Learning to Love Octopath Traveler
Vložit
- čas přidán 17. 05. 2024
- Octopath Traveler genuinely surprised me and I'm going to tell you exactly why that is.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patreon: / kingdomklannad
Twitter: / kingklonoa
Twitch: / thekingklonoa
Last Life: last-life.net/
Script: docs.google.com/document/d/1C...
Unversed Cast (Podcast): / @unversedcast
If you liked the video, consider giving it a like and a favorite. Your next step would be to subscribe to receive updates on my content as it releases! Consider supporting me on Patreon if you have the cash to spare! Thanks so very much for watching!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Octopath Traveler. Review. Critique. Commentary. HD. Nintendo Switch. - Hry
I adore the way each character actually has a unique little line when you class them out of type. One example is if you make Tressa into a Thief and have her steal from an NPC, she will say "I'm so sorry..." Because she is an honest Merchant to her core.
I literally had this "Oh woops it's 5am" moment last night playing this game. (just got it last week.)
I really hope you enjoy it, it’s a truly breathtaking game.
@@davidalexander8947 I have enjoyed it a lot! Its an amazing game!
Are there any other games like this that you can recommend??
@@moonboy5851 If u mean games that make u forget time depends on what you get really invested & immersed into.
If u mean games like Octopath Traveller then any turn based rpg will be kinda like that. I quite like Bravely Default 2 on switch. I've bought FF9 & FF12 Zodiac Age on sale recently. (I think the sale is over by now though.) FF9 being an older game & FF21 Zodiac Age being a remaster of an older game. Generally you can take a look at a lot of the older Final Fantasy games.
If u just want something in the same graphical style with different combat, take a look at Triangle Strategy.
@@IchiExorz thanks for taking the time out to respond!
One of my fav games ever is FF7. Played 9 back in the day but can’t remember much. Never played FF again after that.. perhaps I should check out 12?
I love turn based RPGs. Suikoden for PS1 is another gem that was never bought to Switch.
I'm glad to see this game getting praise for once for it's disconnected storytelling of the characters. It's clear to see that the developers didn't want to have everyone's story change because you had [x] party member
If you think about it, if they actually did that, they will most likely won't finish the game because of the amount of dialogues that they need to do. Especially that this game supports multi-language dubs.
Pigpug Pigpug Yeah the game would have like so many different endings and stuff if everyone effected each other's path
It wouldn’t have been that difficult to have a few context dependant lines In the story. Had us introduced to Theron by him trying to rob us. It wouldn’t have required that much to have them interact with each other. A bar scene with a heart to heart which only triggers if certain characters are in your party that kind of thing. A couple of side quests that require two specific characters to do and focuses on their bond. This is just bad story design and they shouldn’t have had all 8 available as the lead of that couldn’t follow through. I’d have much rather only had a couple of options of starting character if it meant the team could acknowledge each other
@@aikikaname6508 they do have heart to hearts later on, there is optional travel banter between two characters at several points during different character’s stories. I loved hearing them interact like that.
I know it frustrated some people, but I really liked that the stories felt personal. It was a welcome break from the trope of the world being in jeopardy and a ragtag group of teenagers going to stop it.
Laughs in Galdera boss fight
Bro what? Having none of your friends acknowledge or care about what you're going through is as far from personal as it gets
I feel like Octopath Traveler treats every battle like a puzzle boss. Figure out how to exploit the reveille enemies weaknesses and ai, and you beat them up. Then you get to bosses who change up their AI mid combat and suddenly you have to find a new solution. That’s what I love so much about this game.
Except for the final bosses of the characters that weren't your mains. There the extreme level imbalance of your party turns them into a cakewalk
THANK YOU! So many people complained that the stories are disconnected and now some finally has shared my opinion that your imagination and Roleplaying are what makes this great! It's the first game I've ever played where it feels Like HunterXHunter, where the party can change based on the current objective and everyone has their own motives! It's great! I guess most people are just trained not to role play anymore in these role-playing games.
High praise for anyone to compared HxH to something. That is the most slept on anime in my opinion. A masterpiece that's undervalued.
It was pretty huge back when it was still airing but now it's not talked enough nearly enough since MHA took its place as the hip new shonen. I agree though, seriously a masterpiece.
This remind me of Gin fron Gintama's experience in playing 8-bit dungeon crawler. He went and rant that kids today are spoiled with your pre-rendered CG cut scenes, HD grapics but us in the good old days all we need is a bunch of text and our imagination. He then subsiquently trash FF series and modern games, btw he was actually repairing a robot during this whole process.
