octopath traveller 2 review

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Summary This game is a brand-new entry in the OCTOPATH TRAVELER series, the first installment of which was initially released in 2018 and sold over 3 million copies worldwide. It takes the series’ HD-2D graphics, a fusion of retro pixel art and 3DCG, to even greater heights. In the world of Solistia, eight new travelers venture forth into an ex ... Read More

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Octopath Traveler 2 is eight good stories in search of a great one

Compelling mechanics and a gorgeous world can’t carry all of the weight

by Jay Castello

Hikari leads the party across a bridge in Octopath Traveler 2

Many of Octopath Traveler 2 ’s most memorable moments are about human connection. Castti, the amnesiac apothecary, learning about her lost past from her previous patients; Hikari, the exiled prince, tracking down and reconnecting with his allies; Agnea, the dancer, wanting to bring joy to people by putting on shows in her mother’s memory.

There’s a lot more to the eight characters and their adventures, but it’s those moments of interpersonal care that stand out, because they cast an unavoidable question on the game: Why aren’t any of these protagonists actually friends?

For dozens of hours, some combination of four out of the eight will be together. While exploring the gorgeous, meticulously drawn 2.5D world, they run together in a neat little row. When fighting, considering their strengths and weaknesses and using their abilities in concert during turn-based battles is crucial. But come to a main story scene, and everyone but the single person directly involved will suddenly disappear.

Castii stands on a bridge in a town at night in Octopath Traveler 2

The occasional prompt to see “travel banter,” wherein two characters suddenly stand in a foggy nowhere world overlaid on their previous position and awkwardly chat as if they’ve just recently met, does nothing to alleviate this problem. Neither do the occasional, shallow side stories that see characters’ paths cross. In fact, these feel more jarring than having everybody disappear, because they neither develop nor showcase any believable connections.

The same separation apparently existed in the original Octopath Traveler (which I haven’t played), and I wonder whether it, too, felt so at odds with the story the wider game was telling. Every one of the eight narratives weaves in side characters so skillfully that their relationships with the respective protagonists feel like the core of the game. Unlike the travel banter, their short time on screen is put to good use building histories and personalities for the protagonists. The sprites are also worth highlighting here, with incredible expressivity packed into the tiny figures: mannerisms, gestures, even actions like smoking all add up quickly.

But while the liveliness of the side cast is fantastic, it only further exacerbates the isolation of the main crew from one another. When, for example, characters from an earlier chapter appear to cheer on Agnea at her big dance, the absence of any of her traveling companions feels stark. Conversely, when someone threatens the apothecary Castti and tells her to go to a shady building alone, seeing three other protagonists suddenly appear alongside her undermines the tension.

Osvald stands beneath a rainbow on ivy-covered cliffs in Octopath Traveler 2

It’s a shame, because this odd sense of disconnect aside, Octopath Traveler 2 is compelling. You travel across an expansive world, recruiting new characters and diving into their quests, solving big and small problems for various towns and groups as you go.

Octopath Traveler 2’s poignant moments remain muffled by the gulf between the group — their momentum halted by the silence between the principal actors

The eight tales range from passable (Partitio the merchant’s desire to bring friendly capitalism everywhere he goes is probably the most uneven) to cheesy but enjoyable (Ochette the beastling hunter might not have much of a character arc, but she’s cute and fun), to cleverly moving (there’s a boss fight in scholar Osvald’s route that uses mechanical storytelling to incredible effect). Taken together, they have an anchoring thematic core about separating personal ambition from damaging greed, while their variety creates a world filled with historical, magical, societal, and religious detail.

That world is also stunning to look at, and if it’s sometimes convoluted to navigate thanks to the winding paths, vague world map, and even vaguer radar, that’s not so much a problem as it is an excuse: to spend more time looking at the sun-dappled trees, marveling at the moonlit snow, or listening to the stellar soundtrack. It also doesn’t matter if traveling takes a bit longer and runs you into more enemies, because you’re going to need to grind anyway. The main chapters’ recommended levels take a big jump in both the mid- and endgame, so that extra XP picked up through backtracking is still going to good use.

The party members fight a boss in a castle entryway in Octopath Traveler 2

Although this interstitial grinding wears thin toward the end of the game — you stop unlocking interesting abilities at a certain point — the pacing of the chapters themselves is snappy. Most last an hour or two and involve catching up with the multifarious cast of side characters, perhaps using some of the protagonists’ special skills to progress, and then tackling a grand boss fight.

Puzzling your way through these encounters starts well before you get into the fight itself: team composition, equipment, and skills are all crucial. For example, Osvald’s mage powers deal different kinds of elemental damage, but bashing someone with his staff isn’t going to do much physical harm. Hikari, on the other hand, can do massive damage with a single swing, as long as he has a strong enough sword, and perhaps a buff from Castti. Balancing these elements throughout the fight is very satisfying when it works, although losing focus near the end of these long battles can quickly snowball into something devastating. This is especially a problem toward the end of the game, when difficulty spikes become more prevalent and the fights become even longer. (It also didn’t help that I ran into a few UI bugs that prevented important text from telling me what certain abilities and items did.)

Hikari speaks to a friend in an ethereal void in Octopath Traveler 2

Quibbles aside, these boss fights are generally satisfying conclusions to their chapters, particularly because most bosses’ abilities reflect their characterization in the story. A comically evil medic might focus on debuffing and poisoning the party, while an enemy general trained in swordplay is probably just going to hit very hard and very often.

But even as I enjoy the thought put into each fight’s design, I find myself coming back to the lack of connection between the protagonists. When one protagonist has to fight a childhood friend, their similarities in attacks and strategy is emotionally effective; and there are several similar examples of this attention to mechanical cause and narrative effect. But those poignant moments remain muffled by the gulf between the group — their momentum halted by the silence between the principal actors.

Anyone who’s spent any time in fandom circles knows how a little goes a long way when it comes to filling in the gaps in character relationships. A hand on a shoulder, a passing compliment, a little joke — anything can be fuel for the imagination. There was plenty of time in Octopath Traveler 2 , during exploration and combat, when my mind was free to wander and would have done most of the work — if there was any foundation for me to build from. But I can’t help feeling that imaginative fuel wasn’t put into the script to begin with. Without it, Octopath Traveler 2 is beautifully realized, but there’s a hole at its center.

Octopath Traveler 2 will be released on Feb. 24 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC. The game was reviewed on Switch using a pre-release download code provided by Square Enix. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here .

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Octopath Traveler 2 review: the flawed JRPG returns for more of the same

The path well travelled

You know that famous saying about those who forget the past are forever doomed to make the same mistakes? That's Octopath Traveler 2 in a nutshell, a JRPG that follows so precisely in the footsteps of its predecessor that you'd be forgiven for thinking it was suddenly 2019 again and that the last few pandemic years were nothing but a terrible existential nightmare. But alas, here we are in 2023 with another Octopath Traveler game that is, bar a couple of very light tweaks and additions, exactly the same game as what came before it, for better and for worse.

Let’s start with what’s different. The big one is that Octopath Treveler 2 is set on a completely different continent with eight fresh traveller stories to pursue, meaning you can come to this without any prior knowledge of the first game and still have a great time. There's some evolutionary work at play here in how its battle system operates and the way its character stories have been given a bit more connective tissue this time round (more on that in a sec), but the basic nuts and bolts are fundamentally the same.

As before, you get to pick one of its eight heroes to serve as your main (and permanently locked) protagonist in order to kick things off, and once you've completed their opening chapter you're then free to travel in any direction you want to pick up the rest of the crew, and pursue their own four-chapter story arcs in whatever order you like. And also like the first game, Octopath Traveler 2 doesn't properly end until you've finished all eight character stories and unlocked and completed the secret 'Final' chapter that ties it all together.

In some ways, I'm glad that Square Enix and fellow co-developers Acquire haven't forgotten what makes Octopath Traveler brilliant : its turn-based battle system continues to be a compelling centrepiece in this enormous undertaking, propping up its eight individual storylines with moreish, climatic setpieces, even when the fuel powering its plotlines has long since run dry. Players of Square Enix's Bravely Default games will immediately recognise the glee and satisfaction of storing and saving up turns to unleash in an almighty burst of powered up pain, and Persona fans will continue to revel in the way you can break and daze enemies big and small by exploiting their very specific crop of individual weak points, which are meticulously uncovered by whacking them with every single weapon and spell at your current disposal.

Warriors fight a large prison guard and their two lackeys in Octopath Traveler 2

This process of identifying and narrowing in on an enemy's vulnerabilities, bringing down their defences one notch at a time before finally timing their 'break' point just right in order to 'boost' your party's attacks in the next turn when they're too stunned to move remains Octopath Traveler 2's greatest strength. The way characters pulse with energy as they boost up to their maximum turn count, gusts of wind and glowing light billowing out from under their tiny pixelated feet, delivers an exquisite power curve that even the best Final Fantasy games can struggle to match these days, and it manages to do it all without the aid of screen-hogging summon monsters, too. Plus, when each battle is accompanied by the soaring battle themes from returning composer Yasunori Nishiki, you can’t help but look forward to each and every encounter.

Octopath Traveler 2 builds on its predecessor’s excellent battle system by adding new 'latent powers' for your cast of heroes. They're essentially limit breaks by another name – special abilities that trigger once each character's been hit enough times to fill up the tiny circular meters above their HP bars. They don’t fundamentally change the rhythm of your battle tactics per se, but they’re enough of a trump card to turn the tide in large boss fights, and crucially add some much-needed variety to what are essentially the exact same eight character classes you've probably played before. As in the first game, you've got your standard sword and polearm-wielding warrior, your dagger-y thief and dancer, your axe and bow-carrying hunter and apothecary, spellcasting scholar and cleric, and the slightly useless merchant, who prefers to chuck money (and other hired muscle) at their problems rather than contribute anything themselves.

Warriors stand on top of a wooded hillside in Octopath Traveler 2

It's a shame Octopath Traveler 2 hasn’t branched out in this respect. While there are four new ‘secret’ job types to be found in the wider world map, the basic classes that you’ll be spending the majority of the game with do all largely feel identical to the first Octopath. The attacks might have different names, but they all fall into the same broad categories that returning players will instantly recognise. If you missed Octopath Traveler the first time round, congratulations! You have one of today's best JRPG battle systems to look forward to here. But as one of those returning players, I was a mite disappointed. With little incentive to shake things up, I quickly fell back into the same old tactics I used before, and even its returning secondary job system gave me little impetus to experiment with different class combos. Sure, you could probably force some more interesting synergies into existence by deliberately mismatching different class types, but why deliberately stab yourself in the foot like that when its difficulty curve is already reasonably steep?

Still, even if its character classes have remained fairly static, the construction of its eight individual stories has at least made some encouraging movements in the right direction. Small ones, mind, but at least they don’t all follow the same rinse-repeat cycle of ‘dialogue, dungeon, boss fight’ anymore. Most chapters still follow this template to some degree, of course, culminating in a dramatic, over the top boss fight, but how you get there is a lot less formulaic, whether that’s having a chapter split over multiple locations this time, or some simply opting not to have a boss fight at all. They’re baby steps, sure, but I found it was nevertheless an effective remedy to Octopath’s previous late-game slump.

A woman in a purple dress stands outside a western-themed village in Octopath Traveler 2

This is helped in part by the introduction of a new day and night cycle, which gives your characters different ‘path actions’ to inflict on NPCs depending on the time of day. Your apothecary might be able to inquire about people in need during the day, for example, but at night they’re able to create concoctions to put them to sleep and ease their troubles. Admittedly, many of these new options are simply riffs on pre-existing powers held by other members of your team – your thief can also incapacitate enemies, for example, while your cleric can interrogate the same information out of them by ‘breaking’ them in battle (the latter being the most sinister addition to this sequel by far, despite being functionally the same as what your thief and medic achieve). They are, in short, just more ways of achieving the same thing as before, without actually bringing anything new to the table.

During cutscenes [...], the rest of your party effectively don’t exist, only showing up to help biff the big bad before buggering off again.

But when you consider Octopath Traveler 2’s other big problem, this marginally wider set of actions does at least make them feel like more rounded individuals than their predecessors – and yep, that big problem is exactly the same one I had with the first game. For despite having eight-strong party at your disposal, their individual stories still don’t mesh very well to create a convincing whole. Sure, your active party members will faithfully trundle about behind your main protagonist, but during cutscenes and important moments of exposition, it’s only ever the central character whose plot you’re following that’s ever onscreen - the rest of your party effectively don’t exist in those moments, only showing up to help biff the big bad before buggering off again.

It's understandable, given the freeform structure of the whole thing, as you simply can’t guarantee other characters will even be there or in your current party at any given moment. Admittedly, more effort has been made to rectify this here, with standalone ‘Crossed Paths’ stories unlocking at certain points to show, heaven forbid, two characters going on an adventure together. Sadly, these are little more than glorified skits (or Travel Banter moments, in Octopath’s parlance) most of the time, adding little to the wider story or their own individual plotlines. Once they’re over, it’s back to pretending everyone else doesn’t exist anymore.

A dancer bids farewell to their home town in Octopath Traveler 2

Your mileage on some of those main story arcs will vary as well. Ochette, the beastling hunter I chose as my starter hero, is a great place to start: her storyline is classic ‘the end of the world is nigh’ fare that sees her travelling the world to call home three legendary guardian creatures to protect her island home against a once-in-400-years event called The Night Of The Scarlet Moon. Given the seeming urgency of this task, however, I just can’t imagine her palling around with dancer Agnea, who at one point spends an entire in-game week entertaining the locals in a rundown city pub as she works to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become the world’s greatest dancer.

Neither can I see Hikari, an exiled prince looking to reclaim his homeland, sitting around twiddling his thumbs when there’s a usurper to take down, or indeed Osvald, a framed scholar who’s hellbent on getting revenge on the man who killed his family and chucked him in prison for several years. Castii, the apothecary, has quite a sympathetic storyline about searching to reclaim her lost memories, but merchant Partitio (much like merchant Tressa before him) once again has the weakest storyline of the bunch, which sees him trying to square doing right by his fellow workers in a world run by capitalists. Cleric Temenos is quite good fun, a smirking Sherlockian inquisitor type who’s trying to solve a mysterious death plot against his church, but both he and thief Throné’s story arcs (the latter’s quest being to break free of her mercenary assassin shackles) ultimately feel like reheated leftovers from the first Octopath game, which saw other character types dealing with very similar death cults and horrible foster parent boss figures in almost exactly the same fashion.

Two characters chat in Octopath Traveler 2

Octopath Traveler 2 still hasn’t solved the problem of what happens to the four characters waiting in the wings while you’re off doing another storyline, either. You can swap them in whenever you get to a tavern, but the rest of the time they just sit there, not accumulating EXP or being at all useful. As such, I started to see exactly the same level gaps emerge as the game went on, where my strongest and best fighters were often ten levels ahead of my weaker backup squad. It is a fraction easier to grind them up this time round, the new night cycle offering stronger monsters than those around in the daytime, but grinding in itself still feels like a somewhat tiresome solution to an issue that many other JRPGs – many of them made by Square Enix themselves - managed to fix ages ago.

The daft thing is, I don’t think this would be so much of a problem if Octopath Traveler 2 had a more straightforward story – one that ended properly when you completed all eight character arcs. But with the threat of that final chapter looming over you – which, in the previous Octopath game involved a mad boss gauntlet and final big bad fight that required all eight characters to be levelled up significantly higher than what I managed in the natural course of playing the game (I got four to Lv.65-ish, but the rest were stuck at Lv.50-odd) – it’s a shame this sequel still kinda hates you in all the same ways it did before. Admission time: I haven't yet got to said final chapter, but it does exist (and due to embargo restrictions I wouldn't be able to tell you about it even if I had). But given everything I’ve just talked about in this review, I can’t help but feel a terrible sense of dread towards it. If this 80-odd hour adventure ends with me throwing up my hands again and saying, ‘Mate, I’m out, you can have this world and everyone in it,’ I’ll… well, you know what I said about failing to learn from past mistakes. At this rate, I’ve probably only got myself to blame.

