Figuring out who you need in your party and when adds a neat little layer to what would otherwise be ho-hum fetch or combat side-quests. Some side-quests require you to think outside of the box and make the most of the path actions available to you at any given time. Every single path action has its utility, and the more characters you recruit, the more rewarding exploring towns and cities becomes. Ophilia can "guide" NPCs to help in battle, and Alfyn can speak to town residents to find hidden items or unlock special discounts. The thief Therion can attempt to steal items from most of the NPCs you encounter, and some extremely powerful and valuable items can be procured this way. I resonated with all eight protags, fortunately, but a robust job system ensures that you can keep your favorite characters in your party for the majority of your playtime without conceding the skills or attacks you find most useful.Įach character also has his or her own unique "path action," which gives them unique abilities in, but more importantly out, of battle. (Photo: Nintendo)ĭue to the variety of motives and personality quirks you'll encounter throughout your play time, you're sure to meet some heroes you love, and some that you don't care for so much. Tragic heroes looking to restore their purpose, devil-may-care thieves looking to prove that they're the best at what they do, bored merchants looking for coin and adventure, the stout-hearted knight looking for justice, the pure-hearted priestess looking for light. Pretty much every journey and adventure archetype is represented here. The titular "Octopath" refers to the eight separate paths these eight protagonists take, and each is unique. You guys are here for a story, and lucky for you, you get eight of them. That's enough about the sights and sounds. A potent depth of field effect and 16-bit drapings over 3D buildings make every corner of every town look like a beautiful pop-up book diorama. There's something undeniably charming about watching Alfyn the apothecary's four-frame running animation as he crosses a bridge over beautifully-rendered, 3D running water that glistens and casts realistic light reflections against the camera. The combination of polygonal geometry, pixel-art coats of paint, sprites, and modern lighting effects make for a dazzling show. Octopath Traveler's gorgeous "HD-2D" aesthetic is where new and retro most noticeably collide. By some wonderful techno-alchemical process they have managed isolate those jewels of nostalgia that sparkle in the hearts of nerdy grownups, break them down, refine them, and recombine them into something totally novel, yet warm, cozy, and familiar. Octopath Traveler was directed and produced by an inspired group of 30-somethings who grew up playing games in the golden age of 16-bit JRPGs, and their goal was to make just such a modern revival possible.
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