My problem isn't that the story isn't connected it just seems incredibly unlikely that these characters would want to team up with each other to help each other out. In the Hunter x Hunter example it makes sense why Leorio, Gon, Kurapika and Killua would help each other out, in the beginning Gon, Leorio and Kurapika were the only ones on the boat that were not sick and thus had the potential to go on further to the exam , they all had the same goal of being hunters while having individual motivations thus they teamed up together. In octopath traveler because the stories are so disjointed it's hard for me to see some characters wanting to help others, I can't imagine a devout of her own faith such as Ophelia wanting to aid a vengeance seeker such as Primrose. It's because of this it just breaks my immersion in the game and I find it harder to be invested in the story or rather character stories.
Also side note in regards to Brandon Lindsey comment, "most slept on anime" , "a masterpiece that's undervalued" are you serious??? it's one of the most popular shounen anime
TheAaron730 I didn’t pay 60 bucks to use my fucking imagination to fill in the plot holes. Use your budget on a game to make a compelling story and fans won’t bitch about it. *simple*
Jeez, FINALLY, I’ve seen that there are other people that understand the separate storylines.
Thank you so much for highlighting the amazing boss theme transitions. It's such a small detail but it helps to add fluidity to big encounters
I get goosebumps from the boss battle transitions as well. This game does a lot of things right, but the thing it does perfectly is undeniably the sound design.
The opening tweet is iconic. Finally hearing the official dub is so fulfilling.
"Octopath had me interested in random NPCs, which is a crazy feat"
You should play the Kiseki games
falcom is bestcome
Sorry but cold steel was such a basic game..
@@Pikachu-qr4yb Really? Cold Steel has more detailed worldbuilding, story arcs, gameplay and characters than Octopath
@@koopanique yeah it is rich in background lore but I found it pretty basic and doesn't do anything new. Cold steel 1 I clocked in 60h and nothing ever happened lol. My sister got kidnapped once and I saved her 10min later. That was the highlight of the game up till that point (and I feel like I’m close to the end ). The battle system and the amazing ost is the only reason I could stick with it for so long but I can’t go any further
yeah cold steel 1 is like sky first chapter and trails from zero basically just a game that sets up the following games, because of how interconnected the whole series is. The story isnt over when you see the ending scene, like in most final fantasy games, and the sequel isnt a sequel because the game sold well and the ending was vague enough to continue.
CS1 on its own is very slow and oddly paced, that i definitly agree with, but thats kinda its intention. The main story doesnt really progress because the game takes the time to set up the world around you first, getting you attached to the characters first (although Sky FC and Zero do that much better than CS1 in my opinion), but fundementally not much really happens until that setup is finished and stuff starts to go down - at which point CS1 is basically already over and that setup spills into CS2 where your pre-attachment to the world and characters is used much more actively with a more climactic storyprogression.
Octopath reminds me a lot of Breath of the Wild. The core frame of the game and the writing feel shallow and barebones but it is so loaded with self-driven adventure that I really can't bring myself to care. Just don't look at the game's formula too hard and it's amazing. There's so much that makes you go "I wonder if I can do this?"
LunaSaint I noticed this to. Hopefully Nintendo and Square use both of those games as foundations for new games that fix their failings while building on what made them great.
IM 46 (I LOOK 26) IV VIDEOGAMED FRO 19870 TO TODAY the day i care about a story in a video game is the day my skull hits the ground at 120 mph after jumping from a car park in the city center VIDEO """GAME"" CLUES IN THE TITLE WANT STORYS FROM A BACK WATER CABEL CHANNEL NO ONE WATCHES BUY A PS4 PLAY DUMB AS INDUSTRY GAMES WITH GHEY STORYS
I'm 30 and have been playing games since I was 3.
If I ever sound as mentally challenged as this in my middle age, please put a gun to my head and pull the trigger.
Harkz0r Ditto
Nah I disagree
“Whoops it’s 5 am.” I was getting pretty irritated about having to go bed because of this game for a little while.
Somewhere there's an alternate universe where Octopath Traveler was a Critical Role-style D&D show, and god I wish I could watch that show and watch a group of eight players and a DM thread all these stories and characters together in a natural and organic way.
First off, this is such a great breakdown of the appeal Octopath has on me that I couldn't place into words. The comparison to DnD campaigns is so spot on, and the justifications for some characters teaming up (like Therion) are perfect, man
But now you're sayin Xenoblade's one of your fav games so I'm legally contracted to subscribe to you, badaboom badabing
Lurker here just wanna say you make good ass videos
Bravely Default/ Second are two of my favorite RPG's and you should play them if you havent
Oh wow! I'm happy someone else picked up on the DnD stuff! I feel a very similar vibe.
