During the July 31 Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase, Octopath Traveler 0 was announced as the newest title in the highly acclaimed Square Enix RPG series. This is a surprising title for fans, as the title suggests a prequel of sorts to the other two entries in the series. With a new focus on a single protagonist rather than several, this game could be the perfect starting point for newcomers.

The trailer shown in the Direct showcased the series’ classic HD-2D pixel-art style in detailed environments, with new character customization features and the promise of a deep story with settlement-building mechanics.

While an interesting narrative has always been the strong suit of past Octopath Traveler games, the idea of a personalized protagonist is new, along with several never-before-seen features.

Everything We Know About Octopath Traveler 0 So Far

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Based on the trailer, which you can view above, Octopath Traveler 0’s motto seems to be “start from zero,” when your custom character loses their hometown in a destructive event.

You must rebuild your town, using new building mechanics to create a thriving community. So far, it seems like you have access to multiple facility types, as well as trade options that will help establish your village in the wider world of Orsterra.

The game is set to release on December 4, 2025, launching on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 consoles exclusively.

While you do still have a core party of four characters, combat systems seem to have new elements in this title. The “Break” and “Boost” systems are teased to alter the RPG’s classic turn-based combat, allowing more interaction between party members.

Additional “Path Actions” hint at even more party dynamics, possibly as extra abilities gained for deepening relationships with specific characters.The story takes themes of restoration and retribution into weaving its tale, but beyond the initial scenes of your custom protag’s town getting destroyed, very few story details were shared in the trailer.

Like other Octopath games, you will likely recruit characters in classic RPG fashion, but a teasing image at the end of the trailer suggests that you may have a larger selection of possible party members than you might think.

Octopath Traveler Is An Underrated Series

There’s Never Been A Better Time To Try These Special RPG Games

With the upcoming release of Octopath Traveler 0, I heavily suggest you try the first two games in the series. The characters of Octopath Traveler 2 and the first Octopath Traveler are incredibly deep figures with their own stories, with you being given the ability to choose which character to follow when you start a playthrough.

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Due to how each character has a unique starting point for their adventure, it makes every game replayable as you want to fully dive into every character’s background. The tight turn-based RPG combat is reminiscent of classic Final Fantasy, with gorgeous 3D CG artwork painting the environments in a retro-modern style that many games have sought to replicate.

Detailed locations with many secrets, tough bosses, and excellent soundtracks make any Octopath game a great one to try for fans of classic RPG titles. Given the depth of characters in every entry, I anticipate another compelling narrative from Octopath Traveler 0, with new systems improving on what made this underrated series beloved by its fans.

Source: Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase