HD-2D magic on PS5
By Paul Hunter
Octopath Traveler 0 brings Square Enix’s HD-2D style back to PS5 with a structure that hits very differently from the first two mainline entries. Co-developed by Square Enix and Doki Doki Groove Works, and published by Square Enix, this is a full console RPG built from the backbone of Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, now rebuilt as a standalone adventure with no gacha pulls or online hooks.
This time, you’re not picking from eight leads at the start. You make your own main character, then set out across Orsterra as the story centres on one main storyline. It’s a big, personal journey tied to the Divine Rings, and it keeps circling back to a second goal that matters just as much: bringing your destroyed hometown, Wishvale, back from the brink.
Even with that different setup, it still feels like an Octopath game with its turn-based fights revolving around Break and Boost, and Path Actions that let you interact with NPC townsfolks in unique ways. Layer in Yasunori Nishiki’s music, and you’ve got a package that feels both familiar and distinct, running smoothly on PS5 at 4K and 120fps.
So, is Octopath Traveler the next worthy entry in the series you should definitely pick up? Let's find out!
After a time jump, you reconnect with another survivor and head out across the land. The story remains centred on your created protagonist instead of splitting focus across eight separate lead characters, giving the game a more traditional RPG arc.
To get revenge on those who destroyed your town, your quest involves gathering Divine Rings held by powerful villains tied to Wealth, Power, and Fame. You get early freedom to choose which route to start with, then your job is to hunt down the villains culminating in epic showdowns. Each quest tells a satisfying, susinct story full of drama and big fight moments, and closes with a real sense of completion before the next arc begins.
The themes of rebuilding and recovery stay top of mind over the entire adventure as you regularly get pulled back into your hometown of Wishvale. Seeing its rebirth adds personal motivation even as the plot grows larger and darker. All in all, you’re in for a meaty, lengthy adventure, with a huge recruitable cast and impactful story beats that feel like major moments.
Path Actions return in Octopath Traveler 0, which are unique NPC interaction options, letting you do things like steal, haggle, inquire for info, or invite someone to help out in Wishvale. The success of these actions depends on your Wealth, Power, and Fame states, which increase through completing quests and side objectives. I liked how sometimes I'd try an action, see the odds weren’t in my favour yet, making them a clear “come back later” target. After wrapping up some quests and increasing the relevant stat, it was fun to return and see the exchange flipped in my favour.
Like in previous Octopath Traveler games, combat is still largely driven by the Break and Boost systems. You test weapon and element types to reveal enemy weaknesses, chip away at their shields, then crack their defenses to open a large damage window. What is new this time is the eight-member battle setup. You fight with four up front and four in back, and you can tag between paired partners during turns. Since back row characters recover each round, swaping becomes a central strategy to winning battles.
After battles, you earn JP that you can spend to buy skills, so your moveset keeps growing as you progress. Levelling up can unlock extra Action Skill and Support Skill slots, which lets you further customize character abilities for the fights ahead. Characters also have Ultimate Techniques, which are special moves that you build up with BP and then trigger for a big attack. In one boss fight, I banked BP, swapped my worn-out front row into the back to recover, then broke the enemy's guard and fired an Ultimate to finish the battle.
Restoring Wishvale is another major part of Octopath Traveler 0, and it gives you a home base that grows alongside the main adventure. You rebuild the town by placing buildings, paths, and decorations on a grid, then you raise the town’s level to unlock more options. You can also invite NPCs to move in, and each resident adds a passive bonus that can affect things like JP gain or other useful bonuses. I kept heading back to Wishvale to cook a dish for a short battle buff, then I’d head out again stocked up and ready for the next mission.
Orsterra’s towns stand out because each one has its own vibrant colour palette, building types, and small background details that make it easy to remember where you are. The later dungeons also look sharper, with better lighting and denser environmental detail that makes those areas feel like major story locations. I also used the camera zoom option a lot during exploration. Pulling the view back made routes easier to follow, and it cool to see just how big the world is when you zoom out to soak in the scenery.
Audio is awesome in this game, legendary composer Yasunori Nishiki’s music is invigorating and reall sells the adventure. The soundtrack mixes returning tracks with new pieces that fit the darker stretches of the story.
Performance-wise, the game is buttery smooth on PS5 with 120fps (60fps option also exists). You’ve also got English and Japanese voice track options, and I preferred the Japanese audio since the audio comes through more clearly.
Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Developer: Square Enix, DokiDoki Groove Works
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: Role-Playing Gaming
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Octopath Traveler 0 brings Square Enix’s HD-2D style back to PS5 with a structure that hits very differently from the first two mainline entries. Co-developed by Square Enix and Doki Doki Groove Works, and published by Square Enix, this is a full console RPG built from the backbone of Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, now rebuilt as a standalone adventure with no gacha pulls or online hooks.
This time, you’re not picking from eight leads at the start. You make your own main character, then set out across Orsterra as the story centres on one main storyline. It’s a big, personal journey tied to the Divine Rings, and it keeps circling back to a second goal that matters just as much: bringing your destroyed hometown, Wishvale, back from the brink.
