The music is the best I’ve heard in a game. Huge snubbed!

Yes it should have been nominated for best RPG. Instead Lies of P got nominated which I don't understand how that game is an RPG. Octopath traveler 2 most underrated game of 2023

Square enix logic : you no Final Fantasy, you no get award nominated

I know right, at least for best soundtrack. Absolutely a crime big time

Honestly, it doesn't deserve to be nominated. I played the first game and I REALLY didn't like it because of the lack of interaction between party members breaking my immersion, the extremely bare bones stories, the tedious combat, and the "unique" structure of the game just screwing up the pacing immensely. The only reason I paid $60 for the first game was because the demo made an amazing first impression and I really loved the art style and I ESPECIALLY loved the music. It's just such a shame that this game, which has one of my top video game soundtracks of all time, happens to be mid in the aspects that matter most. It's easily the most overrated game of all time. The second game has all of the first game's problems. That is reason enough as to why it doesn't deserve a nomination, let alone an award. If it deserves any award, it's for music. Honestly, if any JRPG deserved to be nominated for 2023, it was Trails into Reverie. Though that game was technically released in Japan in 2020, it didn't come to the West until 2023. That game was genuinely amazing - but I can see why it wasn't nominated. You literally have to play 9 whole games before Reverie to understand the plot.

this game is a breath of fresh air… its just been mediocre slop for past 3 years

same here on all counts boss.

If you like old school JRPGs, I recommend Final Fantasy IV and V and Dragon Quest V. Its available on mobile also.

​@@_CrimsonBladetriangle strategy was pretty decent

I didn't play the first Octopath because, while I was enthralled by the appearance, I was put off by what I heard about the storytelling. But I played the demo for Octopath 2, and this was made 100% to appeal to me, a guy who was obsessed with Final Fantasy 6 when I was 10.. They know what they're doing. I'm probably going to buy this.

Do you recommend playing the first one first?

@@seapanther53it’s not required as it’s a completely different story, aside from a few Easter eggs and such in the second. If you want to end up playing both I recommend playing the 1st one before the second bc the second one is so much better then the first so if you play the second one first then the first game will seem way too inferior. Sorry if that was confusing lol

i didn’t enjoy hogwarts legacy i found the combat boring and stuff outside the hogwarts castle bland but this game is amazing to me so far and ive only been playing the demo version ive always found jrpg superior to western rpgs

​@@cheddarsunchipsyes8144so it's like final fantasy with different histories and characters in each game?

late answer but yeah, they're set in the same world but octopath traveler 2 is set in a different continent. Based on one of the special quest NPCs, octopath 2 seems to be set far into the past of of Octopath 1(cus that npc is dead in Octopath 1, he's younger in octopath 2). They have the same mythos/religion though but the big bad guy in their lore are different.

YOU CANNOT MISS OUT ANYMORE? That is huge for me. This game is quickly becoming more beloved than the original

Indoor know on which point OPTC2 was hard. But still a great game ❤

And full of secrets and hidden discoveries, which OT1 didn't have.

It's actually closer to the 32-bit era of RPGs when you really look at it.

Its just nostalgia, man. FF has not lost any of its passion, it just hasn't been pixel art or just barely 3D (FFIX) since 2000. FF is still great, and FFXVI will be amazing as well. But Team Asano's games (Bravely series, Octopath, Triangle Strategy) are specifically just trying to bring back that SNES-like style of RPG with modern visuals. Its beautiful. But yeah seriously, trust me FF is still good. Totally fine to flock to Octopath with nostalgia though.

@@zerosolis6664 I’d say it’s more mixed than that, and you can’t dismiss square enix’s lackluster previous FF games and other games in recent years. Ther`s been too many misses that have tarnished the brand. Even Yoshi P the lead director of FFXVI says that he intends to bring back the high expectation that every FF release is something special. That’s something that existed from VI to X where every release was huge and received high marks from reviewers and gamers. Where you are right is that Square seem to have got their act together recently for 16 (let’s hope) and 14 is fantastic. The others have been below the high standard set by previous FFs. FF should keep innovating the battle system but the story and characters in recent ones has been below standard. OCT2 is high quality and has what Square do best which goes beyond nostalgia as new fans discover it.