Octopath Traveler is like a nice, warm cup of tea. As someone who plays a lot of competitive Splatoon, it's the perfect game to relax with after some rather stressful sets. That said, I understand why it's not everyone's, hehe, cup of tea. It's a slower paced game with a high fantasy vibe -- even stuff like the Primose section is written in a theatrical manner. That's something of an acquired taste these days (and there's nothing wrong with that!).
My two main complaints are the random encounters and the lack of interactions between party members. I'll defend turn based combat until the day I die, but random encounters are an antiquated method of triggering said combat. Considering Dragon Quest 9 had enemies on the screen in 2009 (and even before that, Earthbound), I honestly feel like there's no excuse for games to not have enemies in the overworld. Yes, this game is a nostalgic throwback, but it also was willing to throw in a bunch of modern conveniences such as fast travel. They could've changed the formula.
And the character interaction. I like each individual character and their respective plot lines. They all have goals, motivations, backstories, and 'voices' (even if H'aanit's 'ye olde english' is frankly ridiculous). I also like that there's not some generic save-the-world plot thrown in to justify them all being together. However, there's nothing to justify them being together at all. Since the game is character driven this seems like a major missed opportunity.
I also disagree with the 'using your imagination bit'. It shouldn't be the reader's job to fill in the blanks for the writer. That's doing their work for them. I actually think the Thereon example has an explanation, though.
If you go pick him up, he joins right after his encounter with the two thieves. He hears one call the other partner, reminisces about his own, and then steps toward them -- and they run away. Right after this he agrees to join your party. I feel like it's meant to be a turning point for him, it's just subtle.
Despite that, I do like that there doesn't seem to be an omnipresent 'black hole sue' character like in, say, Person 4. It often felt like the tertiary characters revolved almost entirely around the main protagonist in Persona 4, and as much as I love that game, it was a little distracting.
However, gripes aside, I find this game incredibly engaging! I love the BP system, I love the path finding system, I love the art (although I wish the party members got the same level of detail as the enemy sprites when in-battle), and I like the characters and their stories a lot.
My final point is that the game seems to be trying to not-linear, which is probably what led to issues such as the lack of character interaction. It's also why the world feels so fun to explore, however, with new quests unlocking as you unlock new pathfinding abilities.
I've found traditional narrative tends to suffer in the face of non-linear game design, but world building tends to flourish. The philosophy works for Zelda or Mario, which were never narrative heavy in the first place, but it makes things a bit more complicated for a game like this.
I definitely hope to see them build on the ideas in Octopath Traveler! I just got it yesterday and I'm already having a blast. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I enjoyed them.
The same thing happened to me in picking Therion I just love the thief archetype and I went about collecting the travelers anti-clockwise given the banter between Alfyn and Therion I always saw him as the extrovert who adopts the introvert much to his own refusals
I'm so glad you liked it. I have plenty of gripes with the game but it warms my heart to see someone as critical as you getting into it.
I love that you said there isn't a reason to grind. It's so true! All I heard all over the place was how the game forced you to grind between chapters...you don't have to do that! Just play each character and the game naturally levels you effortlessly
I love the world map!
I can't count the amount of times I thougt: "If I just push past this part I may find a new town or shrine!!"
So addictive, really captures that explorer feeling!!
I'm finally playing this game and I'm also in chapter 2! When you bring up the whole music transition at 13:50, I get the same feeling every time.
Thank you ! As a fan your video has made me so so happy and im so glad you liked playing it !
Also, a common fan trope for Therion as a 1st pick is that he found Alfyn (who is right next to his area) and now whenever they meet someone Alfyn is the one asking them to join while Therion pretends to be grumpy about it
I agree with this amazing perspective!! I, too, did not want Octopath for the very reasons you gave; but I learned to love it- just bought it and love it very much! Yes, I will need a guide for it, though!
I remember downloading the demo back in December and I was immediately hooked, I instantly bought the full game and before I knew it I sank 90 hrs into this game. It's truly amazing and one of my favorite RPGs ever.
I got Octopath Traveler at least 3 years ago, and played 1 hour and put the cartridge back in my switch game case.
Years later, having learned what I love in RPGs, and conquering my Depression, I decided to try it again. I'm now in a juggling act of Splatoon 3, Octopath Traveler, and the cloud version of Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories. Definitely interesting not only how long I'm staying focused on 3 switch games, but how much I've preferred playing those games over games on my Chromebook (emulators) or my tower PC and the games I have from steam. Super hyped for Octopath Traveler 2, but I'm glad it's not out yet, because I'd want to finish this and the free mobile game first. I'm actually about to start it
Virgin Dunkey vs Chad KingK
Say what
Dunkey got a big booty girlfriend boi, stay small
Mr. Robot Nigga the fuck? Dunkey's GF is cute but to say she has a big booty is a damn lie. Bro you need to experience a real *T H I C C A S S* then and only then will you understand what it means to be a Chad.
