[Htown]

What a moron.

[Lost Fragment]

This article made me punch three kittens.

[PixyJunket]

I can never (and will never) really comprehend this kind of mentality.

I play video games because they're fun to play. I don't put much thought into the technical aspects of a game's graphics as long as the art style is pleasant (and even then, as long as it is fun, I'll play a game with an ugly art style, see: Binding of Isaac). I can play Portal 2 one week and be stunned at how impressive it looks but then I'll play Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light the next week and it never occurs to me that my enjoyment of that is being held back because it's not powered by a graphics card that runs louder than my stereo system.

[MiniBossBattle]

"The graphics. Dear god, the graphics. I can’t decide whether the technical capabilities of the Wii make me want to projectile vomit or take a 12-gauge to my television."


read the article with this guy's voice in my head. Far more entertaining.

[Conor 419]

From what I've seen, a real mixed bag. Beautiful, gorgeous landscapes, vistas, huge open scenery... the character models/textures seem positively repulsive, though. If I Google Xenoblade and check images, I get beautiful stuff, but I also get: I'd love to see someone post some representative shots of different elements of XB both from the Wii and from Dolphin (in higher res).

It's part of the appeal imo, for example I wouldn't have the best character across the entirety of the genre



Any other way

[Correctomundo]

I take all that to mean I will love this game.

[luka]

super nintendo was cutting edge? didn't the neo geo come out in the same year?

[Glass Joe]

The game looks great. Some blurry textures here and there, but it is the Wii. The environments are massive and beautiful and the framerate is smooth. I guess I'm just not a graphics whore, but I'd rather play a nice looking, great playing game than a great looking, shitty game.

[Chacranajxy]

The real problem with the Wii is that the video output is complete dog shit. It is actually inferior to the Gamecube by a pretty big margin. Try a GC game on a Gamecube and then on the Wii, and you'll see. But really, a lot of Wii games are actually quite pretty... even though you can't tell on the actual hardware. I'd imagine that even without upscaling, the WiiU would make Wii games look worlds better... well, unless Nintendo completely cheaps the fuck out again.

[Annoying Old Party Man]

I'm sorry, but I agree with this guy. Xenoblade Chronicles is an amazing game, but the graphics are atrocious. Yes, the environments are impressive in scope, yes the game pushes the Wii, but that's it.


This is not "Nintendo hating", this is about being forced to play a wonderful game, with technical standards akin to a 2005 era Celeron PC.

Xenoblade Chronicles is one of the *epics* of this generation, and the limitations that are imposed from the hardware downgrade the experience in a ridiculous way.

[witchedwiz]

i'll admit that wii technical limitations are indeed blatant, but the game can be appreciated nonethless for every other of its qualities...
but to say that the graphic has no issue, is a bit of understatement imho:/

[Khold]

I don't get all the visual complaints, then again I'm not really one to have a problem with shitty graphics.

Yeah, I replay n64 and ps2 games all the time, I alternate between pc -360/ps3-handhelds-older generations so often that I've stopped really caring once you take into account the system you are playing on...

[Skel1ingt0n]

Looks fucking gorgeous when I'm playing on Dolphin - the art style and huge, open vistas look amazing in HD with great AA.







... But while a poorly written article, I can understand his point. I'm loving Xenoblade - it's a great game. But if I had to play this in 480p, poorly upscaled to 1080p on my LCD with jaggies everywhere, I don't think I would enjoy the game half as much. Yeah, yeah, gameplay is king. But graphics unquestionably help with immersion. Monolith put these huge, open vistas with brilliant lighting in here to awestruck the player - but it just doesn't work on its native platform. The game shines much, MUCH more brightly when emulated on Dolphin.

And, I think that's true for a lot of games. Many games on the PS3 and the X360 - and of course the PC - would suffer and probably not be as enjoyable with worse graphics. The jaggies on Forza 4, for example, are already awful. But could you imagine if they were 4x worse? I think it'd be hard for anyone to argue the game would be just as good if that were the case.

[dani_dc]

From what I've seen, a real mixed bag. Beautiful, gorgeous landscapes, vistas, huge open scenery... the character models/textures seem positively repulsive, though. If I Google Xenoblade and check images, I get beautiful stuff, but I also get: I'd love to see someone post some representative shots of different elements of XB both from the Wii and from Dolphin (in higher res).

