I think everyone who has been paying attention to the growth of Square Enix’s HD-2D division can agree on one thing: they are not stopping anytime soon. As someone who just finished Octopath Traveler 0, and played the previous entries from the original Nintendo Switch to PC, I can see the effort Square Enix is putting into this new style of games. That being said, I can already tell that an Octopath Traveler 3 game is already in the works due to the success the series is having.
We at Lords of Gaming do not know if there is one being worked on, but it should be. The series is a nostalgic callback to the JRPGs of old, with so much modern technology and ideas blended into them. The first in the series feels very archaic at this point, but the first in a series usually does. The second took the adventures to the seas, made a night and day cycle, and introduced an ultimate system. Octopath Traveler 0 had a lot more introduced on top of these systems, some that I feel should be in Octopath Traveler 3 if it is in the works.
Octopath Traveler 3 Needs the 8 Party Member System
This is the most obvious one. Octopath Traveler 3 needs to adopt the 8-party member system for battles moving forward. This combat system is very useful for long-term boss battles. This is due to the fact that when party members are in the back row as opposed to the front row, they gain health and SP. Switching characters around at the perfect time cancels out so many nasty boss combos.
There are even skills that become more potent when the character acts on a turn when they are in the back row. With the sheer variety of skills, passives, and ultimates that any of these games offer, Octopath Traveler 3 definitely needs this change in the combat system.
A Fable-esque Wishvale Mechanic
Ok, hear me out. I know Octopath Traveler 3 won’t have its own “Wishvale,” seeing as it is a very unique case in Octopath Traveler 0. But the systems and depth that this mechanic had could still work their way into future entries in a much different fashion. Something along the lines of Microsoft’s long-forgotten Fable series could be the answer for its implementation.
In the series, at least more prominently shown in Fables 2 and 3. You essentially buy up and manage houses, businesses, and so much more in those games as you just play the game. I think we can put 2 and 2 together here to what should be the approach for Octopath Traveler 3. Instead of having a dedicated city that might conflict with the setting, what would be best is to allow for purchasable businesses and other residences to gain any passives that Wishvale offers. Whether it be free items, money, or more gameplay-altering effects like unlocking Ultimates or the ability to open certain chests.
A Less Restrictive Mastery System in Octopath Traveler 3
Finally, as someone who loves the job systems in both Octopath Traveler 1 and 2, I would love to see a way to have the Mastery System in Octopath Traveler 0 make its way into Octopath Traveler 3. The job system was absent in 0, but you could still go down a similar route with your main character. Then, you could use the mastery system to fill in the blanks for every character that’s missing anything you find more useful. Seeing as the system allows for equippable skills and passives as opposed to forced ones from specific jobs, there is a lot that can be done with this system.
There are so many combinations and ways to build certain characters in Octopath Traveler 0. The system is very robust and easy to use as well. As much as I like the current job systems in prior entries, I feel like more variety can be given if used in a new mainline entry.
Whether or not Octopath Traveler 3 is really being made is anyone’s guess (outside of Square Enix employees, of course). But when I look back on some of my favorite changes in Octopath Traveler 0, it would be a shame not use these systems to elevate a new sequel’s potential. But then again, if all of these systems were put into a third game, it would make Octopath Traveler 0 seem more or less like a fully fledged entry and more like a testbed for ideas similar to the archaic original entry.
