Really terrible story-writing and overall bad, boring game

[dankmemes9988]

It pains me to see how far Square has fallen. I played thru 2 different stories for about 30 minutes until I just couldn't go on. That is how cringe-worthy the story-writing is in this game. The characters are incredibly shallow caricatures, they have no personality and it's impossible to sympathize with them at all. How did we go from Final Fantasy 7 to this? Anyway try it, who knows you might like it, if you like cardboard cutout characters and cookie-cutter plot lines.

The ONLY positive thing I can say is that the music was pretty good. Beyond that, I did not like anything about this game.

[White Glint]

I am on 4th chapter with my 4 main party and I just keep forcing myself to play. It just feels like a bare bones RPG Maker game.

[Shyguymask]

When you fail to notice the biggest strengths of the game is its battle system, the open nature of the world and the NPC interaction, of course it will look bad in your eyes. Maybe it's time to accept JRPGs can be more than the 90% story 10% actually interesting gameplay, even if this game is flawed.

[Cyiel]

Because FF7 is a masterpiece of writing and gameplay ? I think you are blinded by nostalgia and not a little.

You don't like the game and that's your right but i hope you really understand that it is just your opinion and nothing else and not facts.

[ZDK]

You had me up until you mentioned FFVII. As much as i hate this steaming pile of crap its miles better then that overrated garbage.

[Alaswing]

ZDK の投稿を引用：

You had me up until you mentioned FFVII. As much as i hate this steaming pile of crap its miles better then that overrated garbage.

I believe that each person grows up getting different tastes, however similar we all are, we are unique and different to some extent, I am sorry to differ from you, but final fantasy 7 for me and for many others is a work of art, however I understand and respect your taste, for you it is an overrated waste, thanks to life for the variety, imagine how boring it would be if everything were the same. Personally I miss a lot of games like that, like legend of legaia or xenogears, they were not only part of my growth, I got a good message from them and it's part of who I am now.
I hope we all learn to respect the tastes of others and instead of attacking them without meaning, let's try to understand and put ourselves in they shoes.

im sorry about my bad english

[Xbob42]

Shyguymask の投稿を引用：

When you fail to notice the biggest strengths of the game is its battle system, the open nature of the world and the NPC interaction, of course it will look bad in your eyes. Maybe it's time to accept JRPGs can be more than the 90% story 10% actually interesting gameplay, even if this game is flawed.

"They made the story unbelievably boring and the characters shallow garbage on purpose! So you can enjoy the battles more!"

[ichimanju]

Yes, 8 hours in and I just sorta . . . stopped.

[Shyguymask]

Xbob42 の投稿を引用：

Shyguymask の投稿を引用：

When you fail to notice the biggest strengths of the game is its battle system, the open nature of the world and the NPC interaction, of course it will look bad in your eyes. Maybe it's time to accept JRPGs can be more than the 90% story 10% actually interesting gameplay, even if this game is flawed.

"They made the story unbelievably boring and the characters shallow garbage on purpose! So you can enjoy the battles more!"

It's almost like gameplay is the most important aspect of a video game and that Octopath succeeds in that aspect compared to most other popular JRPGs. Sorry, but I find deep and engaging turn-based gameplay more interesting than generic predictable "teenagers saves the world" stories.

[Xbob42]

Shyguymask の投稿を引用：

Xbob42 の投稿を引用：

"They made the story unbelievably boring and the characters shallow garbage on purpose! So you can enjoy the battles more!"

It's almost like gameplay is the most important aspect of a video game and that Octopath succeeds in that aspect compared to most other popular JRPGs. Sorry, but I find deep and engaging turn-based gameplay more interesting than generic predictable "teenagers saves the world" stories.

Actually, the most important aspect of a video game is what you are looking to get out of that video game. If you're looking for gameplay, great. That shouldn't come at the expense of a decent story. Making a combat system doesn't drain the brains of the writing staff, I hate this ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ excuse when games have awful stories. Personally, when I come to JRPGs, I come for a mix of an in-depth story with interesting characters along with solid turn-based combat. If there's not a good mix of the two, I typically bounce.

Know what else succeeded in gameplay? Bravely Default, by the same company. The story wasn't good, it was generic as ♥♥♥♥, but at least it was a STORY. This doesn't even have that going on, it's just lifeless, soulless nothingness. It's like a demo made by college students who had an idea for a decent (not amazing, the combat isn't THAT good) combat system and decided to layer a bunch of visual effects over their 2D spritework in a nauseating way, and that was it. That's as far as they got.

