Review for Octopath Traveler. Game for PC and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 13/07/2018 The version for PC came out on 07/06/2019
It is not easy to create a JRPG in 2018. You have to deal with the taste of users who oscillate between the desire to try something new and a deep rootedness and love for the masterpieces of the past. The modern "pure" exponents of this kind who succeed in the enterprise, such as the generous Persona 5, can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and it is no coincidence that remakes and portings of past glories are still the most popular.
That's why when Square Enix introduced Octopath Traveler, the antennas of numerous lovers of the genre instantly straightened. A title with a presentation so blatantly retro that it appears as a pride, a promise, a perfume from a bygone era: the glorious golden age of the JRPG in the times of 16-bit. Considering then that one of the leaders of this project was Tomoya Asano, producer of Bravely Default and Bravely Second, as well as other members of the same team, the conditions for a little big pearl with a nostalgic vigor were all in the right place. And in fact Octopath Traveler seems to come out of a parallel universe in which videogame progress has never known polygonal graphics or high definition sprites, but at the same time tries to propose a new perspective, even if not always comfortable.
The idea behind the Octopath Traveler storyline is intuitively given by the title itself. Although the game wants to refer to a classic narrative, the authors wanted to completely reverse the usual progression that characterizes this genre of productions. Instead of starting with a protagonist and a main story that gradually branches out through his companions, in Octopath Traveler the opposite happens: there is no protagonist and a main path to follow but the game features eight characters, each with their own background and path ahead of them; these will meet and help along the way and as we continue through the chapters of their individual stories the main enemies will begin to reveal themselves, leading to a common choral battle.
We are therefore not faced with a clone of a classic Final Fantasy, but rather something much more similar to the various SaGa (or Live a Live, for those who know it). The advancement through the world and the chapters of the single stories are totally left to the player's freedom, who can focus on the progression of some characters and ignore others, although obviously the most desirable way will be the one that gradually involves all the characters for a more complete experience. As foreshadowed by the visual impact, we are faced with a narrative style with an exquisitely classic flavor, which winks at the titles of the old guard. So if you are looking for flashes of originality or particular psychological introspection, don't say we didn't warn.
This choice of non-linear, practically episodic storytelling is definitely something uncommon in the panorama of the genre, potentially interesting especially for those who love to get lost in a living world that does not revolve around the protagonists, but it also brings with it some roughness. If you are not experienced players or particularly patient you may find it difficult to get passionate about the stories of the protagonists, especially in the slow initial stages. Flying over a fairly verbose style (in Spanish anyway), as explained above the story proceeds through a wide and decentralized narrative arc compared to most of the works of the same genre, and therefore may not meet everyone's taste.
Beyond personal tastes, however, it is the between the various protagonists that has not convinced us. The party is made up of personalities certainly familiar to fantasy lovers (warrior, priestess, huntress, thief, scholar / magician, dancer, apothecary and merchant), who could make the most intolerant of clichés turn up their noses, but who in reality are characterized well enough to make us fond of them and their respective stories. Each character has a story that is articulated through various chapters, each of them set in a city in which he will have to carry out a mission with a fairly cyclical rhythm (prologue, exploration, dungeon, boss). The problem is that these "episodes" are self-sufficient and totally unrelated to each other, even when they occur in the same city; is the narration involves only the current character, without any interaction with the companions (which even disappear from the screen to become visible again in the gameplay phases). Only after certain cutscenes does the game give us the optional possibility of making two characters interact for a brief exchange of words. It is clear that this choice derives from the extreme non-linearity of the narrative (because it is not said that in a specific chapter the player has recruited or brought with him certain characters), but the resulting lack of interaction between the characters inevitably affects the charisma of the group and the sense of mutual involvement.
