OCTOPATH TRAVELER™

after a few hours of playing, you're still doing the same thing as at the beginning. Constant battles that don't really get any more exciting. The story is boring and you can't interact with the different characters.

But the art style and music are beautiful

This game gets really overshadowed by its own sequel but tbh I absolutely love this game except for the Galdera fight where you have to fight 8 minibosses if you die and there's no save point within the dungeon.

After five years, this game still holds up to this day. Although the story can get campy and one dimensional in certain places, the character chapters are genuinely interesting and the combat gameplay actually provides a certain amount of progress to the story. All in all, this gets a 8 out of 10 from me, not perfect but certainly a good game.

great battle system! decent story telling..

It's not really for me. I think everyone sees the flaws and virtues of this game quite clearly, it's just a matter of whether the pros outweigh the cons for your tastes.

There is a lack of immersion as you jump from story to story. It feels like a bunch of disconnected tales (because that's what they are). Maybe its a fun novelty for some, but being introduced to new characters constantly, yanked out of your current party and storyline, can be a bit exhausting. The party you have and the story you experience are disjointed from each other, and the party members kind of just tag along to make the combat work, not because of story reasons. They don't really have much of a connection to each other, and it's as though I am reading short stories rather than one epic novel.

The combat encounters use the "random encounter as you walk around" formula, which, similar to the story, yanks you suddenly out of your exploration. The combat itself is kind of OK. There is an initiative system and ways to break the initiative of the enemy, which is always welcome. However, how that's done and the central mechanic of the game lies in enemy weaknesses, which ends up just being guesswork until you figure out what the enemy type is weak to. Discovering every enemy etc can be interesting, as they all have such gorgeous art, but from a pure combat standpoint it all just ends up being OK, reliant on guesswork and a small bit of strategy to make the party survive long enough to break the enemy. The fights just take too long and require minimal thought after you have your party figured out (and since there isn't really that much inter-character interactions or complex builds, that's easy to figure out too.) There is a monster catching system though, as well as storing and summoning NPCs, so those have all been welcome and make it all a bit more bearable. Other character unique mechanics include crafting concoctions to use mid-combat, which trigger element weaknesses etc, but the summoning/monster catching was the most engaging/fun. Also ofc the thief can steal things mid-combat.


As for the positives, that would be the overworld and the art style. The overworld has a wide variety of biomes and locations to explore with gorgeous art. The lantern you hold casting shadows in dark caverns in a pixel-art game is so dramatic, and the 3D lighting in a 2D-ish world is just such a unique and satisfying look. I also liked how the side objectives didn't hold you hand, just gave instructions or added context enough for you to puzzle things out. Octopath truly is a fun world to explore and interact with, at least until a random encounter triggers for the 1000th time.

It's really pretty to look at, which is the game's biggest strength. The art and the music are top notch, and I think that's what really carried the game when it first came out. There are other "HD2D" games inspired by Octopath now though, so I think I'll be trying those.

Overall, the game might be alright if you are looking for a super light experience, and are just looking for the good "vibes" of the game rather than a deep storyline, combat, etc. That's not what I'm looking for, but I do appreciate what the game is going for at least.

Really dull. I hear there's a job system later and I wanted to at least get that far. I do like job systems after all, and I was hoping that might save this game.
But no, it just takes way too long to get going. It's boring.

Ended up playing it on console and loved it so much I didn't refund here.
This game and its sequel are two of my all time favorites.
Not to mention the OST is a masterclass in music front to back.

This game is fun and great. Everything is well done, kool graphics, fun gameplay.
why the bad review? kuz the final boss.
Ive never played and RPG where there is a huge dugeon, with a final boss and NO SAVE POINT.
wtf? I destroyed everything and was super over powered... beat the mini bosses in the final area and spent like 2-3 hours killing it... only to get 1 shotted by the final boss. Yeah, nope.
I read the guides and everything, finished all the side quests... beat the ultimate side bosses...
but the final boss. Its ridiculous. It wouldnt bother me that he is powerful and challenging... by why all the cut scenes and a whole area with NO SAVE?
I mean, even the whole game has auto save, so when u go from map to map it auto saves, which is really nice for an RPG. So many little details and got right...
but when I died in final dungeon, it loads me in the town I was WAYYYY before. It didn't even auto save me in one area of the final dugeon? why??? I thought we were way past the 90s with no saves and this nonsense. Really not fun. I suggest cheating for the final boss, I might consider beating it another time. But dont lose. its a LONG way back.
not fun at all.

It's simply splendid. I can't complain at all about my experience with it so far.. besides for the fact that I enjoy all the characters so much that I find it very difficult to find a party to stick with.

Really fun! Variety of characters with an open world, lots of little details and interesting mechanics to explore!

