[Wii U] Xenoblade Chronicles X - Stuck on a Different Planet

[Wolfe]

Overview
In 2054, a war between alien races has engulfed Earth and forced humanity to flee on interstellar ships called Ark Ships. One of these Ark Ships, the White Whale, was pursued to the planet Mira, where it was forced to make a crash landing. Unfortunately, during the crash, the Ark Ship ejected some of its cargo of cryogenic stasis pods, scattering them across the landscape. Your character is awakened from one of these pods, and asked to help find the others and rebuild society.

• Your own personalized character, named "Cross" by default -- choose your gender, hair style/color, face and eyes, and voice
• Non-linear gameplay in an open world with various types of quests branching out from the city of New Los Angeles -- 200+ hours of content
  
• Primarily a singleplayer game, with passive multiplayer elements for up to 32 players and cooperative missions with four-player parties
• World map "more than five times" the size of Xenoblade Chronicles, across five continents that can be traversed with few restrictions, featuring many different landmarks, caves, and secret areas to find
• Real time combat much like Xenoblade Chronicles, with auto-attacks, various skills ("Arts"), and the "Soul Voice" feature, which awards HP recovery and other bonuses when you coordinate specific arts with your party
• Customizable mecha called "Skells" ("Dolls" in the JP version), which can be outfitted with a wide variety of weapons (up to ten slots) and given custom paint schemes. Skells can transform into vehicles, and can also fly once you've unlocked the flight pack

Survival Guide - Narrated previews explaining various elements of the game:



Survival Guide Episode 2 - Combat
Survival Guide Episode 3 - Skells
Survival Guide Episode 4 - Map/Equipment
Survival Guide Episode 5 - Squads/Multiplayer

Original JP video presentations with more details:
Overview/Exploration Presentation
Battle Presentation
Dolls/Network Presentation

 

[Wolfe]

I was only tentatively looking forward to this game until I saw the most recent video outlining more details on Dolls. I haven't played Xenoblade Chronicles, but I wasn't sure I'd be a fan of the battle gameplay with auto-attacks in real time and whatnot. I didn't like it in Final Fantasy XII.

However, the Dolls should be more than enough to make up for anything I'd dislike about the battle gameplay. I don't care how cheesy it's (definitely) going to be, I like my mecha and I'm not going to pass up this. I was sold when I saw just how much customization and personalization there is in the game. It's like a gigantic JRPG crossed with Armored Core.

And the vehicle transformations...when playing open world RPGs like Guild Wars 2, something I've wished for a long time is that I could just hop into a car or something and go driving across the landscape to get somewhere.

If only they'd narrow down a release date for the west ("2015")...

 

[Brend]

I have never played an Xeno game, but this looks pretty great. I love how open the world appears to be and there seems to be a wealth of objectives to complete. I'd say it isn't my most anticipated Wii U game this year but boy does it look good.

 

[Pseudopod]

I was only tentatively looking forward to this game until I saw the most recent video outlining more details on Dolls. I haven't played Xenoblade Chronicles, but I wasn't sure I'd be a fan of the battle gameplay with auto-attacks in real time and whatnot. I didn't like it in Final Fantasy XII.

However, the Dolls should be more than enough to make up for anything I'd dislike about the battle gameplay. I don't care how cheesy it's (definitely) going to be, I like my mecha and I'm not going to pass up this. I was sold when I saw just how much customization and personalization there is in the game. It's like a gigantic JRPG crossed with Armored Core.

And the vehicle transformations...when playing open world RPGs like Guild Wars 2, something I've wished for a long time is that I could just hop into a car or something and go driving across the landscape to get somewhere.

If only they'd narrow down a release date for the west ("2015")...

Combat in Xenoblade Chronicles is very different from FF12.

In either case, this game is half the reason I bought a WiiU. The other half was split between MK8 and Wii compatibility.

If you can look past the sometimes... well, bad really, voice acting, Xenoblade is an excellent game. It is sadly limited a bit by the Wii's capabilities, but easily the best jrpg of that console generation.

 

[Brend]

I have been considering picking up the N3DS port of Xenoblade Chronicles since a retail copy of the game is ridiculously expensive on the Wii.

 

[Wolfe]

Combat in Xenoblade Chronicles is very different from FF12.

I'm not counting out the on-foot gameplay yet, but I'm not always a fan of games that mix auto-executed commands and real time movement. If I'm responsible for running around, I feel like I should be able to swing my weapon at the press of a button, too.

If XCX has more in common with Guild Wars 2 than FFXII, that would be great.

If you can look past the sometimes... well, bad really, voice acting, Xenoblade is an excellent game. It is sadly limited a bit by the Wii's capabilities, but easily the best jrpg of that console generation.

I can't compare the two, but don't forget Lost Odyssey. It's very traditional, rather than fresh and innovative like Xenoblade Chronicles is said to be, but I think it at least deserves to stand on the podium with XC as an exceptional JRPG of the seventh generation. The soundtrack alone is a highlight; one of Uematsu's better works.

