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[Jangowuzhere]

I'm in this same spot. I'm not sick of the game or anything yet, but I am at a bit of a loss about how to proceed. Similar to your experience, I feel pretty underleveled at 13 and I don't know if I should be grinding lower level monsters or picking up more quests or what have you. I played Xenoblade, but that is way more linear and simpler mechanically than this. I literally feel old trying to understand all the mechanics and systems going on in this game sometimes.

The fastest way to level up is literally grind slightly higher level monsters. The vast majority of quests give you absolutely nothing of value. They give you like no experience and barely any money. It's better to focus on doing affinity quests, exploring, and story missions. Go out and grind when the game stupidly gates your story progress.

If you spend too much time doing anything else, then you'll end up getting bored.

 

[Timeaisis]

It's that boring all the way through, OP. Most disappointing game of 2015, imo.

 

[-Horizon-]

The fastest way to level up is literally grind slightly higher level monsters. The vast majority of quests give you absolutely nothing of value. They give you like no experience and barely any money. It's better to focus on doing affinity quests, exploring, and story missions. Go out and grind when the game stupidly gates your story progress.

I've honestly only had to grind one time in the game. And that had less to do with character level as it did with heart to heart levels for a certain character.

If you do story mission, a few side missions from inside the town or sometimes randomly in the field, then story mission repeat you'd most likely be fine.

 

[Malus]

The fastest way to level up is literally grind slightly higher level monsters. The vast majority of quests give you absolutely nothing of value. They give you like no experience and barely any money. It's better to focus on doing affinity quests, exploring, and story missions. Go out and grind when the game stupidly gates your story progress.

If you spend too much time doing anything else, then you'll end up getting bored.

Don't forget normal missions.

I know what you're getting at but this made think of their direction when creating this game.

Is it merely just a product of the times? Where open world bloat and grindy MMO-likes rule the market? Is it an attempt to reconcile with the modern approach many AAA games take?

It feels like there are many cookie-cutter systems in place with little effort placed on pacing or how these concepts can mesh together.

I think it's them trying to appeal to the western market and also capitalizing on their strength of excellent level design by making a big interconnected open world map.

 

[Movalpolos]

Yes, the game is intentionally designed to be as boring as possible. That was their goal.

I know what you're getting at but this made think of their direction when creating this game.

Is it merely just a product of the times? Where open world bloat and grindy MMO-likes rule the market? Is it an attempt to reconcile with the modern approach many AAA games take?

It feels like there are many cookie-cutter systems in place with little effort placed on pacing or how these concepts can mesh together.

I think it's them trying to appeal to the western market and also capitalizing on their strength of excellent level design by making a big interconnected open world map.

There is no excellent level design to speak of. Making it interconnected doesn't make it so.

 

[DeathPeak]

You could probably write a few thousand words each purely on the way the game handles gathering quests and the enemy encyclopedia. If the game needs to you to find anything it'll either have a giant arrow pointing at it or require a Google search with little middle-ground.

You can turn the map off. Then if you want, you just have to look at the general area of where your destination is. .

 

[KdylanR92]

Sounds like you couldn't get better at the combat.

Not at all the case. I only played this game for the combat.

Of the 25 hours I played the game most of it was spent on the combat system, as in leveling up, trying different weapons, different classes, enemy weaknesses, positioning, weapon switching, the awful Soul Voice system, Skells,the Overdrive system and what Tension Points are.The point is, I know alot about Xenoblade X's combat system and didn't have a problem putting the knowledge into practice.

The combat system is deep but deep does not equal good. This MMO-lite combat system is garbage.

 

[Deleted member 126221]

I absolutely loved the first Xenoblade, but it looks like Xenoblade X is not for me. I'm about 15 hours in and it hasn't grabbed me at all. Sure, the world is incredible and exploring it is fun, but I need some "carrot on a stick" to push me to progress and XCX doesn't really have that. I'm sure it's a great sandbox RPG if you're into that, but I would have liked a stronger "main quest" like in the first game...

 

[Boss Doggie]

It starts slow but once you're past chapter 3 (the tutorial chapters) you're pretty much open to do anything you want.

I absolutely loved the first Xenoblade, but it looks like Xenoblade X is not for me. I'm about 15 hours in and it hasn't grabbed me at all. Sure, the world is incredible and exploring it is fun, but I need some "carrot on a stick" to push me to progress and XCX doesn't really have that. I'm sure it's a great sandbox RPG if you're into that, but I would have liked a stronger "main quest" like in the first game...

