Next February 24 Square Enix will launch Octopath Traveler II for PC, PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. Although there are still a few days to go, I had the opportunity to play a few hours of his story. Which allowed me to know a little of what this sequel has in store for us.
For this reason, here, I share my first impressions about this curious JRPG and what I found in my playing time. It should be noted that I did not have the opportunity to know all its systems, nor all its characters. But what I witnessed was quite satisfying.
Octopath Traveler II’s story promises to be one of its strongest points
The first thing you will do when you start Octopath Traveler II will be to choose between one of its eight different protagonists. Each of them has their own story, but their goals will come together as we progress. Before choosing you can see a small description of who they are to choose who you like or are most interested in.
Throughout my playing time I had the opportunity to play the first few chapters of five of his characters. I won’t go into any of them in detail as each one has some very interesting plot twists, even in its early days. But I can say that all the stories I witnessed left me wanting more.
In addition, the difference of these first chapters between each character of Octopath Traveler II. After all, some have chapters loaded with many cutscenes, while others are more about fighting. Which in turn serves as a small window to get to know them better.
The character I started with remained my main one when exploring. When you find a new character you have the option to play their first chapter now or wait until later. However, playing their presentations is ideal to get to know them and be aware of the skills they possess.
The stories I watched showed a very good balance of humor and drama, plus they are quite different from each other. Not to mention, there was always the question of ‘when will they meet the others’. Surely knowing all eight stories and how they connect will be very satisfying in the end.
The gameplay is that of a classic JRPG, with some nuances
Those who have played JRPGs from the Super Nintendo era will find very similar gameplay here. While you are not in combat, you will have to explore the world in search of information and clues about your next objective.
The world of Octopath Traveler II Is open. While the chapters show you your next objective with marks on the map, the exploration segments leave you to your own devices. However, you can get an idea of where to go thanks to the fact that its map shows the recommended level for certain areas. If you are too weak to visit a place, obviously you will have to avoid it.
Interaction with other characters can be unique depending on the characters you have on your team. Since each one has abilities to use with the NPCs. For example, one character can befriend her by offering them food, another can analyze them to see if they have reliable information, and finally another can steal items from them. So there’s a lot of variety even when you’re looking for your next target.
The roads are full of treasures that you see in the distance and invite you to go in search of a way to reach them. Of course there are various dangers on the way that you cannot avoid. Just like the first Final Fantasy and Pokémon, you can walk calmly when a fight suddenly begins. This is another of the strengths of Octopath Traveler II.
Octopath Traveler II’s combat is quite satisfying
Regarding the combat Octopath Traveler IIthis is turn-based like other similar titles. While each character has the same ability to attack or use items, they all have different options. There are even some who can choose the weapon with which they will attack their rival. Still others are more focused on casting magic than physical attacks.
In my time playing I used a character who could catch animals and then use them in combat. Also a thief who could steal items from the opponent and a magician who could detect the weaknesses of his opponents.
Knowing weaknesses is vital in Octopath Traveler II. Since attacking rivals with these will make them enter a state where they will receive much more damage. Obviously, to find out what resists and what doesn’t, you’ll have to experiment with different attacks.
Each of the characters’ attacks can receive a boost. Each turn we are given a boost point, which you can save to make much more deadly attacks. You can give up to three boosts to a certain attack, which will make them stronger. If you also combine it with your opponent’s weakness, you can achieve victory very quickly.
One last point to touch on Octopath Traveler II are latent abilities. After taking a lot of damage or completing attacks, each character can activate their own. These are quite different according to each one and can help you in different ways. Which opens up even more experimentation in combat and makes it feel very satisfying and strategic.
The graphic presentation is nostalgic and beautiful at the same time
Although I spent little time with Octopath Traveler IIits presentation and its settings left me impressed. The way it is presented is with pixelated art but it shows characters and settings as if they were 16-bit but with 3D models.
This has the potential to make fans of SNES titles feel nostalgic, while also introducing us to some very beautiful settings. Even in battles, the models of the enemies, especially the bosses, come to look very detailed and impressive.
Should you put it on your radar?
The hours that I played Octopath Traveler II they were enough to leave me interested in continuing his story. Just seeing the rest of the characters and how their story will be spun together has me intrigued. Also, its gameplay seemed fun enough to keep me entertained for hours.
Any fan of classic JRPGs should put this on their radar. So far it is going well and it could be one of the big surprises of 2023. His predecessor had a very good reception and it looks like he could follow in his footsteps. Does it catch your attention?
Don’t stop following us on Google news. You can also go to our discord to talk about games and other topics.
#Previous #Octopath #Traveler #JRPG #grabs #hours #EarthGamer