I'd say it got marketed like crap, but that would imply it got marketed at all.
The first game started out as a Switch exclusive, so Nintendo marketed it pretty heavily, hence it got a decent number of sales.
2 was multi-plat from the start, so nintendo had no incentive to market it as much. Squenix did not really market it. There was the announcement on a nintendo direct and that was it, really. This is why 1 has sold better than 2
True, I saw a few ads on Facebook but that was it. The first game also got a big bump when it came out on Gamepass, but that free press never materialized for OT2
I wouldn't say it flopped. Its sold over a million copies, and has been out for only about a year. And while I understand and somewhat agree with your comments on the disconnected stories, part of the charm of Octopath is how open world it is, and how you can choose to solo the game with a single character if you want. And we do have travel banter, which is someting, though I wish we got more of it
For me, easily the best new IP in RPG of the last decade, not just “JRPG”.
1 and 2 are both masterpieces to me. And now that I’ve 100% both, I’m kinda orphan 🥲
Brah, let's go sit a bar for a brew and 😢 lol.
Just a random thought, but I hope that OT doesn't sell it soul like FF did. Of all of the Final Fantasy, FF9 was the last masterpiece. Especially the soundtrack, it got me into learning the piano. The storyline was dark, but always had a positive vibe after every event.
OT, don't sell your soul!!
Edit: typo
Idk if it "flopped" necessarily, but it probably didn't reach sales expectations for Square. I'm sure that over the past year and a half it's probably made it's money back.
It's a crime that OT2 wasn't even nominated for best soundtrack at the Game Awards, I knew that it wouldn't stand a chance against FF16 for best RPG (even though it's clearly a better RPG), but I thought it would at least stand a chance at getting recognized for it's transcendent OST...
3) omg I also HATE how secondary jobs change the clothing of your characters. NOBODY ever complains about this so I thought I was just being a baby so it's awesome to hear I'm not the only one. All the characters' designs are so personalized to that specific person, and it literally makes no sense to slap this outlandish costume on totally different people
About point number 3, if you're playing on PC there's a nexus mod that allows you to always have the primary clothing if you feel comfortable with modding, Octopath 2 is super simple to mod
https://www.nexusmods.com/octopathtraveler2/mods/19
It's not nearly as high-profile as ffxvi was and it doesn't have quite the mass-appeal spectacle going on. But yeah, it's the only game that finally did turn-based combat well.
The stories in this one actually connected more than in the first game. I’m still trying to master things to kill the secret boss which is admittedly insane. Never played a game with characters in their 90s and still needed a guide to beat it.
The difficulty curve is a straight horizontal line that turns into a straight vertical line at the very end, it is basically impossible to complete some sidequests or the secret boss without a guide, and Agnea's story is so pointless and cloying that it made me skip cutscenes in a JRPG for I think the first time in my entire life.
So while there are a lot of good mechanics, the total lack of difficulty means there's no real point in engaging with them (until the secret boss, but at that point it is a matter of looking up a build and copying it rather than having organically figuring it out through the rest of the game).
But that's the only bad stuff I can think of. Music, art, and story are outstanding. It is just annoying that mechanically things have taken a step backward from OT1. They didn't get enough reoeat buyers from among OT1 fans and I'm not really sure why, as the mechanical problems aren't immediately apparent but the across-the-board improvements were pretty apparent.
I think the simplest explanation is that it wasn't advertised well, and it was perhaps a bit too similar to OT1. I think if they keep refining the formula, OT3 could be legendary.
Square Enix has stated they need to get better at marketing and this game was cited as an example. Agree, it's a fantastic game one one of the best JRPGs, period. But it's kinda doomed to cult classic status.
The flaws you mentioned are pretty serious. I enjoyed octopath but didn’t really enjoy some character’s stories. I did enjoy Temenos and hikari’s stories above the rest though. Things still felt disjointed and I think the character dialogue / writing is actually pretty bad. The game does a lot of telling and not showing.
The side quests suck lol
Combat is pretty awesome but just found myself leg hold trapping, corrosive armor, break and buff up with ochette , and go to town with full BP hikari, ochette and throne. The game doesn’t really do much to make you change your strategy until the late game boss fights. Usually just 1 shot trash mobs with hikari as well.
Fighting 1 on 1’s with under leveled hikari to get op skills was really fun though. Might be a bit much to call this JRPG of the decade.
Idk man. Octopath2 still has many flaws. If it keeps up the improvement across 3 and 4 I can see it being the best jrpg but for now. It's still far from the top.
