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Monolith Soft Goes Big And Aims Higher With Its Open-World RPG

Game Informer recently went hands-on with Xenoblade Chronicles X and published an in-depth preview of the game.

http://www.gameinformer.com/games/xenoblade_chronicles_x/b/wii_u/archive/2015/09/29/xenoblade-chronicles-x-feature-preview-game-informer.aspx?utm_content=bufferf0300&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

When JRPGs were struggling to evolve last generation, Xenoblade Chronicles came along and showed the genre still had a few tricks up its sleeve. It earned plenty of praise as one of the best role-playing games of last generation, currently holding a 92 score on Metacritic. Monolith Soft proved it could create a compelling world and innovate in the genre, thanks to its creative design and MMO-style combat.

Its successor, Xenoblade Chronicles X, doesn't just switch it up to an extensive sci-fi setting; it expands the scope of everything, building upon the solid foundation set by its predecessor. I recently spent five hours with the game, and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface. If you thought Xenoblade Chronicles was big, you will be surprised just how much Xenoblade Chronicles X dwarfs it - and that's not even mentioning the extensive customization or Skells (mechs) that further enhance the experience. 

Send me to Skell if old.

 

[SatoAilDarko]

Send you to a giant mech? What?

 

[Scoops]

Good game is going to be good

 

[skypunch]

Send you to a giant mech? What?

Send me to hell (Skell) if old. It rhymes.

 

[Wagram]

"it expands the scope of everything"

Except the bare bones story.

 

[rjinaz]

Between Fallout in November and this game in December, I'm pretty sure this is as great as gaming is ever going to be for me. Can't wait.

 

[Malus]

"it expands the scope of everything"

Except the bare bones story.

It's just been spread around to the sidequests.

 

[Riki]

Sounds like a Skell of a game.

 

[QFNS]

I really need to finish up Metal Gear so that I can clear out time during the holidays for this. It comes out in December so I'll have lots of time between Christmas and New Years to dig in.

 

[skypunch]

"it expands the scope of everything"

Except the bare bones story.

There's tons of story in the game. I don't know where you got the idea the story is "bare bones" because that's not true at all.

 

[ZombiePlatypus]

Man, I wanna love this game cause I love Xenogames and am a total sucker for epic sci-fi, but...I hear the story is lackluster? Kinda insane to drop the ball on plot in a JRPG.

 

[rhandino]

"it expands the scope of everything"

Except the bare bones story.

From what I read in the OT and other sites the main story is kind of short compared to the previous game but they greatly expanded the story put on the sidequests...

 

[Unison]

I loved the last game, so I'm on board... but weren't Japanese impressions of the game somewhat tepid? I seem to remember a lot of complaints that all of the side quests were the same...

If that's not the case, I'll start getting more hyped again!

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

There's tons of story in the game. I don't know where you got the idea the story is "bare bones" because that's not true at all.

Probably from posts such as this one.

 

[Vecks]

I guess I missed the memo, but DLC characters will be free in the west? Not complaining, but that is surprising.

 

[Riki]

I guess I missed the memo, but DLC characters will be free in the west? Not complaining, but that is surprising.

Yeah the four DLC characters and their Skells/weapons are free.

 

[Pikma]

My body is fucking ready

 

[Nanashrew]

From what I read in the OT and other sites the main story is kind of short compared to the previous game but they greatly expanded the story put on the sidequests...

Right, the idea is behind exploration and colonizing so it makes sense to put quite a bit of story out there. Xenoblade Chronicles escalates upward while Xenoblade X expands outward. StreetsAhead keeps getting me more hyped for the game.

 

[rjinaz]

Sounds like a Skell of a game.

Haven't seen you in a long time, welcome back. Glad to see you made it back before this game launched at any rate.

 

[skypunch]

Probably from posts such as this one.

Minimal story? That guy just sounds really angry. There's tons of story in the Kizuna sidequests and the main story is at least 40-50 hours. Add on the Kizuna quests that expand on the story and you have atleast the same amount of story as the previous Xenoblade.

 

[Dice//]

I guess I missed the memo, but DLC characters will be free in the west? Not complaining, but that is surprising.

Ain't it great?

Anyways, I'm a bit worried about the sort of open-ended story, really hope we hear something about a continuation of some sort soon (because...y'know the sooner the better since it'll be a year before we see it).

 

[TheFatMan]

Probably from posts such as this one.

Even in the article the devs freely admit that there is MUCH more content to do in the game then just the main story.

 

[Riki]

Haven't seen you in a long time, welcome back. Glad to see you made it back before this game launched at any rate.

By the grace of Zanza I have returned for some beautiful Mech action.

 

[hawk2025]

I'm a bit skittish on reading too many details -- but does this have Chronicles' Affinity system as well, both between characters and residents of towns?

That made the towns in the game so much better.

 

[Riki]

I'm a bit skittish on reading too many details -- but does this have Chronicles' Affinity system as well, both between characters and residents of towns?

