I couldn't gey any information in the Summer Sale thread, so I'm making a dedicated thread to these games.

I'm thinking about getting Octopath Traveler since it's on the sale, I've played the demo of 2 as Ochette and had fun. I could buy the bundle of 1 + 2 but it's much more expensive than 2 other things I wanted to buy.

So my main questions are: Would you recommend the first or the second game? Do they have good replay value? Just tell me anything you wish you knew before playing them, or just anything you would like to share with someone with no experience in jrpg games.
Also, apparently you can meet the other characters later on and probably recruit them to your party. But I've played Ochette and obviously you don't have any party companions at the start as you progress her story, so if I met someone else would their story already be progressed a little or do I just play through it with more characters?

You're Dumb
And wrong

>>714000441 (OP)
Octopath 1's mediocre. Octopath 2's incredible and improves on all 1's faults.
They're stand-alone stories, so I'd recommend skipping straight to 2.

>>714000441 (OP)
I played backwards and am currently enjoying 1. Every characters chapter 1 story starts off alone. Once you finish chapter 1, you have whatever other characters you recruited with you.

>>714000441 (OP)
Buy it if you like the battle system and art style. The games don't have much else going for them. The characters don't have much going for them, and the story is barebones thanks to having to work around the "octopath" gimmick. But the games can be worth playing simply for the combat alone

>>714000441 (OP)
Ochette is fun and unnecessarily ridiculously cute
I think both are fine.
1 feels complete, but when compared to 2, it just feels like more in everyway, in a good way. I'm not big on plot (in any game, I'm a bare bones gameplay kinda guy), so it's nice to be able to skip almost everything "ploty", but the one or two I didn't bother to skip because the game definitely has a unique charm, and I couldn't help but finding a few characters endearing, were a fun little watch.
I can't speak to replay value wholeheartedly because the final boss fights in both are extremely tactic intensive, and I believe the final bosses scale rendering grinding useless, if not more harm than good, but I'm too stupid to figure them out and clear them. But that's my shortcoming, not the game, it's made for a particular audience. That aside, I love everything else about both of them.
It ultimately doesn't REALLY matter who you start as, because the way the 8 sub plots are made, at least in 1, everything converges at the absolute end.
With 2, there are little side quests that actually involve 2 travelers working together, which is a fun dynamic, and like with the first game, all 8 sub plots converge for a finale, plus I guess dlc or something, there's a mode or story that involves all 8 that doesn't require clearing the final boss to play. I have mixed feelings on playing that because I haven't/ can't clear the final boss, which again, is a me problem. Sorry for the wall, but I hope it helps

>>714001418
The battles are fun but not seeing enemy HP really bothers me. Especially as Ochette where you can capture the monsters with the success rate growing when they are low hp. Also the status effects could be shown better but that's something I'd get used to I guess

>>714002064
HP can be seen through enemy name color which goes white > yellow > red

You can also use Osvald and Cyrus' analyze skill to see the exact number of hit points.

Im gona anal ochette

>>714002043
Maybe I should have phrased it better because replay value is a pretty broad term, but is there a reason to start as another character? Do I lose something if I, let's say, start as Ochette and then recruit the other characters later on? And can I meet and recruit everyone in a single playthrough?

>>714002064
Also I don't know what that guy is talking about story wise. They're all good stories for what they are.

>>714002345
ah thanks, I didn't play for that long and haven't noticed that. Is there maybe also a way to somehow see how much damage a certain action does?
As Ochette I kept using my companion and the monsters I've caught but I couldnt check how much damage each of them deal. Also can you read what skills of these monsters/companions do?
For example I could recruit a villager with a skill Meditate but had no idea what it does

>>714000441 (OP)
I didnt play 1, but i tell you i LOVED 2 a lot.

>>714002436
Aside from slight resource advantages like starting as the thief, there's no actual difference between who you choose because of the isolated nature of each of the 8 stories

>>714002758
I'm not exactly sure, but it seems enemies have different weaknesses so there can't really be any gauranteed damage output. I know some are weaker to magic attacks than others. It's mainly trial and error.

If you're gonna play this, don't sleep on the two turn meters at the top. Ochette and H'aanit's leghold skills are really useful against some bosses.

>>714003467
Yeah that was the 2nd skill I got, I figured that if I break someone I get a free turn but then they always attacked me 1st the next one, so it was kinda pointless. With this skill I could just break them again without getting hurt, if I understand correctly

I remember being hyped at the 1st game because I thought the story would be slightly different based on who you recruited, but IIRC the characters' stories were all isolated, the characters would simply be spectators for others' stories until the very end.
Is that the same for the 2nd game?

>>714003895
IIRC they always get a turn when recovering from a break.
>>714004009
Yes, but in 2 you also have shorter side stories with two characters interacting such as Ochette and Castti.

