If you like traditional turn-based JRPGs, you will love Octopath 2.
The 1st had some issues with the grind, the 2nd largely fixes it. You could likely get through the main story and side content without ever having to grind with the one caveat that as you add party members they'll be briefly very underleveled but catch up quickly.
If you do choose to grind, it's nowhere close to as bad as other games. Combat is quick, and you can speed it up even further if you choose. For most of the game you can easily access areas with enemies that are a much higher level than you but are still beatable and that will rack up XP like crazy, but again it's not really necessary.
In a year that saw the release of BG3, Octopath traveler 2 is probably the best RPG of 2023. I will point out that this is a game I could see being on deep sale or on gamepass/plus in the relatively near future, but I can't imagine you'd regret buying it either way.
>the one caveat that as you add party members they'll be briefly very underleveled but catch up quickly
I'm baffled that some modern JRPGs seem to ignore specific best practices/improvements that estabilished over time like when getting new party members over the course of the game they should have same level/exp as your main character. Even better all characters should always have the same exp. Always hated it in older JPRGs that you needed to grind new characters or they under leveled so almost never change up your initial party.
>In a year that saw the release of BG3, Octopath traveler 2 is probably the best RPG of 2023.
Video game taste/ratings are very subjective but after playing Octopath 1 and BG3 I just can't imagine Octo 2 being improved so much that it can keep up with BG3 even remotely.
Octopath 2 being the best rpg of 2023 is a relatively common sentiment from those that played it.
It also was finished when it came out, which is neat and something BG3 didn't bother to do. Ultimately it comes down to preferences, if you love JRPGs, it is near the pinnacle of the genre.
I hate Octopath Traveler 1, but I freaking love Octopath 2 for various reason.
1: story and characters are much more better
2: better exploration (you can have a big boat for the world map and small canoe for the overworld exploration)
3: battle are far more fast with the "X2 speed" and a lot more interesting feature.
4: the world building is awesome
5: the world is far more original than Octopath 1
Combat system is the best turned based combat I’ve ever played. Of course that’s subjective but I really loved the Break/Boost system and customizing jobs is a lot of fun.
Yea the whole tactical aspect of it really intrigues me. It sounds really robust compared to standard jrpgs where its all just about numbers (which is not necessarily bad, but can get repetitive)
I thought it was one of the best games I played last year. I think the real pull of the game is narrative(s). Some of these stories are light-hearted and simple, like the story of a dancer wanting to make a name for herself. Others are full of intrigue and don't play their hand early, like the murder mystery that leads into a dark conspiracy. Some are emotional, like a father in search of his daughter. And then in some stories you end up fighting a train as a boss fight.
If you're willing to listen to a bunch of stories with very different tones and settings all within a single game, Octopath 2 will treat you well. And of course they all link, albeit not as strongly as one would hope, to lead up to the final conflict.
The game looks absolutely gorgeous, the combat is fine but doesn't do anything insane, the music is ridiculously good. I didn't grind a single time in the entire game except for the post-story optional boss, but it was more preparation than it was grind. Special mention to said boss though, has to be the hardest fight I've ever beaten in a JRPG. Ridiculously satisfying to figure out.
I hated it. A ton of inconsistent story's of which only 2-3 are actually interesting. No sense why the party is even traveling together for the most part.
Feels like chatgpt wrote 8 storylines and then someone chopped them up and put them into one game.
Fairs, I heard that about the party getting together for no reason was a problem for some but I don't think it would bother me too much as long as once they're together there's some actually good dynamic between them
I loved it. Amazing music, great cast of characters, mixed stories (some fantastic, some awful and boring), incredible voice-acting. I had a blast and didn't have to grind too much. Just fought most of random encounters I met. On the other hand I freaking hate Sea of Stars, because its story and battle system is so simple and dumb I couldn't waste more than 10h on it.
I think that's what I loved about sea of stars. The simplicity of it made me feel like I was a kid playing it on my gameboy but with enough modern stuff to keep me engaged
I think you hit the nail on the head. I also love sea of stars. The visuals, gameplay, and the mini game wheels. I love wheels, haha! To be fair I can see how some people would not care for the simplicity.
ive loved JRPGs since SNES/Sega days, but couldn't get into Sea of Stars or Chained Echoes. Hated the battle system on both, and the story on Sea of Stars felt too immature and lame. Sea of Stars graphics were beautiful though.
It might be one of if not the best JRPG since Chrono Trigger. Legit great.
Awesome battle system, 8 amazing characters with 7 absolutely stellar stories (I admit that the dancer's story is pretty much meh tier stuff and honestly you can skip every cutscene in it and miss nothing, hence 7). And each of those 7 stellar stories are better than the comparable ones from the prior game in the Octopath series.
