Octopath Traveler 2 review

Octopath Traveler 2 is the sequel to Octopath Traveler 2, which I liked very much visually but left unfinished because I couldn’t get over some difficulties in gameplay. Octopath Traveler, where we control characters with independent stories and hope their stories will merge at some point, could not reach its full potential due to some shortcomings. So, did the second game of the series overhaul the aspects we complained about and bring the game to its full potential? Let’s examine.

Octopath Traveler 2 review / Nintendo Switch

People of Different Worlds

Octopath Traveler 2 offers us the stories of 8 different characters, just like in the first game. You can be a merchant who will conquer the world with his trading talent, a dancer who wants to impress all the people in the world with his dance, a thief trying to get his freedom, or a magician who sets out to take revenge on the person who imprisoned him with slander and ruined his life.

We have a total of 8 different characters, we can experience the unique stories of each. “Now, are we going to play each character separately and continue with the person we choose?” If you say no, my answer is no, if you want, you can choose a character and add it to your team without seeing the history of other characters and continue. The character you start the game with becomes your main character and you experience his adventure, while you learn the techniques of the character well. Other stories are not mandatory, you can skip if you don’t want to get to know the story and character told in the tavern.

The stories of our 8 main characters are independent from each other and you can finish the game even by playing only one. All of the stories are based on topics that we know more or less, but they manage to be special in themselves and I recommend you to play each one. They are quite beautiful, it gives pleasure even if you guess the course. If you plan to play again and control the different character then you can save it for later. But since these stories tell the character’s traits beautifully, it’s good to at least play the stories of the party members you plan to use.

After the opening story (or stories) is completed, the game leaves us to the world and an average of 60 hours of adventure begins. We feel like we are in a more fantastical land than in the first game. We have a main story but the game releases us and we find our own way. We have no serious obligation to save the world, we are not in a hurry. We encounter other characters and add them to our team, and if we accidentally go to a high-level area, we eat our stick and return.

We heard our complaints in the first game, “There are so many characters, they have nothing to do with each other”, this time the interaction between the characters was better with the side stories called “Crossed Paths”. They don’t have a big impact on the main story and the characters still have little communication with each other under normal conditions. Simple interactions of the kind we call Banter still seem rare to me. But Crossed Paths is a nice development.

I would like to make a point about the side missions of the game. Some side quests are hidden, but really top secret! If you are playing the game for a long time by taking a break, you miss some missions because of small details that you may not even think of. For example, there are quests you can do if you remember the words of a person spoken to himself in a town and find the relevant thing in an unrelated town. Those who play the Dark Souls genre will know well, “How can I think of this?!” kinds of tasks. The world rewards those who follow it, and there is no great punishment for those who do not. I like it.

Professional Travelers

Octopath Traveler 2 also shows a better picture than the previous game in terms of gameplay. We have 8 characters and we can fight with 4 of them. Each of the characters has some unique features. There are things like learning the enemy’s abilities, bribing secret information, stealing people’s things, or turning enemies into food. Each character has their own special ability, but you don’t have to have a character with you to get something. For example, you can learn the information you will learn through bribery with the help of potions.

In addition to the profession that each character has at the beginning, there is also a secondary profession that can be developed in the future. These professions offer effective abilities both in battles and in-game. I would love to get into this topic, but let’s not turn the review article into a strategy guide. The game gave you the opportunity to develop a team that fits your style.

The battles are still our turn-based system, I have no complaints about that. Moreover, this time it has become more fun with some new mechanics. There are weapons and elements that all of the enemies are weak in. Attacking from the weak side causes the enemy to miss their turn and take extra damage. The Boost feature, which increases with each turn and can be used to strengthen your attacks or abilities whenever you want, is also a nice addition. It can hold and provide effects such as hitting the enemy more powerfully in a row at the weak moment or making your ability stronger.

The newly added Latent Power feature is similar to the Limit Break system of Final Fantasy games. When you use it, it gives your character access to very powerful attacks or special abilities that can change the tide of battle. Skills used at the right time provide a great advantage in tough battles.

We said that we roam freely in Solistia, the world of the game. This world has slightly more fantastical environments than the first, but it also has real-world influences. Even if we are sometimes in regions with a European or Wild West mood, the fantasy world of the game reminds a little more of eastern civilizations. Asian and Eastern European air is felt more intensely. We can see the regions with the eyes of day and night, of course, the people and threats in the environment change according to the time.

Solistia is a free world, so you can go in and out wherever you want. Cities are generally safe, but caution is necessary outside the city. If you enter a high-level region like me with a low-level party, there is a high probability that you will not be able to exit. You can get a little stronger and return to take your revenge. I liked the map designs, we can reach various points from different roads.

For a Better Solistia

I love the HD-2D visual art style that started with Octopath Traveler and it looks great in this game as well. No matter how many games in this style come out, I want to play them all. The first game looked good, games like Triangle Strategy that used the same style also had good visuals. Octopath Traveler 2, on the other hand, has managed to add a new beauty with extra improvements such as camera usage, combat animations, and characters’ movements in battle.

The game’s voice-over team is good, both English and Japanese voice-overs are full of names we know from anime and games before. For example, I was happy to hear Zoro’s voice from One Piece as Partitio. Moreover, the conversations have increased, giving a more natural atmosphere. Music by Yasunori Nishiki consists of wonderful pieces that enrich the atmosphere. There are new songs as well as remastered versions of some of the music from the old game.

Nintendo Switch is considered an old console now, and the fact that they are still releasing special versions for different games does not change this fact. Still, the performance of the game is very good and visually very satisfying. But I have to admit, the Nintendo Switch version of the game has much lower graphics than the demo versions I played on PlayStation 5 and PC. Portability is very important, if you think you should play this game wherever I go, Nintendo Switch may be ideal, but if you want a better game visually, check out the other versions.

Conclusion

Octopath Traveler 2 is the best turn-based role-playing game I’ve played this year. It has definitely surpassed the first game with its different characters, the intersection of their stories, the gameplay that allows you to customize it according to your style, and the improvements it offers. And you don’t have to play the first game!

Finally, even if Square Enix does a remake of Chrono Trigger or something with this HD-2D system, it would be nice if we were happier too! Yes, we’ve all had remakes, but I’d love the opportunity to replay some games with this art style.

The Nintendo Switch version we played in our review is priced at $60 via Nintendo Store can be purchased. Its biggest advantages are that it is portable and has a very good performance. It is visually weaker and the price is quite high compared to the exchange rate, which are its cons. Playstation 4 & 5 version offering good performance with better graphics via PlayStation Store It can be purchased for 599 TL. Moreover, it is compatible with DualSense to some extent, it does not offer very important features, but it is not a simple port. The only visible downside is that you can only play in front of the screen.

The PC version of the game via Steam It is sold with a price tag of 599 TL. Unlike other versions that support 60fps, the PC version supports 120fps and you can play with 4K resolution. If we look at the numbers, this seems to be the best version, how much the game needs these features is up to you. You also have the chance to play with Steam Deck portablely with better graphics. Of course, I don’t have a chance to comment on this because I don’t have it.