Octopath Traveler 2 PS5 review - A rollercoaster of emotions across a very familiar gameplay

Octopath Traveler 2 was one of the games that I was most excited about in 2023. The first title was one of my favorites on the Nintendo Switch, even if it had some features and gameplay mechanics that infuriated me.

It was all about the characters and their often-tragic stories. Though the tales were memorable, they all felt disconnected. The characters, although they traveled together, didn’t really feel like allies, but like the minions of whoever the party leader was.

The game was still gorgeous, the combat was solid, and the soundtrack was incredible. So, when Octopath Traveler 2 came out, I absolutely had to play it. While it does some things that I wish it didn’t, it improved every facet of the original game.

That said, Octopath Traveler 2 is still very much more of the same, but with new characters, stories, and a new map. Is that really a bad thing, though? That’s what I’m going to explore in this review.

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Octopath Traveler 2 is more of the same, but with a new cast and setting

Much like in the first game, players in Octopath Traveler 2 pick one of the eight protagonists and begin their story. It doesn’t matter which one you pick, you can start with whichever one appeals to you the most. I chose Hikari and slowly started picking up other party members after completing Chapter 1 of his tale.

Unlike the previous game though, Octopath Traveler 2 has the characters interact in some ways. They speak to each other in battle, and there are Tales-series style moments where two characters talk to each other outside battle.

Watch: Temenos gets no respect in his story.

In this, Octopath Traveler 2 has done a great deal to improve the overall immersion in the story. It felt so weird that these party members wouldn’t really do much together. Another way this has been improved is the inclusion of Crossed Paths. Depending on how far you are in a pair of protagonist stories, you’ll see icons on the map with two characters’ faces on them.

There are four “Crossed Paths” plots and feature two characters working together on these mini-stories. It was a brilliant addition, and while I wish there were more of these, Octopath Traveler 2 already has plenty of content.

Crossed Paths in Octopath Traveler 2

Agnea and Hikari
Osvald and Partitio
Throne’ and Temenos
Ochette and Castti

With the characters themselves, I felt far more invested in their stories, even though some of them got dark incredibly fast. In particular, Throne’s story of seeking freedom was one of the wildest rides in the game.

Not all the characters are on tragic, upsetting stories. Not all of them are grim tales of depression, which I appreciate. In fact, my favorite has to be Partitio Yellowil. The merchant of the group, he’s trying to defeat the concept of poverty. He’s such a folksy, lovable character, and he really is just doing his best to make people’s lives better.

Watch: There's a mystery afoot.

Tememos’ story is more like a murder mystery in the Church. At first, it felt like a standard “The Church is evil” RPG story, but it had far more depth than that. Each of the Octopath Traveler 2 characters was endearing.

Another new feature is the day/night cycle. Each character, like in the previous game, has an action they can perform out of battle - Recruit, Buy, Steal, Duel, and things of this nature. However, players now can change things from day to night at will, and each character now has a pair of actions to use!

Sometimes you want it to be daytime to steal with Throne, and other times, you want to use her nighttime skill of ambushing foes and knocking them out of the way. In these ways, the game is far better, offering more ways to solve problems and unlock extra items/allies.

Octopath Traveler 2 opens the oceans for exploration, but there's danger in the water (Image via Square Enix)

Finally, the other major addition is the boat! During Partitio’s story, you can farm up 100K leaves (currency) to purchase a boat. You can recolor it and give it a neat logo, but it’s going to make exploration better. While fast travel exists, there are places you can’t normally walk to.

You can pick up more treasures on the high seas, fight enemies, and get to other places in the story. It’s a pleasant addition to the game, and I’m glad to see it. The world feels far more full, with plenty of secrets and treasures to uncover.

Combat is similar, but also improved

When I saw Octopath Traveler 2 had a day and night cycle, I was worried that it would be some annoying, gimmicky nonsense. That fear is justified though - I’ve played enough games that frustratingly shoehorn this in and give players little control.

Watch: Hikari smash opponents in a gladiatorial arena.

