#octopath traveler 2 analysis

[taoofshigeru]

The Evolving Nature of Keywords and Antagonists in Octopath Traveler II

Octopath Traveler II is a masterpiece. I find new ways to appreciate this fact all the time. I hit on one specific facet somewhat recently, so want to walk through each of the main quests and go over the extent to which the creators picked out powerful character-specific keywords which do heavy lifting on multiple levels.

I made a similar post about the keywords from OT1, if you're interested in reading that, but essentially, the "keyword" for a character is a single word chosen to represent their journey. It's used to in OT1 to denote the lead-in to Battle at Journey's End in the climax of a character's route, and in OT2 to fit into their "In Pursuit of _" route boss theme.

The keywords chosen for OT2 have had a lot of thought put into them, and represent not just the journey at a glance but how a character's objectives can change, and even how they relate to their primary antagonist.

(I recommend having the tracklist for the OT2 soundtrack beside you for this, if you're not already familiar.)

Ochette (For Legends)

Ochette is on a journey to find the creatures of legend in order to protect the island. Her journey also takes on meaning for her first chosen companion (Mahina/Akala) and Acta, who become legends in the final act of her journey.

In contrast, her opposite number Petrichor is trying to kill or incapcitate the creatures of legend. Cateracta is the only one that dies on account of her efforts, but Tera and Glacis both suffer at her hands. As does the darkling. Petrichor brings not just death, but suffering on those she seeks. It contrasts nicely with Ochette's first contemporary scene, which has her hunting a gator down specifically for eating too much of the local wildlife and disrupting the balance of the forest. There's a strong ethos about how death is faced, and why a hunt is undertaken. (i.e. to protect the larger environment versus for personal gain)

Hers is the storyline that deals most directly with the balance of life and death, and the importance of a good life and a humane death. In that sense, it's less important for Ochette to directly confront Petrichor because a good life and a humane death can be given regardless of what evils others inflict upon the world.

Castti (For Memories)

Castti, an amnesiac apothecary, is on a journey to restore her lost memories. She's also on her journey to extend a helping hand to those in need, in order to honor the besmirched memory of Eir's Apothecaries.

Her opposite number, Trousseau, was the one to taint Eir's Memory, and his poison has taken hers (either chemically or through trauma). Because his continued actions as a mass poisoner threaten to further sully the memory of Eir's Apothecaries, he needs to be confronted and put down directly for the memories to be laid to rest.

Also, the fact that non-evil Trousseau shows up in her last memory at the end is an indication that it's also a fight for Trousseau's memory in her heart. She can't remember the kind man he once was because it would lead her to hesitate about what needed to be done, but she does want to remember her lost loved ones fondly. Even Trousseau.

Throné (For Freedom)

Throné is fighting for her freedom from the Blacksnakes, and her opposite number, Claude, holds the keys to the collar literally wrapped around her throat. So he has to be fought, for obvious reasons. Fighting him also secures the kind of freedom Throné's never had for the nameless baby whose crying voice can be heard at the end of her route as the camera zooms out.

Still, we see that it's not just Throné suffering under Claude's thumb. We see her adoptive father lost the woman he loved to Claude, and orphans like Mira being raised to take the place of whatever snakes might lose their heads in any given heist.

And, despite the "Not my tits, not my problem" way she handles the power vacuum created by Claude's death, her actions do cause chaos that allows some other Blacksnakes and abused orphans like Mira to break free. Which is not to say they become good. They're still seen running rigged casinos and the like after her path is complete. But hey, freedom to be good implies one also has the freedom to be evil, or else it's not really freedom!

(Sidenote: The baby at the end of Throné's route is such a great narrative tool for pushing the readers to ask more questions. Did Throné originally have qualms about killing Claude due to the power vacuum that the need to free the child overrode? Did seeing the woman first, then her child with Claude, make her realize this would keep happening unless she killed him for real, despite her dislike for killing? Did Claude, a questionably suicidal immortal, engineer the whole setup to erase her doubts about killing him?)

Osvald (For Revenge)

Osvald sets out for revenge and gets his revenge at the climax of his route in a direct confrontation with Harvey, his opposite number and the number one object of his revenge.

This is only somewhat subverted, as Osvald's revenge succeeds in large part due to the power of love (as a father who loves and wants to protect his daughter). Really, revenge being the one goal that doesn't evolve as much fits with Octopath's general "revenge is actually pretty reasonable when you've been wronged to that extent" ethos.

Partitio (For Prosperity)

Partitio is on a journey to bring the world prosperity! Economic well-being! For all his friends. And everyone (save maybe a few shitty loan sharks) is his friend.

But he gets TWO antagonists. Roque is doing it For Wealth (choice of words mine), a similar but distinctly different and much more selfish end. One of the more obscure definitions of prosperity is "attainment of the object desired". Roque was fought because he needed it knocked into his noggin that trains can be good for more than warfare.

Ori has, like him, experienced extreme poverty and suffering (though her experience as a wartime orphan was more extreme) and wants to ease the world's suffering. She just initially prefers to do so by ending the world. However, Ori is never fought because Partitio was always fighting the battle for her heart, knowingly or not. And, at the very last, he reached her. ;_;

Agnea (For Hope)

Agnea Bristarni is on a journey to spread hope. And boy, does she ever!

But she also gets two antagonists. Dolcinea Luciel, the boss of Agnea's route, performs not For Hope, but instead For Applause (The first phase of her boss fight has theme music explicitly called called "In Pursuit of Applause"). It's a form of selfishness that does have to be confronted directly, albeit onstage rather than in an actual fight to the death.

Tanzy, Agnea's other opposite number, has already lost all hope. And that void in her heart was taken advantage of to make her a pawn of the moonshades (and ultimately, a sacrifice). Tanzy remains unfought, because the battle was for Tanzy's hope all along and Arcanette won that fight before the story began.

However, very much worth noting is that Agnea is the one character to not get a "The Journey for _ Ends…" theme on the soundtrack. Instead, her route boss track, juxtaposed squarely between "The Journey for Prosperity Ends" and "The Journey for Truth Ends" is the Song of Hope (which she sings herself!). I think this is a thematic choice that reflects that the hope Agnea strives to bring is more ephemeral as a concept. ("Like trying to grasp hold of a cloud", to paraphrase the ending of Hajime no Ippo.) I think this has a lot to do with why the game has the epilogue. Because while all eight travelers go on living and trying to better the world and themselves in their own way, Agnea's journey for hope continues.