Even with that different setup, it still feels like an Octopath game with its turn-based fights revolving around Break and Boost, and Path Actions that let you interact with NPC townsfolks in unique ways. Layer in Yasunori Nishiki’s music, and you’ve got a package that feels both familiar and distinct, running smoothly on PS5 at 4K and 120fps.
So, is Octopath Traveler the next worthy entry in the series you should definitely pick up? Let's find out!
Story and Narrative
Octopath Traveler 0 begins in Wishvale, a small town where your custom main character lives out his daily routine. That calm ends quickly when the town is attacked and burned down, and your family is taken from you. It's a dramatic moment that immediately establishes the stakes and gives you a focused reason to head out into Orsterra.After a time jump, you reconnect with another survivor and head out across the land. The story remains centred on your created protagonist instead of splitting focus across eight separate lead characters, giving the game a more traditional RPG arc.
To get revenge on those who destroyed your town, your quest involves gathering Divine Rings held by powerful villains tied to Wealth, Power, and Fame. You get early freedom to choose which route to start with, then your job is to hunt down the villains culminating in epic showdowns. Each quest tells a satisfying, susinct story full of drama and big fight moments, and closes with a real sense of completion before the next arc begins.
The themes of rebuilding and recovery stay top of mind over the entire adventure as you regularly get pulled back into your hometown of Wishvale. Seeing its rebirth adds personal motivation even as the plot grows larger and darker. All in all, you’re in for a meaty, lengthy adventure, with a huge recruitable cast and impactful story beats that feel like major moments.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Octopath Traveler 0 follows a familiar JRPG formula: visit a town, undertake quests, complete dungeons, then go back to resupply and stock up for the next mission. Orsterra is vast and always has new main mission to explore, but there are plenty of worthwhile side objectives to tackle offering mini stories and valuable rewards.Path Actions return in Octopath Traveler 0, which are unique NPC interaction options, letting you do things like steal, haggle, inquire for info, or invite someone to help out in Wishvale. The success of these actions depends on your Wealth, Power, and Fame states, which increase through completing quests and side objectives. I liked how sometimes I'd try an action, see the odds weren’t in my favour yet, making them a clear “come back later” target. After wrapping up some quests and increasing the relevant stat, it was fun to return and see the exchange flipped in my favour.
Like in previous Octopath Traveler games, combat is still largely driven by the Break and Boost systems. You test weapon and element types to reveal enemy weaknesses, chip away at their shields, then crack their defenses to open a large damage window. What is new this time is the eight-member battle setup. You fight with four up front and four in back, and you can tag between paired partners during turns. Since back row characters recover each round, swaping becomes a central strategy to winning battles.
After battles, you earn JP that you can spend to buy skills, so your moveset keeps growing as you progress. Levelling up can unlock extra Action Skill and Support Skill slots, which lets you further customize character abilities for the fights ahead. Characters also have Ultimate Techniques, which are special moves that you build up with BP and then trigger for a big attack. In one boss fight, I banked BP, swapped my worn-out front row into the back to recover, then broke the enemy's guard and fired an Ultimate to finish the battle.
Restoring Wishvale is another major part of Octopath Traveler 0, and it gives you a home base that grows alongside the main adventure. You rebuild the town by placing buildings, paths, and decorations on a grid, then you raise the town’s level to unlock more options. You can also invite NPCs to move in, and each resident adds a passive bonus that can affect things like JP gain or other useful bonuses. I kept heading back to Wishvale to cook a dish for a short battle buff, then I’d head out again stocked up and ready for the next mission.
Presentation and Audio
Octopath Traveler 0 is another strong showing for Square Enix’s HD-2D lineup. Visually, I'd say it sits between the first two mainline games: the pixel characters, beautiful environments, and modern lighting all look excellent, but it's hard to top the pristine graphics from the second game.Orsterra’s towns stand out because each one has its own vibrant colour palette, building types, and small background details that make it easy to remember where you are. The later dungeons also look sharper, with better lighting and denser environmental detail that makes those areas feel like major story locations. I also used the camera zoom option a lot during exploration. Pulling the view back made routes easier to follow, and it cool to see just how big the world is when you zoom out to soak in the scenery.
Audio is awesome in this game, legendary composer Yasunori Nishiki’s music is invigorating and reall sells the adventure. The soundtrack mixes returning tracks with new pieces that fit the darker stretches of the story.
Performance-wise, the game is buttery smooth on PS5 with 120fps (60fps option also exists). You’ve also got English and Japanese voice track options, and I preferred the Japanese audio since the audio comes through more clearly.
The Verdict
Octopath Traveler 0 is an excellent addition to Square Enix's beloved RPG series with its strong adventure, satisfying strategy, and a home base you'll have a blast building. It also looks and runs great, with sharp HD-2D visuals, smooth performance on PS5, and a soundtrack so good you'll want to listen to it even when you're not playing. An easy recommendation for Octopath lovers and RPG fans alike.Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Octopath Traveler 0 details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PS4, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: Square Enix, DokiDoki Groove Works
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: Role-Playing Gaming
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.