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[Tall Paul]

Going into this totally fresh, used to love JRPG's back in the snes days and will be the first Nintendo RPG I've played since N64/Gamecube days so interested to see how it stacks up. Cheers for the info folks.

 

[Monado Blade]

I've already preordered the game!

...but I'm too poor to get a new 3DS any time soon

 

[Lucifon]

Hoping cdkeys.com will have this on Day 1. I've decided to go digital, I usually end up playing JRPGs more when I can just pop open the 3DS and go. I got hooked on Bravely Default because it was so accessible on the go.

 

[kingellesar]

Just got a New 3DS, got lots to play but keep looking at this.

Never really played JRPGs. I love Knights of the Old Republic series, Mass Effect series, Elder Scrolls series, Dragon Age series etc.

Is it easy to settle into? Or would it be a struggle for someone who isn't familiar with JRPGs?

 

[FryHole]

Just got a New 3DS, got lots to play but keep looking at this.

Never really played JRPGs. I love Knights of the Old Republic series, Mass Effect series, Elder Scrolls series, Dragon Age series etc.

Is it easy to settle into? Or would it be a struggle for someone who isn't familiar with JRPGs?

It's a very user-friendly game, eases you into the basic combat mechanics nicely and adds the extra, more advanced layers at well spaced intervals. It goes out its way to make sure you always know where to go, death in combat is not punished in any way, many side quests auto-complete so you don't have to go searching for the quest giver. It's great.

 

[Golnei]

Just got a New 3DS, got lots to play but keep looking at this.

Never really played JRPGs. I love Knights of the Old Republic series, Mass Effect series, Elder Scrolls series, Dragon Age series etc.

Is it easy to settle into? Or would it be a struggle for someone who isn't familiar with JRPGs?

From a gameplay perspective, I wouldn't think so - the core systems are more MMO-ish than anything, and a lot of people find them easy to grasp despite having no experience with that RPG subcategory. Xenoblade also generally minimises tedium wherever possible through access to fast travel, quest autocompletion, time alteration and multiple sources of experience which mostly ensure grinding is next-to-nonexistent for the main story. Though if you avoid JRPGs due to distaste for their standard narrative conventions and visual design, you'd probably be better off staying away from Xenoblade, seeing as it's not much of a deviation from the norm in that regard.

 

[Dad]

Just got a New 3DS, got lots to play but keep looking at this.

Never really played JRPGs. I love Knights of the Old Republic series, Mass Effect series, Elder Scrolls series, Dragon Age series etc.

Is it easy to settle into? Or would it be a struggle for someone who isn't familiar with JRPGs?

As someone that is perpetually bad at JRPGs, I really liked it. This and FFXII are two of the games I'd recommend for WRPG players approaching the genre.

 

[E_Darkness]

Never played Xenoblade. Got this preordered. I don't have my New 3DS yet and won't until a week on Friday. I'm just going to be sitting on the game for a week.

Spoiler

Good thing too as I have essays to write.

I'm really feeling that OT title.

 

[Vinterbird]

I own the Wii version but never played it, is that still the recommend place to experience it?

A few questions:

- Is there difficulty options?
- Does the Wii version allow to save anywhere, or is it save points specific? (that's probably the one thing that would push me to the 3DS version, since I won't have long gaming sessions available to me that often)

 

[JimPanzer]

holy shit, the game looks like ass

but damn, is the music good!

 

[kingellesar]

Cheers people, I have gone for it.

 

[Mistouze]

I own the Wii version but never played it, is that still the recommend place to experience it?

A few questions:

- Is there difficulty options?
- Does the Wii version allow to save anywhere, or is it save points specific? (that's probably the one thing that would push me to the 3DS version, since I won't have long gaming sessions available to me that often)

-No difficulty options, I wouldn't say the game is especially hard tbh.
-Yep save anywhere in the Wii version too.

 

[Amandeep]

So excited for this! I played it for about 15 hours on the wii but it just wasn't convenient, now I can finally play all the way through cant wait!!

 

[Ryfferr]

Picking this up tomorrow before heading to uni.

Haven't seen a thing about the game other than praises for it. Hyped cause I have something to do over the easter weekend and the two week break.

 

[Corleth the Fey]

Mine should be on the door mat when I get home.

There's quite a few people who have never played this before in this thread. You are all in for very special treat. Enjoy.

 

[Kiko]

My first game that I will go digital. Just wan't to have it always available without switching cartridges. I hope the eshop price doesn't suck ass...

 

[krizzx]

I'm feeling glad that I played though the game with the original voice acting because these memes look like they would have been extremely irritating to experience.

 

[DistortionOfReality]

Arrived! First time player, can't wait for this evening!

 

[Ath]

Reyn time.

 

[Z3M0G]

Reyn time.

Does the cart have a unique shape to stop it from entering an original 3DS?

 

[Ath]

Does the cart have a unique shape to stop it from entering an original 3DS?

It doesn't. A message pops up if you try and play it on a normal 3DS I believe.

