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Octopath Traveler quickly became one of my favorite RPG series. Its HD-2D style, which has now jumped to other franchises, remains as iconic as it is timeless. But beyond that, the sense of adventure with intricate turn-based combat mechanics, accompanied by compelling characters and stories, has made the series the giant it is today in the genre. Now, Octopath Traveler 0 is coming, and after playing its first few hours, I can say that the magic from this series is still there, and a bit better in some cases.
From the Ashes
While I’m familiar with the whole Octopath Traveler series, especially the two mainline entries, Champions of the Continent is the one I played the least, yet I still know what it is about and can talk about the significant differences between that one and Octopath Traveler 0, and let me tell you, it is pretty different from the start.
In Octopath Traveler 0, you get to create your character through a simple character creator. You pick the body type, hairstyle, and hair color, and a few other things. After that, you choose your innate skill, giving you either a DPS move, a healing one, or a support one. Lastly, you pick and name your favorite dish, and then get three belongings to accompany you on your adventure. With all that set, you’re off to start your life in Wishvale.
Here, you’re the kid of the town’s watch captain. So, you already know a few fighting moves, and for those familiar with character actions outside of combat, you can do most of them, including purchasing items, entreating NPCs for rewards, and even challenging a few poor citizens for a duel if you want to take their belongings.
After beating a few citizens and going for an errand, things go south in seconds, and your whole village is razed. For this preview, I was able to experience the whole prologue and the start of some of the other quests, but that’s as far as I’ll go when it comes to describing them because Octopath Traveler 0 features the best prologue in all of the games of the series so far. It is beautiful, heartbreaking, and epic in many ways, and one thing that already shows that this isn’t just a port of Champions of the Continent, but something that feels new and unique.
Your New Life in Orsterra
In terms of gameplay, Octopath Traveler 0 plays almost the same as its predecessor. It is a turn-based RPG. Each character gets two weapons you can swap during a fight to unlock the weakness blocks from an enemy. If you manage to break an enemy’s shield by targeting their weakness, you’ll stun them, making them skip a turn. Also, BPs are back, allowing you to strengthen your moves, whether it is a DPS skill or a healing one.
Jobs and skill progression are also back. After a key event in the prologue, you get to unlock your first job, and should you wish, you can unlock a new one; you can check the requirements for them. Those who love to play with some job and skill combinations will find many options here.
Where the game vastly differs is in its questing structure. As soon as you return to the destroyed town of Wishvale, you get to pick between three tales, and then it is up to you to choose how to tackle them. So, instead of focusing on one of the eight characters like in previous entries, the story revolves more around the villains and the continent of Orsterra, which is an excellent approach, especially when you have a player-created character.
And of course, the big thing about Octopath Traveler 0 is its town-building system. Here, you can rebuild Wishvale by inviting NPCs around the map. There are a few things you need before placing a house, however, such as materials that you can get through different means. Also, you can invite certain characters and give them a home. Some of them will even give you a passive bonus that will help you develop Wishvale further. While I haven’t delved into that system deeply, in terms of mechanics, it is quite snappy, easy to understand, and highly addictive, as it provides a cozy aspect to this epic tale.
From Zero to Hero
Octopath Traveler 0 is more than a remake of Champions of the Continent. While it has elements that fans of the mobile game will remember fondly and feel familiar with, it adds so many new features that make it feel like a completely new entry in the series —and one of the best at that. If you’re a newcomer, however, or someone who’s only played the first two entries of the series, you’ll find here a quintessential Octopath Traveler adventure, which is something many of us had been waiting for.
