From the moment that Square Enix unveiled Octopath Traveler, we knew that it was not only going to be something special, it was going to be a callback to the games of old that Square Enix had made. From its look, to its playstyle, it’s a mixing of styles that’s both refreshing and nostalgic. And apparently, that’s what the team was going for when they made the game.
For during an interview at Japan Expo, producer Masashi Takahashi and composer Yasunori Nishiki were asked about the game and its development, and they revealed many interesting things.
First and foremost, Takahashi actually wanted to make these types of RPGs when he arrived at Square Enix, so when he was told to make more “modern” titles, he was slightly disappointed. Thankfully, he got to work on Octopath Traveler and renew his passion.
An interesting tidbit that they noted was that when they made a small demo for themselves in the pixel art style that they wanted to do for Octopath Traveler, it didn’t look as good on screen as it did in their heads. Thus, they used the Unreal Engine to add both depth and special effects, and this is what helped bring the game to life visually. This was the birth of “2.5HD.”
As for the gameplay, the team stated that the mechanics in battle and other systems were meant to be a spiritual successor to Final Fantasy VI. Which is high praise considering that many feel that’s one of the best Final Fantasy games ever made.
Octopath Traveler will arrive on Nintendo Switch on July 13th.