Warriors fight a group of thieves in Octopath Traveler 2

Despite knowing this moment is almost certainly in my future, and despite the slightly incredulous realisation that I’ll have spent another 80 hours playing almost exactly the same game I did four years ago, I've still had a good time with Octopath Traveler 2. There’s something innately enthralling about it, and while, deep down, there's still lots of things I dislike about it, cor, those battles are just the absolute business. It remains one of the most captivating combat systems in the entire JRPG genre, and it really does feel good to be back in its gorgeous HD-2D world again, reheated story leftovers and all (and I swear I’m not just saying that because we get another stonking Nishiki score to admire in the process, honest). It probably doesn’t need to exist, given how little it moves the dial forward, but I’m glad it does nevertheless – and hey, if you missed the boat the first time round, you may as well just start right here. One day, I’ll finally make good on my promise to give up this ludicrous, stubborn behemoth of a series, but for now at least, this is one mistake I’ll happily go another round on, grievances be damned.

Octopath Traveler 2 Review - Go Your Own Way

First Released Feb 24, 2023 released

The non-linear storytelling, freeform exploration, and strategic combat of Octopath Traveler II makes for a challenging and satisfying RPG adventure.

By Heidi Kemps on February 24, 2023 at 2:41PM PST

Octopath Traveler was a pleasant surprise when it debuted a few years back. Its then-new HD-2D engine was a delight to behold, and the gameplay drew inspiration from some of Square Enix's most storied franchises: a deep Final Fantasy-style class and customization system mixed with the non-linear exploration and story of the SaGa series with a dash of combat that took cues from Bravely Default. These are great inspirations to draw from, but it resulted in a game that, while excellent, seemed to be struggling for a distinct identity. Perhaps the developers recognized this as well--with Octopath Traveler II, Square Enix seems to be trying to add new gameplay elements that give the franchise a personality of its own. And, for the most part, it has succeeded admirably.

The core of Octopath Traveler II is a traditional, turn-based JRPG with many of the usual gameplay elements: towns and dungeons to explore, objectives to complete, etc. Where most JRPGs present a linear method of progression, however, Octopath Traveler takes a very different approach: You begin the game by selecting a "main" character from eight candidates. This character has their own unique background, story arc, and goals, and will serve as a constant presence throughout your playtime. After an introductory story chapter, you are then free to explore the world to your liking. Eventually, you'll meet the other seven characters, allowing you to bring them into your party and follow their storylines as well, all culminating in a finale that ties the individual story threads together.

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The focus on individual character arcs rather than a huge, high-stakes threat for most of the game's runtime is refreshing, allowing Octopath Traveler II to tell a variety of intriguing stories that vary wildly in both tone and focus. Some of them are comparatively weaker, but others command and hold your attention and keep you eager for more. Agnea's star-struck search for fame is notably bland, for instance, while Temenos' investigation into a murder plot by a religious cult and Throne's quest to kill the adoptive parents who raised her are excellent stand-outs. My personal favorite questline is the story of Osvald, who I chose as my starting character--a tale of a scholar who plans a Count-of-Monte-Christo-style prison escape and revenge after being framed for the murder of his own family by a scheming colleague.

As soon as you finish the first part of a character's story, you're allowed to continue on to the subsequent chapters, as there are no hard barriers to progressing how you choose. That doesn't mean you can stroll anywhere in the world without a care, however: Some areas feature significantly more dangerous foes than others, and trying to stumble through them with a low-level party is quite an extreme risk--albeit one the game doesn't prevent you from attempting if you feel confident in your survival skills. In fact, going into risky places can yield some major rewards, but there's nothing particularly punishing about playing it safe, either. Octopath Traveler's lack of hand-holding compared to many other JRPGs may be off-putting at first--it doesn't offer much guidance aside from very basic tutorials--but the freedom it grants you to explore and attempt challenges at the comfort level you choose is one of its strongest points.

One of the most interesting facets to exploration are the Path Actions unique to each character. Path Actions are available when interacting with the majority of NPCs, allowing you to engage with them in a variety of ways: acquiring items, learning abilities, gaining extra information needed to complete main and subquests, and even recruiting them as helpers in combat. New to Octopath Traveler II is a day/night cycle (which, thankfully, you can control at will) that changes which NPCs appear and what Path Actions are available to you. For example, merchant Partitio can buy items from NPCs during daytime at discounted prices, while at night he can hire characters as assistants in combat. There is overlap in the functions of characters' Path Actions, but judging which is most useful in a given situation adds a fun layer of strategy not typically present in JRPG town exploration.

Then we come to combat, which is the most satisfying and engaging element of Octopath Traveler II. The turn-based encounters build upon the foundation set by the original, emphasizing the need to strategically break down enemy defenses through the use of specific skills and weapons. There's also a "boost" system that allows you to significantly increase the efficacy of characters' actions by consuming the Boost Points that build up slowly during each turn of combat. The unique nature of each character extends to their performance in combat: Every party member has several individual skills and quirks that significantly affect their specific actions and the flow of combat as a whole Samurai warrior Hikari brings combat skills learned from NPCs into the fray, while apothecary Castti can mix items together to create helpful or harmful concoctions. Perhaps the most fun of these skills is that of Ochette, a beast-woman who can capture enemies and cook them into health- and status-restoring meat--or keep them to use their skills in combat.

You don't have to be content with just the default skills of your characters, either. Like the original game, you can assign characters a sub-job, which will allow them to learn active and passive skills specific to each class, as well as equip a wider variety of weaponry. Playing around and discovering particularly effective combinations of gear, party composition, and skillsets is quite enjoyable and rewarding, with each new skill unlock adding something new to your overall repertoire--and hidden job classes and EX skills found over the course of the game add even more surprises and options. A new element of Octopath Traveler II's battle strategizing is Latent Powers, character-specific Limit-Break-style abilities that can dramatically affect combat when used at the right time. Every party member's Latent Ability is different: Osvald can transform multi-target attacks into intensely powerful single-target strikes, Throne can take an extra turn, Hikari and Ochette get access to new attack skills, and Temenos can break through defenses with any attack. Using these skills in tandem with a carefully crafted setup can create delightfully devious outcomes. For example, you can have others buff Osvald's magic attacks, attack to put the enemy into a broken state, and then use Osvald's Latent Ability and several boosts to create a massively damaging single-target spell strike that melts away enemy HP like butter. Finding effective tools and setups can allow you to get through combat situations that, typically, you might be horrendously under-leveled for, which yields immense satisfaction when all goes according to plan. Which, sometimes, it doesn't, but that's risk for you.

Octopath Traveler II isn't without some quibbles and frustrations, though. Every character that joins you starts out at a low level, requiring a time investment before they get up to parity with the rest of the party. Dungeon and field exploration is very basic, with little in the way of puzzles or gimmicks to spice up typical path-following--with only a few side roads leading to treasure chests taking you off the beaten path. Sometimes you're overwhelmed with choice paralysis as to what to do next in the various stories, while at other times you feel like all of your potential next moves are high-level adventures that may put you in way over your head. The risk/reward system for certain Path Actions is utterly nonsensical: I won't get my reputation in town tarnished for mugging or picking fights with people, but I will if I fail to entice an NPC to join my party? These aren't huge flaws by any stretch, but they are things that I hope will be ironed out and spruced up in potential future installments.

Octopath Traveler II is an ideal sequel. It builds upon the foundations of the original by improving on what worked, establishing common pillars of design and gameplay--combat mechanics, Path Actions, freeform progress--that will hopefully carry forth through future games. It also iterates upon concepts and ideas borrowed from other JRPGs--the day/night cycle and Latent Abilities--that enhance the overall experience. Octopath Traveler II is a delight from start to finish, and has left me looking forward to seeing where this series will take itself in the future.

Leave Blank
A strong cast of characters with unique stories and abilities both in and out of combat
Freeform exploration and progression lets you take things at your own pace
Deep combat system with lots of potential for strategy and customization
Overly basic dungeon/field design is a disappointment
Lack of guidance might be overwhelming for new players

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Octopath Traveler II Review (Switch)

Eight roads diverged in a wood, and I... well, I took them all!

Version Reviewed: European

review by Mitch Vogel Fri 17th Feb 2023

A year after the Switch released, Team Asano—who made its name on the Bravely Default games on 3DS—released Octopath Traveler for the Switch. The fascinating HD-2D art style immediately grabbed people’s attention, while the clever implementation of classic JRPG gameplay quickly stole the hearts of many. Now that it’s been a few more years and a couple more HD-2D titles have gone through production, the team opted to take another crack at the original formula with Octopath Traveler II . We’re happy to report that this is every bit the worthy sequel you hoped it would be, Octopath Traveler II quickly makes a case for itself as one of the very best JRPGs on Switch.

Octopath Traveler II Review - Screenshot 1 of 8

The narrative of this sequel follows in the footsteps of the original, centering around the personal stories of eight people in largely disconnected narratives. Temenos, for example, is an incredibly condescending and sassy cleric who has to solve the mystery of a string of mysterious murders related to the Church of Sacred Flame. Agnea the Dancer, on the other hand, is a small-town country bumpkin with a heart of gold who sets out on a journey to prove her skills and become a famous dancing star like her mother was. Some of the stories here feature quite heavy themes while others are equally lighthearted, but all of them are compelling in their own way. Importantly, these stories still feature their starring party member in an isolated role; the other party members don’t get involved in the plot because you can technically go through any character’s entire storyline without ever adding anyone else to the party.

The stories here feel a little more subversive and interesting than their equivalents in the first Octopath. Therion the Thief, for example, was played as the stereotypically aloof scoundrel who follows their own code, while Throné the Thief is a victim of childhood trauma who is trying to escape the cycle of violence and fear that she’s lived in for most of her life. Though those who were hoping for a more centralized narrative will be left wanting, the collection of character-driven stories here provides a compelling anthology of adventures and drama in the new land of Solistia.

And still, it’s not like the developers didn’t address criticism from some of the fan base over the story in the original. Most importantly, characters can now participate in Crossed Paths storylines, where certain party members will join up for extended side storylines that add more depth to their backstories while giving us plenty of time to see how their personalities play off each other directly. These Crossed Paths are written in a similar way to the main quests and often take a few chapters for each storyline to resolve, which has the double effect of giving you more content to see beyond each character’s main questline while also letting you see party members directly interacting and working together to achieve a common goal.

Octopath Traveler II Review - Screenshot 2 of 8

The structure of chapters is switched up on occasion, too. For example, Partitio has a series of ‘Scent of Commerce’ quests that can be completed whenever which don’t fall within the traditional four-chapter arc. Meanwhile, other characters will have storylines that branch, such as how Throné’s chapter 2 splits into two routes that each are followed up by their own chapter 3. We appreciated this enhanced focus on player agency, as you can often choose to follow the plot threads that you’re most interested in, not to mention that it feels like the scope of the story is wider when entire chapters can be dedicated to specific events and plot devices.

Combat in Octopath Traveler II brings back the same excellent turn-based system, which adds plenty of extra strategic options to basic turn-based combat. Enemies each have various weaknesses to certain magic or weapon types and hitting them with a matching attack or skill will both do more damage and reduce their shield points by at least one. If their shield points drop to zero that enemy “Breaks”, which takes away their current and next turn while making them considerably more vulnerable to all damage types. Unleashing maximum damage requires more than breaking, however, as you also have to balance when to spend your Boost points. Each character gains one BP per turn and can choose to spend up to three when they take an action, which has the effect of either notably boosting the damage output, extending the buff duration, healing more health, etc.

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Boost and Break already add plenty of depth to combat, but Octopath Traveler II has added an additional layer now with the new Latent Power system. This adds a custom ‘Limit Break’ to each of your characters that slowly fills a gauge as you take and receive damage. Once full, you can trigger the Latent Ability to cause a powerful effect to take place, like giving your character an immediate free turn or causing a single target spell to affect all targets. Latent Powers are a little more situational in use than Boost points, but act similarly in how they can allow you to massively turn the tides of a fight if you pick your moment well. More importantly, they give each character a little more of a unique edge to consider when team-building; it may well be that anybody can take on the Scholar class, but only Osvald can cause multi-target spells to hit one target for bigger damage.

Take all the above mechanics together, and you have an impressively dynamic and constantly interesting battle system that goes above and beyond what most turn-based RPGs shoot for. Boost points, for example, can be used to either chop away at enemies' shield points faster or they can be stored so you can let ‘er rip a few turns later once you break an enemy. And while it may seem to be most optimal to break every enemy as fast as you can, sometimes it’s better to hold them at one shield point and then knock ‘em over when they’re winding up a big special attack. There are many ways you can choose to approach the combat system and given how suddenly things can change after even one turn, Octopath Traveler II constantly keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat. This is one of the finest turn-based combat systems we’ve ever seen in a JRPG; we applaud Team Asano for its efforts here.

Outside of combat, character growth takes a similar approach to favoring player choice, as you shape the niches and roles that you want each member of your team to fill. Every character starts with a given class, such as the Scholar or the Merchant, and these dictate the character’s stats, weapons, and skills. As you defeat enemies, you’ll accrue Job Points which can then be spent to unlock another skill from a short list for that character’s equipped class, both expanding their combat effectiveness and granting the character a new passive skill that they can equip.

Things get much more interesting when you start to unlock secondary classes. With these, you can not only massively expand a character’s skillset and boost their stats, but you can give them access to passive skills that synergize well with their abilities. For example, there’s an Apothecary passive ability that restores 30% of a character’s HP and SP after the completion of a battle, which pairs well with a Scholar who burns through a lot of SP when casting spells. Unlocked passive skills stay permanently with a character even after you’ve switched to another secondary class, which incentivizes you to keep experimenting with different combinations as you power up your party.

Octopath Traveler II Review - Screenshot 4 of 8

New to Octopath Traveler II is the guild system, which is used to unlock access to secondary classes. Every guild you find will give you a license which lets you equip the new subclass to one character in your party at a time, but you can fulfill quests for the guild to get more licenses so more characters can have that subclass at the same time. These can ask you to do things like collecting a certain amount of rare items from enemy drops, or reaching the end of an optional dungeon beyond town that hosts a secret boss. We appreciated this expanded take on acquiring new classes, as it feels like you’re really accomplishing something meaningful now that you have to work for it to get another license.

Plus, the shrine system from the previous entry is still present, just in a modified way. Scattered across the world are various shrines you can find for each class, and if you have the character with that base class in your party, they’ll receive a powerful EX Skill that’s exclusive to them. These each usually carry a high SP cost, but are equally capable of tearing foes a new one. Unlocking a character’s EX Skills can further help to define their niche, too, as it gives each of them value that no other party member can bring.

When exploring the overworld, there’s now a new day and night system that modifies the environment in subtle ways. You can toggle between day and night at will, while the enemies that attack you and the NPCs you can interact with will change. This ensures that grinding goes a little smoother due to the enemies at night being stronger and giving out more experience, while the switched NPCs help to make each town feel less static and artificial. Some characters also have passive abilities that grant certain enemy debuffs or character buffs depending on the time, which can add an additional element to consider before challenging a tough boss.

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The day-night system also affects Path Actions, which are the unique skills each character can use to influence or interact with NPCs. Each character has a day action and a night action, such as how Osvald can scrutinize people in the day to find the locations of secret treasures hidden around town and mug them at night to take their stuff. We enjoyed the kind of morality system at play here, as you can be as respectable or comically evil as you want. Agnea, for example, can entreat that someone give her the items they’re carrying, or you can just have Throné steal from them or have Osvald mug them.

