Hello! This column is part of a regular series in which we share what members of the Tom’s Guide team are playing and enjoying right now, with a focus on helping you find great games you might have missed. Be sure to check out our latest entry, where we talk about Final Fantasy XIV.
The 2017 release of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 helped rekindle my love for JRPGs. The re-release of Xenoblade Chronicles for the Switch in 2020 only added fuel to this fire. So I was so happy when I heard that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 It will be released in July, a full two months ahead of schedule.
That’s why I’m planning to spend the weekend getting comfortable with my Switch, and playing the latest entry in the Xenoblade franchise. I’m curious to see the improvements Monolith Soft has made to its refined formula since last time.
Besides being able to change classes, switch characters freely in battle and throw a party of up to seven members, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 also adds a new Ouroboros model. This allows two playable characters to fuse into a super powerful being, which is similar to a robot and has its own special attacks and abilities.
Noah, Ioni, Lanz and the rest of the cast in Xenoblade 3 are all engineer soldiers who have been brought up in training, knowing that most of their lives will be spent in battle. This is a huge departure from Xenoblade 2’s Rex, which started as a scavenger, and Xenoblade’s Shulk, who was a seeker before capturing Monado.
Exploration has also been a staple of the Xenoblade series since its inception. I look forward to exploring the world of Aionios to see how it compares to Alrest from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Mira from the original Xenoblade Chronicles.
Back to JRPG Fold
Although the Switch was hard to find on store shelves when it came out in March 2017, I was able to get a Japanese version of the console in Korea, where I lived at the time. After making my way Breath of the wild(like many Switch players at the time) had a hard time finding my next game.
After endless scrolling through the Nintendo eShop, a certain game caught my eye: Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Although I haven’t played the first game yet, I grew up playing Final Fantasy and countless other JRPGs. However, I stopped playing JRPGs when I switched from console to PC games. But with the Nintendo portable console in my hand, I was ready to go again.
Since I took a 17 hour plane ride to visit my family in the US, I took the opportunity at Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and I’m glad I did. The combat, lore, and storytelling of Xenoblade once again got me into battle. I found myself playing the game with my switch in tabletop mode for hours while waiting for my connecting flight.
Revisiting previous Nintendo consoles for more Xenoblade
After completing Xenoblade Chronicles 2, I naturally wanted more Xenoblade. Since the game’s DLC hasn’t been released yet, I had to turn off my Switch and pick up one of my previous Nintendo consoles instead.
While Xenoblade Chronicles originally launched on Wii in 2010, Nintendo ported the game to the New Nintendo 3DS in 2015. I bought a refurbished 2DS XL to play Xenoblade Chronicles. Little did I know the game would be coming to the Switch only a few years later.
My journey with Xenoblade did not take place though. As a huge sci-fi fan, I was fascinated by Xenoblade Chronicles X. This game is the spiritual successor to the original Xenoblade game, and it came before Xenoblade Chronicles 2. However, I did it on Wii U, and it hasn’t been shown yet has been switched over to the Switch. I still hold hope that Monolith Soft will announce a port before Nintendo Switch 2 Out.
I decided to choose Wii U again to play Xenoblade Chronicles X. While I enjoyed exploring the game’s massive environments – and the fact that there’s no fall damage – the story wasn’t as solid as the other entries in the series.
vast world
While I had just scratched the surface of the Xenoblade 3’s 80-100 hour storyline, the world of Aionios really attracted me. This time around, Monolith Soft has really outdone itself when it comes to making the world feel populated, as well as massive.
Although Xenoblade 3 shows you the shortest path to achieving your mission objective, I rarely use this feature at all. Instead, I preferred to go the long way, searching for secret areas, picking up collectibles, and doing my best to engage low-level enemies while avoiding the more powerful ones. It’s also worth noting that you can zoom in on each way to play the game in first person perspective if you’re looking for a bit more immersion.
I also enjoy starring alongside the NPCs who have something new to say, as you don’t have to waste time talking to everyone you meet. Likewise, the icons above the enemies on the field show you if they are normal, elite, unique or lucky monsters.
Based on what I’ve played so far, exploration is probably one of the main draws for me in Xenoblade 3, but the combat is engaging as ever. New target lines now make it easier to see which enemies are attacking specific party members. This helps when coming up with a strategy during the most difficult battles.
A large selection of fully playable characters
Besides the unique battle system and excellent storytelling, the Xenoblade series also highlights its great characters and characters. Just as in Xenoblade 2, Monolith Soft once again chose Masatsugu Saito to design the Xenoblade 3 characters.
For this entry in the series, Saito decided to make the characters appear more mature by making them taller. Their costumes are not very flashy, and better match the tone of the story according to an interview (Opens in a new tab) with Nintendo.
I haven’t yet met the whole six-character party. But so far, I like the group dynamic between Noah, Ioni and Lanz in the first few hours of the match. Unlike Xenoblade 2, this group of characters grew up together, knowing each other deeply.
Once again, you will be able to switch and play freely as any of the characters in your group while on the field. This time around, though, you’ll also be able to seamlessly switch between characters during the battle sequence, which should confuse the gameplay a bit.
Great entry point to the series
Despite being the third Xenoblade game (technically the fourth), Xenoblade Chronicles 3 does an excellent job of explaining both the story and gameplay to newcomers. Although the tutorials can be a bit annoying for experienced players, they provide a lot of information and are easy to review later from the system menu.
Even if you’ve never played Xenoblade before, Xenoblade 3 seems like a very convenient entry point into the series. Who do you know? You can play this game first, then go back and play the others, just like you did after completing Xenoblade 2.
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