Project Octopath Traveler

[Julius Seeker]

This game has a lot right going for it, and if you have a Switch, then you can get the demo right now. I thought it was a great presentation, and I look forwards to seeing where this game goes. I know it seems like a small thing, but the HD rumble helps the game utilize feedback in a better way than any RPG has ever done before. Pretty much anything else I can say about it is said in the video above so I want to focus on the battle system; which I think is just about universally praised, but I have some issues with it.

First of all, I think a lot of people will like it. I have issues with it stemming from playing similar battle systems for extended periods of time in the Bravely Default franchise. In many cases, giving the players a little bit more to do in the interface works, but in a game that is heavy on battles this can get old and repetitive: Vagrant Story is an extreme example, but at the same time it's a shorter game, so the exhaustion with the battle system doesn't have the time to set in. The Bravely games gave the ability to use auto-battle and speed up mechanics, which really helped as well - unfortunately, this game lacks those sorts of features (so far); and in all honesty, if a game is going to go beyond the 15-20 hour mark, a more simplistic battle system tends to carry a game a lot further - not because it is more interesting, but because it is less of a hassle.

It didn't take long to figure out that the battle system essentially revolved around 1 thing - breaking enemies. Each enemy has a certain amount of shields, hitting them once with a weapon they are weak against will reduce that shield by 1, and when the shields run out, they break. This is when you hit them with your strongest attack for big damage. It's an interesting concept for a shorter game under 20 hours, but I can't see this system staying interesting for a 35-60 hour game, which is where I think this one will fall (based on developer history). It may be that battles will be far less prevalent than they were in the demo; but I doubt it, given Bravely Default.

[M'k'n'zy]

I really need to get my Switch online and download the demo, this game has my interest for sure, and I want to give it a try.

[Oracle]

Replying without having first read Seeker's post, so this is my fresh take on it:

So I've put a good amount of time into this game since the new year started. The game went on sale for $55 CND, so I pulled the trigger. No way was I going to pay $79.99 for a sprite RPG.

After putting 40-60 hours into it so far (by no means a speed run, and a lot of idle time on the game clock), and having a lot left to go, $79.99 doesn't seem like that much of a gouge now - the game definitely has a decent amount of content.

My initial hesitation to buying the game, other than the retail price, was that it reminded me a lot of Saga Frontier #1 - I did not have a good experience with that game. It's likely my experience turned out that way because I just wasn't familiar with the type of game, didn't realize the heavy late-game inter-dependencies between each character's path (i.e. I rushed through some paths as I found them boring, and ended up paying for it in the end).

So, good news - Octopath is nothing like Saga Frontier! The writing in this game is far far better, as well as the storylines. The battle system is the exact opposite of a 'Smash A' battle system like some of the earlier Final Fantasies that share similar battle systems. The break system (hit an enemy with the weapon/element they are weak against X amount of times to stun/weaken them) really encourages party diversity. I also really enjoy the BP system, where after a few turns a character is able to unleash a charged up attack with regular attacks or class-specific skills.

The game also has a job system, which I still haven't fully uncovered. First set of jobs are items that let you sub-class as the other main characters' classes. I hear there are other, new job classes beyond that, but I'm not there yet. Each character has a unique skill for their main-class that isn't available via sub-classing (e.g. if you subclass a thief, you still can't open the locked purple chests in the world which you need the main thief in your party to open).

Each of the eight characters progress through their stories via 'chapters'. You have to complete the chapters for each character in numerical order (i.e. I have to do chapter 1, then 2, then 3, can't jump the order), but you can complete them in any character order you want (i.e. I can do chapter 1 and 2 for character a, then I can do chapter 1 for b, then 1 and 2 and 3 for c, etc.). Only limitation is the 'recommended' level you need to be for each chapter, which seems to level-scale for each character depending on the character-order you did the chapters in, and how many in total for all characters you've done when completing a chapter to make the next chapter available (i.e. generally need level 1-11 for chapter 1 quests, 12-27 for chapter 2, 28-40 for chapter 3, 40+ for chapter 4).

The side-quest system is decent, but I don't obsess over it. The story-quests all include map-indicators to tell you where to go. The side-quests, you are left completely to your own devices. Some can be finished almost instantly, some others are very vague (i.e. a townsperson wants to 'get out and see the world' - no indication where I need to take them). The rewards for side quests are monetary and consumable item-based, so as far as I see it, you can make up those gains by just grinding as an alternative.

Anyway, pleasantly surprised with this game, turned out to be a good pickup.

[Julius Seeker]

I'll note I only played the demo; and I have not actually played the final game so none of my comments may be valid. I wanted to enjoy it because I really liked the art style.

The sort of RPGs I tend to enjoy are simplistic battle systems that have complex outcomes: Chrono Trigger is a great example.
The demo of Octopath Traveler was more like a complex battle system that had a simple outcome. It came off as a little gimmicky to me.

In the demo, I never felt it had any more depth than "mash A to proceed" - the only difference is that it replaced that most basic button input with something more convoluted. It reminded me a little of some other RPGs lately that irked me: Child of Light and Bravely Default come to mind.

Again, I'll point out that my impressions are purely based on the demo. It seems a lot of people like the full game. I'd consider it this year if there weren't already about a dozen high profile RPGs coming out.



Unrelated to topic rant on FF games (as they're games I AM getting this year)

FF7, X, and 12 particularly are the ones I want to get this year: and while I wasn't a terribly huge fan of FF12 originally, I also didn't hate it, and the HD version apparently fixes a lot of the slow pacing of the original, so I will get it.
X-2 and 9 are maybes for me, both games I felt were solid, but forgettable. X-2 has the return to Spira aspect to it, which I want. FF9 is probably the most well crafted FF game, but IMO also the most bland mainline FF game; my enjoyment of it was purely based on reminding me of older FF games I liked more... even FF1 has more pizazz to it.
FF Crystal Chronicles is a no-go for me. Take everything I said about FF9 and remove the part about it being a well crafted game. This one literally put me and the two other people to sleep when playing it.

To end on a high note after being so negative =D
FF7 on a Nintendo console is proof that if hell exists, it's no longer a hot place. This game is a callback to when Final Fantasy developers were still brave enough to try really off-the-wall things and have really messed up, and perhaps not very likable, main cast characters. Revamped versions of Cloud are NOWHERE near as interesting: the original was a deeply depressed guy who took temper tantrums when he was on his own, had unhealthy relationships, and lied about being a far more great person than he was in order to manipulate the way the other characters thought about him... the later iterations of Cloud were simply that he WAS just this awesome super-soldier character with no real internal conflict other than he was a bad enough dude to get the job done.