Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler 2, a traditional JRPG that was released in February 2023, is the third in a series that began in 2018. Created in collaboration with Japanese developer and publisher Acquire, the franchise immediately drew in fans of fantasy RPGs with its appealing graphical style called HD-2D. It combines retro-style character sprites reminiscent of the Super NES with layered environments and high-def visual effects. But the first game also attracted people through its unusual story presentation and engaging turn-based combat.

Octopath Traveler 2 delivers more of the same, so much so that it feels like a continuation of the first game rather than a true sequel. The graphics are slightly enhanced but otherwise almost unchanged, and even the UI, combat, and gameplay loop seem to pick up right where Octopath 1 left off. The soundtrack, composed by Yasunori Nishiki, introduces a number of new themes, all of which are immersive and skillfully done. But mostly, Octopath 2 offers a few quality-of-life and gameplay tweaks that imply an "if it ain't broke" approach, which works because most aspects of the first game were already pretty top notch, though those who were hoping for a more appreciable overhaul may be disappointed.

Octopath Traveler 2 introduces eight new characters, or travelers, with varied jobs, backstories, and ambitions. Like the first game, each job comes with unique combat abilities, as well as skills known as Path Actions that can be used while roaming around town. For example, Osvald is a Scholar who can cast elemental magic in combat and also Scrutinize townsfolk during the day to discover the locations of hidden items. Ochette, as a Hunter, can Provoke NPCs to fight for some extra experience, and Temenos the Cleric can Guide people and summon them to help in battle a limited number of times.

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These abilities will sound very familiar to those who played Octopath 1 because nearly all of the jobs and skills are identical between games, including the secondary jobs that each traveler can learn. However, some passive abilities, called Talents, have been changed in Octopath Traveler 2. For example, in the first game, the Thief Therion could open special chests using his Pick Locks skill. Throne, the Thief in the sequel, instead has a passive ability called Blessings of Darkness that raises the attack and speed of allies in combat.

Octopath 2 also introduces a day and night cycle, which can be switched at will by the player and noticeably affects gameplay. Throne’s Blessings of Darkness only triggers at night, for instance, and all travelers have a second Path Action that is available solely after dark. Each character in Octopath Traveler 2 also has a unique latent power, which is a potent ability similar to a Final Fantasy 7 Limit Break. So while it might be a bit of a letdown that almost all the jobs and abilities are copy/pasted from Octopath 1, these few changes help make things feel somewhat fresh and compelling. Even the sometimes arduous pacing of the first game has been taken into consideration, and players now have the welcome option to increase combat speed.

Each character in Octopath Traveler 2 has their own storyline to follow, which is divided into bite-sized chapters that can be completed in an hour or two. They all follow the predictable RPG formulas, like someone wronged and out for revenge, the unlikely hero on a quest to protect her people, or the thug on a search for redemption. These are recounted through seemingly interminable, mostly unvoiced dialogs interspersed with little tasks to break up the tedium. Luckily, the scenes can be set to autoplay or skipped entirely, and generally, the travelers’ tales are more engrossing than those of the first game.

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The lack of an overarching narrative to tie the separate stories together was one complaint of people who played Octopath 1. Eight scenarios shared in a single game is an intriguing idea, but it can feel like an anthology of short stories rather than a cohesive, epic adventure. The sequel suffers from this same feeling of disconnect, though the developers have clearly made an effort to bring the eight paths together in a more meaningful way, with an endgame dungeon and boss fight that provide a satisfying finale to Octopath Traveler 2.

One shortcoming of Octopath 2 is the game’s failure to establish any real sense of camaraderie among this group of strangers traveling the world together. When activating any character’s individual story sequence, that person is suddenly alone and the party inexplicably dispersed. Even the “travel banter” between party members, which is occasionally prompted onscreen, doesn’t do much to dispel this feeling of them being on wholly separate journeys.

Conversely, and perhaps even adding to this sense of detachment, the NPCs introduced during each character’s personal narrative feel like a more integral part of their story than the fellow party members do. They often have a similar degree of development, personality, and backstory, and they interact with the characters more actively. This could be fixed with occasional cutscenes or other interludes, for example, to show the travelers experiencing more than just combat together and to give their dubious partnerships more depth.

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While the party members seem generally distant from one another, they do come together in battle splendidly. The traditional turn-based combat in Octopath 2 will be quick to understand for anybody familiar with old-school RPGs, though it features a somewhat unique battle system. It’s not a question of just bashing foes until the victory screen appears, and once the intricacies of combat become clear, even regular fights with same-level enemies can be enjoyably challenging. However, combat overall feels easier than in the first game, outside some random difficulty spikes that require the inevitable EXP grinding.

After every turn in combat, each character gains one Boost Point, with each point increasing outbound damage. These can be spent immediately for a small boost, or players can tactically stockpile up to five points in order to unleash an extremely powerful attack. It becomes a question of balancing patience while taking a slight battering and the desire to quickly go on the offensive.

Added to the mix are enemy shields, which take a varying number of hits to bring down. Once an opponent’s defense is broken, attacks will inflict more damage. But these shields can only be chipped away using weapons or spell types that the foe is weak to, thus adding another layer of complexity to combat. Mastering the synergy between party members and their abilities, biding time to unleash boosts, deciding whether to use AOEs or focused attacks, and uncovering enemy weaknesses make fighting in Octopath Traveler 2 consistently dynamic and fun.

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The follow-up to 2018’s award-winning Octopath Traveler will satisfy most retro RPG fans, and it checks all the boxes when it comes to visuals, music, character variety, story, and combat. Despite the tweaks — day/night cycle, fleshing out the job system, slightly improved graphics, and generally better stories — Octopath Traveler 2 does not advance the series in any meaningful way. It feels more like a shinier continuation of what came before, rather than a significant step forward. There is no massive overhaul, but instead a little nudge here and a touch of polish there.

However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing; Octopath Traveler got a mobile spinoff and a sequel for a reason. It was a successful bridge between SNES-era turn-based RPGs and modern gaming expectations, and it offered engaging gameplay that could suck away hours of free time. Octopath Traveler 2 is more of the same with side quests, interesting characters, and a large world to explore. It essentially gives fans of the first game an additional 60 hours of what they already enjoyed, and newcomers can jump right into the sequel without worrying about what they might have missed.

Octopath Traveler 2 is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch. Game Rant was provided a Steam code for this review.

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Octopath Traveler 2

The next installment in the Octopath Traveler series sees eight new adventurers setting out across the lands of Solistia to make their mark on the world. Developer Square Enix and Acquire unveil new and exciting 2D and 3D visuals for this expansive traditional RPG.

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