I'm one of the few that says XB's main story is shit. It feels... eh.

 

[DangerMan]

You can turn the map off. Then if you want, you just have to look at the general area of where your destination is. .

Unless I'm trying to take advantage of the online functionality I literally turn the entire UI off (all social features and other UI elements), set the character to be positioned on the right of the screen (one step away from fully on the right), and turn sensitivity to max (either horizontal or vertical, whichever doesn't default to max), It really helped with the immersion.

EDIT: The story in this game sucks as much as the story in the first game. The only good story element in either is that the first took place on two giant mechs battling (the universe of the first is literally two giant mechs fighting right, you play as ether based organisms on two giant fighting mechs??)

EDIT 2:Combat was better in the first since getting visions of the future and modifying tactics was actually a pretty cool and unique mechanic which they seemed to have completely ditched this time around.

 

[-Horizon-]

Not at all the case. I only played this game for the combat.

Of the 25 hours I played the game most of it was spent on the combat system, as in leveling up, trying different weapons, different classes, enemy weaknesses, positioning, weapon switching, the awful Soul Voice system, Skells,the Overdrive system and what Tension Points are.The point is, I know alot about Xenoblade X's combat system and didn't have a problem putting the knowledge into practice.

The combat system is deep but deep does not equal good. This MMO-lite combat system is garbage.

I mean if it was straight up garbage I doubt many people would've been able to finish the game.
It's ok to say you just don't like it though.

 

[Zolbrod]

I'm a huge fan of the original game, but X bored me to tears.
Made it to the final boss somehow, just out of respect for the original game, but I'm never touching this again. Hugely disappointing.

 

[Timeaisis]

I know what you're getting at but this made think of their direction when creating this game.

Is it merely just a product of the times? Where open world bloat and grindy MMO-likes rule the market? Is it an attempt to reconcile with the modern approach many AAA games take?

It feels like there are many cookie-cutter systems in place with little effort placed on pacing or how these concepts can mesh together.

I've said this in other threads, but I feel like XCX was a game designed and built that none of the developers remembered to actually play.

 

[Jangowuzhere]

I've honestly only had to grind one time in the game. And that had less to do with character level as it did with heart to heart levels for a certain character.

If you do story mission, a few side missions from inside the town or sometimes randomly in the field, then story mission repeat you'd most likely be fine.

The game gates your progress a few times when you play the story. I finished a chapter and had to gain like three more levels before I could do the next story mission. Even if it didn't feel like grinding for you, it was for me. The game forces you to do things whether you enjoy them or not.

Don't forget normal missions.

Mmmm nope, I found most of those pretty dull. There is a certain charm to the affinity missions. Most normal missions are pretty boring.

 

[Benzychenz]

You can excel at the combat in the Xenoblade games and still hate the living hell out of it.

Yeah as much as I adore this game I didn't much care for the combat either.

It's pretty much just 90% preparation, and then the battles themselves are pressing buttons when they light up, like the winner is predetermined.

If there's one thing I'd overhaul for Xenoblade 3 it's the combat system.

 

[Boss Doggie]

The game gates your progress a few times when you play the story. I finished a chapter and had to gain like three more levels before I could do the next story mission. Even if it didn't feel like grinding for you, it was for me. The game forces you to do things whether you enjoy them or not.

Mmmm nope, I found most of those pretty dull. There is a certain charm to the affinity missions. Most normal missions are pretty boring.

I never felt that because for some odd reason I'm ahead on the levels.

Also I think he means the missions gained from NPCs, not the board missions (those are called basic).

Because if you're telling me missions like Nopon adultery, Ma-non murder, Orphe finding love, etc. are boring...

Hell I'd argue most of them are better than some of the affinity missions. Certainly better than anything Gwin has.

 

[Malus]

Mmmm nope, I found most of those pretty dull. There is a certain charm to the affinity missions. Most normal missions are pretty boring.

Okay if you didn't like them but a lot of really significant things happen in normal missions. It'd be potentially hampering the experience to intentionally skip them.

And any game is going to force you to do some things to progress.

 

[Boss Doggie]

DISCLAIMER: I'm only 5 and a half hours in, level 12.