 

[Grandea GTR]

I saw how the characters looked in the game.
I'm just gonna say I don't like most of their designs.

 

[Pseudopod]

I have been considering picking up the N3DS port of Xenoblade Chronicles since a retail copy of the game is ridiculously expensive on the Wii.

I feel like this game and the N3DS is a terrible match. This is very obviously a game made for the big screen. Xenoblade in full HD on the WiiU would look fantastic. The WiiU also desperately needs more software, much more than the N3DS is going to need (nintendo handhelds sell themselves automatically, even without performance upgrades).

I bought the game on ebay for 100 pounds <,<. But hey, at least it was factory sealed and included a red classic controller and I needed one of those anyway!

I saw how the characters looked in the game.
I'm just gonna say I don't like most of their designs.

They're not stellar, I guess. They look like they're made by the same designer as did Xenosaga, rather than the person who did Xenoblade.

I can't compare the two, but don't forget Lost Odyssey. It's very traditional, rather than fresh and innovative like Xenoblade Chronicles is said to be, but I think it at least deserves to stand on the podium with XC as an exceptional JRPG of the seventh generation. The soundtrack alone is a highlight; one of Uematsu's better works.

I actually can't really get into traditional JRPGs anymore, except perhaps on handheld devices. I always feel a desire for at least some action elements, be it timing, reflexes or realtime positioning. I never played Lost Odyssey because I never owned a MS console, but if it has strict turn based combat, I don't think I would be very interested. The only turn based JRPGs I play nowadays are tactical ones, like Fire Emblem for example.

The soundtrack of Xenoblade is also amazing, especially the field music. Everything fits each area very well, and I think every single of them is in the range between "good" and "incredible".

 

[Wolfe]

@Pseudopod -- I do really like the tune for Gaur Plain. 👍

I saw how the characters looked in the game.
I'm just gonna say I don't like most of their designs.

I also found it jarring at first, but because it's self-consistent and matches the considerable manga/anime influence throughout the game, I now find it easy enough to overlook. At least there will be options to alter the appearance of your character.

I certainly don't believe this will be a game for anyone who has trouble stomaching games oozing with Japanese mannerisms, culture, and a manga/anime aesthetic. I'm not accusing you of that, it's just my take on how this game will be received in the west.

 

[Pseudopod]

My guess is that the game is specifically aimed at the crowd that is fine with that.

 

[Wolfe]

@Pseudopod -- Well, Tetsuya Takahashi did have this to say in a recent interview with Gamespot, regarding the reception of the first Xenoblade Chronicles in the west:

This is just my personal point of view, but I think it's pretty difficult to think about markets or potential acceptance levels in a nation outside your own, with different people, different cultures and different histories -- someplace you've never even lived in. Even if you try to consider it, it's a matter of fact that you won't be able to understand all of the factors completely, and if you provide a game based on that kind of armchair thinking, you'll always wind up off the mark.

However, we are also all human beings, all living creatures, and we must all have some common points of contact or things we can all empathize with. Thus, from the time we worked on the Japanese version, we planned out the game's specs with the idea that it would be sold overseas, picking up those common points one at a time so we could reply to the demand...

...The things that we're moved by, the points that we can empathize with, are the same. So we decided it'd be fine if we just made something we could honestly be moved by and find fun; there was no need to fiddle around too much thinking about what we would need to achieve success outside Japan. That was a philosophy we took pains not to stray from as we proceeded with development.

 

[Grandea GTR]

@Pseudopod -- I do really like the tune for Gaur Plain. 👍

I also found it jarring at first, but because it's self-consistent and matches the considerable manga/anime influence throughout the game, I now find it easy enough to overlook. At least there will be options to alter the appearance of your character.

I certainly don't believe this will be a game for anyone who has trouble stomaching games oozing with Japanese mannerisms, culture, and a manga/anime aesthetic. I'm not accusing you of that, it's just my take on how this game will be received in the west.

My guess is that the game is specifically aimed at the crowd that is fine with that.

Don't get me wrong, I actually like the atmosphere of the game, and I would definitely be willing to play the game when it comes out. It's just like a little chip on a smooth rock, one imperfection present, but it won't stop me from playing it.

Also:

They're not stellar, I guess. They look like they're made by the same designer as did Xenosaga, rather than the person who did Xenoblade.

Seeing how Monolith Soft made Xenosaga and is part of XCX's development, I'm sure it's the same designer.

 

[Pseudopod]

Seeing how Monolith Soft made Xenosaga and is part of XCX's development, I'm sure it's the same designer.

I know all this.

I would just have preferred that they kept the character design style of the first Xenoblade.

 

[Wolfe]

The Dolls preview video that perked my interest has now been given English subtitles. A second version with translations for the menu text is said to be coming later. This is good stuff. Enjoy!

(EDIT: Embed moved to OP.)

 

[Brend]

Oh boy, I love me some mechs.

