- Great story
- Efficient Theming
- Amazing battle system
- Beautiful music
- Graphics don’t meet modern standrads although it uses the Wii’s top potential.
Here we have a brand new JRPG from Nintendo, developed by Monolith Software. This genre has been pretty destabilized for the past few years. It has been a while since a Japanese RPG has captivated gamers properly and Nintendo are always good at taking traditional elements of a genre and making into a great modern RPG which we can really admire.
One thing is for sure. One of the main features this game offers is a great story. Although it may seem predictable at times, the story still has a charm that keeps the gamer hooked throughout the storyline. With the diverse characters you control and meet, it is hard not to grow somewhat attached.
The universe in which Xenoblade Chronicles takes place is literally on top of actual titans that fought each other long ago before freezing in time. The Bionis, the titan on which the Homs and other races have developed, has forests, mountains and fauna that has grown and flourished during thousands of years.
You take control of a young orphan named Shulk, who is a young but brilliant weapons researcher at Colony 9. His main occupation is simple: to discover the true potential of a legendary weapon that holds mysterious powers, the Monado. When this simple colony gets attacked by the man-eating Mechon race, who originate from the other titan, the Mechonis, this sword will become an important asset to Shulk as it gives him special powers during combat such as being able to witness visions of the future. This leaves him the chance to change the future and avoid dangers.
The story might seem quite happy and cute. However, Xenoblade Chronicles is not afraid to touch the dark side. Shulk will witness visions of death and some of them do come true.
The game offers a lot of dialogue and cutscenes throughout the game. This gives the player further attachment to the characters as he/she will always look forward to the next step in the story. The only downside of the cutscenes is that the animations are bit choppy. Nevertheless, the characters still succeed in displaying their emotions and transferring them to the gamer. One of the notable things about this game’s looks is the landscapes. Considering this is still a Wii game, this game delivers quite exquisite sceneries. Standing atop a cliff and seeing how the land forms over the titans is a breathtaking moment. However, there are some texture issues on some environments. Also, there are a variety of monster models, so players will not get the feeling that models are being reused over and over. A good diversity gives feeling of excitement.
Interestingly, the voice actors for the characters sound somewhat British. This is probably due to the fact the game originally was supposed to be released in Europe only. This expands on the culture of Xenoblade Chronicles’ universe. Gamers also get the choice of switching the voices to the Japanese voice overs. It is unfortunate though that the English voices are not lip synched with the dialogue animations of the characters. During combat, the characters encourage and yell at each other constantly which shows how the characters need to work together to prevail.
In addition, the music of Xenoblade Chronicles is simply astonishing. It is beautiful to listen to while adventuring. Every song blends with the ambiance of the area you walk through.
The areas are very expandable and it is easy to suddenly find yourself simply exploring the area. However, if you are the type that just wants to get to the next step in your quest, you can simply follow the arrow at the top of the screen which points to your next destination. Every area has a number of Locations and Landmarks. Reaching these discovers a part of the map of the area you are in. Landmarks are more useful for they serve as instant transportation. If you ever forget to pick up an item or need to complete a side quest, then simply use a past landmark to return there instantly.
The battle system is pretty easy to grasp as they gradually introduce you to the various elements of combat. Every character has his/her own specialty in terms of attack mechanics, advantages and weaknesses. This will make the gamer think strategically as what party of three characters is more compatible. For example, Shulk’s childhood friend, Reyn, is more of a tank who can withstand a lot of enemy attacks and attract them around him. Whereas Shulk is more technical as some of his attacks are more effective when standing in different angles with the enemy.
Furthermore, every character has an array of powers and technics they learn throughout their growth. This only pushes each character’s style as no two characters share the same style of weapon or powers. When outside of battle, the gamer can switch to control Shulk, Reyn or any other character present in your party at anytime. So, if you are the type who prefers to be a long range shooter, short range attacker or healing support, you can make that decision.
The real notion of teamwork comes into play when looking at the characters Skill Trees. Every character has his/her own set of three Skill Trees. Of course, every set is made specifically for that character. However, as you progress with the selected Skill Tree, you unlock powers which other characters may take advantage of. Having more affinity brings more powers to distribute between the characters. The more a character fights alongside another, the more his/her affinity grows with them; unlocking more skills to apply form each other.
One of Xenoblade Chronicles’ most notable battle feature is Shulk’s ability to see the future with the power of the Monado. When fighting strong bosses or when your characters are low on health, the battle may pause and Shulk will witness a monster delivering a blow which can kill an ally. After seeing the vision, the player must quickly think of a strategy to counter that incoming attack by either casting a protective spell, attract the enemy’s aggro or warn an ally to cast a shield or heal. If you do not avoid the attack in time, then … Boom.
The leveling system of the game is very well balanced and it is easy to continue your journey while not spending too much time grinding to be able to proceed to the next area. However, when fighting a monster that is a much higher level than your characters, you must run. You can flee the battle at any times, excluding bosses, and recuperate your health as soon as you leave battle area.
As aforementioned, Xenoblade Chronicles has a captivating story which keeps you hooked and happy for a good period of time. It is surprisingly non-linear as at any moment the gamer may take a break from the main plot and go complete side- quests to earn items and such. You can also continue leveling further and challenge some giant monsters that go you would probably see during your journey.
Writer’s Blox:
I have enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles so much that I would not mind continuing to play it more just to complete extra content that I probably missed during my journey. It is an incredible experience on the Wii and a must-have title for all Wii owners. It was very refreshing to play Xenoblade Chronicles.
