What is it? Xenoblade is an open-world RPG created by Monolithsoft (Xenosaga, Baten Kaitos, Soma Bringer). Rather than go for cinematics, Xenoblade offers a huge open world with incredibly large environments and the ability to go nearly anywhere. If you see a rainbow in the distance, you can travel ten minutes out of your way to get there if you want. If you climb up a huge mountain, you can jump straight off of it. Xenoblade sacrifices graphical fidelity for huge areas and no load times. The immersion makes it seem worthwhile.
Despite this being a Xeno game, it's not anything like Xenosaga. This isn't a mega-linear game focused on telling a story. There's an engaging story there but it's not the only thing going for it. This is a gameplay-driven RPG.
Platform: Wii
Video:
Release Date: 19 August 2011 (Europe), Unannounced (NA). You can import it and unlock your Wii if you're an American.
Story/Gameplay/etc:
- Xenoblade takes place on the bodies of two dead gods. Yes, you read that right. As you progress, you move between these two giants, from their legs to their arms to their heads.
- Game is said to take about 60 hours to complete on the main quest; importers have said that doing everything can take 150 hours.
- Gameplay is kind of similar to FF12. You find enemies on the battlefield and battle them in a pseudo-real time system in much the same way.
- Towns are said to be massive. There are quests all over the place, including more than 80 optional bosses to fight.
- Music by Yasunori Mitsuda (Xeno/Chrono games), Yoko Shinomura (Kingdom Hearts/Parasite Eve) and ACE+.
- According to Japanese review portal Mk2, it's the highest-rated RPG this gen. (For the record, here's their top 5: 1.) Xenoblade, 2.) Demon's Souls, 3.) Fallout 3, 4.) Devil Survivor, 5.) Valkyria Chronicles.)
- IGN UK - 9/10 - Xenoblade Chronicles is the best Japanese RPG of this generation. The fact that it looks like it's from the last generation is its only drawback, but its technical limitations are offset by imaginative artistic direction, innovative and compelling combat, and thoughtful design. It's a throwback to the glory days of the genre, proof that there are always new ways to tell a story. If you've ever felt neglected by the lack of in-depth gaming epics on the Wii, you owe it to yourself to buy this. - http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/118/1187845p1.html
- GamesTM - 9/10 - Beautiful, feature-packed and brimming with creative remedies for the ails of a stagnating genre, that NOA should overlook such a shining example of what a JRPG can be paints a very different company to the Nintendo that went out at E3 with a call to arms for the hardcore. Still, by the time you read this, it might finally have been announced for the US. Or, more likely, it won’t. Either way, consider this a universal recommendation of Xenoblade in all its forms. If nothing else, we’re just glad we’re not the ones doing the importing for once… - http://www.gamestm.co.uk/reviews/xenoblade-chronicles-review/
- GameReactor - 9/10 - Xenoblade Chronicles is one of those titles that requires time set aside to learn and enjoy and there's many, many hours of exploration. It's got a fascinating main story buffered by multiple side quests and if you're the sort that enjoys exploring massive worlds that you'll loose yourself in and squeeze until it's dry, make sure to schedule in at least 100 hours for one of the last gems you'll find on the Wii, and one of the most engaging J-RPGs of this generation. - http://www.gamereactor.eu/reviews/8334/Xenoblade+Chronicles/
i have really no interest in this game but a 9/10 from gamestm is really encouraging, besides maybe edge they're the harshest marking gaming site i know
I doubt that's true. there's also no way to tell until November.
though I think that's a salient point - this game is like what would happen if a JRPG tried to incorporate some Bethesda elements. it's very open-worldy. even the characters look kind of bad! I think it's good that they don't go for high fidelity though because there is no way this game could exist if it had FFXIII levels of detail. the platform actually benefits the design because this would cost a trillion dollars in HD.
- Cubed3 - 10/10 - Now Monolith Soft’s grand Xenoblade Chronicles has arrived, bringing with it an sterling soundtrack, a phenomenal visual impact, vast amount of customisation, intriguing story and massive value for money. With it definitely proving itself to be of the highest calibre on Wii, it is time for RPG fans to take a stand and show their appreciation for this sublime classic. - http://www.cubed3.com/review/1024
CVG isn't done with the game yet, but posted these impressions
In the early stages, when we were grinding through the levels to prepare for an upcoming fight that had proved a little too tough in the Japanese version, we found a very large, spiky worm-beast on a beach. We decided to use it for target practice, and it promptly despatched us with ease. But rather than get on with the rest of the game, we spent the best part of an hour trying to get the better of it, returning time after time until we eventually slaughtered the poor, peaceful thing. It dropped a massive treasure chest, full of loot, and we got an achievement for finding a super-rare item. Nice!
The point is that in a huge game that dishes out quests all over the place, the designers knew that low-level players would be unable to resist attacking that one particular creature. So they made it harder than most other monsters and stuck in a big reward for anyone persistent enough to kill it.
That's the kind of attention to detail that marks Xenoblade as something special, and the added benefit of this particular encounter was that by the end of it we'd become much more proficient at the battle system. When we got to the nasty bit we'd got stuck at in the import version, well, we only died two or three times.
We can only hope the rest of the game maintains the quality we've seen in the early parts. Now that we understand Xenoblade, we can see why the Americans are so upset. If it wasn't coming out here, maybe we'd have to start a little campaign of our own.
personally, I love the idea of this screenshot - - that you can take huge beasts on whenever you want is really cool.
man I was in the jungle are not long ago and there were gigantic enemies roaming around, and when you travel up on these treehouse-like buildings linked with bridges, it's so awesome
I'm going to take a picture of it
-- Miyamoto: [cats] are kind of like girls. If they come and talk to you it's great. But if you try to talk to them it doesn't always go so well
just ordered my import copy, hopefully this game lives up to the hype. I enjoyed the ff12 battle system for what it was, so as long as xenoblade has a more involved story and better characters (van penelo fran get out of here), I should end up liking it.
also, dat exploration. if I can put in like 100 hours of just dicking around on top of two gods then it might be my goty
--
SunnyX ~ The cream of Robopon fanboyisim http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/5711/flawlessvictorynb4.png
we don't! Xenoblade needs to be top 50 to compete. given the quality of the developer and the general reaction, it shouldn't be tough to top it! but my judgments are reserved until next week.
and guess since I'm on the topic now other than Fatal Frame IV what other fan translations are out there. Don't bother mentioning Graces since it's coming here for PS3 I'll just be getting that version.
- that you can take huge beasts on whenever you want is really cool.