out.

I will not go also significantly into the overarching story for the sake of spoilers, but I appreciated that, as it unfolds, features of just about every character’s tale turn into intertwined. It tends to make the get together truly feel like they are meant to be accomplishing what they’re carrying out, rather than a random bunch of people thrown together by possibility. I also enjoy that none of them are princes or legendary heroes — they’re operating-course people with difficulties. It aids hold the match from sensation far too melodramatic, like some other individuals I could name (*cough* Triangle Strategy).

As with the past activity, Octopath Traveler II is completely spectacular. Probably the sprite art blended with 3D backgrounds is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I identified it wonderful. And it is not just the history artwork, possibly — the character sprites are also well performed. 1 of the highlights of the match is during manager battles, when the manager character gets larger sized, extra in depth artwork. Which is when you know you’re in for a great time.

I also liked the voice performing in this recreation a little bit more than the prior 1. Maybe this is mainly because I played largely as Temenos, who has a puckish streak I was not anticipating for a cleric detective and a voice to match. But while neither sport had terrible voice performing, I liked the voices in the sequel a small little bit far more. Even the NPCs have individuality and colour.

The job program from the to start with Octopath Traveler has also returned, where people can get secondary work opportunities in addition to their major one. A single welcome tweak in OT2 is that you get secondary work opportunities by getting guild licenses, and several characters can have the same secondary job. This opens up more gameplay choices and battle choices.

Beat tweaks and social encounters

Combat is about what you’d anticipate from a convert-dependent RPG, but with a couple additional bells and whistles to preserve it attention-grabbing. The breaking and boosting technique from the initially sport returns, where by the party can exploit their opponents’ weaknesses to split their defenses and use a raise stage to unleash numerous or improved assaults in a single flip. Players have their have capabilities — which they can deploy making use of ability factors (SP) — and entry to a number of varieties of weapons for some wide variety.

In addition to their SP and enhance points, OT2’s figures also have a gauge that fills up as beat progresses. At the time it’s full, they can unleash their “latent electricity,” an ultimate capability that supplies numerous beat buffs. For case in point, Throné can transfer two times in one flip, whilst Agnea can use solitary-use skills on numerous enemies. These make the gameplay additional interesting, if not particularly hard, and are a person of the most interesting new mechanics in the game.

In addition to their beat chops, every character in OT2 has their personal social skills that they can use on NPCs in the entire world. Ochette can obstacle townsfolk to battles, when Throné can steal from them. Some of these capabilities appear with hazard — as in, if you are unsuccessful, townsfolk will not like you as substantially. Some of them are redundant: Castti’s Inquire, Osvald’s Scrutinize and Hikari’s Bribe all accomplish the very same purpose of acquiring info out of an individual. But at the very least it offers you some selections.

Octopath Traveler II introduces a working day-night cycle, a person of its key departures from the initial sport. This has an effect on sure combat skills, but it looks to have an even greater influence on the social expertise. Every single character has individual abilities for day and evening, that means that if you have to have a daytime talent and it’s nighttime in video game, you just strike a button and it instantly switches over. It is pleasurable to blend-and-match expertise at any offered time, viewing what presents you the finest resolution for any offered circumstance.

The darker areas: What is not to like

That remaining mentioned, I cannot help but experience that a great deal of the issues for which I praise OT2 are the identical things I could say about the primary Octopath Traveler. The sequel is not specially ingenious — and it doesn’t essentially have to be. But the first sport was by no indicates great, and it is a small disappointing that the builders haven’t definitely developed substantially from its foundation.

A single of the issues with Octopath Traveler was the deficiency of interactions concerning the group. For a match that was practically named following its squad of people, each just one rarely acknowledged that the other bash customers existed. OT2 makes an attempt to take care of this by incorporating “Crossed Paths,” quick episodes in which two characters crew up to go on a mission collectively. In principle, this fixes the situation, besides there are only four these types of episodes and each party member is in precisely one particular.

I initial noticed the Crossed Route with Throné and Temenos, for the reason that they have been my initial figures. I was delighted — right until I recognized neither would have a similar mission with the other bash members. If you desired to see Agnea team up with Ochette? Or Osvald with Hikari? Nope, forget about about it. I understand there’s a lot heading on in this recreation now, but which is my place. This is a RPG — they are intended to be huge. I don’t assume including a number of a lot more team-up missions would cause the cup to runneth more than.

There’s also a little bit of a unexciting grind difficulty — all over again, not dissimilar to the to start with activity. When I done Throné’s 1st chapter and connected her up with the party, I scanned the map to see exactly where it was situated, and the map helpfully educated me that the encouraged level for that mission was 16. For reference, Throné was degree 7 at the time. And the most effective way to get up to that level? Random encounters. It’s not precisely abnormal for an RPG, but it even now feels like a chore.

A wonderful world with beautiful assure

When it is at its best — and it is for the most section — Octopath Traveler II is a fantastic RPG that delivers clear-cut issues with relatable heroes and effortless-to-discover mechanics. There’s a simple joy in the overcome and gameplay mechanics, specifically when the figures turn out to be more effective. It is nevertheless a deal with to search at and the protagonists’ stories are various and complicated.

The major challenge I have with OT2 is in its similarities to its predecessor. It’s a pleasurable and great example of the genre, but doesn’t seriously extend outside of it. I suppose there are worse sins a sport can commit than just not experience substantially unique from its terrific predecessor. However, if Octopath Traveler was not your issue, Octopath Traveler II likely won’t be, possibly.

Sq. Enix delivered us with a duplicate of this recreation for the uses of evaluate. Octopath Traveler II is at present readily available on Nintendo Switch.