Octopath Traveler: An Ideal Entry Point To Jrpgs?

is octopath traveler a good intro into jrpg

Octopath Traveler is a Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) that has received generally positive reviews from players and critics. The game features eight playable characters, each with their own unique stories and abilities, exploring the world of Orsterra. While the game has been praised for its art style, music, and strategic turn-based combat system, it has also been criticised for its lack of a unified narrative and limited character interaction. Some players recommend playing more traditional JRPGs before Octopath Traveler, as it was designed as a tribute to classic JRPGs and may be too difficult for newcomers to the genre. However, others suggest that the game is a good introduction to the genre due to its gradual introduction of strategic mechanics and intuitive gameplay. Ultimately, whether Octopath Traveler is a good introduction to JRPGs depends on the player's preferences and familiarity with the genre.

Characteristics Values
Story The game has been criticised for its lack of a single, focused narrative. Instead, it features eight smaller stories centring around each of its playable characters.
Character interaction Octopath Traveler has been criticised for its lack of character interaction.
Combat The game features a turn-based combat system, with a break mechanic that emphasises exploiting enemy weaknesses.
Difficulty Some users have found the game too difficult for newcomers to the JRPG genre. Others have said that it is accessible for beginners.
Tutorials The game offers permanent and succinct tutorials.
Grinding Some users have said that the game requires little to no grinding. Others have said that it can be quite grindy.

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Octopath Traveler's character interaction and story

Octopath Traveler features eight playable characters, each with their own story and role. The eight characters are:

  • Ophilia Clement, a Cleric from the Frostlands.
  • Cyrus Albright, a Scholar from the Flatlands.
  • Tressa Colzione, a Merchant from the Coastlands.
  • Olberic Eisenberg, a Warrior from the Highlands.
  • Primrose Azelhart, a Dancer from the Sunlands.
  • Alfyn Greengrass, an Apothecary from the Riverlands.
  • Therion, a Thief from the Cliftlands.
  • H'aanit, a Hunter from the Woodlands.

The game is set in the land of Orsterra, where the Order of the Sacred Flame believes their world was created by thirteen deities. Twelve of these deities were forced to seal away the fallen god Galdera, who refused to relinquish the world, within an afterworld that can be accessed through the Gate of Finis.

Each of the eight characters has their own individual tale, which is told over four chapters. While the characters can be recruited to join the player's party, there is a distinct lack of interaction between them. This has been criticised by players, who have noted that it feels like each character exists in their own parallel dimension, and that the story is lacking as a result. However, some players have noted that there is some optional dialogue between characters, and that the open-ended structure of the game means that it is difficult to include more interactions.

In the second Octopath Traveler game, the developers have attempted to address this criticism by including more interactions between pairs of characters during specific chapters.

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Turn-based combat and strategic depth

Octopath Traveler features traditional turn-based combat, with a break system that emphasises exploiting enemy weaknesses. This allows players to deal massive damage by breaking an enemy's armour. The game also features a boost mechanic, where each party member accrues boost points (BP) every turn, allowing them to either use up to four attacks in a single turn or a significantly powered-up special ability.

The game's combat system is highly strategic, with players needing to manage health, status ailments, armour, and boost points. It also requires players to devise strategies based on the turn order, which is displayed à la Final Fantasy X. This turn-based system is easy to understand for newcomers to the genre while still offering depth and posing a challenge for RPG veterans.

Octopath Traveler also features a job customisation system, where players can select from a variety of different jobs with different stats and abilities. Each character will always have a base job, but the player can decide on a secondary job, which will grant access to different weapons. Players will also need to distribute job points to learn passive abilities, which offer a range of benefits such as lowering the encounter rate or increasing damage output. Experimenting with different job configurations and passive skill setups adds further depth and strategy to the game's combat.

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Art style and presentation

Octopath Traveler's art style and presentation are widely praised. The game's art style initially turned heads, with its "HD 2D" look resembling a 16-bit game with more depth and detail. The pixel art for characters and locations is described as "marvelous" and "truly outstanding", reminiscent of a fusion between Final Fantasy VI and Xenogears' sprite work. The game's soundtrack is also highly acclaimed, with some calling it "one of the most memorable soundtracks of the year".