Visually, Octopath Traveler II feels like a step up from the original and manages to consistently impress as the hours roll by and you encounter new locales and enemies. Whether you’re exploring the busy streets of New Delta or the lush tropical ruins of Toto’haha, each biome feels notably distinct from the next and a little more creative than the somewhat unimaginative environments in the first Octopath. Small details like the slow-moving shadows of clouds changing the lighting or lingering motes of dust hanging in the air help to give the graphics a more realistic touch, while the spritework (especially for the bosses!) gives everything that retro appeal. Visuals become a touch less sharp in handheld mode, but that's to be expected. We also appreciated the more dynamic camera in this entry, which can take different angles in battle or certain cutscenes to highlight big moments and frame events in a new way.

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The visuals are accompanied by an absolutely stellar soundtrack from Yasunori Nishiki which does an incredible job of setting a palpable mood. Whether it be the goofy, bouncy tune that plays when a rare Cait or Puffer enemy shows up in a random battle or the creepy, mysterious track that plays when you first set foot in the abandoned village, there’s a wide variety of excellent orchestral tracks here to suit every mood and to underline the important emotional moments of each story. It’s tough to definitively say whether this soundtrack outdoes the performance of the first game, but it is at the very least just as good, and we’d be inclined to say that it sounds just a touch better.

Voice acting is another highlight here, especially given that all major cutscenes and interactions are now fully voiced. What we appreciate most is the nuance on display; Agnea, for example, has trained herself to talk like ‘city people’ due to her career aspirations, but in moments where she gets really excited or frustrated, you can hear her cute southern drawl slipping back in. Also, the characters are more vocal in battle now, often congratulating each other on a well-placed attack or expressing concern when someone’s health dips to dangerous levels. This interaction helps to further build the idea of the party being more of a team, and the call-outs feel natural without being needlessly overdone.

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The only complaint that we can reasonably make against Octopath Traveler II, if it’s even a complaint at all, is that it doesn’t do nearly enough to establish itself as a distinct successor. It feels bigger, bolder, and more polished than its predecessor, but those who didn't like what the first game was going for likely won't like this entry either. That’s not necessarily a bad thing this time around, but it is something to be mindful of, and—should there be an Octopath Traveler III someday—we hope that Team Asano will feel more ambitious in evolving the series further beyond its roots.

Octopath Traveler II is a triumphant and confident follow-up to its predecessor, building on the established foundation with welcome new ideas and tweaks that make for an overall excellent experience. A strategic combat system, open-ended character progression, well-written stories, gorgeous visuals, and an incredible soundtrack all coalesce into one of the finest RPGs available on Switch to date. Though it may be more of the same, Team Asano demonstrates mastery of its craft at every turn here. We’d give Octopath Traveler II a high recommendation to anybody looking for a beautiful new RPG to add to their Switch collection.

Octopath Traveler II Is a Retro-Inspired Gem That Feels a Bit Too Familiar

Inverse Score: 7/10

The last god standing between chaos and order confronts his enemy. I command him to attack and deal out 9999 damage, but he falls to his knees. In a climactic monologue, he defends the order of the world — then forgets his lines.

This epic scene is actually a puppet show, staged by a forgetful cleric who still hasn’t managed to learn his lines, something the children he performs for won’t stop pestering him about. This moment is one of eight beginnings that occur in Octopath Traveler II , the latest HD-2D RPG from Square Enix. The humorous opening made me laugh at its tongue-in-cheek ribbing of JRPG storytelling that even the first Octopath Traveler fell into, but ultimately it was a sign of what to expect in the sequel — something comfortable but sometimes too familiar.

While offering a handful of improvements that seek to satisfy criticism of its predecessor, Octopath Traveler II feels nearly identical to it mechanically, down to the archetypes of the eight new travelers. Improved writing and a beautiful retro-inspired world reinforce just how good a classic JRPG can be. Octopath Traveler II may not reinvent the wheel, but it’s forgivable when the wheel was already this damn good.

While there are missed opportunities to improve upon criticisms of its predecessor, Octopath Traveler II is still a well-written romp through a beautiful world.

Type Casting

Octopath Traveler II takes the fundamental building blocks of the first game and transplants them into a new setting. The medieval fantasy setting of Orsterra has been replaced with Solistia, a world in the early days of industrialization that consists of two continents separated by a great ocean. Across Solistia, eight new stories unfold.

The gimmick of both Octopath Traveler and its sequel revolves around controlling eight party members through their individual stories all leading up to a momentous final chapter that ties it all together. You can play them in any order you choose.

Not every character has an interesting story , but some of them stand out as lively and original. The cleric Temenos especially surprised me with his carefree and non-devotional attitude towards religion that was genuinely endearing and is matched with an exciting murder mystery plot. Likewise, the dancer Agnea’s tale has little in the way of serious drama, but her doe-eyed journey to become a star can be a welcome breath of fresh air amongst the more one-note stories. Overall, the writing in Octopath Traveler II is smarter, sharper, and more willing to make characters messy.

Octopath Traveler II introduces Crossed Paths, which are shared stories between certain party members. This is likely a response to criticism that the original game felt too disjointed and lacked any sort of connection between party members. While Crossed Paths do improve this, they are essentially throw-away side stories that fail to build to something more meaningful. The second time around, the group still doesn’t feel like a group, and it’s a missed opportunity to build upon an otherwise strong foundation.

Not every story is perfect, but there are enough standouts to tip the scales for the better.

The weakest aspect of the new travelers is how similar they are to the first game. The original Octopath Traveler used JRPG archetypes as a basis for character stories. Octopath Traveler II uses the same classes, despite a wealth of options to choose from. Why couldn’t we have gotten a monk or dragoon in the mix this time around? It’s a head-scratching choice that undermines the sense of newness and novelty here.

Break it Down

This reliance on the same jobs limits the gameplay of Octopath Traveler II in other ways, too. Path Actions return, meaning every traveler has a unique skill they can use outside of combat. But each archetype repeats what came before. Hikari, the samurai who falls into the Warrior class, utilizes the same Challenge action as Olberic, the Warrior of Octopath Traveler .

Octopath Traveler II does add a new wrinkle to the Path Action system through the introduction of a day/night cycle to the game. All eight travelers have unique Path Actions for day and night, meaning you will need to play around with the time of day and the Path Actions at your disposal to find new and inventive ways to solve roadblocks to your progress. Yet the doubled Path Actions once again highlight Octopath Traveler II ’s lack of originality. Hikari’s night Path Action is Bribe, which functionally operates like a hybrid of the previously seen Actions Inquire and Purchase.

Octopath Traveler II Ochette Latent Power

Combat still feels as good as in the first game, with the added complexity of Limit Break-like talents.

The day/night cycle aims to make the game’s world feel a bit fuller, with different quests, NPC locations, and tougher enemies who come out under the moon. The latter feels like an attempt at fixing the excessive grindiness of the first game, but sadly, Octopath Traveler II is just as bad. Party members still don’t level if not actively in the party, meaning you’ll need to grind the same levels multiple times to get everyone up to speed.

Thankfully, combat feels as good as ever. The risky but rewarding Break system returns, where exploiting enemy weaknesses can be used to break through their shields. Each turn also adds a Boost Point to each party member that you can build up to unleash a progressively more powerful attack.

This is where Octopath Traveler II ’s greatest improvements upon the original lie, with the introduction of Latent Powers. These are effectively Limit Breaks from Final Fantasy, giving each party member a unique skill to unleash. These Latent Powers help make combat more interesting, especially during tedious and drawn-out boss fights.

What’s Old is New

With the good and bad aspects of the classic JRPGs it is inspired by, Octopath Traveler II manages to enrapture the player.

Octopath Traveler I and II run counter to the idea that they “don’t make them like they used to.” The series improves upon classic JRPGs with the stunning HD-2D engine and the Break and Boost combat system that feels like a natural evolution of the traditional ATB system from older Final Fantasy titles. Yet long stretches of grinding are also a holdover from the classic titles Octopath Traveler is emulating .

Despite my frustrations with the limited ways that Octopath Traveler II improves upon the original, at its core the game still scratches an itch that no other game can satisfy. I still spent more than 50 hours in the world of Solistia, exploring every part of the map I could and seeking out new stories to immerse myself in.

For those who lament the modern state of Final Fantasy , or want something that feels truly inventive in its design compared to many cookie-cutter AAA games, Octopath Traveler II is a journey well worth taking.

Octopath Traveler II will be released on February 24th for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Inverse reviewed the game on Nintendo Switch.

INVERSE VIDEO GAME REVIEW ETHOS : Every Inverse video game review answers two questions: Is this game worth your time? Are you getting what you pay for? We have no tolerance for endless fetch quests, clunky mechanics, or bugs that dilute the experience. We care deeply about a game’s design, world-building, character arcs, and storytelling come together. Inverse will never punch down, but we aren’t afraid to punch up. We love magic and science-fiction in equal measure, and as much as we love experiencing rich stories and worlds through games, we won’t ignore the real-world context in which those games are made.

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Octopath Traveler 2 review: improved RPG sequel still has some lingering issues

“Octopath Traveler 2 builds on its predecessor's strengths to create another charming retro RPG.”

Engaging battle system
Improved character interactions
Fantastic HD-2D visuals
Excellent music
Annoying difficulty spikes
Uneven level pacing

When Octopath Traveler launched in 2018, it quietly kicked off a revolution. Square Enix’s retro RPG featured a unique art style that would usher in a new era of “HD-2D” games. The endearing pixel art complemented the 3D environments surprisingly well, resulting in Octopath Traveler ’s timeless presentation. In the five years since it was released, other games such as Live a Live and Triangle Strategy have used the same style to great effect, whether it’s by breathing life into older titles or experimenting with other gameplay mechanics.

Eight paths, eight stories

Keep stacking points, oozing with style.

It wasn’t just style without substance, though. The first game made good use of its innovative art style with a fantastic turn-based battle system and robust customization options. Though it’s still one of the Switch’s standout RPGs, it did still have issues. Combat and art were on point, but limited interactions between its cast of heroes took some of the punch out of its eight-hero premise.

Five years later, Octopath Traveler 2 is here and seeks to remedy those issues from the first game, proving the series is more than a pretty face. It pulls that off for the most part thanks to strong visuals, music, and a battle system that still feels fresh. However, there are still some pain points of its predecessor that linger here, namely its grind-infested pacing and the occasional difficulty spike. The sequel is a definite level up, but there’s still room for the series to accrue experience.

Octopath Traveler 2 takes place in Solistia, which is a much more industrialized setting than the first game’s Osterra. The mix of modern technology like the steam engine and magical elements like curses and prophecies makes for a fascinating location. Like the first game, the tale follows eight separate characters across the world. Each character has their own distinct story, such as Hikari, a swordsman on a mission to stop his brother’s war-mongering rule, and Castti, an apothecary with amnesia who’s trying to recover her memories by traveling and healing those in need. Players can pick and choose which character to start with, and then tackle each story’s chapters in any order from there.

Each story is intriguing in its own way and, importantly, never overstays its welcome. The scholar Osvald’s tale is particularly compelling as he’s on a revenge quest for the person who framed him for his family’s murder 20 years ago. I loved seeing Osvald tread down a dark path for vengeance, learning how far he would go to destroy those who wronged him. In Castti’s story, she learns harrowing details about the apothecary clan she belongs to. Along her journey, she wonders if she’s actually better off not remembering who she was before. Her altruistic-natured occupation as a healer directly conflicts with the sinister secrets that her clan holds.

The accompanying dungeons that punctuate each chapter are brisk in order to accommodate all eight characters in the main cast as well. Most of them consist of linear passageways with a boss at the end and some diverging paths every once in a while with a treasure chest. While the dungeon design is simple, it works well considering that you have to play through all eight characters, each of which has at least four chapters. Had dungeons been any more elaborate, they could have been a laborious chore to get through.

One of the biggest issues with the first Octopath Traveler is that the characters had very few crossovers between their own stories. The sequel unfortunately retains that same problem, though to a lesser degree. Osvald’s revenge quest doesn’t intersect with Castti’s journey to recover her own memories, which makes the narrative feel disparate rather than intricately woven together.

Crossover episodes provide tender moments between characters …

The sequel solves that issue to an extent via several unlockable crossover episodes between party members as you continue to progress through the game. These crossover episodes provide tender moments between characters that otherwise wouldn’t speak to each other at all during their individual character arcs. For instance, I enjoyed how Hikari and the dancer Agnea bonded over their love of music by listening to a guitarist play underneath the full moon. Agnea has the most light-hearted story of the entire cast as she wants to travel around the world and entertain people with her dancing, while Hikari takes a moment from stopping his bloodthirsty brother to enjoy the night sky view. The contrasting tones between their stories highlight how different their adventures are separately, but these crossover episodes portray these characters with more depth and how much they have in common.

The first Octopath game featured banter conversations between two characters after certain story events, where they would comment on what just unfolded. They were simply transported to some mysterious black void to have the conversation, though, interrupting the immersion. These make a return in the sequel, but this time around, the two characters can be seen talking with the appropriate city background behind them. It’s a minor change, but it makes the banter feel less alien and more part of the actual world. Banter scenes do lack voice acting though, which feels like the one missed opportunity in buffing the sequel’s approach to the story.

Octopath Traveler 2 ’s biggest selling point is its wonderful battle system, which largely remains unchanged from the first game. The turn-based combat utilizes the BP mechanic, where at the end of every turn, each character gets one BP and can hold a max of five BP at a time. Characters can use up to three BP per turn to either strike multiple times in the same turn or amplify a skill’s power.

The battle system encourages me to strategize and adapt to different situations on the fly.

It’s a fantastic spin on the traditional turn-based combat formula that makes you feel much more engaged with every single turn. Enemies also have numerical shields, which drastically decrease the amount of damage they take from your attacks. By striking an enemy’s elemental or weapon weakness, you can deplete their shields to zero which immobilizes them until their next turn and makes them take more damage.

The battle system encourages me to strategize and adapt to different situations on the fly. Perhaps I was going to launch an all-out offensive on a boss, but then it signals that it will unleash its ultimate attack on its upcoming turn. As a result, I now have to prioritize breaking its shield so it doesn’t happen. It’s a delicate balance between saving up your BP when you need it the most to break shields and trying to optimize the limited time you have before enemies recover them. There’s always an invigorating sense of tension in case the battle goes sideways. But when everything goes as planned, there’s immense satisfaction in unloading huge amounts of damage onto a boss.

The customization, by comparison, is rather straightforward. Each character has their assigned starting class like cleric and hunter. As you progress further into the game, characters are able to equip a second sub-class to give them access to even more skills. While the assigned starting class can’t be changed, the addition of a sub-class provides so much flexibility in how I’d build out my preferred party setup. I gave the thief, Thorne, the inventor subclass because she doesn’t have access to many weapon types to hit weaknesses with. The inventor had a catapult skill that had all the available weapon types, so that helped compensate for Throne’s flaws.

Though I’m high on the moment-to-moment gameplay, the RPG can have some frustrating difficulty spikes. As a result of its open-ended structure where you can progress each story in any order you’d like, there are times you’ll encounter a surprisingly hard boss. Luckily, you can leave at any time to tackle other stories simultaneously and up your characters if you’re having trouble with a particular boss. The issue, though, is inconsistent leveling. Only party members who participate in battle receive experience points. Each chapter has a recommended level for a character and so sometimes I felt like I had to needlessly grind so they could meet that threshold. Something like an experience share that the Pokemon series has would’ve been very helpful in preventing other characters from falling behind.

Both the game’s art style and music shine here, which is no surprise considering it was the first game’s core feature. Take the presentation during big battles, for instance. Bosses are presented as larger-than-life and have a foreboding presence, even if they’re just normal-sized. In the merchant Partitio’s story, there’s a boss that looks like an innocent little dog outside of battle. But once you engage with it, its in-battle sprite balloons into a giant menacing bulldog.

The game’s electrifying soundtrack also adds to the excitement and hostility of combat. Outside of battle, there are different tracks to help highlight the diverse settings across Solista. Agnea’s hometown is a bustling city of entertainment, so it’s fitting that its theme features upbeat jazzy music that you’d hear in downtown Chicago. Hikari’s hometown of Kyu is filled with traditional Japanese flute music, befitting his eastern Asian-inspired roots.

