Topic: Xenoblade Chronicles 2

@Inertiacreep That whole dynamic really creeps me out, TBH. And it's one of the reasons I haven't rushed out to buy the game. I much prefer games with older protagonists and sensible pairings over adolescent sex fantasies about the older woman.

I mean, can anybody give me one good reason why a 500-year-old fire spirit has a huge crush on a kid who looks like he just had his Bar-Mitzvah? And yes, I know their relationship has mystical aspects and (spoiler spoiler deep plot spoiler spoiler intertwined destinies Yin and Yang etcetera ad nauseum) but on the surface of it, it's a woman half a millennium old in a romantic/sexual relationship with a kid (the player standin, of course) who in all likelihood has never even kissed a girl. It's staggeringly inappropriate and unlikely.

It really doesn't help that said 500-year-old woman is dressed like a prostitute, either. Couple all this with the power dynamic of the Driver/Blade relationship, and it adds up to something I personally am very uncomfortable with.

Just to be clear, I haven't played the game, and I'm not here to shame anyone who likes it. I'm actually very interested in XC2. It looks like an AMAZING game in most ways. I'm just deeply conflicted about how to reconcile that amazing game with everything I just talked about, and I'm not sure it would be worth it in the end. Subtextual messages matter, and the subtext here is all kinds of messed up.

@Galenmereth So, your take is that hotpants and a visible thong are sensible fashion choices for undertaking an epic adventure with combat every five minutes?

Alright, I give up. I just can't figure out how to get into the Smùide Plant in Alba Cavanich for a quest. The front gate is locked and I can't find another way inside anywhere! Mr. Google ain't helping either so there must be something very obvious I must be missing here! Any help would be appreciated.

@Galenmereth Well, now I feel really stupid. Always been trying the weird complicated path over the town‘s rooftops. Thanks a lot!

@Galenmereth No, it certainly would be an issue for them. I've been exposed to all kinds of content since I was a kid and am cool with pretty much everything, so if this raises a flag for me, it definitely raises a flag for other people. I'm actually pretty sure most people, not necessarily people that even game or play this, want to see titty tits Mythra sleep walk into a kids bed and put his hand on her tits.. and you seriously dont see the problem with poppy and Tora pervert @$$ has her programmed as a subservient implied sex slave?

@Snaplocket well no, after that the rest of the game Tora hasn't really been bad... but even though it was kind of ambiguous when Poppy says "what is your wish master", its kind of presumable its sexual in nature... and then she grows from that, a little girl Poppy into a sexy Poppy... aaaaannnd.... thats ok I guess?

So Pyra has a skimpy outfit. Welcome to almost every JRPG ever (see Velvet in Tales of Berseria, Ann in Persona 5, Cindy in Final Fantasy XV, Riku in Final Fantasy X, etc etc etc).

And that's pretty much the extent of it.

@Galenmereth well obviously I expose myself to the cool offerings which happen to not include these kind of things... and its not a mountain out of a mole hill if someone would honestly not want to expose themselves to or support something they have a problem with.. yea obviously you spend 80 out of 100 hours running around killing sh**, but do you want to even bother if something is seriously going to piss you off or make you feel uncomfortable enough you dont want to support it?
And I dont know what country you live in, but here, sexual relationships with children is not "wierd", its perverted.

Tora is obviously a pervert, see what was previously mentioned and why does Poppy turn half naked later in the game...

Look I love the game and I myself can kind of ignore these things even though I think it's f***** up but some of it just shouldnt have been in the game. Honestly I just hope theres not anymore of it... When looking at half naked sexy women models I dont want the game forcing me into thinking about Rex 12 year old @$$ hittin that.

@Tsurii Literally no one has done that.

Holy Hylia the people in here. Its a different culture. End of story, get over it. No one is ever happy, if the game was censored people would be complaining about that instead. Just enjoy the game ffs.

@Snaplocket
People are free to not play the game (and pretty much every other JRPG) if a skimpy outfit is such an issue for them.

But complaining about it when it's not going to change (particularly after the riot which ensued for not having access to skimpy outfits in the last game) seems counterproductive.

It seems the people who fixate on content they view as sexual are determined to use the most loaded terminology to describe what they must realize are interpretive scenario. Such as Tora is a pervert or Pyra is dressed like a prostitute. It's like bias is pouring out their ears.

