Key Takeaway
The differences in Octopath Traveler 2 include a day and night cycle, water travel, job licenses, Crossed Path storylines, and Latent Powers individual to each character.
While you don’t need to play the first Octopath Traveler to play Octopath Traveler 2, the sequel builds upon the first game in a number of ways. There are new mechanics and abilities that you’ll want to look out for when starting Octopath Traveler 2.
Table Of Contents
Latent Power
One of the additions you’ll notice early on if you’ve played the first game is the addition of Latent Power in Octopath Traveler 2. Each character has a unique Latent Power, or a special ability that they can use once a certain gauge fills while in battle. This gauge will fill every time you do damage, take damage, or break foes. The more damage your character takes, the faster the gauge will fill.
Each character’s Latent Power is as follows:
- Agnea: All Together Now – Extends the reach of skills to all
- Osvald: Concentrate Spells – Focuses spells on a single target with greater potency
- Hikari: Shadow’s Hold – Unleashes the darkness within to gain access to new, powerful attacks
- Partitio: Hoot and Holler – Replenishes all your BP in an instant
- Throné: Leave No Trace – Can act twice in a single turn
- Temenos: Judgment – Lowers your foe’s Shield Points with any attack
- Castti: Every Drop Counts – Can concoct without using any materials
- Ochette: Animal Instincts – Unleashes the inner beast within to gain access to new, powerful attacks
Day and Night Cycle
In Octopath Traveler 2, there is also a day and night cycle. Though part of the charm of the day and night cycle is the aesthetics, there are other changes between day and nighttime as well. To start, more powerful enemies will be lurking about at night, making nighttime the better bet for any grinding you’re hoping to do. Additionally, some NPCs only appear during the day or nighttime, so you will only have access to some quests and vendors depending on the time of day.
Perhaps the most noteworthy feature included with the day and night cycle is the Path Actions that each character can take. Path Actions are actions your characters can take in towns in Octopath Traveler 2. Because of the day and night cycle, each character has two Path Actions they can use—one that’s available during the day, and one that’s available at night—rather than only the daytime Path Actions from the first game:
- Agnea: Allure (Day) / Entreat (Night)
- Osvald: Scrutinize (Day) / Mug (Night)
- Hikari: Challenge (Day) / Bribe (Night)
- Partitio: Purchase (Day) / Hire (Night)
- Throné: Steal (Day) / Ambush (Night)
- Temenos: Guide (day) / Coerce (Night)
- Castti: Inquire (Day) / Soothe (Night)
- Ochette: Provoke (Day) / Befriend (Night)
You can change between day and night at will be simply pressing a button at any time.
Crossed Paths
Crossed Paths is Square Enix’s answer to criticism they received of the original Octopath Traveler. One of the most common complaints about the first game was that the eight characters hardly knew or interacted with each other. To counter this, Octopath Traveler 2 includes Crossed Paths, or side storylines that connect various pairs of characters. There are four Crossed Path storylines total, so you’ll have the option of experiencing connecting stories for the following pairs:
- Ochette and Castti
- Throné and Temenos
- Partitio and Osvald
- Agnea and Hikari
You can unlock these by advancing the main storylines of the two characters involved.
Water Travel
Another great new feature you’ll encounter in Octopath Traveler 2 is water travel. There are several ways to travel on water. For starters, you will now be able to automatically slide into a little boat off any docks you find to travel on small rivers or lakes. You can find new or hidden areas and even pick up more items in chests this way.
Additionally, the characters in Octopath Traveler 2 are spread far and wide across the sea, so the game includes the possibility of long-range water travel. You’ll need to locate ports and pay fees to cross the sea, though once you discover new places, you can avoid the fees by fast traveling.
Job Licenses
Like in the original Octopath Traveler, Octopath Traveler 2 allows for you to unlock secondary jobs for your characters. However, while in the first game you went looking for Shrines to get these jobs, you’ll be seeking Job Licenses this time. There are guilds throughout the game that will hand out different Job Licenses, and you can get these by completing various quests for the guild.
