Octopath Traveler Switch $28.99 (Used) @ Gamestop

Probably a good deal. One thing to keep in mind is to maybe just buy it to play and not necessarily to flip back, as the trade-in value was fairly weak on it at GameStop last I checked.

I liked Bravely Default 2 but have yet to play this game.
 
I’m floored by the secret end game of octopath.  I wish they would have made it a little easier to stumble on naturally.  You cant lock yourself out of it though, I don’t think.  Do sidequests and everyone’s stories.  I recommend not looking up the endgame until you’ve exhausted everything else you want to do playing normally and once your done with that, just look it up if you haven’t found it on your own after that point.  I would have liked to have stumbled on it, but fast travel makes that unlikely for most, unless you like pointlessly wandering areas you’ve already explored a lot.

The games dialogue while very good, drones on a little too much for my taste, and the games pacing is odd, but the way everything comes together in the end game is really well done and unique.  Does some things with the narrative and random npcs I don’t think have ever been done before. Not the highest production values or anything too technically impressive, but I really liked the ending to this game, very unique and unexpected twist.  Just beat it today.

 
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Xenogears said:
I’m floored by the secret end game of octopath. I wish they would have made it a little easier to stumble on naturally. You cant lock yourself out of it though, I don’t think. Do sidequests and everyone’s stories. I recommend not looking up the endgame until you’ve exhausted everything else you want to do playing normally and once your done with that, just look it up if you haven’t found it on your own after that point. I would have liked to have stumbled on it, but fast travel makes that unlikely for most, unless you like pointlessly wandering areas you’ve already explored a lot.

The games dialogue while very good, drones on a little too much for my taste, and the games pacing is odd, but the way everything comes together in the end game is really well done and unique. Does some things with the narrative and random npcs I don’t think have ever been done before. Not the highest production values or anything too technically impressive, but I really liked the ending to this game, very unique and unexpected twist. Just beat it today.
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Take a shot every time you see "end" "game" everyone

 
I still say, play the demo first.   It has a pretty graphical style (though sometimes a bit cumbersome since you have to sometimes walk out of view of the camera)... but the stories weren't that well thought out (IMO).  The world itself feels very linear thanks to all the narrow paths. maybe I should have expected linear paths in a game called Octopath Traveller... but I was thinking it was going to be more about the journey (path) each of the eight people take in their travels... and instead it felt like a very boring world to traverse given so little option to go off the very beaten path.   The saving grace to me was the battle system.  That seemed solid... but I need more than that.  So an easy pass for me... though it might be perfect for you.  Just go check out the demo before throwing money at this.   Additionally it's pretty well known that the characters themselves don't interact with each other.

 
Just like to add my favorite track is Flamesgrace, Guiding Light ／ 聖火の都フレイムグレース  :razz:

 
nightc1 said:
I still say, play the demo first. It has a pretty graphical style (though sometimes a bit cumbersome since you have to sometimes walk out of view of the camera)... but the stories weren't that well thought out (IMO). The world itself feels very linear thanks to all the narrow paths. maybe I should have expected linear paths in a game called Octopath Traveller... but I was thinking it was going to be more about the journey (path) each of the eight people take in their travels... and instead it felt like a very boring world to traverse given so little option to go off the very beaten path. The saving grace to me was the battle system. That seemed solid... but I need more than that. So an easy pass for me... though it might be perfect for you. Just go check out the demo before throwing money at this. Additionally it's pretty well known that the characters themselves don't interact with each other.
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Mostly agree. You summed up what I meant by odd pacing pretty well. If you already know you want to play the game for sure, I’d actually recommend against the demo, or continue the game right away after. Don’t take 2 years in between it like I did :). Otherwise yeah, play the demo, and don’t start with Cyrus or Tressa, or know that the start to their stories are pretty much the worst drivel in the game. Be prepared for more, but that’s the worst of it. The characters do interact in taverns and optional dialogue, but it’s more them commenting on each other’s stories rather than affecting them. You saying the characters don’t interact, which they don’t until chapter 2, makes me think you didn’t get very far in the game though? If so, I made the same mistake trashing the narrative after just playing the demo actually, so no worry, but this game in particular I think it’s hard to truly judge the overall story until it’s all done.