Temenos (For Truth)

Temenos' quest is rather straightforward. He's a detective on a murder investigation. He's looking to discover the truth behind the pontiff's death, behind Roi's death, and eventually behind Crick's death as well.

But in a pretty heavy subversion, his "Journey Ends" track plays in the boss fight with Kaldena, well before he actually gets to the truth. He's the one character of the eight to directly fight his HTAPOTCO counterpart outside of his specific story arc. Because the track was incomplete and his journey for truth wasn't over yet. To add to the synergy, Arcanette was the one most responsible for concealing the truth from him, from the depth of the moonshades' duplicity to the truth of her own identity. And she's already succeeded insofar as her goal was to bring about the endless night, so by the time she's actually fought she's happy to spill all the beans, and you fight her not For Truth, but For The Dawn.

Hikari (For Kingship)

Hikari Ku wants the throne so he can govern with compassion.

He's also the third character to get two antagonists. His brother Mugen is a comically evil king who governs with an iron fist and sends his army to make war with their neighbors. He's fought directly in Hikari's final battle, Hikari becomes king, and he's able to begin repairing the damage and attempting to make a better, more compassionate world.

However, Hikari's opposite number in the moonshades, Oboro/Kazan, has a different view of kingship altogether. Arbuably the center-stage antagonist who gets dialogue prior to Vide's resurrection, Oboro rejects the notion that even a king truly can ease the suffering inherent in the world. It's impossible to change, no matter how hard anyone tries. (After all, he was a master strategist and he did his best strategic thinking to reduce war casualties, but it never did a lick of good.) So, throughout the story, he's helping Hikari's cause without believing in it.

He may be directly confronted in the climax of The Journey For the Dawn, but he's never fought because the battle here was not to gain the throne, but to convince Oboro that Hikari's rule could make a real difference once he was sitting on it.

---

And that's the eight. Wish I could say I could end it on a more profound point, but I don't really have one. I guess, writing this convinced me the story design in OT2 being spot on was very much by design. And the fact it was the result of intentional writer choices and not just an accident makes me feel a deeper connection to the game.

[legendaryandroid]

Funnily enough, this sounds like it fits well with lore that the OT gacha game tries to establish.

(spoilers for Bestower of All chapter 4, for the few who may care)

In the final arc, the main character for it, Rondo, has a story arc about not having enough conviction to his ideals. This is why he gets dismissed to inherit the Sacred Flame from the one who currently wields it (Sazantos). It's only when he's put in a situation where Aelfric tells him to kill a friend and Rondo continuously refuses, because it's NOT RIGHT, does Aelfric grant him the Flame.

In contrast, the Accurst Flame is found by those who waver in their ideals and lose them for selfish desires. Knowingly hurt others to get what they want.

Basically, 'May the Flame guide you' means 'stick to your ideals of being kind'. And with how I understand the Sacred Flame is featured in OT2's story (I haven't finished it and have seen only some spoilers) it fits. The travelers are chosen by the Flame because they either hold the conviction to help others, or change to do so.

(Addressing prev's tags here): The old world is definitely the western continent and the new one the eastern. When I stumbled upon that lore in game I made the throwaway joke of 'Vide swallowed the dawn, so of course Vide came from the east, then managed to destroy the east continent before the gods could stop them.'

🤔🤔🤔

also these

[loregoddess]

some more thoughts I had while reviewing a few banters, that I can't quite fit into the analysis I'm currently writing...

In the "New Paper Plays" banter between Temenos, Agnea, Castti, and Partitio, Temenos mentions that he wrote and illustrated his paper plays himself, noting that he specifically tailored them to be appealing to children. This got me wondering about all the "mistakes" he makes while reading these plays to children, which I've wondered about a lot because Temenos is clearly very familiar with all the scriptures (to the point where he can share certain stories at a moments notice when he feels they're fitting for the situation), so it seems strange that he would mess up the details.

And then it hit me--Temenos is probably making the mistakes on purpose. This would achieve three things: 1) It allows the children to have fun learning the scriptures because they can laugh and correct Temenos on the details he messed up, 2) It helps the children to build their confidence because they feel smart when correcting him and aren't afraid to speak up and correct him, and 3) It teaches the children not to blindly rely on and trust others for things they either know to be true or could otherwise investigate and learn the truth themselves, even when (or especially when) the information comes from someone who should "know what is correct"--which is the core of Temenos's approach to his faith. The third point I feel is what Temenos is specifically trying to get at with his mistakes, since he is an "authority" figure, and if the children aren't afraid to stand up and correct him, then they may become adults who likewise aren't afraid to question and investigate things for themselves.

It's rather clever really, since Temenos isn't outright saying "hey, you should doubt things that are presented to you as true and told not to question". Instead, he's modelling the actual actions for the kids by presenting them with something they know isn't correct from someone who should "know best", and allowing them to question and correct him.

It's a very "Temenos" approach to teaching the scriptures, and considering that doubt and questioning and coming to one's own conclusions can be a form of faith, it isn't even antithetical to his role as a cleric. It's a really neat bit of characterization that I didn't even notice until I realized that Temenos clearly put a lot of thought into how his plays were constructed, and that his purposeful and careful thought process is central to a lot of his characterization, so of course the "mistakes" he makes while reciting the plays would be thought-out and purposeful as well.

[cafeinnewdelsta]

Juvah: No humans in the village, Ochette. Sorry.

Ochette: What about Hikarin?

*they both look to Hikari*

Juvah: ...OK, I will make an exception because he looks very polite.

[unparalleledfocus]

Happy 1st Anniversary to peak fiction - Octopath Traveler II!

Finished my drawing of the first O of Octopath 2 (Ochette) for the occasion!

[sun-marie]

I don't have the energy to retype it but I'm replaying Ochette's story and my first impressions I shared on Twitter ages ago still hold true :/

[sociopath-analysis]

Sociopath Traveler

The world of Octopath Traveler has plenty of sociopathic characters to choose from. And thanks to the poll, I'll be looking into all of the ones I can find. Trust me, there are plenty of them to find.

Either reblog this one to share or any of the profiles found inside or the gallery below (Note: Not all of them will be complete when you see this.)

SPOILERS will be below for the whole franchise, so be careful if you haven't finished the games.

Galleries Part 1 and Part 2 can be reblogged to share as well.