@@Substantial-hf1rm I was told ...i'm thick
but ...i'm a boy
@@InnerRise whoever told you that is gay
"Oh whoops its 5 am" was my life from the day it came out till I beat it.
HOLD UP. You took a break from playing to "go to the bathroom??" With the Nintendo Switch, potty time is GAMING TIME YO. Lol I'm dumb. Great video, man.
My potty breaks consist of 3DS, still. I have too many games to beat on both consoles.
I was wondering this also.
@@pokeohtcg At this point, I will always cherish my 3DS memories, but I just use it to 100% Majora's Mask all over again. Not much more.
Love the editing on this video. How the epic music kicks in before you even finished saying "octopath is kinda genius". I love little jokes like that.
I also took Therion as my first character and I'm very happy about this. This game is just awesome and has so deep stories. I just love it!
I chose Theron because:
1) It's my favorite
2) Steal Hp and Sp
3) Best story for me
4) STEAL
5) Debuffs
6) To crush him with Tressa
7) I like thieves
@@nolasmor
Also the purple chests that only Therion can open. So much good loot in those chests.
Completely off topic, but I've been harping on this subject for a year now... i love how you perfectly placed the mid video add at the transition of your thought. I'm absolutely so fed up with idiots on here who randomly have ads thrown up in mid syllable of words in the middle of their thought, because they just blindly place a mid video ad at some random point, without taking into consideration how damaging that distraction is to the entire video. The ad placement was so organic, that it didn't even bother me that an ad started. Hats off.
I agreed with all your points completely! At the end of the day, this game really is an example of why demos are great: instead of deciding on whether to give a game a chance based on...anything BUT a chance to play, a demo is as transparent as you can get, and makes buying the game EXCITING. I too am glad I gave this game a shot: I think it does key things AMAZINGLY, which is enough overall for sure
Same thing happened to me when I played for the first time last month. 1 hour turned into all day 🤣 Almost 60 hours in now and loving everything about it. The music and characters. Can't wait for the next one next month 😁
It is really good, I almost got all the side quests done yet I'm not even half way there to 100% as each town has extra requirements to 100% complete and still not done preparing for the final dungeon.
My only gripe us my entire team doesn't get the Exp which us needed when you fight the final dungeon as you face it with all 8 members (or at least that's what I've heard don't quote me) but it really is such a good game. I've fallen for it like xenoblade before, though with that game series I still have a greater soft spot for.
I've been playing this game non-stop since I just recently got it, and I am not really into turn-based RPG, but wow this game really hooked me up, I find like everything is perfect, amazing graphics and music (I literally get to dance in some chapters), the battle system is really fun and clever, and last but not least, the stories, they are very simple but also very touching!, it's good to have a game with a story that is not about save-the-world for a change, so I actually get to appreciate their simplicity, that without mentioning the clever humor in them. And you got it right about the battle system, you need to dominate the break and boost system, it can make the difference between having a 10 minutes or 40 minutes battle.
You did a great job expressing this games strengths while acknowledging that turn based JRPG's are not for everyone. I normally do not care too much for them either because the ones I played in the past were not nearly as complex and engaging as far as the combat, and lets be honest, I think most people are very worn out of kill X amount of monsters/ mindless fetch quests. The fact that I eagerly was looking forward to meeting every interactable NPC in each town/ city and enjoyed the puzzle solving/ actually having to use your brain themes of side quests. KingK, I would imagine you have come close to finishing the game completely if not already by now but I am very glad to hear you game this game a chance. The end of some of the main character's stories reveal more than I expected and yet there are things that are still a mystery which only really can be put together by not only beating the secret final dungeon, but even then you have to put some things together yourself. I was very surprised how each characters seemingly isolated story tie together at the very end. The combat, the side quests, the visual style, and oh my word the music is a work of art.
LOVE the imagination point. The various character stories aren't as interesting as they could be and while the game as a whole could be more complex, I imagine the game would have taken much longer to complete and may have not been as free/open-world as it is now since you can start the game with any character and in turn choose which characters to recruit first.
After 32 hours, I'm enjoying the game immensely. Good video.
