Like any worthy endeavor, all it takes is time, perseverance, and, perhaps most importantly, inspiration. In this case, that was Tosk's love of Studio Ghibli films. "Totoro is my favorite," he told me. "It's like a warm nostalgia blanket! Such a sweet innocent story of childhood wonders. It [also] has environmental themes but doesn't hit you over the head with it."
Kicking off Sept. 18, Advent of the Exploration Base introduces the concept of bases to the game. Niantic Games tested the idea over the summer and incorporated player feedback to improve it. Originally, Exploration Bases were designed to foster more face-to-face interactions with players. Players would grab emblems from their travels and deposit them in a singular spot in a neighborhood.
After playing Octopath Traveler 0 for a single hour, I think it has one of my favorite turn-based combat systems ever, and that's saying something in 2025. This new entry has brilliantly evolved the series' already fantastic combat while providing some tantalizing new facets, like base-building. Square Enix's HD-2D games have gotten progressively better over the last few years, and there's every indication that Octopath Traveler 0 can continue the trend.
