Octopath Traveler 0 Review

    Providing turn-based RPG action, Dokidoki Grooveworks and Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler 0 is ending the year with a grand adventure.

    See whether players should venture forth with our review…

    Octopath Traveler 0 Review

    After making a character and picking a base class, players start their Octopath Traveler 0 adventure in the starting town of Wishvale as a guard.

    As it turns out, Wishvale is kicking off a big festival. This, in turn, has players running around and helping with set up – complete with a bit of combat for spice.

    Things soon turn sour, however, with the village invaded, buildings burnt down, and citizens killed off.

    After escaping with a friend, players will wait for things to cool off before assessing the damage.

    Seeing that nothing is left but ruins, players are joined alongside the local carpenter Stia as they set out to rebuild the town.

    However, this requires going out into the world to find supplies and new citizens – expect an adventure that’ll clock in at approximately 50 hours.

    Never played an Octopath game? These turn-based RPGs have a bit of a twist…

    Players will still take turns normally, but BP is built with each turn – assuming someone doesn’t drain it first.

    With said BP, players can power up moves or do multiple normal attacks. For instance, spending two extra BP allows for additional attacks.

    This is important in Octopath Traveler, as all enemies have a barrier that can be broken if struck with one’s weakness enough times.

    On scrubby low-tier enemies, it doesn’t matter much; just get to blasting attacks.

    However, for Octopath Traveler 0’s bosses, bust that barrier as much as possible!

    When breaking an enemy’s defenses, they lose a turn and take more damage. This, in turn, allows for the spamming of one’s best attacks – hopefully killing the enemy before they recharge.

    While a simple addition to turn-based combat, this system makes things more engaging.

    When not fighting in Octopath Traveler 0, players will set out to explore and get loot. Eight characters can be brought into battle, so gearing them all takes a lot of gold.

    Most areas in Octopath Traveler 0 aren’t very big, but its winding paths hold secrets to find.

    Caves and dungeons hold mini bosses that net rare gear or new items to upgrade Wishvale buildings, while towns offer a nice resting spot.

    If there is one downside to exploring, it’s the sprint – it leads to enemies attacking more often. Quite the annoyance…

    Towns are safe and allow players to run freely, but players can also get into fights if they so desire…

    Yes, players can buy new gear, get new items, and rest at the inn to heal up.

    However, the real reason to go into town is to chat with people.

    All of Octopath Traveler 0’s citizens have ways to interact with them. Sometimes chat can reveal hidden items or a quest. Alternatively, they can sell items, or can also be haggled with. A strong warrior might want a duel, and most will come help in combat if impressed enough.

    Octopath Traveler 0’s denizens aren’t just there to spew lore; they prove to be extremely useful in most situations.

    Just don’t make them upset – or else players will have to pay to reset their reputation.

    The big reason to talk to civilians is to recruit them for Wishvale. Most of the time, it is level-based – those that are too weak or have a bad rep will be out of luck.

    Players will also need to do side quests to convince select citizens to join. Not only does this lead to Wishvale’s growth, they also each pack a perk that can be used while housed in Wishvale.

    Wishvale starts as a blank slate, with basic recipes for houses and scenery available – think bushes, rocks, barrels, and a snowman.

    As players progress in Octopath Traveler 0, they’ll get the bigger buildings – think a tavern, farm, and various shops.

    What starts off as a little hamlet in Octopath Traveler 0 soon evolves into a sprawling town, one full of life and purpose.

    Put simply, Wishvale became the reason I kept coming back to play Octopath Traveler 0.

    Octopath Traveler 0 provides the perfect JRPG comfort food this holiday season, promising to keep you engaged and entertained to the very end – as long as you enjoy turn-based combat.

    Octopath Traveler 0 Review

    Reviewed On: PlayStation 5 (A digital code was provided)
    Release Date: December 4, 2025
    Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
    Developer: Dokidoki Grooveworks
    Publisher: Square Enix

    Aggregate Scores: Metacritic / OpenCritic / CriticDB

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