Also, my Cyrus has maxed out both Scholar and Merchant. Currently doing Warrior so I can break the 9999 damage limit (which is very easy to hit with his divine scholar skill).
Oh, so the purple chests are basically just a replacement for all of the gold that Tressa regularly picks up? That's good to know, since in that case, it's not really worth my time to backtrack all over the place for those chests in most cases.Neither Therion nor Tressa have unique in-combat commands, so it's made up for by them having two overworld utilities: purple chests and stealing, and gold-finding and bartering.
From what I've seen so far, the purple chests usually don't have equipment, so you probably aren't missing anything grand.
Thanks for looking into it Jason!OK folks, here's the final, final, final answer to the question "do the characters all interact and have some sort of emotional payoff, as this guy claimed?"
No. As I've said I don't know how many times now, this is a game about eight standalone stories. There's a post-credits boss gauntlet and super-powerful final boss with two phases that one player has finally defeated, which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pMf0SNNyxU
Throughout these bosses, none of the characters interact or say anything. It ends with you defeating darkness, etc. And a character who's referenced in some of the stories appears in ghost form and wishes you well.
The characters never interact with one another outside of the party banter vignettes, and there is no "ensemble payoff." This is a game about eight stories. It really bugs me that ShadowForks misled so many people here and on Reddit into thinking it was something else.
I can't agree with this at all. Towns feel almost copy/pasted so far. I've been to about 5 now and they all have the same feel. There is no real difference in houses, it's always the same ones. The NPC's (the handful you can actually interact with) have generic backgrounds in the form of some flavor text, but hardly anything special. Compared to actual 16-bit rpg's this feels like a cheap kock-off.Towns definitely have identity to them, and many of them are sprawling for a 16-bit JRPG, taking up multiple screens—but most importantly, they're dense. Every interactable NPC in the game has its own backstory, inventory to take from, and combat statistics for fighting or summoning, which all inform one another. Towns residents thus have deep and interconnected lives.
Can't disagree with this post more.I can't agree with this at all. Towns feel almost copy/pasted so far. I've been to about 5 now and they all have the same feel. There is no real difference in houses, it's always the same ones. The NPC's (the handful you can actually interact with) have generic backgrounds in the form of some flavor text, but hardly anything special. Compared to actual 16-bit rpg's this feels like a cheap kock-off.
Is it possible to level up individual party members? I really don't like having all my party members at different levels.
Is there any concensus on bet subjobs yet? Can't you change subjob or are you locked in once you choose one?
Ah great. I was worried I'd be stuck with bad subjobs. That makes it even better I can chop and change. Might try Cyrus with Warrior.You can change them as you see fit. No worries on locking anything in.
I don't think it matters that much how quickly you're playing - either you don't mind the repetition or you do. By the sixth or seventh Chapter 1 I was already mad at the game for making me do the same thing over and over again. I would've been just as mad whether or not I was reviewing it. When I started playing through the Chapter 2s and realized that the whole game was just going to follow the same exact pattern, I got this sinking feeling in my gut - I had been waiting a year and a half for this game, and was so damn excited to play it, and it was just letting me down so much. Still extremely bummed out about it, especially since the combat is so good.Goddamn I love this game. 15 hours in, just about to recruit my last character, Alfyn.
I can't imagine having to blast through this game to get a review done.
I can't agree with this at all. Towns feel almost copy/pasted so far. I've been to about 5 now and they all have the same feel. There is no real difference in houses, it's always the same ones. The NPC's (the handful you can actually interact with) have generic backgrounds in the form of some flavor text, but hardly anything special. Compared to actual 16-bit rpg's this feels like a cheap kock-off.
I still don't feel the repetition is that big of a deal. Sure, the structure of the game has repetition, but the actual content is unique everytime. So basically, sorry you felt that way but personally I've not been bothered at all 25h in.I don't think it matters that much how quickly you're playing - either you don't mind the repetition or you do. By the sixth or seventh Chapter 1 I was already mad at the game for making me do the same thing over and over again. I would've been just as mad whether or not I was reviewing it. When I started playing through the Chapter 2s and realized that the whole game was just going to follow the same exact pattern, I got this sinking feeling in my gut - I had been waiting a year and a half for this game, and was so damn excited to play it, and it was just letting me down so much. Still extremely bummed out about it, especially since the combat is so good.
