Square Enix’s HD-2D style caught the eye of many when it was first showcased during the Project Octopath Traveler reveal trailer in 2017. The combination of stunning pixel art with high-definition 2D and 3D models creates a mesmerizing style. that takes you into its worlds with ease.
The company registered the term as a trademark in 2019 and has used it to breathe new life into hidden gems like Live A Live and create new adventures with games like Triangle Strategy. With four titles available and more to come, it’s time to see which HD-2D games are just as great as the aesthetics they use.
4 Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent
So far, most HD-2D games have launched exclusively on Nintendo Switch before being ported to PC, such as the original Octopath Traveler. The prequel, Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, launched on mobile devices in Japan in 2020 and finally in other regions on July 27, 2022, less than a week after the release of Live A Live.
The HD 2D art style looks great and clear on most phone screens, reviving the atmosphere of the original, just moments in it. The prologue throws you deep into the promising story, but the game loses almost all of its momentum once it starts promoting slot machines and ubiquitous gacha mechanics. It’s a shame because Champions of the Continent shows so much promise with its premise and smooth gameplay, but it quickly loses its appeal with its transparent monetization.
3 Octopath Traveler
Octopath Traveler is a turn-based RPG and the first game to feature the HD-2D aesthetic. It follows eight different protagonists who embark on their own journey, before finally meeting and forming a group of powerful heroes. The vast world consists of snowy mountains, arid deserts and other diverse locations that show what the HD-2D art style is capable of.
While Octopath Traveler’s premise – eight protagonists with their own storylines working together to work together – is intriguing, the game itself never quite delivers on its own promise. The group spends most of the time together, but you hardly see them interacting or developing personal relationships with each other. It would have been great to see calm or powerful moments between characters like in Final Fantasy VII Remake or Persona 5. The gameplay and individual stories are fine, but it would have been better if the main heroes felt more united and familiar with each other .
2 Triangle strategy
Most of the games that Square Enix has released using the HD-2D style are turn-based, but Triangle Strategy breaks away from its tactics-based gameplay. One of many tactical role-playing games to be released in 2022, Triangle Strategy features a deep and immersive combat system, a plethora of lovable characters, and nearly a hundred hours of content for completionists. The art style shines in dynamic landscapes that change over the course of heated battles between armies.
The amount of content shown is magnificent, but the quality of the story certainly has its ups and downs. Triangle Strategy has four possible endings and certain chapters fail to move the story forward in any meaningful way. Fortunately, the combat system is so captivating and each fight is full of suspense and potential strategic moves that it makes the journey well worth it.
1 live alive
Live A Live was originally launched in Japan in 1994 during the height of exciting and unique JRPGs. While titles like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VII dominated international markets throughout the decade, Live A Live was never localized due to low sales in Japan. Now, nearly three decades later, Square Enix has released it internationally with a beautiful HD-2D upgrade and other updated features.
Live A Live is best known for its outspoken starting point. It contains seven self-contained scenarios that take place over multiple time periods. In each game, a protagonist faces his own challenges, from training a group of disciples in Imperial China to saving a city from bandits in the Wild West. Each scenario is packed with fun twists and memorable characters, and interesting iterations of the JRPG genre.
Live A Live is the first example of a game completely recreated in HD-2D, and it sets an incredibly high bar for everything that comes after. Square Enix has a rich library of fantastic games that can be reintroduced into the zeitgeist through a similar makeover.
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