Editor comment
Here we have a brand new JRPG from Nintendo, developed by Monolith Software. This genre has been pretty destabilized for the past few years. It has been a while since a Japanese RPG has captivated gamers properly and Nintendo are always good at taking traditional elements of a genre and making into a great modern RPG which we can really admire.
One thing is for sure. One of the main features this game offers is a great story. Although it may seem predictable at times, the story still has a charm that keeps the gamer hooked throughout the storyline. With the diverse characters you control and meet, it is hard not to grow somewhat attached.
The universe in which Xenoblade Chronicles takes place is literally on top of actual titans that fought each other long ago before freezing in time. The Bionis, the titan on which the Homs and other races have developed, has forests, mountains and fauna that has grown and flourished during thousands of years.
You take control of a young orphan named Shulk, who is a young but brilliant weapons researcher at Colony 9. His main occupation is simple: to discover the true potential of a legendary weapon that holds mysterious powers, the Monado. When this simple colony gets attacked by the man-eating Mechon race, who originate from the other titan, the Mechonis, this sword will become an important asset to Shulk as it gives him special powers during combat such as being able to witness visions of the future. This leaves him the chance to change the future and avoid dangers.
The story might seem quite happy and cute. However, Xenoblade Chronicles is not afraid to touch the dark side. Shulk will witness visions of death and some of them do come true.
The game offers a lot of dialogue and cutscenes throughout the game. This gives the player further attachment to the characters as he/she will always look forward to the next step in the story. The only downside of the cutscenes is that the animations are bit choppy. Nevertheless, the characters still succeed in displaying their emotions and transferring them to the gamer. One of the notable things about this game’s looks is the landscapes. Considering this is still a Wii game, this game delivers quite exquisite sceneries. Standing atop a cliff and seeing how the land forms over the titans is a breathtaking moment. However, there are some texture issues on some environments. Also, there are a variety of monster models, so players will not get the feeling that models are being reused over and over. A good diversity gives feeling of excitement.
Interestingly, the voice actors for the characters sound somewhat British. This is probably due to the fact the game originally was supposed to be released in Europe only. This expands on the culture of Xenoblade Chronicles’ universe. Gamers also get the choice of switching the voices to the Japanese voice overs. It is unfortunate though that the English voices are not lip synched with the dialogue animations of the characters. During combat, the characters encourage and yell at each other constantly which shows how the characters need to work together to prevail.
In addition, the music of Xenoblade Chronicles is simply astonishing. It is beautiful to listen to while adventuring. Every song blends with the ambiance of the area you walk through.
The areas are very expandable and it is easy to suddenly find yourself simply exploring the area. However, if you are the type that just wants to get to the next step in your quest, you can simply follow the arrow at the top of the screen which points to your next destination. Every area has a number of Locations and Landmarks. Reaching these discovers a part of the map of the area you are in. Landmarks are more useful for they serve as instant transportation. If you ever forget to pick up an item or need to complete a side quest, then simply use a past landmark to return there instantly.
The battle system is pretty easy to grasp as they gradually introduce you to the various elements of combat. Every character has his/her own specialty in terms of attack mechanics, advantages and weaknesses. This will make the gamer think strategically as what party of three characters is more compatible. For example, Shulk’s childhood friend, Reyn, is more of a tank who can withstand a lot of enemy attacks and attract them around him. Whereas Shulk is more technical as some of his attacks are more effective when standing in different angles with the enemy.
Furthermore, every character has an array of powers and technics they learn throughout their growth. This only pushes each character’s style as no two characters share the same style of weapon or powers. When outside of battle, the gamer can switch to control Shulk, Reyn or any other character present in your party at anytime. So, if you are the type who prefers to be a long range shooter, short range attacker or healing support, you can make that decision.
The real notion of teamwork comes into play when looking at the characters Skill Trees. Every character has his/her own set of three Skill Trees. Of course, every set is made specifically for that character. However, as you progress with the selected Skill Tree, you unlock powers which other characters may take advantage of. Having more affinity brings more powers to distribute between the characters. The more a character fights alongside another, the more his/her affinity grows with them; unlocking more skills to apply form each other.
One of Xenoblade Chronicles’ most notable battle feature is Shulk’s ability to see the future with the power of the Monado. When fighting strong bosses or when your characters are low on health, the battle may pause and Shulk will witness a monster delivering a blow which can kill an ally. After seeing the vision, the player must quickly think of a strategy to counter that incoming attack by either casting a protective spell, attract the enemy’s aggro or warn an ally to cast a shield or heal. If you do not avoid the attack in time, then … Boom.
The leveling system of the game is very well balanced and it is easy to continue your journey while not spending too much time grinding to be able to proceed to the next area. However, when fighting a monster that is a much higher level than your characters, you must run. You can flee the battle at any times, excluding bosses, and recuperate your health as soon as you leave battle area.
As aforementioned, Xenoblade Chronicles has a captivating story which keeps you hooked and happy for a good period of time. It is surprisingly non-linear as at any moment the gamer may take a break from the main plot and go complete side- quests to earn items and such. You can also continue leveling further and challenge some giant monsters that go you would probably see during your journey.
Writer’s Blox:
I have enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles so much that I would not mind continuing to play it more just to complete extra content that I probably missed during my journey. It is an incredible experience on the Wii and a must-have title for all Wii owners. It was very refreshing to play Xenoblade Chronicles.