I don't think it matters that much how quickly you're playing - either you don't mind the repetition or you do. By the sixth or seventh Chapter 1 I was already mad at the game for making me do the same thing over and over again. I would've been just as mad whether or not I was reviewing it. When I started playing through the Chapter 2s and realized that the whole game was just going to follow the same exact pattern, I got this sinking feeling in my gut - I had been waiting a year and a half for this game, and was so damn excited to play it, and it was just letting me down so much. Still extremely bummed out about it, especially since the combat is so good.
Ah great. I was worried I'd be stuck with bad subjobs. That makes it even better I can chop and change. Might try Cyrus with Warrior.
Yeah it follows a pattern but I really don't feel that's a bad thing, at least not yet having gotten through all of the first chapters and half of the second I haven't been bothered by it at all, especially not with some side quests thrown in here and there. If having a pattern that is followed throughout the game was a bad thing Persona 5 would not be looked at anywhere near as fondly as it is.I don't think it matters that much how quickly you're playing - either you don't mind the repetition or you do. By the sixth or seventh Chapter 1 I was already mad at the game for making me do the same thing over and over again. I would've been just as mad whether or not I was reviewing it. When I started playing through the Chapter 2s and realized that the whole game was just going to follow the same exact pattern, I got this sinking feeling in my gut - I had been waiting a year and a half for this game, and was so damn excited to play it, and it was just letting me down so much. Still extremely bummed out about it, especially since the combat is so good.
I wouldn't say I rushed -- I found all of the shrines and did plenty of side quests. (I have been reviewing games long enough to have some idea of what I'm doing.) But of course playing the whole game over two weeks is a different experience than playing it leisurely over the course of a few months. I'm not arguing that. My point is that the repetition of the game bothered me from the getgo, and that it would have bothered me in the same ways whether or not I was reviewing it.Well it does matter. That you beat all 8 stories in around 35 hours shows that you were rushing a bit, and doing so you couldn't just spend a few hours simply exploring, finding shrines, scrutinising/inquiring NPCs and doing side quests in between chapters as many people are. Not rushing things also means you can spread your playtime out in the real world so you aren't playing this 50+ hour long game over the span of a week. That and, since this is a Switch game you have the ability to play for a little bit at a time whenever you want instead of needing to sit down for multi-hour long sessions. The hardware does alleviate the repetition, especially if you don't have to rush things.
I understand you don't like the game and your reasoning why but applying your criticisms to other perspectives you haven't experienced as if they were gospel is quite close-minded to me. You don't have the 100% unique knowledge that you had prior to release because people are playing it and they know that the context of playing it at a leisurely pace means they personally find the game less repetitive overall.
Yeah, a game can mask repetition in a lot of ways, first and foremost by providing an over-arching story and characters who get you emotionally invested enough that you don't mind repeating some activities. For me, Octopath Traveler doesn't do that. YMMV.Yeah it follows a pattern but I really don't feel that's a bad thing, at least not yet having gotten through all of the first chapters and half of the second I haven't been bothered by it at all, especially not with some side quests thrown in here and there. If having a pattern that is followed throughout the game was a bad thing Persona 5 would not be looked at anywhere near as fondly as it is.
When are jobs introduced?You're supposed to do as you want, although getting to all shrines and get all the jobs could be useful right about now
Since I'm still early in the game and haven't gotten to the other 7 travelers yet, I am still curious about something. Since you can recruit the other travelers and play their story, does it start their route from the beginning or midway in?
Wondering about this as well. How different is chapter 1 when recruiting someone vs starting off as them as the initial character? Cause I feel like something might be being left out. Or could it just be the removal of the tutorials and the initial getting a feeling of the game just speeds up chapter 1s that much.Since I'm still early in the game and haven't gotten to the other 7 travelers yet, I am still curious about something. Since you can recruit the other travelers and play their story, does it start their route from the beginning or midway in?
When you approach them they talk about their current situation before allowing you to view their story. From there it plays their Chapter 1 as if you started with them, they join your party once you it's time to do their first dungeon. None of your party members are featured in the scenes, it's just the character from that story.