Okay, so far I'm up to Chapter 4 on the story missions and before I am actually allowed to do the mission the game is asking me to do basic missions like talk to some woman, then go turn some probes into mining probes and then set out to survey 15% of Primordia. I've never been given such a boring task to do so early in a RPG. Not to mention but I walk into some areas minding my own business heading towards probe sites and theres level 20+ and 30+ enemies who will absolutely wipe my party out, thus sending me back a few areas. It's and endless cycle of tedium.

Like am I doing stuff wrong here? Help would be much appreciated.

Also Kirsty's mission are really fun, watcha talking about? The only annoying part of her trailblazing quest is the gathering ones because "gathering" but otherwise they're pretty fun as it makes you go out there and explore the shit out of Mira.

Also that's not a basic mission, that's a normal mission. Basic missions are recyclable ones that are on the board.

 

[Deleted member 126221]

I'm one of the few that says XB's main story is shit. It feels... eh.

It wasn't great, but it was serviceable and gave the game a sense of progression. XBX is too open for my tastes; every time I start it, I'm overwhelmed but all the things I can do and yet nothing makes me feel I progressed in a significant way (except maybe for the Story missions, but their drip-feeding is annoying...).

Like I said, I'm sure the game is great for people who like open-ended games, but I like to be led a bit more.

 

[Benzychenz]

It wasn't great, but it was serviceable and gave the game a sense of progression. XBX is too open for my tastes; every time I start it, I'm overwhelmed but all the things I can do and yet nothing makes me feel I progressed in a significant way (except maybe for the Story missions, but their drip-feeding is annoying...).

Like I said, I'm sure the game is great for people who like open-ended games, but I like to be led a bit more.

Eh, I enjoyed spending an evening doing sidequests and just having my overall survey rate go up a few %, that was progression enough for me.

 

[Boss Doggie]

It wasn't great, but it was serviceable and gave the game a sense of progression. XBX is too open for my tastes; every time I start it, I'm overwhelmed but all the things I can do and yet nothing makes me feel I progressed in a significant way (except maybe for the Story missions, but their drip-feeding is annoying...).

Like I said, I'm sure the game is great for people who like open-ended games, but I like to be led a bit more.

You will get sense of progression in XBX even in side quests, but it's more of a slow, passive ones. Like certain quests give way to other quests because of how they affect each other.

There's even one quest that requires you to complete certain, seemingly unrelated quests.

 

[Grover]

i rarely ever enjoy exploring environments like i do in Xenoblade X.

some things are dependent on you having certain percentages explored, so if the game isn't rubbing you like that, then its probably a rough ride ahead

probably my GOTY personally, but i didn't think anything last year was amazing

 

[Moon_frogger]

Yeah it's 'supposed to be' boring. Really though. Threads like this are just designed to incite anger. I haven't even played the game, don't care about it and don't care that you don't like it and I still think this post is really, really dumb.

 

[foxuzamaki]

I gotta admit I prefer the gameplay of the original. I kinda felt like there was too much happening in the combat in X and the skells became really annoying the second I realized they had a fuel meter and an insurance limit. At that point I honestly didn't really want to use the skells at all but kind of had to if I wanted to finish it. The lack of any cool hook like how the Monado worked in battle really took the rush out of the fights for me too and I could have sworn it wasn't as hard to get healed in the original.

skell fuel has been almost a non-factor for me for aslong a I had it, it drains fairly slowy and always refuels when im not in it, even using attacks is almost a non-factor

 

[Beth Cyra]

Nope, the game does not get any better than that. You just become a little more dead inside.

This is me sadly.

I know some love it, but goddess above this is the mosy boring time ive had in forever.

I dont like find the fun garbage and exploring a "great" open world? Well ij my mind the its on the game world to make me want to explore it and X fails hard in that.

Still glad others enjoyed it.

Yeah it's 'supposed to be' boring. Really though. Threads like this are just designed to incite anger. I haven't even played the game, don't care about it and don't care that you don't like it and I still think this post is really, really dumb.

Or to you know voice an opinion and ask a question.

OTs tend to be very poisons and unwelcoming to negative opinins so many have grown to avoid them.

 

[Boss Doggie]

i rarely ever enjoy exploring environments like i do in Xenoblade X.

some things are dependent on you having certain percentages explored, so if the game isn't rubbing you like that, then its probably a rough ride ahead

And the game really has plenty of stuff that are quite neat because of exploring. Like certain monster behavior, or how that thing is actually a high-leveled tyrant, or how you get this small worldbuilding stuff in NLA, etc.

 

[Defect]

I stopped playing after 10 hours. Not for me.