Listed in alphabetical order:

Arcanette

Auguste

Claude, the Progenitor

Galdera, the Fallen

Gideon

Helgenish

Professor Harvey

Lucia

Lyblac

Miguel "Twinspears"

"Mother"

General Mugen Ku

Pardis III

Rufus, the Left Hand of the Crow

Simeon, the Puppet Master

Vanessa Hysel

Werner

[icedicedbabeee]

Octopath Traveler 2: A Perfect Sequel

I don’t think anyone who follows me will be surprised to know that Octopath Traveler was my favourite game. It has great storytelling, incredible characters, a world rich with worldbuilding and opportunity, a charming artstyle...it has everything I could want from a game.

I joined the party late to Octopath and even still, I found it to be incredibly compelling and was driven to discuss the game. It had such a profound effect on me, after all.

I only say was, because Octopath 2 came out.

I’ve been silent for a very long time about this game. It’s been months and the entire time, I’ve loved that game. It’s become my favourite far and away. It takes the winning formula of the original, and improves on everything. It grows the character interactions, the stories are bigger and more complex, the gameplay has been finetuned and nailed down to a tee.

Octopath 2 has everything I want from a game. But I couldn’t find anything to say about it.

And I don’t know why. So, I’ll start with something simple to illustrate how I feel about this game. I might talk about it more

The story of Castti is a masterpiece, second to none.

When the game was first announced, I cared about Castti the least. An amnesiac apothecary just didn’t seem interesting to me. I doubted I’d care for her too much and instead focused on the heavy hitters of the trailer.

So it was surprising, to say the least, when Castti ended up gripping me immediately. Her story was one of the last I did. But I was hooked immediately. The intrigue of her past, Eirs Apothecaries and what happened to Malaya was immediately compelling.

I ended up doing Winterbloom next. And it was incredible. The challenge of the boss was fair and refreshing. The story of Rosa was a sad one, but one that inspired hope nonetheless. And Rosa’s death was the first time in the game I cried.

I then did Sai. I was immediately hooked as Castti’s story continued to unfold, with some of the most compelling ensemble cast. I found OT2 to have a weak ensemble in most of the stories, so for Castti’s to continue to nail it was incredible.

To be fair, it was very easy to put together that Malaya was dead and that Trosseau was the villain, likely the cause of her death. I managed it by Winterbloom. But it’s not like the twist is ruined.

The opposite is true. It instead rewards the shrewd player. Making them feel clever and enhancing their experience for engaging with the story. The little details have big payoffs, like how an off-handed travel banter about Castti having black scaring hints at the purple rain.

And then Castti 3 happened. I am not ashamed to say I cried again. It’s such an emotional chapter. We know next to nothing about Trosseau or Malaya, yet you still feel the weights of their fate. It’s also an incredible establisher for a villain and the perfect connection to journey for the Dawn.

After the ordeal ended, I just sat there in the ambience. Just watching the screen as I processed the emotional ride that had played out in front of me. I was able to predict this.

And it did not cheapen the impact this chapter had on me.

The final chapter was the culmination of everything. Castti’s memories returned, allowing her to craft the healing serum and save everyone. Something she could not do before.

The fight with Trosseau was also climactic, and sad with deep consideration. All it took was a few words from Claude to derail his entire outlook on life, making him a nihilist. And Castti was unable to save him.

She still is unable to save him now. She “knows no cure for evil”.

I cried again. It was kind of becoming a theme. And after completing this chapter and seeing the end, it was solidified as my favourite experience.

This isn’t even considering the gameplay, or the music. Both of which I feel are at their peak. It is perhaps the most incredible gaming experience I’ve had.

And yet, I’ve spoken with no one about this experience. I could not find the words on how I feel about this game and everything about it. It says something about Octopath Traveler 2, and I don’t know what.

But either way, this is still my favourite game of all time.

[almalex24]

ive been trying so hard to not think about this game but i loaded it up to try the new update and now im thinking about it again. so why not take the opportunity to rant about it because i really need to use this account more. lots of text and spoilers under the cut

ive only played 2 but im planning to pick up the first game next time it goes on sale since im really desperate. my favorite from what i know is DEFINITELY tressa though im like. Obsessed with this creature. Little thing. Really want to know her deal. aside from that for the travelers in 2 my favorite is agnea! im trying really hard to not replay the game because i really should be doing anything else with my time rn but i think this post is going to make me bite the bullet so. im probably gonna choose her as my starter since i think using dancer is really fun and i should take advantage of it more. everything about her story is really great though... i get it if its like. not someones thing. but it feels like ive seen honestly a lot of hate for her story (and by extension partitio's) and i can only assume its because theyre the more lighthearted and silly of the two. but like. thats fine!!! i think they're still really compelling, not every story has to have the immediate gripping tension of the others (even if the narrative tone shifts are funny to me) because the writing is STILL strong throughout!!! like maybe i just get really attached to characters fast but how do you not immediately want to cheer agnea on. how do you not immediately want to love her aside from the start though i think im biased to agneas story as someone who's really into art and creative passions and especially someone who's just starting out, seeing her help OTHERS rekindle those passions throughout the story is really inspiring and just like. feel-good. as opposed to other characters We Will Mention You In A Second thinking about her always makes me happy in like a. kick my feet and giggle kind of way. in my lowest moments i think about how agnea bristarni octopath traveler 2 wouldnt want me like this and i get back up on my feet. "even if i stumble, i'll always get back up!" looping in my head as i struggle to exercise for more than 3 seconds also obvious mention to BEST SONG IN THE SOUNDTRACK SONG OF HOPE!!!!! one of my favorite tracks in anything ever. agnea's theme in general is really good :] anyways Mentioning Her In A Second. despite how much i talked about agnea, ori's actually my favorite 8path lady... she has completely enamored me and wont leave my brain. absolutely such a perfect character. look at this and tell me this isn't the best little guy ever created

but also like. it's completely impossible to talk about her without talking about the journey for the dawn shaped elephant in the room. i dont even Know what about her mental illness "im probably nonbinary but i need to end the world so idrc about that right now" demeanor has bewitched me but she's been in my head for like 6 months since i finished the game for the first time. pictured below is the absolute agony i experienced seeing the journal fragments for the first time

she's really interesting to me. the fact that, in total, she has like one or two hours of screentime but has such a big resounding impact is so fun to me and so cool at the same time since the point of her character IS to not be there. to put on that mask, be that cute little puppy, gain trust, and then to be the spy letting all the information come together. she's haunting the narrative and you don't even know it until it's over. my favorite part of re-experiencing things is to be able to see little details that you couldn't have picked up the first time and everytime ori appeared on screen when i was streaming to my friend (Hi patch) i was trying not to scream at every line she says and everywhere she appears. one of my favorite examples is in osvald's chapter 1 where she's actually in the audience of the court, but i digress even still, despite the perfect act, the perfect cover, it slips eventually. the irony of ori playing the part of a cute little puppy, listening to everything everyone says under the guise of someone unknowing, being turned into her own defenses cracking when she meets partitio. everything she's seen, the dark, ugly truths of the world, the horrors of it all, and everything she's been conditioned to believe in, slowly but surely deteriorate over the course of the story, with just simple acts of kindness. sometimes we need to be reminded that the world can be a good place. and sometimes those slivers of good are worth seeing another dawn for. i digress. i started thinking about ori and i got really really sad again so i should probably stop ranting. i dont even remember if i mentioned everything i wanted to about her because i typed all of this in a haze. i dont even know if anyone is going to read this far if you did hi :3BUT ALAS!!!!! the entire point of this blog anyway is femslash ships and i dont even ship ori with anyone LMFAO im not a big shipper. i like castti/malaya and agnea/throne i think... maybe i start shipping agnea and ori because they were the two i talked about LOL