If you definitely aren’t going to play the game, might be interesting to look up how the last boss works out and how the stories tie together. Probably won’t get it, but pretty unique and surprising. The best part of the narrative, which makes all the meandering character stories actually make more sense, 90% of players won’t see playing naturally, and it uses random npcs in a way most developers wouldn’t have the guts to. Those things that would never happen going through test marketing feedback groups, that work and are done well, not just for edgy shock value marketing purposes, i like to applaud that at least. The stories are boring during the game, I tuned out a lot of it, but I like them all in the end. The overall story for the entire game is very well thought out, and I actually kind of like how it was subtly told in smaller character stories and side conversations that seemed pointless at the time. Just get the secret ending, and read all the extra in game narratives related to that part if you are going to play the game.

 
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Davem said:
Just like to add my favorite track is Flamesgrace, Guiding Light ／ 聖火の都フレイムグレース :razz:
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I like the Saintsbridge theme, not sure what one that is. Did you get the secret ending? Know it’s not anything that technically impressive, but I really liked it. Same game, but people that do that or not, are going to have a vastly different opinion of the overall narrative I think.

 
Xenogears said:
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Thanks for the detailed reply.

I only played the demo ... but did so for several different characters. The characters interacting was a major complaint I kept reading from people who played deep into the game. Also many noted how repetitious the game formula was and that you kind of end up doing the same thing over and over and over.

There's definitely no chance I'm going to bother with the full game so I might look up the secret ending and see how that all plays out as I do appreciate great story craftsmanship. I'm making a conscious effort to try to only play games that really tick a lot of the boxes I enjoy in games. Typically I hate very linear worlds like Octopath has. That's been a huge turnoff to me in many games (like FF:X). The only way I overcome that is if the battle system is just bonkers amazing and the story is very interesting with characters I just can't help but like.

I thought the demo was a good idea simply because you are getting the beginning of the game and can continue your save from where you leave off. So it's not wasting time. And if you are buying to shelve it for a few years then question how good the game even is by the demo and if it's worth picking up if it didn't wow you enough to want to play it immediately. Well, that's how I see it anyway... but I'm playing fewer games these days so I really want every experience to be as amazing as possible without feeling like I'm slogging through something to get to the good part.

 
Completely get it.  They missed the game feeling like a grand journey entirely, there is very little meaningful exploration, when that is supposed to be a major theme of the game.  The side caves are all too high level when you find them, so I just went back and did them all at the end.  They do a bad job of guiding you to meaningful discoveries, including the secret ending, you have to go over the same areas repeatedly and never know where the next random little thing you might need to progress the side stories will pop up.  The entire game feels like you are doing the same loop 32 times, and most areas follow the same general size and guidelines.  If you enjoy the game, that’s not terrible, just more of it, but I don’t like how formulaic that is.  I like what they tried to do with the art style, but not the biggest fan of that either.

However, the little details to the npcs, how they are used in the game, and how the narrative comes together I thought was pretty unique and well done.  I wouldn’t recommend the game if you don’t enjoy the demo gameplay or initial chapter 1 character loops, but as someone who initially didn’t like it and found most of the stories boring, it’s a good overall story if you make it through to the end.  If you enjoy the gameplay, music and writing enough to keep going with it.  It doesn’t exactly get better or any different at the end, it just ties the stories together in an interesting way and makes even the smaller ones more meaningful to the whole.

 
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Xenogears said:
I like the Saintsbridge theme, not sure what one that is. Did you get the secret ending? Know it’s not anything that technically impressive, but I really liked it. Same game, but people that do that or not, are going to have a vastly different opinion of the overall narrative I think.
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I didn't want to invest the time to grind high enough to beat the final/secret boss for the true ending (got to phase 2!) but ... like everyone else... watched it on YT and got the hardcover guide! :fridge:

 
Davem said:
I didn't want to invest the time to grind high enough to beat the final/secret boss for the true ending (got to phase 2!) but ... like everyone else... watched it on YT and got the hardcover guide! :fridge:
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Ok, yeah, that’s good enough. You know the bosses before the end boss in that area leave behind a book each with additional lore you can read? It’s mostly how the secret area comes about, the main protagonists in it, and how that additional lore expands and connects the stories that I found pretty neat and fairly well done. I would have liked for the game to be better in a lot of areas, but I enjoyed my time overall, and the endgame dungeon changed my opinion on the individual and overall stories. The actual “ending” from beating that last boss adds little. Last boss is extremely tough if your not breaking the game with saving grace and apothecaries!

 
My only gripe about the game is that once you catch on to the 'path' it becomes a little too rinse, repeat. That and balance is fairly bad since you can pick a wrong path to start with. Huntress being the absolute best first pick, then the thief to be able to unlock items early. Still a great game, but funky design just for the sake of being different. Triangle Strategy looks to be an easy win for them though. I'll just have to wait patiently until it's also on Game Pass since I don't want to play it on Switch.

 
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