Square Enix's hit role-playing game Octopath Traveler is crossing over to mobile devices with the upcoming release of the series' next installment.
The Japanese game maker announced this week that Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent will be available for download on Android and iOS. It will be a free-to-play single-player game that features a "Chosen One" who must go on an adventure to gain "fortune, power, and fame."
Back To Orsterra
Square Enix said Champions of the Continent will serve as a prequel to the Nintendo Switch original, set in the land of Orsterra. Players have the option to choose between three "reigning champions" whose stories they have to follow until the end.
Gameplay will involve controlling a party of up to eight characters who can engage enemies through evolved command-based battles. Character movement will be given through swipe commands. While on the field, players can have their characters listen to NPCs for information, steal an item, hire other allies, and many more.
As for the visuals, the mobile game will still have HD-2D graphics similar to the Nintendo Switch game. It will feature 3D CG screen effects to evoke the same magical world as the console version.
Players can already pre-register for the game at Champions of the Continent's official website. On Mar. 12, Square Enix will also be looking for gamers interested in signing up for early access to the game.
New 'Octopath Traveler' Console Game
Rumors about a possible Octopath Traveler console game have been making the rounds on the internet over the past few months. Talk began after Square Enix's Masashi Takahashi and Tomoya Asano, as well as Acquire's Keisuke Miyauchi, gave an interview with Weekly Famitsu magazine.
When Famitsu asked the team about a potential new game from Square Enix, Asano hinted that it might involve another Octopath Traveler.
"I hope you will anticipate it," Asano said. "Anyway, I hope from here on you will look forward to games from the 11th Business Division, starting with Octopath Traveler."
However, no news has come out from Square Enix yet about a new console game in the series. Based on the development team's Twitter account, it might take a long while before a new title hits the Nintendo Switch.
"Everyone waiting for a new game on console, we're sorry, but production will take a little while longer," the devs wrote. "In the meantime, we hope you can enjoy [the smartphone game]!"
A Fresh Take On The Classic RPG
Octopath Traveler enjoyed almost immediate success after the game had been released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch on July 13, 2018.
While a stock shortage affected sales in Japan during the first two weeks, the game still went on to sell 188,238 physical copies within the first couple of months. It made it to the number one spot in sales for all formats in the country.
Worldwide, Octopath Traveler sold more than a million copies by August 2018. Physical and digital versions of the game have already sold over 1.5 million copies internationally, as of January 2019.
The game was also received well by video game critics, garnering a "generally favorable" reviews on Metacritic.
Jeremy Parish of Polygon praised Octopath Traveler for creating a refreshing take on the RPG genre.
"While it channels the spirit of old favorites, it never feels derivative," Parish wrote. "It genuinely does feel like a 16-bit RPG that has evolved into something new rather than being mere nostalgia-bait."