For me, it's H'aanit from Octopath Traveler 1! But I also love Throne and Kura from Octopath Traveler 2, and Sigrid, Sophia, and Eltrix from CotC.

Feel free to share yours in the comments or reblogs!

[typicalf001]

Been awhile since I've posted something on Tumblr. Gave up as trying to manage post here, my actual blog, Twitter, and other places is hard. However, I wrote this character analysis article of a whim and it's one of the most refreshing pieces I've done in a very long time.

Why Do I Like Hikari!? He's my favorite traveler in Octopath Traveler 2 and he's one of my favorite games characters alongside Therion from the first game. I appreciate all that Hikari is, but if we're talking about the most complex, nicest, or mature character in Octopath 2 he's probably not it. I've seen dozens of other fans argue the other travelers are better, and their reasons as to why are completely justified! However, Hikari is still my favorite and it's not just because I chose him as my starting character. No, there was to it for me.

So here's somewhat of an analogy as to why I love Hikari Ku, and also a reminder as to why the Octopath Traveler series lives rent free in my head. Maybe I should write more articles like this in the future.

[viridescent-lance]

TOA Anniversary Munday!

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

tagging whoever wants to do this!

Name: Pat Gem! Patrick is the full name but Pat is what I go by most often in this group.

Pronouns: he/they

Birthday (no year): September 15! Same as my beloved kitty Cassie.

Where are you from? What is your time zone?: I'm from California, PST! I was born in the Bay Area, moved to Alabama where I spent ten years as a kid, and moved back to California. That's the truncated version.

Roleplay experience: I started roleplaying on the Warrior Cats Forums in like...2010, I think? I also did private Skype rps with my best friend at the time. This lasted for 3-4 years until both fizzled out around the same time. I have some experience doing group nuzlocke rp on the nuzforums, but that also didn't last as long as I'd like. Other than some ttrpgs, I had a dry spell, and in 2019 I joined a Friends at the Table tumblr RP that would change my life. There I met Maddie and some other friends, and while the rp wasn't super active after I joined it, Maddie and I started doing rp ourselves! Finally, in late 2021, Lucius invited Maddie to TOA and I also got the invite and tagged along.

Got any pets?: Yep! Cassie and Oreo, my beloveds! Both cats, Cassie is the one with a hairdo and she's almost 4, Oreo's a year and a half and a tuxy baby.

Favorite time of year: I love when it is nice and cool but not too cold. Fall is my favorite season, personally, but really I especially enjoy not sweating to death.

Some interests and things you like: I'm a huge Pokemon fan, which I'll elaborate on later. Here though I'll say that I have a huge interest in competitive Pokemon, both singles and the official VGC circuit. I'm a big TTRPG guy! I have a lot of systems and games I like but I'll single out Fall of Magic, Jenna Moran games, the Forged in the Dark system, the Belonging Outside Belonging system, and It's Been A Long Long Time! I have an interest in speedrunning, I watch a lot of videos about it and it's fun. I love Discworld, the Terry Pratchett series. Tales of Vesperia is a game of all time. Yuri Lowell your problems disorders. Ace Attorney helped mold me as a person. Warrior cats will forever live in my heart. Bionicle also helped make me the guy I am today. 999 is a visual novel of all time. Play it and do not look it up. I actually have a huge interest in media analysis, it's something I really really enjoy talking about and researching. Splatoon my beloved. Octopath Traveler 1 and 2! I love birds and bats and lots of animals! Okay I'm running out of steam and also this is very long so I'll just stop here but there's definitely things I am forgetting.

Some funfacts & trivia about you: - I'm a library and women's and gender studies student, and hope to some day work as a librarian! For now, I'm an afterschool program associate, and I love working with the kids. - I have met Nancy Pelosi while wearing a Pokemon button up. - I've survived a tornado that started above my house. - I have finished 34 nuzlockes. - Marth was one of my first smash mains but I didn't get into Fire Emblem for years. - I have the cilantro soap gene but I like the taste of soap. - I'm physically disabled and use a cane irl! - My girlfriend used to have me blocked on Twitter. - I've made it to playoffs every single Pokemon draft league I've been in but never made it past semifinals - I was very isolated as a kid and rarely left the house. As a result, I learned my vocabulary mostly from books, as well as how I talk and emote from books and shows. I've been told I talk and act like a cartoon character, which I suppose is fair!

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play?: I play a bunch of Splatoon, probably one of the main games I play! It's very fun, and I'm a Sploosh/Custom Jr/Tentatek triple threat main who constantly hovers around S. Octopath Traveler 1 and 2 have me grabbed so hard. I am hopelessly a Pokemon guy. I play nuzlockes, casually, and competitively, and I have almost every single Pokemon and its learnset and viable competitive learnsets memorized. I am very normal about it. I also really love the Zero Escape series. I've been playing the warrior cats procgen sim ClanGen recently. I used to play a bunch of No Man's Sky, want to get back into that soon. Honestly I struggle to consistently play and finish games, and I've been trying to work on that.

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: Bug; Flygon. Yes, you can combine these two to get the logical conclusion: Flygon should have been a Bug/Dragon type! It's based off the life cycle of a lacewing!!

