But doesn’t bog itself down trying to be anything more than an enjoyable, if uninspired, story. It’s one of a wandering hero, almost a ronin’s tale, and includes moments of betrayal and ultimate redemption. But of course, I went and finished Olberich’s story, too, and found it just as good. If I had felt so inclined, I could have completely skipped over the tale of Primrose the dancer or Olberich the Knight and called it a day.
There are some twists and turns along the way, and the story feels absolutely appropriate in tone and substance, never taking itself too seriously but also not becoming silly or parody.
His story never tries too hard to have a morality lesson or some deeper meaning, but it’s enjoyable, almost like a compelling but not-too-deep anime or comic-book, without seeming corny or overwrought. Therion is a thief, shackled literally with a symbol of shame in the early hours of his tale. (You can switch the voice acting to the original Japanese, if that’s your thing.) Progression through one has no bearing on the other seven, and switching between them isn’t a requirement, but I still partially played through each character’s story while concentrating on the satisfying ending to Therion’s tale. The eight different tales told in Octopath Traveler aren’t particularly original, but they do manage a few dramatic surprises and are both well-written and voice acted. During fights, spells paint the battlefield in light and throw realistic shadows on everything, adding another layer of beauty to an already gorgeous world. Beams of warm sunlight shine through windows and interiors are lit by torch or a warm candlelight.
Lighting effects make the world even more dreamlike. Individual grains of sand sparkle under the sun, and the snowy landscapes glimmer with life as light dances across individual snowflakes. Perhaps the most gorgeous places are the deserts, beaches, and snow-capped mountain areas. Everything in the world feels alive with subtle movement: pixelated trees rustle in the breeze blades of 16-bit grass sway under a changing sky shadows from passing clouds blot out parts of the landscape as they float, out of sight, in the skies above. Perhaps the most gorgeous places are the deserts, beaches, and snow-capped mountain areas.But it doesn’t stop there. That lends it a delightful old-school charm while giving it a modern flavor. But there’s more to it than that: Character are 2D, but they move and explore in a 3D world painted with 16-bit textures, with the exception of realistic sand, snow, and water. At first blush, Octopath Traveler is a sprite-based game that looks like it’d be at home in a Super NES Final Fantasy.
0 kommentar(er)
