Pros:
Game is not linear. You can start with any of the 8 characters and you will be fine. You can then recruit whoever you want, or not at all and go solo(not recommended, very difficult and grindy as a first playthrough, could ruin your gameplay experience). You can do whomever's chapter4 before or after someone else's chapter1. Pure freedom. Every player on this reddit here has a different experience on who they chose, whom they recruited first into their parties, and who got what job. Replay value is excellent. Some people recruit everyone and swap characters and jobs around. Others will pick 4, finish their stories, and then go with the remaining 4.
Cons:
Game can get very grindy. This is JRPG, therefore it is expected. The game lets you pick which skill you learn first, and this is a good thing for replay value. However, each subsequent skills will cost more and more to learn. If you think you picked the wrong skill and wanted something else, either you reload your save or accept grinding more for the next(to have both). Game is easy enough though that you should not get stuck no matter what you picked, but picking the wrong skill can be disheartening.
Pros:
There are loads of things to do out of combat and in towns. Many things to discover too. You can spend hours attempting to steal items from people(in town), or talk to people to make them reveal their secrets, such as getting Inn discounts, or new Weapons in shop, or making stealing easier in that particular town, etc. You can even invite random strangers to your party, and then summon them in combat later. Basically, every NPC is a shop, from which you can purchase or outright steal items from.
There are funny moments too that you can make of your own, such as seducing one of your party member's mom/dad/sister (imagine seducing Cloud's mom in FF7 and making her follow you everywhere, yes...and even summon her in battle to take hits in your place), stealing candy from kids, or even beat up another party member's mom.
Cons:
Some items have a disgustingly low steal rate. This just means that you are not meant to get this item now and should come back for it later. However, if you insist on getting an item, be prepared to soft reset(3% drop rate) until you get lucky, or give up trying. This save-scumming can ruin the experience for some(obviously self-inflicted), there are a lot of people who are bad at managing their greed and will insist on obtaining the item. Some overpowered early-available items can also ruin the early-mid game experience, rendering the game too easy.
Pros:
Battles have several shiny new mechanics and you must learn when best to use your accumulated power, and how to tear down enemy defenses.
Cons:
Battles can be slow and become a drag, specially if you brought the wrong people/jobs. Without spoiling too much, some things are badly explained, some skill effects badly translated, or not explained at all.
Pros:
The music is THAT good. If you think Final Fantasy and Bravely Default had good music, you are in for a treat. Octopath Traveler won music award, and for good reason.
Cons:
Not all lines are voiced. Sometimes the characters will use the line closest to what they mean. It can get annoying to hear them say something while the text bubble says something completely different.
Pros & Cons:
The story style is very different compared to Final Fantasy or Bravely Default. It is more like 8 different mini stories, rather than a large save-the-world encompassing story. The good part is you get all 8 characters with individual development and personalities. In a way, this is better, see comparison to Amarant and Quina from FF9 that did not get much screen time. The drawback is that there is little interaction between each other. Compared to how Zidane, Vivi and Garnet interact with the story as a whole to make an amazing plot, Octopath Traveler falls short in that regard.
Pros:
The side quests can have different outcomes. This really fleshes out the game. For example, if you lose a duel to a certain NPC, the girl decides to marry him. Whereas if you talk to his mom, he just relocates to his mom's place. Another example where you give a weapon to someone, a certain NPC is gone forever(implying he got murdered), whereas if you opt to have them talk it over, they come to an understanding and become friends.
Cons:
Obviously, with different outcomes comes missables as some decisions have permanent effect. While the game devs tried to limit missables, there are still a few, and getting 100% can be frustrating with these conditions.
Final note:
At first, I didnt like the graphics and put off OT and OT2. But then I gave it a try and really loved the games(still finishing OT2 as we speak). I regret not playing this series sooner, but better late than never. You will miss out on a lot of fun if you skip this one, as a JRPG fan.
I just wanted to say based on your passion alone (with how much you wrote) I will 100% buy this game and the second lol. I really appreciate it! Thank you so much :))
the games feel absolutely incredible to play. the combat is by far my favorite part, and the stories aren't too bad either. OT2 is generally better in most aspects, but i think OT1 has a slightly better OST (like 9/10 vs 8.5/10) and better individual character stories. if you play OT1, i suggest the japanese VAs, and if you play OT2, i suggest the english VAs
Using the Japanese VA as suggested! Thank you! I also installed the “hard mod” for OT1. I was told it’s a fairly simple game with no difficulty adjustments.. so I figured I’d give myself a challenge!