How did you get into Fire Emblem?: I've got two stories here, one of how I almost got into Fire Emblem and how it got on my radar, and the other being how I finally got into it for real. So, in 9th grade, I had a crush on a boy who played Awakening at lunch every day. I'd talk with him and he actually offered to buy me Awakening, but I, one of the only poor kids in a rich school, was flabbergasted he would spent 40 dollars on me and felt guilty and was like are you sure? And he was like well okay if you don't want me to. I kind of wish I'd taken him up on the offer because he sucked as a person and his family was super rich but oh well. I then played the hell out of the demo. Flash forward to 2019. I'm scrolling twitter and see a friend of mine is streaming Fire Emblem Three Houses. I've seen it before, and it seems pretty fun. A lot of my friends like Fire Emblem. I watch the stream and fall in love with the characters and style of the game, and I impulse buy Three Houses. I then tell Maddie and sell them on Three Houses. Thus, it begun...

What Fire Emblem games have you played?: This is a fun and complicated question for me to answer because if you count me backseating Maddie, it's some of fe4, most of fe7, fe8, fe9, fe10, over half of fe13, some fe14, fe15, and fe16. If it's just me, that shrinks down to some fe7 and fe8, some fe9, over half of fe13, some fe15, and some fe16. I was an active participant in watching the games so it feels like a smidgen of playing them but not quite?

First Fire Emblem game: Either the Awakening demo or Three Houses.

Favorite Fire Emblem game: Shadows of Valentia, Sacred Stones, and the Tellius duology. Hard to specify a single favorite, especially depending on what we are defining favorite as.

Any Fire Emblem crushes? 😳 : Where do I begin. I mean Lukas is like, perhaps one of my strongest ones. Though I'm also smitten with Forsyth and attracted to Python despite him being terrible boyfriend material. Recently I have been making eyes at Legault in Blazing Blade, and also playing Fates for the first time had me really surprised at how much Setsuna charmed me. Uhhh lemme think also. Christ Kent your problems disorders bewitch me. Claude you are my everything I will do anything for you. Shamir also if we are talking 3h, what a gal. Ranulf my beloved, he's got things together and he's playful and teasing and just has a great personality. Also Titania...pretty and strong and cool and just a fantastic character who I would not object to kissing on the mouth. I think i might stop here because if I keep going I am going to just take you on a tour of my numerous Fire Emblem crush tastes.

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? Who would you S support nowadays? - Awakening: Panne; I'd also S support Libra or Say'ri. I need to mention that my first awakening playthrough was in 2020 though so if I'd gotten it in 2013 like I almost did I'd probably have gotten married to like...Libra if I waited that long, Chrom if I messed up and got automarried, or like. Stahl or something bc he's really nice and a knight. - Fates: I have not S supported anyone in Fates yet but Setsuna and Silas I am Looking. - Three Houses: I actually never have S supported anyone in Three Houses, as I never actually finished my personal playthrough! However, my big choices are Shamir and Claude, though w the latter I just pretend that's me bc I don't do teacher/student. - Engage: Not enough experience to say who I might S support. Will get back to you.

Favorite Fire Emblem class: Do laguz/taguel/manakete count. I'm also weak for archers I shan't lie.

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class?: Oh I know I'd be one of those frail little mages who has explosive firepower and waning physical ability. Honestly being that but on a wyvern would be fun. My good friend my mobility wyvern.

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation?: Golden Deer 4ever baybee not even close.

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with?: I'll get back to this, I'm not sure if I have the info I need to make an informed choice. My first thought is that I would love to have Ike chilling with me though, Ike my good friend Ike.

How did you find TOA?: Lucius invited Maddie, and Maddie invited me! I was roleplaying Forsyth with Maddie's Python 1on1 at the time and the idea of a group RP was very appealing to me, despite me being swamped with work and school and health issues at the time. I'm so glad I made the leap!

Current TOA muses: Forsyth and Leanne!

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again?: Forsyth! I don't see myself dropping him unless his narrative here is done, really.

Have you had any other TOA muses?: Oh Ranulf...I had a very fun time with him, but I just was not in the state to handle three muses and having two muses has been much more manageable, so he's probably not coming back for a while.

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards?: I tend to write very earnest characters, especially in a group RP setting. I've pushed my comfort zone before, but characters who express themselves very openly and intensely are my bread and butter. Characters who wear their hearts on their sleeves, for better or worse.

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most?: Hard to say, but honestly I really enjoy writing relationships, and the ways in which they shift and change over time. I really like character-focused writing the most, emotions and thoughts and such, and exploring the connections between characters! This feels like a silly answer, but it's what I'm feeling!

Favorite TOA-related memory: Oh man this is a hard one. Hard to choose so I'll just pick one that came to mind which is Leanne and Vaida's bizarre adventure in Queen's Compass. What a good event that was, blows a kiss to the sky for Zyra. I'm also a huge fan of everything involving Forsyth's Jugdral meddling and the narrative impact of his deaths in KKE. There are so many funny little experiences and memories that stick with me forever, really.

How do you pronounce TOA? 🤔: Tee-oh-ay! Pronouncing it as a word is the same as Toa from Bionicle and to keep them distinct in my mind I sound it out.

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day that you’d like to share? 😉: The world if I could handle three muses...Legault scratching at my door. Ranulf also scratching at my door. Blows a kiss to the guys I would enjoy playing but don't have the time and energy for.

[moqi2004]

OCTOPATH TRAVELER 2 Trailer breakdown analysis

An overview of sorts for the information I have gleaned from the new game's first trailer. Some inferences to story points are also made. I recommend you watch the trailer yourself before reading this post.

The graphics take on the more updated versions from Triangle Strategy and Live&Live, plus probably refined even more (hard to see from the trailer alone).

At 0:16, we can see Partitio telling a group of people to get away from a large brick building building, which explodes after they run. This seems to be related to the engine/motor/generator he seemingly breaks at 1:49.

You can sail in small boats, seen at 0:13, to get across bodies of water. A larger boat is shown sailing across the sea at 0:27 in a zoomed-out view, but it is unknown if players can actually control this boat.

The game takes place in a continent known as Solistia, so not Orsterra

Ochette seems to be able to run with animal companions. In the trailer she is seen with a fox and an owl

Hikari, the Warrior, is clearly dealing with a war within his story, and his home and his design seems to be heavily based off Japanese culture.

Agnea the Dancer seems to be motivated by her mother, who was a dancer before her. She can be seen on the stage at 0:42 in the trailer.

Partitio the Merchant wants to remove poverty from the world. We don't learn much more about him from his little snippet in the trailer, but his English voice is so blessed.

Osvald the Scholar is found guilty of murdering his wife and daughter, a crime we can infer he may have been framed for (shown at 0:52). He is sentenced to life imprisonment on Fright Isle.

Throné the Thief's section of the trailer doesn't reveal much, except for the fact that she has potentially had a painful experience involving injury or even murder, as she comments "not again" about the smell of blood.