I just discovered you channel, keep up the amazing work
Wow, you voiced literally every single concern and doubts I had with this word for word when you started this with the only difference being that I played the demo way back when (haven't played the new one) and, whilst thinking the game was good, I didn't think it would be good enough to hold its own on a battle system when, like you, unless it is something like the mario RPG's or the rare unique RPG that catches my interest I didn't want to spend money on it. Now i'm fully convinced to give this a buy as I didn't think the game would turn out to carry itself so well and i'm really glad you decided to make this video as I wasn't going to give the game a second glance until much much later.
I was like you at the start of the video and I have been for a while, but now hearing what everyone thinks I may end up getting it, so thanks for the video
One thing I haven't seen talked about too often in regards to character interactions, isn't that they during chapters but rather having 3 characters conversing together and the conversation having zero relevance to the story.
I had one that involved Tressa, Cyrus and Ophelia playing poker and seeing how they talked about poker faces and how they deal with the hand they are given was just so refreshing.
While I see a fair amount people gravitate towards Primrose for her story, I just find myself appreciating Ophelia so much more from these small skits.
Also the contrast between Ophelia and Therion always makes me laugh. "I'm on my pilgrimage to restore this flame for the people but hold up while I help this thief steal these stones".
Damn.... For someone who doesn't like Turn Based RPG's, pretty much all of the things you said you loved about this game resonated with me. Turns out our tastes aren't so different after all.
I remember trying the demo and dropping it after half an hour because it bored me. I am so thankful that I just randomly (and foolishly, in a way) bought it anyway. I just beat my main character's final chapter and am now doing others's chapter 3's I left behind, and I'm still having so much fun!
This somehow reminded me how much I love the battle system in the criminal girl’s franchise.
It’s simple but it works for a short RPG since it obviously wasn’t the focus on development.
The idea of you picking who in the party has the best attack plan rather than full control and thus learning how each character will react to a situation for their plan is incredible to me
Thanks for this review. I have heard such mixed reviews on this game, but your words about it have made me want to try it out. I will now be getting the demo and see what happens from there. Thanks!
This game has the most beautiful overall OST I've ever heard. It covers every mood, and masters them all. I honestly can't do anything in the Riverlands at night, because the music is so peaceful and the visuals so dream-like with the focus and perspective, I literally just doze off. And I find myself just sitting there doing nothing for long stretches during battles, not wanting to interrupt my favorite parts of the combat music with annoying voices and sound effects. How could a single game's soundtrack be so good???
6:50 I think that's an advantage of games that are partially 2D-based in general. Your brain sort of automatically fills in the gaps when it sees pixels talking to each other and doing actions.
Honestly I love turn-based RPGs so much I will play just about any of them. The battle system doesn't even have to be that engaging. I just love them. I can't really explain it. I hate random encounters as well, which is why games like Chrono Trigger are so great for me. But I LOVE turn-based combat, especially if it is at least somewhat strategic, has a fun gimmick, and isn't the FF8 junction system. I LOVE most of the Final Fantasy games (probs favorite series) and I adore the Persona 5 combat. There's something so fun and gratifying to me about leveling up my team, granting my characters different abilities, and the methodical nature of turn-based combat that really connects with me. It's chill. And sometimes, in certain cases, on particularly challenging fights, it can be even more intense and nerve-wracking and hype than an action battle.
Dunkey needs to watch this video.
You won me over when you related the group to the Straw-hats!! ⚓️
I have a major problem getting into JRPGs. I don't care about stories, the random encounters and grinding are annoying, and the bosses almost always boil down to "hit guy and also heal when needed."
But this? This looks good. The way you explained the battle system actually interested me and I'm seriously considering picking up Octopath now.
Just a tip. Some characters will have the interactions in the bar later in story. Best is to take characters out and test every bar in every city as some are funny.
But right now i am griding all my character to at least lvl 80 for final boss.
Your patreon names are gold.
Omg you have no idea how happy I am you did a video on Octopath Traveler
Ooh, someone else who loves Mother 3!
Edit:”*M Y F O C U S I S U N P A R R A L E L L E D*”
You convinced me to get it thanks! I was on the edge because it looked so damn good but seemed like it could be disappointing.
I love this game and am considered replaying with a different starting character! The music is the best ever!
I really wasnt interested at first but my friend asked if we could try the demo because he was curious. We had a heckton of fun and I bought the game right when it released because I really fell in love with this game. Got about a hundred hours in and still find stuff I wanna do. This was my first turn based game but after some guidance by my friend who played turn based games before it was totally managable
"Octopath traveler is kind of genius" - indeed.
