Octopath Traveler II

Octopath Traveler II outdoes its predecessor and adds in a lot of missing features as well as new mechanics, making it feel like a grander journey to embark on.

Octopath Traveler 2 is a gorgeous JRPG that improves on the original in almost every way. And it is a blast to play on Steam Deck!

An outstanding achievement from start to finish. Octopath Traveler II takes what made the original such a success and builds on it. It may feel more of the same but why fix something if it isn't broken. The additions made to exploration and combat are all for the better. The only real issue is that not much effort went into making the game less grandy or addressing the various difficulty spikes Octopath Traveler II suffers from.

Octopath Traveler II is the rare sequel that manages to improve on the original without changing too much, finding success by expanding and polishing.

Octopath Traveler II manages to improve on almost every aspect of its predecessor, whether they needed it or not. The exploration is deeper with more nooks and crannies to nose your way through. The combat is far more intricate, giving greater options to build your party and skillset, and a large degree of player choice. The visuals are absolutely beautiful, and the sound design is phenomenal once again. Honestly, Octopath Traveler II has basically negated the need to play the first title, and I cannot think of higher praise.

Octopath Traveler 2 not only iterated or refined, but it also made the Octopath Traveler series a highly anticipated series in my eyes.

Though the attempts to tie together multiple story threads weren't splendid, its vastness, countless sidequests, dungeons, and character-building give the game a positive step forward. The battle system has a lot of depth, and the genre fans will simply adore it. Due to a few lengthy boss fights and a high volume of random encounters requiring their fair share of playing time, OCTOPATH TRAVELER II will appeal to genre veterans more than newcomers.

When compared to the original, Octopath Traveler II is largely more of the same but better. The battle system is just as enjoyable as it was the first time around with additional layers of strategy added. Solistia is a great new world to explore, and the added day and night cycle help make everywhere feel more alive. While at its core it plays like a classic turn-based JRPG, the Break and Boost system helps set it apart from the classics that inspired it. The HD-2D graphic style does a fantastic job in making Octopath Traveler II feel both contemporary and classic with one of the best soundtra...

In a vacuum, Octopath Traveler II is superior to its predecessor in practically every way, with improvements across the board. If you loved the first one, you will almost assuredly love this one, too. To praise it in this way is partially backhanded, however, as it fails to eke out its own legacy in any way, shape or form.

Octopath Traveler II doesn’t reinvent the wheel to stay relevant. Instead, it dives deeper into what made the first game so much fun. It doesn’t hold up quite as well as the original, but it’s still an excellent JRPG to play!

Octopath Traveler 2 puts in a good effort to improve on the original. A refined combat design, engaging characters, interesting stories, eye catching environments, and a dynamite soundtrack make this a game worth experiencing. It's a strong outing, one that will do right by classic JRPG fans. Unfortunately, it gets undone by awkward narrative pacing and an unbearably long grind. I didn't go into this game expecting a short journey and I knew what I was getting into with this love letter to old school JRPGs, but when I looked at the game clock and saw that 20-25 hours had passed and I barely ma...

Octopath Traveler II is a gorgeous retro-style JRPG with well-crafted characters, an engaging battle system, and stunning level and character design. It’s held back by the same weaknesses as the original:slow battle pacing, a steep difficulty curve, and a confusing anthology-style narrative.