Temenos the Cleric seems like a major contrast to Ophilia. While she believed in faith, he questions the world around him and potentially the teachings of the church. The Japanese version of the trailer confirms in a voice line that this is the Sacred Flame being worshipped (thanks to Mini for that information).

Ochette the Hunter seems to be a fox person? It's hard to tell for sure. We learn basically nothing else about her except for the fact her companion is also a fox.

Castti the Apothecary awakens on a ship. Not confirmed, but she might have some form of amnesia. She speaks about rediscovering who she is, so maybe an experience has left her questioning her role as an apothecary?

Steam power is a thing in Solistia. We see a steam train at 1:15

All eight travelers are pictured looking at the sea at 1:16.

Path actions have different effects depending on the time of day. In the day, Hikari can challenge people to a duel. At night, he can bribe people for information.

A castle merchant at 1:25 says to Hikari: "Ah, our Lord knows well in the ways of the world" after we see Hikari bribing a treasurer that looks very similar (seen above). Hikari may actually be a Lord, and this merchant could be praising him for his knowledge on fair trade.

Some paths can intertwine, although we currently have no idea how much this will impact each character's story.

Partitio and Osvald can be seen looking at the stars with another unknown NPC at 1:29.

Throné mentiones to Temenos at 1:31 that there is nothing left in the town they're in for them (potentially they were looking for answers to something?).

Not confirmed, but the person Throné clashes blades with at 1:35 might be Osvald (it does look like him).

Agnea and Hikari can be seen listening to someone play what looks like a lute at night.

At 1:38, Hikari is seen running through a burning village and crouching down next to someone. They seem to have the same colour hair as him, and they're collapsed on the ground. Maybe they're related?

You can see four NPCs (likely guided, allured, or something similar) following Temenos, Agnea, Partitio, and Ochette at 1:42.

At 1:45, Hikari and two unknown NPCs can be seen running through the desert towards a soldier on horseback standing in their way.

Combat seems very similar to Octopath Traveler 1, with four characters in a party and the break/boost system. So far, I see no hints towards giving travelers multiple jobs.

Shown only for a split second, but you can fight while in the small boats

It's hard to see and only for a split second, but at 1:51 two people dressed in red (one in a mask) seem to be fighting at an altar or throne of sorts. Maybe linked to Hikari's story due to the appearance of the location.

All eight travelers can be seen looking out at a woodland scenery around a fire at 1:54.

The game comes out on the 24th of February 2023.

And that's about it! Anything else you think is important to mention please mention it in the reblogs or comments! I hope everyone else is as exited as I am for this game :)))

EDIT: Not sure how I missed this, and big thanks to Latte on the Orsterra's Tavern discord for pointing this out, but you can clearly see secondary jobs being used in the trailer.

Throné seems to be multiclassing as a Merchant, and I think Partitio is a thief here? Castti might be a Warrior, and Temenos I genuinely have no idea.

There also appears to be some special jobs, like the four post-game optional classes we got in Octopath 1

No idea what any of these are, but I love the steampunk gentleman outfit that Partitio is rocking (I think that's him anyway, it's kinda hard to tell). Wonder what the catapult is for? :o

[lola-legendary]

TAG TAG TAG TAG

Last song: Du Hast by Rammstein. I’m listening to it right now. Don’t question my tastes.

Favorite colour: Ooh that’s a toughie. Yellow has permanently been my number 1, but I got a personality analysis that says my lucky colour is light blue.

Currently watching: Does YouTube shorts count?

Sweet/Spicy/Savory: Sweet, definitely.

Current obsession: Octopath Traveler, 1 and 2.

Last thing you googled: “what parts are in a computer” for homework.

Tagging: …. Yeah I’ll leave this one open, all my friends are gone~

PEOPLE I WANNA KNOW BETTER

Thank you for the tag @rain-on-kamino !!!

Last song: Doomsday -Jared Benjamin

Favorite color: Blood red

Currently watching: Ahsoka

Last movie: Back to the Future

Sweet/spicy/savory: Spicy or Savory!

Relationship staus: Taken (fuckin finally)

Currently obsession: Crosshair. Not even all the bad batch. Just Crosshair-

Last thing you googled: Tup's CT number (CT-5385. Needed it for a fic)

No pressure tags!!

@staycalmandhugaclone @shadestepping @zoeykallus @fulcrum-7567 @kalykat @metalhusbands @arctrooper69 and whoever wants to!

[lyteupthelyfe]

Hey!

Since it seems both my posts and this blog have been getting a little bit of traction, I thought I might as well introduce myself properly to y'all!

Hi! I'm lyte! I run this blog/account! I hope you have a good time here!

More (blog type, fanfic I'm writing, blog future) below the cut!

So yeah, I'm lyte, and for clarity, yep, this is a multifandom blog, mainly for Fire Emblem: Three Houses and RWBY, though the other fandoms in my bio mean that if I wanted to, I would unhesitatingly post about, like, Octopath or Breath of the Wild, or whatever.

And on that, this is mainly a thoughts/discussion/theories/analysis blog, as in if you looked through all of my original posts and reblogs that I've added on to, like 90% of it is gonna be a theory or discussion or the like. And, reblogs/comments etc are encouraged! If you've got thoughts you wanna add to something I've posted, go ahead! Same for if you wanna know my opinions on something or respond to an ask meme--the askbox awaits!

Kinda going off the multifandom angle, I'm also a multishipper. If/when I post (or even write about in a fic) shipping content, that doesn't mean that I'm ride-or-die for that ship and that ship only by far.

Which reminds me, I haven't said it already but I am on Ao3 as lyteupthenyte! I have two active fics at the moment:

The Apex of the Worlds, an epic, multi-pov crossover fic that collides the worlds of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Octopath Traveler, and the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and is currently about a quarter or so done. You don't need to have necessarily played all three games, as I try my best to introduce each character/world so that while a google or tumblr search might be needed here or there, you won't be completely lost in the dark (hopefully). Synopsis as follows:

"After one hundred years, Link has to stop Ganon from rising again, and so too must Zelda. Sidon lives in the shadow of Mipha, while Yunobo thinks himself falling short of Daruk's legacy. Paya hopes to protect the Sheikah, all the while running from the tragedy of her past, and Teba does his part for the Rito by tamping on his deepest calls for righting the world. Riju is lost on how she can lead a people she's left endangered, but Adrian—born of the Yiga—is just as torn between his orders and his heart. Across an impossible distance, Edelgard's fragile dream is loftier than the stars themselves, while Primrose just wants to hide from herself.

