Octopath Traveler II
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Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Octopath Traveler II
Octopath Traveler 2 is a very enjoyable JRPG sequel that feels a little too safe and familiar.
Octopath Traveler 2 is more of the same with side quests, interesting characters, and a large world to explore. It essentially gives fans of the first game an additional 60 hours of what they already enjoyed, and newcomers can jump right into the sequel without worrying about what they might have missed.
When all is said and done, and the eight storytellers have finally found a way to make their narratives line up and come together to deliver the exciting finale, Octopath Traveler 2 makes for a satisfying night at the bar. It’s full of pathos and excitement that pushes you forward, and the gameplay is tight and enjoyable. You can’t help but wish it was a little more well-structured, but seeing how the storytellers learned so much from their previous attempt, it’s hard not to look forward to the tales they’ll tell next time.
A competent and entertaining faux-retro Japanese role-player but apart from the new characters almost nothing has changed since the first one.
As an ode to '90s JRPGs, there's no doubt that Octopath Traveler 2 has chops. Its aesthetic and combat system are perfectly judged to recall the old while feeling new. The fragmented nature of its eight separate plotlines, however, means the world and its characters lack coherence and room to escape simple archetypes, while the stories themselves lack sufficient nuance to hold the attention.
Octopath Traveler II does what an excellent sequel should. Instead of breaking new ground left and right, it improves on the original in nearly every way and feels more confident about the stories it tells. There’s still room for improvement in some of its stiffer areas, but Octopath II is a sterling achievement all around.
The non-linear storytelling, freeform exploration, and strategic combat of Octopath Traveler II makes for a challenging and satisfying RPG adventure.
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
