A few years back, Square Enix put together a team to focus on making “old-school” JRPGs for fans to enjoy. They are known as Team Asano and have made several hit games that have pushed 2D RPG titles in bold directions. One of those directions was the visual style via the HD-2D aesthetic. By blending the pixelated graphics RPGs were once known for with impressive 3D backgrounds, the worlds the games are set in could pop like never before. Team Asano has been on a roll since their creation, and their latest title has arrived via Octopath Traveler II.
The sequel to the hit 2018 sends you to a brand-new world with eight all-new protagonists to go on a journey with. As such, you won’t need to play the original game to understand what happens here. Like with the previous title, you can choose who you start with and can complete each journey in whatever order you wish. To help you with that, we’ll break down all eight characters and their journeys.
First, we have Hikari, the Warrior who is trying to bring peace to his land by finding allies who will help show that his homeland can be a true home for all. Second, we have Agnea, the Dancer who wants to use her skills to bring smiles to all who watch her. Third is Partitio, a Merchant who desires to make the world better through the belief in sharing the wealth. Fourth, there is Osvald, a Scholar who was betrayed, lost everything, and thus seeks revenge on the man who wronged him.
Fifth, we have Temenos, a Cleric who serves as an Inquisitor to a church; it’s his mission to find the truth about an event that rocks people’s faith. Sixth, there’s Ochette, a Hunter who her beastly brethren task to save their island home. Seventh, there’s Throne, a Thief who must kill the heads of her clan so that she may break free from her bonds. Finally, there’s Castti, an amnesiac Apothecary who seeks to find out who she is while helping people.
Each adventure in Octopath Traveler II will take you to different parts of the world and have you interact with all sorts of characters. Once you build up your team, you can pick four of them to battle with and see how well they work together!
Check out the launch trailer below to see and hear the characters in action!