Review: Octopath Traveler 2

destructoid.com:

With Octopath Traveler 2, Square Enix goes back to the formula of the first. Eight adventurers, each with their own small-scale RPG quests, link up for one overarching journey. Each one will have their own paths to walk, secrets to uncover, and nemeses to vanquish in a heroic fashion. And then, after everyone’s had their origin story, a final chapter will bring it all together, forming the party that will tackle the greatest threat lurking just behind the curtain.

The road ahead was already laid out by its predecessor. But sometimes, it’s as much about the journey as the destination. And where Octopath Traveler 2 doesn’t just succeed but makes a mark is in how it takes you there while making the long journey feel worthwhile.

Octopath Traveler 2 (PS5[reviewed], PS4, PC, Switch)Developer: Square Enix, Acquire Corp.Publisher: Square EnixReleased: February 24, 2023MSRP: $59.99

When I wrote our review-in-progress a few weeks back, I was already much more invested in Octopath Traveler 2 than its predecessor. At roughly the halfway point of the story, I felt Acquire and Square Enix had found a spark in this set-up that didn’t ever ignite for me in the first game. Its world felt more vibrant and alive, offering permutations and evolutions of its locales through the day-night cycle. Cryptic side-quests were more enticing because they allowed for clever Path Action solutions, and these Path Actions felt engaging to use.

Well, sitting at a triple-digits’ worth of hours invested and credits rolled, I still dig Octopath Traveler 2. It’s not often an RPG coaxes this many hours out of me and manages to stay in my good graces. But that’s the magic at work here in the latest HD-2D adventure.

Let’s pull the lens back to hour one,