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[Banjo64]

https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/octopath-traveler-ii?ref=hp

https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-5/octopath-traveler-ii

https://opencritic.com/game/13900/octopath-traveler-ii

Octopath Traveler II​

ACQUIRE Corp., Square Enix, SQUARE ENIX
Feb 24, 2023 - PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4

OpenCritic Rating

87
Top Critic Average

95%
Critics Recommend
Game Informer
8.5 / 10
TheSixthAxis
9 / 10
Shacknews
8 / 10
God is a Geek
10 / 10
Wccftech
8.5 / 10
Push Square
9 / 10
Atomix
92 / 100
We Got This Covered
4.5 / 5

 

[Spaceman292]

Do the characters actually talk to each other in this one?

 

[RoboFu]

I still hate the stagger battle system. 2/5

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Squaresoft on a roll. Forskin and now this.

We're not worthy.

 

[Draugoth]

I forgot this was releasing today, otherwise iwould have made a review thread.

Good to see Square finally released a good game

 

[GymWolf]

Is the writing as "good" as the first one?

 

[BlackTron]

I bought the first one in hype for $60. Turns out the dialog was insufferable, there was no interaction between the paths of the characters, and the graphics were merely passable/OK once they settled on me, nothing exciting. I just never got used to that 3D SNES with insane lighting and floating cardboard cutout people. It looks like a mock stage world instead of a merely pixelated one. I gave the cart to my then-15 year old sister and she injected it directly into her veins, beaten in like a week.

 

[SantaC]

I forgot this was releasing today, otherwise iwould have made a review thread.

Good to see Square finally released a good game

24th

 

[Punished Miku]

Pre-ordered. Any major HD-2D game is day one for me.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Do the characters actually talk to each other in this one?

They now have little side stories where two of the protagonists interact with each other. As far as their individual quests go its still the same as before.

 

[TintoConCasera]

I still have to finish Live A Live lol.

Will end getting this one for sure, but at a later date. I loved the first game.

Any words on the difficulty? That was my only gripe with the first game, it was a way too easy aside from a few super bosses.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

The first one is my second or third most-played Switch game. Definitely will be picking up at some point, just not in any rush. Glad they've taken the feedback from the first, and added more variety to the chapter structures. And also the really jarring lack of any meaningful character interaction between the characters in the first game. The graphics also pop a bit more and there's more effects going on than in the first one, noticeably.

 

[Elios83]

I really liked the original on Switch so I got this preordered on PS5 this time, I'm happy reviews are good.

 

[Evil Calvin]

I forgot this was releasing today, otherwise iwould have made a review thread.

Good to see Square finally released a good game

Next Friday

 

[Teletraan1]

I usually finish switch games because you pay a premium price for them but the first one was boring as hell. I have fallen asleep more times than I can count trying to play that game. I will be skipping this one.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Next Friday

Yeah, the review embargo lifting 7 days before release is refreshing. That doesn't happen too often these days. Imagine back when print media was dominant, and magazines needed 30 days ahead of release to hit print deadlines. Those days are long gone

 

[adamsapple]

Someone please tell me, are there select-able difficulty options in the game ? IIRC the demo didn't.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

They now have little side stories where two of the protagonists interact with each other. As far as their individual quests go its still the same as before.

Noisy Pixel mentions it a bit, as well. Sounds like there a specially-made chapters of the game that involve two characters, + they also keep the travel banter from the first. Not sure how many there are, or how involved they are. Hopefully they are more than short side stories.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Someone please tell me, are there select-able difficulty options in the game ? IIRC the demo didn't.

I don't believe so, unless it's being kept secret from all review embargos and was hidden in the demo. The first game didn't have difficulty levels, and assuming this game doesn't, either.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

I still hate the stagger battle system. 2/5

I love it, it's what makes the game for me. But to be fair, this is the only series where I actually get to play something like this and actually enjoy it.

 

[Topher]

I still hate the stagger battle system. 2/5

What is a "stagger battle system". I played Octopath Traveler, but I don't know what that is.

 

[Boaty McBoatface]

I bought the first one in hype for $60. Turns out the dialog was insufferable, there was no interaction between the paths of the characters, and the graphics were merely passable/OK once they settled on me, nothing exciting. I just never got used to that 3D SNES with insane lighting and floating cardboard cutout people. It looks like a mock stage world instead of a merely pixelated one. I gave the cart to my then-15 year old sister and she injected it directly into her veins, beaten in like a week.

I need the intelligence of this 15 yr old because I swear I'm stuck on a chapter 2 boss and I'm getting no where, the game feels grindy as hell

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

I need the intelligence of this 15 yr old because I swear I'm stuck on a chapter 2 boss and I'm getting no where, the game feels grindy as hell

It’s all about breaking the defense and knowing the weaknesses. Story bosses usually aren’t too bad, unless you’re under-leveled

 

[Punished Miku]

I need the intelligence of this 15 yr old because I swear I'm stuck on a chapter 2 boss and I'm getting no where, the game feels grindy as hell

I like it on Switch for this reason. Easy to grind battles and watch a podcast.

 

[tkscz]

Do the characters actually talk to each other in this one?

This was my main issue with the first game's story. What made it worse was each of their quests related to the others and when you find that out, it feels empty because they don't talk to each other about it. And the true final boss is behind a side quest you'd have no idea lead to that. It fills in holes left in the main quests but because they don't react AT ALL to the final boss, it also feels a little empty.

From what I'm hearing they interact in side quest but looks like the main quest will go the same.

However I still had a great time with the first and will probably buy this one too.

 

[RoboFu]

What is a "stagger battle system". I played Octopath Traveler, but I don't know what that is.

