Developer: Square Enix, DOKIDOKI GROOVE WORKS
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
Octopath Traveler 0 – Review
Time goes by when you have (too) many games to review, and sadly, this means that sometimes lengthier titles get pushed to our backlog from time to time. Case in point: the recently released Octopath Traveler 0. We can hardly believe that Octopath Traveler II already dates from 2023, as it felt like yesterday we were playing through the different storylines. Octopath Traveler 0, however, isn’t exactly a completely new title, as it’s pretty much the console adaptation of Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, a free-to-play mobile title that originally saw the light back in 2020. We must say that sounds a bit misleading, as Octopath Traveler 0 adds so much new content, a customizable protagonist, town-building mechanics, and a lot more. As a whole, we had a blast with this one.
Story
In true (J)RPG fashion, you’ll find yourself living a peaceful life in a small peaceful village. You’ll be a self-inserted protagonist who is going through a rite of passage of following in their father’s footsteps of becoming a town guard. Everything seems to be headed in the perfect direction, as you are content with your new responsibilities, you have a great connection with the villagers, and all is right in the world. Sadly, your world gets turned upside down when your village gets burned to the ground, killing many of your friends and family members in the process. The culprit seems to be one of the governing factions in the world, and you’ll not only go on a quest to exact your revenge but also to restore your village, Wishvale, to its former glory.
The story did feel a bit more shallow than other installments in the series. This probably had to do with the fact that you’re playing a silent self-created protagonist now instead of the eight fleshed-out characters that we saw in Octopath Traveler II. The many recruitable characters in the world also have their own storylines, but they don’t feel as expansive as the aforementioned characters. The overarching story is still nice and captivating enough to keep pressing onwards, but we did feel like things took a small step back compared to the previous game. Even so, Octopath Traveler 0 does throw a few curveballs your way, and what originally may seem like the ending is only a warm-up for things to come.
Graphics
Graphically, Octopath Traveler 0 stays in tune with the other titles in the series. You’ll once again be treated to the iconic 2D HD style that put this series on the map, and that subsequently paved the way for 2D HD remakes of other popular Square Enix-developed and published titles. We personally adore this art style, as it feels both modern and nostalgia-infused, creating a charming experience. There are enough small details to witness, and the environments are a joy to explore. There is a bit of clutter everywhere, and the world feels lived in. The combat visuals still evoke memories of old-school 2D RPG titles, featuring pixelated sprites that retain a reasonable level of detail.
Sound
The sound design of Octopath Traveler 0 is nothing shy of amazing. You’ll be treated to a very cinematic experience that never gets old during this very lengthy adventure. The music changes depending on the situation and can be upbeat when the situation calls for it, but it can also be rather emotional or adrenaline-inducing. On top of that, many dialogues in the game are fully voice-acted, which further enhances the cinematic qualities of the game. We quite enjoyed leaning back during key dialogues, being able to enjoy the quality voice acting, rather than having to read all the dialogues.
Gameplay
Octopath Traveler 0 is a traditional RPG in many regards, albeit with a few original mechanics thrown in the mix. Where the other two Octopath Traveler games had you play through different characters’ storylines, in Octopath Traveler 0, you’ll have to create your own character. This was a nice touch, as it made you feel more involved in the storyline. That being said, you’ll be able to choose your traits and your class, and as you progress, you’ll level up, beat stronger foes, and explore the world that gradually opens up around you. For the most part, it’s a straightforward experience.
For the most part, Octopath Traveler 0 offers much of what you have come to expect from the previous two titles in the series. You’ll level up your characters via combat, you go from quest to quest, and you can decide to indulge yourself in a lot of side content as well. The biggest change here is the entirely new town-building component. Rebuilding Wishvale is not simply a gimmick; it’s an actual huge part of the game that provides you with bonuses, new companions, and simply a whole lot to do. We actually occupied ourselves at the beginning quite a bit with this new segment of the game, as it was simply entertaining, not too complex, and it provided us with advantages in the long run. We personally found this a meaningful addition to the Octopath Traveler experience.
Other than that, the Boost and Break system still makes combat extremely satisfying. You’ll be able to skillfully take out enemies if you figure out weaknesses, attack orders, and what skills to use in what situation. The biggest change here is that your party size has been upgraded to eight, instead of four. This makes it fun to figure out new synergies and new party compositions. You can recruit a number of characters ‘freely’, which is also a change from the Gacha system present in the mobile version. If you decide to recruit a lot of party members at the start of this 100+ hour adventure, you will probably not have enough funds to purchase upgraded gear for all of them though. Trying to scavenge some additional items from the NPCs that you come across on your travels might already help out a bit here in terms of gear.
Conclusion
Octopath Traveler 0 is a great prequel to two of the most captivating RPGs we have played in recent years. The game packs a lot of charm and is not a carbon copy of what the other titles had to offer. We particularly liked the increased party size and the city-building component, as it added new synergies and a more relaxing gameplay aspect to the mix. While the characters perhaps lacked a bit of personality compared to the main characters in the previous installment, the story was still captivating enough for us to press onwards. This 100+ hour adventure is certainly worth checking out if you were a fan of the previous titles or simply had Octopath Traveler on your radar for quite some time now.
No Comments