Eight new adventurers give us an appointment in a suite that is based perfectly on the bases of its elder. Test.
At Square Enix, JRPG fans eat well, very well even. Building on its heritage in the field, the studio continues year after year to dazzle players in magical and fantastical worlds. If everyone knows Final Fantasy, the darling franchise of the Japanese developer, other licenses act as stars among aficionados.
This is particularly the case ofOctopath Traveler, launched in 2018 on Nintendo Switch and then on PC, Xbox and Stadia thereafter. This RPG intends to revolutionize the classic recipe of the genre. First in its appearance, the title abandons the graphics of now to create its own style. This is how the HD-2Da thoughtful mix between pixel art and stunning visual effects makes its appearance.
In addition to its own visual identity, the game is revamping the framework of its predecessors. Rather than providing an adventure in which a group of protagonists advance towards a common goal, eight characters must complete their own individual journey with the help of others. This effective formula that has proven itself is back in an even more advanced version. Octopath Traveler II is he the worthy successor of his elder? Answer in this test.
Solid foundations
Why make it complicated when it can be simple ? With its innovative format, Octopath Traveler first of the name had already convinced players and critics. So, rather than changing the formula again, Square Enix made the wise choice to model its new episode on the previous one.
Everything that made the charm of the original game is infused to perfection in Octopath Traveler II. Exploration in open mode is all the more pleasant because the structure of the title pushes you to meet other travelers. Because if we start with a character of our choice to start the story, it is then possible to go in the direction of the other protagonists indicated on the map.
It is then possible to add new faces to the group in order to progress in each of the stories. Because yes, as the name of the game suggests, eight characters with different backgrounds are waiting to fulfill their destiny. Each adventurer offers four chapters to complete, for a total of 32 story pieces.
The player is free to choose the order of events, although a recommended level is assigned to each chapter and especially each area of the map. Thus, the progression remains a minimum supervised to offer an experience with many challenges. Since we discover eight new characters, both regulars and new players can embark on this quest on an equal footing.
8 scenarios for the price of one
Big positive point of this RPG: it is not necessary to have played the first episode to benefit from the subtleties of this one. The only things thatOctopath Traveler II shares with its predecessor are the name, the structure and part of the gameplay. If the title may seem confusing at first glance, it is easy to learn and allows you to get started without further delay in the charming stories it holds.
Note, however, that even first-time fans will need to follow the tutorials carefully, as there are enough new features to pick up, but we’ll get to that later. Each character offers a different approach to the world of Solistia, the new region of this opus, so that it is difficult to decide. However, it is better to start without hesitation, because there is not a single one that can disappoint, whether in terms of history or combat.
If we find some inequalities of rhythm in certain chapters, the fact remains that the characters are endearing as possible and that each of their journeys makes you want to go to the end. In this second episode, we then find Agnéa the dancer, Partitio the merchant, Hikari the samurai warrior, Ochette the half-man half-beast hunter, the scholar Osvald, the bishop Temenos, Throné the thief of the big city, and the apothecary Castti.
Each of them comes to life through very personal stories, with ever more noble goals, but also thanks to a cast of high-flying voices. Having played in the Japanese version, we found great voices like Aya Hirano (Lucy in Fairy Tail), Aya Hirano (Rem of Re:Zero) or even Kazuya Nakai (Zorro in One Piece) to recite nobody else but them. Far from the blockbusters of now in its appearance, Octopath Traveler II has all the qualities, if not more.
An improved and more pleasant formula
The more RPGs multiply, the more difficult it is to find gameplay that is still captivating after years of a recipe reheated in all sauces. Even Square Enix manages to screw up with its overly ambitious triple A’s like Forspoken. We almost come to wonder what will happen to Final Fantasy with the 16th episode scheduled for this year.
The classic and modest but reimagined format that proved its worth in the first episode ofOctopath was a much needed breath of fresh air for the genre. And against all odds, the studio managed to make it better in every way. If the individuality of the characters is a key element of the original title, the second amplifies this dimension with intelligent mechanics.
The player is now able to alternate the day-night cycle at will, which has the effect of changing the special skills of the adventurers. Partitio is for example able to buy items from NPCs during the day, while he can pay them to go on an adventure at night (example in video just below). The ways to play and advance in the adventure are therefore multiple and each player can create his own course alongside the characters to whom we become attached very quickly.
The combat system on its side remains unchanged, except that it is influenced by new hero skills. We then find the system of weakness and additional actions that we also find in the series of personas. Finally, players who find it hardest to keep up with a JRPG by its length will appreciate the individual character storylines that take around 10-15 hours per head. Since stories end more quickly, the motivation to start a new one is easier to find. Octopath Traveler II is in every way a most pleasant experience and trip.
Price and availability
Octopath Traveler II coming to PlayStation 4 and 5, Switch and Steam on February 24, 2023. To embark on the adventure alongside the eight new travelers, you will have to pay 59,99€ regardless of the chosen platform. We will still recommend the PlayStation and PC versions to take full advantage of the magnificent HD-2D that the title offers us. If the Switch version manages to hold up and even goes so far as to offer 60 fps on the dock, a constant visual blur smooths the pixels and loses some of the charm.