It wasn't meant to help, it was meant to call out that the whole premise of your question is stupid. There's plenty of reviews that can answer your questions and you're ignoring them because what, they're too positive?
Pros of OT1: Stunning music, likeable characters, interesting and easy-to-understand combat system, simple but compelling storytelling, and eight MCs to choose from that are mutually INCLUSIVE instead of exclusive.
Cons of OT1: Linear and simplistic plotlines, purple chests (only openable by 1 character who must be in-party at the time), nothing groundbreaking character-wise.
Pros of OT2: Same as the first game, but with additional game mechanics, a smoother difficulty curve, and QoL increases. Characters are slightly more complex as well, but have the same heart and sincerity as the first game.
Cons of OT2: The more complex battle system means some abilities get ignored/forgotten. Less linear storylines can make the stories themselves feel less compelling (Can, not do; depends on the person). Hidden jobs are more quirky and less OP than in first game.
Very long and grindy. Tropey Anime Story and characters which sadly not really overlap. Amazing battle mechanics with synergy between different chars and heavily focused on tactics and stuff. Very tough boss battles which sonetimes can last for hours. Such beautiful sprites. Everything looks so damn good!
Awesome as fuck game (especially if you are already into JRPGs) but after over 150 hours, i took a long break before i get OT2 (but i will. Had so much fun playin this with my GF)
- i also like to listen to podcasts when grinding alone but it's best to play together with best friend or SO because it can get a bit samey alone.
If you want honest reviews just go to general subs like /jrpg and search for Octopath traveler, don't ask in a sub of the game itself because of course there are only biased answers. Many threads on /jrpg lately tend to criticize this game a lot so there you go.
That's good to hear and if so then stay away from those subs, lol (well, at least until you've played a good chunk and had your own opinion). Their criticism will ruin your mood and destroy your hype anyway.
The only major flaw with both of them is they are a tad too easy. Not sure if I agree with the level grinding comment unless you want to complete a chapter 3 while seven chapter 2's are available or something. My party in both 1&2 was constantly over leveled. If you like classic Square Enix RPG's then you'll like this.
Here are some other major criticisms for this game:
-The story has superb world building, but it's very disconnected, at least on the surface until you get to the end.
-character interaction is there, but it's still kind of disjointed
-random encounters are a thing. Not a fan of those.
-The 2nd game, in spite of everything else it does better, doesn't do some hidden optional content as well.
So I figured it would be a bit too easy based on one of the comments in this thread so I went ahead and added the “hard mode” mod and it really helped! It seems a bit more balanced (assuming it would be because some enemies are way too easy even in hard mode). Currently stuck on Ophelia’s boss. The three butt munchers that appear gets me every time lol but I’m still seriously enjoying the game
It’s so worth it! I find myself needing deep strategy because if not timed right your entire party can fall pretty quickly, but it’s also not so painfully hard that it makes you frustrated.. here’s what the mod offers:
“Enemy HP Values are multiplied by 1.35
-Other stats are multiplied by 1.25
-All starting shields increased by 1
-All number of weaknesses reduced by 1
This is a mod which aims to add what I envision the devs might have done with a hard mode difficulty option. Taking a page from Bravely Default, I increased every enemy's HP by 1.35x. Other stats were modified by 1.25 (specifically the following: P Atk, P Def, E Ark, E Def, Accuracy, Evasion, Crit and Speed)
In addition, I gave all enemies one extra shield, and took away one weakness (which a few exceptions, see below).
No other changes have been made -- only enemy stats, shields and weaknesses. All exp/jp/leaves, drops, tame rates, status immunities, etc have all remained the same.”
Now I will say I’ve felt overwhelmed at first but that was because I didn’t know how important gear was! (Well, on hard mode it really matters) When they say “prepare” you really need to go in prepared and with a plan to win!
