The Project Triangle Strategy demo has been in the wild for a few months now, and one thing is for certain, the team behind Octopath Traveler knows how to make a great looking game. Like the working title, Project Triangle's demo gives players little to go off of in terms of the game's final storyline. With the latest news of Octopath Traveler releasing on Xbox Game Pass for free, players are looking back at the "HD-2D" RPG for hints on what to expect from Square's upcoming tactical RPG.
Octopath Traveler is set in the land of Orsterra, while Project Triangle Strategy takes place on the continent of Norzellia. There is no official word yet whether or not these two places exist in the same world, but there are a few hints that may lead some to believe that Project Triangle Strategy may be a sequel to Octopath Traveler, or at least a side-story in the same world.
Project Triangle Strategy: Design
While both Project Triangle Strategy and Octopath Traveler use Square's HD-2D engine, the similarities in design do not stop here; comparing the two games' styles reveals they are extremely similar, from the buildings' architecture to the clothing of the characters. Even though the games use similar graphics technology, Square Enix could have made sure the two games looked very different from each other to separate them. Keeping a similar look between the two games could mean more of a connection than just the modern-retro vibe.
While it is not uncommon for certain design elements to run through unconnected games in a series such as Final Fantasy, there is arguably too much similarity. While Project Triangle Strategy may not tie in directly to Octopath Traveler, it feels like the games may take place in the same world in a similar time period. Unlike the Ivalice Alliance games, which take place in the same world during drastically different times, Project Triangle Strategy's world is very familiar.
Project Triangle Strategy: Jobs
It is not uncommon for games, especially JRPGs and tactical RPGs, to contain a job system. Games like Final Fantasy, while not technically linked to each other, often feature similar jobs, such as the iconic White and Black Mages, Summoners, and Monks. Project Triangle Strategy does not detail how the job system will work, with each character in the demo having a unique job that cannot change. There is, however, one job that crosses over from Octopath Traveler, and that is the Scholar.
In Octopath Traveler, Cyrus is the game's scholar and one of the best characters in the early-to-mid game. In Project Triangle Strategy, Corentin is the Scholar, though their skills are a bit more focused than Cyrus'. Of course, this does not mean the games are directly connected in any way, just as many Final Fantasy games are not. Still, it is a step in that direction combined with the extremely similar overall design of the two titles.
Grasping at Straws
The connections between Project Triangle Strategy and Octopath Traveler are thin at best, but they are there. With such little information released since Project Triangle Strategy's demo, fans grasp whatever straws they can. What is clear is that Project Triangle Strategy is looking really great and may finally provide Final Fantasy Tactics fans a worthy successor to the classic title. If a little Octopath Traveler gets tossed into the mix, even better. While the Final Fantasy series still has a lot of life left in it, a new RPG series is certainly a welcome breath of fresh air.
Project Triangle Strategy and Octopath Traveler are both visually stunning games, combining the best modern technology with SNES sprites of retro RPGs. Whether or not the two are directly connected, fans of vintage RPG titles can rejoice knowing that Square Enix has a team out there combining their love of pixel-art with the flexibility of modern 3D game design. It proves what many gamers have argued for a long time, that just because developers can make a game using the latest and greatest in graphic technologies does not mean they have to for a game to be solid.
Octopath Traveler is available now on PC, Stadia, Switch, and Xbox One. Project Triangle Strategy is in development for Nintendo Switch.