Octopath Traveler 0 offers a significantly revamped – and improved – PC and console port of Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, which was previously only available on mobile devices. With the gacha mechanics removed, Octopath Traveler 0 is a well-paced premium game. Expanded gameplay mechanics set it apart from its predecessors and put a greater emphasis on storytelling, but the bloated cast makes it difficult to care about most of the characters.
Octopath Traveler 0 is a prequel about the Ring-bearers traversing the continent of Osterra after their hometown, Wishvale, is burned down by bad guys searching for magic rings – archaic artifacts that grant immeasurable power. While the previous two games told eight separate stories about each of the main team members and tried to connect them, Octopath Traveler 0 takes the opposite approach, focusing on two main stories: the search for the rings and the rebirth of Wishvale. This makes the story of Octopath Traveler 0 much more coherent.
The main supporting cast is smaller and includes the positive architect Stia, the brave hunter Phenn, and the kind priestess Laurana. They receive more of the character development, and this greater emphasis makes them more compelling compared to the main casts of Octopath Traveler and Octopath Traveler II.
There are over 30 playable characters and unfortunately they don’t get the same amount of time in the spotlight as the main cast. Once certain conditions are met, you can start a side mission to recruit them by providing compelling stories. However, after that, most of them don’t really engage with the main Ring-bearer quests, which makes them feel like an afterthought. While they do interact with each other in the optional “party chat” cutscenes, there’s no real reward for watching them, so I ended up skipping most of them. They are also not voiced, which makes them less effective.
Thanks to the huge lineup, the gameplay of Octopath Traveler 0 has changed a bit. The number of characters you can have in battle has been increased to eight, with four on the front line and four in the rear. This creates some fun team builds that allow me to see which characters I can combine for the best synergy, as well as more opportunities to exploit enemy weaknesses since you have access to more items and weapons during battle.
The BP system remains virtually unchanged from previous games, but that’s a good thing. You can accumulate and spend BP to perform multiple standard attacks in one turn or escalate the effectiveness of special skills, leading to increased damage and shield destruction. The downside is that BP is not replenished the turn you choose to operate it, so there is a strategic element to using this system. Should I wait until my single attack hits much harder, or should I prioritize breaking the enemy’s shield with weaker hits and stunning them? This makes battles much more engaging because I have to plan my moves and adapt on the fly.
HD-2D’s art style is gorgeous as always, both in and out of combat. Elemental weapons and spells are unleashed in a blaze of handsome particle effects. Running around Oterra is a sight to behold as the surroundings are breathtaking and engaging. The game also runs smoothly on Nintendo Switch 2, with no noticeable performance issues.
Restoring Wishvale plays out like a fun city-building mini-game, but players shouldn’t expect something as detailed and in-depth as games like Frostpunk or Cities: Skylines. Octopath Traveler 0 is primarily an RPG game. The greatly simplified nature of the city-building mechanics feels non-invasive and complements the RPG elements well. Expanding Wishvale’s storyline not only provides better world-building and character development, but also provides significant incentives. For example, you can build a dojo for teammates who sit on the bench to gain EXP while the main team is with you in Osterra.
Octopath Traveler 0 is a slightly different take on the series, especially since it consists of reworked elements from the mobile game Champions of the Continent. Despite the over-the-top cast, the main characters are likable, and bright changes to the core combat system and city-building aspect distinguish Octopath Traveler 0 from its predecessors. It has a solid story and combat that’s an engaging twist on the classic turn-based formula. With a staggering amount of content, Octopath Traveler 0 will keep you entertained for dozens of hours.