@@zerosolis6664 Well said.

@@makasete30 I can and I will dismiss the implied notion that XII and XIII are lackluster FF games, that's just your opinion, even if many agree. I value both quite highly for various reasons, but in the end they are both intricate games that established a new direction forward. 15 and 7 Remake and I am sure 16 as well build upon the evolutions in gameplay made in 12 and 13. They didn't tarnish the brand in any way whatsoever.

@@zerosolis6664What FF represents to each of us is completely subjective. I agree 100% with them that Final Fantasy has lost its way as a series, and Octopath has truly taken the reins in a spiritual sense. For me it has very little to do with nostalgia, and just great story-telling, fun battle mechanics, and a believable world that's engrossing to explore. The only part of this that is nostalgia-related is some aspects of the art style, and even that is largely different than the games we grew up with. But of course, my opinions and experiences are my own, just as yours are yours. *All of our views on this are subjective and it's fine to disagree.*

I hear you, I played all weekend and couldn't sleep because the music was playing in my head.

@@Peanutfiendsblog Throne's story is the most fucked up story i have experienced in a good way bar none.

@@mrlacksoriginality4877 Yeah it's like that show Dollhouse almost. It's creepy AF.

If they lowered the MCs to 6 then SE would have to rename the game to Sexopath Traveler

@@suigeneris886 My therapist thinks I’m a sexopath

Do you need to have playec the first one?

@@fernandozavaletabustos205 no completely different world

@@ShiroDawn Thank you for answering!

Nice! Amen to that.

Is it a direct sequel or is it it's own story? Can you enjoy it without playing the first one?

@@snake098765 It is its own story. So i definitely recommend getting it. It is like a direct upgrade from the first one

How did you get an early copy

i thought the first one was better

There are 4 crossed paths with 2 parts each. There is also a final chapter.

square has more in the works, I believe FF tacts and maybe FF3. In this style anyway.

@@killval849 Dragon Quest 3 also i believe.

We need more games with pong style graphics

There's Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes coming up soon. Looks similar to Octopath Traveller with the HD-2D art style. Plus it also has multiple protagonists just like Octopath. Might be one to watch when it comes out in a couple of months.

ooooh baby some dragon quest in this style.

Do you need to have certain characters be a certain level, or do you need to preform side objectives or sidequests to unlock them? I'm not sure how that works. (Picked up the game 3 days ago)

based take, i agree completely about Pokémon. it died with the 3d change

Thats exactly me haha. I only have like 3-4 characters all at their chapter 4s. Them secret dungeons are brutal but fun too except the grinding lol.

it's what squenix always does. giving you tons of grind make up for the lack of real content... all of their games are grindy af

Ngl Don’t mind the grind tbh. There were good videos online for Octopath 1 when it came it reduce it a good amount. So if they do the same it wiIl it will be better tbh. But I get what ur saying tho

Play Chained Echoes, its the solution to all Your problems

If you keep Cyrus in your party his first passive skill that’s unlocked is Evasive Maneuvers which limits random encounters. I never equipped that skill because I enjoy the grind, it prepares you for the bosses.

Already some guides out on how to catch high level monsters to make them your grinding chess pieces too lol.

What parts of the first did you not like? I'm kind of curious

There is a 3 hour demo if you want to try it first 😎

It's wild, I mean I love action RPG games and all but when I was a kid I wanted turn based series to turn action based and now as an adult I look back and man I miss turn based, I appreciate action rpgs still but turn based games just idk feel more like art usually and the strategy and tactics elements is more enjoyable to me then reflex based muscle memory gaming action gives ya. Like DQ11,Fire emblem three houses,persona and now Octopath are some of my favorite games.