Octopath Traveler 2 is a very beefy JRPG game that will easily last over 60 hours to even get to the end credits. There are a ton of customization options for characters and the battle system feels fun and enticing to play despite having some of the same issues that plagued the first one. Even with some of those lingering flaws begging to be ironed out, the sequel is enough of an improvement that I’m willing to join along for whatever journey comes next.

Octopath Traveler 2 was reviewed on Nintendo Switch.

Editors’ Recommendations

Octopath Traveler 2 brings another retro-style RPG to Switch in February
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Octopath traveler 2 review: fingers in eight pies.

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I've played microsoft flight simulator for years -- and 2024 finally added what's been missing, i use these controller settings to dominate in fortnite.

Looking back, Octopath Traveler must have played a solid part in convincing someone high up at Square Enix on what it calls the HD-2D art style that it popularised.

A few years later we've got a host of games using its visual flair, and now a fully-fledged sequel has arrived to offer up another eight-pronged story to explore. Can it live up to its predecessor's success?

Octopath Traveler 2

Octopath Traveler 2 offers up another impressive, if safe adventure, with loads of twists to uncover. It looks and sounds absolutely ravishing, and the battle system is as impressive as ever. Platform tested: Nintendo Switch

Luscious retro looks
Great soundtrack
Fun range of stories
Sprightly battles
A little bit clichéd
Some voice acting is OTT

A new world

Octopath Traveler 2 might have a conspicuous "2" at the end of it, but Square Enix is setting this up to run like its flagship Final Fantasy series - disconnected entries that don't share a world or characters, with rare exceptions.

That means that you don't have to have even sampled the first game to get the most from this new title, which is welcome in a time awash with mammoth RPGs to play.

So, we're in a new world, meeting eight new archetypal characters, each of whose stories we can follow through to their own conclusions.

Each character's first chapter is a closed-off story which generally brings them to the point where they're out exploring the world and meeting the rest of your party.

Once again, it's a fun system that is especially enjoyable at the very first moment, where you choose your first character from the eight dotted around the world, checking their blurbs to see what sort of story might be interesting to you first.

Heading off to pick up new members of the party is fun too, with each character's first chapter taking around an hour to complete - before you know it, you're 10 hours deep with a full party and keen to see where each story will go.

These tales are undeniably pretty clichéd, but they're sprightly and fully voice-acted in a way that makes them fun to experience nonetheless, with some solid twists. How they tie together packs in some nice surprises, and there are a few occasions where multiple characters interact in each others' stories, which is an interesting idea that isn't exploited fully.

The genre-hopping nature of these stories makes for a fun and diverting tone that lets you switch between tales without worry, even though some of the stories on offer are actually pretty dark (Osvald's, for example, hinges on the death of his wife and daughter at its outset).

Familiar systems

So, Octopath Traveler 2 isn't ripping up the rulebook established by the first game, and that continues into the gameplay side of things.

This is a classic turn-based RPG, with the few twists it brings to the table repeated from the last game.

You battle with a party of four characters at a time, although more than one of these characters can bring in supporting allies that you can pick and choose for an extra boost.

The enemies you come up against all have weaknesses that you'll uncover over time or by using skills, and using the right attacks against them will wear down their shield meters alongside their health.

Reduce their shields to zero and you'll "break" them for a turn, offering up the chance to deal extra damage without any return attacks.

This blends together with a system of boost points that you accumulate over time in a battle and can choose to spend for boosted attacks and skills at opportune moments.

If you manage a battle properly, you'll be able to find a pattern that lets you unleash a fully-boosted attack on a freshly-broken enemy for the maximum effect, an engaging extra layer atop a standard battling system.

Modern concessions mean that you can speed the game up in battle, but we found that fights rarely felt like they dragged, barring a few surprisingly spongy bosses.

Outside of battles, characters also each have a pair of skills they can use in the overworld, one during the day and the other at night. In the case of the thief Throné, for example, this means being able to pickpocket people in daylight or knock them out after dusk.

Other characters can coerce people to join the party temporarily, examine them for extra details, and a range of other options.

It's a fun system that also incentivises you to use the day-night cycle, which you can advance with the push of the right trigger for incredibly quick time-shifting.

Looking lovely

Throughout all this storytelling and battling, Octopath Traveler 2 looks really, really pretty - it's the best-looking of Square Enix's HD-2D games so far, for our money.

Environments are rich with sprites and detail, and there's sufficient variety to make for a really nice feeling of progress as you move around the world.

Small touches that aren't exactly original nonetheless come off as charming, like when you cross water and all your characters follow in a little trail of individual boats.

The soundtrack is appropriately classical, with sweeping melodies to accompany major moments and some really jazzy battle music to keep the blood pumping.

Voice acting, meanwhile, is a slightly more mixed bag - it's pretty consistently there for major conversations, which is welcome, and the script isn't so hackneyed as to grate badly. However, there can be moments where it all gets a little over-the-top, a bit of a pitfall for this genre.

That's no great issue, though, and playing on Switch we were pretty constantly charmed by Octopath Traveler 2's look and feel, which is a great takeaway to have for a retro-styled game.

It's a long old journey through the world of Octopath Traveler 2, but one that has the comforting feeling of the best classic RPGs, albeit without much radical storytelling going on.

If you're looking out for a sequel that trims away some rough edges and leaves a new, smooth and refreshingly simple RPG, then Octopath Traveler almost certainly fits that bill.

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Octopath Traveler 2. Credit: Square Enix.

‘Octopath Traveler 2’ review: a wondrous slow-burn

Don't expect to finish Square Enix's latest RPG in one sitting...or ten

A dventure beckons. There are vast lands to explore, strange new monsters to hack apart, and a cast of characters you will likely fall in love with by the time their distant credits roll. We’ve all felt it – there’s a certain magic to diving into a new role-playing game (RPG) for the first time and in Octopath Traveler 2 , developer Square Enix aims to capture that fresh-faced excitement not once, but eight times.

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Octopath Traveler 2 ‘s concept is simple, yet vast. After picking from one of eight main characters to start your adventure with, you’re set loose in the vast world of Solistia – two continents divided by sea. Your main objective depends on who you selected – go with disgraced scholar Osvald and you’re in for a fiery prison break and quest for vengeance, while cowboy-merchant Partitio just wants to travel the world and make cash.

Octopath ‘s real draw is that the seven characters you didn’t pick are still out there in the world, waiting to form a ragtag party of adventurers. Each of Octopath’ s eight characters has a story to tell, told across several chapters that have you bouncing between all of Solistia’s vibrant settlements. A big point of criticism in the first game was that each of the game’s protagonists don’t really interact much, and although the sequel addresses this with some side-chapters shared between party members, they are few and far between – my first co-op chapter didn’t crop up until 15 hours into the game.

If that sounds like a lot of time, it is – Octopath is designed to devour your free time. It takes hours to gather all eight protagonists and play through their first chapters (though they’re skippable, if you don’t care about the story), and it’s almost impossible to keep everyone suitably levelled for their demanding chapter stories without resorting to a lot of grinding.

That’s bad news if you’re looking for a race to the credits, but Octopath Traveler 2 is all about the journey, not the destination. Solistia is a vast and gorgeous space that’s purpose-built for rambling, and the sequel introduces a few new features to make that far more fulfilling. The shiniest is a massive visual upgrade – every single area guarantees at least one jaw-dropping vista with gorgeous new lighting – but others are more practical. Spot a pier on your travel, and your party can jump into rowboats to sail along nearby rivers and lakes. Sometimes you can follow a stream to its source to snag some loot, in other cases you can navigate through entire areas without stepping off your boat.

However, it’s Octopath Traveler 2 ‘s new day and night cycle that shakes things up the most. At the press of a button you can swap between day and night wherever you’re standing, without any loading screens. There are a number of reasons for embracing Octopath ‘s 24-hour cycle: the game’s wonderful soundtrack changes depending on the time, and the sequel’s new lighting system means it’s worth seeing areas twice just to marvel at their beauty. On the more practical end, different NPCs come out to loiter at different times, and you’re far more likely to run into random combat encounters at night – which is brilliant for passively grinding up your party to the increasingly high levels their chapters ask for. Like sailing, hopping between the sun and stars offers lots of small innovations that make your travels through Solistia feel far richer and more lifelike.

Even in the relative safety of daylight, combat in Solistia can’t be avoided. Whether you’re travelling down its monster-infested roads or tackling a party member’s story mission in a bustling city, it’s rare to go more than a few minutes without hacking, stabbing or blasting something to bits. If you have ever played a party-based JRPG before (think Final Fantasy or Persona ), Octopath Traveler 2 ‘s turn-based combat is easy to grasp. The general formula involves attacking your enemies with a variety of weapons and magic until you find what they’re weak to, and then using that weakness to wear down their shields. Breaking through a foe’s shielding means they forgo their next turn and take more damage, which means combat is a cycle of wearing enemies down, whaling on them while they’re vulnerable, and repeating.

It’s fairly simple, but a couple of tweaks to the formula keep it feeling fresh. Your party members gain a boost point each turn, which can be spent to make their attacks stronger – whether you use those boosts to wear down an enemy’s shields faster or save them up for an almighty attack when they’re vulnerable is up to you. Octopath Traveler 2 also iterates on the original by giving each of your party members a Latent Power, unique abilities that range from potent enhancements – like getting to attack twice, or channeling area-of-effect abilities into destructive single-target nukes – to all-new moves. It’s not a huge addition, but it makes combat slightly more engaging and gives each party member a bit more of an identity.

While most brawls are over in a handful of turns, the boss fights of each character’s main story missions can be grueling affairs. Between many of them boasting vast pools of health and the fact you can’t actually see what that health is, Octopath ‘s boss fights are a blessing and a curse. At times, it’s a frantic rush to keep your party members alive as they weather their foe’s multiple stages and special attacks, trying to juggle last-minute healing without sacrificing damage output. Other times, it can feel like a boss is simply too stubborn to die; outstaying their welcome until the battle devolves into a mundane cycle of hit, heal, repeat. It’s a mixed bag, particularly because most of Octopath ‘s bosses are tied to the game’s main chapters, the stakes of which can be a bit dulled when you’re throwing fireballs into the same ugly mug for 20 minutes.

Whether it’s with lengthy boss battles, grinding sprees or distant travels, Octopath Traveler 2 is a constant question of time: how much of it do you want to spend? For those who prefer to sprint to the credits of a game, look elsewhere. For the ramblers who appreciate the scenic route, however, Octopath Traveler 2 is a vibrant delight that’s worth savouring every moment of.

Octopath Traveler 2 launches on February 24 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and PC. This review was played on Nintendo Switch.

Octopath Traveler 2 builds on the first game’s foundations to offer a richer, more fulfilling adventure. Those who found the first game’s slow pacing tedious will find nothing new here, but anyone looking to embark on their next digital adventure can look forward to spending tens of hours immersed in the beautiful world of Solistia and its characters.

Solistia is an enchanting land to explore, made even better with a gorgeous lighting system
All eight protagonists have captivating tales to enjoy
Combat remains engaging even tens of hours into the game
Your party still doesn’t interact with each other enough
Each main chapter’s demanding recommended levels makes grinding a necessity at later stages
Tougher bosses can sometimes feel tedious rather than exciting
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A sprawling SaGa

Octopath Traveler 2 largely follows the same narrative structure as its predecessor. Implicitly inspired by Square's SaGa series post- Romancing SaGa , you have eight characters to choose from at the start of the game - each with their own relatively isolated paths.

Your initial character choice broadly doesn't matter outside of their fixed position in your ever-rotating party, and you have the freedom to tackle the broader narrative in whatever way you like. While the recommended method is to acquire all eight characters and move through the game that way - but you could very easily only pick up four and do the game in two halves if you wanted.

Many players' concerns from the first game were due to its arguably disconnected narrative, where the eight characters felt almost entirely isolated from each other. While Octopath Traveler 2 does indeed follow roughly the same structure and only 'unifies' the party sporadically throughout, it rectifies this by offering eight paths that will stay with you for a very long time.

Octopath Traveler 2 achieves the impressive feat of having incredibly emotional stories filled with kinship within the confines of each individual character's narrative that beget the need for wider party interactions. My 'party' from a narrative perspective became the characters that I bonded with on all of my travels, and each denouement was a wonderful reminder of the characters and moments that I had become so deeply fond of.

Furthermore, due to the focus on the characters as stories themselves, I became far more attached to the eight members than I would if they had just been parts of an individual overall party. I will remember Temenos and his travels as affectionately as I would the protagonist of an entire game, and that extends eight-fold to all characters in a frankly remarkable way.

There are new additions to the game that aid in carving a connection between your party though. Travel banter returns from the first game - giving you smaller momentary conversations between two party members that further reinforce already flourishing characters. It is almost comforting to hear the mutterings and reactions of party members within the confines of each chapter, as a welcome reminder that these aren't tales that occur within a vacuum.

In addition to this, 'Crossed Paths' are new chapter types that focus on two characters as opposed to just one. While these aren't abundant throughout the game, they are just lovely to play through when they do pop up and crafted some of my favourite moments and interactions in the entire game.

Solisitia inquisition

In support of these excellent individual stories is a nearly overwhelming amount of incredible writing hidden within Solisita and the people that inhabit it. Each interactable NPC you encounter throughout this vast world has their own backstory, which is fundamentally key in ensuring that each town feels alive and independent of your own existence.

I found Castti's 'Inquire' Path Action a particular joy, as it gives you a little paragraph on each character, which can range from their vast backstory to what they like to eat for dinner. You can so easily start to build entire worlds and histories within your head when talking to all of these people, which can quickly consume hours of your playtime as you seek to uncover the past within each town.

The approach to side quests in the form of Side Stories is utterly fantastic too, as it works almost in opposition to the more linear structure of the main path. While you might be used to side quests being directed distractions in other games, in Octopath Traveler 2 they serve more as discoveries or investigations that you must find through your own travels.

It could be a case of finding a midwife for a pregnant woman who happens to be in a completely different town, or you could instead find yourself uncovering the mystery of a mysterious box filled with horrors. The rather uncritical nature of many of these stories was a perfect compliment to the more pressing central paths, as the joy you gain from finally finding the answer to a problem you encountered 20 hours ago is unrivalled.

In support of this, Octopath Traveler 2 will be an absolute wonder for those who want to peer into all of the corners and shadows of Solisita. On an environmental level, there is always something that is hidden within plain sight, with consistently clever camera placement and level design obscuring new paths that lead to treasure and discovery.

Countless times throughout the game I was stunned by how certain paths and secrets were enshrouded into the nature of the world, with even mechanics like the day and night cycle uncovering new secrets. I never once got bored of probing each area for hidden walkways and obscured treasure, and this endeavour for discovery was very handsomely compensated too.

Turn-based mastery

What you will often find within these dark corners however are tough foes, which let Octopath Traveler 2 's outstanding turn-based combat system shine. While appearing rather straightforward at first, it unravels itself into a marvellously complex and consistently flexible amalgamation of everything fantastic about turn-based battles.

The general rhythm of the combat centres around discovering weaknesses and exploiting them to deplete an enemy's shield points. Once their shield points reach zero they will become 'broken', which prevents them from acting for a turn and enhances their damage taken.

What only enhances this further is the bonus points system, which lets you strengthen the power of an attack or multiply the number of times it is used. There is a constant balancing act that you must manage between using your BP to quickly break an enemy, or using it when they're broken to output massive damage. This keeps even the regular random encounters exciting, and can wonderfully engineer even the toughest fights in your favour.

Extending this balancing act further is the sheer amount of skills that each character has at their disposal. All of your party members have a primary job, passive talent, and a new limit break style Latent Power at their disposal, but you can also equip any of the eight roles in the game as a secondary job to any character, effectively doubling their skill set.

