Octopath Traveler 0 Review – Grim Tales and Great Battles

Octopath Traveler 0 Review

I've always played Octopath games for the mechanics rather than the story. I just love creating the perfect party so much that everything else seems insignificant in comparison. Octopath Traveler 0 this is the first time I've actively disliked rather than ignored the broader story. To be fair, the mechanics are still excellent. I love the combat, the customization is a lot of fun, and there's a whole city to build. But the plot is something of a giant bummer. Or rather, this plot is filled with terrible tragedy. This is completely unpleasant.

Acts of insidious evil

Don't worry, I won't go into any specific details. But why are the villains so cartoonish and completely despicable? True, Square Enix games are famous for their charismatic psychopaths in colorful clothes. I'm not sure why this particular set upset me so much. There are tiny glimmers of humanity, but they are buried in a cavalcade of unspeakable cruelty. In other words, these guys are the worst. I found myself procrastinating, not wanting to move forward with their stories. I was so sure that only suffering awaited me, and often I was right. To be honest, the whole game isn't that dark. Some storm clouds are moving at least a little. But my overall enthusiasm for the game has definitely waned.

I also felt a little constrained by the pace. But this may be due to my reluctance to progress through the first main part of the campaign. As in the first two games, you have a lot of freedom to choose a specific path forward. Even though you have fewer paths, you still have many choices to make along the way. In fact, it is change that slows down the pace. If you used to spend a third of the game or more collecting a full roster, Octopath 0 makes much more sense. You also chew through sections of the story a little faster than usual. Getting to the final chapter of this story is much easier than before.

From 0 to 8 in record time

One of the major changes to combat mechanics is the size of your party. Now you have eight characters, and it's completely within the rules. But I'm also concerned that this will unbalance the difficulty slightly. I'm used to the big battles in Octopath being something of a noble fight. You teeter on the edge between victory and defeat, limping to the finish line with little hit points for your entire party. But all this will change once you get a full complement of fighters. Suddenly you have twice as many units, a lot more variety of weapons, and a lot more chances. Many fights suddenly become easier. This is either amazing or terrible, depending on why you play these games in the first place.

The downside to the problem of having too many characters is that you have a lot to choose from. For starters, there are more than eight of them. Which I'm absolutely delighted with. This may upset the balance a bit, but the customization options are tempting. I wish the main character wasn't the only one who could change jobs, but you can still create almost any party configuration you need. Elemental magic is split between multiple characters, which I don't like. This reinforces the need for a well-balanced party, but even eight people can feel useless without the right spells.

Brand new party mechanics

Octopath 0 is also a city builder, at least in theory. In fact, it's more of a main questline with new mechanics added. You choose where the buildings are located, who lives in them, and what decor will be throughout the village. It's a fairly easy job, but still rewarding. At least you're watching the town of Vishvale come back to life. Additionally, all surviving residents will be able to grieve and heal. This is an amazing way to make the original tragedy, the inciting incident, more tangible. This is a terrible thing that happens to these people, and it makes sense that this event will forever remain in their hearts and minds. So it's not entirely mechanical, but it adds depth and weight to the story.

I don't play Octopath games for the story. This is more true than ever before with Octopath Traveler 0. This story turns into a giant bummer over the course of several long hours. This is enough to slow down the pace and sap my enthusiasm. On the other hand, working mechanical systems are as complex and useful as ever. I love customizing my giant group, improving their skills and exposing them to the world at large. If it's too easy at first, that's okay. The music and visuals are excellent, as I had hoped, and there's an entire city to rebuild. Like previous games, there's a lot to love about Octopath 0. It all comes down to what you are looking for.

***PS5 code provided by publisher***