With its prequels increasing and soaring popularity, hopes are incredibly high for Octopath Traveler 2. In the first game, Octopath collected 3 million sales and continues to sell more. Following the massive success of the JRPG HD-2D game, Square Enix, the gaming company, has announced it will be releasing a sequel to the game.
Release Date and Platform
The release date for Octopath Traveler 2 was announced during the Nintendo Direct held in September 2022. It was reported to be the 24th of February, 2023. The first Octopath Traveler was exclusively on just Nintendo Switch. However, the game makers have decided to expand the platforms on which the sequel to the first game will be available. Octopath Traveler 2 plans to release on many platforms, such as PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.
There are also chances that the game will also have a demo released. This will be released closer to the release date of the game. The chances of a demo are high because the first Octopath had a prologue demo. Similarly, many games released by Square Enix have prologue demos close to the release dates.
Story For The Second Part
The sequel Octopath Traveler 2 takes place in a world called Solitisia. The area where the game is based is going through an industrial revolution. The era the world is based on also seems less modern than the current modern times. This is because the trailer features horse-driven carriages, steam engines, and majestic castles and palaces.
The game has eight protagonists, each with very different backgrounds, stories, and origins. Each player starts with a particular protagonist that they choose. However, as they go, they can recruit any of the other seven protagonists further in the game. This is because, in this sequel, all eight protagonists’ stories are intertwined. This is in the aspect of narration, called “Crossed Paths.” This can happen once the different protagonists meet each other and choose to start a story that involves both of them. The eight protagonists for the players to choose from are:
- Hikari, The Warrior (For Home) who believes in a world without conflict and wishes to return home
- Agnea, The Dancer (For Stardom) who, like the name suggests, yearns for fame
- Partitio, The Merchant (For Prosperity), wishes to eliminate poverty from the world
- Osvald, The Scholar (For Revenge), is vengeful of a man who took everything away from him
- Throne, The Thief (For Freedom)
- Temenos, The Cleric (For Truth)
- Ochette, the Hunter (For Legends), is looking for other legends in the world
- Castti, The Apothecary (For Memories), is on a journey of self-discovery
Features and Gameplay
Like its prequel, the game Octopath Traveler 2 will be a JRPG. Along with the traditional turn-based system, the game will also feature the Break and Boost system, where a character can build up boost points and use them later on to power up their abilities. Additionally, they can also “break” or decrease the shield power of their enemy so that they lose turns and cannot fight anymore.
Another returning mechanic from the prequel is Path Actions. This is unique to this game’s franchise and enables the players to interact with non-player characters. Using this, a player can convince the town’s residents to fight with them by bribing them with information and gifts. Additionally, the control over the day-night cycle gives each protagonist control of two Path Actions.
A new feature added to the sequel is the Latent Power Ability. This power builds up over time and gradually. Once charged up, it becomes a potent ability for essential tasks and fights. Each character also has an exceptional talent that is unique to just them. For example, the merchant Partitio’s talent is “Business Partners,” which enables him to hire guys to fight with him during battles, and his latent power, “Hoot and Holler,” can reload a member’s BP.
The game also features plenty of sidequests for the players to complete while exploring the world map of Solistia. The game also introduces new ways to explore this world. For example, the players can jump onto canoes to explore water bodies. They can also use ferries to travel along the rivers.
Octopath Traveler 2 Trailer
The four-minute reveal trailer gives the fans and players an excellent extended preview of the game’s setting and characters. The gaming company Square Enix also revealed a 20-minute video on gameplay exploring combat and ground at a game show convention in Tokyo. The company has also announced to release of specific trailers for each character as they approach the release date.