Octopath Traveler II: Templar Temenos Bullies Nun and Architect to Coerce for Willing Info
2This really hurts my brain, and there's no consequences. Why force info and fight people happy to give it? And they don't even react negatively in a reaction (nun/cleric repeats her line). Surprisingly adventure time does this way better (though pirates of the enchiridion has bad load times if on switch/last gen and a confusing auto save).
Octopath Traveler II has its moments but gets really stupid, really fast at times. I do appreciate the physical sales to try ($45 with buy 2 get 1 free at target), over the rampant hype.
Entering rooms seamlessly and the dynamic camera angles (with good performance on switch for framerates/loading) are pretty cool. You can also store energy for stronger attacks (had to edit a lot to make 1 min for shorts format).
I do feel dialogue can go on a bit (not as much as OT1, though you foolishly summon the silly named Crick who is right next to you in the first battle) with a random autosave (you manually save at points which a quick save would be better imo). You can also skip, fast forward or autoplay dialogue by moving analog to bring up lower left corner menu and pressing R to adjust speed.
Bully Temenos gives Bully (Spider-Man) Maguire memes a run for their money. They also do the wonder woman spin at shops to see what they can equip.
Fortunately, Castii has you politely and sensible inquiry instead. Her story does get kinda slow after the start, and chapter 2 for Partitio is kinda nonlinear, so traveling on canoe to find an impersonal story may get old. Castii does join Partitio if he is a protagonist (unfortunately at level 1 for characters) and you can skip chapter 1 for another character when they join.
Partitio has a cool western accent and can collect money from weakened enemies (unfortunately collect is only accuracy and purchase is not for a profit at other towns) as a merchant, like Torneko in dragon quest 4 chapter 3 minus those ending drawbacks of losing money if not indirectly getting casino tokens or steel broadswords.
They all have a townspeople interaction skill that varies in quality, so it's a bit derivative to play as everyone, similar to saga frontier in that regard as well as new characters at level 1 with high danger levels in areas with tough battles are an awful mix in both cases.