Topic: Final Verdict: Xenoblade or The Last Story?

[Oblivion]

So, now that everyone has had the chance to play both games (I myself just got The Last Story tonight and plan on playing some tomorrow), what do you think? Which RPG is superior? Maybe one has something the other doesn't? Maybe one game has something that shorts it being amazing?


Tell us what you think here. I'm curious to see what people say. I'm interested in how people compare the plot, characters, graphics, scope, music, etc. of both games.

[Kytim89]

While I find it hard to choose between Xenoblade and Last Story, both of those games make me want Pandora's Tower even more, and no, I am not going to modify my Wii to do so.

[Enner]

The showdown of the year!

Comparing the first moments of each game, Xenoblade Chronicles is in a significant lead over The Last Story. There is a consistency and seamless quality in Xenoblade that is not as strong in The Last Story. As far as early game high lights go, entering the Gaur Plains thoroughly trumps the meteor shower. It's in Xenoblade's favor that The Last Story's meteor shower is mostly a character dialogue sequence. There is an awful lot of talking in what I've played of The Last Story so far, but I may be incorrectly remembering how chatty the beginning of Xenoblade was.

Both of each game's predominantly real-time battle systems rely on the RPG holy trinity of tank-heal-damage characters. The Last Story goes the distance by building most of its system around the main character's skill to draw aggression. Both games look like a messy cluster as battles heat up, but I find that it is easier to parse the movements of a fight in Xenoblade. Of course, it is easier to do that when movement isn't needed too much in Xenoblade. Encounters in The Last Story (so far) take place over big spaces that have all sorts of walls and tight corners. It doesn't help that the size of your party changes radically over a series of fights in The Last Story.

I'll leave narrative, visuals, and audio for a latter post as I play more of The Last Story.

[ejamer]

Hmm... outside of characters, I think it's a clean sweep for Xenoblade. That game hits all of my hotspots, and while The Last Story does some interesting things they just weren't things that I'm really looking for in a JRPG. Add in technical blemishes and The Last Story simply isn't in the same league (despite being a very decent game).


When these games were announced my interest level went: The Last Story, Pandora's Tower, Xenoblade.  After playing all three my appreciation level is: Xenoblade, Pandora's Tower, The Last Story.  Maybe having higher expectations going in hurt The Last Story?

[Pixelated Pixies]

Hands down Xenoblade is the better game. I really loved The Last Story's combat system though, it's just a shame that the depth of it's mechanics and how they can be used together wasn't really explored until the end of the game. The Last Story is almost easy to a fault, as it won't require players to dig very deep into the system in order to overcome situations, bosses, etc. It was in fact only on the very last boss of the game that I realised just how great the combat system in The Last Story is.
 
 

[broodwars]

Xenoblade wins that contest pretty easily with (so far) better characters, better story, better music, far better environmental design, and a better combat system IMO.

[Chozo Ghost]

Xenoblade wins in nearly every respect, but because its a Gamestop exclusive I'm afraid I will have to give the crown to The Last Story.

Plus, as they say, he who laughs Last laughs best.

[Oblivion]

After playing the opening to The Last Story, Xenoblade wins in the opening department. The Last Story is kinda... boring in the beginning. Xenoblade puts you right into the action and then introduces you to the main hero. I like that.

[Enner]

After playing the opening to The Last Story, Xenoblade wins in the opening department. The Last Story is kinda... boring in the beginning. Xenoblade puts you right into the action and then introduces you to the main hero. I like that.

Heh, I think if you do a side-by-side play through of each game's opening moments, they will present themselves very similarly in how they put you in to a fight and shower you with tutorials.

The important difference is that Xenoblade puts you in to the middle of a war zone that goes in to a wonderful title call and then settles on a grassy field. The Last Story sticks you in a drab dungeon, a fight with a tiger, and an inferior title call FMV.

[Oblivion]

Well, now that I started Chapter 8 (doing guard duty) and doing a few sidequests and fighting in the Arena ten times without dying, the game is starting to grow on me. I set it to manual so I feel like I'm actually doing something, and I'm using the CCP.


The characters seem cheery and happy, and this Lisa chick is kinda interesting as well. It's pretty damn obvious who she is, though. I blame the art book.


The graphics strive for a bit more realism than Xenoblade, and pulls it off, arguably. I do like that the City feels more real than any town or city in Xenoblade, but the game feels blurry and the framerate isn't too good at times. However, this can be blamed on the platform. I bet that if this was on an HD console it'd probably pull it off better.


I gotta say though, my first three hours in Xenoblade is much better than my first three hours in The Last Story. I'm just waiting for the plot to start picking up like Xenoblade's did.

[Do_What]

There's a much better chance that I'll finish Last Story this year. I'll probably be playing Xenoblade for at least another year, maybe two years.

[Oblivion]

Just started chapter 11 and finally got the acclaimed Command Mode. It makes the combat much more strategic and less hack and slash.