Image Credits: Octopath COTC, Creative Uncut, game8
FIRST IMPRESSION:
Octopath Traveler Champions of the Continent (COTC) is a HD-2D turn based story driven RPG. Immediately as you boot up the game from the serene music, immersive sound effects, excellent voice acting and captivating story it’s apparent there is something special here. We are in an era with a major divide between people who have played many mobile games and those who only know the stigma that it carries. It’s unfortunate because there is a genuine epic RPG experience here. There is also no energy system. An energy system is very common in most mobile games that allows it to put limits on daily progress. It’s a mechanic that puts many games at odds with their own player base. The absence of such a system is a massive step in the right direction for a mobile title.
Fans of old school pixel based RPGs will feel right at home. It’s nostalgic but also paves it’s own path and identity. Out of all the mobile and gacha games I’ve tried so far this is the most complete in regards to feeling like a regular game despite being free to play. The story is intriguing, tackling serious and often surprising topics with plenty of twists, surprises and heart along the way. The combat so far has been interesting and fun. Allowing choices in skill selection and team composition to cover an array of enemy weaknesses. It’s a true hidden gem that deserves to be experienced. As I’m still working my way through the early chapters this will be an overview and first impression of the game.
GAMEPLAY:
After trying out several mobile gacha games, this title feels the most complete. This is established through the gameplay loop. You explore sections of the world, with hidden treasures, elite monsters, random encounters and eventually make your way towards towns with inns, shops and NPCs that give new main story quests and side quests. It seems simple enough but in today’s mobile gaming space so many developers skip over these small but important aspects that make a game complete. Basic exploration ignites our inclination towards curiosity and discovery without being told to do so and having our hand held. You have choice and agency over what, when and how to do things. This is the game design philosophy that make titles like Bloodborne so fun. If you cut these elements out of a game or hold the hand of the player by trying to tell them every point of interest, you lose the essence of what makes a game interesting. Curiosity is an innate human quality. Although it sounds simple enough, the basic gameplay loop is intriguing and what makes COTC special.
Through the early chapters the combat is fairly straight forward. You command a team of 8 characters. Each unit has a skill tree and a skill list that can be customized. Combat focuses on exploiting a weakness mechanic where certain types of damage will reduce enemy shield points. Do enough weakness damage and the enemy becomes stunned. Attacks can then be boosted for maximum damage output. Teams are then setup to cover an array of weaknesses and fulfill certain roles on your team from damage dealer, healer, buffer, and debuffer ect. So far combat feels just right. Not too challenging that you can’t defeat enemies or they become frustrating but not so easy that you don’t have to pay attention or consider strategy. It’s also surprisingly fun to select team members to fill out each slot. Making sure you cover an array of weaknesses but also fill certain roles.
STORY:
The story is poignant, striking and surprising in its themes and content. It feels both nostalgic with the likes of larger than life super villains of old school classic role playing games but at the same time establishing it’s own legacy. It’s written by Kakunoshin Futsuzawa, writer of the original Octopath Traveler series. The Japanese voice acting contributes to the overall feeling of the story adding depth and emotion at the right moments. The pacing is also excellent. I expected certain chapters to be slow and carry on but to my enjoyment they were spot on often jumping right into the action, moving forward while exploring certain character moments succinctly. In an era of stories that are often skipped especially in mobile gaming, this is a standout feature of this title.
ART & CHARACTER DESIGN:
The distinct HD-2D art style is captivating. It’s a mix of old school pixel based art with modern lighting, shaders, volumetric fog and effects. This contributes to the classic RPG visuals with some enhancements. It is also surprising how the pixel animations contribute to the overall story moments adding heart and conveying emotion. The visual elements have been executed well and I can see why many fans are so drawn to this style.
The 2D character art is distinct with a painterly feel right out of an old school story book. Characters look and feel unique, some are somber or joyful while others are downright badass and iconic. The art design goes a long way to drawing you into the world and contributing to the emotion, heartbreak and conflict they experience along the way. Art is by Naoki Ikushima who worked on the character designs for previous Octopath titles.
MUSIC:
The music in this game spans a spectrum of haunting, eerie, and emotional all the way to grand and epic. The care and attention that has been placed in the story is also reflected in the music. Each note elicits a feeling and contributes to the overall high quality feel of the game as a whole. Music is composed by Yasunori Nishiki who worked on previous Octopath titles as well as games like Kingdom Hearts III and Final Fantasy VII Remake/Rebirth. It’s easy to understand why their previous work has been nominated for awards. This is some of the best music you’ll hear in gaming.
CHALLENGES:
As with any mobile game in the free to play space there are always going to be some challenges with creating a free to play game and being able to generate revenue. The only minor issue I’ve come across is having to watch an advertisement in order to gain access to a battle to level up my characters. It’s completely optional but also a big boost to progression. It’s a small price for a completely free to play game.
I do hope that as mobile games continue to develop and evolve that the monetization models also diversify as well. It’s apparent that the main monetization model works for the top producers but there’s a large drop off for the smaller mobile titles as shown by the monthly mobile revenue reports . There’s room for more models to monetize but that’s not the only reason to diversify. Often designing around a monetization model compromises a game instead of contributing to its overall experience.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
A combination of a distinct visual style, captivating and bold stories with exceptional character design and evocative music make this game a true hidden gem. I can understand why Octopath is a must experience for so many fans of the series. This a story driven RPG that feels complete. The care and attention that have been put into creating this game is apparent. If you are a fan of a story driven RPG with turn based combat you have to check this out. Looking for a beginner’s guide and tier list? Check out this post.
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GAME DETAILS
PLATFORMS: Android/iOS
RELEASE: Japan (2020), Global (2022)
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER: Acquire/Square Enix
GENRE/TAGS: RPG, Story Driven, Turn Based, HD-2D, Strategy, PVE
TARGET AUDIENCE: Those who enjoy old school turn based RPGs with a focus on story and combat