#hd-2d

#hd-2d

According to the trailer, the game takes place in a land called Philabieldia that's overrun by beasts, where humans must use a spell of safekeeping to keep their only remaining city, the Kingdom of Huther, safe from invasion. The titular Elliot is tasked with exploring a set of newfound ruins beyond the walls alongside his fairy companion Faie. Unknown to them, though, they will come across a door that will take them on a journey that spans thousands of years.

Seven years after the release of Octopath Traveler, HD-2D has been such a success for Square Enix that it feels like the company's strategy has shifted to focus on it. Octopath is on the cusp of getting a third game, we've had offshoots likeTriangle Strategy, HD-2D has been used for three Dragon Quest remakes, and almost every single one of these titles has been well-received by fans and critics.

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.

I can't say I expected much from Octopath Traveler 0. I've long admired the HD-2D role-playing game series but each new entry eventually leaves me cold. All of the pieces are there but they don't solidify into an experience that's more than the sum of its grindy, retro-infused parts. So I was surprised by just how much I immediately clicked with Square Enix's latest tribute to the genre's pixel art golden age.