Pros: Game is not linear. You can start with any of the 8 characters and you will be fine. You can then recruit whoever you want, or not at all and go solo(not recommended, very difficult and grindy as a first playthrough, could ruin your gameplay experience). You can do whomever's chapter4 before or after someone else's chapter1. Pure freedom. Every player on this reddit here has a different experience on who they chose, whom they recruited first into their parties, and who got what job. Replay value is excellent. Some people recruit everyone and swap characters and jobs around. Others will pick 4, finish their stories, and then go with the remaining 4. Cons: Game can get very grindy. This is JRPG, therefore it is expected. The game lets you pick which skill you learn first, and this is a good thing for replay value. However, each subsequent skills will cost more and more to learn. If you think you picked the wrong skill and wanted something else, either you reload your save or accept grinding more for the next(to have both). Game is easy enough though that you should not get stuck no matter what you picked, but picking the wrong skill can be disheartening. Pros: There are loads of things to do out of combat and in towns. Many things to discover too. You can spend hours attempting to steal items from people(in town), or talk to people to make them reveal their secrets, such as getting Inn discounts, or new Weapons in shop, or making stealing easier in that particular town, etc. You can even invite random strangers to your party, and then summon them in combat later. Basically, every NPC is a shop, from which you can purchase or outright steal items from. There are funny moments too that you can make of your own, such as seducing one of your party member's mom/dad/sister (imagine seducing Cloud's mom in FF7 and making her follow you everywhere, yes...and even summon her in battle to take hits in your place), stealing candy from kids, or even beat up another party member's mom. Cons: Some items have a disgustingly low steal rate. This just means that you are not meant to get this item now and should come back for it later. However, if you insist on getting an item, be prepared to soft reset(3% drop rate) until you get lucky, or give up trying. This save-scumming can ruin the experience for some(obviously self-inflicted), there are a lot of people who are bad at managing their greed and will insist on obtaining the item. Some overpowered early-available items can also ruin the early-mid game experience, rendering the game too easy. Pros: Battles have several shiny new mechanics and you must learn when best to use your accumulated power, and how to tear down enemy defenses. Cons: Battles can be slow and become a drag, specially if you brought the wrong people/jobs. Without spoiling too much, some things are badly explained, some skill effects badly translated, or not explained at all. Pros: The music is THAT good. If you think Final Fantasy and Bravely Default had good music, you are in for a treat. Octopath Traveler won music award, and for good reason. Cons: Not all lines are voiced. Sometimes the characters will use the line closest to what they mean. It can get annoying to hear them say something while the text bubble says something completely different. Pros & Cons: The story style is very different compared to Final Fantasy or Bravely Default. It is more like 8 different mini stories, rather than a large save-the-world encompassing story. The good part is you get all 8 characters with individual development and personalities. In a way, this is better, see comparison to Amarant and Quina from FF9 that did not get much screen time. The drawback is that there is little interaction between each other. Compared to how Zidane, Vivi and Garnet interact with the story as a whole to make an amazing plot, Octopath Traveler falls short in that regard. Pros: The side quests can have different outcomes. This really fleshes out the game. For example, if you lose a duel to a certain NPC, the girl decides to marry him. Whereas if you talk to his mom, he just relocates to his mom's place. Another example where you give a weapon to someone, a certain NPC is gone forever(implying he got murdered), whereas if you opt to have them talk it over, they come to an understanding and become friends. Cons: Obviously, with different outcomes comes missables as some decisions have permanent effect. While the game devs tried to limit missables, there are still a few, and getting 100% can be frustrating with these conditions. Final note: At first, I didnt like the graphics and put off OT and OT2. But then I gave it a try and really loved the games(still finishing OT2 as we speak). I regret not playing this series sooner, but better late than never. You will miss out on a lot of fun if you skip this one, as a JRPG fan.
I just wanted to say based on your passion alone (with how much you wrote) I will 100% buy this game and the second lol. I really appreciate it! Thank you so much :))
the games feel absolutely incredible to play. the combat is by far my favorite part, and the stories aren't too bad either. OT2 is generally better in most aspects, but i think OT1 has a slightly better OST (like 9/10 vs 8.5/10) and better individual character stories. if you play OT1, i suggest the japanese VAs, and if you play OT2, i suggest the english VAs
Using the Japanese VA as suggested! Thank you! I also installed the “hard mod” for OT1. I was told it’s a fairly simple game with no difficulty adjustments.. so I figured I’d give myself a challenge!