Should try chained echoes if you haven't

Yes. As I said toward the latter part of the review, the game's design where you can only have 4 party members without any backups getting XP inherently forces grinding. That said, I expected this after the first game and made sure the party didn't fall behind. There are tricks like using the dancer's Bewildering Grace to hit a big XP bonus or that rare cat encounter, but otherwise you're going to have to grind a decent amount.

Buy the full game, you will not regret it

But it would be " Too grindy ", People can't grind and don't want to . dlc might be a thing tho bexause there is that one part of the map that we can't explore and it trigger me

There are some crossovers/banter, but not the cohesive storyline that I think fans were hoping for. Each of the individual stories are excellent IMO, so I care less this time around. That said, if they miss the mark on a couple of stories which is very possible then that framework can come crumbling down.

Yeah wish there were more interaction

@@retrorebound8887 Cheers brother, fingers crossed one day we get some bioware-esque party banter and connections

i don't think octopath traveler is the concept some people are looking for, because it doesn't NEED to be. octopath is not concerned with telling ONE story but eight different stories in a sort of anthology format. the paths may intersect at some points and there may be one unifying theme or threat tying them together, but i think that so long as people keep coming into octopath with this mindset and not accepting it for what it is - a playable anthology - they'll be constantly disappointed. but i promise that the experience really isn't less enjoyable just because the stories do not come together into one narrative. i don't think this game is any less enjoyable than the latter concept we could have gotten, but as a fan of the series and the fact they're doing something different and unique, to have octopath work with eight stories that eventually intersect into one narrative just wouldn't...feel like octopath anymore. in fact that feels like the very predictable and very mainstream thing to do. best thing i can say is to take octopath 2 for what it is and enjoy the fun gameplay, visually stunning worlds, gorgeous music, memorable characters, and enjoy the ride.

Unchained echoes. You can use up to 8 parry members any time. Can freely move them in and out each turn. Great RPG besides...

@@godless1014 besides what? I love chained echoes so far

It….kinda isn’t. If anything it is more complex and still very punishing. Best way I can recommend to have the fewest problems? Do NOT enter an area or boss fight if you are significantly under-leveled. All areas have “risk levels” posted when you enter them. Try to adhere to what the game suggests or it’s gonna be pretty hard

I highly recommend Final Fantasy 10 as that was my introduction to turn-based RPG's and it sealed my love for the subgenre.

@@MegaMann14 I have it in my backlog! Is it beginner friendly?

​@@MissBubbles yes

@@spiderdude2099 true, being 2-3 level under the recommended one, you're in for a tough but fun time :D

Aw man, that's a bummer. I loved that about the first game's packaging, especially since the boxes no longer include any type of pamphlet or printed material that boxes for older game consoles did-- so, the artwork on the interior cover just added that little extra something special to the packaging. As someone who likes to collect physical copies of console games that I really love (and books too), this has been one of my major gripes with the packaging of Switch games (and increasingly with other consoles, as physical ownership seems to be something that developers are attempting to phase out, unfortunately for collectors).

Oooof that hurts Hurts to hear, time to get it digitally

I picked up on that as well. It's a very minor thing for me since I keep all my cartridges in a separate place and never open the original boxes. It does make one wonder why they didn't include artwork in this second release.

The STEELBOOK version did have beautiful artwork on the inside but the regular physical copy has nothing

@@zach177 good to hear! My steelbook is still on the way. BestBuy didn't have it in stock at the store. It was a free preorder, so no complaints.

lol , git gud scrub .

If I remember correctly in the demo you can press R to switch to autoplay

Yes there is autoplay if u press L or R

@@fairmonkey4786 Thank you!

@@dabblerofmost 👍

It was in the first as well if I remember correctly…

I will say that I love this series in handheld, but if you're a geek for the art style then you should play it in 4K. Absolutely one of the most beautiful games ever.

Crossed paths stories with two party members are smaller stories with direct interaction between the characters

Go straight to 2. Its better and has a completely different story

@@fairmonkey4786 true

Play the 3rd one. It’s the best of the 3