When role-playing games were gaining traction on consoles in the 1980s and ‘90s, they often featured pixelated graphics, rich music and sound effects, and expansive storylines that kept players engaged for hours. Since those days, most RPGs have evolved into modern takes, featuring gorgeous 3D graphics and significantly larger storylines, along with side quests that keep players occupied for days on end. Fortunately, Square Enix hasn’t forgotten its roots with its Octopath Traveler franchise, though the developer admits that HD-2D games are surprisingly expensive. The latest addition to its HD-2D library, Octopath Traveler 0, looks to have more than fans of retro RPGs could have hoped for.
Videos by ComicBook.com
HD-2D games are a fusion of modern art and perspective, incorporating two-dimensional elements such as pixel art and billboard sprites. These are presented in beautifully rendered three-dimensional environments, and had the technology been available decades earlier, it’s likely that games like The Legend of Zelda on the Nintendo Entertainment System and the early Final Fantasy titles on the same would have utilized it. Octopath Traveler 0 continues the trend, but instead of sticking solely with what worked in previous franchise entries, DokiDoki Groove Works and Square Enix are incorporating features more familiar to modern titles.
Octopath Traveler 0 Bridges the Gap of Retro RPGs and Modern Titles
The Octopath Traveler franchise is relatively new, as its first entry was released on the Nintendo Switch in 2018, marking the first HD-2D game ever made. The following year, it was ported to Windows and to Sony and Microsoft’s consoles by 2024. In 2020, a prequel, Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Content, arrived on Android and iOS, though only in Japan, so players in the West had to wait until 2022 to get their hands on it. Finally, a sequel to the first, Octopath Traveler II, dropped in 2023, and fans have been eagerly awaiting the next title ever since. Octopath Traveler 0 is a standalone prequel, though it’s not a mobile game, and will arrive on all the major consoles and PC in late 2025. A trailer released in July 2025 revealed it will also arrive on Nintendo Switch 2 and its predecessor.
The franchise’s previous entries are, in a word, gorgeous, and this is mainly due to the impressive graphics. Square Enix expertly blends 2D and 3D environments, producing a look akin to a tilt-shift effect, which focuses the eye on specific points of the screen. This works by altering what appears out of focus, so what’s in focus (the player characters) stands out, looking more three-dimensional than it otherwise would. What makes Octopath Traveler 0 an even bigger leap forward from the previous titles in the franchise is the inclusion of two new elements common in modern games.
These are a new town-building system and a character creation system. While common in many games today, these elements are new to the franchise and weren’t available on the types of RPGs the Octopath Traveler franchise pays homage to. Previous titles allowed players to choose from a selection of heroes, but Octopath Traveler 0 opens the door, allowing the player to design their very own protagonist. They come from the town of Wishvale, which was destroyed by fire. The game offers a story of restoration, where players must rebuild the village as they progress through the story. Unlike other games, you don’t merely fix up a cottage, as you can choose what the building is and where you’d like to place it alongside crops and other elements reminiscent of the Stardew Valley franchise.
Adding New Elements to a Retro-RPG Creates a Unique Sense of Nostalgia Unlike Similar Games
Octopath Traveler 0 is clearly being developed by fans of old-school RPGs. Still, by adding several new mechanics, all of which are likely familiar to most players, they improve on an already excellent genre. Typically, gamers enjoy more choices in how they play their games over restrictions that hold them back, and Octopath Traveler 0 takes this seriously. Its turn-based combat system is what players expect from this type of game, while the added nuances only help to improve upon a formula that has worked well for ages. Early reviews of the game’s demo suggest it will appeal to fans of the franchise and those who’ve yet to discover it, citing its impressive score, expanded party of eight characters, emphasis on exploration and progression, and combat.
Octopath Traveler 0 arrives on December 4, 2025. Will you pick up a copy? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of Ufotable -
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
