Recently, I had the chance to run through the opening hours of publisher SQUARE ENIX’s up-and-coming turn-based role-playing game ‘OCTOPATH TRAVELER 0’. Unlike the more traditional entries in the series, 0 appends a city-building aspect to the progression while taking a few more liberties from the idea of letting the player finish the game in the order that they so please. And after running down hallways for the last few JRPGs that I’ve been playing, I can say that I am really looking forward to finishing the rest of this adventure.
Players can customise their playable character right from the onset and, over the course of the prologue, they’ll make a few more choices that ultimately dictates their starting job and what path they can take in pursuing the game’s overarching narrative. I’m doing my best to keep things under wraps in terms of story, but I’ll give you a little inkling on what happens in the beginning: our main cast members are from bright, loving, secluded little village called Wishvale and these kids are at the best possible point in their lives—they’re just getting started! Whole lives ahead of them, parents watching over their backs. Now, picture a ruthless sect of power-hungry dirtbags with armed soldiers at their beck and call, waiting to strike out and find these so called “Rings of Power” (not their real names but that’s basically what they are). Anyhow, our heroes need a kick to begin their adventures and a plot of land to work on for the city-building to be a thing. I’ll let you figure it out from there.
OCTOPATH’s gameplay is fun! As it is a turn-based game, players and enemies follow a specific turn pattern based on their stats. And like just about every RPG out there these days, foes can be staggered based on the number of hits they take from weapon types they’re weak to. Players can also “boost” their attacks or buffs slash debuffs based on a BP meter that fills at you land normal attacks or use support skills. By taking advantage of enemy weaknesses and firing off powerful smacks at staggered baddies, you’ll be able to clear scores of these little buggers in no time. Of course, it’s easier said than done and you’ll come up against enemies that will be more than happy to leave the remnants of your teeth lined into the grooves of the moist dirt floor.
That’s where that aforementioned freedom comes in! The player is able to tackle any main quest they can, so long as they actually can. Levels, equipment, party all play a factor in your chances of survival against tough opponents in the critical path. So, a good idea would be to build up your town and that involves tracking down new villagers, making your acquaintance, and convincing them to join up in your little corner of the world. Most non-playable characters in the game world have two methods of interaction: basic speech bubbles that world-build and the other system that allows you to gather information and make your acquaintance. I still need a bit of time with this mechanic to really say more on it, but it does entail a sort of reputation system the player must contend with if they want to be successful as a new village leader.
(SQUARE ENIX)
I’m still in the early hours of the game (and it’s not like we’re really allowed to go past a certain point for this preview, anyway), but this OCTOPATH title is looking very meaty and I find it to be a far more compelling experience than the first game. For one, our cast members actually interact with one another, which makes me a happy camper—I simply couldn’t immerse myself in the first game due to that. I have no interest in a fractured narrative, but OCTOPATH TRAVELER 0 seems to know better this time around. I’m a long way from the finish line, but thanks to a fun combat system, a city-building component, and an open-ended progression system, I think this is a JRPG that’s going to keep me very busy this month. ∎
