Enemies have certain weaknesses that players must exploit. Thankfully, “Octopath Traveler’s” combat is deep enough that battles are less redundant and addictively strategic. To access these zones or even finish some heroes’ plotlines, players will need to grind out levels and pick up stronger gear. Although players can technically go wherever they want, “Octopath Traveler” blocks progress artificially by filling some regions with tough monsters. The developers offer a change of pace by telling personal stories that make the characters more multidimensional compared to other bland protagonists.Īfter gathering each hero and exploring the map, players will have to travel to the far reaches of the world. None of the heroes are saving the world epic fashion and that’s a good thing. It’s a faux-retro approach that evokes nostalgia while also hinting at cutting-edge design. The landscape is partly made of polygons and the fixed camera shows a world with depth as objects in the foreground and background blur and sharpen as players move through it.Ĭompleting the unique style is an Instagram-like filter that encircles the periphery and gives “Octopath Traveler” the hazy look of a memory. The sprite-based characters look like they’re straight out of “Final Fantasy VI.” The two-dimensional world appears flat, but closer inspection reveals modern touches. The latest to do so is “Octopath Traveler.” Square Enix made this JRPG anomaly in partnership with Acquire, a video game studio better known for its ninja-centric “Tenchu” series.Īt first glance, “Octopath Traveler” could be mistaken for an Super Nintendo title. Those have always been part of the cornerstone of JRPGs, the magic sauce that keeps players going for one more battle and makes the grind of leveling up rewarding.Īlthough that seems like a lost art, there’s occasionally a game that hits that mark. Dazzling visuals showcase the latest hardware that make fantasies look like reality.īut for all the effort to give fans a grand adventure, crucial elements of the genre were lost along the way - compelling characters and daring storytelling. Epic cutscenes rival anything this side of a Peter Jackson movie.
Japanese role-playing games have strived to give players bigger and more bombastic experiences.
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