I'm playing alongside my wife and kids and we can't get over how people on the internet are doing acrobats to turn this innocent game into something diabolical with only the tamest of ammo. Hardly anybody talks about Pyras boobs but those who can't get over her "trashy" outfit. Gotta think about the function of objectification for a bit before spewing half-baked opinions on the internet.

We're trending toward a binary groupthink at an alarming rate and it helps no one if we allow sex, among the most nuanced of human interactions, to be rendered in exclusive terms of good or evil.

@Tsurii ....watch the profanity...

Actually if you'll reread most of the posts pointing out the problematic parts (including mine) you'll find that most of them are explicitly NONbinary, and most of them note that the game is otherwise great. I said that it looks like an amazing game. Inertiacreep has been playing it for dozens of hours and apparently enjoying it. The only one here saying it must be this or the other, with nothing in between, is you.

Second, no one is calling Japanese culture wrong. Again, the only one saying anything like that is you. This is NOT about Japanese culture. It's about one game. The game is not the quintessence of Japanese culture. Unless you think that every single item made in Japan represents the whole of Japan. (Here's a clue - it doesn't.) Trying to turn this into an attack on Japanese culture is strawmanning at the very least.

Your posts about narrowmindedness are, once again, better directed at yourself and the others who leap to defend the game from a nonexistent attack. Maybe you should be a little more open to the possibility that there are indeed problematic elements in the game. That doesn't mean the game needs to get banned, or censored, or anything of the kind, and nobody here ever said anything like that. Many good things, even great things, have problematic aspects. Pointing them out is not an attack on them. It's pointing out flaws and discussing the work. Which is pretty much what half the discussion in this thread has been. Or is it perfectly okay to criticize the voice acting, and the graphics, and the combat controls, and the plot, and the price of the game, but NOT to criticize the problematic gender politics of the game?

And if that's the case, maybe you sbould reconsider your priorities. Since you have such an open mind and all that.

So we're all still enjoying the game huh? Lol

I've just hit chapter 5 at 50 hours!

@Galenmereth How many chapters are there? does new stuff actually open post game or is everything achievable before hitting the credits, if you like?

I'll be getting the DLC for this for sure. I'm honestly surprised how much I'm enjoying it, watching a few trailers before launch I expected it to be more like FF12 with a strong focus on warring nations and political mumbo jumbo but actually the game is very personal and character driven.

@Galenmereth I've beaten the game, and I'm still finding a lot of unpacked content. Last night, I discovered 2 really interesting Blade quests that both had fully voiced cutscenes and a fair amount of cinematic direction. I won't go too far into the details, but the quests were for Godfrey and Dagas. I wonder just how many Blade quests there are.

@Galenmereth Exactly right! This game provides so much content. After glancing at YouTube, it does seem many Blades have their own quests. I learned one is locked behind affinity, which suggests others are too. It's impressive how dedicated this game is to character development. I'd have never imagined most Blades (if not all) would harbor exclusive quests.

@Inertiacreep
OMG, Poppy is machine, it’s not even human and it’s less then one year old. Pyra is 500 years old and Rex is, what - 14, 15, 16,18, 20.. who gives a frack... even if he’s 40, that still makes Pyra pervert level over 9000.

And after all.. it’s a GAME people. I’ve seen more disturbing content in other games. I can’t believe there’s so much talking about that subject.
I’m a grown man, married, two kids. And I love boobs, always did, always will. Loving watching them in every form and occasion.. especially big unnatural ones like that granny Pyra ones. Call me wierd if you want but I think wierd ones are you who can’t enjoy this fantastic game because 500 years old hooker looking granny. Maybe you have problem with your own sexuality.
Other day one asked a question here on NL if is it ok for Christian to play Bayonetta because of witches and angels and demons and stuff... WTF is wrong with people these days?! I mean.. is it ok for Christian to play COD or every single game on earth because in almost every one you have to kill someone or something.. even in mario games. Os it ok for 12 years old taking his iPhone in bathroom and watch porn? So what’s the big deal with Pyra and Poppy here..

@CroRock poppy evolves into adult human in a sex swimsuit and then for some reason she switches back and forth to the little girl.. and the scene with Mythra and Rex in bed, how much further would that have had to go to raise a flag for you?

Ok everyone acting like I'm throwing a total fit over these things.. i was just saying that some of this stuff is totally off track to the point of me feeling uncomfortable hoping it doesn't go any further than it does and just wanting it to stop and go back to the fun parts.. admittedly i have not played past chapter 6 but that's why i was saying i hope the game doesn't go any further on those subjects.