Finding the exact input to be able to write this review is not an easy task, so it is legitimate to take a small step back. During the run-up to the launch of the Nintendo Switch, the house of the big N disclosed the list of third-party studios that would collaborate to expand the console's line up over the years. One of these was precisely Square Enix, with users who already imagined a sort of porting of the various noble titles of the company. Instead, contrary to expectations, we were amazed by the announcement of Octopath Traveler, game that completely pays homage to the RPGs of a bygone era. The development of the videogame began like this, with one eye on history, but also with the other well open to the future: because yes, the pixel art style can be deceiving, but the class of production and the enormous narrative depth make the title one of the most interesting of the Nintendo playground. In Octopath Traveler you will not only live an adventure, but you will have the opportunity to experience eight, one for each protagonist. Stories of hate, revenge, friendship and much more, all strong themes that undoubtedly require a certain degree of maturity to be understood. The same maturity that the various characters will also acquire, if you have the pleasure of staying with them until the end of the story.
Eight stories, eight adventures
Get to the bottom of the events narrated in Octopath Traveler it is certainly a tall order, as the eight stories told are complex and multifaceted. We will therefore limit ourselves only to giving you a brief description of the characters and their path, so as not to overdo it too much of a production strongly structured on the narrative power. Primerose is a dancer who performs for pure male pleasure. Nobody knows that she is actually descended from a noble royal lineage, the house of Azelhart. To disgrace his family were three men with the symbol of the raven who, during a dark and stormy night, killed his father without thinking twice. It all begins when one of them showed up in Solvelato, the village where the young woman performs. Determined to carry out her revenge, she will stop at nothing or anyone. H'aanit is a hunter of great skill and the last descendant of an ancient clan, she is not afraid to wander through the forest if she has her faithful bow with her. His master set out in search of a ferocious beast and never returned. However, almost exactly one year after her departure, the young woman meets a friend of the master. This is enough to convince her to get back on the road. Therion is a thief with a past still shrouded in mystery. His exploits echo among the population, but no one knows that he is preparing for the coup of the century. A rich booty is his reward, unfortunately not all that glitters is gold and, almost suddenly, he will find himself involved in a much greater undertaking than himself. Cyrus is a scholar, he has been teaching at the Royal Academy for some time and, although he could achieve anything in life, he decided to devote all his time to reading and learning. His adventure begins after a particular text mysteriously disappears from the archives. Destiny has something special in store for him. Olberic is a warrior and, in the past, he was a noble knight. However, one gloomy day he lost the king and the kingdom to an inexplicable betrayal. After years of living in a small village, rumors carry a familiar name that she believed was missing. His journey begins right there.
Tressa is a merchant who spends her days on the shelves of the shop. However, his dream is to travel across the ocean and the arrival of a large vessel will change his life forever.. Ophilia is a clergyman from the Glacial Lands serving the Order of the Flame from an early age. Her half-sister, as well as her best friend, prepares for a sacred pilgrimage that takes place every 20 years. The course of events will lead her to take his place. Alfyn is an apothecary, or a kind of doctor, and takes care of a small settlement in the Riverlands. As a child he became seriously ill and a passerby helped him without asking for anything. His dream was to heal all people in every corner of the earth. A chance encounter with his friend made him realize that it was time for something new for him.
What has just been said may seem little, but in reality, as you continue with the various plots, you will realize how many plots and intrigues they hide. Unfortunately, as in life, the danger is always around the corner, overcoming the difficulties will be a great test of maturity of all the characters. For better or for worse. Octopath Traveler is a game about pain, broken promises and false hopes, but also of courage, revenge and overcome trauma. All tremendously mature themes that wink at a more adult audience, thus demonstrating Nintendo's intention to offer both something that recalls light-heartedness and youth with style, and the need to obtain something more from the now addicted consent. As far as the level of creative writing is concerned, the development house has certainly not spared itself, focusing on a production narrated with the right timing and giving equal importance to all eight characters. Furthermore, you can decide how to deal with the various journeys: use only the reference character, or meet the others to join them gradually to the group, so as to expand the team and choose which story to progress with. Needless to say, however, that some plots share, at least in part, the same locations, which is still quite passable since the title is not structured to be an open world.