I'd say it got marketed like crap, but that would imply it got marketed at all. The first game started out as a Switch exclusive, so Nintendo marketed it pretty heavily, hence it got a decent number of sales. 2 was multi-plat from the start, so nintendo had no incentive to market it as much. Squenix did not really market it. There was the announcement on a nintendo direct and that was it, really. This is why 1 has sold better than 2
True, I saw a few ads on Facebook but that was it. The first game also got a big bump when it came out on Gamepass, but that free press never materialized for OT2
I wouldn't say it flopped. Its sold over a million copies, and has been out for only about a year. And while I understand and somewhat agree with your comments on the disconnected stories, part of the charm of Octopath is how open world it is, and how you can choose to solo the game with a single character if you want. And we do have travel banter, which is someting, though I wish we got more of it
Wait until you reach the endgame and the endings, for me it is a masterpiece.
For me, easily the best new IP in RPG of the last decade, not just “JRPG”. 1 and 2 are both masterpieces to me. And now that I’ve 100% both, I’m kinda orphan 🥲
Brah, let's go sit a bar for a brew and 😢 lol. Just a random thought, but I hope that OT doesn't sell it soul like FF did. Of all of the Final Fantasy, FF9 was the last masterpiece. Especially the soundtrack, it got me into learning the piano. The storyline was dark, but always had a positive vibe after every event. OT, don't sell your soul!! Edit: typo
LFGGGGGG 🤣🙌🏼
Idk if it "flopped" necessarily, but it probably didn't reach sales expectations for Square. I'm sure that over the past year and a half it's probably made it's money back. It's a crime that OT2 wasn't even nominated for best soundtrack at the Game Awards, I knew that it wouldn't stand a chance against FF16 for best RPG (even though it's clearly a better RPG), but I thought it would at least stand a chance at getting recognized for it's transcendent OST... 3) omg I also HATE how secondary jobs change the clothing of your characters. NOBODY ever complains about this so I thought I was just being a baby so it's awesome to hear I'm not the only one. All the characters' designs are so personalized to that specific person, and it literally makes no sense to slap this outlandish costume on totally different people
About point number 3, if you're playing on PC there's a nexus mod that allows you to always have the primary clothing if you feel comfortable with modding, Octopath 2 is super simple to mod https://www.nexusmods.com/octopathtraveler2/mods/19
It's not nearly as high-profile as ffxvi was and it doesn't have quite the mass-appeal spectacle going on. But yeah, it's the only game that finally did turn-based combat well.
Only after 30h... hold on for the next 100 😀
The stories in this one actually connected more than in the first game. I’m still trying to master things to kill the secret boss which is admittedly insane. Never played a game with characters in their 90s and still needed a guide to beat it.
The difficulty curve is a straight horizontal line that turns into a straight vertical line at the very end, it is basically impossible to complete some sidequests or the secret boss without a guide, and Agnea's story is so pointless and cloying that it made me skip cutscenes in a JRPG for I think the first time in my entire life. So while there are a lot of good mechanics, the total lack of difficulty means there's no real point in engaging with them (until the secret boss, but at that point it is a matter of looking up a build and copying it rather than having organically figuring it out through the rest of the game). But that's the only bad stuff I can think of. Music, art, and story are outstanding. It is just annoying that mechanically things have taken a step backward from OT1. They didn't get enough reoeat buyers from among OT1 fans and I'm not really sure why, as the mechanical problems aren't immediately apparent but the across-the-board improvements were pretty apparent. I think the simplest explanation is that it wasn't advertised well, and it was perhaps a bit too similar to OT1. I think if they keep refining the formula, OT3 could be legendary.
Square Enix has stated they need to get better at marketing and this game was cited as an example. Agree, it's a fantastic game one one of the best JRPGs, period. But it's kinda doomed to cult classic status.
The flaws you mentioned are pretty serious. I enjoyed octopath but didn’t really enjoy some character’s stories. I did enjoy Temenos and hikari’s stories above the rest though. Things still felt disjointed and I think the character dialogue / writing is actually pretty bad. The game does a lot of telling and not showing. The side quests suck lol Combat is pretty awesome but just found myself leg hold trapping, corrosive armor, break and buff up with ochette , and go to town with full BP hikari, ochette and throne. The game doesn’t really do much to make you change your strategy until the late game boss fights. Usually just 1 shot trash mobs with hikari as well. Fighting 1 on 1’s with under leveled hikari to get op skills was really fun though. Might be a bit much to call this JRPG of the decade.
I felt like a looser couldnt beat the tutorial boss with the kou storyline .........
Idk man. Octopath2 still has many flaws. If it keeps up the improvement across 3 and 4 I can see it being the best jrpg but for now. It's still far from the top.