With the official release of the highly anticipated Octopath Traveler II nearing, we have a final preview of what to expect on launch day.
When the original Octopath Traveler was released nearly five years ago to critical acclaim, it was clear Square Enix had a winning formula on their hands. With the sequel long in development, it was important not to deviate too much from what made the first one so good. Based on the 3-hour demo I got to play, Octopath Traveler II takes what made the first game great and builds upon it in meaningful ways.
No matter which of the eight heroes you choose to start with, the surprisingly beautiful HD-2D art style will surely raise an eyebrow or two. Following its predecessor’s footsteps, you still get beautiful environments and character sprites. This time, the player is given the ability to swap between day and night. Simply pressing the ZR / R2 trigger, the scenery instantly changes from the warm sunny glow to the dark (yet still colorful) night.
You might be telling yourself, “I enjoy daytime anyway, so why would any of this matter?”. Each hero has a different action path depending on the time of day. My time in the demo was spent with Osvald, the Scholar. His action path during the day allowed me to scrutinize townsfolk for new information. Once night time approaches, you could mug them instead to get some items and experience. On top of all of this, the night brings out bigger and badder enemies. Harder enemies mean more EXP and better loot; who doesn’t love that?
Another addition to the combat in Octopath Traveler II is the latent power gauge. Each hero has a small gauge on the upper right of their status box that will slowly fill as they take damage or break foes. Once this gauge is full, the player can choose when to unleash a powerful effect for that turn. For example, Osvald’s spells normally target every enemy on the battlefield. However, with a full latent power gauge, you could unleash that same spell as a high concentrate burst onto a single target. Great for trying to take down those tough bosses.
Although the demo wasn’t too long, I did get the chance to experience the new visual effects and camera angles during combat. Square Enix has stepped up in this department by making each fully charged BP attack have some weight behind it. Once you choose to unleash the full might of your hero, the camera swings into a new position, and you get to watch it unfold with better graphics and animations. It’s a nice addition to the sequel that made me enjoy the many encounters just a little bit more.
Octopath Traveler II takes a simple, effective, and fun formula, building upon it in minor ways that make it feel fresh. Three hours was not nearly enough time for me, as I wanted to keep exploring each and every town, dungeon, and landscape of Solistia. Luckily, without too much waiting time, Octopath Traveler II will release worldwide on February 24th for the PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC.
How excited are you for Octopath Traveler II? What did you think of the demo? Is anything else worth mentioning from your time in Solistia? Let us know in the comments down below!
