Octopath Traveler 2, the sequel to the 2018 Square Enix role-playing game, will be making some major changes compared to its predecessor. The game will introduce eight new characters who will be adventuring through a brand-new continent, each in search of their own unique goals. One new element that will be added in Octopath Traveler 2 is a daytime/nighttime cycle, during which characters will be able to perform two different Path Actions depending on the time of day. This could make a unique and compelling addition to the game and help its world feel more lived-in and dynamic.
The original Octopath Traveler featured eight characters with unique Path Actions based on their class and personality. For example, Primrose the Dancer could Allure NPCs to temporarily aid the party in battle, while Olberic the Warrior can Challenge NPCs to one-on-one duels to earn money and experience. Octopath Traveler 2 features the return of the Path Action system, but gives each character separate Path Actions for daytime and nighttime. Hikari the new Warrior character retains Olberic's Challenge ability during the daytime, but at night can Bribe characters for information with money. This and other differences between daytime and nighttime could make Octopath Traveler 2 feel richer and more distinct from the previous title.
Split Path Actions Raise Interesting Morality Questions
Octopath Traveler's Path Actions were divided into "Noble" and "Rogue." "Noble" actions would always succeed, but required the player to pay money or reach a certain level, while "Rogue" actions had a chance to fail and decrease the party's reputation. This at times made the game's morality feel somewhat black and white, with the "Noble" characters being the "good" counterpart to the less moral "rogues." This frustrated some players, as the main stories of some characters - such as the thief Therion - handled heavy questions of morality and the nature of evil. Octopath Traveler 2's day and night actions could lead to much more morally gray characters, such as the normally upright samurai-inspired Hikari being willing to bribe people for information.
The day and night cycle could also lead to a greater variety of Path Actions and traveler abilities. One criticism of Octopath Traveler was that Path Actions felt very repetitive, as the eight Actions only had four distinct outcomes. In particular, Alfyn the Apothecary's Inquire and Cyrus the Scholar's Scrutinize were seen as too similar because both were information-gathering abilities with similar results. Each character having two Path Actions establishes more varied and creative options for gaining information, items, money, and more from the various people the travelers meet along their journey.
Day and Night Cycles Encourage Greater Exploration
Octopath Traveler is a game about exploring, with players experiencing a continent-wide journey through over a dozen towns and cities in eight distinct regions. The first game featured a mix of Side Stories, hidden dungeons, and NPC interactions to encourage players to re-visit towns or spend more time exploring even after the characters' main story chapters had been completed. The day/night cycle in Octopath Traveler 2 could further encourage players to explore in a number of ways. NPCs and side quests could be time-locked, with some appearing during the day and others only coming out at night. Day- and night-locked enemies, shops with set hours, and even plot beats that can only be triggered at a certain time can help the world of Octopath Traveler 2 feel truly vibrant and alive.
Square Enix has confirmed that Octopath Traveler 2 has nearly completed development, and it is currently scheduled for an early 2023 release. In the meantime, trailers are slowly being released introducing the eight new characters one or two at a time. Hopefully, these trailers will contain more information about the day/night cycle and how it will be utilized in Octopath Traveler 2.
Octopath Traveler 2 will release on February 24, 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.