As Octopath Traveler 2 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor by allowing players to choose between eight different main characters, some players will find themselves questioning which character functions as the best starting point. With players free to choose one of the eight at the start, and recruit the rest as they travel, there's no danger of missing out on any of their stories - but with each character differing in gameplay and storytelling styles, choosing the best starting character in Octopath Traveler 2 is important.
Expanding on the original Octopath Traveler, the sequel takes the same central conceit, allowing players to choose a "main" character from a roster of eight. Importantly, however, the sequel has also set itself up to correct some of the original game's flaws, with Octopath Traveler 2 promising features that were missing from its predecessor, like a greater emphasis on party interaction. Other new features, like a day/night cycle changing Path Actions depending on the time of day, and the addition of the Latent Power mechanic to the game's turn-based combat, all come together to promise a sequel that iterates on the Octopath formula in interesting ways - although for some players, it might be difficult to choose which Octopather Traveler 2 character to start with.
Hikari Is Octopath Traveler 2's Best Starting Character
While players should choose their starting character based on their own preferences, Hikari makes for a good starting character for the more indecisive. Of Octopath Traveler 2's eight main characters, Hikari is perhaps the most balanced starting out, with his combat-oriented abilities making him potentially somewhat more forgiving to use as a solo character until players can expand their party. Additionally, Hikari's introductory mission creates a good story reason to find the other party , leaving him with ample motivation to seek out new allies, and he starts relatively nearby to three other characters.
Octopath Traveler 2: Best Character Order For The Story
Starting as Hikari grants players a straightforward path to gather the rest, with Agnea, Partitio, and Castti all starting relatively near to both him and each other. From there, players may want to proceed counterclockwise around the map, picking up Ochette, Throné, Temenos, and finally Osvald. With Octopath Traveler 2 being long to beat, the starting choice ultimately isn't an all-encoming decision - regardless of choice, every character's story will be fully available, and players may wish to choose based on their own preferences for a character's abilities or story.
Ultimately, while starting with Hikari may ease players in more than something like Osvald's harsh, two-chapter prison break intro, anyone looking to play the game should decide based on which character appeals to them the most. With a more interconnected story and greater scope than the original, Octopath Traveler 2's experience is unlikely to be diminished regardless of which starting character is chosen.
Source: PlayStation/YouTube