 

[Voliko]

DISCLAIMER: I'm only 5 and a half hours in, level 12.

Okay, so far I'm up to Chapter 4 on the story missions and before I am actually allowed to do the mission the game is asking me to do basic missions like talk to some woman, then go turn some probes into mining probes and then set out to survey 15% of Primordia. I've never been given such a boring task to do so early in a RPG. Not to mention but I walk into some areas minding my own business heading towards probe sites and theres level 20+ and 30+ enemies who will absolutely wipe my party out, thus sending me back a few areas. It's and endless cycle of tedium.

Like am I doing stuff wrong here? Help would be much appreciated.

That about sums up the game. They took the worst parts of the first game and focused on them.

 

[Deleted member 126221]

Eh, I enjoyed spending an evening doing sidequests and just having my overall survey rate go up a few %, that was progression enough for me.

You will get sense of progression in XBX even in side quests, but it's more of a slow, passive ones. Like certain quests give way to other quests because of how they affect each other.

There's even one quest that requires you to complete certain, seemingly unrelated quests.

Sure there's still some progression, but while the progression in Xenoblade 1 involved unlocking access to a huge new area, gaining a new character (that is important to the story), etc., progression in XBX is often more blurred; it's often more or less only about checking things off a list. Sure, I always progress when I complete sidequests or plant new probes, but the result is not as visible and it's way less gratifying (to me).

Still, the game has a lot of incredible qualities and I think I should play it some more, until I at least get access to mech (THIS should be a gratifying milestone to reach!).

 

[Jangowuzhere]

I never felt that because for some odd reason I'm ahead on the levels.

Also I think he means the missions gained from NPCs, not the board missions (those are called basic).

Because if you're telling me missions like Nopon adultery, Ma-non murder, Orphe finding love, etc. are boring...

Hell I'd argue most of them are better than some of the affinity missions. Certainly better than anything Gwin has.

I guess the writing is more interesting, but I found the presentation for most of them to be completely dull. Especially if they simply just lead to me going to a specific location and killing 5 monsters or whatever.

And any game is going to force you to do some things to progress.

Most RPGs allow you to progress through its story without having you do side content...or grinding. The main story, affinity missions, and exploration are the meaty parts of that game. Everything else is just side stuff that I simply did not enjoy doing.

 

[Moon_frogger]

This is me sadly.

I know some love it, but goddess above this is the mosy boring time ive had in forever.

I dont like find the fun garbage and exploring a "great" open world? Well ij my mind the its on the game world to make me want to explore it and X fails hard in that.

Still glad others enjoyed it.

Or to you know voice an opinion and ask a question.

OTs tend to be very poisons and unwelcoming to negative opinins so many have grown to avoid them.

The question itself is poisonous and inviting negative replies. Not to mention it's just absurd. Of course the game isn't supposed to be boring.

 

[Malus]

It wasn't great, but it was serviceable and gave the game a sense of progression. XBX is too open for my tastes; every time I start it, I'm overwhelmed but all the things I can do and yet nothing makes me feel I progressed in a significant way (except maybe for the Story missions, but their drip-feeding is annoying...).

Like I said, I'm sure the game is great for people who like open-ended games, but I like to be led a bit more.

I mean I've always big a big proponent of linearity in games. People are always suggesting open world 3D Mario but I think they've been getting better as they've gotten more linear, though that may be because it's not EAD's specialty.

I just love the design of XBX's world, It makes me feel the desire to explore just for the sake of exploring. So many moments over 270 hours. So many mini-adventures unfolded from play session to play session, where noticing something outta the corner of my eye ended up leading me through one expedition after another.

 

[-Horizon-]

The game gates your progress a few times when you play the story. I finished a chapter and had to gain like three more levels before I could do the next story mission. Even if it didn't feel like grinding for you, it was for me. The game forces you to do things whether you enjoy them or not.



Mmmm nope, I found most of those pretty dull. There is a certain charm to the affinity missions. Most normal missions are pretty boring.

I think it only gates you off in the early chapters that require an affinity mission to complete. In terms of character level. Every other one just wants you to have a prerequisite on amount surveyed which should be done as you're going along anyway.

And I think if you want to enjoy the game, you wouldn't want to start a story mission where you're 10 levels below the boss.

 

[JC Lately]

DISCLAIMER: I'm only 5 and a half hours in, level 12.