Heh, I honestly feel a bit easy to please. the Persona "once more!" system was always enough to entice me, and this sounds like a logical extension of the Bravely Default system. I always found the strength o JRPG's was in reacting to a bad situation dealt to you by an enemy, and using your resources at hand to essentially macguyver a solution to a nearly infinite number of puzzles. Unfortunately, the most popular RPG's tended to be super easy or super flexible - less Dragon Quests and more Final Fantasies - or have their difficulty come in enemy mobs or sudden unfair attacks Earthbound-style. This sounds like a really nice adaptation of having set enemies and expectations for levels, significantly more controlled due to the multi-story set-up. Whilst I always will feel that Persona 4 has the best pacing of any RPG (until Golden decided to ruin that pacing and make it super easy and then P5 was like "hey guys do you love super easy mindless games well have I a super stylish and fun system with no difficulty for you!" ), this style has always held some kind of appeal to me, and I'm really glad you're getting to enjoy it.
If you're looking for an obscure, quick, and fun JRPG along the same lines as Octopath, Live-A-Live is like this concept mixed with Chrono Trigger. I only mention it because it's my best point of comparison, and because game's good and no one plays it.
Great work on the video, please keep up the excellent content.
pyrrhickong I found p4(ps2) and p5 just as easy, hit the enemy weaknesses and buff yourself for the bosses applies to both of them.
Ehhhh I found there quite a bit of variation. P4 sets up a hard "10 level ups per dungeon" average that can be met with minimal grinding if you take every encounter, and P4 I actually could run out of SP during dungeon delving, unlike P5 where it's pretty damn easy (and efficient) to one-shot every dungeon, and negotiation allows money to pour out of every enemy. P4 allowed a careful balancing act with its items, SP, and enemies that P5 just lacks outside of, like, Anibus in the Pyramid dungeon, and keeps a strategic level to its boss design through Shadow Kanji that Golden kinda neuters horribly.
pyrrhickong P4 is pretty easy even without Golden changes, None of the persona games are hard. Sp consumption isn't really a big thing once you get past the first dungeon / block for any persona 3 especially in 3 where going back to the bottom of the floor grants you full sp regen. The one more system will always be a worse version of the press turn system because of the way it's designed for only being used for regular encounters and bosses ignoring it completely outside of crits.
Oh I agree, the Persona series is very much "baby's first SMT", even moreso than stuff like Demi Kids. I still do find it a step up from the Final Fantasies and other entry-level RPG's of the world, though, and for P4 to have a balance that isn't COMPLETELY straightforward and mindless.
Press turn system was from SMT Nocturne not Persona.
Picked up this game with Sonic Mania Plus (never played the original) on a whim while i was out one day. Loved Sonic Mania, *LOVED* Octopath even more, and my near 70+ hours with it prove it. This is literally the wet dream mix between new jrpg's with classic jrpg's. The weakness and boost system is so systematically strategic, the job, skill and equipment customization is incredibly well realized and addictive. This game is disgustingly good, definitely my favorite JRPG to come out in years.
Like, seriously, the enemy AI can be total jerks sometimes
Oh yeah
I fully agree, this game is a pleasant surprise. Even though some improvements could have been made, this is my favorite Switch game so far. Sequel when?
When I concluded this game would be similar to the Romancing SaGa series for SNES (this is basically a spiritual successor), I thought the same as you. This video certainly wants me to give it another good look.
Maybe it's a good idea to look at Romancing SaGa and what Square thought of how American audiences would think of it.
Loved this game but loved the soundtrack even more, my god I can gush over it all day, peak video game music right here
I fall asleep whenever I play in the Riverlands because combined with the visuals, it's just so peaceful it makes me doze off lol
Thanks your video helped me fall asleep last night 😴
I’m coming at this video similarly on the fence. I’ve played some of the demo and paid attention to a few people’s reactions that I can relate to my own tastes - but that’s mainly left me feeling conflicted.
Your points about world detail, using one’s imagination to fill in some of those little party interaction, and of course the visuals all seem like a really appealing game to play through.
I still have my doubts about the world being less immersive due to how it’s laid out in typical jrpg fashion & if I’m ready for the long-haul of the battle system and it’s progression.
That being said, I think based on this video I’ll at least finish the demo and see what I think then. And for you personally I’m happy that the game clicked with you so much :) sounds like it came at a time where a feelgood enjoyable game would really hit the spot.
Cheers man, thanks for the awesome video work :)
~M
This was my GoTY for 2018. Cant wait for the second one
I just started working on the character's chapter 3's. Each character's story that I've played so far is working toward an intense climax for their story. I haven't been working on the side quests intently. Sometimes I happen to have the information or item needed to advance it, but mostly there are a lot of orange dialog boxes that will stay orange until the end of time. I had to put it down for a minute though because of Therion's Chapter 3 boss. He does a thing that I like Therion for and I didn't notice until it was too late and my party got wiped out because of it.