Really!?

 

[BlackTron]

I need the intelligence of this 15 yr old because I swear I'm stuck on a chapter 2 boss and I'm getting no where, the game feels grindy as hell

She is not normal, Earthbound is her favorite game. When it came out on VC my Wii U was confiscated.

 

[The_Mike]

I liked the first one at first, but the extreme amount of random encounters killed it for me.

 

[Topher]

Really!?

Are you talking about breaking shield points? And yeah, I've never heard it referred to as a "stagger battle system". Not sure why that triggers you.

I liked the first one at first, but the extreme amount of random encounters killed it for me.

There is a perk you can apply to some jobs to reduce the number of encounters.

 

[Fbh]

Does this still have random encounters?

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Are you talking about breaking shield points? And yeah, I've never heard it referred to as a "stagger battle system". Not sure why that triggers you.



That is a perk you can apply to some jobs to reduce the number of encounters.

Yeah. Stagger’s just a word. You played the first game, you know what the battle system is. I knew what he meant by staggered. But I hadn’t heard others use that word to describe it before, either.

 

[Labadal]

I really like the demo, but I also really liked the first game. If you don't like the first game, it's likely that you will not like this one, either.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

I really like the demo, but I also really liked the first game. If you don't like the first game, it's likely that you will not like this one, either.

Yep. It’s just a better, more polished, more varied, more complex game than the original. Based on the demo and these reviews, a true sequel in every sense of the word.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Any words on the difficulty? That was my only gripe with the first game, it was a way too easy aside from a few super bosses.

Nothing?

 

[Punished Miku]

Nothing?

There's a demo! I haven't played it, just going to play the game when I have time (after Atomic Fart, Wo Long).

 

[Boneless]

How's the story? I did not get the first one because the story and characters sucked.

 

[TintoConCasera]

There's a demo! I haven't played it, just going to play the game when I have time (after Atomic Fart, Wo Long).

I'm honestly not too much into demos. Tried it for just a bit, saw it looked gorgeous and bailed out till the full game releases.

I'll check the reviews later myself. If they have improved the difficulty curve then it might be a very, very good JRPG.

 

[Captain Toad]

I can't wait. This is the game that made me really love the Switch.

Now, I'm torn between Switch and PS5. I liked the hybrid nature, but I also feel like I'd enjoy the grind for the platinum in a game like this.

 

[Punished Miku]

I can't wait. This is the game that made me really love the Switch.

Now, I'm torn between Switch and PS5. I liked the hybrid nature, but I also feel like I'd enjoy the grind for the platinum in a game like this.

Same here. I want both games to be on the same system, and do prefer portable. But PS5 is very tempting.

 

[Topher]

Nothing?

Isn't that relative to how much grinding you do?

I can't wait. This is the game that made me really love the Switch.

Now, I'm torn between Switch and PS5. I liked the hybrid nature, but I also feel like I'd enjoy the grind for the platinum in a game like this.

Same here. I’ll look at the trophy list and see if I think it will be worth getting the PS5 version, but im leaning towards the Switch version.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Guys, guys, just get a Steam Deck and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Isn't that relative to how much grinding you do?

I didn't do any kind of grind in the first game and most story bosses were reeeally easy to beat. I hope that's not the case again.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

I'm honestly not too much into demos. Tried it for just a bit, saw it looked gorgeous and bailed out till the full game releases.

I'll check the reviews later myself. If they have improved the difficulty curve then it might be a very, very good JRPG.

Like the original in 2018, the demo carries over to the full game, and picks up right where you left off. So it's more of a 3 hour head start on the game, rather than a standard demo. Agreed on the difficulty curve, some of those superbosses in the first in the optional caves just murdered me, never did tame them all.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Same here. I want both games to be on the same system, and do prefer portable. But PS5 is very tempting.

Even though I wasn't about to spend another 80 hours in the same game again, I did replay some of it on Series X and my God, it is gorgeous. And was nice to see the game in it's most pristine technical form, no frame hitches, no loading, and just overall absolutely beautiful.

 

[Topher]

Guys, guys, just get a Steam Deck and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Meh....achievements are not as fun as trophies and rather get the physical version so I can resell it.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Meh....achievements are not as fun as trophies

That makes no sense my man, aren't they the same thing?

and rather get the physical version so I can resell it.

That does make sense, it's the thing I miss about mostly playing on consoles.

 

[Topher]

That makes no sense my man, aren't they the same thing?

I know Steam has their blue ribbon to indicate 100% completion, but just isn't as appealing as getting Platinum to me.

 

[Labadal]

From the demo, difficulty seemed similar to the first game. I'm not expecting many super challenging fights in the main story.

 

[Banjo64]

I know Steam has their blue ribbon to indicate 100% completion, but just isn't as appealing as getting Platinum to me.

Trophies are definitely the most satisfying thing to pop - got 50 plats, couldn’t care less about gamerscore, got 43k but it means nothing to me.

 

[TintoConCasera]

From the demo, difficulty seemed similar to the first game. I'm not expecting many super challenging fights in the main story.

Thanks bro. That's kind of a bummer but I'll still get and play the game.

 

[Topher]

Trophies are definitely the most satisfying thing to pop - got 50 plats, couldn’t care less about gamerscore, got 43k but it means nothing to me.

Platinums are the one thing I wish other platforms would rip off. I've got 27 plats. That's really the only aspect of trophies that really means anything to me.

Apparently some Xbox fans have asked for something like Platinum trophies as well. I think it would be great if they did.

Xbox Responds To Calls To Add 'Platinum Trophy' System For Achievements

"We've definitely heard that feedback"

www.purexbox.com