Square EnixFans of new RPGs that look like old RPGs had a lot to chew on at the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase that closed out July. Along with the bafflingly named The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, Square Enix also announced Octopath Traveler 0, the continuation of one of its best modern RPG series, both in the studio’s signature HD-2D style.While the game’s trailer doesn’t directly reveal too much information, there’s quite a bit to glean from it. The game takes place in Orsterra, the setting of the series’ first entry, and some of that game’s characters appear too. It’s also clear that the story will focus on rebuilding after some kind of catastrophe. What we do know is that Octopath Traveler 0 will make some significant gameplay changes, with elements inspired by its mobile spinoff. According to Square Enix, the game’s story will be based on Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, a gacha game released in 2020, but with some major tweaks.“It features a new script with entirely new narrative elements, including new backstories for playable characters, as well as full voice acting that brings the many twists and turns home more effectively,” the developer says.CotC let players build parties of eight characters, as opposed to the four-person parties in the main game. In both the mobile game and Octopath Traveler 0, four characters are active, with four more ready to be moved to the front line at any time. Otherwise, battles look familiar, using the same excellent system of breaking enemy defenses by targeting their weaknesses.The game keeps the basics of its series’ combat but doubles the party size. | Square EnixOther parts of Octopath Traveler 0 are brand-new to the series, the biggest of which is a town-building feature that has players rebuilding the main character’s village. It’s not clear how that will tie into the rest of the game, but like in Square Enix’s Harvestella, it’s likely the game’s life sim elements will be used to give your party some combat benefits. Octopath Traveler 0 is also changing how the series handles its characters. For the first time, players will create a custom protagonist rather than taking on eight different characters throughout the story. The supporting cast is also much larger, growing from eight in the previous games to more than 30, according to Square Enix.The HD-2D style, which uses 2D pixel art in 3D environments with depth-of-field effects, might not be quite as eye-catching as it was when it was introduced in Octopath Traveler, but it still looks great. While Square Enix has turned entirely to realistic 3D art and active combat for Final Fantasy, the HD-2D games remain focused on turn-based combat and a more classic look.Town-building is being added to Octopath Traveler. | Square EnixIt’s also interesting to see Square Enix giving a second life to some aspects of CotC. While the mobile game featured an interesting story and solid combat, its gacha elements fundamentally changed the game’s story and character progression, and turned many players off. Getting some of that game into Octopath Traveler 0 could let its best parts shine without its downsides. On the other hand, getting the series’ typical focus on character building to work with a cast in the dozens could prove challenging. However Octopath Traveler 0 pans out, its blend of series staples with new ideas certainly makes it an intriguing project. Octopath Traveler has been one of Square Enix’s best new series since it debuted, and the newest entry will add some unexpected twists to the old-school RPG this holiday season.Octopath Traveler 0 will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on December 4.