Okay, so far I'm up to Chapter 4 on the story missions and before I am actually allowed to do the mission the game is asking me to do basic missions like talk to some woman, then go turn some probes into mining probes and then set out to survey 15% of Primordia. I've never been given such a boring task to do so early in a RPG. Not to mention but I walk into some areas minding my own business heading towards probe sites and theres level 20+ and 30+ enemies who will absolutely wipe my party out, thus sending me back a few areas. It's and endless cycle of tedium.

Like am I doing stuff wrong here? Help would be much appreciated.

I feel you OP. Exploring was fun, until I started running into things that can wipe my whole party in one hit, which often suddenly appear on top of me thanks to the atrocious pop in (even with the data packs). Probe installation sites always seem to have at least one of these beings nearby, if I can reach them at all. I remember trying to reach the point for the Primordia Trailblazing 3 mission for like a week, unable ’to figure out how to get there without level 30-35 creatures feasting on my lvl 12 ass.

I have maybe an hour, hour and a half to play games a day. Spending it trying to tip toe around everything to plant probes, then getting killed and having to restart at the last landmark, so in the end I’ve gained no forward progress in the story or the side quests, meaning I’ve essentially wasted that one hour a day I have, is kinda aggravating. Also boring. And all the 'wait till you get a skell' replies just remind me of the 'wait till you get to Gran Pulse' lies i was told for FF XIII.

At least i can fight in a bikini. But the bloom is going to fall of even that rose eventually.

 

[Beth Cyra]

The question itself is poisonous and inviting negative replies. Not to mention it's just absurd. Of course the game isn't supposed to be boring.

I read all of page 1, didnt see anyone angry or poisoned.

Some disagreeing mind, but most open honest commentary because its a design choice that will leave many people very bored.

It was clear the intent and nearly every one who posted support/against understood that.

So not sure what the problem was.

 

[tbd]

It's amazing and its world blows every other open world out of the water.

It probably just isn't for you. Happens.

This thread is awful, btw. Your three lines don't deserve a new thread with a click bait title to shit on this already underrated game. We have an OT.

 

[Malus]

I feel you OP. Exploring was fun, until I started running into things that can wipe my whole party in one hit, which often suddenly appear on top of me thanks to the atrocious pop in (even with the data packs). Probe installation sites always seem to have at least one of these beings nearby, if I can reach them at all. I remember trying to reach the point for the Primordia Trailblazing 3 mission for like a week, unable ’to figure out how to get there without level 30-35 creatures feasting on my lvl 12 ass.

I have maybe an hour, hour and a half to play games a day. Spending it trying to tip toe around everything to plant probes, then getting killed and having to restart at the last landmark, so in the end I’ve gained no forward progress in the story or the side quests, meaning I’ve essentially wasted that one hour a day I have, is kinda aggravating. Also boring. And all the 'wait to you get a skell' replies just remind me of the 'wait till you get to Gran Pulse' lies i was told for FF XIII.

I disagree with the 'wait till you get a skell' stuff. The game for me was at its greatest on the ground. The skells were just a neat addition to make the game feel a bit more dynamic than the original, unlock a few more areas, and streamline travel once you've seen a decent chunk of the map. I wouldn't imagine that somebody who didn't like the game before skells would start liking after (although I'm sure someone's ready to provide a counter example to that).

 

[-Horizon-]

I feel you OP. Exploring was fun, until I started running into things that can wipe my whole party in one hit, which often suddenly appear on top of me thanks to the atrocious pop in (even with the data packs). Probe installation sites always seem to have at least one of these beings nearby, if I can reach them at all. I remember trying to reach the point for the Primordia Trailblazing 3 mission for like a week, unable ’to figure out how to get there without level 30-35 creatures feasting on my lvl 12 ass.

I have maybe an hour, hour and a half to play games a day. Spending it trying to tip toe around everything to plant probes, then getting killed and having to restart at the last landmark, so in the end I’ve gained no forward progress in the story or the side quests, meaning I’ve essentially wasted that one hour a day I have, is kinda aggravating. Also boring. And all the 'wait to you get a skell' replies just remind me of the 'wait till you get to Gran Pulse' lies i was told for FF XIII.

At least i can fight in a bikini. But the bloom is going to fall of even that rose eventually.

If you have a problem with reaching probe sites or anywhere with high level monsters surrounding it, you can either:
Switch to Elma and then use ghost walker
Or change to the same class she is and get the ghost walker art for your character.

