Do I need to play Octopath Traveler before 2?

Team Asano never disappoints with any of their HD-2D titles like Live and Live, and the Octopath Traveler series is a particular fan favorite. One concern many people have is if they need to play the first game if they want to understand Octopath Traveler 2’s story. So, is the game a direct sequel?

Is Octopath Traveler 2 a direct sequel?

It is not required to play the first Octopath Traveler before playing Octopath Traveler 2. This is because Octopath Traveler 2 isn't a sequel, it is simply another game in the Octopath franchise.

Octopath Traveler 2 is set in a region called Solistia while Octopath Traveler is set in the continent of Orsterra. Both exist in the same world by evidence of many rumors like that of the From the Far Reaches of Hell, which was a key plot point in Cyrus the Scholar's story in Octopath Traveler, as well as the existence of Aelfric. However, Octopath Traveler 2 picks up a new story with a new set of characters. It's a standalone game.

Related: Which character should I start with in Octopath Traveler 2?

You also do not need to play the mobile game Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent before jumping into Octopath Traveler 2. You can learn more about the world and systems, but this is not necessary.

Octopath Traveler also prides itself in the fact that it can connect eight different stories into one large endgame. It wouldn’t make sense to connect the story of Octopath Traveler 2 to the first one when the goal was to form a brand-new story with the tales of eight new characters and the evil that lurks in the people and mysteries they follow.

For more help with Octopath Traveler 2, take a look at How to change time of day in Octopath Traveler 2 and Is Octopath Traveler 2 coming to Switch? here at Pro Game Guides.