I have officially been referring to 2024 as the year of RPGs because, my goodness, I cannot put them down. It was a bittersweet feeling polishing off the Xenoblade series. However, I can confidently say that it is one of my favorite franchises of all time. I started this journey last year with Xenoblade Chronicles. After that, I decided earlier this year I hadn’t had enough so I picked up Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Turns out, I still hadn’t had enough, so after Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, I moved on to Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Noah and Co.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is very much a Xenoblade game. That being said, there are quite a few differences this time around. The biggest noticeable one for me was the party set up. After an initial tutorial phase, you’ll have access to the six main characters right off the bat and they will all be present in battle at all times. This changes a lot of things, both for Xenoblade and for RPGs as a whole.
I am used to the standard formula of story progression leading to more party members. I am also always mindful about keeping everyone at a decent level in case the party splits up during story beats. These grievances are not present in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Instead, what we have here is a full JRPG where everyone is present and takes part in every single battle. I found this to be a bit jarring at first, wondering to myself if the game would eventually grow stale without adding new party members. I was wrong.
Instead, XBC3 allowed me to spend an entire game with these characters. I got to know them as the incredible individuals that they are and a lot of that is owed to the fact that the game takes its time fleshing them all out. I didn’t have to worry about a party split up or deciding who to let on the battlefield. Every character felt unique, well-written and absolutely bursting with emotion and complexity.
Class Flexibility
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 brought something entirely new to the franchise with its brand new class system. Essentially any party member can be any class in the game. While this may seem a bit overwhelming, it is absolutely worth taking advantage of. Each class has abilities called Arts and as a character levels up a class, certain Arts are mastered and can be carried over into other classes. This really helps mix things up on the battleground and helps keep things feeling fresh.
Throughout the journey, the party will encounter certain individuals called Heroes. Upon completing the quests associated with these heroes, you’ll be given the opportunity to take them along with you, adding a ninth member to the battlefield. This is incredibly important though because while they fight with you, your party members are slowly learning that hero’s class.
I tried to rotate heroes and classes around often, but it is important to remember to keep things balanced too. Like in most RPGs, you have healers, tanks, and attackers. I tried to keep two of each at all times, but when you add a hero things get a bit more flexible. Your tanks, if doing their job correctly, should keep the attention of the enemy so healers can focus on heals, and attackers can attack.
Combat Like No Other
This time around, I found combat to be much more fluid. While I enjoyed the Drivers and Blades system from XB2 it definitely took me a lot longer to learn than the combat here. The being said, I do want to mention that XB3’s combat still very much has the depth and complexity to it that I’ve grown to love and expect from these games. I think having every party member at my disposal helped combat feel a bit easier.
Essentially, you have the eight main characters out at all times. Each party member is paired with another member through a process called Ouroboros. This allows them to combine into one strong entity and deal some massive damage to their enemies. That being said though, it does come with its own caveats.
As you battle and perform Arts a gauge will fill. The higher the gauge fills, the stronger your Ouroboros form will be, maxing out at level three. Once activated, performing Arts will tick away at how long you can be in this form. Every character has their own form of Ouroboros with their own skill trees to develop even further. This created such a unique combat experience, something I just adore from Xenoblade titles.
Land of Aionios
The world of Aionios is absolutely huge. Being the most recent in the franchise, XBC3 did not hold back on its world-building. Ever since my first Xenoblade experience, sprawling landscapes and seemingly endless open areas became an instant identifier of these games. XBC3 did not disappoint.
Aionios is not a particular friendly place, especially for our party. The world has seen an endless war for countless years and it has left its mark everywhere you look. As the story unfolds, you’ll begin to see the bigger picture which only tells an even more gruesome tale.
There is beauty to be found in Aionios as well though. Don’t forget to stop and take in the scenery from time to time because it sure is a sight. It wasn’t really the landscapes that stole my heart though, but the people of Aionios. Xenoblade 3 is full of unique people to meet, help and recruit. In my 140 hours playing, there was never a dull moment and I was never without something to do.
A Soundtrack Only Xenoblade Could Create
I cannot express my love for this game enough, especially while avoiding spoilers. However, I will say that there is a good reason this franchise has climbed the ranks among my favorites. I think it ultimately starts with the atmosphere. Xenoblade Chronicles games all feel the same yet vastly different. Sure evolution in technology plays its part in that, but what really grounds these games for me is rooted in their soundtracks.
I’ve said it countless times but a soundtrack can truly make or break a game. If a soundtrack is done correctly, it will compliment its game perfectly, creating this extra layer of immersion that is truly unmatched. All three Xenoblade Chronicles games do that flawlessly.
From battle music to location-specific tracks, this soundtrack never stopped amazing me. The world came to life with these tracks. Boss battles radiated so much life and energy from them. And don’t even get me started on the dynamic tracks that change with the time of day. If I had to pick one favorite thing from this game it would absolutely be its soundtrack.
Finally All Caught Up
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is another masterpiece I am so honored to have completed. The combat was engaging and challenging while also being a complete blast. Every character was loveable, even side characters. The story was another unforgettable emotional roller coaster (I’m sensing a theme with these games). To be quite honest, I don’t have a complaint about this game whatsoever.
Xenoblade has been a wonderful franchise to finally experience. It is honestly rather bittersweet to have polished off the last one in the franchise. I am finally caught up and eagerly awaiting the next release with the rest of the fans. While I wait I desperately want to replay them at some point but man, that’s a tall order with the backlog I have. Never say never I guess. Regardless of when my next Xenoblade journey is, I know it’ll be a worthwhile experience though.
