Now I must say that up until now, I have never played a ‘turn-based' JRPG (though I did get introduced to the JRPG genre earlier in the year with Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom ). I've been gaming for over 30 years, so it's quite mad to think that this beloved genre has eluded me over the years.

Beautiful 16-bit HD visuals in a 2D/3D hybrid world; Sublime soundtrack; Brilliant voice-cast; Great replay value that will have you playing as all 8 characters

JRPG's aren't for everyone

Octopath Traveler is a special RPG, the kind of game that keeps an eye on the past while walking bravely into the future. Indeed, we'd even go so far as to say this is the best RPG you can find on the Switch to date, all elements of this game link together perfectly to make for a harmonious and...

Square Enix has made multiple attempts to capitalize on the nostalgia generated by their 16-bit days. Games like I Am Setsuna, Lost Sphear, Brave Exvius and Bravely Default all draw from this sacred era in different ways. Octopath Traveler is no exception.

Beautiful graphics; Combat is compelling; A lot of interesting stories being told

Get ready for some grinding; Narratives never really coalesce; English voice acting sometimes falls flat

Octopath Traveler is one of those games that tap into nostalgia feels at full steam. Tons of gamers have fond memories of Square Enix's 16-bit RPGs, so much so that some of them just can't accept that Final Fantasy 7 was the best game in the series, not Final Fantasy 6 (fight me IRL) It's no...

Old-school JRPG aesthetic with modern effects looks amazing; Simple but rewarding battle system keeps things fresh; Likable characters; each with unique ways of interacting with the world

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Octopath Traveler comes from the same minds that brought the world Bravely Default , and it definitely shows. There's something about the idea of returning to the roots of the JRPG that Square Enix can't seem to quite get out of its head, and this is its newest take.

Octopath Traveler is unapologetically old-school, and would not have been out of place if it had released back in the golden age of JRPGs.

Incredible music and art; deep and strategic gameplay; strong cast of characters; character Path Actions make trips into town exciting

No real overarching story that involves all eight characters; can be grindy between chapters; chapter structure can get repetitive

What is in a name Some JRPGs have absolutely weird names that never seem to get explained. Octopath Traveler is quite a mouthful, but it at least makes sense. Octopath, besides being eight paths, is the first letter of each character's name: Ophelia, Cyrus, Tressa, Olberic, Primrose, Alfyn, Therion...

Strong cast of characters; English and Japanese voice acting; Solid tactical combat system

Random difficulty spikes between characters; Shops are not always the best place for gear; Not all story sections are voiced; Guide actions border on busywork

It's no easy task to combine the old with the new; gamers may yearn for the good old days, but few things will turn even the most nostalgic retrogamer off like dated mechanics and tedious gameplay.

Gorgeous retro-modern graphics; 50+ hours of gameplay; plus sidequests; Strategic; turn-based; only occasionally monotonous combat; Unique characters; abilities; and skill sets

Surprisingly little and limited character interaction; Some character stories are stronger than others; Grinding is required

Square Enix is known for their rich history of games in the JRPG genre. From beloved retro classics such as Final Fantasy VI to more modern experiences like Bravely Default, Square Enix has been at the forefront of the genre for decades.

Octopath Traveler is a gorgeous modern JRPG with a great combat system. Unfortunately, a messy and lackluster narrative progression slightly sours the experience.