Octopath Traveler 0 Review: A Charming But Aging JRPG Experience

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Octopath Traveler 0 is the newest role-playing game from Square Enix, continuing their tradition of beautiful HD-2D graphics. It’s a prequel to the original Octopath Traveler, and was originally released as a mobile game called Champions of the Continent.

Okay, so I’m completely hooked on Octopath Traveler 0! You play as someone trying to get revenge for the destruction of their home, Wishvale, but it’s not just about that – you also have to rebuild the whole town! It’s a huge challenge, but honestly, what great JRPG hero wouldn’t be up for something like that?

Square has built upon the successful formula of their HD-2D games with Octopath Traveler 0. While it’s not flawless, and the unique art style might not appeal to all players, it remains a charming experience.

Square has used its distinctive HD-2D art style in several games, each with its own world and story. However, Octopath Traveler doesn’t quite break new ground and feels a bit indistinct.

The new town-building features are really enjoyable, but the rest of the game feels a little stagnant. This series is consistently fun to play, but it needs a bigger shake-up to really stand out among the growing number of retro-inspired JRPGs.

Welcome To Wishvale

As a huge JRPG fan, I was immediately hooked by the beginning of Octopath Traveler 0! The prologue does an amazing job of making you really connect with the characters – the ones you’re going to be spending a lot of time with, probably close to 100 hours! And it also makes you genuinely care about the town of Wishvale. It feels familiar, like a lot of JRPG beginnings, but the writing is just so good and the characters are really charming.

The game follows a familiar story: the hero’s home, Wishvale, is destroyed by an invading empire. However, instead of simply seeking revenge, you’re responsible for rebuilding it from the ground up. This town-building aspect is a welcome addition to the JRPG genre, and feels similar to the mechanics found in Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom.

As a big fan of JRPGs, I love how they constantly keep you engaged by switching things up – one minute you’re exploring, the next you’re battling, and so on. Octopath Traveler 0 really nails this! It’s amazing how much variety the game packs in; it’s definitely one of its strongest points.

Once the introductory section is finished, you can explore the game world however you like. The map is fully open from the start, and the game won’t stop you from venturing into challenging areas, even if you’re not ready for them.

If you need a break from fighting, try helping to rebuild Wishvale. If you’re looking for challenging combat, venture into areas with powerful monsters.

Indeed, variety is one thing that Octopath Traveler 0 does exceptionally well.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Octopath Traveler 0 is the storyline where you work to restore Wishvale to its former greatness. This quest unlocks right after the game’s introduction, and although it’s not as complex as games like Anno 1800, it’s a really fun side activity.

Rebuilding Wishvale is enjoyable, but it’s not as complicated as some city-building games. Don’t expect a system as intricate as SimCity – it’s a simpler experience.

It’s enjoyable while it lasts, but the system feels a bit superficial beyond simply having characters occupy homes. That’s understandable, since this is a role-playing game, not a city builder, but I still wish there was more depth to it.

Get A Job

Job systems are now a common feature in Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs). They first gained popularity with Dragon Quest III and have been included in many JRPGs since then.

The Octopath series has always featured a job system, and like the games that came before it, the fun comes from how much you can customize and change things up.

As a huge fan, what I love most about Octopath Traveler II is how free it is! You’re never stuck with just one character class. Once you unlock a job, you can switch between them whenever you want, which makes leveling up and trying new things so much fun.

If you’re not enjoying being a Merchant, try switching to a Hunter. And if you’re bored with the Hunter role, become a Warrior instead.

This isn’t a groundbreaking feature – many Japanese role-playing games have offered it for years – but it’s still welcome to be able to change your decisions whenever you want.

With Octopath Traveler 0, its flexibility is exactly what makes progression so enjoyable.

Square lets you play Octopath Traveler 0 however you want. You’re free to change your character’s path at any time, but the game also supports sticking with a strategy that’s proving successful. After the opening, it’s up to you to decide how your adventure unfolds.

It definitely has both advantages and disadvantages. For example, the ability to switch tasks whenever you want is a real plus.

However, the story can sometimes feel directionless. While you can follow quests and concentrate on specific tasks, the game doesn’t clearly guide you toward the central storyline.

While having so much freedom in a game can be enjoyable, it sometimes feels like you’re completing tasks without a real purpose. Even when you overcome big challenges like bosses or finish lengthy dungeons, the rewards don’t always feel satisfying enough.

The Octopath Traveler series is starting to feel repetitive. With four main games and a mobile title released over the past seven years, the franchise may be losing its freshness.

While the amount of content isn’t huge, the real issue is that the games start to feel very similar after a while, leading to burnout. Octopath Traveler 0 isn’t a bad game, but it doesn’t offer much that’s new or different from other games in the genre, except for the town-building aspect.

From Zero To Hero

Octopath Traveler became well-known for its quick and engaging battle system. This was enhanced by features called Boost and Break, which made fights feel more dynamic and action-packed – something many traditional JRPGs lacked.

It’s satisfying to defeat an opponent by exploiting their weaknesses – it combines clever strategy with raw power. Finding a weakness and taking them down feels good, but delivering a final, devastating blow with a powerful attack is even more rewarding.

Okay, so the combat is super energetic, which is great, but after playing through four games now, it’s honestly starting to feel a little stale. When you’re grinding for over 100 hours, you really start to see through all the little tricks and it just doesn’t feel as fresh as it used to.

The game does have an amazing battle song, which is essential for any great Japanese role-playing game. The music throughout the game is truly beautiful.

The combat is very dynamic, but after several installments, the series feels like it needs a fresh approach.

Yasunori Nishiki’s music is fantastic, capturing the charming melodies of classic Square role-playing games. The game’s overall presentation is also excellent.

The game generally runs incredibly smoothly, maintaining a fast 60 frames per second almost all the time. However, I did encounter a few strange spots where the frame rate dropped dramatically, falling below 5 FPS.

The game generally runs smoothly at 60 frames per second, so it was surprising to see occasional dips in performance. It seems like a simple fix for Square Enix, but it was still noticeable.

Closing Comments:

Octopath Traveler II adds a town-building element to its classic turn-based combat, but doesn’t offer many other new features. While the battles are satisfying and impactful, this fourth installment in the series feels like it could benefit from more significant changes. Overall, Octopath Traveler II is a very enjoyable JRPG, but it doesn’t quite break new ground. The town building is a fun addition, but it lacks depth.

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2025-12-11 03:11