Topic: Xenoblade Series chat

@StarPoint
Glad to hear you're enjoying the Xenoblade franchise that much. The best has yet to come.

https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/next-xenoblade-chronicle...

I just stumbled across this article and I'm pretty intrigued. While the current Xenoblade games do have their similarities, they definitely feel like different experiences. I can only wonder just how different he's suggesting. I know the combat system will probably change but I just hope it is still unique 😅

@Vortexeo
I'm positive we'll be getting another Xenoblade game but I have the feeling they'll be dropping the "Chronicles" part of it to set them apart from the first trilogy. Xenoblade Saga would be a good one, harking back to Xenosaga.
And yes, the combat will probably be changed. JRPGs seem to be heading to a more hack 'n slash based gameplay, which I'm not a fan of, but I'm sure Monolith Soft would make it into something great. As long as it's not turn-based, I'm good. lol

@EaglyBird You know I do remember that article! I don't remember where I saw it but I remember seeing people saying that Nintendo apparently shot down a lot of monolith soft ideas, idk if that was one of them. I guess only time will tell 😅

@senaionios I wonder if it'll be more than the combat changes. Since he says it'll betray fan expectations in a good way I wonder if that means it'll be a completely new art style too? Maybe something not as open? 🤔 I'm really interested in hearing what this means 😂

@EaglyBird @Vortexeo
Wasn't there a job call from Monolith at one point that showed artwork for a game set in the middle ages?

@EaglyBird it would be incredible that's for sure! Have you ever played Xenogears? I'd say that could be a pretty good representation

@senaionios You know I remember a lot of people talking about it a few years ago. However idk if that artwork was actually meant for a new game or if it was just generic recruitment artwork.

@EaglyBird
That's the one alright.

@Vortexeo
Could have been anything. Maybe it was a work in progress at one point but then got scrapped. We'll probably never know.

@EaglyBird
I hope the next Xenoblade has nothing to do with the prior games.
Start a brand new, unconnected storyline. It would give them more creative freedom as well.
Though I'm 95% certain Nopon will appear, much like how Chocobos are in every Final Fantasy game even though they're not connected at all.

@EaglyBird
I have yes, and I already know what you're going to say. The post-credit scene, am I right?
It leaves things open, sure. But they could come back to it at a later time. Doesn't have to be the next game.

@EaglyBird
Yeah, could very well be. We'll have to wait and see.

@EaglyBird
Very true. That's why I love this franchise so much.

@EaglyBird
I agree. Xenoblade is very much like Final Fantasy in that regard.

@senaionios You suggested dropping the Chronicles bit of the name to set it apart from 1,2 and 3, that wouldn't really work because in Japan that was never part of the name.

@TeaCatherine
If they add a sub-name, like Saga, in Japan as well it'd work perfectly well.

@senaionios Yeah, I guess. Personally, I can see them just doing Xeno-something else again.

Been a while since I've posted a status update for XC3! Right now, I'm about halfway through chapter 5 and have put in roughly 40 hours. I just got done slamming a bunch of colony sidequests that I missed earlier. I gotta say, I think the sidequests in this game are a massive step up from the other 2 games. You have the Hero quests which basically take you on mini-stories, and all the ones I've played so far have been excellent. Plus, you get to play around with new classes once you finish them, which is a fantastic reward alongside the chunk of EXP and Gold you get. But even the standard side quests in this game are pretty solid. Sure, you still have the "Gather X amount of this thing" or "Kill X amount of enemies," but other than those exceptions, even the smaller side quests can end up taking you a while to complete, and yet feel surprisingly rewarding thanks to the Affinity boost you receive.

The thing that took me the longest to get used to was the combat system. Coming right off the heels of XC2 and Torna, those game's combat systems were practically second nature to me. Especially Torna's which flowed exceptionally nicely. Initially, XC3's combat didn't feel quite as tactile and responsive as those games, which put me off just a little bit. However, once the game opened up things like Chain Attacks, Art Cancelling, and Interlink swapping, I really started to get used to it. Now, I love the combat system, and I personally have it tied with Torna's. I can't really decide which one I like more at this point; both of them have their own unique strengths.

I gotta touch on the soundtrack, too, my GOODNESS. It might not quite beat out XC2 for my personal favorite OST for the series, but boy does it come close. Pretty much every battle theme is top-tier, and so many area themes really add to the atmosphere and emotion of the story. And I think the Moebius Battle theme is one of my favorite video game themes of all time. It is on a whole other level. This definitely got shafted at the Game Awards when it came to Best Soundtrack.

So overall, I'm really enjoying this game. It fixes nearly every issue I had with both XC:DE and XC2. The pacing can still be a little shaky at times, especially when doing a lot of sidequests back to back that requires a lot of running and talking to people (totally not my fault for missing them in the first place). However, the core gameplay is phenomenal, and battling high-level monsters and exploring new areas never gets old. And from what I've heard, the story only gets better from where I'm at. Suffice it to say, I'm really excited to see what's coming next.

@StarPoint Glad to hear about your progress! I agree the side quests are a huge improvement. I actually found myself remembering NPCs and their stories whenever I saw them around their colonies. I think it's also really cool the NPCs have their own unique designs. All the hero quests were absolutely fantastic too! Btw I'm kind of curious do you have a favorite class?

@Vortexeo So far, Eunie’s Full Metal Gunslinger class has been a ton of fun. The arts come out super quick and it’s very responsive.

@StarPoint Oh yeah, that one was also one of my favorites! I actually still use it for post-game stuff lol.