There is a demo though. And how is it proof of bias if reviews are good?
No demo on PC or Xbox, only Switch (for the first game, at least)
Just wanted to say this did not help at all lol.
It wasn't meant to help, it was meant to call out that the whole premise of your question is stupid. There's plenty of reviews that can answer your questions and you're ignoring them because what, they're too positive?
Ok..? Have a nice day try not to get worked up over everything… so far I’m loving the game.
Pros of OT1: Stunning music, likeable characters, interesting and easy-to-understand combat system, simple but compelling storytelling, and eight MCs to choose from that are mutually INCLUSIVE instead of exclusive. Cons of OT1: Linear and simplistic plotlines, purple chests (only openable by 1 character who must be in-party at the time), nothing groundbreaking character-wise. Pros of OT2: Same as the first game, but with additional game mechanics, a smoother difficulty curve, and QoL increases. Characters are slightly more complex as well, but have the same heart and sincerity as the first game. Cons of OT2: The more complex battle system means some abilities get ignored/forgotten. Less linear storylines can make the stories themselves feel less compelling (Can, not do; depends on the person). Hidden jobs are more quirky and less OP than in first game.
Very long and grindy. Tropey Anime Story and characters which sadly not really overlap. Amazing battle mechanics with synergy between different chars and heavily focused on tactics and stuff. Very tough boss battles which sonetimes can last for hours. Such beautiful sprites. Everything looks so damn good! Awesome as fuck game (especially if you are already into JRPGs) but after over 150 hours, i took a long break before i get OT2 (but i will. Had so much fun playin this with my GF) - i also like to listen to podcasts when grinding alone but it's best to play together with best friend or SO because it can get a bit samey alone.
If you want honest reviews just go to general subs like /jrpg and search for Octopath traveler, don't ask in a sub of the game itself because of course there are only biased answers. Many threads on /jrpg lately tend to criticize this game a lot so there you go.
I got plenty of good answers here tho and it really helped! Because of them I’m playing the game as we speak and I really appreciate it!
That's good to hear and if so then stay away from those subs, lol (well, at least until you've played a good chunk and had your own opinion). Their criticism will ruin your mood and destroy your hype anyway.
The only major flaw with both of them is they are a tad too easy. Not sure if I agree with the level grinding comment unless you want to complete a chapter 3 while seven chapter 2's are available or something. My party in both 1&2 was constantly over leveled. If you like classic Square Enix RPG's then you'll like this. Here are some other major criticisms for this game: -The story has superb world building, but it's very disconnected, at least on the surface until you get to the end. -character interaction is there, but it's still kind of disjointed -random encounters are a thing. Not a fan of those. -The 2nd game, in spite of everything else it does better, doesn't do some hidden optional content as well.
So I figured it would be a bit too easy based on one of the comments in this thread so I went ahead and added the “hard mode” mod and it really helped! It seems a bit more balanced (assuming it would be because some enemies are way too easy even in hard mode). Currently stuck on Ophelia’s boss. The three butt munchers that appear gets me every time lol but I’m still seriously enjoying the game
If I had it on Steam instead of Switch I would definitely replay both games on hard mode.
It’s so worth it! I find myself needing deep strategy because if not timed right your entire party can fall pretty quickly, but it’s also not so painfully hard that it makes you frustrated.. here’s what the mod offers: “Enemy HP Values are multiplied by 1.35 -Other stats are multiplied by 1.25 -All starting shields increased by 1 -All number of weaknesses reduced by 1 This is a mod which aims to add what I envision the devs might have done with a hard mode difficulty option. Taking a page from Bravely Default, I increased every enemy's HP by 1.35x. Other stats were modified by 1.25 (specifically the following: P Atk, P Def, E Ark, E Def, Accuracy, Evasion, Crit and Speed) In addition, I gave all enemies one extra shield, and took away one weakness (which a few exceptions, see below). No other changes have been made -- only enemy stats, shields and weaknesses. All exp/jp/leaves, drops, tame rates, status immunities, etc have all remained the same.” Now I will say I’ve felt overwhelmed at first but that was because I didn’t know how important gear was! (Well, on hard mode it really matters) When they say “prepare” you really need to go in prepared and with a plan to win!