This allows you to completely customise how you want your characters to be and can craft some incredibly potent combinations too. Previously useful skills can suddenly become overpowered when combined with something from another job, and you might find that certain talents and latent powers work perfectly with skills that would otherwise be unattainable to a chosen party member.

Beyond this, there are also four secret jobs to find throughout your journey in Octopath Traveler 2 that offer unique and powerful skills for a single party member. While these are clearly the strongest jobs in the game, they are tactfully hidden throughout the world, which makes discovering them feel even more satisfying.

Balancing the scales

Grinding has become a bit of a dirty word in games like this, with many titles requiring you to purposefully and repeatedly seek out standard enemies in order to increase your level. Thankfully this is absolutely not the case within Octopath Traveler 2 , with the balancing of levels across the eight characters managed extremely well.

You are implicitly encouraged to switch up your party throughout the game, as each character's Path Actions and specific skill sets suit particular scenarios more than others. While in other games I would moan that there isn't a wider XP distribution system, forcing me to use characters that I don't want to, Octopath Traveler 2 has each party member remain strong throughout and always encourages you to mix up your selections.

Furthermore, while they have largely crept out of fashion within the genre, I did find the random encounters to be one of the key factors in removing the necessity of grinding. I usually hate fighting standard mobs in other turn-based titles - as they oven devolve into time and resource consumption more than anything - but even after 60 hours I relished every single fight and the challenge it brought forward.

While random encounters help keep your party topped up, the real power comes however from your own strategy and equipment choices. Octopath Traveler 2 does an excellent job of removing a lot of the 'unfair' mechanics and strategies employed by tough enemies in other turn-based games, and instead gives you the opportunity to use your own strategy and tools to overcome a level barrier that might have otherwise been near-impossible to tackle.

HD-2D splendour

Despite being a sequel to the game that thrust the HD-2D style into the gaming sphere, I was still consistently taken aback by how utterly beautiful Octopath Traveler 2 was at any given moment in time. Every single area presents you with stunning visual spectacles that prove beyond any doubt that a game doesn't need to have the highest graphical fidelity in order to be impressive.

One of the most extraordinary aspects is how considerably it improves over the first game. While it still looked great, Octopath Traveler was prone to a persistent sheen, and at times lacked detail in its portraits.

This couldn't be further from the truth in the sequel though, with sources of light now feeling far more intentional and sparse - illuminating a thriving city in the dark of night, or bouncing off of the never-ending desert sands in the peak of midday. This is of course exacerbated by the ability to shift between night and day at will, but it all amounts to easily one of the best-looking games I've ever played.

There are also so many fantastic little touches that you can't help but appreciate within the visuals. The attention to detail within the character and weapon models is particularly wonderful, where each weapon has its own individual model that matches its description as opposed to one all-encompassing axe or sword. This intentionality with the design makes each area feel not only unique but positively alive and ensures that your explorations actually feel like a journey.

It didn't take me long to realise how special Octopath Traveler 2 is. It is a game that has so much to do and explore, but never feels overwhelming or watered down in any way. Featuring one of the best turn-based combat systems I've ever encountered, alongside an emotional and deeply connecting narrative on all fronts, Octopath Traveler 2 is truly a monumental achievement that confidently stands among some of the genre's finest entries.

Reviewed on PS5. Code provided by the publisher.

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Octopath Traveler 2 review — A worthy follow up to a genre defining game

In 2019, Square Enix released Octopath Traveler , a JRPG that has gone on to become recognized as one of the genre’s premier titles. With its world-class presentation, gorgeous throwback visuals, and stellar turn-based combat, there wasn’t much on the market that could compete. Almost four years later and we got the opportunity to review Octopath Traveler 2 , which promises to build on the wonderful foundations of the original.

Much like the first game, Octopath Traveler 2 follows the adventures of eight heroes . Each of these heroes fills a fantasy role, be it a stoic warrior, plucky merchant, or tragic scholar. In addition, each of them has a dedicated storyline spanning five chapters that explores their motives and sees them grow into Solistia’s finest adventurers.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

While Octopath Traveler 2 does keep the same core design as the original this is by no means just a serviceable sequel. Square Enix has listened carefully to feedback on the first game and implemented some key changes that help address its biggest flaws.

A more connected party

The most criticized aspect of Octopath Traveler was how its party members hardly acknowledged each other. Despite the eight party members working together, they wouldn’t speak to one another or interact much at all. It hurt the story big time. The narrative felt disconnected, as though each party member existed in a separate timeline despite sharing the same world.

The sequel makes an attempt at fixing this by greatly increasing how often the party interacts. The big addition is the new Crossed Paths storylines which see party members working together on a mutual goal. These are fun additions that help flesh out each character’s personality. Unfortunately, there are only four to play through. This is a real shame, as these Crossed Paths storylines produce some of the best moments.

Octopath Traveler 2 Review .crossed Paths Ochette Castti

There are also some smaller changes that help make your party feel alive. For one, you can no longer miss out on the travel banter between party members as they can all be replayed in the journal. Plus party members will call out to each other during battle. We’re only talking simple phrases like “Nice one, Osvald,” and “Excellent work, Hikari,” but it makes a bigger difference than you might expect.

To be clear, Octopath Traveler 2 is still no Persona or The Legend of Heroes . While party members do interact more often than the original, these interactions fall short when compared to other character-centric JRPGs. Square Enix has no plans of discarding this franchise’s identity with its main focus still being to deliver eight high-quality individual storylines.

The power that lies within

If you didn’t enjoy the combat in Octopath Traveler and it was a deal-breaker, I’d avoid its sequel. Octopath Traveler 2 doesn’t make many changes to the combat, choosing to stick to the same template. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the first game had some of the best turn-based mechanics in the industry, but it is something to be aware of.

Octopath Traveler 2 Review Latent Powers Tenretsuzan Hikari

The one significant change is the introduction of Latent Powers. These are a series of unique powers that each character can use once their latent power gauge fills up. Some of them are big attacks, others offer incredible debuffs and a few even temporarily change the rules of battle. The addition of Latent Powers helps each character feel more distinct from one another.

Outside of Latent Powers, most combat-related changes in Octopath Traveler 2 revolve around gameplay balance. Many jobs have been rebalanced and expanded to create a fairer and less game-breaking meta. Although it’s still possible to deal some ludicrous damage even as early as the mid-game if you know your stuff.

Explore this wonderful world

The world of Solistia is a joy to explore, offering greater diversity than its predecessor, Orsterra. There are now two separate continents that offer all types of cultures and landscapes for you to experience. From the beastling tribes of Toto’haha to the ore mining town of Orerush to the metropolis that is New Delsta. If you can think of a community, there’s probably some equivalent in Solistia. Plus this wonderful world is supported by equally stunning visuals which pick up right where the first game left off.

Solistia Townsperson Npc Winterbloom Interaction

On its own, the new day and night cycle doesn’t add all that much. It’s pretty to look at as some of the cities look especially gorgeous at night, but the gameplay implications of this mechanic are limited. However, what is impressive is that just about every song in Octopath Traveler 2 has both a day and night rendition.

The daytime songs tend to be more uplifting and cheerful while their nighttime equivalents are slower and soothing. Having two separate soundtracks and being able to switch between them at will is the kind of nuanced gameplay design that you just don’t see all that often these days.

That sentiment lends itself to the rest of Octopath Traveler 2 , which is just a well-crafted experience. I mean no exaggeration when I say Octopath Traveler 2 is one of the best-made games on the market today. In my playthrough, I experienced zero crashes, no notable bugs, and a flawless frame rate. In an industry that is obsessed with launching unfinished games and promising to fix them later, Octopath Traveler 2 proves that it’s still possible to release a product that feels complete.

Octopath Traveler 2 Review Osvald Icewind Magic Attack Tropu'hopu

Another defining entry

When it was released in 2019, Octopath Traveler became the defining JRPG of its year. Four years later, Octopath Traveler 2 carries the torch by doing exactly the same. Square Enix has done a great job of not falling into the trap of reinventing the wheel. This sequel just continues delivering on what the original did well while tidying up and improving its weaknesses.

The only true disappointment is how Crossed Paths have been handled. These new storylines should have been given the limelight but are instead treated as a side act. The four Crossed Paths in Octopath Traveler 2 are awesome, but the fact that there are only four is a problem. Hopefully, if we see another entry in this series it can take that final step and cement itself as perhaps the best JRPG ever made. For the time being, I’ll continue playing this incredible game that does almost everything right.

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Review: Octopath Traveler 2

Oh, the places you’ll go

With Octopath Traveler 2 , Square Enix goes back to the formula of the first. Eight adventurers, each with their own small-scale RPG quests, link up for one overarching journey. Each one will have their own paths to walk, secrets to uncover, and nemeses to vanquish in a heroic fashion. And then, after everyone’s had their origin story, a final chapter will bring it all together, forming the party that will tackle the greatest threat lurking just behind the curtain.

The road ahead was already laid out by its predecessor. But sometimes, it’s as much about the journey as the destination. And where Octopath Traveler 2 doesn’t just succeed but makes a mark is in how it takes you there while making the long journey feel worthwhile.

Octopath Traveler 2 ( PS5 [reviewed], PS4, PC , Switch ) Developer: Square Enix, Acquire Corp. Publisher: Square Enix Released: February 24, 2023 MSRP: $59.99

When I wrote our review-in-progress a few weeks back , I was already much more invested in Octopath Traveler 2 than its predecessor. At roughly the halfway point of the story, I felt Acquire and Square Enix had found a spark in this set-up that didn’t ever ignite for me in the first game. Its world felt more vibrant and alive, offering permutations and evolutions of its locales through the day-night cycle. Cryptic side-quests were more enticing because they allowed for clever Path Action solutions, and these Path Actions felt engaging to use.

Well, sitting at a triple-digits’ worth of hours invested and credits rolled, I still dig Octopath Traveler 2 . It’s not often an RPG coaxes this many hours out of me and manages to stay in my good graces. But that’s the magic at work here in the latest HD-2D adventure.

The path less traveled

Let’s pull the lens back to hour one, though. Octopath Traveler 2 has you select one of eight party members from the beginning. Every one of them will eventually be a piece of your party, at least if you want to see the end. For now, though, you focus on one. This one character becomes your focal point; you actually can’t take them out of your party until you finish their entire storyline.

In my case, this was Throne, the thief and assassin who decided she’d had enough of this life and wanted out. She would remove the literal collar around her neck, and kill anyone, even the patriarch and matriarch of her clandestine organization, just to never be forced to spill blood again. It’s a good story, with lots of development for Throne as she explores what her life has meant so far and what freedom even means to someone who’s been told what to do for so long.

I could have gone to Ku instead and started with Hikari’s tale of a usurping brother. Or Temenos’ investigation into the murder of a church official, or Castti’s search for her forgotten origin. Heck, even Partitio, this game’s Merchant who determines that poverty is bad and all should share in prosperity rather than allow a select few to hoard it. Partitio rules.

My point is that every character is good in their own right, and none of them ever bored me or had story segments drag on. After selecting the starting character, I started to journey around the world, recruiting the rest and playing through their chapters; everyone’s Chapter 1, then back through Chapter 2, so-on-and-so-forth. While I was certainly eager to see the conclusion of some over others, I was never loathed to boot up a new installment. It helps that Octopath Traveler 2 ‘s chapter variety is fantastic. Some characters have individual chapters broken up, spread across locations and even continents. At least one didn’t even have any boss to fight, just conversations and Path Actions.

Travelers interlinked

A big point was made to interlink the stories of Octopath Traveler 2 ‘s protagonists more than the first did. And to be fair, that has happened here. While the individual story chapters and cutscenes will still primarily focus on that character and any accompanying side characters, there are a few ways the Octo-pals connect more than they did in the predecessor.

Crossed Paths are a new set of stories required for the endgame, which sees the travelers going out in pairs on their own side journeys. They’re just quick pairings, and the chapters aren’t nearly as in-depth as the main story ones. But they do offer some fun interactions, like Castti bonding with Ochette over their work to protect life or Partitio and Osvald becoming unlikely bros.

Travel banter will also pop up now and then, offering a little side chat similar to the skits seen in the Tales Of series. It might disappoint some that we don’t constantly see this crew interacting, but I found it worked. A few scenes would make any character just jumping in to say something a bit odd, and more party banter feels like it would have left less space for the excellent supporting cast of Octopath Traveler 2 . These skits also act as fun asides. One might be taking the lead, while the others provide support, and the rest are off hanging out at the tavern or maybe doing their own thing.

I know that’s a theater-of-the-mind approach, but Octopath Traveler 2 encourages an approach that feels very open. It wants you to explore and discover in this RPG sandbox it’s made. That’s felt most in its side stories, where even small chance encounters like a strange scholar or some weird vibes in a shop can lead to big surprises.

Break it down now

All the words and stories do eventually turn to combat, though. Much like the narrative framing, combat is very similar in Octopath Traveler 2 . Turn-by-turn action pits your party against enemies, with a timeline at the top informing you what’s coming up and when. It’s a basic but fluid system. Sometimes, I’d speed through combat, smashing A to smack down some low-level scrubs. But in a boss fight, I’d carefully count out turns, doing head-math on how many attacks and skills I’d need to use, in what order, and with how many Boost Points plus SP costs to avoid a massive attack looming at turn’s end.

The Break and Boost elements are a core piece of Octopath 2 ‘s combat friction. Hit an enemy’s designated vulnerabilities to knock off shield points, reduce them to 0 to Break them, then lay on the hurt. Simple enough, right? But it’s getting there, and how you do it, that becomes complex and compelling. If Castti isn’t holding a Sword, for example, she might not be able to hack off a point of shield this turn. But maybe I can reach into my item bag and toss a one-time-use Soulstone for some Fire damage instead. Boosting increases the intensity of magic and some abilities but adds extra strikes if I just use Attack. Using Boost right away for a Break, versus saving it but giving the enemy extra turns, is a constant push-and-pull.

Abilities and equipment offer a lot of ways to customize and optimize, letting fighters specialize deeper into their roles, and then picking up subclasses to learn from others. Support Skills let you pick up anything from an extra Boost Point to a free revive. Octopath Traveler 2 kept me customizing and refining my team throughout the story, and with each character having their own chapters, I was not-so-subtly encouraged to keep swapping around and testing out different interactions and strategies.

The world comes alive

Of course, the HD-2D art looks fantastic. Team Asano’s style has become a bit of a measuring stick for pixel RPGs, but Octopath Traveler 2 still manages to surprise me with new vistas or gorgeous effects. Solistia, the game’s setting, is beautifully laid out too, with everything from deep woods and windy deserts to frigid cliffs. Just as resplendent are the cities and villages that dot the world.

The new day-night cycle lets you manually swap times, and NPCs will change locations and activities based on what time of day it is. Additionally, certain events will only play out if you let the day linger long enough to reach sunset, or the night into dawn. These link into Path Actions, the special abilities that you let get items or information, or even lead NPCs to other places. Or they just inform you a little more of the world. I’ve solved at least two puzzles by just waiting to see if an NPC would move. Octopath Traveler 2 ‘s time is malleable, but there’s a solid-enough illusion that it doesn’t move only at your whim.

I have to mention the soundtrack too. I loved the Octopath Traveler soundtrack, and the work on Octopath Traveler 2 is just as fantastic. While the soaring theme and other melodies are still here, some new additions really amp up big moments. “Partitio’s Theme” is, specifically, a banger.

The never-ending story

Every aspect of Octopath Traveler 2 just clicks into place with one another, always giving me a reason to journey somewhere new. In the first game, I just main-lined through the story beats. In Octopath Traveler 2 , I’d talk to NPCs in new towns just to see if there was something interesting to find, and importantly, that interest was often rewarded.

If there’s any hang-up, it’s the sheer breadth of Octopath Traveler 2 . There is, frankly, a lot of game here. The main story alone will likely take you close to 80 hours to see through, and additional side content will just keep stacking up. I never felt it too necessary to grind, though there were a couple of times I’d set out just to bolster an under-utilized party member.

