Octopath Traveler is a fantastic, artistic and memorable game. Square Enix created another RPG world that’s alluring, captivating and has the engaging gameplay and replay ability that’s worth the money. We don’t often recommend games out of the MMO genre, but here’s one that’s a good in-between game. What’s more, the game is currently on sale on the Steam platform. Therefore if you’re on the fence, here’s 5 reasons to definitely play this RPG.
5. Great Concept For Storytelling
The main selling point of the game is the eight unique main characters you play as. Each have their own starter areas, quests, motivations and combat skills. Playing as one, you’ll still be able to recruit all of them into your party for story banter dialogues and combat roles too. What makes this unique? Firstly, each of the protagonist’s stories are pretty well fleshed out.
4. Combat That’s No Pushover
JRPGs are always good in some sense with combat systems. More often than not, they make you strategize and think ahead. Octopath Traveler is no different, but it adds more depth to combat thanks to the characters. Some heroes like Primrose Azelhart, is able to charm NPCs into followers who will fight for you in combat when summoned. Others like H’aanit can use her pet’s ability – and a powerful one too – in combat for SP. All in all, the combat feels great for a top-down RPG game. Bosses that you fight can be unforgiving if you’re not prepared with potions or the right composition, and that’s why failing is a good thing – you learn and come back with a game plan.
3. Engaging World
The fantasy world that Octopath Traveler is set in is incredibly well developed. You and your party will journey on foot to multiple regions, and while there’s a linear feeling about that, it’s not so bad. The world is littered with side quests that offers experience points, loot and more story. Dialogues here are of the corny JRPG variety, but they work for the game. There’s also dungeons to explore and the roads are dangerous, leading to random battles out in the wild.
2. Charming Graphics and World
There’s a great sense of nostalgia and modern awe that comes with playing Octopath Traveler. It reminds me a lot of the old 8 and 16-bit NES games that are charming on the eye. The game uses some of that pixelation for environments but a large portion of it has a 3D effect, while others are 2D. That blend together with the coloration just works so well on the Nintendo Switch especially with its small screen. In TV mode, things get a little downgraded, but it’s nothing to moan about really.
1. Replay Value Is High
Completing the main story on one character took us about 50 or so hours. That’s not including full world exploration – all dungeons, caves and other areas. Considering I have 7 more characters to play as, that’s astounding replayability offered here. In addition, you’re never quite done with your first save. There’s just so much more to see and do, like get better and more jobs that are locked behind end-game style boss fights, and so much more. All in all, this has been one of the best engaging RPG games we’ve played since Zelda.
