Octopath Traveler 2 has been revealing details on its playable characters bit by bit, and it's just pulled back the curtain on two more, Throne and Temenos. Releasing in February, Octopath Traveler 2 will feature eight new characters, each with their own unique abilities for both NPC interaction and combat.
Though names and jobs of all eight have been shown off previously, thus far only four characters have gotten more detailed info. The Octopath Traveler 2 launch date announcement trailer gave fans a closer look at Hikari the warrior, who can challenge townsfolk to duels or bribe them, and Agnea the dancer, who can either allure people or entreat items from them. A later trailer showed Partitio the merchant, who can purchase items from or hire NPCs, and Osvald the scholar, whose grim experiences have granted him the abilities to scrutinize townsfolk for information or mug them.
The latest character reveal trailer has given fans more information on Throne the thief and Temenos the cleric. A seemingly remorseful thief and killer involved with a group called the Blacksnakes, Throne's tale appears to play out against a backdrop of deadly familial drama. Octopath Traveler 2 has a day and night cycle, and, like all characters, Throne's abilities differ depending on when they're used. In the day, she can steal from NPC's. At night, she's able to ambush them and knock them temporarily unconscious. While in battle at night, she can use Blessing of Night to buff allies. Each character also posses a unique Latent Power, a potent ability with the potential to turn the tide of a battle. Throne's is called Leave No Trace, and allows her to act twice in one turn.
Though Temenos is a cleric, he plays against type. Tasked with unraveling a plot against the church, he seems to adopt a rather cavalier attitude towards his faith. He's also part of a holy inquisition, a position that tends to espouse the more grim aspects of a holy order, both in video games and historically. His inherent duality is reinforced by his abilities: the day allows Temenos to guide townsfolk and bring them along with the party, while under the cover of night, he can coerce people for information by breaking them. His Moonlight Judgment can be used at night in battle to debuff foes, while Temenos' Latent Power allows him to break enemy shield points regardless of their weakness. Breaking shields is a primary combat mechanic in the game.
The trailer also discusses another important part of the game: multiclassing. A returning feature from the original Octopath Traveler, secondary jobs in Octopath Traveler 2 allow players to mix and match abilities with a character's primary class. It will also grant a character a higher number of available skills. This was a big part of customization in the first game, so it's great to see it returning here.
The first game is fondly remembered, but it wasn't perfect. The story, with its eight disparate threads, left something to be desired for many players. As a result, the Octopath Traveler 2 designers crafted stronger protagonist interaction for this entry, something that Square Enix appear to be focusing on in these doubled-up character reveal trailers. That, along with the many other improvements, present a hopeful future for the game.
Octopath Traveler 2 launches February 24, 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch.
