10 Recent RPG Choices We Regret Making
5. Choosing Your Animal Companion (Octopath Traveler 2)
It's easy to feel guilty when a video game decision leaves one character thriving and another suffering. Well, imagine that feeling dialled up to eleven, and you've got this outcome in Octopath Traveler II.
Ochette's story in this JRPG sequel throws you into the shoes of a young beastling girl destined to become the protector of a small island. The first step on this journey is to choose an animal companion to name, befriend, and bond with. You're given the option of an owl or a jackal, named Mahina and Akala, respectively. Now, you'd probably assume there are no real stakes to this choice, but there's an underlying tragedy to this decision that cannot be outrun.
Like a kid picked last in the playground, the animal you don't go for is destined for misery. The rejected creature is quickly cursed, eventually contorting into a monstrous being known as the Darkling of the Sorrowful Moon. They become the final boss of Ochette's story, meaning your decision turns a cute little critter into a horrifying, sorrowful beast. Bet you feel bad now, don't you?