So, here we go again with another prequel that nobody asked for. Octopath Traveler 0. I mean, really? Was the first game so unclear that we need an entire new chapter to explain the backstory of a pixelated realm? It’s a bit like asking for more chores when you haven’t even finished the ones you have.
Can we just talk about how Xbox players are receiving this game with some bizarre sense of accomplishment? Like, “Yay, we get to play it at the same time as Switch players now!” What a low bar. The big ‘day-and-date parity’ celebration really highlights how badly Xbox players have been shafted with Japanese RPG releases. This isn’t even about preference anymore; it’s a testament to our own lack of self-respect. We crave for scraps and celebrate when we finally get them.
It’s like we’re expected to be grateful for being allowed into the club where everyone else already has annual membership cards, and we’re just happy to stand in the corner with our “Guest Pass”. This isn’t a party, it’s a pity invite. Yet, Xbox’s gotta fill its Game Pass catalog with something to justify the price hike. Of course, HD-2D is nice, if you’re into nostalgia trips that look surprisingly modern yet still somehow feel so dated that you start questioning your own gaming sensibilities. Because no matter how much ray tracing they slap onto the ‘buttery smooth’ graphics, it’s still a bunch of pixelated characters wandering through isometric mazes of insanity.
So what’s next? More prequels? Maybe a spin-off about one of those irritating NPC shopkeepers? Whatever. Go play the backlog. I’m done.