Summary
It makes sense for Square Enix to announceOctopath Traveler 0now, because the first game is tied to the original Switch’s announcement. It wasn’t a launch game, but it was close, as it was released a year later in 2018. It was the first game to getthe HD-2D lookand retained the classic turn-based combat style of olderFinal Fantasygames.
Since then, it has received one console sequel and a mobile game. Fans of the series won’t have to wait long asOctopath Traveler 0is set to release on Jul 04, 2025, for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S. Here’s everything else players should know.
All of this information can be learned from theannouncement trailerand the associatedpress releaseSquare Enix put out after.
You Can Create Your Hero
Become a Pixel Artist
Square Enix has had charactercreator modes in their RPGsbefore, like inFinal Fantasy 14, most prominently. However, this will be a first for theOctopath Travelerseries. Players can choose the appearance of their hero using the pixel art editor, which is unique as not a lot of pixel-based games have character creator modes.
Players can also name their hero and choose their voice, which is something not typically done in a lot of JRPGs. Unlike the other games in the series that let players choose their starting hero from eight, players must begin with this custom character. As of now, it’s not known whether this character will always have to be in the party or not.
Recruit Your Party
It’s More Than Eight This Time
As the name suggests,Octopath Travelergames typically feature eight characters to play with, which is more than a lot ofclassic turn-based games. Players can start with any of the eight and then recruit the other seven. As previously mentioned, the hero character inOctopath Traveler 0is who players will begin with, and Square Enix has promised there will be over thirty more characters to recruit past the hero.
In the trailer, there were three characters shown who could be the first three linear selections. There’s Stia the Architect, Phenn the Hunter, and Laurana the Cleric. Every character that players find will have a Path Action (not shown off in the trailer). However, past examples include the ability to bribe or steal from NPCs, so players can probably expect to see some returning Path Actions since there will be over thirty characters.
Returning to Turn-Based Gameplay
A Classic Battle System
The two main console games in the series followed a turn-based path that was a bit of a cross between thePersonaandBravely Defaultgames. In battle, players could bank up points to then act multiple times in a row in an act called Boost. The games are verychallenging for modern turn-based RPGs, so players had to Break enemies, which would stun them and leave them vulnerable.
Octopath Traveler 0still uses turn-based combat with Boosts and Breaks, but there is an additional twist. Players can create a party of eight to bring into battle. On each turn, they can only act with the four characters in the front or back rows, so players are a bit limited there. This is a good strategy on Square Enix’s part, as commanding eight characters per turn might feel a bit overwhelming and drawn out.
Build Homes
How Deep Will Progression Get?
The game takes place in the world of Orsterra with the custom-created hero hailing from the town of Wishvale. After witnessing it get destroyed, players can then use resources throughout their journey to rebuild Wishvale. The trailer shows players beingable to build buildingsand place them on a grid-based system.
It’s not known exactly how these will factor into gameplay, like whether the more houses players have, the stronger they will become. This is not the only Switch 2 RPG wherein players have to rebuild a destroyed city. It’s a big part ofBravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster’sgameplay loop, which is where Square Enix might have retained the idea forOctopath Traveler 0.
By Land and by Sea
A Classic World Map
How openOctopath Traveler 0is going to be is uncertain. In the trailer, the hero is traveling between many places like towns, deserts, and wintery plains. At max, it looks like three characters can travel behind the hero on land, even though eight characters can join battles.
One of the coolest details shown in the trailer for a brief second is a ship. How far into the game players will have to wait to drive a ship is unknown, as is whether or not there will be more vehicles for world traversal. Theability to sailinOctopath Traveler 0is still pretty interesting.
It’s Based on a Mobile Game
Not the First Mobile Remodel
Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continentwas releasedon mobile devicesin Japan in 2020 and not in the West until 2022. It had typical free-to-play microtransaction elements, but it played like the console games. There were recruitable characters and turn-based battles.
Octopath Traveler 0is actually based onOctopath Traveler: Champions of the Continentfrom a story perspective, although it’s a reworking of the core narrative. New voices and dialogue options will be added to the game. The eight-party battle system was originally created for the mobile game, but the base-building idea is entirely new. So, even if players did check outOctopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent,Octopath Traveler 0looks like a whole new experience (devoid of microtransactions, most importantly).
