Octopath Traveler is a game that can feel scattered. After all, each of the eight heroes has their own, isolated adventure. When you see the event scenes, you only see the one character who matters. Even though you see Travel Banter, it might not feel like there are enough connections. Except, once you complete certain quests and carry out stories, things do click. People unite and, for the first time, you see how different keys fall into place. In a way, I almost feel like it makes the
Editor’s note: spoilers for Octopath Traveler will follow.
Ready for this? Okay. After you finish all eight characters’ stories in Octopath Traveler, you have a post-game quest to go through. In the beginning of your very story in the game, you will encounter a traveler named Kit. At the time, it seems like a simple tutorial. Hey! You might meet someone who needs something. In this case, it is a Healing Grape. You can give it to them to get a reward. Except this young man is a Chekhov’s gun. He actually matters. When he heads off, you learn he is searching for his father.
As you go through the game, you will find two questlines that hint at a larger Octopath Traveler story. One involves Kit and involves In Search of Father quests that are designed to supposedly help him find the father he is searching for. In the first, you help him join a theater troupe traveling around the world. In the second, he gets a tip, and needs your help getting a gift for the troupe to thank them before he leaves. Eventually, after fighting a boss for the Impresario who helped him, you learn he went to Ruins of Hornburg.
But who else is there? Lyblac, the woman who appears in the Daughter of the Dark God questline. These two sidequests may seem to have odd names. After all, in the first one we see a soldier, named Alphas, pining for her. She dismisses him. After you fix him up with a girl named Flora, Lyblac appears. She says, “It seems I might have finally found him… My perfect man…” That man, as it turns out, is Kit. These two storylines give us a sense of purpose. Once we get to the Ruins of Hornburg and fight our way to the Gate of Finish, things click. Poor Kit is a descendant of the Dark God. This means he is the vessel Lyblac wanted. He is her “perfect man,” the one she can use to revive her father, Galdera.
It all comes together. We get the sort of big bad we deserve. We see the entire party in the event scenes ahead of the fight against Lyblac and Galdera. The boss fight involves putting together two parties for both parts, so everyone comes together against this final challenge. Storylines from previous chapters begin to come together. In Ophilia’s story. Mattias led the Cult of Galdera and wanted to tap into his power, while also getting money from Simeon. Remember young Kit? His missing father is Graham Crossford. As in, the man who healed and inspired Alfyn, whose diary inspired Tressa, and became the Redeye monster H’aanit hunted when Lyblac tried to use him to revive Galdera. How did Lyblac get access to the gate? She worked with Werner to clear the way by destroying Hornburg. The Dragonstones Thereon was retrieving were used to open the gate. Different bosses interact with one another.
It is incredibly satisfying. I felt so good as I saw things finally come together. There were hints of connections in the different storylines, but everything comes together here. But, I also felt a bit disappointed by all of this. Why did Octopath Traveler have to wait until the very end to make these connections? I wished some of these elements could have come together sooner. Couldn’t Primrose have had some input when helping people in her party who were dealing with opponents in Simeon’s order? Maybe Alfyn could have had some input in Tressa’s storyline, seeing as how his mentor inspired her too? Given Ophilia’s knowledge of the world’s gods, it seems like she should have been able to recognize his influence in H’aanit’s route when present.
Octopath Traveler is an interesting game that tries things. It takes a chance with its narrative, sending people down different paths. It is only when you head toward the true end, after seeing everyone’s storylines and completing certain sidequest, that we really understand how it all works. I felt like it was a light bulb moment. I savored every second of the end, what with it helping me understand the importance of Lyblac, the Crossfords, and each character’s route leading up to that point. Seeing story scenes where everyone was represented and having a fight where all eight characters pitched in was great. I would have liked to have seen more of this sooner. But still, having all this at the end was a nice way to tie things up.
Octopath Traveler is available for the Nintendo Switch.
