By Adam Roffel
When Octopath Traveler first released on the Nintendo Switch, it felt like one of those console-defining moments. HD-2D games were not quite as popular as they are now, the job system and the way everything intertwined worked so well, and the game just looked so amazing. 2018 was a good year.
Fast forward five years, and Square Enix followed up Octopath Traveler with Octopath Traveler II and changed... well, they didn’t change a whole lot. That said, unlike other franchises where players generally are not happy with the same thing time and time again, Octopath Traveler II was praised just as much, if not more, than the first game.
Octopath Traveler II Details
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, XBOX Series X|S, XBOX One, PC
Reviewed on: Nintendo Switch 2
Developer: ACQUIRE Corp.
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX
Genre: Role-playing
Game Modes: Single-player
Octopath Traveler II Stands Out
The HD-2D style is what puts Octopath Traveler II on the map, but it wasn’t what got me excited about this franchise from Square Enix. I cared more about the fantastic battle system that focused on a Break and Boost mechanic.
Players can “break” enemies by finding their vulnerabilities and reducing their Shield Points to zero, stunning them and creating an opening to deal more damage. Boost Points can then strengthen attacks and abilities or add extra hits to standard attacks. Playing these two mechanics off each other was key to taking down tougher enemies, and it worked so well.
Octopath Traveler II was also made more player-friendly by showing the danger level of different areas. Wander somewhere well above your party’s level and you’ll usually know pretty quickly that it might be better to come back later. When travelling through the world of Solistia, there is a lot to explore, but it’s gated well to let you work through the game’s difficulty curve.
Another unique feature is how the different characters operate depending on the time of day. Players can quickly swap between daytime and nighttime with the press of a button, and doing so gives characters different Path Actions. During the day, for example, the thief can run around town and pickpocket people. At night, they have the ability to knock people out, which often opens up paths previously blocked.
The Octo System: Stories Upon Stories
The other highlight of Octopath Traveler II is its eight-character structure and the stories that come with it. While it is important to choose the character and story you want to experience first, you will slowly encounter all of the other seven characters on your journey. You’ll get to play out their stories as well.
Each character’s story isn’t that long, but added together you get roughly 75+ hours of gameplay here. The draw, though, is not the amount of story there is to experience, but how good those stories are and how different the characters all feel.
In Octopath Traveler II, for example, you can start the game as a thief working for a local crime syndicate, and within an hour you can encounter and begin the story of an honourable cleric. What’s crazy is that I’ve played Octopath Traveler II to completion before, and yet experiencing these stories for a second time was almost as good as the first time.
A Game That Looks So Good
I’ve been a firm believer for a long time that graphics can only take a game so far. Good stories and gameplay mechanics will almost always trump how a game looks. Octopath Traveler II has the very rare distinction of not only having a great story and fantastic controls, but a wonderfully detailed and absolutely gorgeous world to explore as well.
The ability to swap between night and day not only changes each character’s Path Actions, but also changes how the world looks and feels. Daytime is punctuated by gorgeous sunrises and fantastic lighting across open plains, deep caves, and bustling towns. Despite the geography staying the same, night creates an entirely different experience.
Regardless of the time of day, things look absolutely stunning. It might be an HD-2D experience, but it is one of the best-looking games on Nintendo Switch 2.
Fantastic Performance Ties It All Together
Octopath Traveler II delivers in almost every single way, and performance on Nintendo Switch 2 is near perfection as well. The game has a noticeably smoother frame rate and impressively quick load times. Getting into the world of Solistia takes barely any time from the main menu, and moving between areas or in and out of buildings is so quick.
Definitely Worth Your Money in 2026
If you’ve never experienced Octopath Traveler II, I definitely recommend picking this up. It remains a genre-defining experience with a battle system, stories and HD-2D world that still hold up incredibly well in 2026. The game features a fantastic story, accessible combat, and wonderful graphics and performance.
Unlike the original, the stories in Octopath Traveler II cross over a bit more naturally, creating a more cohesive story overall. If you are debating between the two games, I would recommend playing the second instalment first. RPG fans are in for a real treat!
Octopath Traveler II Review Summary
Liked
- Break and Boost combat remains fantastic
- Eight travellers offer distinct stories that come together more naturally than in the original
- HD-2D visuals still look stunning
- Day and night changes add variety to exploration and Path Actions
- Nintendo Switch 2 performance and load times are excellent
Didn't Like
- The core formula changes very little from the original Octopath Traveler
Overall Assessment of Octopath Traveler II
Gameplay: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8 / 5)
Presentation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5.0 / 5)
Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.9 / 5)
Story / Narrative: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.7 / 5)
Fun Factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8 / 5)
Overall Value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.7 / 5)
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated. Please stay respectful and on topic.