Just play 2. Do not expect an exciting combat system but the OST and graphics are neat.
The final bosses of each path are also really well made.

>>714004009
Yes. It's still the same in the second game. There isn't really a way around it unless they want to create 8 separate games in one, which obviously isn't feasible. Octopath has some great ideas, but the "octopath" gimmick itself holds this series back and is unironically the worst thing about it.

>>714005501
>There isn't really a way around it unless they want to create 8 separate games in one, which obviously isn't feasible
bro, the SaGa series, which Octopath tries to rip off, has been doing that since the 90's, it's perfectly feasible

I liked the octopath gimmick, I thought it did a decent job of giving you 8 different stories to experience while interweaving character interactions in side stories and optional sub dialogue, after you complete all the characters main quests the whole party also goes on one last adventure to tie the whole experience in a neat little bow

>>714000441 (OP)
2 is way better, but the main story is still shit. If you need a story to cary you through a long jrpg, skip it

>>714005809
Cope

>>714005320
Graphics are HD2D slop

Some people have a weird hate boner for this game. Probably because they don't like square in general.

I enjoyed both games overall, I would say if they have a flaw, it's that the dungeons are pretty mediocre. I get it's designed that way because the world itself is connected in a way that you're exploring to the dungeons as well, but it could be executed better.

>>714013607
Dunkey did this

>>714015061
KEEP

>>714013784
Don’t forget bland writing

>>714015061
Duh. It's not scrimblo blimbo kart.

OP here, I've bought the bundle with both games, I need a break from multiplayer cancer and my go-to singleplayer games. Thanks for everyone who participated in my thread

Ochette sexo

>>714000441 (OP)
My recommendation is to play the first and move on to the second.

Octotroon Traveler

>>714000441 (OP)
What’s the best starting party? East or West?

>>714023983
Thief start both games

>>714000441 (OP)
>Would you recommend the first or the second game?
2nd game is way better. An upgrade in every single metric you can claim.

>Do they have good replay value?
They can be replayed, but you can also avoid the main quest and do everything before fighting the big bad. Octo 2 has a lot of after game extras that are going to keep you busy an extra ten hours.

>But I've played Ochette and obviously you don't have any party companions at the start as you progress her story, so if I met someone else would their story already be progressed a little or do I just play through it with more characters?
Each character starts in their part of the world and once you do their quest, you are free to roam the world doing what you want. Think of each characters like a Protag of any other RPG. The wronged youth that had their village destroyed. The father that got their family destroyed. The chosen one out to stop the ancient evil. The hoodlum with a heart of gold doing the right thing. The Soldier/assassin that was tricked into fighting for the wrong reasons.

Octo 2 is a great 9/10 game, Octo 1 is a decent 7/10 game. Just get 2, unless you like playing 60hr RPGs back to back.

>>714004009
>I remember being hyped at the 1st game because I thought the story would be slightly different based on who you recruited, but IIRC the characters' stories were all isolated, the characters would simply be spectators for others' stories until the very end.
>Is that the same for the 2nd game?
They have to be, it's not even an option. Each story is very detailed, with bosses and NPCs. You can't just skip on the detail, because that's content the player missed out on.

>>714000441 (OP)
They are both on Xbox game pass regular. Pay ten bucks and you can play through, and see if you want to drop full price on owning them.

>>714000441 (OP)
Only played the first one.
It's crap. Really awful writing and lots of problems with the gameplay and combat.
I'm sick of writing huge posts about it.

Castti love.

>>714000441 (OP)
2's ok. Games oversell their whole 8 story gimmick.

>>714000441 (OP)
But it if you want a more classic JRPG experience.

>>714000441 (OP)
This series ruined the aesthetic of a generation of games

>>714001192
Stop exaggerating. 2 is a more polished 1 with QoL improvements and a little more interaction between the travelers but it’s mostly the same game.

Octopath 2 sucks. I struggle to believe how bad 1 is if everyone says 2 is the good one.

They are the best turn based games of the last ten years. Try to get both of them, its extremely worth. I've pirated both of them before and recently bought them in a ps5 sale

>>714026898
Why did they censor the scene where she takes her clothes off

>>714035487
Abysmal taste.

>>714036947
He's right though. It's the peak of four niggas in a row games in recent years.

>>714000441 (OP)
I'm attempting to play though the first one and the thing I really dont like is how all the stories and characters are separate, yet "together .
Like there is practically no party interactions whatsoever...it just feels...bad.
It feels like I'm just escorting random nobodies around to their individual tasks.

each routes final boss having a remix of their character theme for the fight is pure kino. i started with agnea so saw her boss first and i stood up and clapped and said bravo during her final stage. and that was the weakest one

>>714036947
name 10 turn based jrpgs of the last decade that are better

>>714037858
It's not bad if you can separate gameplay from story, but not everyone is okay with this sort of ludonarrative dissonance and that's okay.

