Octopath Traveler is a role-playing video game created in 2018 by Square Enix and Acquire. The game uses a special 2D style with high-quality graphics and tells the stories of eight characters as they explore the fantasy world of Orsterra.

The game came out for the Nintendo Switch in July 2018, for Windows in June 2019, for Stadia in April 2020, for Xbox One in March 2021, and for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in June 2024. Most reviews praised the game’s visuals, music, and battle system, but opinions about the story were divided. By September 2022, the game had sold more than 3 million copies worldwide.

A prequel called Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent was released for Android and iOS in Japan in 2020 and later for the rest of the world in 2022. A sequel, Octopath Traveler II, was released in 2023. A version of Champions of the Continent for game consoles, called Octopath Traveler 0, was released on December 4, 2025.

Gameplay

Octopath Traveler uses a special visual style called "HD-2D." This style mixes old-school Super NES-style character designs with 3D environments and high-quality effects.

At the start of the game, players choose one of eight adventurers to be their main character. Each character begins their journey in a different area of the world. Once a main character is chosen, they stay in the group until their story, which has four chapters, is finished. Other characters not chosen as the main hero can be found and added to the group at their starting locations.

Each character has a specific role, called a "job." This role cannot be changed during the game. However, players can unlock the option to assign a different role, called a "subjob," to a character. A subjob can be switched at any time but can only be given to one character at a time.

Every character has a special action called a "Path Action" that is used when interacting with other characters in the game. For example, the Warrior Olberic and the Hunter H'aanit can challenge others; the Apothecary Alfyn and the Scholar Cyrus can ask for information that helps complete quests or find hidden items; the Merchant Tressa and the Thief Therion can get items from others through trading or stealing; and the Cleric Ophilia and the Dancer Primrose can guide others or summon them as helpers. The first action for each character is called a "Noble" Path Action, which depends on the character's level or how much money they have. Other actions are called "Rogue" actions, which can be used on anyone but might cause the character to lose trust with other NPCs. If a player loses too much trust in a town, they can no longer use Path Actions there until they pay a fee to restore their reputation.

The game uses a turn-based battle system. All characters can attack with weapons, use special abilities, use items, or run away. The battle system focuses on two features: "Break" and "Boost."

• Every enemy has a set number of "Shield Points" and weaknesses. Weaknesses match one of six weapon types or six elemental attacks in the game. If an enemy is hit with a weapon or attack it is weak to as many times as its Shield Points, the enemy becomes "Broken." When this happens, the enemy loses its next turn and takes more damage. However, once the enemy gets a turn again, it will act before the player, making it harder to control.
• At the start of each turn, every party member gains a "Boost Point," and can save up to five at a time. During their turn, a player can use up to three Boost Points to attack multiple times or make their abilities stronger. Boost Points are not earned the turn after they are used.

Synopsis

Octopath Traveler is set in the land of Orsterra, which was created by thirteen gods. One of these gods, Galdera, was sealed inside the afterworld by the other gods after he refused to give up what they had created. The Order of the Sacred Flame, the most powerful church in the land, was formed to worship the leader of the gods who remained loyal. These gods continue to rule over Orsterra.

The player follows the journeys of eight heroes as they travel across Orsterra.

• Ophilia Clement is a priestess of the Sacred Flame who travels to keep the Sacred Flame burning. She faces opposition from Mattias, who tries to steal the flame for his own purposes. Ophilia’s class, Cleric, lets her heal and protect her companions.
• Cyrus Albright is a teacher at the Royal Academy who searches for a stolen book called From the Far Reaches of Hell. Cyrus is a Scholar who uses magic to attack enemies.
• Tressa Colzione is a merchant who decides to travel after finding a journal that describes past journeys across the continent. Tressa’s class, Merchant, helps her earn more money.
• Olberic Eisenberg was once a knight in the Kingdom of Hornburg. After his kingdom was destroyed by a sellsword named Werner, he seeks a new purpose. As a Warrior, Olberic defends his allies from physical attacks.
• Primrose Azelhart is a noblewoman who wants to take revenge on the Obsidians, a criminal group that killed her father. As a Dancer, Primrose uses magical dances to temporarily strengthen her allies.
• Alfyn Greengrass is a healer who chose his profession after a stranger saved him from a deadly illness as a child. As an Apothecary, Alfyn mixes ingredients to create potions for attack or defense.
• Therion is a criminal who was hired by a noble family to retrieve a set of dragonstones. As a Thief, Therion can steal items from enemies and weaken them temporarily.
• H’aanit is a huntress who is searching for her mentor, who left their village to hunt a creature called Redeye. As a Hunter, H’aanit can slow enemies and capture them to use later.