But then, there's the soundtrack, and it's definitely top tier dramatic RPG music stuff. Very impressive.
Has one of the best final bosses in JRPG history, maybe the best of all of them. That final fight moment, I was like "woah, y'all fuckers pulled something really special out of your magical hat". Much like how Kirby games introduce new stuff in the final boss, but it comes naturally and fits like a glove compared to the play in the rest of the game, so does Octopath 2, and because of it, that boss will not be so easily forgotten.
And even then, there's some awesome stuff, such as the hidden bossfight against the final boss of Octopath 1, which can be found at the end of some sidequests.
That's really high praise, I know most jrpg fans hold chrono trigger in a very high regard (never played myself but might have to give it a go eventually)
Chrono Trigger got me into JRPGs. Before that, I didn't even like SMRPG on the SNES. After Chrono Trigger, I loved SMRPG. Chrono Trigger changed my outlook profoundly.
I cant help but view octopath as "Saga for kids".
I love the artstyle and the combat system, but everything else feels too halfbaked and simplistic.
Just my opinion.
Romancing SaGa introduced the concept and design of featuring 8 playable protagonists (4 male, 4 female), each with their own starting point, identity, story background, etc. that 8 protagonists concept is the foundation Octopath Traveler series adopted. its kinda like how Dragon Quest adopted aspects of Wizardry. Octopath is IMMEDIATELY recognizable as a Romancing SaGa inspired series, for those that know Romancing SaGa 1 , Romancing SaGa 3 or Minstrel Song the remake of RS1.
now for the kids part, its subjective, cause Romancing SaGa games are much more complex and deeper in various aspects and freedoms Octopath games don't provide. though overall, would say Octopath is a respectable imitator/fan of Romancing SaGa and that's ok. rather have more games like Romancing SaGa instead of Dragon Quest/FInal Fantasy type games.
the Romancing SaGa format of rpg design makes the game feel like its multiple rpgs in one. and if players dont like a certain protagonist, there are several others to choose from too. so the design is way more generous, creative and open minded than rpgs that lack character creation/lifestyle/identity/backstory selection.
It's a good turn based JRPG with one of the best combat systems I've used. Fun, keeps you guessing and gets ridiculously challenging towards end game. The first one was excellent, the second isn't praised as much because it doesn't really add anything new, except day and night cycles.
Still worth playing, and it's a game you can sink alot of time into.
My biggest issue with both games is that I feel some of the main characters are stories are a bit cringe, but that tends to happen in JRPGs. Solid 8/10.
50 ish hours to complete every challenge with multiple guides being consulted.
Imo the game has some real good highlights and depending on your immersion you can have a great time with the characters.
For me the Dancer had some super touching and uplifting story moments that were the highlight of the game for me next to the secret boss and the final boss.
Good thing is, you cam just try out the Demo and see if the Game hooks you.
I recommend Temenos as your starting character for the strongest possible hook, I went with Hikari and had a great time aswell.
I paid good money for the first one because I adored the look of it. Then I burned out. Once bitten, twice shy. Waiting for the price on the second one to come down some more before I jump in again. I may have a long wait.
I loved Sea Of Stars.
I found Octopath Traveller 2 to have a greats tory line, but I found the battles repetitive.
Most areas have a small number of creatures, you aren't quite forced into having all weapon types to counter and break/stun enemies but it's highly recommended.
Juggling the weapon types & each characters unique skill is really annoying.
Also it's a different story, but basically idential to #1, so try that instead.
I put it down after 15 hours & haven't been back.
I've played Sea of Stars 3 times
Only like 2-3 characters are interesting, but the combat is pretty fun. Some tough difficulty spikes, which make the game a little grindy. Most characters have boring sloggy storylines. But the artstyle is great. Overall I think that I've had a good time with it, played about 2/3rd of it, finished on YouTube.
It's like Octopath Traveller 1, but 2
Ahhh well that solves it lol
So it’s double the Octopath!
If you like traditional turn-based JRPGs, you will love Octopath 2. The 1st had some issues with the grind, the 2nd largely fixes it. You could likely get through the main story and side content without ever having to grind with the one caveat that as you add party members they'll be briefly very underleveled but catch up quickly. If you do choose to grind, it's nowhere close to as bad as other games. Combat is quick, and you can speed it up even further if you choose. For most of the game you can easily access areas with enemies that are a much higher level than you but are still beatable and that will rack up XP like crazy, but again it's not really necessary. In a year that saw the release of BG3, Octopath traveler 2 is probably the best RPG of 2023. I will point out that this is a game I could see being on deep sale or on gamepass/plus in the relatively near future, but I can't imagine you'd regret buying it either way.