It’s a long journey, and a worthwhile one, but I also get that for some, the amount of hours is a big hurdle. There were a few times around the Chapter 2 to 3 area that I felt the forward momentum lose steam, too. And a lot of the game’s best options, like the ability to read travel banter you might have missed in past Chapters, are a little too tucked away.

Still, all that said, Octopath Traveler 2 has eaten up my life for the better part of a month, and I’ve still loved it. It’s a full realization of everything that made the original Octopath Traveler good, but built out and expanded upon so much that it feels like a new structure.

I’m still eager to jump back into it, even after seeing the credits roll. There are lingering questions I still have, and little tidbits I want to investigate. There’s an NPC I only discovered late in the game, a swordsman in training, who you can Challenge using Hikari’s Path Action. Every time I’ve come back, he’s a little bit stronger thanks to our last fight. I’m literally training this guy up so I can, hopefully, uncover some secret or hidden move for Hikari to unleash on the remaining secret bosses I want to tackle.

Octopath Traveler 2 isn’t just a great end destination, but a fulfilling journey too. It has a lively world, intricate and engaging combat, fluid progression and builds that reward tinkering, an incredible score, and excellent arcs for all of its protagonists. It somehow has everything I’d want out of an RPG inspired by the old days, but moving forward into new ones too. It took me a long time to get here, but Octopath Traveler 2 is a road worth traveling.

[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]

Octopath Traveler II

OpenCritic Rating

Top Critic Average

Critics Recommend

Octopath Traveler II Media

OCTOPATH TRAVELER II | Launch Date Announcement Trailer

Critic Reviews for Octopath Traveler II

Octopath Traveler 2 is a very enjoyable JRPG sequel that feels a little too safe and familiar.

Read full review

Octopath Traveler 2 is more of the same with side quests, interesting characters, and a large world to explore. It essentially gives fans of the first game an additional 60 hours of what they already enjoyed, and newcomers can jump right into the sequel without worrying about what they might have missed.

When all is said and done, and the eight storytellers have finally found a way to make their narratives line up and come together to deliver the exciting finale, Octopath Traveler 2 makes for a satisfying night at the bar. It’s full of pathos and excitement that pushes you forward, and the gameplay is tight and enjoyable. You can’t help but wish it was a little more well-structured, but seeing how the storytellers learned so much from their previous attempt, it’s hard not to look forward to the tales they’ll tell next time.

Metro GameCentral

A competent and entertaining faux-retro Japanese role-player but apart from the new characters almost nothing has changed since the first one.

GamesRadar+

As an ode to '90s JRPGs, there's no doubt that Octopath Traveler 2 has chops. Its aesthetic and combat system are perfectly judged to recall the old while feeling new. The fragmented nature of its eight separate plotlines, however, means the world and its characters lack coherence and room to escape simple archetypes, while the stories themselves lack sufficient nuance to hold the attention.

Game Informer

Octopath Traveler II does what an excellent sequel should. Instead of breaking new ground left and right, it improves on the original in nearly every way and feels more confident about the stories it tells. There’s still room for improvement in some of its stiffer areas, but Octopath II is a sterling achievement all around.

The non-linear storytelling, freeform exploration, and strategic combat of Octopath Traveler II makes for a challenging and satisfying RPG adventure.

Destructoid

A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.

Octopath Traveler 2 Review

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Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler 2 , a traditional JRPG that was released in February 2023, is the third in a series that began in 2018. Created in collaboration with Japanese developer and publisher Acquire, the franchise immediately drew in fans of fantasy RPGs with its appealing graphical style called HD-2D . It combines retro-style character sprites reminiscent of the Super NES with layered environments and high-def visual effects. But the first game also attracted people through its unusual story presentation and engaging turn-based combat.

Octopath Traveler 2 delivers more of the same, so much so that it feels like a continuation of the first game rather than a true sequel. The graphics are slightly enhanced but otherwise almost unchanged, and even the UI, combat, and gameplay loop seem to pick up right where Octopath 1 left off. The soundtrack, composed by Yasunori Nishiki, introduces a number of new themes, all of which are immersive and skillfully done. But mostly, Octopath 2 offers a few quality-of-life and gameplay tweaks that imply an "if it ain't broke" approach, which works because most aspects of the first game were already pretty top notch, though those who were hoping for a more appreciable overhaul may be disappointed.

Octopath Traveler 2 introduces eight new characters , or travelers, with varied jobs, backstories, and ambitions. Like the first game, each job comes with unique combat abilities, as well as skills known as Path Actions that can be used while roaming around town. For example, Osvald is a Scholar who can cast elemental magic in combat and also Scrutinize townsfolk during the day to discover the locations of hidden items. Ochette, as a Hunter, can Provoke NPCs to fight for some extra experience, and Temenos the Cleric can Guide people and summon them to help in battle a limited number of times.

These abilities will sound very familiar to those who played Octopath 1 because nearly all of the jobs and skills are identical between games, including the secondary jobs that each traveler can learn. However, some passive abilities, called Talents, have been changed in Octopath Traveler 2 . For example, in the first game, the Thief Therion could open special chests using his Pick Locks skill. Throne, the Thief in the sequel , instead has a passive ability called Blessings of Darkness that raises the attack and speed of allies in combat.

Octopath 2 also introduces a day and night cycle, which can be switched at will by the player and noticeably affects gameplay. Throne’s Blessings of Darkness only triggers at night, for instance, and all travelers have a second Path Action that is available solely after dark. Each character in Octopath Traveler 2 also has a unique latent power , which is a potent ability similar to a Final Fantasy 7 Limit Break. So while it might be a bit of a letdown that almost all the jobs and abilities are copy/pasted from Octopath 1 , these few changes help make things feel somewhat fresh and compelling. Even the sometimes arduous pacing of the first game has been taken into consideration, and players now have the welcome option to increase combat speed.

Each character in Octopath Traveler 2 has their own storyline to follow, which is divided into bite-sized chapters that can be completed in an hour or two. They all follow the predictable RPG formulas, like someone wronged and out for revenge, the unlikely hero on a quest to protect her people, or the thug on a search for redemption. These are recounted through seemingly interminable, mostly unvoiced dialogs interspersed with little tasks to break up the tedium. Luckily, the scenes can be set to autoplay or skipped entirely, and generally, the travelers’ tales are more engrossing than those of the first game.

The lack of an overarching narrative to tie the separate stories together was one complaint of people who played Octopath 1 . Eight scenarios shared in a single game is an intriguing idea, but it can feel like an anthology of short stories rather than a cohesive, epic adventure. The sequel suffers from this same feeling of disconnect, though the developers have clearly made an effort to bring the eight paths together in a more meaningful way, with an endgame dungeon and boss fight that provide a satisfying finale to Octopath Traveler 2 .

One shortcoming of Octopath 2 is the game’s failure to establish any real sense of camaraderie among this group of strangers traveling the world together. When activating any character’s individual story sequence, that person is suddenly alone and the party inexplicably dispersed. Even the “travel banter” between party members, which is occasionally prompted onscreen, doesn’t do much to dispel this feeling of them being on wholly separate journeys.

Conversely, and perhaps even adding to this sense of detachment, the NPCs introduced during each character’s personal narrative feel like a more integral part of their story than the fellow party members do. They often have a similar degree of development, personality, and backstory, and they interact with the characters more actively. This could be fixed with occasional cutscenes or other interludes, for example, to show the travelers experiencing more than just combat together and to give their dubious partnerships more depth.

While the party members seem generally distant from one another, they do come together in battle splendidly. The traditional turn-based combat in Octopath 2 will be quick to understand for anybody familiar with old-school RPGs , though it features a somewhat unique battle system. It’s not a question of just bashing foes until the victory screen appears, and once the intricacies of combat become clear, even regular fights with same-level enemies can be enjoyably challenging. However, combat overall feels easier than in the first game, outside some random difficulty spikes that require the inevitable EXP grinding.

After every turn in combat, each character gains one Boost Point, with each point increasing outbound damage. These can be spent immediately for a small boost, or players can tactically stockpile up to five points in order to unleash an extremely powerful attack. It becomes a question of balancing patience while taking a slight battering and the desire to quickly go on the offensive.

Added to the mix are enemy shields, which take a varying number of hits to bring down. Once an opponent’s defense is broken, attacks will inflict more damage. But these shields can only be chipped away using weapons or spell types that the foe is weak to, thus adding another layer of complexity to combat. Mastering the synergy between party members and their abilities, biding time to unleash boosts, deciding whether to use AOEs or focused attacks, and uncovering enemy weaknesses make fighting in Octopath Traveler 2 consistently dynamic and fun.

The follow-up to 2018’s award-winning Octopath Traveler will satisfy most retro RPG fans, and it checks all the boxes when it comes to visuals, music, character variety, story, and combat. Despite the tweaks — day/night cycle, fleshing out the job system, slightly improved graphics, and generally better stories — Octopath Traveler 2 does not advance the series in any meaningful way. It feels more like a shinier continuation of what came before, rather than a significant step forward. There is no massive overhaul, but instead a little nudge here and a touch of polish there.

However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing; Octopath Traveler got a mobile spinoff and a sequel for a reason. It was a successful bridge between SNES-era turn-based RPGs and modern gaming expectations, and it offered engaging gameplay that could suck away hours of free time. Octopath Traveler 2 is more of the same with side quests , interesting characters, and a large world to explore. It essentially gives fans of the first game an additional 60 hours of what they already enjoyed, and newcomers can jump right into the sequel without worrying about what they might have missed.

Octopath Traveler 2 is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch. Game Rant was provided a Steam code for this review.

Octopath Traveler 2

The story takes place in Solistia, a land comprising an eastern and western continent divided by the sea. It is a bustling era, wherein large vessels navigate busy sea routes and the power of steam gives birth to new technologies. Some people thrill to glamorous stars of the stage and industry, while others are brought to tears by war, plague, and poverty. In this faraway realm, eight travelers hailing from different regions venture forth for their own reasons. Step into their shoes and explore the land as you see fit, using their unique talents to aid you along your journey. Embark on an adventure all your own.

MORE: 8 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Playing Octopath Traveler 2

Video Games

Octopath Traveler 2 review: A new age of RPG

92 hours later, my brain is melted and i love it.

Laptop Mag Verdict

Octopath Traveler 2 is ringing in a new series of role playing games that has potential to be as huge as the giants that came before.

Engaging turn-based gameplay

Day-night cycle mechanics

Full circle narrative

Gorgeous art and stellar music

No voice acted travel banter

Some characters could use unique skills

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Art & Music

Bottom line

Octopath Traveler 2 is everything I wanted the original to be and more. No more disconnected stories strewn about by a loose connection to an absurdly difficult optional boss. No more hoping that everything is going to come together at the very end to send off your 100-hour journey in a blaze of glory. No more “is that really it?”

Our eight travelers argue, laugh, cry, and live life together on the road, each making their way toward new and old goals. It’s through the completion of these stories that we begin to see a pattern forming, something stirring within the shadows. This is a full circle journey that'll leave your jaw slacked and your heart in cardiac arrest.

I fell in love with each character, and it was sad to say goodbye, but I had to so I can tell you that Octopath Traveler 2 fulfills all your needs among the best Nintendo Switch games , best PS5 games , and best PC games . This is a new era of RPG.

The more things change

Octopath Traveler 2 sticks to its original turn-based formula but adds in a few twists that provide more opportunities for strategy.

My favorite new mechanic is the day-night cycle. This effectively adds a new path action for every character, providing you with versatility in path encounters. In the original, it was a pain to have to run back to the tavern to get a different character each time you had to do something specific. But now with overlapping skills and varying levels of success, it's easier than ever to navigate through towns and loot all the info and items.

The day-night cycle also throws in some new combat mechanics for two of the companions, Throne and Temenos. At night, you'll receive Blessing of Darkness for the former and Moonlight Judgement for the latter, which effectively buffs your characters and debuffs your foes, respectively. While these are useful in combat, they're a cop out for more potentially unique abilities. For example, Hikari, Castti and Ochette have a unique skill tree of abilities they can tap into. I wish we had got to see unique skill lists for each of the eight characters. Unfortunately, Agnea and Partitio only get summons, and Osvald is stuck with his Study Foe skill, which becomes useless after you've fought a foe more than a few times.

Secondary jobs were a big thing in the original, but they were rather limited in number. In Octopath Traveler 2, there are licenses, which effectively allow you to use all standard secondary jobs three times. That means you can give the Cleric secondary job to three different people in your party. Yes, you can have a full party of Clerics (scary). On top of that, there are four unique secondary jobs, but they are limited to one license each and are particularly difficult to obtain.

I love the addition of EX skills, which are unique to the characters as opposed to the jobs themselves. Each character gets two unique skills, one of which is unlocked by completing the character’s story and the other by attuning with the alter of the god that the character is associated with. These are some of the most powerful skills in the game.

There’s also the addition of latent abilities, which are kind of like Ultimate abilities that can be used only when they’ve charged up. For Ochette and Hikari, it gives them access to a new set of offensive skills. And for Osvald, it reduces his spells to single-target but increases the power output, which is great for fighting bosses. This adds yet another layer of complexity to combat that I love.

Toward the end of the game, we see how creative the developers can get with putting all eight characters into one fighting arena. I wish that there were more opportunities for that throughout the game. It would have made it easier to level up all of the characters and add another layer of complexity to battles.

One small but wonderful addition was the inclusion of 2x speed for battles. I’ve had it on for the entire game and would otherwise feel like I was trapped in slow-motion if I went back to regular speed. I’d even recommend adding a 3x speed, too.

There were some other changes that I wasn’t too fond of. The Thief lost their SP Steal skill, and the Scholar was heavily nerfed, requiring you spend an additional turn to double up on your spells. You could argue that the Scholar is more powerful in the endgame, but during the beginning, you’re not going to be doing as much damage.

Overall, the gameplay changes added to Octopath Traveler 2 flesh out the foundational support that the original provided.

Without a shadow of a doubt

Octopath Traveler 2 is by far the more superior game when it comes to the narrative. Granted, it wasn’t tough to beat, as the original didn’t really give us much of an ending. This game not only has an ending, but the characters interact within some cooperative chapters and have fully voiced conversations. This is a low bar, but it’s a bar this game hit that the original didn’t.

Octopath Traveler 2 is still awkward in some places when it comes to character interactions. For example, the travel banter still isn’t voice acted, which is a shame. But you can access all of the travel banter now via your journal, which is a wonderful improvement.

The stories are more focused on the narrative and use the gameplay mechanics to tell the story instead of the other way around. One of the greatest examples of this is during Castti’s story. When she inquires about information during a story beat, the text will glitch out and bold an important word. Combining the Inquire mechanic and the narrative is a cool way to deliver information. Mechanics and storytelling go hand-in-hand during Hikari’s arc as well, as our warrior uses the Challenge path action to defeat chapter bosses all on his own.

Despite dumping 92 hours into Octopath Traveler, the narrative chapters aren’t actually that long. There are just a lot of them. I like how short they are because you can easily take breaks in between without having to worry about getting knee deep into a convoluted anime-like plot hole.

The first character you choose is your protagonist, and that choice sticks with you through the very end. You get more of an insight into their character towards the end of the story, so choose wisely, or at least who you think the most interesting is. I picked Throne, but if I were to play again, I would probably pick Temenos — he has real main character energy throughout the narrative. Mechanically, though, I would’ve chosen Osvald for his Study Foe skill, and for those 100% fiends, I’d go with Hikari — my entire build to fight the secret super boss relied on him being as decked out as possible.

My favorite personal narrative is probably Throne's. It's just so twisted and I was not expecting it to go to the places that it went. In her quest for freedom, she finds herself bound by more chains than the collar around her neck. It makes me wonder how this game even got a T for teens rating.