 

[Boss Doggie]

Sure there's still some progression, but while the progression in Xenoblade 1 involved unlocking access to a huge new area, gaining a new character (that is important to the story), etc., progression in XBX is often more blurred; it's often more or less only about checking things off a list. Sure, I always progress when I complete sidequests or plant new probes, but the result is not as visible and it's way less gratifying (to me).

Still, the game has a lot of incredible qualities and I think I should play it some more, until I at least get access to mech (THIS should be a gratifying milestone to reach!).

It gets gratifying on certain quest lines.

Hilariously enough I feel different - the game was amazing when you run around on foot, the mech kinda reduces it (until you get flight pack).

I guess the writing is more interesting, but I found the presentation for most of them to be completely dull. Especially if they simply just lead to me going to a specific location and killing 5 monsters or whatever.

Most RPGs allow you to progress through its story without having you do side content...or grinding. The main story, affinity missions, and exploration are the meaty parts of that game. Everything else is just side stuff that I simply did not enjoy doing.

While the normal missions could do some voice acting, some of them really get the job done.

Like holy shit Alex.

And again I disagree, normal missions are part of the meat and you're missing a whole lot of the game if you don't do them, as they add immensely to world building.

 

[HawthorneKitty]

You really need to stop attacking people who dislike the game.

You can excel at the combat in the Xenoblade games and still hate the living hell out of it.

More to the point: get over yourself and stop alleging that everyone who doesn't like the game is playing it wrong or bad at the game.

Did you read what I quoted from the first guy? If people are going to lie, at least make it somewhat believable. This was the last post from the second guy from the OT in December.

Man I really can't get used to this combat system. I think I spent 2 hours just "fighting" low level enemies, and I put that in quotes because I still don't know what to do.

So here are my questions about combat:

1. Is there a dodge or defend mechanic, or does moving around during the fight do anything beside get you closer to attack

2. What does that B button prompt that comes up mean.

3. Why is melee combat so slow

4. It tells me to target with the R button and draw with the A button, except i've never been able to target anything, most of the time i walk into the monsters line of sight and then they attack.

At least he came back with his above post

Not at all the case. I only played this game for the combat.

Of the 25 hours I played the game most of it was spent on the combat system, as in leveling up, trying different weapons, different classes, enemy weaknesses, positioning, weapon switching, the awful Soul Voice system, Skells,the Overdrive system and what Tension Points are.The point is, I know alot about Xenoblade X's combat system and didn't have a problem putting the knowledge into practice.

The combat system is deep but deep does not equal good. This MMO-lite combat system is garbage.

and throws out a bunch of its terms, but at least he got better. He doesn't like it, I'm fine with that, but if you are just going to throw shoddy "garbage" remarks you can expect aggressive replies such as "get over yourself". Still, I don't know what he was expecting when he already didn't like Xenoblade's system and every piece of pre-release media along with the time of localization allowed him to know what was coming.

The combat is a pretty poor attempt at the traditional MMO battle system. I thought the original Xenoblade needed improvement and it's as bad (if not worse) in X.

To each their own, removing a dedicated healer and a focus on offense with quicker battles and more combos is a step up for me.

 

[Jangowuzhere]

I think it only gates you off in the early chapters that require an affinity mission to complete. In terms of character level. Every other one just wants you to have a prerequisite on amount surveyed which should be done as you're going along anyway.

And I think if you want to enjoy the game, you wouldn't want to start a story mission where you're 10 levels below the boss.

The games gates your progress through the entire story. You have to do specific affinity missions, even at the very end. The game gates one of the ending chapters and forces you to build up affinity for Gwin, all just to do his character mission. Gwin totally sucks, I never used him at all, the guy is a complete dweeb. If you didn't prepare for that part of the game, you would definitely need to do some grinding.

I would argue that the game doesn't need to be structured in a way that forces you be a specific level. Most RPGs these days are good at progressing you through their main stories and keeping the action quite balanced. Not that it matters that much anyway. In XBX, If you die three times on a fight, you get a prompt which allows you to lower the difficulty of the fight. So the idea of gating any mission in that game by level is complete shit.

 

[Moon_frogger]

I read all of page 1, didnt see anyone angry or poisoned.

Some disagreeing mind, but most open honest commentary because its a design choice that will leave many people very bored.

It was clear the intent and nearly every one who posted support/against understood that.

So not sure what the problem was.

the thread title is just super inflammatory. It rubbed me the wrong way. other than that, fine. whatever. I don't overly care.