But...what if they can somehow turn their world—their worlds—on its head? Just what would happen next?"

And Placeholder (Right Where You Left Me) is a short, also currently quarter-done, character study/fill-in-the-gaps RWBY fic about General Ironwood and an almost questionable rule-bending friendship with Ambrosius, the Relic of Creation, as he moves through his own life and the events of Volume '0', Volume 2, Volume 4 and Volume 6. Synopsis:

James Ironwood is usually a stickler for the rules. Rules like "Don't keep the Relics outside the Vaults."

Except, ever since he met Ambrosius, the Relic of Creation, he doesn't really want to follow that rule. For some ridiculous, gods-damned reason, he can't bring himself to put the Staff back in the Vault, not yet. Not. Yet.

But why? Why, why, why? For someone to talk to? To talk to without a moment passing by? To hold onto mystery and fantasy for just that bit longer?

For anything, is it really worth the riskiest friendship in all of Remnant?

Absolutely.

And, well, that's about it. I'll post about things I like, updates to the fics, any new fics I might write, thoughts, theories and discussions.

Oh! And just as i remember, there are a bunch of #lyte “….” tags on my blog! The most active one atm is “lyte does contraclass”, which follows my current fe3h playthrough!

Oh, and per my blog title, I absolutely do simp for many fictional men because I think they are all very pretty. But I won't post simp content. Probably.

At least... I don't... think... I will?

[unparalleledfocus]

In Pursuit of Legends... and Growth

When pursuing the future we all look for different things – stability, companionship, happiness and so much more. Some may chase a particular goal, others go with the flow, while others simply drift, unsure of where to go and what to do. We also all have, at one point or another, experienced some form of hardship, perhaps even times where we felt as if we were engulfed by a dark abyss. But we continue onwards, as tomorrow shall always come and the night will pass, giving you the opportunity to climb out of the abyss and fight for your dawn in whichever way you can. Octopath Traveler II echoes these sentiments throughout its entirety.

This shall (hopefully) be the first part a series of analyses of the 8 Travelers of Octopath Traveler II, as a way to express my love for the game, for its (upcoming) first anniversary.

This time, I shall analyse Ochette, the Hunter.

(Contains spoilers for all of Ochette’s Chapters)

Your name is Ochette, and you are a hunter.

Your tale begins on the isle of Toto'haha alongside your fellow beastlings.

Despite your troubles with the human islanders, you live a carefree life. That is, until you learn of an encroaching calamity known as the Night of the Scarlet Moon.

“All right, Master Juvah. I'll do it. I'll find those Creatures of Legend and bring them back.”

Desperate to save your home, you set sail in search of those who can help…

Ochette’s journey is a coming-of-age story. It had begun on the day she had to choose her companion in order to start the next stage of her life – that of a Hunter, a Guardian of Toto’haha. Right at the start we are shown her immense compassion – after choosing one companion over the other, the other seemingly falls to despair, goes into a frenzy and then disappear… and after all of that, Ochette could only be heartbroken. Could there have truly been no way to save them that day? To still find a way to be friends? Even after 10 years this day haunts her, and she tries to shower her companion with as much love as she can „for both of them”.

Ten years later and Ochette has now grown – she is now a talented Hunter, looking after Toto’haha and its inhabitants. She adores her home – yet she also doesn’t feel like becoming the Guardian of Toto’haha. She wants a simple life – simply enjoying meals together with her loved ones is enough for her. This idea – that your dream can be just living a simple life with your loved ones and that it is also a lovely dream – is alluded to not only during the campfire in the Final Chapter, but in the stories of the other Travelers too, those being the ones who had experienced some of the worst the world had to offer to them – Hikari, Throné and even Osvald. In the end, the message carried here is that though it may seem trivial at first, a simple life, where you can live peacefully and enjoy meals with your friends and family, is a truly worthy thing to fight for.

Returning to Ochette growing to become a Guardian, though she is hesitant to the idea of becoming a guardian of her home, she still proves herself through her actions not only as a Guardian of Toto’haha, but a guardian of nature and life as well. No matter what, she stood her ground against whatever or whomever she faced. During her journey throughout Solistia, she’s heard of, witnessed and experienced many tragic and horrific events, yet she still pressed on to not only find the Creatures of Legend who could save her home, but help others out in need too.

Tera was harmed by the Dark Hunter, falling into slumber in order heal right after. Though Ochette had to give him a literal rude awakening, after the battle Tera shook off his drowsiness and quickly and eagerly joined Ochette’s cause to protect Toto’haha. Before this Ochette also managed to befriend a human, Pom, who was once saved by Tera. She ended up helping Pom, both with a favor and, especially after allying with Tera – inspiring him and his future.

Cateracta, despite being protected by humans, was outright murdered by the Dark Hunter due to being weakened after protecting Conning Creek from a great wave. In the end, before perishing, Cateracta left behind an egg to Alpione, the only human who survived the encounter with the Dark Hunter. Years went by and humans had greedily begun looting Cateracta’s corpse. Cateracta had protected the town for so long and alas, people forgot, leaving behind only weeping bones of a once mighty god of the ocean. And yet hope remained – Alpione guarded both Cateracta’s final resting place and the egg, and eventually Ochette and her companion arrived. Though their first encounter ended in Ochette’s beast companions knocking Alpione out, Ochette’s kind heart had won Alpione over in the end. And once Ochette embraced the lonely egg, it hatched right in front of her – a young Acta who wished to travel by Ochette’s side, who Ochette hopes to help grow, who could someday, perhaps, even fulfill the role Cateracta once had – a new symbol of hope for the seas and land.

Glacis’ fate was, alas, the opposite. Though Glacis survived, the egg of this legendary being did not. The Dark Hunter, alongside prideful humans, destroyed the egg during an attempt to hunt Glacis, destroying a fragment of Stormhail’s hope. Glacis was both heartbroken and enraged, and so was the hunter who lost their friends and family to Glacis, being the only survivor after that day. It became a cycle of hate with seemingly no end in sight. And so, someone had to find a way to break that cycle – this duty falling to Ochette. To stop the neverending snowstorm she once again extended her kindness to others, while also making sure to stay strong. Though they fought, she made sure to not only comfort Glacis’ broken heart (Legendary Creature or average traveler, everyone deserves love, hope and peace), but to help Glacis find a new resolve.

“You can’t get back what you lost. But it wasn’t the only thing that mattered to you.”

”I will never forget this sorrow… But you reminded me… that there is something else I must protect. […] Thank you, Ochette.”