I love this game so much, best game of 2018 for sure imo
I honestly thought I wouldn’t really like this game as very few turn-based RPGs have captivated me. But this game completely enthralled me and I can’t wait to play more. This is my favorite Switch Exclusive thus far this year.
I grew up on the Playstation 1 era where turned based combat games were in their prime (imo) and I love Octopath traveler! The battle system is fun and rewarding, boss battles don't feel like a turnfest where you just spam whatever strongest skill you have. I really recommend you try the game out or atleast try out the demo. The only thing that threw me off at first was the excessive use of blur but I got used to it after a few hours.
*clicks video*
"Spoilers up to the end of each second chapter."
*hits pause*
Damn, I just finished my third second chapter so..I'll be back in some number of days after finishing the other five >_
There really isn't much to spoil if I'm honest, but feel free to come back when you feel comfortable with it.
Took me a week (dang vacations), but finally finished my last chapter 2 and finally can give this a watch, huzzah!
Lol your free demo journey is the same as mine. I ran out of time and I was like wtf I’m not stopping here?
I've never been a fan of turn-based RPG's that don't involve Pokemon, but decided to give this game a shot. I am so glad I did! I was initially put off that each character's story features only that character, but I'm beginning to really appreciate that aspect actually. It's fun to fill in the gaps with my imagination and then imagine each character bringing unique personality traits and struggles to create one bad ass team of fighters!
Therion's inclusion is even funnier if you don't start with him. I rolled into town with goody two-shoes Ophilia and thief-hunter Cyrus on my team, and ten minutes later they're breaking into a mansion and straight up murdering guards to help Therion steal something.
But yeah, this video echoes my thoughts pretty well. I've never really been a fan of turn-based RPGs that don't have Mario or Pokemon in the title, and I rank random encounters as one of my most hated game mechanics. Throughout the years, I've tried so many times to get into the genre, to give these games hailed as all-time greats or cult classics a chance. Final Fantasy 4/6/7/9/10, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, Breath of Fire, Phantasy Star 4, Skies of Arcadia, Golden Sun - I tried to give them an honest shot, but found them all boring at best and irritating at worst. So at some point, I just decided it wasn't gonna happen, and haven't really paid attention to turn-based JRPGs in like 15 years (or really JRPGs in general, but _especially_ the turn-based ones).
But I checked out the first demo they released last September because I wanted something to play on my Switch and its library hadn't reached "How do I hold all these games?" status yet, and it just clicked for all the reasons you stated in this video. That one just let you play the intros for Primrose or Olberic and then walk around a small unfinished part of the overworld for a bit, but that's all I needed to sell me on the game. In fact, it's more than I needed, because I just did Primrose's and it sold me on the game so well that I decided to go on media blackout before even playing Olberic's story.
Kevin Stevens yea lol, hus introduction weirded me out, he just got done telling off those two thieves that "...I work alone" and then he's super down to have my squad come along lol
Kevin Stevens My experience was fairly similar. I even had 5he merchant Tressa on my team who opts to purchase items from characters rather than steal from like Therion. This game is fantastic
You think that’s funny? I started with Tressa. It is quite hilarious to go on all these adventures of darkness and sadness and betrayal and revenge only to hear plucky Tressa excitedly yell out, “Here we go!” At every enemy encounter.
lol I haven't experienced that as I started with the thief
That story sounds like bullshit to me.
I really loved how the game wasn't that dialogue heavy. I did wish for more party interactions but I like what you said about using your imagination to fill in the gaps. Like with Tales of Arise (absolutely LOVE that game) I got so tired of all the 3-5 minute cutscenes everytime you went to a new area. I really preferred the simple yet effective 1 on 1 talks Octopath has.
This is just how I feel about the game, thank you!
"...Makes you feel like you're playing D&D"
Makin' it REAL hard to not get this game using those words in that order...
Try out The Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky for more character interactions and interesting NPC dialogue (them having their own lives and stories to tell you that also develop on their own) that change constantly as you progress the game.
Oh man, that's how you beat the Tony quest!? I did it a different way and got a different ending. Now that I know the SIDE QUESTS have multiple ending, I can never stop replaying the game.
An underappreciated masterpiece that you actually have to pick up and play in order to realise it
I honestly felt the same. God I love this game, clocked in 70hours already and still havent been to final dungeon
Finally a good video describing the depth and enjoyment of the battle system. In contrast to Dunkey who seemingly doesn't understand it at all (ignoring weaknesses/breaks and fighting with brute force).
