OCtOpatH traVeLer
It’s Great When You’re Eight
With its unique “HD-2D” style, Square Enix’s latest JRPG embraces both old and new. Though its characters and environments look like they’ve come from the 16-bit era, shadows, bloom lighting and shimmering water effects give depth. The results are simply magical.
Its eight heroes each have their own unique background and motivations, which vary in urgency. For instance, thief Therion is forced to carry out a job to free himself from a brace of shame. In contrast, young merchant Tressa’s decision to leave home in search of adventure lacks the same narrative weight. The tone can shift dramatically from light-hearted antics to dancer Primrose’s quest for vengeance, with subject matter that feels shocking in a PEGI 12 game.
Hero chosen, you can wander the vast world recruiting other characters and following their stories from the start too, though your first protagonist must remain in your party at all times. In theory, this gives Octopath Traveler a non-linear structure where you could just focus on finishing your favourite character’s story. In practice, your freedom’s hamstrung by an arbitrary levelling scale for each chapter. You’ll find you level up at a natural pace if you explore the continent and recruit the other characters first.
Whichever way you approach it, none of the stories come together to make a satisfying whole. Save for some optional banter between party members, there’s no tangible relationship between companions. There is, however, something refreshing about taking part in more personal journeys that don’t form part of a convoluted scheme to save a kingdom.
And the turn-based battle system, where everyone has a vital role, is terrific. As enemies have different weaknesses, working out the right team with the right weapons and elemental attacks becomes something of a puzzle. Bosses at the end of each chapter truly test your tactical wits as you juggle BP and exploiting Breaks.
While by no means perfect, Octopath Traveler makes a beloved art style look new again, marrying it with a tactically satisfying battle systems. It’s the best old-school JRPG for Switch. Alan Wen
The initials of all eight heroes (Ophilia, Cyrus, Tressa, Olberic, Primrose, Alfyn, Therion, H’aanit) spell out Octopath.