The announcement of Octopath Traveler 2 was indeed a pleasant surprise. The first game wasn’t perfect, but it was a perfect combination of age-old JRPG mechanics and modern innovations that looked absolutely gorgeous. It was a great game for fans of the genre that had three huge strengths to rely on: the beautiful HD-2D design, the combat system that absolutely shone during the boss fights and the great music.
While the sequel still has a lot going for it, there’s no denying that a few improvements are needed to make this game truly exceptional. Octopath Traveler was certainly a great game in its own right, but there are still some aspects of the title that need to be reworked so as not to burden the sequel with the same issues that plagued its predecessor.
8 The multiple stories should be more connected
Octopath Traveler had the unique concept of telling different stories for each of the eight protagonists, encompassing everything from a revenge plot to a coming-of-age story and all that in a pretty impressive story. While the individual stories are pretty well told and elaborated on their own, this does come at a price.
The stories are so individually embedded that the rest of the party members feel like backseat viewers of what’s happening in that particular story. As a result, it feels pretty shocking to see a group of four have absolutely no reaction to one of their friends having a big break fighting someone who has been an eyesore for so long.
7 The true end should be easier to access
Octopath Traveler has individual endings for each character that end on a pretty satisfying note. However, all the characters’ plot threads lead to one common point that can be discovered with a fair amount of effort.
However, to access the real ending, players must endure a grueling boss battle before battling the toughest boss in the game. Most JRPGs use super bosses as optional challenges so as not to frustrate players and cut them off from experiencing the whole story, and it’s a shame that Octopath Traveler does not follow here. Perhaps the sequel can ensure that the true end of the game can be experienced without a hitch, while more challenging enemies eventually become completely optional encounters.
6 Voice acting needs improvement
Japanese games have a pretty rocky history when it comes to English voice acting, with most games having a pretty sloppy voice direction which leads to the performances feeling quite stilted at times. This is the case in Octopath Traveler also, where the voice acting feels quite forced and unnatural in many cases because the voice guidance is everywhere.
Octopath Traveler 2 can take some big steps to make the localization more pleasant to hear. This can prove to be a big hurdle to overcome, but the game can certainly be more fun to play with captivating vocal performances.
5 Regular fights should be less random
Random battles are a thing of the past in most JRPGs. Most modern games allow players to see enemies in the overworld, allowing them to either escape or engage them in battle.
This choice is not present in Octopath Traveler, forcing players into random encounters after a few steps into dungeons or the overworld. This design is pretty archaic and fans can hope so Octopath Traveler 2 sheds this part of its otherwise impeccably designed game.
4 The narrative structure must be more complex
In an effort to tell unique individual stories, each character’s stories are in Octopath Traveler ultimately relying on some clichés and tropes to deliver a decent story. While this got the job done, it didn’t come to anything out of the ordinary either.
These simple stories should be replaced by more complex and interconnected stories in the future. In this way, not only will the stories be more immersive and memorable, but they will help each party member feel an integral part of the story rather than just turning them into bystanders.
Octopath Traveler has a wealth of jobs that players can unlock in the game. Aside from the eight jobs that each member of the party already has, players can also unlock four special jobs that are absolutely incredible in the game.
Unlocking it is almost mandatory if players want to defeat Galdera, as this task is almost impossible without these special jobs. As a result, the party feels quite lopsided with four members much stronger than their counterparts. The new game should try to add more special jobs, especially if it also wants to add more challenging optional encounters.
2 The overarching story should play a much bigger role
After completing all eight stories, players will have the chance to defeat the game’s real boss. Before this battle begins, however, players must go through a gauntlet of eight boss battles that dump a ton of exhibits about the player to keep them updated on how all the stories in the game connect.
It’s a nice idea that is executed rather haphazardly in Octopath Traveler. If the sequel wants to improve its story, it would be a good start to put the overarching story more central to the plot and motivations of the eight party members.
1 A more natural way for all the protagonists to work together
The way all eight party members of Octopath Traveler team-up is indeed pretty weird. Players have to go to different cities, regardless of their protagonist’s motivations, and listen to each character’s backstories in a rather awkward way.
There must be a better reason for the eight party members to join forces, something the sequel should be working on. As it looks now, the first Octopath Traveler doesn’t even try and just let the characters team up regardless of their personalities and objectives.
Octopath Traveler 2 will be available for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and PC.
0 Comments