After completing each hero’s story, their quests become connected. Ophilia’s enemy, Mattias, Cyrus’ enemy, Lucia, the Obsidians, and Olberic’s enemy, Werner, are all revealed to have worked for Lyblac, an immortal witch who is Galdera’s daughter. Lyblac planned to use From the Far Reaches of Hell and the dragonstones to open the Gate of Finis, which leads to the afterworld. She also caused the destruction of Hornburg, as the kingdom sits above the gate. Using the Obsidians, Lyblac eliminated threats like Primrose’s father. She also tried to use Graham Crossford, the author of Tressa’s journal and the man who saved Alfyn as a child, to help Galdera return to the physical world. Graham escaped but was changed into Redeye, forcing Lyblac to seek Graham’s only living son, Kit, to complete the ritual.

At the Gate of Hornburg, Lyblac brings Galdera back to life and is absorbed into him. The eight heroes fight a battle against Galdera, sealing him back into the afterworld and saving Kit, who finally meets his father’s spirit.

Development and release

Octopath Traveler was announced on January 13, 2017, with the temporary name Project Octopath Traveler. The project was led by producers Masashi Takahashi and Tomoya Asano, who previously worked on Nintendo 3DS games Bravely Default and Bravely Second: End Layer. Acquire was selected as a development partner because of their earlier work on the What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord? series. During development, choices about graphics, such as depth, resolution, and color, were made to create the "HD-2D" visual style. The game features eight main characters—four male and four female—to allow players to form different groups. Each character has a unique class, and their designs and abilities are inspired by jobs from Medieval Europe. Every playable character has a special musical theme during key parts of their story. For example, Primrose's theme is meant to show sadness and loneliness, even though her story is about seeking revenge. Sound producer Yasunori Nishiki explained that the theme includes metallic sounds to reflect the desert setting where Primrose begins her journey in the city of Sunshade.

The game's first public demo was released on the Nintendo eShop on September 13, 2017. In the demo, players could choose Olberic and Primrose as main characters because their story beginnings are close together. The developers wanted players to recruit the other character after completing the demo's story. The demo also aimed to show the game's mechanics. The second demo was released on June 14, 2018, and included improvements based on player feedback. It featured all eight characters, save data transfer to the full game, and the first chapters of each character's story, with some areas locked and a three-hour time limit.

Octopath Traveler was released worldwide on July 13, 2018. A special edition with the game's soundtrack, a replica of in-game currency, a pop-up book, and a map of Orsterra was also released that day. The game was later released for Windows on June 7, 2019. A prequel for Android and iOS, titled Octopath Traveler: Conquerors of the Continent, was originally planned for 2019 but delayed to 2020. A version for Google Stadia was released on April 28, 2020. The game was released for Xbox One on March 25, 2021, and added to the Xbox Game Pass service the same day. Versions for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were released on June 5, 2024. According to Takahashi, no major post-release updates or downloadable content are planned.

The game was temporarily removed from the Nintendo eShop for about a month between March and April 2024. When it returned, Square Enix was listed as the publisher, replacing Nintendo, the original publisher.

Reception

Octopath Traveler received "generally favorable" reviews, according to Metacritic, a website that collects and summarizes game reviews. Polygon's Jeremy Parish called the game "the magical RPG the Nintendo Switch needed." GameSpot's Peter Brown praised the game for its "innovative battle system," character development, and visual style. However, he noted that the stories of the eight playable characters were "lackluster" and "repetitive."

Critics had mixed opinions about how female characters were portrayed in the game. Some praised Primrose's story as a strong part of the game, while others criticized it for relying on overused or unfair stereotypes about women.

Square Enix issued two apologies after many people in Japan could not buy physical copies of the game due to shortages during its first two weeks of release. In its first two months in Japan, the game sold 188,238 physical copies and reached number one on a sales chart that includes both physical and digital sales. By August 2018, the game had sold over 1 million copies worldwide. By March 2019, total sales (physical and digital) reached 1.5 million copies. The PC version of the game was one of the best-selling new releases on Steam that month. In March 2020, Square Enix reported that total sales had surpassed 2 million copies. By February 2021, sales had reached 2.5 million copies worldwide. In September 2022, it was announced that the game had sold more than 3 million copies worldwide.

Sequel

A prequel called Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent was released for Android and iOS devices in Japan in 2020. It became available worldwide in 2022. A sequel named Octopath Traveler II was released on February 24, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows. A new prequel called Octopath Traveler 0 was announced during a Nintendo Direct presentation. It is based on the story of Champions of the Continent and is scheduled to release on December 4, 2025.

Legacy

Square Enix later created other games that use the same "HD-2D" style first introduced in Octopath Traveler. These include Triangle Strategy and a remake of Live A Live, both of which came out in 2022, as well as a remake of Dragon Quest III.

Primrose and Olberic appeared in Final Fantasy Record Keeper during a special event in September 2018.

The main characters from the game were added as optional bosses in a June 2024 update for Octopath Traveler II. Additionally, Galdera, the final boss of the game, is a secret superboss in the main game.