Square Enix's 2018 release Octopath Traveler gave players an engrossing branching narrative and an exciting battle system, and it wasn't long until fans were looking forward to Octopath Traveler 2. Following Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, a prequel game made for mobile, Octopath Traveler 2 was officially announced in September 2022 during a Nintendo Direct. Fans were able to see the upcoming game in action soon after at the Tokyo Game Show and had their first introduction to the world of Octopath Traveler 2, its brand-new setting of Solistia, and the cast of characters.
Although Octopath Traveler 2 releases in a few weeks, some of its elements are still yet to be revealed. However, Acquire and Square Enix have unveiled some of the upcoming main cast of characters and detailed how they differ from their previous counterparts, as well as how their classes will affect gameplay. One of the more intriguing characters introduced ahead of Octopath Traveler 2's release was the mysterious Scholar Osvald, who has a uniquely dark background and a personal quest for revenge that will help to drive his narrative.
Introducing Octopath Traveler 2's Osvald
Like the previous game before it, Octopath Traveler 2 will feature eight different playable characters, each with their own history, personality, and motivations that gamers can uncover as the story progresses. Based on their individual classes, each protagonist will also have their own skills and perks to help players approach the game in a variety of different ways. Osvald V. Vanstein, the Scholar in Octopath Traveler 2, is quite a unique character. While some protagonists' backgrounds may feature an element of tragedy, Osvald's is more heartbreaking than most.
Imprisoned in the distant reaches of Frigit Isle in the Winterlands, Osvald has been accused of killing his wife and daughter and has been serving his sentence in the freezing confines of an isolated cell. After 1,879 days in prison, Osvald is determined to enact his revenge on Harvey, another scholar of magic who he believes is responsible for his fate, and vows that Harvey will die by his own hand. Driven by revenge and embittered by his experiences, Osvald has a reserve of darkness beneath his scholarly exterior, which should make for a compelling quest as his story intervenes with the other characters.
Octopath Traveler 2's Scholar Class
One unique aspect of Octopath Traveler 2 is the day and night cycle, which will not only affect the aesthetic of the setting but also the Path Actions that characters can take as well. One thing that hasn't changed, however, is the classes. The Scholar joins the Dancer, Cleric, Thief, Warrior, Hunter, Apothecary, and Merchant, but while the classes may seem the same, each new character in Octopath Traveler 2 will bring their own unique flavor to the role, showing how a playable protagonist like Osvald will differ from his scholarly predecessor Cyrus from the original Octopath Traveler.
Osvald has an innate distrust of people after the tragic events of his life, and his Path Actions reflect this. As a Scholar, he can scrutinize people during the daytime cycle and glean information from them as long as his reputation is intact. During the nighttime cycle, Osvald can mug people to gain items from unsuspecting NPCs, showing how he can be unscrupulous in certain circumstances. Osvald's character ability studies foes at the start of a battle to identify an enemy's weak points and use his range of spells to devastating effect. He can also concentrate his spells when his latent power gauge is full to change an ability with multiple targets to attack just one enemy with greater power, making him quite a destructive party member.
Octopath Traveler 2 launches February 24, 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch.