 

[Wolfe]

Over the weekend I've gone from casually keeping tabs on XCX to fevered anticipation, more than any other Wii U game before or yet to be released. I've watched and re-watched all three half-hour presentations, and I have a much clearer idea of what to expect from the battle system and storytelling. I've added them in the OP to share. 👍

I grew up with JRPGs and mecha games, but since 2000 or so, it's been darker times for those genres. Now Monolith Soft comes along with this massive and ambitious title that smashes the two together, adding great ideas from each half with deep customization and open-ended gameplay...I can't even.

 

[Grandea GTR]

Over the weekend I've gone from casually keeping tabs on XCX to fevered anticipation, more than any other Wii U game before or yet to be released. I've watched and re-watched all three half-hour presentations, and I have a much clearer idea of what to expect from the battle system and storytelling. I've embedded them in the OP to share. 👍

I grew up with JRPGs and mecha games, but since 2000 or so, it's been darker times for those genres. Now Monolith Soft comes along with this massive and ambitious title that smashes the two together, adding great ideas from each half with deep customization and open-ended gameplay...I can't even.

Now the question for me will be:
Will it be as rare as it's predecessor? Most likely not.

Has there been any other JRPGs out for the Wii U here in the states? Haven't really been paying attention.

 

[Wolfe]

Since it's now an established brand -- also helped along by Shulk in SSB4 and the timely launch of Xenoblade Chronicles 3D -- and localization has already been in progress for months, things seem promising.

There are no retail JRPGs for Wii U that I can think of, but a few have appeared on the eShop. I suppose Pier Solar and the Great Architects may be debatable since it's western-made. Anyway, nothing with the scope of XCX.

 

[Wolfe]

Today there's a sneak preview of some of the drama to take place in the game (translation by Gessenkou and iYakku again), clipped from a new trailer summarizing the three presentations:



Those appear to be some of the alien antagonists, and an example of the different mecha designs they pilot (the one with the sugegasa-looking head in the thumbnail).

Also, I thought this was a pretty good article chronicling the slow start of the "Xeno series" and the troubles Tetsuya Takahashi and Monolith Soft faced before being bought by Nintendo.

 

[Brend]

Nice article.

Need to admit, I am pretty excited for this game. Right up there with Splatoon now!

 

[Wolfe]

 

[Grandea GTR]

View attachment 350070

Sweet jesus that's massive.

 

[Pseudopod]

I like it. I like it a lot.

 

[Brend]

My god.

 

[Wolfe]

There hasn't been confirmation if there's anything to discover or explore across all that open water, but judging from the "Network" portion of the third presentation video, in which there were highlighted dots in the middle of nowhere, at the very least you might be able to fly from coast to coast any way you like. We'll see!

The latest trailer has now been translated into English, so I've reorganized the OP again to provide a quick overview of the game. It covers the same things as the half-hour presentations, so it's worth a look if you haven't watched those. 👍

 

[Wolfe]

Japanese reviews are being published now. Something I found interesting is that one of the chief complaints seems to be that there are numerable lengthy cutscenes, which kind of throws out any worries of XCX simply being a big open game without a lot of context. It also verifies that this game wears its Xenogears/Xenosaga lineage on its sleeve, for better or worse.

A few details I uncovered (link here):

• You may switch classes and combine Arts/skills between different classes, so you can personalize Cross' abilities any way you like
• There appears to be no special penalty for death, so you can charge into a battle against some giant creature just for laughs
• It seems there's an option to lower the difficulty if you lose a boss battle multiple times (of course, a recent Nintendo tradition)
• The world is truly seamless, with no loading screens unless you use fast-travel; hopping into a doll and zooming off right after fast travel might cause some things to pop in, though

The ship in the sky reminds me of the alien doll from the cutscene above:

What's going on here?:

Apparently, the character customization is fairly, uh...flexible:

 

[Grandea GTR]

Japanese reviews are being published now. Something I found interesting is that one of the chief complaints seems to be that there are numerable lengthy cutscenes, which kind of throws out any worries of XCX simply being a big open game without a lot of context. It also verifies that this game wears its Xenogears/Xenosaga lineage on its sleeve, for better or worse.

A few details I uncovered (link here):

• You may switch classes and combine Arts/skills between different classes, so you can personalize Cross' abilities any way you like
• There appears to be no special penalty for death, so you can charge into a battle against some giant creature just for laughs
• It seems there's an option to lower the difficulty if you lose a boss battle multiple times (of course, a recent Nintendo tradition)
• The world is truly seamless, with no loading screens unless you use fast-travel; hopping into a doll and zooming off right after fast travel might cause some things to pop in, though

The ship in the sky reminds me of the alien doll from the cutscene above:
View attachment 351895

What's going on here?:
View attachment 351905

Apparently, the character customization is fairly, uh...flexible:
View attachment 351906

Whoo!!! I can make panda men!

 

[Wolfe]

 

[Brend]

I'm really hype about this direct, damn you @Wolfe

PS: Splatoon will get GOTY and you know it.

 

[Wolfe]

Sorry, I guess it wasn't much of an announcement. I'm disappointed that they didn't even have anything dubbed or translated yet, or a release date of any kind. Gah, waiting is going to be difficult.

The Treehouse preview was pretty fun to watch, though. So many details!!