>>714037034
Not with how brainless the combat is, even if you don't go out of your way to break it (which is trivial to do).

>>714038139
Expedition 33

>>714038381
If you have nothing to say is beeter to say nothing and not embarass yourself

>>714038305
>how brainless the combat is
It's no less brainless than standard four niggas in a row combat, and if you're not overleveled you actually have to pay attention to the strategy and the timeline. Of course you can grind like crazy and break the game in half, but that is not a valid argument.

Which one has the better soundtrack?

>>714039095
Genuinely both are amazing, but for me 1 hits harder.

>>714000441 (OP)
It's on gamepass, I'm not buying it

>>714039253
>goypass

>>714038487
Expedition 33 is soul
Octopath 2 is retro inspired slop

>>714038848
>if you're not overleveled
You will be. That's just how the game is designed. You'll either be massively overleveled or have gear that far outstrips the enemies you're dealing with. There's no avoiding it.
And no, you don't have to grind to break the game. The fact that you immediately went to that just shows you have no idea what you're talking about.

>>714039435
Maybe actually play the game next time before you try talking about it.

>>714039435
every job system jrpg actively encourages you to break the game and designs around that. thats literally the whole point. its finding these crazy combinations through job skills

>>714039675
lol
>>714039784
That's not true. For example, I can't think of anything even 10% as gamebreaking in PS4.
What's really sad is that in Octopath 2 you don't have to do anything other than buy some items to snap the game in half.

Tendie seething

>>714040379
Nintendo fanboys are the worst

>>714037965
She also happens to have the best theme in 2. That counts for something.

>>714001192
Music is better, though.

>>714002043
>unnecessarily ridiculously cute
Wtf

will we get an octopath 3? i think the next one should have a modern setting if so

>>714000441 (OP)
2 is significantly better than 1. Stories feel way less disjointed and in general the characters are far more compelling/less cliched. Both have incredible soundtracks but 2 edges it out for me in that department. What's more is the O-Powers in 2 make combat, though similar, better overall.

>>714002043
The post contains the lowest of lowest of Testosterone. Holy fuck

>>714044139
>Stories feel way less disjointed
Don't lie bro.

>>714002357
Bro it's a 2.5D character. are you okay?

>>714044089
Lmao maybe in 10 years

>>714044431
Character art exists, brainlet.

>>714044581
It's a fucking picture of a fictional character. What are you on?

>can't beat the super boss
>can't beat the extra battles
i even grinded to level 99 bros

>>714044719
Don't feel bad. They're meant to be unfairly difficult to appeal to the sorts of turbo autists who sink 100+ hours into JRPGs

>I'M STAAAARVIIIING

>>714044867
but that's me, i am a failure to my bloodline

>>714044706
>he's never fucked a fictional character
el em ay oh

>>714044719
If you're talking about the first game, it's ok. The boss rush you have to do every time you want to try again is beyond retarded.
If you're talking about the second game, it's not ok and you should feel bad.

Damn Osvald looks like this???

>>714045626
i'm sorry! i only tried galdera one time and i almost got him but the extra battles destroy me

I absolutely hate the structure. Start 8 different stories and alternate reading a single chapter between them. I fucking hate it. The gameplay is a lot of fun though so it's extra irritating. I started over to see if I could solo the game so I picked the dancer and it feels like I'm just going to have to save scum through these dungeons in hopes I can get good gear.
I also think OT1 is a really ugly game. Vignette, bloom, absurd depth of field, harsh contrast, just endless amounts of post effects that are grating to my eyes.

>>714047000
First thing I did was go into the .ini and turn off most of that shit. Wouldn't have dreamed of touching it otherwise.

>>714047370
Nigga can’t appreciate good art direction

>>714000441 (OP)
1's a solid game but has its own issues which 2 mostly improved on. It's hard to go back to 1 after having gone through 2's QoL and overall better art direction.
You can't tell me that the majority of environments for 1 are better designed than 2.

>>714046480
Osvald sexo

>>714046765
True Vide the Wicked makes all versions of Galdera look like chumps.

>>714023983
>>714024351
Scholar, actually. Then spread out your options with AOE and/or utility. Scholar is very important (comfortable) for early- and mid-game in multiple aspects.

>>714039095
Character themes: 2, 1 is close
Map themes: 2
Town themes: 1, 2 is close
Battle themes: 2, I don't care for the random encounter themes for both
Dungeon themes: 1
Emotional/Scene themes: 1

>>714039095
2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8vbJbKAKk0
This was my favorite vidya OST track that year.

>>714050427
Pleb taste

>>714050427
Damn shame this only plays while you're on the ship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPa2bK_FviY&list=OLAK5uy_kH5IiLIYhQI9pREzJiE5Pl1rmUBMiETc8&index=86

>>714045406
Anon…….

>>714050427
Soul

Kinopath