At least teenagers save the world is something happening. For ♥♥♥♥'s sake, if you make generic tropes sound good you've gone off the deep end.

Nobody except crazy people come to a 40+ hour turn-based RPG only for the combat. That sort of tedious repetition has got to do terrible things to the human mind.

I find it so hard to believe that this is the same Square Enix (Well, Squaresoft back then) that made Final Fantasy 6 and Chrono Trigger. Well, I guess it really isn't. It's modern Square Enix, so they can only get half the game interesting at best, and that's on a good day. Someone put this company out of their misery.

[Shyguymask]

Xbob42 の投稿を引用：

Shyguymask の投稿を引用：

It's almost like gameplay is the most important aspect of a video game and that Octopath succeeds in that aspect compared to most other popular JRPGs. Sorry, but I find deep and engaging turn-based gameplay more interesting than generic predictable "teenagers saves the world" stories.

Actually, the most important aspect of a video game is what you are looking to get out of that video game.

If I want a story, I can just go read a book or watch an anime.

"Games can have good stories too!"

Yes. But if you play a game primarily/only for the story, the gameplay gets in the way, when it comes to animes you can just watch and get comfortable. If you try to call story games "interactive movies", then can it really be called a "video game" anymore? Generally, video games are vastly inferior to animes and books when it comes to storytelling, and if you want to give examples of games with great stories, the vast majority of JRPGs certainly don't make the cut, including (if not especially) Final Fantasy and blah blah.

I'm not judging your personal preferences, but when it comes to what video games excels at, let's get real here.

That shouldn't come at the expense of a decent story

Guess Super Mario World is a horrendous game because it doesn't have a story. Sob sob.

♥♥♥♥ing ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥t

What is this language called?

Personally, when I come to JRPGs, I come for a mix of an in-depth story with interesting characters along with solid turn-based combat. If there's not a good mix of the two, I typically bounce.

Don't try to tell me you like Final Fantasy after writing that.

The story wasn't good, it was generic as ♥♥♥♥, but at least it was a STORY.

That sentence can also be 100% applied to Octopath. Trying to claim that Octopath doesn't have a story is a silly lie to try and add oomph to your argument. It won't work here.

(not amazing, the combat isn't THAT good)

How is it NOT that good? What are the flaws of the battle system? How would you improve it? What you say in an argument is not immediately facts.

At least teenagers save the world is something happening. For ♥♥♥♥'s sake, if you make generic tropes sound good you've gone off the deep end.

Stop talking like Octopath's story murdered your family. I hardly cared for the story but you're
massively exaggerating about how bad it actually is.

Nobody except crazy people come to a 40+ hour turn-based RPG only for the combat. That sort of tedious repetition has got to do terrible things to the human mind.

Has it occurred to you that a certain monster-capturing RPG's battle system literally spawned an entire big competitive scene around it? I'll let you figure out what game I'm talking about, pal.

[ichimanju]

This game and Lost Sphere have me very concerned about Square right now . . .

They seem just lifeless and become chores after a few hours.

[Minneyar]

Xbob42 の投稿を引用：

Nobody except crazy people come to a 40+ hour turn-based RPG only for the combat.

Just FYI, characterizing people as "crazy" for enjoying things for a different reason than you is not an argument; it just shows everybody else how you're incapable of looking at things from different perspectives.

You think Square has "fallen"? Go play some of the old SaGa games; they were absolutely designed with the same target audience as Octopath Traveler. This game is much more a successor to Romancing SaGa 3 or SaGa Frontier than it is FF6 or CT.

And frankly, it's ridiculous to hold FF6 and CT up as the standards that you just games by, anyway. Expecting every game you play to be as good as or better than two of the best games of all time is an impossibly high standard, and you will always be disappointed.

[The Gunman]

My biggest let down of the year, everyone was unanimous on how good the game was on YouTube reviews, nobody mentioned how boring it is.

[Xbob42]

The Gunman の投稿を引用：

My biggest let down of the year, everyone was unanimous on how good the game was on YouTube reviews, nobody mentioned how boring it is.

Welcome to the world of unjustified hype based on an art style and a middling combat system that some people seem to think is amazing.

[Shyguymask]

Xbob42 の投稿を引用：

The Gunman の投稿を引用：

My biggest let down of the year, everyone was unanimous on how good the game was on YouTube reviews, nobody mentioned how boring it is.

Welcome to the world of unjustified hype based on an art style and a middling combat system that some people seem to think is amazing.

Are you gonna address my wall of text refuting your claims including "middling combat system" or nah?