I wouldn't say I rushed -- I found all of the shrines and did plenty of side quests. (I have been reviewing games long enough to have some idea of what I'm doing.) But of course playing the whole game over two weeks is a different experience than playing it leisurely over the course of a few months. I'm not arguing that. My point is that the repetition of the game bothered me from the getgo, and that it would have bothered me in the same ways whether or not I was reviewing it.
Yeah, a game can mask repetition in a lot of ways, first and foremost by providing an over-arching story and characters who get you emotionally invested enough that you don't mind repeating some activities. For me, Octopath Traveler doesn't do that. YMMV.
I can't agree with this at all. Towns feel almost copy/pasted so far. I've been to about 5 now and they all have the same feel. There is no real difference in houses, it's always the same ones. The NPC's (the handful you can actually interact with) have generic backgrounds in the form of some flavor text, but hardly anything special. Compared to actual 16-bit rpg's this feels like a cheap kock-off.
Olberic'sis the only one that doesn't follow the pattern - the 31 others are all identical.chapter 3
Had an idea that I think I'm going to try out when I get back on later, but wanted to ask if anyone has tried it:
Therion using a Warrior subclass. Stack evade like crazy and then use Incite to make him the target. Dodge physical attacks. Victory.
Does it work?
I can't agree with this at all. Towns feel almost copy/pasted so far. I've been to about 5 now and they all have the same feel. There is no real difference in houses, it's always the same ones. The NPC's (the handful you can actually interact with) have generic backgrounds in the form of some flavor text, but hardly anything special. Compared to actual 16-bit rpg's this feels like a cheap kock-off.
I wouldn't say I rushed -- I found all of the shrines and did plenty of side quests. (I have been reviewing games long enough to have some idea of what I'm doing.)
But of course playing the whole game over two weeks is a different experience than playing it leisurely over the course of a few months. I'm not arguing that. My point is that the repetition of the game bothered me from the getgo, and that it would have bothered me in the same ways whether or not I was reviewing it.
I don't think it matters that much how quickly you're playing - either you don't mind the repetition or you do.
Hmmmm good question. Wish I had tried that to see what happens.
Game was so good I was convinced after ~2 hours so I stopped lol
I know what SP is but I keep hearing a lot about BP.
I know there is JP (job points) and SP (special points) but what's BP?
I know what SP is but I keep hearing a lot about BP.
I know there is JP (job points) and SP (special points) but what's BP?
Im at my 6th character in chapter1 and i dont feel that way at all.I don't think it matters that much how quickly you're playing - either you don't mind the repetition or you do. By the sixth or seventh Chapter 1 I was already mad at the game for making me do the same thing over and over again. I would've been just as mad whether or not I was reviewing it. When I started playing through the Chapter 2s and realized that the whole game was just going to follow the same exact pattern, I got this sinking feeling in my gut - I had been waiting a year and a half for this game, and was so damn excited to play it, and it was just letting me down so much. Still extremely bummed out about it, especially since the combat is so good.
It's pretty obvious when you know (boost point) but one of the things I feel this game isn't great at, is it telling you much of anything.I know what SP is but I keep hearing a lot about BP.
I know there is JP (job points) and SP (special points) but what's BP?
You probably have to kill the strongest before the end of the battle for solo experience.Is it possible to level up individual party members? I really don't like having all my party members at different levels.
Yes, that's the one....Have you played "actual 16-bit RPGs" lately? Octopath's NPCs utterly eclipse them both in writing quantity and quality. You'll find that the number of the "handful of you can actually interact with" actually equals or exceeds many JRPGs, too, and the ones you can't interact with are there for background, to make the towns feel more lived in.
When a game's writing can actually make me feel guilty or think twice about stealing from an NPC, that's good stuff. When would-be generic guards have home lives, or hilarious philosophical proclivities, that's characterizing. When there's realistic drama, petty squabbles, humanitarian efforts, etc. within town NPCs' social circles, how does that not differentiate the towns?
Did you meanChapter 2? Because I just played that, and it had no dungeon. A dueling festival topped off by a boss gauntlet is pretty differentiating.
If you didn't mean that, I have to say, I find that conclusion reductive.
Yep. You can do that with Olberic—or anyone else—too, but Olberic's unique Defend command makes him best at it.