LTTP: Octopath Traveler (In Progress)

[CQC]

Man, I feel so split about this game. Did not get a chance to dive into it until about a month ago despite buying it at release. Due to life and what not. I'm 20 hours in and I have mix feelings. Here's why!

Pros:

• Art-style: The biggest draw for me when the game was announced. I love this "HD-2D" art-style that Square has used for this game. All the environments, towns, and characters look so nice. This art-style is a nice callback to the 16-bit era RPGs of old while adapting new features such as draw distance and modern lighting.
• Music: The composition in this game is really captivating and never gets tiring. Once I began to notice that new tracks begin to play as your progress through the story, I was elated because I wasn't even close to being bored of the initial battle theme that the game begins with.
• Combat: Despite not finishing the Bravely Default games, I absolutely loved the combat. Octopath evolves on the default system with their BP and break features. Turn based combat can become dull in some RPGs, but I have yet to become over satiated with the gameplay. Just began to unlock the sub job shrines and the possible combinations is exciting.

Cons:

• Story: I was so excited by the idea that eight travelers band together to at some point throughout their journey's. Then the disappointment hit when I realized that the structure of each character story is the same. Introduction --> Conflict Arises --> Boss Fight --> Continue with the character's individualized story. World-building seems like an afterthought in this game and that feels odd to me in a game with eight characters. Acknowledgement of each other is barely a thing despite the "banter" dialogue. While the tone of each character's story is vastly different, the lack of cohesion in regards to other party member's involvement just feels jarring. It feels so odd to have all these separate stories carry out the way they do and not have the characters truly band together until Endgame (did some homework). Over 50+ hours just to get to the real threat of the game? Nah chief. To top of it off:
• Grinding: While I appreciate the game giving each character purpose, I hate that I have to grind out each character just to progress through their respective stories just to get to the end game. This probably wouldn't be as big of a deal for me back when I was in college. Now? I have zero time for that, but this feels like a consequence of the game's story structure more than anything else.

Wish I was motivated to keep going, but I would prefer to have a more cohesive story that doesn't feel disconnected in a lengthy RPG. While I do not doubt that these stories have a good payoff from what I've heard. It's hard to convince myself to power through. Especially with certain cast members that I frankly don't give a crap about. I can't justify the time to get there in an age where so many other great games exists.

In closing, I do look forward to what the development team of this game has in store next.

 

[ghibli99]

Similarly, I hit a wall with this game when I got to the second chapters. Shortly thereafter I found out about the secondary jobs (I completely missed them), and I was like, "What?" So, I got and messed around/leveled those, and started doing much better, but at about the 25 hour point, I threw in the towel. I appreciated the combat, music, and art, but I just got bored with it. Still appreciate what the team did and the success they are having with it, and I'm certainly interested in what they do next.

 

[TeenageFBI]

That music. That battle system. *chef kiss*

Game looks great but the DoF effect is wayyyyyyyyyyy overdone. It's possible to remove it on PC but I'd much rather have a more subtle effect than remove it entirely.

But yeah, the disjointed/dull story and almost complete lack of party banter got me to drop the game shortly after getting to chapter 2. I understand why they did it.. Writing unique dialogue when the designers aren't sure who's actually going to be in someone's party at any given time is tough, but it would have been worth the effort. Either that or redesign the game so that you have some constants in the party, like the Legend of Heroes games.

edit: I meant DoF, not FoV!

 

[Disclaimer]

Grinding: While I appreciate the game giving each character purpose, I hate that I have to grind out each character just to progress through their respective stories just to get to the end game. This probably wouldn't be as big of a deal for me back when I was in college. Now? I have zero time for that, but this feels like a consequence of the game's story structure more than anything else.

Click to shrink...

You literally don't have to, because levels in Octopath mean statistically little compared to equipment and character build. A level 10 Cyrus with the same equipment, job combination, and passives as level 40 Primrose will deal comparable damage using the same attack. They'll lack in HP, but that's easily supplemented with accessories.

There is never, ever any reason to grind in the main game. If fights are taking too long, you are not engaging with them correctly. Unlike many JRPGs, utilization of the various combat mechanics is integral: breaking, boosting, buffing, debuffing — use them, and plan out your breakings ahead of time while stacking these things for exponential damage increase.

Even supposing levels were important, the EXP scaling works such that a low level character fighting a high level enemy will catch up to the high level party quite quickly.

Don't grind. Just play. It'll work out.

 

[CQC]

You literally don't have to, because levels in Octopath mean statistically little compared to equipment and character build. A level 10 Cyrus with the same equipment, job combination, and passives as level 40 Primrose will deal comparable damage using the same attack. They'll lack in HP, but that's easily supplemented with accessories.

There is never, ever any reason to grind in the main game. If fights are taking too long, you are not engaging with them correctly. Unlike many JRPGs, utilization of the various combat mechanics is integral: breaking, boosting, buffing, debuffing — use them, and plan out your breakings ahead of time while stacking these things for exponential damage increase.

Even supposing levels were important, the EXP scaling works such that a low level character fighting a high level enemy will catch up to the high level party quite quickly.

Don't grind. Just play. It'll work out.

Click to shrink...

My wording is probably just off, but I felt like I had to grind (forced to level/play characters I didn't care about) just to get to the end game. Fights never took long for me and integrating all of the combats mechanics was not an issue. Combat in this game is easy to get compared to other games in the genre.

