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Octopath Traveler: Preview Thread
- Thread starter Meelow
- Start date
I mean, pretty much all the previews are glowing except Jason's and he says he still likes the game so it's pretty much just ERA getting worried
I think at the end of the day, taking the FFVI comparisons (or any other made comparisons) from previews at this point is very very dangerous. We don't know the full scope of the game until reviews hit, and it's best to maintain expectations at a certain level before you burn yourselves.
I just don't get why Jason makes that headline and article conclusion when even he admits they were talking about the gameplay mechanics.
I'm still looking forward to playing this, but will keep my major plot expectations in check.
Funny to see so many in this thread freak out over Jason's opinion of XB2, though. I mean, do you only play JRPG's on nintendo systems? It's easily in the top 10 most boring and cringey RPG's I've ever played and I've played at least a hundred.
Funny to see so many in this thread freak out over Jason's opinion of XB2, though. I mean, do you only play JRPG's on nintendo systems? It's easily in the top 10 most boring and cringey RPG's I've ever played and I've played at least a hundred.
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You first.
QUOTE="MELLO, post: 10096049, member: 4093"]You have to reread[/QUOTE]
You first.
QUOTE="MELLO, post: 10096049, member: 4093"]You have to reread[/QUOTE]
Ugh
OldManYellsAtCloud.gif
I'm old and don't have time for shit in my life anymore. I love everything about this gsme, but this aspect is a major downer.
I think it's pretty clear if you want a rpg that's mostly about a single overarching storyline this is probably not it. But even if Famitsu review scores are unreliable, I can't imagine the reviewers being okay with playing a JRPG that doesn't have a decent story. That would be a pretty big departure from what people expect from a JRPG. So maybe that the stories are not strongly interconnected is really not that big of a deal.
Just have to wait for the full reviews.
Just have to wait for the full reviews.
I don't think some of these, such as there not being an overarching plot, are flaws so much as different design choices. It's clear that Octopath Traveler doesn't meet the criteria of what many people want out of a JRPG, that being a strongly directed central storyline featuring a playable party with lots of dialogue between them, but that doesn't necessarily make what it's doing bad. A game doesn't have to be all things for all people (which is, of course, ultimately impossible).
Octopath seems to be designed with the intention that you will not get everyone and see everything in a single playthrough, which I'm sure will annoy people who feel the need to do that, but I don't think that's necessarily a poor design decision.
I'm getting tired of this
There seem to be three types of people commenting in this thread:
1. People arguing semantics and slightly thread detailing by trying to discount Jason's opinions.
2. People, despite preview evidence to the contrary and not having played it themselves, saying exactly what is and isn't in the game (for example, being absolutely sure there is a grand connecting story despite little evidence beyond a 10 second blurb on the E3 treehouse).
3. People who are concerned with the game's potential shortfalls and are trying to temper expectations.
I preordered this game and am hoping for the best, but no overarching story, with minimal character interaction, is concerning.
I don't take that treehouse comment as confirmation for an overall story. The guy says each character contributes in their own way; that "way" could certainly be self contained in their own story.
Regardless, amusing thread to read so far. Keep it up, everyone!
1. People arguing semantics and slightly thread detailing by trying to discount Jason's opinions.
2. People, despite preview evidence to the contrary and not having played it themselves, saying exactly what is and isn't in the game (for example, being absolutely sure there is a grand connecting story despite little evidence beyond a 10 second blurb on the E3 treehouse).
3. People who are concerned with the game's potential shortfalls and are trying to temper expectations.
I preordered this game and am hoping for the best, but no overarching story, with minimal character interaction, is concerning.
I don't take that treehouse comment as confirmation for an overall story. The guy says each character contributes in their own way; that "way" could certainly be self contained in their own story.
Regardless, amusing thread to read so far. Keep it up, everyone!
I mean, I think the issue more than anything else is just that it doesn't make sense to have these eight characters travel together. None of them have anything in common, they never talk to each other, and most of them wouldn't even like each other if they did. So why even bother letting the player recruit them? Why not give the player character-specific party members?
It just feels weirdly empty to have seven empty shells following the player's chosen protagonist around who never contribute to the game in any way.
This also reminds me that people said that he mentioned in a podcast how: "people will realize that XC2 is bad once that there are more RPGs on Switch" or something like that. Not only disregarding other people's opinions but it also is blatantly false since we already have things like Battle Chasers and Ys VIII on the system now and it doesn't make me think any less of XC2.
