TheProject Triangle Strategydemo has been in the wild for a few months now, and one thing is for certain, the team behindOctopath Travelerknows how to make a great looking game. Like the working title,Project Triangle’s demo gives players little to go off of in terms of the game’s final storyline. With the latest news ofOctopath Travelerreleasing on Xbox Game Pass for free, players are looking back at the “HD-2D” RPG for hints on what to expect from Square’s upcoming tactical RPG.
Octopath Traveleris set in the land of Orsterra, whileProject Triangle Strategytakes place on the continent of Norzellia. There is no official word yet whether or not these two places exist in the same world, but there are a few hints that may lead some to believe thatProject Triangle Strategymay be a sequel toOctopath Traveler, or at least a side-story in the same world.
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Project Triangle Strategy: Design
While bothProject Triangle StrategyandOctopath Traveleruse Square’s HD-2D engine, the similarities in design do not stop here; comparing the two games' styles reveals they are extremely similar, from the buildings' architecture to the clothing of the characters. Even though the games use similar graphics technology, Square Enix could have made sure the two games looked very different from each other to separate them. Keeping a similar look between the two games could mean more of a connection than just the modern-retro vibe.
While it is not uncommon for certain design elements to run through unconnected games in aseries such asFinal Fantasy, there is arguably too much similarity. WhileProject Triangle Strategymay not tie in directly toOctopath Traveler, it feels like the games may take place in the same world in a similar time period. Unlike theIvalice Alliancegames, which take place in the same world during drastically different times,Project Triangle Strategy’s world is very familiar.
Project Triangle Strategy: Jobs
It is not uncommon for games, especially JRPGs and tactical RPGs, to contain a job system. Games likeFinal Fantasy, while not technically linked to each other, often feature similar jobs, such as the iconic White and Black Mages, Summoners, and Monks.Project Triangle Strategydoes not detail how the job system will work, with each character in the demo having a unique job that cannot change. There is, however, one job that crosses over fromOctopath Traveler, and that is the Scholar.
InOctopath Traveler, Cyrus is the game’s scholar and one of thebest characters in the early-to-mid game. InProject Triangle Strategy, Corentin is the Scholar, though their skills are a bit more focused than Cyrus'. Of course, this does not mean the games are directly connected in any way, just as manyFinal Fantasygames are not. Still, it is a step in that direction combined with the extremely similar overall design of the two titles.
Grasping at Straws
The connections betweenProject Triangle StrategyandOctopath Travelerare thin at best, but they are there. With such little information released sinceProject Triangle Strategy’s demo, fans grasp whatever straws they can. What is clear is thatProject Triangle Strategyis looking really great and mayfinally provide Final Fantasy Tactics fans a worthy successorto the classic title. If a littleOctopath Travelergets tossed into the mix, even better. While theFinal Fantasy series still has a lot of life left in it, a new RPG series is certainly a welcome breath of fresh air.
Project Triangle StrategyandOctopath Travelerare both visually stunning games, combining the best modern technology with SNES sprites of retro RPGs. Whether or not the two are directly connected, fans of vintage RPG titles can rejoice knowing that Square Enix has a team out there combining their love of pixel-art with the flexibility of modern 3D game design. It proves what many gamers have argued for a long time, that just because developers can make a game using the latest and greatest in graphic technologies does not mean they have to for a game to be solid.
Octopath Traveleris available now on PC, Stadia, Switch, and Xbox One.Project Triangle Strategyis in development for Nintendo Switch.
