Octopath Traveler 0 Is a Fun JRPG That Takes Two Steps Forward, but One Step Backward (Review)

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As a big fan of the Octopath Traveler series, I was really excited to see where Octopath Traveler 0 would take things. It’s a really ambitious game, trying to blend everything from the original two games with the mobile version, and adding some new ideas. While I appreciate them trying something different, I can’t help but feel it might have been better to stick with the formula that already worked so well in Octopath Traveler and Octopath Traveler 2. Sometimes, you don’t need to change a winning formula, you know?

Octopath Traveler II is a beautiful game with the best combat in the series, and its story immediately grabs your attention. However, some new ideas don’t quite work as well, creating a frustrating mix of stunning visuals and gameplay choices that interrupt the flow, weaken the story, and feel different from what fans love about the original. It shows how trying new things can sometimes unintentionally hurt a game if those changes aren’t a good fit for what makes the series special.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pros Cons
The art is the series’ best. The pacing is still the series’ worst aspect.
Combat reaches new strategic heights. City-building is fun but feels under-implemented.
The main narrative is strong and feels cohesive. Side stories and characters need more depth.
I’d have preferred a defined protagonist.

Octopath Traveler 0 Makes Innovative, but Unnecessary Additions

I was captivated by the Octopath Traveler series from the very beginning, drawn in by its stunning art style. The sequel continued that tradition, and now Octopath Traveler 0 is arguably the most visually impressive game yet. However, Square Enix didn’t just focus on the beautiful HD-2D graphics; they also introduced several new gameplay ideas that significantly alter how the series plays. This change is likely due to the game being developed by DokiDoki Groove Works instead of Acquire, who created the previous Octopath Traveler titles and the mobile game this one is based on. While I commend the attempt to innovate, many of these new features felt forced and ultimately detracted from the overall experience.

I really appreciate the ability to customize the main character, but it didn’t quite work for me in this game. Unlike the previous game, which featured eight detailed characters with compelling stories, Octopath Traveler 0 has a silent player character that felt disconnected from the narrative. While I enjoyed the story, particularly as it unfolded, seeing my character perform actions and deliver lines broke my immersion. Almost everyone else is voiced, and we even get to choose a voice for our character, so it’s disappointing that they don’t actually speak and react to the story’s emotional moments.

Building and populating the town of Wishvale was a fun addition to the game, but it didn’t feel essential to the main story. It worked well as a small side activity, but the benefits characters offered and the rewards earned were fairly insignificant. The limited options for building and character placement also felt restrictive. Initially, I was excited about managing the town over the game’s 80-100 hour length, but it quickly became tedious. I just wanted to finish it so I could get back to the story and combat.

Octopath Traveler 0 Has the Worst Pacing Yet

Despite being the second main game in the series, Octopath Traveler 0 still struggles with pacing, and it feels even more pronounced than before. Like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the game offers a lot of freedom, letting you choose one of three paths – Fame, Power, or Wealth. Each path has a suggested level, but I found myself quickly surpassing those recommendations without needing to grind. This meant I was often overleveled and rarely felt truly challenged, even during boss fights. While some battles were difficult and almost defeated my party, simply changing my main character’s job to Cleric and unlocking powerful healing magic usually solved the problem. A few optional or late-game bosses provided a good challenge, but for the most part, I found myself mindlessly pressing buttons, only really paying attention when I needed to heal or switch characters to protect them.

The game’s pacing wasn’t great even when I wasn’t fighting. Juggling stories between eight characters meant I’d get hooked on one, then be forced to switch to another, even if I wasn’t as interested. There were also a lot of cutscenes, and many of them felt unnecessary – simple conversations were stretched out into overly dramatic moments that didn’t add anything to the story. The narrative often rushed from calm to intense and then back again. For example, the game sets up these important characters – Tytos, Auguste, and Herminia – but you quickly meet and even defeat them early in the character storylines. While these weren’t the final battles, it felt abrupt, though I was relieved to be finished with Auguste’s part of the story.

The game’s exploration feels limited despite its beautiful environments. I quickly grew tired of revisiting the same locations, especially early on. The straightforward paths and constant display of collectibles on the mini-map removed any real incentive to venture off course. It turned into a repetitive cycle of running through areas and fast-traveling back to places I’d already been. While the world is visually stunning and I wanted to discover its secrets, the actual experience of exploring it became dull and unrewarding.

Sometimes More Is Less

The biggest problem with Octopath Traveler 0 is that it seems to have overcomplicated a formula that already worked well. This is especially noticeable with the characters. While there are at least 30 to choose from, the game loses the close connection I felt with the characters in previous titles. Each one sounds interesting, but they don’t have the same level of development as the eight protagonists we’ve come to know. The title itself is a bit odd, but the real issue is that many character stories feel shallow. Characters sometimes join your party abruptly, disrupting the main storyline, unlike previous games where companions felt integral to each other’s journeys.

The real strength of this update lies in its combat system. Octopath Traveler II features the most complex and strategic battles in the series so far. I frequently had to carefully position my characters and utilize the Boost and Break mechanics, particularly during difficult fights. Even characters with similar classes felt unique thanks to their diverse abilities, especially different types of magic, creating a puzzle-like element in choosing the right character for each situation. While I would have liked more story content for the large cast, the added depth to battles more than compensates. The only downside is the somewhat tedious task of managing gear and ensuring each character has the best equipment.

Octopath Traveler 0 is a solid JRPG, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. It builds on what the series does well, yet also takes some unexpected turns. The game sometimes interrupts its own story, even at exciting moments, and battles aren’t often very difficult. However, when the story and combat do click, it’s incredibly engaging. Square Enix and DokiDoki have made a large and detailed game, but focusing more on what fans loved about the original could have made this a truly outstanding finale to a fantastic JRPG series.

Octopath Traveler 0 will be available on December 4th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. We received a Nintendo Switch code from the publisher to review the game.

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2025-12-03 19:13