Topic: Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Just got this game for Christmas.

Now, let me just say Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles X are two of my all time favorite game...top 10 all time list material.

That being said: While Xenoblade Chronicles 2 isn't a bad game - It's a huge step down from the previous entries and feels like a step back in terms of presentation and ambition.

From the stripping down of any dynamic armor or appearance, to the simplification of combat and the more contained world areas, everything about this game feels like development was scaled back, and corners were cut.

Essentially, this is Xenoblade Chronicles dumbed down and stripped of it's ambition. Add to that the gather generic character designs and anime tropes, and it feels like little more than a polished, mid-tier JRPG, not the epic Xenoblade series.

Also, over the 'entire beating the game' thing, I totally forgot to post this (spoilers for anyone who hasn‘t beaten Chapter 4 yet, I guess):

The combat system in this game beats the pants off the combat systems in XC1/XCX. It's much more engaging, dynamic, flashy, and multifaceted. The focus on timing when using arts and pulling off combos reminds me favorably of a Mario RPG.

Also, I love how healing is handled in this game during battle.

The environments are fantastic (almost on par with XCX, and far superior to the dull environs of XC1).

The visual style is gorgeous. The characters are likable people. The plot is interesting.

My only real complaints beside the resolution issue (used to have map issues, but the recent patch vastly improved this aspect of the game) are that I don't particularly like how you're at the mercy of the RNG when finding new blades, and I'm not a huge fan of pouch items and how they're integrated into the rest of the game.

Otherwise, though, I'm really feeling it!

Can you pause during combat?

Every time the phone rings I instinctively reach for that + button, which initiates a chain combo...

@Tsurii Breaking enemy parts (especially to get specific drops) is too MonHun for my tastes. If I have to do that, I'd prefer actual action-based combat.

You have to admit, though, being able to press specific buttons to activate arts instantaneously is SO MUCH better than trying to deal with an unwieldy arts bar.

Another issue I had with X's combat: the QTEs were way too fast. I mean, you still need to be on the ball with the QTEs in Xenoblade 2, but they don't seem to disappear as soon as they appear.

Uraya is absolutely this game's Satorl Marsh, although I feel like Uraya is both nicer to look at and much less irritating to navigate. It also helps that cool story events happen there.

My second least favorite location in XC1, after Satorl Marsh (an area bad enough that I stopped playing for a few weeks once I hit it), was probably Sword Valley. My all-time least favorite desert environment. I don't even know why, apart from the fact that I got annoyed fighting Mechon over and over. It just sapped my will to play.

I will say, though, I absolutely loved Valak Mountain. I hope XC2 has a wintery area like that.

And yeah, XC2 easily has the best OST in the series, even if I still have a weird fondness for X and its very "Sawano" soundtrack, what with all the epic-sounding tracks and endearingly terrible English rapping. I never understood the love for XC1's music. I mean, it has a few good pieces (who doesn't love "You Will Know Our Names"?), but overall it never stood out to me.

@AlternateButtons The compass is absolutely garbage. I had the same issues at the start of chapter 3 that you did. Although the minimap was pretty well improved in the patch. I feel like I can look at it and actually figure out where to go now.

I think anyone who resigns this game to being "average" compared to past entries simply hasn't played enough of it (by starting off slow and easy its combat might seem simple at first, but by the time you make it to chapter 3/4 those views will be flipped upside down)

For those who want to return Blade weapons to their default models, the tachyon chip can do that. Stat-wise, it essentially functions as the "Ultima" weapon. However, unique Blades like Brighid and Roc are unaffected, but for whatever reason, Aegaeon is an exception. Does anyone know if there's a chip that can return a unique Blade's weapon to its default model?

So, here's a video of someone who absolutely trashed the game at first, at 15 hours in. But has now done a complete 180 and claims it's one of the best, if not the best JRPG's of the generation, having played more.

I think it's a shining example of the stages most people go through with this game. At first... meh. It's ok. Doesn't seem as good as previous entries. Then... it's pretty decent. I like it. Finally... oh my goodness this game is incredible!

48 hours into the game and I'm loving it even more!
Btw @GoldenGamer88 thanks for the tip, though I figured out blade combos a while ago, the game really doesn't do the best job of explaining things only the basics. Now combos and chain attacks are easy as pie, I can even take out enemies a lot higher level than me, except for unique monsters...

The only thing I'm still having a bit of trouble in the game is salvaging. Is the middle part of the circle where you want to aim your timing? How would you know when you did a proper salvage?
Theres also the fact that every salvage point is different and sometimes catches me off-guard.

But other than that I'm enjoying the game a lot - even more than the original. Imo the only thing the original had over this entry is the story (so far from what I"m seeing) , while the sequel had better combat, gamplay, unique mechanics, pacing, environments, exploring, rewards, etc.

I'm playing Chapter 4. This game is certainly more risqué than it's predecessor lol.

tbh, judging a Xenoblade game in general without a lot of time sunk into it is a mistake. My opinions of both 1 and X changed even into the 60+ hour mark.

Xenoblade went from a very good game, to a great one, to one of the best on the Wii to one of my favorites ever, and I didn't decide on that last one until at least 80 hours in

-Xenoblade X went from amazing but confusing to wasting my time to kinda amazing to frustrating to needs a remake to get rid of the things preventing it from being as good as the original to borderline amazing but that remake still needs to happen as much as it did for Wind Waker. More subtle changes but even 120+ HOURS INTO THE GAME I'm still uncertain how I truly feel about the game.

Decided to do some sidequesting tonight, but was only able to complete 1 of the 3 I tackled. However, I now have access to Merc Missions, so I have another access point for EXP (I shamelessly level up at inns any chance I get, lol).

Also decided to do some more blade summoning, and got two more rares! (both guys this time though...)

First up was Percival. Looks cool, but as a Tank I don't know what I'll do with him.

Then I got Gorg. As an Attacker I'll get some use out of him until I get another Blade I like more. @Anti-Matter might like him though, he has a six pack!

@RR529
"Then I got Gorg. As an Attacker I'll get some use out of him until I get another Blade I like more. @Anti-Matter might like him though, he has a six pack!"

Ow, yeah !
I have seen from Youtube, i could see his Six Pack.
But his hair color didn't look match with his Water elemental.
Btw, on what chapter i can use Gorg instead of Pyra ?

@Anti-Matter, he's a random summon, so theoretically you could get him as early as Chapter 2, or never get him at all.

@iLikeUrAttitude I‘m pretty sure you want to aim for the inner circle since you‘d always get a yellowish-golden response and Rex would do a flip before jumping into the Cloud Sea and such. Now, I don‘t know if that‘s the proper way of doing things but I always figured the amount of loot you get and whether there‘s a monster or not was randomized. I‘ve spent hours salvaging, always doing it with the inner circle (and not on some line or something, though, that may or may not help with an even better salvage, don‘t really know) and the amounts of treasure chests and color of loot would differ.

Ow...
Can i use Load Data Trick to get him ?
I mean, if i can't get him from the Crystal, will Load the files all the time could make it work ?

@Anti-Matter The game saves each time you bond with a blade. So no, that won't work. My first rare was Godfrey and I think you'd like him as well.

While I haven't finished the game, I reaaaaaaaaally loved it so far, and so when I saw someone made a skin for Switch with XC2's theme, well...

I end up buying it. That link shows how the Switch looks like with it XD Really loving it even though it's only 1 hour after applying!

Oooh... nice !
Where did you buy that Vinyl sticker for Switch ?
And how much ?