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Octopath Traveler 0 is a game I simply have not been able to put down. At this point I’m around 20 hours in or so, and I’m addicted. I adored the first two games, and while I haven’t really experienced much of the mobile game, I’m actually grateful for that. I go into this story, which is based on the mobile title, without any particular biases or expectations. I can tell you that if you even kind of like the first two Octopath titles, you’re going to love this one.I’ve reviewed both of the mainline entries of Octopath, most recently the PlayStation 5 version of Octopath Traveler 2. It’s been a while since I’ve journeyed back to Orsterra, but after diving into Octopath Traveler 0, it’s like I never truly left.Octopath Traveler 0 cuts back on the number of storylines, but not on the qualityThe storyline changes to Octopath Traveler 0 might be something that is hit or miss with players, but I think the majority will appreciate it. The other two mainline entries feature eight main storylines that you could undertake in any order that you’d like. Instead of eight, there are three primary storylines: Master of Fame, Master of Power, and Master of Wealth.You can be anyone you want, as the star of this story (Image via Square Enix)At the same time, you’ll be working to rebuild your hometown of Wishvale, and doing so with your own customized character. While yes, there are fewer stories to experience, don’t think that they’ve cut back on anything else. I won’t be spoiling anything here, like twists, turns, or dramatic moments, but I do want to assure you that this story does not disappoint. I’ve been overwhelmed by emotion the whole time.The changes to combat and the main protagonist are welcome updates to a classic formulaAs many of you might be aware, there are some pretty huge changes to gameplay and combat in Octopath Traveler 0. Instead of playing a pre-built character, you’ll be creating your own character, picking their starting class, and how they look. There are tons of great characters that can join your party, too, so you aren’t going at it alone. Like the first two games, you use a variety of weapon types and elements to stun enemies, by breaking down their defenses, shown by a number next to their name.Combat's just as great as it's always been, but now you have more party members at once! (Image via Square Enix)Instead of having just four party members, you have eight this time in Octopath Traveler 0, as well, with a backrow party system! The way it works is very simple, too. Once you’ve got more than four party members, you can slot extras into the back row. Whoever they’re next to, that is who you will substitute them in for. It’s not a full front row-back row swap.There are characters that will create some amazing synergies, too. There are characters you can recruit who, for example, will heal a party member, or deal damage, and then swap back to the back row, so you can get a lot of use out of them, and immediately put someone else more useful in the battle. It’s an incredible system, and assures that you can bring whatever attack type you need to take advantage of specific enemy weaknesses. The characters that join you are full of personality too, with great voice acting, and awesome designs. But what about the stories themselves in Octopath Traveler 0?Octopath Traveler 0’s main storylines are all must-playThe Master of Fame storyline is the one I tackled first in Octopath Traveler 0, and it stars Auguste, renown in Theatropolis as The Greatest Playwright. It’s a town that is in love with every word he puts to pen, but there’s something dark, something sinister hiding between the lines of the plays he writes.Everyone loves Master Auguste (Image via Square Enix)Players will meet Schwartz, a former playwright himself, who warns you to stay away from Auguste. This story is the one that hooked me the hardest, and it’s a really fascinating take on just how powerful a cult of personality can be. I don’t want to say too much more, but it’s a warped, desperate tragedy that long-time Octopath fans will appreciate.Tytos the Hero is the primary antagonist of Octopath Traveler 0’s Master of Power storyline. He calls Emberglow home, and boasts a powerful army of former criminals, the Scarlet Wings. However, one of the members of the Scarlet Wings, Velnorte, will request your help in dealing with his leaders’ plans.Even great heroes can turn into tyrants (Image via Square Enix)In particular, Tyto is responsible for a great deal of the troubles that your protagonist faces in Octopath Traveler 0, and is completely ruthless. Though he’s hailed as a hero, he has plans and goals beyond what a regular hero might consider.Then you have the Master of Wealth storyline, whose primary antagonist is Lady Herminia. The town of Valore is completely under her thrall, completely changing the town into something far more depraved and cruel. Despite this character being a witch, the politics of Valore feel very much like something you’d experience in a crime drama, perhaps like Yakuza/Like a Dragon.Life is tough in Valore, thanks to the Witch, Lady Herminia (Image via Square Enix)The player will meet up with a small gang of ragtag misfits trying to make their way, led by Bargello. They’re willing to do whatever it takes to make a name for themselves, and to release the stranglehold Herminia has on the people of Valore.You can tackle these stories anytime you want, and like the previous entries, there are recommended levels you should be before going into them. I’ve found that I was far overleveled for most of the main chapters of the game, but that’s only because I put a lot of time and effort into Rebuilding Wishvale, which has different level recommendations for its sections.Town customization feels incredibly good in Octopath Traveler 0 with one tiny caveatThe other primary gameplay loop is rebuilding Wishvale. That means you’ll need to craft buildings, and convince people to come to your town. Thankfully, building is pretty easy, and while it is restrictive, in that you have a certain number of buildings you can place at each level of Wishvale, it feels good. This is so you can’t just build the whole town at the beginning of the game. There are story beats we’ll need to hit, and people to try and track down.Our hometown needs a lot of TLC, but together, we can do it (Image via Square Enix)I put a lot of my early focus on this, and it led to me level grinding a lot harder than I originally intended. The recommended levels for Wishvale quests far outstrip the Masters of Fame/Power/Wealth very quickly, which I think is designed to slow players down on the building. I wanted to see how far I could go, though, so of course, I grinded until I could explore much more difficult sections of the game safely.Party members and random citizens alike can call Wishvale home, and many of them have useful passives that will trigger while in town. They can often occasionally give you useful crafting items, as well as money or regular healing items for battle. If you’re worried that it will be a pain to find wood, metal, cloth, or other crafting items, don’t be.If you see an exclamation mark on a map, that's a building resource you can grab (Image via Square Enix)They appear on pretty much every part of the overworld map, and they feel like they respawn quite fast. Combine this with having citizens who will give you crafting reagents every so often, you won’t struggle to rebuild your town.Even this storyline in Octopath Traveler 0, which brings hope to the citizens of Wishvale, still has some truly heartbreaking moments that you’ll just have to experience for yourself. At the core of this story though, it’s about hope, togetherness, and rebuilding a community.Final ThoughtsWhether Triangle Strategy, Octopath, or Final Fantasy, I’m a sucker for a good tragic story. Octopath Traveler 0 delivers in all areas: gameplay, storytelling, and its presentation. There are some wild twists and turns that really felt heartbreaking. There’s a lot of light and hope, as well as great comedic moments between your party members, via the Party Chat in Wishvale as well.Octopath already had a great combat system, so why change what isn't broken? (Image via Square Enix)Octopath Traveler 0 can still be a pretty intensely grindy game, which is the case for the other two Octopath titles, but I think it’s a little less frustrating this time around. With such a huge party, you can even level up your characters who don’t make your top 8, thanks to the village. The party members are great fun though, and it’s easy to make a varied, powerful group that can take on any threat.Don’t think too hard about this being based on a mobile game, either. It’s got all the hallmarks of the previous Octopath games, while very much being able to stand on its own merits as a roleplaying game. I cannot wait to get back into this game, and to tell you all more about it, because so far, every minute has been a real thrill. Even if you haven't played the other games, you’re not going to want to miss out on Octopath Traveler 0 when it launches on December 4, 2025.