“No, thank you, Glacis!”

After helping Glacis, Ochette then helped the surviving hunter, Heig, stand back up and move forward in his life too – telling him to leave behind spite and hate, and to also “respect life more. Both [his] own life, and the lives of others,” as she put it.

Finally we reach the end of her story, where she must confront the Darkling – the companion she didn’t choose that day, now a broken servant of the Shadow. She could feel how deep its pain and sorrow was, mourning what had happened to the poor animal after years of suffering and loneliness.

A bit earlier, through her and the beastlings’ kindness and determination they are able to prove the humans of Toto’haha wrong, and then work together in order to save their home from the Night of the Scarlet Moon, after which the humans and beastlings proceed to live peacefully together, forging a brighter future for all of Toto'haha.

Ochette proceeds to then receive the help of Tera and Glacis, aiding her in the fight against the otherworldly beings. She continues to rush forward.

This is where we get to see how much she’s grown over the course of her journey. In a desperate moment, she realized the reason she fights – she loves Toto’haha and those that live there, and wants to help in any way she can. And though she and her companion almost perish after being sent into the sea by the Darkling, the Sacred Flame itself acknowledges her warm heart and her deeds, saving them and lending them new strength, too. After returning to the surface, the two go back to fight the Darkling, and it seems that Ochette’s growth and kindness unlocked not only her companion’s potential, but little Acta’s as well, both of which assist her in the battle. In the distance, Ochette's teacher, Juvah, admires how strong her heart is, while the two Legends prepare to continue protecting Toto'haha once more.

But in the end, though there was a great struggle between them, she chooses to help the Darkling – to give it at least one last moment of peace and love. Ochette, after offering the Darkling the same Friendship Jerky she once gave to her companion all those years ago, proceeds to comfort it in its last moments.

“It’s alright. All the scary things are gone now. There, there. If you’re reborn into this world… let’s… eat something real tasty together.”

“...Good night.”

In the end, it is Ochette’s kindness that prevails, rather than brute force. Though a strong Hunter, her true strength lies in her earnestness and ability to extend her compassion to others. Her coming-of-age story ends with her deciding to become the Guardian of Toto’haha – she had seen so much of the world during her travels, both the good and the bad, and intends to use her experiences to guide her in protecting her home. She had grown into a great Hunter – the one who had gathered the Legends, a protector of life and the ‘dawn’ itself… and a wonderful friend.

“I love Toto’haha, and the people who call it home. […] And that means… I’m going to fight!”

Additional Notes/Interesting Things

The names of the two animal companions, Akalā and Mahina, are connected to the Hawaiian words for sun (lā) and moon (mahina). Sun and moon symbology is very heavy in Octopath II, connecting to the metaphor of „the dawn filled with light after a period of darkness”. The moon is also used in two different ways: as a source of light in the dark alongside the stars, and as an omen of the impending cold and darkness.

I feel like Ochette and Hikari parallel each other a bit. Both are pursuing someone specific to aid their homes from a disaster, and the greatest strength of both is their compassion rather than their battle prowess. I just find it interesting to think about, especially since Ochette’s O is the first letter and Hikari’s H is the last letter of OCTOPATH. Another parallel she has is to Castti though I'll leave that for Castti's analysis. Glacis' situation also seems to parallel Osvald's and, to an extent, Temenos' situations as well. Another possible parallel is Acta to Agnea – someone young who lost their parent yet remains a symbol of hope.

Ochette’s stained glass represents 4 things: the circle has a design representing the (Scarlet) Moon, while the rest of the design features Glacis’ wing, a wave representing Cateracta and finally - Tera’s domain (the earth) and/or possibly its head (it’s hard for me to make out the specific symbol for Tera).

Personal: Lost to her final boss a few times. On my successful attempt I somehow bypassed its final phase and thus never got to hear The Journey for Legends Ends in the game. I did, however, get the final blow with the beastling Hired Help so that was pretty neat.

[arcadetheatre]

What are your opinions on the new releases for the switch?

Which releases specifically? The big ones that I have on my radar are Octopath Traveler and Captain Toad Treasure Tracker. 

I haven’t purchased either yet, but I really want to get both.I’ve been hyped to the high heavens about Octopath Traveler ever since its initial teaser and I have only gotten more interested in it since then. I’m a huge fan of “golden-age” JRPGs. Not only does Octopath Traveler bring back the golden-age 16 bit graphics in a beautiful 2.5 diorama style, but it also has a intricate story with lots of branches and depth as well as a expertly crafted battle system to boot. 

I hear a lot of people comparing Octopath Traveler to Final Fantasy VI (the best Final Fantasy in my opinion), however I also hear that that is due to the art-direction and not necessarily because of the large cast of characters with individual stories. In addition, I have heard that the game is very reminiscent of Live a Live. So, basically people draw comparisons to Final Fantasy VI and Live a Live when expressing their views of Octopath’s art-direction, characters, and story - which is extremely positive.

Of course, we also cant forget that Octopath Traveler was created by the same team that created the Bravely Default series of JRPGs on the Nintendo 3DS - a series that is praised for its reflection of the golden age of RPGs as well as its fun and exciting battle-system (a battle system that is also similarly present in Octopath Traveler).

Finally, I have also heard that Octopath Traveler has been extremely successful during its launch weekend and that stocks of the game in some regions have run dry due to its popularity. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality of the game, but people’s initial expectations of the game. It will probably take another week of sale analysis to draw any real conclusion.

Keep in mind everything that I just said is coming from someone who hasn’t played the game and has only researched what Nintendo and Square Enix have shown off about the game. I haven’t read any spoilers or anything or seen any post-release footage from third-party sources. So, it is quite possible that everything you just read is utter bs.

As for Captain Toad Treasure Tracker, I always wanted to get this game on the Wii U because I loved the Captain Toad levels in Super Mario 3D World, but I never got around to it. I’m very glad that they ported this game to the Nintendo Switch. I have read nothing but positive reviews of Captain Toad Treasure Tracker. However, again, I have never actually played Captain Toad Treasure Tracker, so my opinion should not hold any weight.

If I were to buy either Octopath Traveler or Captain Toad Treasure Tracker I would probably purchase Treasure Tracker first despite my hype for Octopath - for three reasons.

1) Treasure Tracker is only $40. 

2) Treasure Tracker already has a record of being a great, fun game. 

3) Treasure Tracker will take significantly less time to complete, as it is a puzzle game and Octopath is a JRPG.

I really hope you were asking about those two games. Sorry if I wasted your time.