Triangle Strategy Review: Octopath Tactics
A continent once besieged by war, now held together with a peace treaty as strong as a ceasefire. A wedding on the horizon, a cause for celebration as two of the three major nations merge together through the power of political matrimony. And a mine at the center of it all — a symbol of hope and renewal in the wake of the Saltiron War, but also that of bubbling tensions just waiting to be unearthed.
Alas, even the best laid plans are wont to go awry, and a precarious peace often makes way for war. It’s now up to a small group of courageous warriors to stand firm in their convictions as they fight through the political turmoil that plagues their beautiful land and foster a new world of tranquility and prosperity. How will the choices they make affect the careful balance between nations, and will their frayed relationships survive the consequences?
So begins Triangle Strategy, a turn-based tactics JRPG developed and published by Artdink and Square Enix. Having previously released on the Nintendo Switch in March of this year, Triangle Strategy makes its way to PC via Steam (and Steam Deck, for those who have one). With gorgeous music, a delicate yet expressive art style, interesting mechanics, a surprising direction, and an extremely in-depth story spanning more than 20 chapters, Triangle Strategy will look familiar to fans of Octopath Traveler but sets itself apart from its predecessor in numerous and impressive ways.
As previously stated, Triangle Strategy is centered on the political strife plaguing the continent of Norzelia. The continent is broken up into three distinct demense: the cold, mountainous region of Grand Duchy of Aesfrost to the north, the dry, desert landscape of the Holy State of Hyzante to the west, and the bucolic green fields of the Kingdom of Glenbrook to the east. Each demense is known throughout the land for its unique goods and/or services, such as Aesfrots’ iron, Hyzante’s salt, and Glennbrook’s thriving commerce. All three form a key pillar of the continent, and all three must endeavor to figure out a way to maintain a careful balance with each other, lest they find themselves thrown back into the bloody days of the Saltiron War (hence, Triangle Strategy).
That’s where players come in, taking on the role of Glennbrook’s Serenoa of the House of Wolffort. Coming from a noble family, Serenoa knows what it means to serve king and country; however, the past 30 years had been marked with peace, so there was no need for him to take up arms for his monarch. Instead, the young lord finds himself betrothed to Aesfrost’s Lady Frederica, Rosellan half-sister to the true heirs of the Duchy of Aesfrost. The pair of them understand the impact their union will have — forcing Hyzante to join to prevent a power imbalance — but are keenly aware that they could be cast aside if things go awry between their two nations. Undeterred by the callousness of the situation, they hold their heads high and do whatever is asked of them, duty-bound to the end.
Unfortunately, a lot is asked of them.
Triangle Strategy employs some really subtle mechanics that make for a fascinating tactical experience both on and off the battlefield. In story mode, players are treated to fully-voiced cutscenes that deliver a mind-boggling amount of exposition (especially upfront) with the occasional need to make a decision. At first, the decisions don’t impact much, but as time goes on there will be some real consequences to your choices. You’ll also need to win over allies to get them to fight with you in battle or open up routes to one of multiple endings, as they lend their voice to vote during major deliberations. Be careful with what you choose, however, as allying with one side could mortal enemies make of another. Which way will your convictions lean?
On occasion, story modes will sometimes open up and allow players to explore the area, such as a city or castle. During this time, players wil be able to hunt for things that will be helpful on the battlefield, such as healing items, but also notes that provide more depth to the world and its history. Additionally, NPCs will also be available to speak with, who can sometimes provide more than just flavor text. At times, an NPC will say something that will resonate with Serenoa, allowing him to delve deeper into the topic at a later date. This kind of mechanic forces players to really get involved with the world and its inhabitants, exploring every nook and cranny to ensure nothing is missed.
Also, you can pet the cat, which is spectacular.
When it comes to battles, Triangle Strategy will look similar to anyone who has played a tactical game before. There are a slew of characters to recruit and fight alongside you, each with their own class and fighting style. Serenoa himself is more of a standard swordsman, while Frederica’s fire magic is powerful against multiple enemies at once. Notably, there are no random battles to be had here, as each one is for an express purpose with fair warning given ahead of time on the main map. At times, there will be certain side goals to achieve while fighting, such as remaining undetected or beating a specific baddie, but for the most part it’s “kill them all.” I would have loved to see more goal-oriented variety, truth be told, but that’s not a deal-breaker since battle segments are so few and far between.
In fact, that’s probably my biggest gripe with Triangle Strategy. In a game where the overarching theme is balance, the scales are tipped in favor of story and exposition over battlefield tactics. In my first three hours of gameplay, I experienced only two segments with battles and two with exploration, sandwiched in between a slog of story to set the scene. I am acutely reminded of my time with Octopath Traveler, which needed a good 10 hours before I felt like I got anywhere with the game, but even that one had far more action than Triangle Strategy. Because the storyline is very good with believable moral and ethical quandaries that make you pause and think, I’m not necessarily complaining about the game as a whole per se — what I am saying is that players should be prepared for more talking, less action (especially within the first five hours of the game), and that tactics aren’t just for the battlefield only.
Triangle Strategy is another resounding success by Square Enix in its quest to bring turn-based pixel art masterpieces into the realm of modern gaming. Its bigger mechanics force players to make tactical decisions on and off the battlefield, while its more nuanced ones give players a sense of joy in discovery at even the smallest turn. Each of Triangle Strategy’s components are elegantly refined down to the smallest detail, but when blended make for a slightly, yet strangely, imbalanced experience. If you don’t mind a tactics game that focuses more on story with battles largely used to further exposition, Triangle Strategy is an absolute must-play.
Final Verdict: 4/5
Available on: Switch, PC (reviewed); Publisher: Square Enix; Developer: Square Enix, ARTDINK; Players: 1; Released: October 13, 2022; MSRP: $59.99
Editor’s note: This review is based on a retail copy of Triangle Strategy provided by the publisher.
