Octopath Traveler II Review – Two Is Better Than One

Octopath Traveler II is a remarkable example of retro-inspired and remakes trying to recreate the classic gaming experience. Despite being rooted in modern design with a host of conveniences, it effortlessly captures the spirit, style, and sense of adventure of the best RPGs from the SNES era, while still innovating and showing there’s life in turn-based battles yet. The feat is even more remarkable, considering Octopath II’s most significant changes are small and subtle.

Octopath Traveler II looks a lot like the original. Pick one adventurer to begin with and collect the rest as you progress. Eventually, however, your stories will connect somewhat loosely. Octopath II is richer and more interesting thanks to improved storytelling and complex characters. It feels like Octopath was able to fulfill the goals of its predecessor.

Even a rote narrative structure can still have enough nuance and be relatable. Osvald’s is your usual tale of revenge, for example, but he’s so broken inside that he rarely speaks except in internal monologues. The evil facing Ochette, the happy hunter, is an ancient force that threatens to destroy the world – but also deep-rooted racism against her people.

While the characters have deeper roots, they still act in a way that is not compatible with the wider world. It is possible to rob a city with violence and not face any consequences.

Combat basics also remain the same, though that’s no bad thing. There are weaknesses in enemies that can be exploited to reduce their shield point until it breaks and then enter stunned. Allies have the option to save boost points to spend on their attack power. Secondary job classes can also be combined to make powerful hybrid warriors.

Square Enix did not change the basic structure, but made some improvements to many job classes. These included a few new abilities and tactics that can alter battle flow, making combat feel more fresh. One of these new improvements is each character’s Latent Power, an ability that augments their other skills in powerful ways. Encounters feel better balanced, with a tense rhythm of smart choices timed right, and they don’t outstay their welcome.

Grinching to increase levels is now easier thanks to the day-and-night system. This allows for stronger monsters to emerge at night. It’s worth wandering around in the dark anyway, just to see how the world changes.

Octopath II’s map is a significant improvement over the original. Square Enix crammed secrets large and small into almost every corner of the continent, and it’s always worth tracking them down. For every common treasure and restorative item you find, there’s a hidden dungeon, a secret job, or an abandoned village with a fascinating new questline that only appears at night.

Square Enix’s HD-2D visual style has grown as a medium, and the evidence is demonstrated through the game’s highly detailed environments and layers of interest. It’s literally on display as well, as the filter that blurred anything not immediately around you is, thankfully, gone. The result of all this is a gorgeous, rich world that’s truly a joy to explore.

Octopath Traveler II delivers exactly what an outstanding sequel should. It doesn’t break new ground, but it does improve on the original and is more confident in the stories it tells. There’s still room for improvement in some of its stiffer areas, but Octopath II is a sterling achievement all around.