I think gonna hold off with my preorder until after the reviews come out. I hope this ends up being a great game, I literally have e nothing else to get for Switch until Smash.
It depends on how fast underleveled characters catch up with your current party.
Trails in the Sky games don't give exp. to the backup party members, but when you fight with an underleveled character he/she will level up extremely fast, so it's not that big of a deal.
I find it weird that people are criticizing the fact that this has a gameplay loop. I guess the same people that thought Persona 5 was boring because "you just did the same thing over and over".
Pokemon is a good example that I forgot, you're right, I have grinded there (although not necessarily to progress but because raising different Pokemon is part of the fun).
Grinding for me is intentionally getting into more battles than you need to.
Pokemon is a good example that I forgot, you're right, I have grinded there (although not necessarily to progress but because raising different Pokemon is part of the fun).
Grinding for me is intentionally getting into more battles than you need to.
That doesn't represent what happened in this thread at all.
Please go back and read it.
Personal attacks aside, as Jason is clearly a great videogames reporter, I agree that staying away from Jason's impressions on JRPG is a wise decision, if you like the genre to begin with - because he seems to want more reformative changes to the formula than most of us expect or want. On this preview in particular, however, I don't see any problem in calling out that the characters don't interact enough, and that the stories feel silo-ed, which is a worry I have. Hopefully after the different storylines are done, the main storyline kicks in and we can see characters interact more. Can't wait for that full review from EZA.
I mean theres no reason to ever preorder a game before reviews come out.
Jesus....if it didn't happen by 50 hours in, it probably won't happen.
Some of the previews and even in a treehouse vid i watch, the random monsters later in the game is super hard.
Lol, wanted to post the same when I read that. I always roll my eyes at statements like those. No, Octopath is nothing like a new mainline FF should and would be today, come on. If you think otherwise you don't understand the essence of the series for at least the last 20(!) years now.
From what I understand from other previewers, although benched characters don't share EXP, the EXP curve is such that they catch up quickly. Can't speak from experience, but that sounds quite fine to me, if unideal.
To the people saying all of Octopath's scenarios follow the same basic structure:
Of course they do. They're all prologues. They're all meant to serve as introductions to the mechanics of the games, and the character you've chosen.
I would argue that both the people who are hyped AND the people who aren't hyped went "I KNEW IT WOULD BE [X]", where [X] is good or not good depending on your predisposed opinion.
That's what previews do - they confirm people's preconceived judgments of a game before they get a chance to play it.
Likewise, which is why wouldnt even take that preview seriously, cause he already doesnt know what hes talking about.
i fail to see pressing him for example about gameplay variety thing is just arguing about semantics in order to discount his opinions, when his example is the one that ends up far from being correct about it no matter how you would try to see it
Yeah, that does seem like a large oversight, and it sounds like it would have been better if each character recruited different NPCs that made sense to their story, and trying to shoehorn in the 8 characters to be together – then in the same breath have them totally ignore each other outside of fighting together in battles, and upon more reflection then realize it actually makes no sense why they'd want to be together in the first place.
I think in a game that's about playing through everyone's individual stories, where each individual's chapter is level-gated (or recommended, or whatever), those characters not getting XP when they're not in-party is actually a HUGE fuckin deal. Enough so to maybe turn me off the game entirely.
Part of the setup is you encounter them along your journey and ask them to help out, whenever they are not in your active party, it's not merely that they are not active, but rather they are miles away drinking in a tavern where it'd make no sense for them to gain experience
Seems this game is gonna be a king example of ludonarrative dissonance discussion. The 8 travelers teaming up is very clearly gameplay and fun convenience. Their 8 stories clearly give no reasons for the characters to team up and work together and I imagine all 8 paths are designed to be cleared solo.
He is a petty guy i guess? He can't handle others liking the game he hated. Especially with how Xeno 2 now being the most successful Xeno series lol. Hell, the more update XC2 get, the more it become better in my eyes lol. And the moment the Golden Torna drop, it will go even higher on my best Jrpg of the generation.
Also. Imagining liking NnK more than Xenoblade lol.
I really don't get why is so bad to not be able to level up a character which is not in your party :/
Yes this is what I want to know. I always assumed 8 ppl would each have their own stories like companions in Mass Effect, but that you would also be heading down a "bigger" story outside all of those. I hope this is the case but i'm
there day 1 regardless :)
GameXplain doesn't really indicate that it's great either and these guys tend to be really positive on the games they choose to cover. :P
That said I'm expecting a decent game.
