Topic: Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition

I considered getting the NA Special Edition but opted for just the game. Europe is getting the better bundle IMO. I don't know what NoA has against those gorgeous steelbook cases....

So whom got the NA, EU or JPN versions PreOrdered?

@SwitchForce EU Special edition for me. The delay isn't gonna end up meaning much since it'll probably still arrive home before I do.

Standard physical for me ....

Ha yeah this is one of the few games I'm cool with preordering, because it's almost impossible for it to be bad.

Maybe the only way this could be bad is if they fail at optimizing it so it ends up with severe framerate issues. I don't think that will happen though. Monolith are very capable with their graphics.

I bought the EU and NA CE to have and display.

Well they heard my plea from earlier in this thread. Both soundtracks are included.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/04/xenoblade_chronicle...

Excellent decision. I remember in FFX HD, there was 1 song in the new soundtrack which was incredible, and then 1 that was awful and completely ruined a particular cutscene for me, because it changed the mood of the scene. I played it on the Vita, where you couldn't switch between them. They only added that capability for the PS4 version.

For first time player, is it better to play remastered or the classic for the OST?

@darkfenrir

We've only heard like 3 halves of tracks so far, so it's impossible to know.

The original didn't really need changing though. It's probably the best video game soundtrack of all time. They're doing this purely as a bonus novelty, not because it needs it.

Here's an example of one track where this youtuber has merged the old and new versions together. They're so similar that you wouldn't really notice where it switches unless someone pointed out (new goes from 0:00-1:08, old is everything after that)

@Dezzy If you didn't tell me I legit won't realize this is old combined with the new haha. I probably will do it with the old one then

The news on the soundtrack was a pleasant tidbit to wake up to this morning. As I've never played the original game but have extensively listened to parts of the OST on YouTube, I think I'll be opting for the original versions first and give the remastered tracks more attention later on.

I'll definitely be sticking with the original OST and then switching to the new OST likely while working on sidequests and the like for a change of pace. Awesome of them to put both in though, I wasn't expecting that.

I love little additions like that. If you can add more options like this, its often good to do so.

I'm not sure how I feel about the new versions. I think just because the music is so effective for so much of the game at giving off a specific mood, even good changes feel odd to me. Like the updated guitars are just a bit less somber and more "cool" I guess. But they also technically sound better. It'll depend on how it works in the game itself though.

I think what I've seen of FFVII Remake has made me realize that its much more difficult to update music than you might think. Because that game's OST is obviously amazing, but there's still a little bit of something missing with how it sounds in the original just because of the weird midi sounds it went with and the more "cinematic modern game" approach to the OST of the remake.

This is less complaining and more me finding this interesting btw. I'd have to be the most nitpicking person ever to complain about what I've heard.

Well the main difference is that FF7 remake changes the soundtrack to adapt to the new game style. And it does so perfectly. They've taken the kind of eerie sci-fi sounds of the original and turned them into action blockbuster music, and it's incredible. Easily the best soundtrack I've heard since Xenoblade 2.

That's definitely a different situation that this game though. The core game here is exactly the same as the original, so the music should be pretty much the same too, if they want it to fit the tone of the game.

@Dezzy Could even be licensing reasons, as Smash 3DS/Wii U did only get 2 tracks from the original FFVII with Cloud and that was unchanged with Ultimate. Pretty sure that licensing issues are why you can't have remastered graphics + original soundtrack for Halo 2 in MCC for example (only options are remastered graphics + soundtrack or original graphics + soundtrack with some songs like Blow Me Away replaced in the remastered soundtrack).

It’s going to be hard choosing which version of the soundtrack to choose having not played the game before.

At least with FFX I’m playing now there was quite a lot of advice/opinions, but XC DE will be new. I went for the original.

I’m leaning towards the original soundtrack for XX DE too as I love it, even having not played the game yet.

@Grumblevolcano

I assume that's only when the developer in question is different from the original license holder.

Obviously not true with FF7 though.

@Tyranexx Yeah that really bums me out since I have a vinyl collection. But I'm guessing there will be a Japan only full soundtrack for this game as well, so I guess it really doesnt matter. I just hope the art book is complete this time and doesn't require me buying another one from Japan...

That being said I still have the XC1 art book.

@Trajan ...I'm very sorry, but which comment are you replying to? My brain has lost something in translation here. Did it have to do with a comment in here about one of the special editions?