The game's world, Orsterra, is described as "expansive and rewarding to explore", yet "comfortably familiar for fans of classic JRPGs". The game features eight smaller stories, each centring around a playable character, which some players found to be a "make-or-break point". While some enjoyed the more intimate narrative, others found the lack of a single, focused narrative and significant character interaction to be a drawback.

The game's "Path Actions" are also well-received, allowing each character to interact with NPCs in unique ways. This feature encourages players to talk to every NPC and become immersed in the world of Orsterra.

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Music and sound

Octopath Traveler's music and sound have been widely praised by players. The game's soundtrack was composed and arranged by Yasunori Nishiki, who aimed to create the perfect blend of "nostalgic and new". The music has been described as "amazing", "excellent", "incredible", and a modern classic. It has been said to evoke nostalgic feelings of childhood days playing Final Fantasy on the SNES. The character themes were particularly challenging for Nishiki to compose, as he wanted to ensure they would leave a strong impression after a single hearing.

The town and field themes were more enjoyable for Nishiki, as the HD-2D visuals created powerful images in his mind. He also chose to use regional themes for the "Ending Theme" rather than character themes, emphasising the journey over the protagonists themselves.

Nishiki's favourite theme from the soundtrack is "Among Stately Peaks", as he enjoys particularly emotional pieces. He also broke from his usual style when composing "The One They Call the Witch" and "Daughter of the Dark God", emphasising the supernatural intensity of fighting Galdera beyond the main storyline.

The Octopath Traveler Original Soundtrack was released on July 13, 2018, and includes music from across the game. It has been well-received by listeners, who have praised its ability to evoke emotions and its appropriateness to the game's story and characters.

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Difficulty and accessibility

Octopath Traveler's difficulty and accessibility are a mixed bag. On the one hand, its combat system is praised for being easy to understand, with simple mechanics that are still deep and intuitive. The game also offers permanently available and succinct tutorials, making it accessible to newcomers.

However, Octopath Traveler was designed as a tribute to classic JRPGs and is marketed towards seasoned genre veterans. Some players consider it far too difficult for newcomers to the genre, with a steep difficulty curve after the first chapter. The game also requires grinding and can be repetitive, with a gameplay loop that doesn't change much. The side quests are also unclear about what criteria need to be met and where to find certain characters.

Additionally, the game's unique narrative structure of eight separate stories and lack of character interaction may be off-putting to some, especially those used to more traditional JRPG narratives. The characters fall into tropes commonly found in JRPGs, and their stories are not particularly original.

Overall, while Octopath Traveler may be accessible to some newcomers, it is not the best choice for those looking for an easy introduction to the genre.

Frequently asked questions

Octopath Traveler is a great intro to the JRPG genre. The game features a traditional turn-based combat system, which is easy to understand for newcomers to the genre but still offers depth for more experienced players. The game also has an "HD-2D" art style, which combines 16-bit graphics with modern advancements.

Octopath Traveler features eight smaller stories, each centring around one of the playable characters, rather than one large overarching narrative. This structure has been both praised and criticised, with some players enjoying the more intimate storytelling, and others finding it disappointing that the characters and their stories do not intertwine.

Octopath Traveler features a job customisation system, where each character has a base job and a secondary job that can be chosen by the player. For example, Olberic is always a Warrior, but his secondary job can be chosen as Thief or Dancer. Each job has different stats, abilities, and weapons.

Path Actions are a way for characters to interact with NPCs. Each character has their own specific Path Action, such as acquiring items from NPCs or reading their backstories. Path Actions provide rewards for players who want to explore the world and interact with its characters.

Octopath Traveler features traditional turn-based combat with a break system that emphasises exploiting enemy weaknesses. Each character accrues Boost Points (BP) during battle, which can be used to deal multiple attacks in a single turn or power up special abilities. The game also features a boost mechanic, where enemy armour can be broken to deal massive damage.

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