From the point of view of gameplay Octopath Traveler succeeds excellently in creating a symphony between old and new. To a granite base made up of turns, classes, spells and various abilities, the development team has added elements of more recent and complex titles, such as Bravely Default and Shin Megami Tensei / Persona. Each enemy has a certain personal defense value, a protection that prevents him from suffering serious damage, which must be reset by hitting him with specific types of weapon or elemental spells to which he is vulnerable. By destroying his defense we enter the Domination mode, in which to inflict much more damage by taking advantage of the uncovered guard until it is restored. In addition, each turn, the characters automatically gain a Power Point (PP), wanting to accumulate and use up to a maximum of 3 at a time to unleash multiple consecutive physical attacks or to enhance spells and special abilities. Managing the Power Points in relation to the defense points of the opponents is the fulcrum of the battle system, and the player must be able to tactically use all the elements at stake to optimize shifts and make the most of the Dominion phases.
Each character embodies a single class, and it is obviously important to be able to find a good balance in the party to be able to face the dozens of random fights along the way, as well as the bosses. Once we reach certain locations in the adventure we will also unlock the secondary classes, that is the possibility of giving a character the abilities of a companion; We will then find ourselves able to give the warrior Olberic the skills of the thief Therion, or the elemental magic of the scholar Cyrus to the priestess Ophilia and so on, creating versatile and very interesting combinations from the point of view of party customization. Each character can also count on a unique action with which to interact in the cities: the thief Therion can try to lighten the pockets of the NPCs, while Olberic can challenge them to a duel to gain additional experience or access protected buildings.
Everything is calibrated with a delicate but surprisingly effective balance. Even the presence of more or less party members is calculated in the game difficulty: there will be a difference in difficulty when facing an area or a boss with a single character or in a group. The dungeons are not very extensive and mostly feature some paths to hidden chests, although they obviously get more elaborate as the adventure progresses. In addition to the main missions there are optional areas to explore (usually accessible later in the adventure, given the difficulty of the enemies), and dozens of side quests that we can activate by talking to specific NPCs, which can be solved with a trivial exchange of objects but also taking us to optional dungeons or bosses.
Octopath Traveler gameplay is relatively easy to learn, but one that continues to offer new challenges and satisfactions throughout the adventure. A particular tactical skill is undoubtedly required, and even random battles can create problems if not approached carefully, while boss battles offer challenges that are certainly not to be underestimated. In short, if you are looking for a title that can offer hours and hours (from 50 upwards) of exploration, customization and fighting in perfect JRPG style, this is definitely the title for you.
One of the aspects that undoubtedly reveals the classic inspiration of the title is the graphic sector: right from the start Octopath Traveler stood out for what was defined by the developers as "HD-2D", a graphic design that incorporates the style of 16-bit era, but with a modern twist. The protagonists' 2D sprites are immersed in three-dimensional environments in a way that brought us back to classics like Suikoden and Xenogears. The world is then embellished with an impressive use of lights, combined with a particular effect deliberately "out of focus" for objects on a different plane than the character, which gives a really interesting feeling of depth. From this artistic direction extraordinarily picturesque and evocative scenarios arise unexpected for a game of this caliber. The fights are instead enhanced by spectacular particle effects, which bind extraordinarily well with the two-dimensional models.
Accompanying this visual delight is the excellent soundtrack by Yasunori Nishiki, capable of ranging from the calm and relaxed tones of cities and wild forests to the pounding and excited rhythms of the battle themes, capable of exalting you and making the fights even more. exciting. The English dubbing of the most important dialogues is also good, thanks to which the inexpressive characters obtain a considerable depth. We are pleased to point out to purists that the original dubbing in Japanese is even available.
Octopath Traveler is a true love letter for JRPG fans of the 90s. Although its non-linear narrative has some structural deficiencies and is not suitable for all palates, it will still delight those who know how to appreciate a classic fantasy story typical of old guard games. Bewitching to look at, enchanting to listen to, but above all damn compelling to face thanks to a solid and deep gameplay that will involve lovers of the genre in hours of pure fun. If you've enjoyed the various Bravelys and are looking for something similarly nostalgic, you've found the right game.
► Octopath Traveler is a JRPG-type game developed by Acquire and published by Square Enix for PC and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 13/07/2018 The version for PC came out on 07/06/2019
