While I haven’t carved out the time to write recently, I certainly have been playing some really great games. I am stoked to have finally found the time to write about this one as it certainly became a fast favorite of mine. Now, my first experience with the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise was an instant love at first sight situation and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was no different. Despite it differing a lot from the first one, Monolith Soft has truly created such a fantastic series that somehow manages to all feel different but the same.
Drivers and Blades
One of the very first things I noticed about Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was the new battle system. Things work similarly to the first game while not even feeling like the same combat system at all. Arts are still present and the very heartbeat of combat. However, the depth in the combat this time is leagues above the first game. It is honestly quite overwhelming at first but once you master it, it is oh-so rewarding.
In Xenoblade Chronicles 2, you play as Rex and friends, a group of individuals known as Drivers. Each Driver can take three Blades into battle with them, presenting an almost endless amount of combinations. Blades are mostly humanoid creatures that fight alongside their Drivers and form unbreakable bonds with them. Each Blade has a unique weapon and elemental type that can mix with other types to perform what are called Blade Combos. These combos can help deal massive damage to your foes and you’ll look really cool pulling them off so you should give them a go!
The Blade count is pretty decent which creates a sort of Pokémon feel, however you can’t catch Blades in the wild. Instead, you’ll gather Core Crystals throughout your journey which can attune to a Driver of your choosing and awaken brand new Blades to take with you into combat. Most of the Blades you’ll pull will be generic, but the game does have a pretty hefty amount of unique Blades you’ll want to aim for. I had a blast mixing things up and seeing which Blades I liked best with which characters.
A Story Worth Your Time
When I tell you that Xenoblade Chronicles has now delivered a near-perfect story experience to me twice, I am not joking. I will say I preferred the second game to the first, no question about that. However, both offered something so unique and refreshing that it is worth mentioning. That being said, the second entry here offered up some of my all-time favorite video game characters to date. I was also sent on an emotional roller coaster that, even though I was prepared for, still managed to surprise me quite a bit.
Without spoiling too much, Rex awakens the Aegis Blade named Pyra and together they make their journey to Elysium in hopes of saving the world. Yes, while on paper this sounds like every other JRPG on the market, this story isn’t what you think at all. Every twist had me motivated to forge forward, never knowing what was around each corner. And when I tell you I was never disappointed, I mean it.
The story doesn’t just stop with the main party members either. Side quests here are a bit more fleshed than they were in the first game. Some quests are tied to specific Blades allowing you to choose which Blade you wanted to get to know a bit better. I thought this was a nice touch making each Blade feel even more unique and alive.
Alrest and the Cloud Sea
Xenoblade games are unique in their world design. There’s a reason Nintendo had Monolith Soft help design Hyrule in the new Zelda games. These guys absolutely know what they are doing when building a world. Xenoblade games nail that JRPG feeling of stepping out into the world and truly feeling like the whole world is at your fingertips.
That moment for me was when the game opened up and your party steps forth and sees Gormott in the distance. Monsters roam the plains and the soundtrack instills the feeling that anything is possible. Exploration is certainly encouraged, but be mindful of your footing. If you aren’t careful you can definitely find yourself in a tussle with monsters way more powerful than you.
The game is rich with locales just begging to be explored. From dense forests to snow-covered plains, you won’t be short on changes of scenery. As you level up, you’ll be able to fight some of those harder monsters and reap the rewards of those battles.
That feeling is unmatched, at least for me, in this genre. It is so important for a game, especially a huge RPG like Xenoblade, to capture you and pull you into its world. I was engrossed in Arest for endless hours and regret none of it. In fact, I wish I could erase it from my mind so I could experience it again for the first time.
The Future of Xenoblade
Monolith Soft has something special with this franchise and I’m so excited that Nintendo saw its potential. I have now experienced two fantastic RPGs and am admittedly in the middle of the third one. I am unsure how the third one ends but I am hopeful that this franchise is still in its infancy and we will see more from it. If not, it is still a perfect trilogy worth your time if you like JRPGs at all.
These games are unique, refreshing and unmatched in level design. I don’t think any other game has made me feel the same way these games have and I absolutely adore that. I have gained a whole collection of new favorite video game characters and have experienced stories I will never forget. Keep up the good work, Monolith Soft and Nintendo. You’ve made a lifelong fan out of me.