That made the towns in the game so much better.

Yes and it's expanded and better.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

there was a Spoiler thread that has not been bumped for a few months now
I had forgotten all the story spoilers it is time to refresh with a new Spoiler thread if previews are going to be a thing for the next 60 days

can't wait for December

 

[Oddish1]

The game sounds promising. There's a weird amount of negativity around it considering impressions have been largely positive.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

Man, I can't wait to play this. The OST is full of awesome stuff, like this track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjNLjdshJ1c

 

[BennyBlanco]

Man, I wanna love this game cause I love Xenogames and am a total sucker for epic sci-fi, but...I hear the story is lackluster? Kinda insane to drop the ball on plot in a JRPG.

Man, opinions and all that, but I can count the number of JRPGs I've played with stories I'd consider good on one hand.

 

[lucablight]

Didn't Kotaku say it was boring and didn't have much story?

 

[skypunch]

Man, I can't wait to play this. The OST is full of awesome stuff, like this track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjNLjdshJ1c

Love, love, LOVE this track. It's definitely one of my favourites. So eerie and haunting!

 

[Admiral Woofington]

game sounds like a massive time sink, even if it isn't entirely well received due to story I'll still get it.

 

[James Scott]

Being a bit shorter (the main story line) but having more optional content sounds good. Xenoblade was already like 70 hours long without doing everything.

 

[Aaronrules380]

Didn't Kotaku say it was boring and didn't have much story?

Isn't that literally one guys opinion. A man who didn't like the original either. Every game will have people who don't like it

 

[skypunch]

Didn't Kotaku say it was boring and didn't have much story?

Kotaku? Really, dude? The guy who published that OPINION piece is also not a fan of the first Xenoblade.

 

[Marche90]

Didn't Kotaku say it was boring and didn't have much story?

Iirc it was Richard Einsberg who previewed the game and didn't really loved it, but at least he didn't said that it was outright a bad game. I think Kotaku's one of the few western sites who don't really have a reviewer that liked at least the original game (Jason hates it, for example)

 

[DangerMouse]

Man, I can't wait to play this. The OST is full of awesome stuff, like this track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjNLjdshJ1c

Yeah, the soundtrack is so good!

 

[Rebel Leader]

My body is fucking ready

X gonna give it to ya

 

[maxiell]

Publishing a preview of a game that came out months ago?

 

[Smiles and Cries]

The game sounds promising. There's a weird amount of negativity around it considering impressions have been largely positive.

people were upset that they did not give us a main character like Shulk

some negativity about X are just fans like me who are still salty that DOLLS is now SKELLZ
:/

others are from knowing how it ends

I hope the base game is better than all of that
300 hours is a lot of time to give to 1 game so you have to love it to jump in

like I said we will need a major spoiler thread because you can watch the whole play through on youtube so preview threads are just western media's take on the game

 

[StarStabbedMoon]

By the grace of Zanza I have returned for some beautiful Mech action.

Praise Zanza.

Didn't Kotaku say it was boring and didn't have much story?

All the more reason to look forward to the game.

 

[Rebel Leader]

Publishing a preview of a game that came out months ago?

??

It doesn't come out until December 4th in america

 

[skypunch]

Publishing a preview of a game that came out months ago?

It came out in Japan, yes, but games have more flavour when you can taste them in your first language.

 

[Marche90]

Publishing a preview of a game that came out months ago?

It came months ago, but this time the person doing the preview is doing so on a language that they can understand. Would you preview a game like this in Japanese?

 

[Shiggy]

Publishing a preview of a game that came out months ago?

Strange that they don't simply try the Japanese version.

 

[Nanashrew]

people were upset that they did not give us a main character like Shulk

some negativity about X are just fans like me who are still salty that DOLLS is now SKELLZ
:/

others are from knowing how it ends

I hope the base game is better than all of that
300 hours is a lot of time to give to 1 game so you have to love it to jump in

like I said we will need a major spoiler thread because you can watch the whole play through on youtube so preview threads are just western media's take on the game

I actually hope I'm spending an even longer time than 300 hours because that's what I put into Xenoblade Chronicles. Judging by all the stuff you can do in X, I likely will be able to surpass that.

 

[Vena]

Reminder that some outlets already have revviews up too.

 

[skypunch]

Reminder that some outlets already have revviews up too.

Yes, but the reviews are of the Japanese version of the game. You get a more wholesome experience of a game if it's in your native language than if it's in a language you know only so well.

 

[hatchx]

My hype kind of died for this game after it came out in Japan, but it's slowly rising again. Just looks like an awesome game to pick-up, play, and explore.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

I actually hope I'm spending an even longer time than 300 hours because that's what I put into Xenoblade Chronicles. Judging by all the stuff you can do in X, I likely will be able to surpass that.

yup 300 here too on Xenoblade last time I booted up Wii mode on Wii U

I think I'll go download the eShop version on my Wii U and see if my save file still works with it

I have the disc but I just want an excuse to play more lol