OST: Mid
Storyline: Trash
Combat System: Good
Dialogue: Middle School Fan-Fic

The fact that people herald this game is mind-boggling.

I'm not a big JRPG player. I've played some of the classics way back when but can't really compare Octopath Traveler to any one of those because honestly, I don't really remember that much about them. I used to have fun as a kid while playing. And I'm having fun playing Octopath Traveler, so I guess it's as good :D

The combat is somewhat tactical and some character stories I've opened so far (4 out of 8) have been intriguing, highlight being Primrose's. Some of the combats have been a tad bit too grindy for my taste but they are the boss fights, so I guess they should take a while to complete. The art and music are good.

AMazing gameplay wise.
Story is more like little stories. It is good written and fun though.
Would recommend 8.5/10

Its ok, the music is relaxing overall too, but it got a lot grindy towards the end, especially since the exp tapers off, and multiple bosses felt like healthsponges... it could also just be me.
The story does connect eventually, but its really just 8 different small stories and not much of an overarching plotline past that.

Just dont be a completionist (like me) as theres not really an ingame way of tracking things so you have to do it manually, which is a real pain especially when something is missing either because you went too fast, or it just didnt pop due to a bug... (rip that savefile)

Shoutout to marcv666 for the amazing spreadsheet/checklist.

This game looks like a cool game, and i got it because of the high ratings, but been playing for 2.5 hours and 85% is dialogue/cut scenes. that's the absolute WORST even on an RPG where it's expected to have some cut scenes. it's so unbearable i had to skip most of the last characters dialogue so now i don't know what's going on. i need a refund asap.

A great JRPG with very satisfying mechanics. Honestly I don't think this game is worth it's full price, but it's definitely worth buying on sale.

I started playing JRPG's in the 90's, with Chrono Trigger.... I didn't play another one until I recently got back into it with Final Fantasy 6, and online opinions seem to say that if you like those games, you'll like Octopath Traveler, and I agree. I've only played 9 hours, but so far it's awesome!

I haven't gotten all 8 characters yet but I already know that I should have started the game with Primrose the dancer. Even though you can pick 1 of any 8 "paths" which is essentially your starting character - you still get to play all 8 "paths" to win the game. However, I feel like most people are more "connected" to whomever they pick 1st.

Not really knowing anything - if it's your 1st playthrough... pick Primrose. You will be MUCH more motivated throughout your adventure to win. Her story is by far the best at the beginning. Maybe other characters have better Chapter 2's, 3's, etc... but by the time you get there - if you aren't invested is doesn't matter. She's the one that made me want to burn the world down in vengence to save the day, while some characters are just "jobs." There is a HUGE difference.

As far as battle goes. It's your basic turn based RPG with elemental resistance except you need to hit X # of times with a weakness to "break" their turn & then they freeze. Basically, it's the exact same thing as Sea of Stars mechanic. Then once they are stunned you can hit them for extra damage. That will govern 90% of your strategy.

Each character has a special "interaction" ability they can use on townsfolks/rando/npcs that you come across which adds variety & helps you solve puzzles, etc. You can fight them, summon them into battle, steal from them, get secret information from them, etc. All 8 aren't even different though.

All in all I'm 10 hours into the game & I can basically see where this is going. It's forcing me to get all 8 people before I can go down any of the single character paths due to level prerequisites. I'm not a fan of that restriction. The game is a standard RPG. Solid story. Needs work on the open world. 7.5/10. Just want I would have loved to have played in 1989-1998. Even has some catchy phrases that the heroes repeat every single battle that get stuck in your head like the old days. Playing it now.... it's a little dated & should have a bit more in it. (Larger world/more variety).

This is quite an amazing game. Sure, not as great as its successor, but if you had fun playing OT2, you'll definitely have a great time playing its predecessor.

The enjoyment you get from dealing 9999 dmg 3 times in a turn, then not being able to kill the boss and he claps you back, donkey doesn`t know what he is talking about 10/10

This has to be the stalest JRPG I've played. Random encounters take forever, story goes nowhere, characters dont interact. Soundtrack is great though.

Great flow, beautiful music, just a fun relaxing time.

Felt like a throw back playing this game
Cliche story and a bit slow especially at first but the combat was good. A lot to do in the game as well.
Looking forward to trying the second one eventually.

The game is really fun but it runs pretty bad, I have a pretty good computer but the game keeps crashing and worse of all it corrupted my saves. Don't buy this game, it's just a waste of time and money.

I really want to like this game, and there's a ton to like, but I can't get past the fact that combat (specifically boss battles) take 10 years to complete. Was not able to finish the game because I dont think there's enough time left in the rest of my life to complete it.