Another small but much needed improvement is the addition of automatic dialogue, so you don’t have to sit there clicking on each line of text. I was able to sit back and watch cutscenes play out like a movie.

Contrast: Over 9,000!

As a fiend for vivid art and high-contrast visuals, Octopath Traveler 2 appeals to me more than most games that utilize retro pixel art. Every moment is detailed and yet looks like a fever dream viewed through a vignette. It’s reminiscent of a picture book, if you dumped buckets of bold paint on said picture book.

Octopath Traveler 2’s art is complemented by soothing and intense soundtracks (pls release on Spotify) throughout that fully immersed me in the industrial fantasy world that the game presents. Most RPGs that run close to 100 hours can be a straight up slog to get through, but there wasn’t a single moment like that in Octopath, and that’s because I was sucked into the world’s presentation.

Octopath Traveler 2 is my ideal RPG. There’s very little I would remove from it. I want Square Enix to continue to build upon the foundation of each game. I want to see Octopath Traveler 3 with more wild and creative mechanics. I envision a future where I'm playing Octopath Traveler 10 in my late 60s — if it continues to follow a 5-year cycle… if Square Enix survives that long… if I survive that long… if Earth survives that long.

Anyway, good game.

Rami Tabari is an Editor for Laptop Mag. He reviews every shape and form of a laptop as well as all sorts of cool tech. You can find him sitting at his desk surrounded by a hoarder's dream of laptops, and when he navigates his way out to civilization, you can catch him watching really bad anime or playing some kind of painfully difficult game. He’s the best at every game and he just doesn’t lose. That’s why you’ll occasionally catch his byline attached to the latest Souls-like challenge.

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Octopath Traveler 2 review: "Seems afraid to escape the limitations of the first game"

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Sumptuous visuals and soundtrack

Slick, tactical battles

Too much recycling from the first game

Some lacklustre characters and stories

Level gating is too rigid

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Something old, something new

Pieces of eight, clerical error.

Anyone who's been playing games for any length of time should be accustomed to the pull of nostalgia. Remakes, homages, and genre revivals are a cornerstone of the medium these days, and skilled developers know exactly which buttons to press to rekindle the warm glow of a more impressionable stage of life.

Release date: February 24, 2023 Platform(s): PS5, PS4, PC, Switch Developer: In-house Publisher: Square Enix

Octopath Traveler 2, like its predecessor, is a product of such skilled developers. It demonstrates a deep appreciation of '90s JRPGs, not least Final Fantasy 6, and extracts their essence to recreate what made fans fall in love with these games in the first place. For those of us of a certain vintage, it's a big steaming bowl of comfort food – just like mamma SquareSoft used to make.

The trouble with dealing in nostalgia, though, is that it's difficult to reconcile with the demands of the present. And for all the expertise on show in this sequel, it seems afraid to mature or escape the limitations of the first game. Like comfort food, as soothing as it is, it's unable to surprise, or challenge expectations.

The artistry of the nostalgia on display here, though, really is a thing of beauty. More than most of today's pixel-art tributes, Octopath Traveler 2 recognises that Square and Enix's SNES JRPGs were AAA productions in their day, so simple retro revivals fail to capture that grandeur. In contrast, Octopath's pixel-textured 3D dioramas evoke the 16-bit age while offering a feast for modern eyes. Flat planes become pop-up picture books, their edges softened like wistful memories, dotted with warm smudges of lights and fireplaces. The effect is completed by haunting melodies and rousing battle anthems that could have featured in Final Fantasy 6 itself, had they been fed through a SNES sound chip.

Striding around the great outdoors and tackling dangerous creatures is handled with similar flair. The countryside is awash with blocky hills and model village views, plus a little more juicy to explore this time, thanks to the addition of waterways you can traverse on tiny boats to seek hidden treasures and alternate routes. Combat, meanwhile, is a mix of old-fashioned turn-based encounters and slick bombast, from the way characters swirl with lightning before unleashing powered up attacks, to the shattering glass sound effect when you break an enemy's guard, as if it's rewarding an act of vandalism.

That break mechanic, along with the 'Battle Points' (BP) that your combatants accrue over time, also ensure a level of tactical play. To whittle down your opponents' shields and score big hits you need to discover and then target their weaknesses to certain weapons or magic, diminishing their guard counter with each strike until you smash through, leaving them stunned and vulnerable for a turn. Your BP supplies can be used either to unleash multiple standard attacks or add oomph to special abilities. Ideally you want to save them until you've broken through then pile in at full power, but sometimes it's prudent to deploy them sooner, to break a guard quickly before your opponent attacks again.

This balancing act becomes delightfully taut against bosses – once again brilliantly depicted as towering tyrants that dwarf your diminutive charges. You may be racing against time to break them as they charge up a devastating strike of their own, and judging when to save or spend BP can be a matter of life or death. They're the proof that there's plenty of life in this traditional format yet, given some intelligent tinkering.

If you played Octopath the first, however, you already know all this, because it's simple recycling. Yes, there are a couple of fresh additions to the system: 'latent powers' build up as characters take damage until they can execute a unique skill – gaining an extra turn, say, or instantly filling their BP supply – while second jobs allow a character to add the skills of another to their repertoire, offering a little more party flexibility. But neither dramatically alter the flow.

And the same is true across the board, starting from the structure of your adventure, which once again focuses on eight travellers from different parts of the world, each with their own reason for hitting the road. Select one as your primary character, and you play through the opening chapter of their tale before setting off to pursue a far-flung goal. Before you get anywhere near it, though, you'll meet the other characters in their home towns, play their backstory chapters, then add them to your posse. Now you've got eight quests to see through, one chapter at a time, scattered across the map.

As before, then, you have plenty of freedom to decide on the order you recruit your gang and tick off their objectives. You're never constrained to a single location, and once you reach a new town you can hop back there as you see fit. This open invitation comes at the cost of a singular narrative line that pulls the group towards a common cause. Except for occasional side conversations and the addition of a handful of inconsequential mini-chapters in which two characters work together, each story focuses on a single individual, with the rest of the crew merely offering support in battle. The party dynamic so central to JRPG series from Dragon Quest to Persona is missing.

The pressure is thus on the stories themselves to be compelling, but only a few are, not least because the characters are a remix of the first game's cast, occupying the same range of professions – a warrior, a merchant, a cleric, and so on – and in many cases navigating similar scenarios. Some have causes that are easy to invest in – like the thief, Throné, fighting for her freedom from a life-time's slavery in a criminal gang – or compelling personalities, like the exuberant beast-girl hunter Ochette. But a few others are hard to care about or actually quite irritating, especially Partitio the entrepreneurial merchant.

Unfortunately, if you want to see the denouements of your favourite stories, you'll have to complete all the others as well, otherwise you'll never level up enough to survive later, tougher episodes. Indeed, the inflexible level recommendations that gate areas and chapters are something of a stumbling block once again in Octopath Traveler 2. After collecting my gang, I found myself substantially over-levelled for most of the second round of chapters, rendering them a dull slog, then unable to keep all my characters up to speed later on without committing to lengthy bouts of grinding.

Still, it's no surprise that Octopath Traveler 2 asks you to spend so much time churning through battles, because it doesn't really have anything else for you to do. Some effort has been made to vary the typical plot-dungeon-boss cycle in chapters, but that only serves to highlight how vapid the rest of the mechanics are. To progress in towns, you need to use characters' unique 'path actions', which enable them to interact with NPCs in various ways. And this time, each character has two rather than one, supposedly doubling the options at your disposal. Yet the new actions are all variations on old themes – acquiring items, gathering information, convincing the NPC to follow you, and knocking them unconscious – and involve simply walking up to a designated target and pressing a button.

Perhaps the greatest weight around the game's neck, however, is that it's stubbornly traditional in the telling of its stories, seeming to lack a sense of awareness around how narrative design has evolved along with battle systems and visual styles over the last 30 years. While the appeal of '90s JRPGs was synonymous with child-eyed wonder, over time those eyes have become more discerning and sceptical, but the fiction here never gets beyond trite morality tales and hotchpotch fantasy confection.

The game's two continents, for instance, are filled with a grab bag of cultural touchstones gathered with scant concern for how they gel. Early modern European religious sensibilities are thrown in with an industrial revolution on the eastern landmass, while in the west a North American mining frontier somehow exists adjacent to a kingdom of samurai warlords. Like the stories themselves, these lands are autonomous units that lose coherence when combined. The American and Japanese side in particular feels like it's been painted in careless stereotypical strokes.

Tonally, the stories are equally haphazard. On the positive side, you can switch between lighter and darker stories as you see fit, but potentially heavy themes such as slavery and prostitution are thus sandwiched between, say, Agnea the dancer's quest for stardom, and any moral ambiguity falls by the wayside as each chapter wraps up neatly before the next. It's a shame because some of the themes here deserve serious treatment.

The game's cleric, for example, an inquisitor named Temenos, has the power to 'coerce' information out of NPCs if he can 'break' them in battle, which is, you know, shorthand for torture. Such behaviour could be the catalyst to explore his flaws, but Octopath Traveler 2 serves its party up as heroes working to defeat terribly villainous villains. The script is at fault here – it's adequate, but rarely poignant, profound, or funny – but more so is the fragmented, hurried plotting. Thrust into a murder investigation, the enigmatic Temenos quickly assumes a sympathetic role, where there's no room to interrogate how his methods might chafe against a noble aim.

In this way, the travellers' tales are not only bland by modern standards but lionise archetypes such as kind and just hereditary leaders, morally upstanding inquisitors and good capitalists. Added to the fact that Octopath Traveler 2 is a little too content to rest on its laurels, and it shows that while nostalgia can be a joyous experience, becoming too enraptured by the past can easily default to conservatism.

Octopath Traveller 2 was reviewed on PS5, with code provided by the publisher

Jon Bailes is a freelance games critic, author and social theorist. After completing a PhD in European Studies, he first wrote about games in his book Ideology and the Virtual City, and has since gone on to write features, reviews, and analysis for Edge, Washington Post, Wired, The Guardian, and many other publications. His gaming tastes were forged by old arcade games such as R-Type and classic JRPGs like Phantasy Star. These days he’s especially interested in games that tell stories in interesting ways, from Dark Souls to Celeste, or anything that offers something a little different.

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Octopath Traveler 2 review: less than the sum of its parts

A meandering road.

TechRadar Verdict

A flawed gem of a JRPG that sacrifices depth for breadth.

Gorgeous pixel art graphics

Stunning soundtrack

Memorable cast of characters

Bland battle system

Characters rarely interact

Disjointed and jarring story

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The bustling streets of New Delsta hide a dark secret. Organized crime has a vice-like grip on the city. From the shadows, the sinister Blacksnakes control everything.

Throné is an indentured servant to the Blacksnake’s grim hierarchs. Coerced into a life of crime, she faces abuse, corporal punishment, and danger on a regular basis. Part of a twisted power game played by the gang’s leaders, Throné is forced to fight her closest confidant to death. She triumphs, but something in her breaks. She resolves to escape the yoke of the Blacksnakes and find her freedom.

Enter: Agnea, a dancer from a pleasant village in the Leaflands. Wholesome, charming, and delightful, the aspiring starlet seems to have stepped out of a Disney movie. And here is Octopath Traveler 2 ’s biggest problem: many of its central stories are at complete thematic odds with each other.

Octopath Traveler 2 is a turn-based JRPG for the Nintendo Switch , boasting gorgeous pixel art graphics and a beautiful soundtrack by composer Yasunori Nishiki. From RPG veteran Square Enix, Octopath Traveler 2 isn’t explicitly a narrative sequel to its predecessor but does attempt to build on the themes and gameplay beats of the original. As with the last game, it follows the story of eight diverse heroes.

This makes for an overcrowded stage. Both Agnea and Throné’s stories could form the solid foundation of a JRPG in their own right. However, both tales are weakened when placed side by side in this jarring fashion.

No small parts

Octopath Traveler 2 ’s combat system initially appears to be the stuff of classic JRPGs. You have four fighters in your party, and you square off against your foes, politely taking turns to act. But Square Enix offers two twists on the traditional formula: the Boost and Break mechanics.

Every turn, each character accumulates a Boost Point which you can spend to power up actions, such as spells or melee attacks. It adds a sophisticated layer to the Octopath Traveller 2 ’s action economy.

Break is all about your enemies’ defenses. Every foe in Octopath 2 boasts weaknesses to specific damage types which you work out through trial and error, or your investigative skills. Every enemy also has a shield value. Each time you hit a foe with a weakness, its shield value decreases. Get this number to zero, and it’ll enter a vulnerable state, taking extra damage and skipping its next action.

Unfortunately, these mechanics exist in the shadow of other titles which implement similar features more fluidly. I couldn’t help but compare the Break mechanic to the elemental weaknesses in Persona 5 , where, if you hit every enemy monster in an encounter with its weakness, you can perform a stylish all-out attack. You’re even rewarded with a personalized victory screen, depending on the character that initiated the move.

In contrast, Octopath 2 ’s Break system seems underwhelming. While it is satisfying to render an enemy vulnerable, the payoff is fleeting. With more formidable adversaries, the slog to inflicting the Break status often feels like a chore.

Talk of the town

Square Enix attempts to address a major problem with Octopath Traveler 2 ’s predecessor: namely, that the eight central characters barely interacted with one another. To remedy this issue, Octopath 2 includes special Cross Story chapters and Travel Banter.

Travel Banter does shine a light on inter-party dynamics in a pleasing way. However, the conversations often have little to do with the overarching character storylines. Like many of Octopath 2 ’s features, they are perfectly serviceable alone, but, in the context of the wider beast, they feel forced.

For the most part, our heroes are like allies of convenience, drawn together only to make pursuing their individual goals easier, which isn’t enough in light of the warm and inviting ensemble storytelling of the likes of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Bravely Default 2 .

Party conversations often have little to do with the overarching character storylines.

Octopath Traveler 2 has breathtaking visuals, a gorgeous score, and a decent, if sometimes underwhelming, combat system. However, the game feels like it is being pulled apart in eight directions, only held together by narrative conceit and mechanical convenience.

That is not to say that there is nothing to love in Octopath Traveler 2 . The individual character stories are well-written and often engaging, but in demanding you arbitrarily divide your time between tales, you're forced to yo-yo back and forth from one saga to the next inviting all the tonal whiplash you might expect.

Octopath 2 is a competent RPG, but fails to realize its loftier ambitions.

Final Fantasy 16 may already have been outdone by a new 16-bit RPG

An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.

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'Octopath Traveler 2' review: Eight different stories, but not enough connection

It's like an uber pool for rpg characters..

Octopath Traveler 2 is a retro-styled RPG, set in another steampunk-esque fantasy world. Square Enix isn’t reinventing the turn-based RPG for this sequel , instead expanding and (mildly) correcting some of the weaker parts of the original. There are new battle dynamics and moves, a well-utilized day-and-night game mechanism, and shared stories that attempt to convey a connection between the eight narratives. But it’s still a casual one. If Final Fantasy XV was about four best buddies going on a road-trip, then Octopath Traveler 2 is more like an Uber Pool rideshare. There might be friendly small talk, but there’s still not enough of a meaningful connection between the eight protagonists.

Octopath Traveler 2 doesn’t offer any technical graphical upgrades I need to explain, although there seems to be a little more detail to both the sprites and environments. It’s still a pretty game. Half of the appeal is how games like this coax my memories of 16- and 32-bit games.

Having said that, the team behind this series has realized they can play with the scale a bit more: this is the Nintendo Switch, not a SNES. In some of the opening scenes for Hikari the warrior, characters rush past a crowd of 40 or so fighting in a desert. Developers Acquire and Team Asano have amped up the cinematic cutscenes a little more, too. Cameras will pan out and around your characters, as they brood on cliff faces, or as they’re forced to kill their abusive parents.