 

[Xero grimlock]

You literally don't have to, because levels in Octopath mean statistically little compared to equipment and character build. A level 10 Cyrus with the same equipment, job combination, and passives as level 40 Primrose will deal comparable damage using the same attack. They'll lack in HP, but that's easily supplemented with accessories.

There is never, ever any reason to grind in the main game. If fights are taking too long, you are not engaging with them correctly. Unlike many JRPGs, utilization of the various combat mechanics is integral: breaking, boosting, buffing, debuffing — use them, and plan out your breakings ahead of time while stacking these things for exponential damage increase.

Even supposing levels were important, the EXP scaling works such that a low level character fighting a high level enemy will catch up to the high level party quite quickly.

Don't grind. Just play. It'll work out.

Click to shrink...

even if its not for xp octopath is still a grind to get through, either for equipment or skill points.

 

[Maximus]

The game is interesting, but how enemy health is handled is weird.

 

[leng jai]

Still waiting for a discount on the PC version. The story and structure of the game sounds super disappointing from what I've read.

 

[Feep]

Rarely has a game brought my hopes so high, and crushed them so thoroughly.

A soulless lack of joy hovers like a miasma over this game. Many individual components are well designed, but as an overall package, it was dull, repetitive, and tiresome.

 

[Disclaimer]

even if its not for xp octopath is still a grind to get through, either for equipment or skill points.

Click to shrink...

...What? JP costs are distributed such that 80% of a job's JP costs will be in its final two abilities — meaning, anyone can become mostly proficient at any non-advanced job quickly and with little effort.

And there is no grind for equipment. If you're making the choice to go for low success steals, you could just as easily use Tressa's path action to Purchase the item immediately. By endgame, you'll inevitably be overflowing with gold.

My wording is probably just off, but I felt like I had to grind (forced to level/play characters I didn't care about) just to get to the end game. Fights never took long for me and integrating all of the combats mechanics was not an issue. Combat in this game is easy to get compared to other games in the genre.

Click to shrink...

Best to think of Octopath as a game fundamentally about eight separate short stories. Yes, there's cool intersection in the post-game area (all of the lore of which is before the actual superboss, so no need to grind), but there's a reason the credits roll when you finish the short stories... not after the superboss.

 

[Jangowuzhere]

I think I was completely turned off from this game within the first hour or so of play. Everything about the game's structure was mechanical and overly dull.

You know exactly what you'll be doing for dozens of hours from the get go, and none of it looked appealing in the slightest.

That music. That battle system. *chef kiss*

Game looks great but the FOV effect is wayyyyyyyyyyy overdone. It's possible to remove it on PC but I'd much rather have a more subtle effect than remove it entirely.

But yeah, the disjointed/dull story and almost complete lack of party banter got me to drop the game shortly after getting to chapter 2. I understand why they did it.. Writing unique dialogue when the designers aren't sure who's actually going to be in someone's party at any given time is tough, but it would have been worth the effort. Either that or redesign the game so that you have some constants in the party, like the Legend of Heroes games.

Click to shrink...

Well, the game is called Octopath Traveler. The pitch and the box art for the game is based around 8 traveling companions banding together. Party interactions and banter is the minimum I expected from the game honestly.

 

[Deleted member 37233]

Game looks great but the FOV effect is wayyyyyyyyyyy overdone. It's possible to remove it on PC but I'd much rather have a more subtle effect than remove it entirely.

Click to shrink...

I disagree! I adore those effects that light up the enviroments in battle.

___

I love this game and found the simpler stories that don't deal with the end of the world or the chosen one quite fresh. I agree that the sturcture is a bit repetetive.

The battle system is probably the best turn-based combat system I've ever experiencend and the soundtrack is stellar.

I hope you'll love it too in the end OP, even though you seem to have more problems with OT than I do.

 

[lightning16]

I love this game and found the simpler stories that don't deal with the end of the world or the chosen one quite fresh. I agree that the sturcture is a bit repetetive.

The battle system is probably the best turn-based combat system I've ever experiencend and the soundtrack is stellar.

Click to shrink...

Agreed with all this. I actually liked the short stories. I'd have liked more party banter but I liked the story themselves.

Also didn't grind at all in this game unless I was at a boss and was a battle or two away from a new skill, I'd get the skill first. You really don't have to if you shuffle your characters around right, and I doubt I did it the most efficient way possible. You really shouldn't have go grind for much if you don't want to if you play your cards right.

 

[TeenageFBI]

I disagree! I adore those effects that light up the enviroments in battle.

Click to shrink...

The lighting is mostly good!

I actually meant DoF. You know, when the game blurs stuff that's closer/further away from the camera than your main character. The effect is far too aggressive.

 

[Moebius]

The music that is in the game is good, but I wish each character and area had unique music. You hear a lot of the same repeated music while playing. In the old Final Fantasy games, each area had unique music.

 

[Oddish1]

It could have been handled better with how its communicated but I actually really like how each individual story is separate and has little to no overlap. There's a nice Canterbury Tales vibe to them.

 

[zswordsman]

I rank it somewhere in my top 2 or 3 battle system. I think if it gave me an option to avoid random encounters it would be even better. However I love the BP system mixed in with the job system. It also focuses heavily on buffs/debuffs, which is why I love it second only to Nocturne.
A lot of RPGs you can go without causing status ailments or buffing yourself up but in this game you'll never deal enough damage if you don't.

Also like someone else said, weapon stats matter a whole lot more which is why Therion is useful because he can steal some very good mid late game weapons early on.

Story wise, some were stronger than others. I really enjoyed Tressa and Olberics story.