Nothing will stop you
As for the gameplay Octopath Traveler, being a tribute to the games of the past, he decided to focus on a turn-based combat system. Obviously this mechanic has undergone some small changes that make it more modern and dynamic for our times. As you will have understood by reading the characteristics of the various characters, each of them has a specific class: differentiated from this, the eight will have unique abilities to use inside and outside the battle. When we say "out of battle", we do not mean the use of spells to restore life to the protagonists or remove some status: if you interact with the various NPCs with certain characters in the team, you can activate the specialty of the latter at your choice. For example, with Therion you will have the opportunity to steal items from the pockets of villagers, with Olberic you will be able to challenge passers-by in a 1vs1 duel and so on. The turns in battle respect the classic rhythms of the genre, but to make the clashes more interesting, the development house has decided to insert the mechanics of the shield in favor of the enemies. Each opponent is equipped with a kind of barrier that protects him sensibly from allied attacks: the only way to take down this protection is to hit it with the element or weapon it suffers from the weakness. Under every monster, in fact, there will be a bar that will show all its weaknesses. They will not be available immediately but you will have to discover them independently during the clashes, hitting them with the right element. In this case you will also have to be a little lucky because, when you do not know your opponent, you will also be unaware of his weakness. This will push you to try different combinations, so as to make subsequent discounts easier for you once its vulnerability has been ascertained.
Another interesting mechanic is that of the Focus bar: each protagonist is equipped with a sort of blocks that will load one per turn, placed above the life points. You can use them to power up your attack before unleashing it, charging up to four. The other solution instead is to keep this power for the best occasion, but remember that the points are not comparable between one fight and another, and are still limited in battle. Characters at the end of each battle will get PCs, or points that can be accumulated useful to unlock primary and support skills, which can really be of all kinds: there will be the one that will give you the possibility of not meeting the enemies, or a slight increase in HP or the opportunity to start first in battle. There are many possibilities, all very varied and suitable for every need. The exploration felt quite classic, with some hidden place that isn't even too difficult to access, which will reward you with a chest. Despite this, however, you never leave the predefined "binaries", therefore don't expect an open world, but a path from which you will never be able to escape. In any case, the map is very large, and with very evocative scenarios that perfectly differentiate each region, thanks above all to the graphic style used. Even the cities have their own peculiarities, and it is up to you to decide whether to find out about the stories and customs of the place. The nice thing about Octopath Traveler is that you can choose whether to face each story alone or, in case, to meet the various members of the group, going in search of them one at a time. The first approach is still feasible, also because each story is suitable for the specialties of a particular character, although obviously it will require you to spend more time to take care of the leveling. The second way, on the other hand, will require a greater expenditure of energy at the beginning of the game, but subsequently you will be more than facilitated.
Between graphics and music, the production is very evocative, bringing to mind distant memories or, in some cases, making us forget everything for a total immersion in this great experience. It is right to spend a few more words for the soundtrack, ready to emphasize key points and relax with its sweet notes during the most relaxed and peaceful moments. The music sector is therefore excellent, able to transport you to another world with your mind, making you arrive with more pathos every single moment of the game.
In conclusion we can say that Octopatch Traveler it is a title that really deserves a lot, an important exclusive, thick and with a great desire to show that Nintendo is not just for children. Unfortunately, the excessive linearity of the paths to reach certain places and an exploration that is not particularly sought after, plug the wings of the videogame which has proved to be mature and passionate. The love and care of the developers is seen in every single detail and dialogue, with a particular eye on the latter, as each character and NPC has a unique and dramatic story. Octopath Traveler is a tribute to the beautiful and good past, a riot at the time when there was no politically correct ending, but the software houses had the courage to dare by focusing on issues that are difficult to digest and that recall the hatred and animalism of modern society, highlighting incorrect and disgusting behaviors , but inevitably central to the events narrated. Having given the same importance to the various protagonists was the touch of class, where the eight do not step on each other's toes, leaving the user the opportunity to become attached to everyone without distinction from their path. We hope that the collaboration between Nintendo and Square Enix continues to progress over time, so that other titles such as Octopath Traveler, since the video game market in general also needs experiences of this kind.