 

[Boss Doggie]

Yeah regardless of what you think about XCX the battle system here is much better defined and implemented than in XC.

The games gates your progress through the entire story. You have to do specific affinity missions, even at the very end. The game gates one of the ending chapters and forces you to build up affinity for Gwin, all just to do his character mission. Gwin totally sucks, I never used him at all, the guy is a complete dweeb. If you didn't prepare for that part of the game, you would definitely need to do some grinding.

I would argue that the game doesn't need to be structured in a way that forces you be a specific level. Most RPGs these days are good at progressing you through their main stories and keeping the action quite balanced. Not that it matters that much anyway. In XBX, If you die three times on a fight, you get a prompt which allows you to lower the difficulty of the fight. So the idea of gating any mission in that game by level is complete shit.

Gwin only needs one heart from what I remember.

 

[Regiruler]

Some general tips:
-try not to overlevel. This will take enjoyment out of a lot of encounters.
-put off getting a skell, for the above reason
-let yourself get sidetracked, it will often help you fill your questlog
-use the male MC

 

[Leiru]

honestly the gameplay in x is so much better that its the reason i kept playing, aside from exploring.

 

[Jawmuncher]

The games gates your progress through the entire story. You have to do specific affinity missions, even at the very end. The game gates one of the ending chapters and forces you to build up affinity for Gwin, all just to do his character mission. Gwin totally sucks, I never used him at all, the guy is a complete dweeb. If you didn't prepare for that part of the game, you would definitely need to do some grinding.

I would argue that the game doesn't need to be structured in a way that forces you be a specific level. Most RPGs these days are good at progressing you through their main stories and keeping the action quite balanced. Not that it matters that much anyway. In XBX, If you die three times on a fight, you get a prompt which allows you to lower the difficulty of the fight. So the idea of gating any mission in that game by level is complete shit.

Have never been a fan of gating player progress. If a player want's to do nothing but the story let them. It's not their fault that you didn't structure the story longer.
Wasn't a fan of Dragon Age Inquistion doing the same thing as well with the Inquisition points.

 

[Jangowuzhere]

It gets gratifying on certain quest lines.

Hilariously enough I feel different - the game was amazing when you run around on foot, the mech kinda reduces it (until you get flight pack).



While the normal missions could do some voice acting, some of them really get the job done.

Like holy shit Alex.

And again I disagree, normal missions are part of the meat and you're missing a whole lot of the game if you don't do them, as they add immensely to world building.

Then I would say that the quality of those missions is very inconsistent. I remember one mission that I enjoyed that dealt with xeno racism. However, another mission was just cringe worthy fluffy "friendship" bullshit.

I was not impressed with most of the normal missions I took on, so I stopped doing them at the half way point.

 

[Astral Dog]

The point of the game is to not rush through the story, but if you are not enjoying it consider stop playing.

 

[-Horizon-]

The games gates your progress through the entire story. You have to do specific affinity missions, even at the very end. The game gates one of the ending chapters and forces you to build up affinity for Gwin, all just to do his character mission. Gwin totally sucks, I never used him at all, the guy is a complete dweeb. If you didn't prepare for that part of the game, you would definitely need to do some grinding.

I would argue that the game doesn't need to be structured in a way that forces you be a specific level. Most RPGs these days are good at progressing you through their main stories and keeping the action quite balanced. Not that it matters that much anyway. In XBX, If you die three times on a fight, you get a prompt which allows you to lower the difficulty of the fight. So the idea of gating any mission in that game by level is complete shit.

oh right forgot about the boot camp mission. my bad

I rarely used gwin in the game, only because he's restricted in some story missions anyway.

I didn't prepare for it though. I just tried using him a few times and then dropped him from my party till I reached that point (and the pet one before that). Guess he stuck around long enough to get past the affinity requirement.

And the lowering difficulty prompt doesn't mean having a requirement is bad. Its a completely optional thing. I got that prompt for the first time today after getting wrecked

Spoiler

by Lao and those dumb chimera

. I didn't accept it though. I would rather face the game at the difficulty it was supposed to be at and figure out new strategies to take on said boss.

 

[Jangowuzhere]

Yeah regardless of what you think about XCX the battle system here is much better defined and implemented than in XC.



Gwin only needs one heart from what I remember.

No other side character requires that treatment (as far as I remember.) Grinding affinity is slow, it takes like an hour or two just to get one heart.