Square Enix has a proven track record when it comes to the creation of high quality JRPGs. Its Final Fantasy series may well be the most notable of these, but the developer has put out plenty of other great games over the years as well. Once such title is Octopath Traveler, which breaks free from some of the genre’s traditional tropes and mechanics.
Much like Square’s 1994 SNES title, Live A Live, the game completely sets aside the notion of a linear narrative; instead telling a series of contrasting yet interwoven tales. The end result is one of the most singular RPGs of the 21st century that’s held aloft by its wonderful characters and their often scintillating stories.
8 Tressa
Tressa’s tale may not be as gritty or as high-stakes as some of the others, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, the game covers some fairly deep and serious subject material elsewhere and so being able to kick back and relax with something a bit more lighthearted can actually be a little refreshing. It does have its fair share of problems though.
The biggest of these is that its climax just doesn’t really make any sense. It almost feels as though the game’s writers completely forgot about the need for a final boss and so just tacked one on at the end out of necessity. Sadly, however, the groundwork for the “twist” needed to have been laid much earlier in the story for it to have even come close to landing.
7 Ophilia
While the story of Ophilia’s pilgrimage starts out promising enough, it quickly unravels due a distinct lack of substance. The pacing can at times feel very awkward too, with the many distractions that effectively make up her story feeling far more like padding than cohesive plot points. As a result, it’s difficult to see much growth in Ophilia or any of the tale’s other pertinent characters.
The final encounter with Mattias is arguably the saving grace of her arc, although even this is tarnished somewhat by its predictability. As with many of the other characters that Ophilia meets along the way, the villain is fairly one dimensional; even if his true intentions are a little further out of the box than most players would have guessed.
6 Primrose
Primrose arguably has the most interesting backstory of all of the game’s playable characters, but it’s somewhat wasted on what is ultimately a fairly generic tale of revenge. It’s a story that’s been better told a thousand times before and, more often than not, with a far more satisfying payoff.
For all of its dark themes and subtle character development, Primrose’s story fails where it matters most. The villain. Simeon is easily the weakest of the game’s primary antagonists and this ultimately leads to players feeling just as empty as Primrose once all has been said and done.
5 Therion
Therion’s story is a fairly tepid affair that ticks all the right boxes but ultimately flatters to deceive. It’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s a lot more forgettable than some of the other characters’ tales. A lot of this comes down to it being built around an old, worn out trope.
While the history between Therion and Darius is certainly compelling and also allows for some tangible character development, the idea that the power of love and friendship can conquer all has simply been done to death. Unfortunately, Therion’s story doesn’t do nearly enough to set itself apart from the many earlier examples, making it feel just a little bit too ordinary to leave a lasting impression.
4 H’aanit
Few characters go through the same amount of character growth as H’aanit and it’s this that makes her story so compelling. During its earlier stages it can feel a little like it’s simply treading water, but it quickly develops into a surprisingly powerful stroke.
Rather than relying on twists and turns, the game’s writers seem to have instead focused on creating a deep and complex character with whom players would be able to relate. Not everyone will like her, but those who do will become increasingly invested in her story and will likely take a lot of enjoyment from its satisfying conclusion as a result.
3 Cyrus
There’s a strong argument to be made for Cyrus being the game’s most interesting and well fleshed-out character. Granted, the latter does come as the result of a large amount of exposition, but its generally woven into the narrative fairly seamlessly and so doesn’t ever seem too intrusive.
Unlike Ophilia’s story, Cyrus’ manages to integrate its subplots cohesively and also adds quite a lot to the game’s lore in the process. The only thing that really holds it back is Lucia, who, like Esmerelda, just didn’t quite feel like a logical final boss. It’s easy to be a bit more forgiving in this case, however, due to the overall strength of the story.
2 Alfyn
Alfyn’s story is far from the most ambitious, but its execution is nearly flawless. It’s incredibly well-written and is regularly punctuated with dialogue that is both memorable and profound. What’s more, the questions that it raises about morality are poignant ones that will likely resonate with many a player.
Where Tressa’s story sacrifices substance and stakes for the sake of its laid-back vibe, Alfyn’s arc manages to at times capture the same feel good tone while also holding onto its sense of urgency and consequence. While the narrative itself definitely plays a big part in this, it’s helped significantly by how likable and down to earth Alfyn is as a protagonist.
1 Olberic
Other than perhaps climaxing just a little too soon, it’s very difficult to find anything to criticize about Olberic’s story. It has a little bit of everything and manages to blend it all together into a cohesive and compelling journey. The supporting cast are strong too, but it’s Olberic himself who really makes the story shine.
His character development is subtle but constant, meaning that by the end of his final chapter it’s easy for players to see how much he has grown. His sense of honor and duty are admirable too and his interactions with Erhardt are incredibly gripping throughout.
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