Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent is now available as a free download on Android and iOS.
The Square Enix RPG was originally released in Japan in October 2020, but July 27th marks the game’s official worldwide launch.
Set a few years before the events of 2018’s Octopath Traveler, Champions of the Continent follows “the Chosen One,” a hero who must save the land of Orsterra from ruthless tyrants.
Beyond being a prequel to the 2018 game, Champions of the Continent has several other elements in common with its predecessor. For one, it sports the stunning ‘HD-2D’ aesthetic — which mixes 2D sprites with HD polygonal graphics — that was introduced with the first Octopath and used in multiple games since. Acclaimed Octopath Traveler composer Yasunori Nishiki has also returned to produce new music for Champions of the Continent.
Gameplay-wise, Champions of the Continent features similar turn-based combat to the original Octopath Traveler, except it’s centred around a party of eight instead of four. Altogether, you’ll be able to recruit over 64 characters, including Tressa, the playable merchant from Octopath Traveler.
Of course, this being a free-to-play game means that how you unlock characters will be left up to chance, with a suite of in-app purchases supported to more easily acquire better party members.
In related news, Square Enix just launched another HD-2D game, Live A Live, on the Nintendo Switch on July 22nd. For more on that ambitious, once-Japan-exclusive title, read our full review.
