Square Enix released the demo version of its upcoming RPG Project Octopath Traveler on the Nintendo Switch eShop last September. It has since been downloaded over one million times, and fans have given their feedback via surveys.
In response to the massive player input, the devs uploaded a short video discussing the various adjustments they made to the overall experience – some of which make the controls more convenient and some that were sorely needed. The survey was sent out via opt-in emails through the Nintendo Account system.
A summary of the changes to the full Project Octopath Traveler game is as follows: running is done by pushing the analog stick all the way, with the B button going even faster (and raising the encounter rate to compensate). Fast travel has been added, plus the ability to skip and later re-watch cutscenes, and message speed settings. Even the save function has been adjusted, now with nine slots and one autosave, and making it less likely to overwrite existing saves by accident. UI features, such as help text, have been improved as well.
As for gameplay changes, landmarks and increased visibility have been added to dungeons, a much-needed change considering how difficult it was to navigate even a linear path. If that’s not enough, players will also be able to adjust the brightness and toggle filters. They’ve also added a radar to point out important spots. Finally, Project Octopath Traveler’s battle system has been balanced out, another critical change.
Considering this was a demo version and not a beta, it’s worth applauding SE for making these adjustments at this stage in development. Project Octopath Traveler is due for release sometime this year, with no definite date given as of yet. One thing is crystal clear – it’s going to be a smash hit when it does arrive.
