Octopath Traveler was wildly successful upon its release in 2019, so it's no surprise that its many fans are eager for Octopath Traveler 2 to come out next month. While the characters of the original were all fascinating and each had their own compelling story to tell, the next game will see an entirely new party of would-be heroes to follow on the new adventure. Octopath Traveler 2 will feature all the same classes as the first game, but those who fill the roles are starkly different from the originals, and perhaps the most different from their predecessor is the Dancer class character, played in this game by Agnea Bristarni.
The Octopath Traveler series has been seen by many players as a return to form for Square Enix. A pixel art RPG is a rarity to see come out of a AAA game studio, but with Square Enix's long history of dominating and perfecting the genre in its heyday, fans view the choice as less of a gimmick and more of an homage to the history of the genre. Octopath Traveler 2 will continue the series' theme of calling back to the classic adventure RPG formula with everything from its music and character designs, to the way it shapes the world.
A New Dancer for Octopath Traveler 2
The next addition to the Octopath Traveler franchise will see new characters for all the roles in the party. Among the newcomers is a Dancer named Agnea, who is starkly different from the former game's Primrose. When players first met her in Octopath Traveler, Primrose dealt in a shady underground and was on a quest for revenge for her former Noble house. Agnea, however, has already shown to be a very different character. Hailing from the forests of the Leaflands, Agnea dances in a small village tavern but hopes to pursue her dreams of being a renowned performer like her mother before her.
Agnea starts her story in a much less world-wary position than Primrose before her, and her story seems to indicate that she will join the party more for the sense of adventure than as a way of accomplishing her goals. Agnea is a much more wholesome character than what players saw in the previous game, and this has implications for her role in the story as well. As opposed to the more feudal era-inspired setting of Orsterra from the first game, Solistia is a place on the brink of an industrial revolution. A naive country girl like Agnea will likely have a more wide-eyed reaction to an evolving big city than her party members.
More than just the background and personality of the Dancer has likely changed from the first game. Although any confirmed new abilities or stats are unlikely to be revealed until players can play for themselves, there is still time left to speculate what fans will see in the new game, especially with the Dancer class. Fans are already discussing new class abilities for Octopath Traveler 2, and especially where the Dancer class is concerned, changes might be in order. Certain abilities, like allure, made sense not only from a fighting standpoint but also from a character perspective. Primrose using the skills to find her father's skills made sense with her fierce sense of determination, but they aren't as fitting for the younger and more open-natured Agnea.
The relatively quick turnaround time for Octopath Traveler 2 since its announcement may indicate very few mechanical changes to the game, but from what fans have seen so far, it's clear the sequel won't be a copycat of its predecessor. All the game's new characters are different from their party counterparts from the first game in interesting ways, and although players have little concrete information, the new game nonetheless promises to live up to the expectations set by the original.
Octopath Traveler 2 launches February 24, 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch.