After 100% completing this game, I can say that it's a great game, with many great stories, some interesting side quests, beautiful visuals, and great gameplay. However, I would strongly suggest avoiding any achievements that aren't tied to the simple experience. Getting all the enemy weaknesses, items, chests, etc., are simply not worth it, as there's always something missable without doing research outside the game. Also, the game itself runs at a crawl with no option to speed it up like in the 2nd game. Overall, 7/10. Play Octopath Traveler 2 instead.

Saw a review and purchase this game.. dont let anyone fool you its not a little grindy. Its verrrry grindy!
I've realized that new age games have spoiled my attention span for great RPGs like this one however. The stories are pleasant, the art is lovely. Some of the backgrounds at times give me headaches with the 3d blur effect (there are mods to fix this). I don't have the patience to grind hours of combat to continue to storyline personally.

Great RPG with great arts and soundtracks.

Heartwarming storytelling and simple game mechanics. Going through every side quest is rewarding.

fun jrpg game, good story and engaging combat

Fantastic squenix jRPG graphically and mechanically.

If you're a fan of turn based jRPGs, then this will definitely scratch that itch. The boost system adds another layer of strategy to the combat. You've got a job system, a party of 4 with 8 different characters to choose from, and fantastic storylines. What's not to like? The game runs flawlessly on my PC and Steam deck as well.

Very enjoyable, mostly feelgood, classic JRPG experience.

The leveling system sucks the joy out of playing this game. Everything else is mediocre at best and can't keep my interest or make me look past my biggest complaint.
Sidenote: OT works perfectly fine on steamdeck.

A great entry point to JRPGs, though the sequel is vastly better

Feels like FFT meets Romancing Saga. Deep game, many hours of playtime.

Never have a played a game where the plot and the gameplay were as much disconnected as here. I'll put it into the „not bad, but disappointing“ corner.

This game doesn't even hide its most glaring issue: During gameplay, you walk around with your companions following you and battling alongside you. However, when you get a cutscene, the frame fades to black and then reveals the same scene again, with all characters but the current protagonist and relevant NPCs removed.

First I thought this is just a strange technical oversight (Chrono Trigger did it better in 1995!) but over time I realized that this is actually necessary because the cutscenes would make no goddamn sense if your whole party was present. For example, at one point you need a mask to enter an area, and you only procure one mask because your other party members are not in the cutscene that lets you enter.

So your party members are really only there for the gameplay – because after all, a JRPG would be pretty dull if you always had only one party member. But they do not take part in each other's story – hell, if your current protagonist gets injured during a cutscene, your party healer doesn't get involved, instead some NPC must save you.

Starting at chapter 2, there is some „banter“, optional dialog where party members comment on the current quest. But that does not save the game from its level of disconnect that basically prevents immersion. Also, at least one character is mostly an asshole and I don't get why the others stick with him.

Another instance of complete disconnect is the way you acquire secondary jobs: This game has tons of optional dungeons that are part of side quests, but the shrines that give you access to secondary jobs are *just there* on the map, without any dungeon. You don't even need to find them since they are clearly visible on the map. So what could have been meaningful rewards of side quests is instead demoted to collectables. Because the secondary jobs are a gameplay feature, not a plot feature, and therefore must be disconnected from any plot or side quest. I wish I made this up.

One more thing: At the beginning of the game, you choose a primary protagonist. They will be in your party for the whole game until you finish their quest line, and are considered your party leader. Except they do absolutely *nothing* to lead the party. There is no plot reason for them to always be in the party. It's just a gameplay decision, and a very strange one: It results in your leader consistently being over-leveled. Also you're screwed if you choose badly (some characters have major tactical advantages), and you don't have enough information at the time you decide to make a good choice.

Bottom line: You can get this on a sale. I mean, it has nice music and graphics, and the gameplay is quite fun. But don't buy it for the plot.

lovely characters, good combat system

Bit of a back story before the review, I tried playing OT1 on the Switch some years ago but after completing Chapter 1 for every character and seeing that all Chapter 2's recommended levels were 21-22+, I didn't give it a chance bc every JRPG I had tried to play before (excluding Pokemon) tends to require a hefty grind to continue the story.

Two months ago, I decided to give it a shot again now being aware of the slight grind you need to do in the early game and one of the major hooks to keep me attached was the music, it's easily my favorite aspect of the game.

OT1 is not a perfect game but the story of each character is engaging, the combat system is beefy but easy to understand and the overall length of the game is very fair (60-70 hours to finish all Chapter 4s).

Beating the final boss is easily one of my favorite gaming accolades of the past decade bc it really requires you to put in the effort to understand all the mechanics of the game.

I'd say if you like JRPGs, this game is a no brainer but if you're like me, someone who hesitated a lot to even start playing it bc of the grind, I assure that once the early game is over, the game truly shines.

OT1 walked so OT2 could fly.