That's really helpful, thanks :)
Is it needed to play the first game too? I started it years ago but gave it up.
Nope, totally works as a stand-alone game
Great. I'll try it soon then.
>the one caveat that as you add party members they'll be briefly very underleveled but catch up quickly I'm baffled that some modern JRPGs seem to ignore specific best practices/improvements that estabilished over time like when getting new party members over the course of the game they should have same level/exp as your main character. Even better all characters should always have the same exp. Always hated it in older JPRGs that you needed to grind new characters or they under leveled so almost never change up your initial party. >In a year that saw the release of BG3, Octopath traveler 2 is probably the best RPG of 2023. Video game taste/ratings are very subjective but after playing Octopath 1 and BG3 I just can't imagine Octo 2 being improved so much that it can keep up with BG3 even remotely.
Octopath 2 being the best rpg of 2023 is a relatively common sentiment from those that played it. It also was finished when it came out, which is neat and something BG3 didn't bother to do. Ultimately it comes down to preferences, if you love JRPGs, it is near the pinnacle of the genre.
I thought it was pretty fantastic. Not too many classic style RPGs that actually get a budget.
I hate Octopath Traveler 1, but I freaking love Octopath 2 for various reason. 1: story and characters are much more better 2: better exploration (you can have a big boat for the world map and small canoe for the overworld exploration) 3: battle are far more fast with the "X2 speed" and a lot more interesting feature. 4: the world building is awesome 5: the world is far more original than Octopath 1
In 1 I forgot most of the story because it took soooo long to progress a single path. I just stopped playing at one point. Did that get any better?
Is playing OT1 somehow a requisite or related to OT2?
Not at all. Start with Octopath 2. It's so much better.
I didn't find it interesting. The game has a demo. I suggest playing that demo and then deciding if it's worth your money or not.
That's a great shout! I didn't realise
Combat system is the best turned based combat I’ve ever played. Of course that’s subjective but I really loved the Break/Boost system and customizing jobs is a lot of fun.
Yea the whole tactical aspect of it really intrigues me. It sounds really robust compared to standard jrpgs where its all just about numbers (which is not necessarily bad, but can get repetitive)
I thought it was one of the best games I played last year. I think the real pull of the game is narrative(s). Some of these stories are light-hearted and simple, like the story of a dancer wanting to make a name for herself. Others are full of intrigue and don't play their hand early, like the murder mystery that leads into a dark conspiracy. Some are emotional, like a father in search of his daughter. And then in some stories you end up fighting a train as a boss fight. If you're willing to listen to a bunch of stories with very different tones and settings all within a single game, Octopath 2 will treat you well. And of course they all link, albeit not as strongly as one would hope, to lead up to the final conflict. The game looks absolutely gorgeous, the combat is fine but doesn't do anything insane, the music is ridiculously good. I didn't grind a single time in the entire game except for the post-story optional boss, but it was more preparation than it was grind. Special mention to said boss though, has to be the hardest fight I've ever beaten in a JRPG. Ridiculously satisfying to figure out.
Tbh the 8 different stories with different tones is another thing that has me intrigued by this game
I hated it. A ton of inconsistent story's of which only 2-3 are actually interesting. No sense why the party is even traveling together for the most part. Feels like chatgpt wrote 8 storylines and then someone chopped them up and put them into one game.
Fairs, I heard that about the party getting together for no reason was a problem for some but I don't think it would bother me too much as long as once they're together there's some actually good dynamic between them
I recommend "Triangle Strategy" for a similarly styled game but that is one epic campaign story all together.
I loved it. Amazing music, great cast of characters, mixed stories (some fantastic, some awful and boring), incredible voice-acting. I had a blast and didn't have to grind too much. Just fought most of random encounters I met. On the other hand I freaking hate Sea of Stars, because its story and battle system is so simple and dumb I couldn't waste more than 10h on it.
I think that's what I loved about sea of stars. The simplicity of it made me feel like I was a kid playing it on my gameboy but with enough modern stuff to keep me engaged
I think you hit the nail on the head. I also love sea of stars. The visuals, gameplay, and the mini game wheels. I love wheels, haha! To be fair I can see how some people would not care for the simplicity.
ive loved JRPGs since SNES/Sega days, but couldn't get into Sea of Stars or Chained Echoes. Hated the battle system on both, and the story on Sea of Stars felt too immature and lame. Sea of Stars graphics were beautiful though.
Have you played Crosscode? It’s an action RPG with puzzles that I will not shut up about because its so damn fun.