Here's a comparission I found online.
The jagged edges look absolutely awful in motion.

And for the sake of showing off the game, here's a random screenshoot of the game in dolphin (using the free camera option):

[see5harp]

You may not agree with him, but he's more knowledgeable about gaming than you guys assume. I like him more than I like you.

[AniHawk]

it's kinda like a bigger final fantasy xii so i like it.

i also liked final fantasy xii.

[zerokoolpsx]

So he doesn't like the graphics. What does he expect from old tech? Should have played it on Dolphin. Wii U is also coming out this year.

[TruePrime]

I don't think he's suggesting that at all, really; it seems like he's saying that Xenoblade invoked a similar "I've never seen anything like this before" feeling that FFVII had for a lot of people in '97, which is backed up by the way he praises it shortly after he mentions the comparison.

Well all I can say, if he does mean that then it didn't read that way to me.

[R_thanatos]

Ive played xennoblade on my wii and i have no problems.

A good game stays good regardless if its HD or not

[Slime]

Dumb blog post-y nonsense, but I do kind of wish this could have been released earlier in the Wii's life, or done later on the Wii U and with a fresher coat of paint or something. JRPGs have been met with such apathy in the West this generation that it's kind of a shame such an important game just got kind of shoved out at the end of the generation with little to no marketing and limited availability. Unfortunately I think its value is going to be lost outside of the super-informed niche. Maybe wishing it looked a little prettier and had the exposure of a Final Fantasy VII isn't such a bad thing.

[Dragonzord]

it's kinda like a bigger final fantasy xii so i like it. i also liked final fantasy xii.

XII had better armor designs though. Nothing in Xenoblade looks close to the coolness of a Judge.

[Henry Jones Jr]

WOW, that looks so much better on an emulator. I was wondering if the game really looked as bad as it looks to me, or if it is just my TV (some nonHD content looks like crap on it). On my set it looks like a PS2 game with a little more detail (grass and such), but so far it seems like a decent game, so I can live with the graphics.

[zlatko]

Did he never get to Satorl marsh? That area at night + the music = such a beautiful experience.

It's like saying that Zelda on SNES would make you vomit. Gtfo. :/

[Hot Coldman]

Haha, cry me a fucking river.

[worldrevolution]

Are most people playing Xeno (and their Wii) on an SDTV or an HDTV? If you have your Wii hooked up to a Trinitron the games look beautiful. If you have it on some giant HDTV..then..yeah.. even switching the display to 4:3 and having the bars isn't the same as having a good CRT. I have a feeling the author of this doesn't quite get that..

[KarmaCow]

I think the problem is that the game does so much despite the hardware that it's not tough to imagine how it could be if it wasn't limited by it. Xenoblade does feel like it was held back by the Wii (Makna Forest was pretty headache inducing), but at the same time I don't know if they could make the same game with higher res/poly-count assets.

[Man God]

From what I've seen, a real mixed bag. Beautiful, gorgeous landscapes, vistas, huge open scenery... the character models/textures seem positively repulsive, though. If I Google Xenoblade and check images, I get beautiful stuff, but I also get: I'd love to see someone post some representative shots of different elements of XB both from the Wii and from Dolphin (in higher res).

I don't want to post them because they are spoilers and I'm too lazy to find or make good dolphin shots of them but some of the late game NPC character models are pretty spiffy.

[hardcastlemccormick]

If there's anything I can say about the graphics, it's that they're consistent. There's no CGI or tricks to swap out better models. What you see is what you will always see. I think that helps with the scope, and it's awesome that the game runs at a constant 30 FPS.

I'll take consistency over anything else (aside from quality art design). Also, constant frame rate or bust.

EDIT: replaced my point because I'm an idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about.

[ViewtifulJC]

i also liked final fantasy xii.

I used to think you were cool, Anihawk

[impact]

[IMG]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6906629444_262be77f37_b.jpg[IMG] [IMG]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5036/6913560676_7cbe0d7715_b.jpg[IMG] [IMG]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5271/6906679164_89a5332985_b.jpg[IMG]

Fucking jealous :(


I was gonna buy a Wii just for this game but I think I'm better off saving up for a PC that isn't shit.