Hey man, great video as always!
I suppose you may know already, but there is a (unnoficial) mod for FF6 called Brave New World and its fantastic, it keeps all the cool characters and story but balances skills and difficulty in a "neat" way.
It also, very respectfully, improves on the translation.
"I don't think turn-based games are doing something wrong..."
Take some notes, Dunkey.
Dunkey doesnt think that turn-based games are doing something wrong, he has just admitted and accepted that he does not have patience for the combat system and thus he finds it boring. He even has said that some games with turn-based combat like Persona 5 are good.
I think the problem is that Donsley's videos can very easily veer between hilarious and obnoxious depending on whether or not he's dunking on something you enjoy. If he likes something, he often goes into really fascinating detail, zeroing in on key elements, or just puts together a compilation of all the funnest things he did in a game. If he dislikes something, he can still be funny as long as it's not something I care about, but if it's a game I'm familiar with and like, it feels more like I'm just being unfairly mocked with little explanation.
In the case of the Octopath video, the combat criticisms fell especially flat because he seemed to either just not know how to play the game, or be deliberately playing badly to make it look worse. Not a good look for someone who earlier was criticising other game reviewers for the same thing.
Dunkey said he didn't like random encounters. He didn't have a strong opinion on turn-based combat.
Dunkey has stated before that he hates turn based combat in his "Game Critics" video. To quote, "It's also important to acknowledge your shortcomings as a reviewer. Mine personally is that I have no fucking patience at all. Pretty much throw any RPG at me and I'll say nah- nah that's boring. But you know what's dumber than RPGs? Anime. Unless we're talking [Hayao Miyazaki], you need to get this bullshit out of my face. But you know what I hate much, much more than anime? Turn-based combat. For real, I despise this shit. Turn-based combat is fucking boring, tedious, and draining. It is the opposite of fun."
I hate anime more than I hate turn based
I would love to see a similar video on cotopath 2, maybe paired wiht a mini restrospective now that (I assume) youve finsihed this game and have discovered some of the endgame secrets
Oh my gosh I love this game so much. It's one of those games where I see and I'm aware of the flaws, but I don't care at all because I love it so much
I hadn't played a turn based JRPG in 20 years. The last one I played was Chrono Trigger in 2000. Not that I didn't enjoy them, but I just simply got into competitive PC gaming and western RPGs. After getting my new Nintendo Switch in October, I developed an itch to try and reintroduce myself to Japanese RPGs, and Octopath Traveler was my first choice...these first 28 hours have really flown by. I was fully expecting to quickly grow tired of the grindy turn based nature of the game, but no. Quite the opposite happened. Every time I stop playing, I instantly start thinking about my next session. Last night I was LITERALLY dreaming about finding weaknesses, breaking shields and using Boost Points. I woke up and instantly turned on the Switch. They took the nostalgic traditional setup I was expecting, and added just enough to make it feel fresh. The characters are sooo much fun to mix and match, in order to discover the many different strategies available to achieve victory (or in other cases, defeat). I was thoroughly surprised at how much I love this game. I actually enjoy the "grinding". In fact, a passive skill became available that reduces the frequency of random encounters, and I purposely kept it deactivated so that the random encounters would stay the same lol. I can't stop thinking about the game, and i still have another 60+ hours that I will likely put into it.
I can't wait to see what you've gotta say about Octopath Traveler 2
And now... We can play the second one!
Even as an avid JRPG fan I too regularly don't talk to random townsfolk in them unless given some sort of incentive, it's definitely the right kind of way to go I think in future JRPGs. I've recently started watching your reviews (kingdom hearts drew me in) and seeing that you found you liked this game despite not thinking it was for you was very refreshing, as much of the talk about this game seems to be about JRPG fans loving it and those who dislike the genre being against it seemingly on principle.
Didn't notice the boss music transition until this video but gosh does it make this game five times better.
Going to stream this. What a game I love it
I regret putting this game down for over 3 months after I got my second character,but now I am playing the hell out of it and loving it
The Lore actually is pretty deep and the stories of the characters are connected though it is not clear instantly and you have to think about it, still pretty good. Ofcourse it is like you say, they don't overlap but why they even find each other and travel together is decided by fate, decided by the gods of this world.
(Especially reffering to the true final boss in the game) and every "special" character or like you said the reasons for their adventure are connected.
hey this is exactly how i felt? my immediate reaction was to start drawing art of how i thought the party would interact and then i noticed other artists were doing it too
King the Chapter 3s are fucking bonkers, you're gonna love it.