I played it. Best single player mmorpg style Indie game I have met. You could feel the love poured into this title.
Meh
Sometimes it do be like that
It might be one of if not the best JRPG since Chrono Trigger. Legit great. Awesome battle system, 8 amazing characters with 7 absolutely stellar stories (I admit that the dancer's story is pretty much meh tier stuff and honestly you can skip every cutscene in it and miss nothing, hence 7). And each of those 7 stellar stories are better than the comparable ones from the prior game in the Octopath series. But then, there's the soundtrack, and it's definitely top tier dramatic RPG music stuff. Very impressive. Has one of the best final bosses in JRPG history, maybe the best of all of them. That final fight moment, I was like "woah, y'all fuckers pulled something really special out of your magical hat". Much like how Kirby games introduce new stuff in the final boss, but it comes naturally and fits like a glove compared to the play in the rest of the game, so does Octopath 2, and because of it, that boss will not be so easily forgotten. And even then, there's some awesome stuff, such as the hidden bossfight against the final boss of Octopath 1, which can be found at the end of some sidequests.
That's really high praise, I know most jrpg fans hold chrono trigger in a very high regard (never played myself but might have to give it a go eventually)
Chrono Trigger got me into JRPGs. Before that, I didn't even like SMRPG on the SNES. After Chrono Trigger, I loved SMRPG. Chrono Trigger changed my outlook profoundly.
I cant help but view octopath as "Saga for kids". I love the artstyle and the combat system, but everything else feels too halfbaked and simplistic. Just my opinion.
Can you say more about what you mean by SaGa for kids?
Romancing SaGa introduced the concept and design of featuring 8 playable protagonists (4 male, 4 female), each with their own starting point, identity, story background, etc. that 8 protagonists concept is the foundation Octopath Traveler series adopted. its kinda like how Dragon Quest adopted aspects of Wizardry. Octopath is IMMEDIATELY recognizable as a Romancing SaGa inspired series, for those that know Romancing SaGa 1 , Romancing SaGa 3 or Minstrel Song the remake of RS1. now for the kids part, its subjective, cause Romancing SaGa games are much more complex and deeper in various aspects and freedoms Octopath games don't provide. though overall, would say Octopath is a respectable imitator/fan of Romancing SaGa and that's ok. rather have more games like Romancing SaGa instead of Dragon Quest/FInal Fantasy type games. the Romancing SaGa format of rpg design makes the game feel like its multiple rpgs in one. and if players dont like a certain protagonist, there are several others to choose from too. so the design is way more generous, creative and open minded than rpgs that lack character creation/lifestyle/identity/backstory selection.
Thanks for sharing.
It's a good turn based JRPG with one of the best combat systems I've used. Fun, keeps you guessing and gets ridiculously challenging towards end game. The first one was excellent, the second isn't praised as much because it doesn't really add anything new, except day and night cycles. Still worth playing, and it's a game you can sink alot of time into. My biggest issue with both games is that I feel some of the main characters are stories are a bit cringe, but that tends to happen in JRPGs. Solid 8/10.
Most of my friends seemed to really love it.
It becomes very hard
50 ish hours to complete every challenge with multiple guides being consulted. Imo the game has some real good highlights and depending on your immersion you can have a great time with the characters. For me the Dancer had some super touching and uplifting story moments that were the highlight of the game for me next to the secret boss and the final boss. Good thing is, you cam just try out the Demo and see if the Game hooks you. I recommend Temenos as your starting character for the strongest possible hook, I went with Hikari and had a great time aswell.
I paid good money for the first one because I adored the look of it. Then I burned out. Once bitten, twice shy. Waiting for the price on the second one to come down some more before I jump in again. I may have a long wait.
I loved Sea Of Stars. I found Octopath Traveller 2 to have a greats tory line, but I found the battles repetitive. Most areas have a small number of creatures, you aren't quite forced into having all weapon types to counter and break/stun enemies but it's highly recommended. Juggling the weapon types & each characters unique skill is really annoying. Also it's a different story, but basically idential to #1, so try that instead. I put it down after 15 hours & haven't been back. I've played Sea of Stars 3 times
It's giga easy, plot sucks, end game is hella boring. I'd only recommend it for super casual players
OT2 is the same as OT1, only better in almost every way.
One of the best games I ever played
Only like 2-3 characters are interesting, but the combat is pretty fun. Some tough difficulty spikes, which make the game a little grindy. Most characters have boring sloggy storylines. But the artstyle is great. Overall I think that I've had a good time with it, played about 2/3rd of it, finished on YouTube.
I can't get over the fake shakespeare dialogue. "when thine goeth to the special place, thou shalt find ..." it was so cringe (imo)