 

[ShogunDarius]

I LOVE that title XD

 

[The Elite]

A little over a week still. . Enjoy Japan and Europe.

 

[Bulbasaur]

Great thread title!

 

[The Elite]

I urge all returning players to briefly Google Gottfreid Leibniz's the monadology, and the 'monad' in Gnostic and Pythagorean religion, as well as the Monad in functional computer programming.

Things will take on a different light.

Is it better to look this up before or after playing the game?

 

[Matriox]

I am super pumped about playing this for the first time... Hopefully I'll have Persona 3 done by April 10th, I don't have enough attention span for more than one RPG...

 

[ramyeon]

So will this have a midnight launch on the Australian eshop? Thought about going physical but will probably just end up settling for digital since I have a physical copy of the Wii version anyway.

 

[hoserx]

Have my copy preordered from newegg.......Will be in SNP backpacking while it arrives....Excited to play after I arrive home and take a shower.

 

[Lord Ghirahim]

I wasn't going to download it since I got the retail version pre-ordered on Amazon Japan, but I really want to play the first New-only game asap... And last week's 2.5hr special got me all hyped... :/

I'm double-dipping. 4 hours and 4 minutes to go.

I hope I can finish it before Bravely Second gets here.

 

[Atram]

Is it better to look this up before or after playing the game?

after

 

[The Elite]

after

Thanks.

 

[Putosaure]

This game is one of those games that make you wonder how good it would look on higher res screens. 3D is meh too, I don't like the way the HUD pops up.

 

[Ein Bear]

Amazing OT.

Spoiler

NOW IT'S REYN TIME!

Can't really justify buying this when I already have the Wii version, but all the hype has got me itching to do a re-play of that along with everyone.

 

[names2hard4you]

Never played this before, and I've been meaning to do so since it released on the Wii. Got my preorder in, now to wait until next Friday!

 

[pinkurocket]

A+ title.
I would've loved to play this on a handheld, just sitting in bed. Xenoblade seems great for that. Definitely a must-play.

 

[TheMoon]

No reference to Reyn Time or a bunch of jokahs in the thread title, missed opportunity!

If you only knew...

btw, "buncha jokers" was the OT title for the EU OT way back when. Just doing a Reyn Time reference would be super boring, too. Hence the thing I did with it instead ;D

Sorry, it didn't come up clearly from the OP...what time it is, after all?

It's half past Sharla time, I think?

 

[Soul Lab]

Recieved it today with the Xenoblade faceplates!
And damn I'm already in love with this game, again!!
that moment when you hear "Man what a bunch of jokahs" the first time you replay the game. priceless

 

[darkjedi187]

Sad confession time, I never finished it on Wii. I absolutely loved it, but just got tied up with other things. Going to give it another go.

 

[MillionStabs]

Oh bleh, EU got it before NA. I really can't wait to play it

 

[MatrixMan.EXE]

Awww yiiisss! Also glad my images could contribute to the OT. Almost finished my Bloodborne playthrough. Soon as its done I can sink some real time into this. I'm still kind of surprised at how well it runs.

 

[kubus]

Wonderful OT and title!

I just ordered this from amazon Japan with the soundtrack and some sort of clear file. I'll probably buy it again when I'm back in Europe later this year too.

I just kinda need everything Xenoblade related :x

 

[TheMoon]

Awww yiiisss! Also glad my images could contribute to the OT. Almost finished my Bloodborne playthrough. Soon as its done I can sink some real time into this. I'm still kind of surprised at how well it runs.

Your pics were very helpful indeed!

 

[mdubs]

Will be picking this up! Paid a good amount for my copy of the Wii version but stalled at about 17 hours in and got distracted with other games last year. Don't remember what was happening really so this is a good chance to make another attempt at finishing the game.

 

[JCX]

Finally. Great to see n3DS getting quality third party support.

Spoiler

kidding

 

[Firemind]

So no ingame extras? Not even a few new uniques? Hm. Hard to justify then.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Question for owners of the JP version; are there any language options?

 

[Golnei]

Finally. Great to see n3DS getting quality third party support.

Spoiler

kidding

I'd understand if they wanted to go for the larger 3DS userbase, but making it N3DS exclusive without so much as a PC, Vita or mobile port was a nonsensical decision, especially considering the sequel's releasing for Vita later this year.

 

[LAA]

Just got it before too! Love the black case, just a shame they didn't make use of the interior cover art behind the holes in the case.
Out of curiosity I did try it on a normal 3DS too, and the icon actually shows up and the 3D model, but if you try pressing A on it, just says something like "This only supports New Nintendo 3DS hardware"

Wonder if people will try making it run on old 3DS through homebrew or whatever, maybe it'll be more complicated than it sounds to run though. If they can would be curious to see the difference between running on both.

Probably won't be playing it for a while though with bloodborne still to beat, ha ha.

 

[kubus]

Question for owners of the JP version; are there any language options?

Literally one of the first things in the OP

Spoiler

Nope, JP only

 

[MaximumSpider]

I'm so glad this is on a handheld, now I can actually play it.