WhenOctopath Travelerlaunched on Nintendo Switch all the way back in 2018, a good chunk of the JRPG-loving world stood in awe at the technological marvel that Square Enix had created. Expertly blending old-school pixel characters and backgrounds with a stunningly modern sheen, the move proved mighty popular, leading to exemplary sales and a sustained mission to capitalize upon Octopath’s graphical success.
How many more titles has Square released with the HD-2D marketing term since then? Indeed, Team Asano - the division ofSquare Enixwhich has also been responsible for theBravely Defaultseries - has brought their full glory to bear with an ever-expanding list of “2.5D” follow-ups. A remake of Live A Live, an ongoing slate of classic Dragon Quest remakes, the excellentTriangle Strategy, and of course,Octopath Traveler 2, have all joined the ranks. At least two more HD-2D games are en route.
2D Or Not To Be?
All of this begs the question: has Square Enix’s formula gotten a bit long in the tooth? Indeed, when yesterday’s Nintendo Partner Direct closed out the show with the joint reveals of Octopath Traveler 0 and The Adventure of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, a loud band of internet commentators decried that enough is enough.
Over on ResetEra,a debate is in full swing. While many of us, myself absolutely included, continue to adore Team Asano’s visual showcase (and its inspirations elsewhere, including Square Enix’s own Star Ocean: The Second Story R), others have expressed the belief that it’s all too samey, and the magic of HD-2D has begun to evaporate. As of this writing, the poll is remarkably close; 629 people agree that there’s too much HD-2D, while 681 do not.
“It’s beginning to wear thin,“one poster has said.“They need to figure out the bloom issue with these games. Everything is blown out and overexposed.” On the contrary,another chimes in just moments later: “Doesn’t need to be novel, needs to look good, which it does.”
“Diversify your art styles, Square,” user PlanetSmasherpipes in. And I actually spoke up myself in the thread:
“Nah. I still love it. But I’m not surprised it’s losing its luster for some, nor that others never cared for it in the first place.” -Yours Truly
Never thought I’d see the day when I’m quoting myself on an internet forum community for the purposes of penning an article, but here we are. The bottom line, in my view, is that HD-2D was never going to click for literally every JRPG fan on earth.
The proliferation of it has perhaps been a bit much, and I’ve seen some trepidation from certain sectors of the discourse over the possibility of the rumouredChrono Trigger remakejoining the HD-2D movement. Would the beloved classic lose some of its identity in the jump? I’m not sure -Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, for instance, looks a fair bit different from Triangle Strategy. I think it could be made while maintaining Chrono Trigger’s striking aesthetic. Others, however, are not so sure.
