Octopath Traveler - 8 characters, 8 stories... which path do you take?

[Lucky Wildcard]

So, I bought this game not too long ago and I was hooked from the demo alone. I picked Cyrus and after completing the first chapter with him, I bought the game before the demo timer ran out.

I have all 8 characters and have just completed their first chapters. This is going to be a long one...

So how's your experiences going for those who bought it?

 

[Kitty Leaf]

I got the game when it was released and picked Primrose as the first character to start the game. I now have all the characters that they’re about to start the third chapter and I have played like 20 hours of the game. I really love all from Octopath Traveler, like the characters, their stories, the music and scenery.
Everything from this game is really beautiful and enjoyable. I’m also glad that it went very well with the sales!

 

[SugarSnot]

I have beaten the game by now and I enjoyed my time with it throughout. All the characters are good in their own way, though I feel that Primrose falls a bit short in the end game due to her stat distribution. Tressa has a very powerful, downright broken combo with one of the secondary classes you can get, but you'll discover that with time. I picked H'aanit for my starter and her ability to clear a screen with her raining arrows proved invaluable. I generally kept her with the Thief secondary job because her naturally high Phys Attack stat and the ability to steal SP was very good and allowed her to keep her SP topped off.

While I did enjoy the writing and the unraveling of the final mystery I do have to say that this game is a story of parental issues. Seems like you can't meet a new character or enter a town without someone looking to avenge/search for/deal with their missing/dead/disgraced parents.

The music is just incredible too:

 

[Mister Loser]

Haven't played too much of it, but I have it. The little girl jew is my favorite character.

 

[Black Waltz]

I like olberic and the happy merchant girl

 

[Polyboros]

In everyone's final chapter, started with the (((Merchant))). Olberic Warrior/Thief is really strong. Scholar is super powerful on it's own. Hunter is probably the blandest of the classes, and H'aanit's pokemon ability is neat in idea, it's execution leaves a little to be desired.

If you haven't gotten there yet, make sure to have Tressa in your party during Primrose's second chapter. One of the best little side chats in the whole game.

I recently tried to take on one of the 4 secret class dungeons, I was not prepared for how strong the boss was. Completely wrecked, wasn't even close.

Overall I like the game, I think mechanically it's a little week. I kind would like to be able to build a bit more with the classes, you seem to top out with items rather early, so early to mid Ch.2 you feel overpowered, and by Ch. 4 you don't feel like you've progressed that far. While I think some of the characters and their stories are weaker than others (Ophilia, ALFIN), there isn't a character I hate. I hope the sequel will be a bit more polished of a game.

 

[The Iconoclast]

I think Cyrus is the most useful out of the 8, and thus the best to start with, because he has fire, thunder, and ice magic from the start, followed by Ophelia, who is a really great healer. Both have been staples of my team from the start of the game until I finished everyone's stories.

Protip: When you beat the ch. 4 of the character you chose, you'll be able to switch them out of the party.

I recently tried to take on one of the 4 secret class dungeons, I was not prepared for how strong the boss was. Completely wrecked, wasn't even close.

They are difficult for sure, I took on sorcerer and he took me damn near an hour to beat. I lost a few times until I utilized the leghold trap strategy.

My only complaint is that there's very little replayability; there's no new game +, very few, if any of the sidequests are interesting, you can't replay stories, it's boring to grind, and that really hinders my ability (and motivation) to

Spoiler: Ending Spoiler

even try to attempt the Gate of Finis, which is an Elite 4-style dungeon where you have to take on all the ch4 bosses without being able to heal at inns, and at the end, there's a final boss.

But I do enjoy how the stories do connect, albeit spiritually.