download octopath traveler nintendo switch

At the start, you’re given the option of choosing any one character from the cast.

Its greatest defining feature is the way it introduces characters. But in practice, Octopath’s storytelling is that much more refined, nuanced, and mature that the classics that it draws inspiration from. I love my old JRPGs, of course, but I’m busy enough these days that I’d rather not spend 80-odd hours in one that can’t push past tradition. Were Octopath Traveler just the extension of classic sprite-based JRPG action, I imagine I would have put it down well before actually finishing it.

I haven’t played a more beautiful game in years. I often argue that the technical side of video games is irrelevant sure Kratos’ biceps are rendered well, and of course Ubisoft does an impressive job filling massive open worlds with stuff, but really, what I actually want to see with my eyes is abstracted beauty art design that tantilises, intrigues, and kicks the imagination into high gear. In an odd way, that was nostalgic, too – remember walking up against every wall in Final Fantasy IV or VI, knowing full well that at least a few of them were fake walls that led to the very best loot? There’s something of a sense of that in playing Octopath Traveler too.īeyond that, though, mild inconveniences like not knowing which path to follow are well worth putting up with for the stunning artistic vision that this game offers. So lavish is the level of detail in every square inch of the screen that sometimes I struggled to make out where the paths were to navigate through the world, let alone find those cleverly-hidden paths that led to treasure chests. This sometimes comes at a cost playing the game on the (relatively) small Nintendo Switch screen makes it difficult to navigate the world at points. Just as we were absolutely mesmerised by the colour, vibrancy, and spectacular vision of the Final Fantasies and Dragon Quests that were released on the SNES, so too is Octopath Traveler one visionary example of how simple pixels, drawn with care, can really immerse a player in its world.

You only need to take a look at any screenshot to know that this game is one glorious, gorgeous, decadent homage to the mighty JRPGs of the 16-big era. Related reading: This game is inspired heavily on the Bravely series on the Nintendo 3DS.

Download octopath traveler nintendo switch