Octopath Traveler 0 Reviews
While the combat system does feel like a significant improvement over the previous two games, the narrative doesn't come anywhere close to either of those experiences. Octopath Traveler 0 is still a solid turn-based RPG with great art and music, but it doesn't hold a candle to the other entries. It's impressive for an experience made by cobbling together a mobile experience, but knowing what it started as doesn't make it more than just fine.
Octopath Traveler 0 is an excellent addition to the series that redefines its combat system by adding more depth and strategic elements and even throws in a cozy aspect to cater to different playstyles.
If you like the "Octopath Traveler" series, you'll enjoy "Octopath Traveler 0". It sheds light on the history of the world of Orsterra and offers a strong combat system as usual. However, after a great start, the narrative loses momentum and the city-building system fails to reach its full potential.
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The enormity of Octopath Traveler 0 is something that must be seen to be believed. Official developer comments about the game’s playtime being around 100 hours weren't made with exaggeration, and even with that, I never felt like so much as a minute of my time was wasted. The stories it tells are grand and sweeping, and all fit snugly into a greater work that feels sort of like a playable epic. Octopath’s core gameplay in exploration, combat, team-building and mid battle strategy have also evolved considerably. The eight-character system and high number of party members means that just about everyone is going to approach it differently, and that's before getting into the open world and exploratory elements, which have also been noticeably improved. What ties this all together is the high quality of its writing. It's probably my favorite video game narrative since Dragon Quest VII (which still sits as my favorite in general), combining lots of interesting themes and talking points with a flair for the theatrical. It's over the top in ways that feel deliberate and serve to heighten the emotions felt by the characters, who themselves are very compelling. While I would never say story is the sole reason you should play Octopath Traveler 0, it is the greatest factor in why all of its systems synergize so well. From top to bottom, I loved this game to pieces. It's to a point that, after a while, I began to ask “How in the world are they supposed to top this?”