Octopath Traveler 0 Preview
While the first two Octopath games were very reminiscent of each other, Octopath 0 tries to do something a little different. Not much different, to be clear. But even minor changes are always welcome in any franchise as long as they are executed well. For now, after a few hours of play, these new ideas seem to be good too.
Octopath Traveler 0 This is definitely not a new game. This is a remake of the mobile game Champions of the Continent. At the very least, Octopath 0 takes story and gameplay elements from the 2020 mobile game. Regardless of its DNA, there are some interesting new ideas here. You are rebuilding and repopulating a destroyed village. You have some leeway over the specifics of the layout, which is nice. The story also seems more focused, more focused on a narrow range of characters. This is a significant change from the eight disparate stories of the previous games.
On the other hand, there is a lot of familiarity in Octopath 0. The combat music, visuals, sound effects, and combat mechanics are taken directly from other games. I'm fine with that, really. These games are some of my favorites, so it's a real pleasure to return to this world. I'm not sure if certain techniques are reused or new. But the basic mechanics are the same as I remember them.
The Return of Top Level Combat
You're also given the same freedom to choose your path forward, although there are fewer options at first. I hope this just means that the narrative unfolds differently than I expected. While Octopath 0 is somewhat similar to other games, my own running time will be greatly inflated by the obsessive grinding I end up doing. So far, the plot is also something of a departure. After all, rebuilding a village means it must first be destroyed. I'm curious if the significance of this event will continue throughout history or if it will serve as a clinical launching pad.
I'm not crazy about the construction sections yet. Basically you just choose where the buildings will be located. You will also have to clear away rubble before construction begins, but this is an extremely simple process. The act of restoration seems to be an extended metaphor for grief and healing. It's a big twist from a narrative perspective, but not that interesting from a mechanical perspective. Thankfully, the combat is still a lot of fun. I love the BP system and it looks like your party will be even bigger this time. I'm looking forward to working with the party mechanics and other complex systems as I play. You can really feel the depth of these things even in these opening hours of the game.
So far, so good
As a serious Octopath fan, my expectations are pretty high. And yet I am confident in what I have seen so far. The plot seems like a big departure and the building system has potential. I'm really glad that important things like combat mechanics are here and completely intact. I can't wait to play through the rest of this game. If you're also an Octopath fan, then you have every reason to be excited about Octopath Traveler 0.
***PS5 code provided by publisher***
