JRPGs are also known for their plots and Octopath Traveler is no exception. In time you will unlock the ability to assign each character a subjob based on one of the other protagonists, allowing you to mix-and-match their abilities. So if you want to have a variety of characters available you’ll need to switch them out periodically. Characters level independently and only those in your group earn XP. You will need to plan ahead and make sure you stock up on items whenever you’re about to leave a town. HP and MP are not restored between battles without items, using an ability or spell, or staying at an Inn. Much like the JRPGs of yore this game is fairly difficult and there are times when you need to slow down and grind out a few levels before taking on the next boss or advancing to the next area. These minor tweaks to an old formula keep the battles fresh and allow you to form strategies about when it’s best to burn through your boost points to quickly break an enemies defenses or store them up so you can drop massive amounts of damage when they’re weak.
Every turn your party members also gain a Boost Point which can be stored (up to 5) and used to boost the power of spells, abilities, or to attack multiple times in a row. Once their defense is broken the enemy is stunned for a turn and takes extra damage from all attacks during that round. There are a few new twists to mix things up, such as each enemy having a defense (indicated by a shield with a number on it) that can be broken by attacking the enemy with weapons or elements they are weak to. In terms of gameplay this is a very traditional JRPG with turn based battles and menu based combat. Composer Yasunori Nishiki doesn’t have many games under his belt, but if this game is any indication then his will be a career to pay attention too. Many Square Enix games are known for having amazing soundtracks and Octopath Traveler doesn’t disappoint. The 8 heroes are beautifully animated and the sprites for enemies are big and highly detailed. One of my only complaints is that the depth of field seems a little too shallow at times, obscuring some of the backgrounds. The first thing you probably notice about Octopath Traveler is its “HD-2D” (as dubbed by Square Enix) graphical style which combines traditional sprites with high definition effects and environments. Each protagonist also has a “Path Ability” which can be used outside of battle to help the party complete side quests, access secret items/paths, or recruit NPCs to help the party. Each character has a unique job with unique combat abilities. Set in the world of Orsterra the game follows 8 protagonists through their own personal stories which eventually intertwine and form a larger overarching plot. and released exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. Octopath Traveler is a single player RPG developed by Square Enix and Aquire Corp. I never owned the original but had the demo and I played the HELL of out that demo.ĭiablo sets a great dark tone and because you move so slowly the dread of having monsters swarm your is felt when you are caught off-guard.Ī love letter to the 16-bit era of JRPGs. For me, Diablo is a classically incredible game and the $10 price tag is very cheap but certain aspects of it might not make for the most smooth play through. If you want to play a slice of gaming history OR you played Diablo a ton and want to relive it then i'd say it's an easy pickup. Diablo 2 improves on it in nearly every way and the remake will come out in the next couple years. It wasn't a problem at the time because Diablo was such a unique and fresh game but compared to anything more modern the movement speed is painful for many.Ģ.
You move painfully slow in the original Diablo. Did you play Diablo 2? If you haven't then I'd say skip Diablo and when the Diablo 2 remake comes out, get that.ġ. I'm going to answer this with another question.
" I missed Diablo during it's first run, is it worth looking into now?"