[BlazingDarkness]

The article is a complaint against Nintendo, not so much Xenoblade

[AniHawk]

XII had better armor designs though. Nothing in Xenoblade looks close to the coolness of a Judge.

that's true. getting a set can be fun. i just equipped one guy full of stellar armor and he looks pretty uh... stellar.

[Skel1ingt0n]

Here's a comparission I found online. The jagged edges look absolutely awful in motion. And for the sake of showing off the game, here's a random screenshoot of the game in dolphin (using the free camera option):

Everyone needs to look at that comparison. Thank you for the link.

I don't see how anyone could argue the jaggy-mess would be just as enjoyable to play as the up-rezzed/AA shot. Maybe close? Maybe... But there's a difference.

[dani_dc]

Fucking jealous :( I was gonna buy a Wii just for this game but I think I'm better off saving up for a PC that isn't shit.

While I definitively recommend playing the game via Dolphin, you still need a Wii so you rip the game to play it on a PC.

[zlatko]

Fucking jealous :( I was gonna buy a Wii just for this game but I think I'm better off saving up for a PC that isn't shit.

You'll need a Wii either way to do Dolphin. So...

Really it isn't butt ass fuck ugly shit by any means on Wii on my TV. Game looks great, plays great, and is something to not miss if you are a JRPG fan. Best Wii game I've played as of yet. :D Best JRPG of the last 4 years.

[hardcastlemccormick]

The article is a complaint against Nintendo, not so much Xenoblade

That's the problem with putting a thesis in your title that is inflammatory and has nothing to do with your actual thesis, isn't it. People start thinking the title has anything to do with the text below, and look at the thread now.

[AwShucks]

I'm playing (on the Wii) and I don't understand the graphics complaints. Obviously it doesn't look like it could on PS3 or 360, but it's not exactly ugly.

Then again I've never been all about graphics so what do I know.

[FunkyPajamas]

I used to think you were cool, Anihawk

Shush you. Liking FF12 is the only thing that redeems him from that Metroid Prime hatred which consumes his heart.

[AniHawk]

I used to think you were cool, Anihawk

i loved the exploration and eventually figured out the battle system to a point where i could enjoy it. i enjoy games with huge worlds to explore. see also: skies of arcadia and dragon quest viii.

[Skel1ingt0n]

While I definitively recommend playing the game via Dolphin, you still need a Wii so you rip the game to play it on a PC.

I didn't say that... you have the wrong person quoted ;p

I have a gorgeous Red Wii ;p

[Ridley327]

The article is a complaint against Nintendo, not so much Xenoblade

Yeah, he really did love the game.

The SMG bit was a bit "what the hell," though.

[Henry Jones Jr]

The article is a complaint against Nintendo, not so much Xenoblade

It could be argued that if they were going to make a game on the Wii, they should have styled it to better play towards the strengths and away from the weaknesses of the system. When I play the game, it seems like they tried to do too much graphically in areas.

[Lonely1]

2006 called back.

[Kade]

What is this a parody of?

[LaneDS]

Finished Xenoblade this past week, via Dolphin, and then immediately started up on The Witcher 2 on Ultra settings and I'd still say Xenoblade is a great looking game in its own right.

So yeah, worthless article on a topic beaten to death years ago. Not sure what the author expected on the Wii.

[Derrick01]

I think I've mistaken screens of this game as being from FF12 about 8 times or so, so I understand the graphics complaints. There's nothing wrong about being frustrated with Nintendo's cheapness and outside of some unnecessary overreactions for a "journalist" there's nothing wrong with the article.

[udivision]

I wonder if "Wii U is Doomed" is better than "I wont acknowledge that the Wii U exists."

[Chesskid1]

lmao, i like xenoblade graphics.

i can use my imagination for all the finer details, like ps1 rpgs.

plus, after playing it for an hr or so i forget about the graphics in most games anyways, and just concentrate on the gameplay/story.

[ElTopo]

What is this a parody of?

Real journalism.

[Orayn]

This smacks of the "NO MORE HEROES WOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE GENERATION-DEFINING HIT IF IT HAD LAUNCHED ON PS3 AND 360!" argument that I'm oh-so-tired of hearing. Xenoblade is excellent, but the niche it fills is only so big. "This generation's FFVII?" Get outta here, guy.