OCTOPATH TRAVELER II

Review

Once you start a new game, you’ll have the option to choose the Language Text (English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese), Voice (English or Japanese) and the game’s Brightness. Next you will have to choose your main character from the eight on offer; you cannot change this character and will play through the character's story. You will unlock the other seven characters as you progress through the game, and you are able to swap and change those characters as you wish, although there will be times when you will have to have a certain character in your group of four.

To help you decide there is some information on the background of each of the characters, along with their Path Action by day and their Talent and main Job type. I decided to play as Warrior Hikari, but you also have the options of Scholar Osvald, Thief Throne, Cleric Temenos, Dancer Agnea, Apothecary Castti, Merchant Partitio and Hunter Ochette.

Upon selecting character you wish to play, as your story begins, Hikari’s story begins on the battlefield. From here you will gain some information from pop up windows explaining the basics of the game; these pop ups will happen throughout the game as you require new information on something which you have just learned.

As a warrior I can use weapons, swords and polearms, which I can switch between while in battle from the Attack option while it is my turn. There are other options you can choose when it is your turn - Item, Defend or Flee - which are common for all characters,, but as Hikari, I can chose Warrior Skills. Other characters will have their own skills category, such as Partitio, who has Merchant Skills or Agnea, who has Dancing Skills.

Hikari also has Learned Skills, these are skills learned after challenging towns folk to battle using their daytime Path Action. You move to any NPC character and select the option Challenge; this will then give you some information on that character, their strength and what you could learn should you spank their botty in a one-on-one fight. Hikari can learn up to five new skills this way and take them in to battle with him. You can swap out older skills with new ones, but you can only have five at any one time. So, you’ll be able to customize your character, so they have a wide range of skills under their belt ready for most occasions.

Each character has their own Path Actions which can be used during the daytime, and when night comes around, they will each have a different action they can perform. Hikari’s nighttime action is Bribe; with this action I can bribe folks if I have enough pennies to do so. When bribing someone they will then give me some information - their name, age background details - and if you’re lucky you will get some important information out of them. This could be information about a person, a place or even where a hidden item can be found somewhere nearby.

You can use any path action of any character which is currently in your group.  Depending on which characters you have you’ll be able to Mug, Coerce, Rob, Buy Items, Recruit Town Folks and a few other options. Recruited town folk can be summoned while in battle, they can provide attacks or even support through first aid or another means. Using them will take your action point for that move but they can be useful.  After a few turns they will disappear from the battlefield.

Combat on the field is done by each character taking turns. If you surprise your enemy then you’ll go first, however, if the enemy surprises you then they’ll go first. Turns are also determined by the Speed Stat of a character or their enemies. With each turn you will gain a Battle Point.  You can use a maximum of three battle points on an action, which will increase the power and effect of an action.  This can be very helpful at times, especially in breaking an enemy's shield or dealing a big chunk of damage over a standard attack.

Enemies will have weaknesses which you can exploit and break their defences. However, upon first meeting an enemy you will not know what these weaknesses are. These are shown underneath an enemy as icons showing a question mark until you reveal their weakness, at which point the icon will change to represent what they are weak against. So, if they are weak against fire, a flame icon will be shown; if they are weak against swords, a sword icon will be shown. Some enemies will have a couple weaknesses, but others could have five. You can use other weapons and magic against them, but they may be resistant to certain attacks.

As you defeat enemies you will gain Silver Leaves (currency), Experience Points and Job Points. Depending on how well you did you may also gain some extra bonus points.  You could also gain some items if you’re lucky. Gaining experience points will increase your character’s levels, which will allow them to visit later chapters in their stories. It will also be useful for when using path actions; certain level requirements are needed to be used on various NPC characters in the game.

Job Points can be used to unlock new Job and Support Skills; you can unlock the new job skills in any order but each time you unlock one they will go up in cost. The first job skill you buy will cost you thirty job points; this will go up to five thousand job points which is required to buy the last job skill for a character. Support Skills will unlock as you learn job skills, you can only have four support skills so you will have to choose which ones you use at any time. Sometimes they can benefit your whole group although they may not stack if multiple characters have the same support skills.

Along with your characters' main job type you can unlock a second job for your characters. You must first find a Guild who will then grant you a licence for a job type depending on which guild you have found. You can gain a total of three licences from guild, the first is free but to gain another two licences you’ll have to complete a couple quests.

Each of the characters' stories are divided into chapters.  Where you start in the world of Solistia depends on who you choose for your main character. The world map is covered by a Fog of War and will reveal itself as you travel along the routes from your starting point and destinations. The world of Solistia is divided into two continents, the East and West, and you will arrive at a port at some point on your travels.  If you have enough pennies, you’ll be allowed to travel between the two continents by ship. However, once you have visited a town or port then you can Fast Travel to them at any point should you wish to do so.

Switching between day and night will not only change the Path Actions a character can perform but it will also change the folk out and about, giving you more people to interact with. Sometimes you will need to be in either day or night to find someone or something, so don’t forget to switch back and forth regularly otherwise you could miss something.

I enjoyed trying to pick people's pockets. It’s fun, especially when the odds are against you, and it can be a good source of gaining some decent gear and weapons. Along with finding gear you can also pilfer other items, such as potions, ingredients, watches, monocles, a whole range of things, some of which may only be worth a leaf or two, like this little girl’s marble I stole or a boy's candy, but other items could be worth thousands of silver leaves.

I’ve really enjoyed playing the game so far, I love the graphics and the stories are good. I haven’t had any problems in running the game, no hiccups or anything; the game has run buttery smooth.

In the game’s settings you will find Game Options, Graphics Options, Volume, Gamepad, Keyboard and Mouse Options.

Review written by Piston Smashed™ for Zeepond.com

Octopath Traveler II Steam Store Page