However, you can control the day and night change, and there are plenty of times when you’d want it to be one or the other. Throne’ buffs her allies at night and can gain more JP, while Temenos debuffs all enemies at night. For that reason, they were in my main party, and I always did my level-grinding at night.

Combat is essentially the same as in the previous game, but with a fun new addition. At the top of the screen, players can see the turn order for this RPG.

Each character also starts with a point of BP (Boost/Battle Points). These can enhance virtually all of your skills or use extra strikes of your melee weapons. If you burn through all of your points, you will have to wait an extra turn before another one.

Watch: Throne' defeats a dangerous foe (SPOILER).

There are other ways to build BP though - through items and special abilities. For example, Partitio’s Latent Power maxxes out his BP meter upon activation. You can then pair this with Dancer as his subclass to get a maximized Bewildering Dance. Partner this with one of his passive abilities to have his Latent Power meter filled up every turn!

Latent Powers are new abilities in Octopath Traveler 2. Each of the protagonists has a specialized ability that is used this way. Whenever you Break an enemy - wear down their shields by attacking with weapons/spells they’re weak to - you build the Latent Power meter. It builds quickly, too, so you can be free with how you use them.

Watch: Latent Power in action (Hikari).

It adds a new level of strategy to your gameplay, though some of these are stronger than others. Throne’ can take an extra action, Castti can use her mix ability without using resources, Hikari and Ochette get new attacks, and so on.

I still think the Break system is a little frustrating, but at least every boss didn’t feel like it increased their defenses every time you break them. You can clearly see the danger level of areas as well, so you know when it’s risky to explore further. However, with sound knowledge, you can fight in areas where you are underleveled.

On the subject of combat, I want to talk briefly about EXP. In the previous iteration, the best way to grind was to use the Dancer’s ability to randomly generate effects, in hopes of getting 100x EXP. That’s still there, but it’s not your only chance to get a good amount.

Watch: The party fights evil in the sewers.

You also have accessories that increase the chance of seeing Octopuffs (essentially Metal Slime enemies), and accessories that increase your generated EXP. I didn’t feel like leveling was quite as much of a chore as I played Octopath Traveler 2.

The graphics and sounds of Octopath Traveler 2 are undeniably great

Now, I’ve heard some people say that because the previous game used the 2D-HD art style, that it makes Octopath Traveler 2 a bit of a letdown. I don’t agree with this take at all. Both games use that gorgeous pixel style, but I feel like both the bosses and monsters look far sharper, and the attack animations look great.

The transition between day and night looks smooth and beautiful, and I love the little things you experience in the dark. The little lanterns, slightly lighting your path, and the way shadows look in wooded areas. It’s pretty clear to see where you can and cannot go, and the world map also has areas you can sail on, via a little canoe. This was a nice touch and made exploring fun.

Watch: An intense boss battle!

When it comes to the soundtrack, it certainly does not disappoint. Yasunori Nishiki's compositions are incredible and the boss music in Octopath Traveler 2 is one of my all-time favorite boss themes. Each region has a soundtrack and aesthetic that fits it perfectly.

The region names might have weak names, but the sounds and visuals of all of them do not disappoint. I cannot praise the music enough, though. It does a lot to set the mood of some of the highs and lows of the storytelling.

In Conclusion

While Octopath Traveler 2 feels very similar to the previous game, I do feel like it improves upon all of the things that frustrated me in the first one. It’s a gorgeous game, with a great story, and each of the characters feel different and memorable. I don’t have many complaints about this one, other than perhaps the side quests are far vaguer than I’d like.

I do wish that there were more interactions between the cast members, but at least there is more than there was in the first game. I love how it slowly shifts away from pure fantasy and is a land that is beginning to industrialize. Octopath Traveler 2 shows us the best and worst of men, in a tale filled with joy, hope, and most of all, despair.

Watch: Desperate times and desperate measures.

You can still unlock subclasses, EX/Divine Skills, and delve into optional dungeons. There’s so much exploration you can do in this game, and while little of it is required, it’s worth your time to really dive into this world. If you loved the first game, you’ll get more of what you loved, but with a new, unforgettable story.