Yeah, you can control any character that you like as long as they're in your party at the time, which she is for most of the game.

So is the artbook out of stock now? I was planning it for over a month to preorder 8 days before it came out, but the listing for the artbook disappeared from the listing.

@Chariblaze, I believe so my friend. The artbook was included in the product details, when I pre-ordered just a few days ago. I just checked, and it's not included in the product details anymore.

I ordered Xenoblade at Gamespot today and the store manager could not find any information about the artbook after checking the upcoming inventory records. She told me Nintendo could bundle the artbook with the game but that was just a guess.

From what I've seen the art book isn't that great anyway, it's only 20 pages long...

I had no idea this game was coming out so soon! I realized it the other day and I'm going to be getting it for sure...even though I'm a bit doubtful about it. Besides the whole living on giants thing, nothing I've seen has really wowed me. I'm hoping my impression of it is changed once I start playing.

EDIT: Also, do any of the playable characters use long range weapons? I think I read somewhere about a girl who has guns but she's a healer--is she the only one?

@Popyman Look at the picture posted on the previous pages. Might explain a lot for ya!

Ohhh, silly me. I will most likely be using her a lot.

Yeah I am really happy about her. So much I want it NAO.

She seems pretty "talented". Average "talent" for anime though.

Also this game is only like 2 or 3 days away. Which coincidentally, is probably how long I will spend total playing the game at least.

What does that mean? Talented? Anyhow idc about anime, dang ol... game man. Dat no say bang bang man, dang ol... Hank hill man.

For anyone who's already playing it, any tips on the Tentacle boss about 6 hrs in? Is it just attack the tentacles first or what? I'm also having trouble with the Mechon in the area before, there's too many and they swamp me every time.

Great game so far, fun combat. Everyone waiting for 2 more days, it's worth the wait.

I haven't pre-ordered yet, I hope I can still do it tomorrow at Gamestop.

As well as Sharla, there is also Melia who is the mage of the game.

In that boss fight, make sure you use the new Monado power you get in the cutscene before the boss fight. It increases the evasion of a chosen party member for a limited amount of time. Although, I think you might get that in a cutscene that happens in the middle of the boss fight. It has been a while since I did that boss fight, so I can't remember if that cutscene is in the middle of the boss fight or at the start of it.

Only one more days wait my fellow Americans. Are you as hyped as I am?

Nope

Yes super hyped! Unfortunately I wont get to play it much over the weekend. Ill really get into this game more next week.

I love the "try again" approach they took with battles. Especially with the difficulty surging now.
So far, I've played it in 2 hr stretches, for a total of 8 hrs. I wish I had started this back in February, lol.

Tales of Graces F has been distracting me, too.

I came home and there was a message from Gamestop reminding me that it would be there for me tomorrow!

Yeah, I received the same automated message from GameStop today. I've heard a rumor that you won't receive an artbook, if you didn't pre-order from GameStop by the 26th of March. I pre-ordered online March 28th I believe, and the artbook was still listed in the product details a day later. I better receive the artbook regardless, or I'm going to complain until I receive something for free. You're probably smurking while you're saying to yourself, "Yeah right, you actually think GameStop is going to give you something for free. Hahaha!" Well, it is wholly their incompetence and unprofessionalism that caused this situation, because the artbook should've have been unlisted after the last one left had been ordered. I implore you to complain, if this issue arises for you too. False advertisement should never be accepted from a company as well established as GameStop.

They can't give you an artbook IF they've run out of stock of it and it wouldn't be fair to shortchange someone else for one if they ordered it before you.