The stories, the adventures, ive come back to this game countlessly because of its excellent story telling and fun combat. Each story so special between one another. Music catches you so often with the change in moods the characters have. TONS to explore even 50+ hours later after completing all stories there was still more for me to find. Truly an amazing art style HD 2D games are some of my favorites now. 9.5/10

Good game, but is lacking in the story department. Everything else is top notch.

It's fine. It has a little bit of soul to it, but nothing compared to the second game. The achievements for this one are awful, though.

Awesome turn based JRPG. Great gameplay. Amazing storyline. Beautiful environment graphics.

The stories are simple, the maps are linear, and the dialog isn't going to win any awards, but that's not the point of this game, in my opinion. It's a fun RPG that plays on the nostalgia of an older generation. The story is structured so you can play for 30-40 minutes and return later if needed without feeling like you're walking away in the middle of something or leaving things undone.

Octopath Traveler isn't my favorite game of all time, and it wasn't trying to be. However, it did scratch an itch for an older-style RPG that I could play and walk away from as needed with a busy work and life schedule. 10/10. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of older JRPGs. Just make sure you don't expect Final Fantasy VII levels of storytelling or complex puzzles.

Wonderful throwback to games I grew up with. The fight system is perfect, the graphics are spot on, and no hands are held. You're left to figure this thing out with not a lot of restrictions. If you go to the wrong area, you die, that's about it. I love it. 9/10

story is pretty good or decent ? ( it may be worst but ain't that bad). I mean it does relate at times but it's more towards expected more or less. Arts and musics still hits hard at times so no complains about that. About game play ... it can be grindy if you are stuck or yknow cant get around something or even get certain achievements. Final boss is kinda dope and really gets into ya head due to rng bs and stuff. Sadly its under side quest tab soooo, 7/10 would be the mark given its my 2nd run through but it just balance out in some way. BUT I say BUT if you are deciding if its worth playing in terms of story I would say it's a 6 or worst 5 due to the lack of interactions between members and it only happens in taverns of right after certain scenes where you have a button to trigger sooo... yeah basically beat the game you can watch the true ending it all adds up when you still remember the deeds of the story LMAO

A finely crafted JRPG, that scratches that FF6 itch that you always have. 11/10

Ok so i finished OT recently. Despite my not recommended tag i enjoyed the game even with its flaws. I will give my main reason why i do not recommend the game at the end of my review.
So OT is a old school JRPG with pixel graphics and turn based combat set in a semi open world.
The story is centered around 8 predefined characters. Each of them has their unique story. You can start with any of the characters and recruit the other 7.
The writing of the characters as well as their stories varies. Some are really good some are not so much.
I can't really say, that the writing is outright bad. In some cases it seems rushed and not well thought out.
Even tough the game pretends to be party based it lacks really on meaningful interaction between the characters. Mostly its insignificant banter. What's worse all the character stories "behave" as if the character who's story you are currently playing is the only one there. As an example: you party gets ambushed and imprisoned, however the villain treats the situation as if only the main char was there.
The side content is most of the time filler, but some of the quest have 2 or more ways to finished them. The sad part is that you basically get the same reward no matter how you finish side content. The difference lies mostly in the flavour text.
On a note i have to mention that the "real" ending of this game is actually considered side content. The credits roll after you finish the story of your "main" characters ( but you can naturally continue with unfinished business afterwards)
The combat is turn based and is centered around finding an enemies weakness and destroying his defenses with it. In other word enemies have defense layers which you destroy with attacks they are weak against ( like swords, spear, fire, ice ect. )
I found it fun but naturally it can get repetitive when grinding. But some bosses are really fun. Also there is a bid rng involved witch in most cases isn't the problem. You can offset some bad luck with party builds and gear. Except the last battle during the real ending, rng can screw you over there.( but it's technically side content so its ok i guess:P )
The graphics are 2d old school but i personally like the art style. The soundtrack is great especially the real ending theme.
Now the game itself was for me quite fun and normally i would give it 7/10.
However i do not recommend the game at the moment due to its price tag. 60 Eur. is really too much for such a game. Its a 6 year old game, with old school graphics and some questionable design choices.
I bought it on sale for 30 Eur. and i think that would be a fair price. So until the price goes down i won't recommend it.

Wonderful game, especially for those wishing games were more like the 32-bit days.

Square Enix never fails to amaze me with their creativity of strategic, turn-based combat system of their games. What I like about the game is the amount of attack combinations you can explore and execute. The exploration process in the game, discovering treasures and classes are fun! Really love the games they produce. A solid 10/10 for me. 🙌

After 5 hours and completing the 1st chapter on my second character, this game is great! I'm enjoying the stories, the U.I. the visuals, and the Turn-Based battles. I am anticipating some crawling in my future for leveling purposes, but why wouldn't that be expected in an RPG?!?
I want to finish this game through. I want to hear the other story lines, switch out characters, use the second job system, and get my money worth out of it.

1 con: why can't I see the enemies HP?