OP2 tries, only ever so slightly, to convey the idea that you’re on a collective journey. Once you’ve chosen your main character (who will be ‘locked’ into your party until you complete all five chapters of their story), you’ll bump into other travelers. Then you’ll be given the option to play through their origin story, or circle back to it at the local tavern at a time that’s suitable for you.

Occasionally there will be some minor banter elements, called “shared stories” where two characters will share a few scenes together. These often connect stories and offer up some rewards. Still, it’s a little too infrequent – and not enough to get the impression this is a team of heroes helping each other to save the world from various calamities – or become a global dance superstar. (Yes, that’s someone’s aim.)

Osvald, the scholar, starts his journey in prison, accused of killing his wife and child. He’s this game’s defacto black mag,e with an array of elemental attacks. Still, this time, given his gritty backstory, his path actions (abilities and interactions you can make with non-playable characters in towns, and generally any time outside of battles) aren’t your typical black mage traits. One is scrutinize, a risky way of gleaning information from characters, while the other is mug, where you can duel pretty much any NPC you come across, and steal their possessions if you win.

However, with eight characters, many path actions overlap. Castti, an item expert and apothecary, can inquire for the same information you can get from scrutinizing, without any risk – she just has to be a high enough level. Meanwhile, Throné, the thief, can steal during daylight hours, giving the same results of a mugging without the fight.

Alongside those skills, each character also starts with a unique talent, offering battle abilities or passive skills that others won’t be able to use, even after unlocking secondary classes.

Like the original, the battle system comes into its own once you can switch around job roles. To do so, however, you’ll need to find the guild for each job to unlock it. Some are easy enough to find – I came across two of the ‘secret’ jobs entirely by accident – while others are eluding me even now, 60 hours into the game, at roughly level 60 across my party. Where are you, hunter guild!?

More effort has been made to tonally differentiate the eight tales of Octopath Traveler 2 compared to its predecessor. With Temenos the cleric, who works as some sort of blasphemy hunter/mystery solver, gets a few scenes where he’s trying to solve crime scene mysteries. It’s not exactly Phoenix Wright , with all the clues there, twinkling away, waiting for you to walk up to them, but it helps to make the chapters feel different to the others.

Partitio, the merchant, likewise, has a story that feels like some whimsical K-drama, as this entrepreneur makes friends of enemies and travels the world striking deals. He gets an oddly bizarre montage of his final deal striking, hopping on ships and visiting a few secondary characters you probably already forgot. The aforementioned Castii starts the game with amnesia (ah that video game classic), and if there’s anything shared across most of the characters, it’s the sense that most of them are unreliable narrators. Rounding out the cast you have Agnea, the dancer, and Ochette, the hunter. (Not all eight will resonate with everyone, will they?)

Even the final chapters for each of the eight characters only results in a few extra banter scenes. I’m playing through the final chapters for each character, and if it's anything like OP1 , this will probably unlock a true final area, dungeon and boss. At this point, I doubt all the themes and story will coalesce into a satisfying conclusion — there’s been some allusions to a ‘shadow’, but that’s true of 90 percent of all RPGs. /I’ll be happy with another challenging boss.

The battle dynamics follow the same formula of the last game: you aim to break the enemies’ defenses through applying elemental and weapon weaknesses. Break them, and they’ll stop attacking — or reset the charge-up to their high damage abilities – allowing you to do increased damage, or carefully heal and prepare for the next part of the fight. Once again, you’ll be able to boost attacks as a battle continues, augmenting damage or extending the length of strengthening spells and other boons.

The sequel adds latent powers, a limit-break styled super attack unique to each character. For some, this allows them to handily perform two actions at once, while others will deal augmented damage or supercharge spells and physical attacks. This was how I found my favorite characters and they seemed to stick around the squad longer. (Thank you for your service, Throné.)

Day and night affect the entire game, and thankfully it’s an easy trigger button that you can tap at any time outside of a battle. There are benefits to fighting during night, depending on the characters. Throné and Temenos offer debuffs and buffs at the start of nighttime fights, although it seems like fights are generally tougher than during the day. You will also come across different enemies depending on the time of day. This transition will also move NPCs around the town, or make them disappear entirely. The music also thoughtfully segues between the two states, which is a nice touch. Yet again, OP2 has a polished soundtrack, filled with orchestral bangers and several battle-theme earworms.

OP2 builds on the strengths of the first game, with lots of non-linear options to the story, with enough of a difference between chapters to break it all up. However, there still isn’t quite enough cohesion between the travelers and the tales they weave.

Octopath Traveler 2 launches on Switch, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 and Steam on February 24th.

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Dragon Age: The Veilguard preview – a vast improvement on Inquisition

Ryan woodrow | 20 hours ago.

When I was invited to San Francisco to play six hours of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I didn’t know what to expect but had tentatively high hopes. I’ve been around the Dragon Age block before but I’m far from a scholar on Thedas – I know what a Grey Warden is, but I couldn’t pick one out of a lineup from their uniform alone.

Still, with a fantasy world this lore-rich, I’ll always have the desire to immerse myself within it, and while previous games have had too many frustrations to scratch that itch, trailers for Veilguard immediately piqued my interest. Cheesy dialogue aside, I immediately wanted to get to know each of the companions, and gameplay showcases have been extremely promising, with flashy-looking fights and promises of an engaging narrative that is accessible to someone with only a base-level knowledge of the lore.

When I finally got hands-on with it, the combat immediately stood out to me as a vast improvement on the last game, Dragon Age: Inquisition. With a much heavier focus on fast-paced action, it sits with some of the best modern action games in terms of how good it feels to hack, slash, and cast your way through a Thedas under threat of destruction from ancient elven gods. Even when you’re wailing on tanky enemies with huge health bars, it still maintains a feeling of momentum as there are tangible reactions to all your abilities, while even your basic strikes have a fun flow to them.

This is true of all classes, and while they all have the same basic functions, they still feel unique to play. I bounced between Warrior, Rogue, and Mage, and although I clicked with some better than others (Mage takes some getting used to), I enjoyed my time with each as the basic rhythm of attacks feels great, while the unique ability set of each class shines.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard - Warrior Rook

Each one plays with different status effects that favor that class’ playstyle. Rogues strike quickly and dodge quicker, favoring inflicting Weakness and Stagger on enemies; Warriors find the opening for heavy strikes, using damage-dealing statuses like Burn and Bleed; and Mages keep their distance while halting enemy progress with things like Freeze abilities. The exact skill sets are up to you though, as the extensive skill trees all push out into three different specializations that you can focus on for each class.

There isn’t a massive enemy variety – at least in the early game – but each encounter is cleverly designed to make sure you’re always on your toes, with several different types of shielding. Some shields are best destroyed with ranged attacks, others heavy attacks, and some charged attacks. Combine that with vastly different attack styles and you’ll need to take a moment to work out what to prioritize before you dive into combat.

This extends to boss battle design as well. I got to fight a few different bosses – some a part of the main story, others optional – and each was more intense than the last. Big monsters have the classic design of focusing on limbs to expose weak points and stun the beasts, while humanoid bosses provide a greater variety of challenges. The fight that stood out to me the most – partly because it took place in a waist-deep pool of blood – saw a speedy teleporter that was weak to parrying attacks, who also summons enemies that are best dealt with via parries.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard rogue gameplay

It isn’t some soulslike encounter, though. The parry system is more like Arkham combat than anything soulsy, and it only helps to enhance how badass you feel when you can quickly react to incoming hits without worrying too much about mistiming attacks. Plus, if you want to ignore it and just power through with AoE and knockback abilities, you absolutely can, you’ll just have a slightly harder time of it.

Going all-out on your abilities is worth it though, as they show off the combat’s most surprising aspect, which is that it’s absolutely gorgeous. I remember watching the initial gameplay reveal , seeing how cool it looked, and thinking there’s no way it would look that good all the time, but it honestly does. Both enemy and allied abilities are bright, colorful, and pop off the screen, yet the UI is well-designed and easily readable amidst the chaos.

Accessing these abilities is thankfully easy as well. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who was worried when that big ability wheel for character and companion commands was shown off, but you have more than one way to access it. While you can open the wheel to slow down time and think about your abilities, you can also simply hold down LT/L2 and press another button to activate them. Player abilities are right there on the face buttons, while for companions you will have to bend your hands a little more to hit the d-pad or bumper buttons. It takes a little bit of getting used to but is still far less fiddly than I feared.

Ability wheel in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

The combat is just one side of Dragon Age though, with the companion interactions being the other big thing people want to know about, and unfortunately, I didn’t get much of an in-depth look in this preview. However, I can say that the character banter and conversations aren’t anywhere near as cheesy or full of MCU-style quips as the initial trailers suggested. While I wasn’t blown away by the writing in any of the scenes I saw, I never once rolled my eyes at it.

The main story has a lot of potential, giving you plenty of opportunities to dive into the backstory of Solas and the other eleven gods that serve as the game’s antagonists. Even in the small snippets I got to see, they felt much more fleshed out than generic fantasy villains, a role they could’ve easily fallen into.

It makes me optimistic that, in a year where several heavily hyped titles failed to impress, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is going to be one that delivers on its promises. I still have some questions about how the characters develop (and how good the romances are), along with the overall pacing of the game, but with excellent combat and a lot of narrative intrigue, I’m more excited than ever to get my hands on the full game when Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches on October 31 for PS5 , Xbox Series X|S , and PC .

RYAN WOODROW

Ryan Woodrow is Guides Editor for GLHF based in London, England. He has a particular love for JRPGs and the stories they tell. His all-time favorite JRPGs are the Xenoblade Chronicles games because of the highly emotive and philosophy-driven stories that hold great meaning. Other JRPGs he loves in the genre are Persona 5 Royal, Octopath Traveler, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Nier Automata, and Pokémon. He also regularly dives deep into the indie scene trying to find hidden gems and innovative ideas. Some of his favorite indie games include FTL: Faster Than Light, Thomas Was Alone, Moonlighter, Phantom Abyss, and Towerfall Ascension. More of his favorite games are Minecraft, Super Mario Odyssey, Stardew Valley, Skyrim, and XCOM 2. He has a first-class degree in Games Studies from Staffordshire University and has written for several sites such as USA Today's ForTheWin, Game Rant, The Sun, and KeenGamer. Email: [email protected]

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Octopath Traveler 2 review: gorgeous JRPG, huge storytelling void

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COMMENTS

Octopath Traveler 2 Review
Octopath Traveler 2 Review. 7. Review scoring. good. Octopath Traveler 2 is a very enjoyable JRPG sequel that feels a little too safe and familiar. Seth G. Macy. More Reviews by Seth G. Macy. NR.
Octopath Traveler II Reviews
Octopath Traveler 2 manages to bring innovation and an enjoyable gameplay experience to the naturally limited turn-based battle system. All of this is accompanied by a captivating story and characters, along with a soundtrack worthy of the greatness of Square Enix's best RPGs. If you are a fan of the genre, Octopath Traveler 2 is a must-play!
Octopath Traveler 2 review: gorgeous JRPG, huge storytelling void
Octopath Traveler 2 will be released on Feb. 24 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC. The game was reviewed on Switch using a pre-release download code provided by ...
Octopath Traveler 2 review: the flawed JRPG returns for more of the
Octopath Traveler 2 review Square Enix's gorgeous JRPG returns for a second outing, but bar a couple of very minor evolutions, this is effectively the same Octopath Traveler as before. ... Octopath Traveler 2 still hasn't solved the problem of what happens to the four characters waiting in the wings while you're off doing another storyline ...
Octopath Traveler 2 Review
Octopath Traveler II. $29.99 at Best Buy $29.99 at GameStop $46.97 at Amazon. GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers. Octopath Traveler was a pleasant surprise when it debuted a few ...
Octopath Traveler II Review (Switch)
A worthy sequel to the original HD-2D JRPG, Octopath Traveler II features compelling character stories, dynamic combat, and player agency. Read our full review to learn more about the game's strengths and weaknesses.
'Octopath Traveler 2' Review: A Retro-Inspired Gem That Feels ...
Octopath Traveler II is a sequel that feels familiar but sometimes too familiar, with improved writing and a beautiful retro-inspired world. The game offers eight stories to choose from, each with unique characters and path actions, but suffers from grindy gameplay and limited job options.
Octopath Traveler 2 review: more than a pretty face
Octopath Traveler 2 takes place in Solistia, which is a much more industrialized setting than the first game's Osterra. The mix of modern technology like the steam engine and magical elements ...
Octopath Traveler 2 review: moving forward while staying true to the
If you loved the original game, then Octopath Traveler 2 is exactly the sequel you were hoping for, but at the same time, if you thought the original fell a bit short, this is the game you wanted ...
Octopath Traveler 2 review: Fingers in eight pies
Octopath Traveler 2 review: Fingers in eight pies. Looking back, Octopath Traveler must have played a solid part in convincing someone high up at Square Enix on what it calls the HD-2D art style ...
'Octopath Traveler 2' review: a wondrous slow-burn
Verdict. Octopath Traveler 2 builds on the first game's foundations to offer a richer, more fulfilling adventure. Those who found the first game's slow pacing tedious will find nothing new ...
Octopath Traveler 2 Review: "A monumental achievement"
Octopath Traveler 2 Review: "A monumental achievement". Following on from its 2018 predecessor, Octopath Traveler 2 gives players eight new stories and an entirely new world to explore. Returning too is the recognisable HD-2D art style, alongside the acclaimed combat system that aims to impress for a second time.
Octopath Traveler 2 review
Octopath Traveler 2 doesn't make many changes to the combat, choosing to stick to the same template. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the first game had some of the best turn-based ...
Octopath Traveler 2 Video Review
Octopath Traveler 2 reviewed by Seth Macy on Nintendo Switch, also available on PlayStation and PC. Five years after the original, this sequel from Square Enix sticks a little too closely to the ...
Review: Octopath Traveler 2
MSRP: $59.99. When I wrote our review-in-progress a few weeks back, I was already much more invested in Octopath Traveler 2 than its predecessor. At roughly the halfway point of the story, I felt ...
Octopath Traveler II Reviews
Octopath Traveler 2 is more of the same with side quests, interesting characters, and a large world to explore. It essentially gives fans of the first game an additional 60 hours of what they already enjoyed, and newcomers can jump right into the sequel without worrying about what they might have missed. Read full review
Octopath Traveler 2 Review
Octopath Traveler 2 delivers more of the same, so much so that it feels like a continuation of the first game rather than a true sequel. The graphics are slightly enhanced but otherwise almost ...
Octopath Traveler 2 review: A new age of RPG
The more things change. Octopath Traveler 2 sticks to its original turn-based formula but adds in a few twists that provide more opportunities for strategy. My favorite new mechanic is the day ...
Octopath Traveler 2 Review
Watch our Octopath Traveler 2 review! Five years after the original, this sequel from Square Enix sticks a little too closely to the original systems without...
Octopath Traveler 2 Review: "Afraid to escape the limitations of its
Octopath Traveler 2, like its predecessor, is a product of such skilled developers. It demonstrates a deep appreciation of '90s JRPGs, not least Final Fantasy 6, and extracts their essence to ...
Octopath Traveler 2 review: less than the sum of its parts
Octopath Traveler 2 is a turn-based JRPG for the Nintendo Switch, boasting gorgeous pixel art graphics and a beautiful soundtrack by composer Yasunori Nishiki. From RPG veteran Square Enix ...
'Octopath Traveler 2' review: Eight different stories, but ...
Octopath Traveler 2 is a retro-styled RPG, set in another steampunk-esque fantasy world. Square Enix isn't reinventing the turn-based RPG for this sequel, instead expanding and (mildly ...
Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent
The game serves as a prequel to the original Octopath Traveler game, taking place in the same fictional continent of Osterra. [1] There are three story paths in the game, following Herminia the "Witch of Greed", Tytos the "Hero", and Auguste the "Playwright". [2] The game features a new cast of playable characters, [5] though some characters from the original game make appearances as well.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard preview
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Octopath Traveler 2 review: "Seems afraid to escape the limitations of the first game"

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