Which of the Octo Paths Did You Take?
It’s here! It is finally here!
Whether you lean towards it being “just another RPG,” part of the cult that has been reveling its undoubted success for months, or sit somewhere in between, Octopath Traveler was quite possibly the most anticipated JRPG release that we’ve seen in years.
While its stunning 2DHD aesthetics are great, as well as its moving soundtrack, one of the main focal points of Octopath for many has to be its more uncommon approach to storytelling. I say uncommon rather than unique because it is simply that: Octopath’s story structure is not anything we haven’t seen before in the realm of RPGs, but is a less common approach for sure.
To those that haven’t paid attention to literally any news outlet or discussion forum in the past few months in regards to Octopath (sounds dumb, but I bet there is that one guy out there that this applies to), let me briefly explain the path system. From the outset, you are given the choice of one of eight characters that will serve as a kick-off point to your journeys. Each of these characters have their own individual narratives to follow, but end up being able to meet up with each other later on. Ultimately, the paths you take and the friends you choose are completely up to you.
That leads me to my question for you (not YOU, you): which path started it for you? For me, I had every intention to start as the semi-retired warrior, Olberic, but instead found myself compelled to begin as Alfyn, the apothecary.
Alfyn pursued a career as an apothecary after a traveling chemist saved him from a mortal illness as a child while asking for nothing in exchange for his work. Because of that, Alfyn chose to dedicate his life to following the same path as the selfless traveler, helping those in need regardless of whether a tangible, personal gain is a factor in it.
Whether you believe in a higher power or not, I think we can all relate to the idea of “reaping what you sow,” or simply “karma.” If we’re being real, we all have to eat and stuff, but I’ve always found the practice of “putting others before yourself” to be satisfying (when I haven’t been a self-absorbed prick). In a sense, you could say that you get out what you put into most things, and in the case of Alfyn, he may discount his services more often he should, but I’d like to think that the world of Octopath will find a way to return the favor somehow.
Will he meet the mysterious traveler that saved him all those years ago? I eagerly anticipate what is to come for my new-found apothecary friend.
How about you? What path served as your springboard into the world of Octopath Traveler?
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