Author Topic: Xenoblade Chronicles Wii / 3DS / Definitive Edition (Read 215998 times)

Mop it up · « **Reply #475 on:** April 19, 2012, 04:40:27 PM »

Oh, yeah, I'm not trying to detract from this game in any way. It's still great. If anything, I think it's an insult to other RPGs to state that XenoBlade revitalized the genre, because it isn't the only RPG out there that has broken away from the Dragon Quest mold (and I say this as someone who even still likes Dragon Quest).

Evan_B · « **Reply #476 on:** April 19, 2012, 07:07:54 PM »

It's one of the only current-gen RPG's to implement these features, and pull it off with grace. It's also not a piece of **** like most current-gen RPGs.

Mannypon · « **Reply #477 on:** April 19, 2012, 10:57:46 PM »

Well I think what they meant when they said revolutionizing the genre is that its revolutionized the jrpg genre, not the rpgs as a whole. A lot of the features in this game have been done before but more so in western rpgs. Japanese rpgs haven't really changed much since the 90s. A lot of the complaints many people have with jrpgs have been remedied here to an extant. Grinding and exploration has been made easier by the quick travel, checkpoints, and little penalty for dieing. Its almost a perfect mix of western and eastern rpg qualities.

Enner · « **Reply #478 on:** April 19, 2012, 11:45:22 PM »

Mannypon has it right. The praise for Xenoblade Chronicles being revolutionary is relative to JRPGs of the past five or so years.

Some annoyances and frustrations I have for this game are the quests for the unique NPCs and the looting system. With the looting system, killing a whole mess of monsters leave a whole mess of treasure chests to button through. The loot isn't automatically picked up or collected in a single chest. The quests for the unique NPCs are the only quests that you need to report back to specific NPCs to turn in (the more generic kill, gather, and search quests are turned in automatically once you fulfill them). Unfortunately, the unique NPCs move around in their respective towns and are only available during certain times. In addition, they don't appear on the main map, don't show up on the mini map until a certain distance, and their affinity chart entry does not detail their exact location (presumably due to them moving around). This makes turning in quests for unique NPCs a time-consuming experience.

These are minor grievances, but they really stick out when other aspects of the game are so streamlined and forgiving.

Anyway, one of my favorite things to do in this game is to find high places with a beautiful view. Once I find them, I promptly leap off and hope to land in to a pool of deep water. Ah, the thrill of the virtual BASE jump is so sweet.

gbuell · « **Reply #479 on:** April 20, 2012, 01:27:39 AM »

I've seen a lot of people point to the "seeing the future" bit as being innovative. Anyway, I think trying to point to individual details as being revolutionary is usually a mistake. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Chozo Ghost · « **Reply #480 on:** April 20, 2012, 07:54:16 AM »

Quote from: GoldenPhoenix on April 13, 2012, 02:37:19 PM

Looks like Xenoblade is now BACKORDERED on gamestop.com! Looks like people really put their money where their mouth was for this game. Glad I managed to get my copy.

http://www.gamestop.com/wii/games/xenoblade-chronicles-gamestop-exclusive/98535

I wonder if now Reggie regrets dragging his feet for so long on releasing this game. Imagine how huge it would have been if this game had seen a FULL (not just Gamestop) release during the holidays 2011 and with a major advertising push. This game would have been a beast in terms of sales, but Reggie blew it and instead it just gets this limited release which is still very impressive, but with only Gamestop selling it there's no way it can be the hit that it deserves to be.

I hope if nothing else Reggie learned a lesson from this that hardcore gamers do matter and should not be ignored.

BeautifulShy · « **Reply #481 on:** April 20, 2012, 03:11:24 PM »

So I got my Wii back yesterday and I am going to start the game now. I will report my findings in a few hours.The opening is so cool! I'm hooked. Playing with Japanese and then subtitles.

Really liking it so far. I like the battle system and I think that given my time with the game so far I am just going to spend most of my time just running around and doing side quests and fighting monsters and not doing the main quest.

Caterkiller · « **Reply #482 on:** April 21, 2012, 01:53:31 AM »

The english track is so good Maxi! At least for a few hours you've got to try it.

Ok so what should I be doing to gain affinity between party members? I feel like it grows sooo slow. Any tips on speeding things up?

Enner · « **Reply #483 on:** April 21, 2012, 03:38:42 AM »

Having them as party members while accepting and turning in quests gets the hearts going up. Also, make sure to hit those Burst Affinity triggers when a party member has landed a critical hit, missed an attack, or dodged an attack.

One system that is totally not explained or mentioned in the manual or in-game tutorials (as far as I know) is sending collectibles as gifts between party members. Browsing the inventory usually brings a "Discard" option except in the collectibles tab. In the collectibles tab, pressing 'a' brings the option to send the collectible as a gift between two specific party members. Sending the right gift will raise affinity and sending the wrong one will lower it. There are even achievements/trials associated to gift sending.

I haven't messed with it much, but it seems like a quicker way to raise affinity. For the moment, I just like switching party members around and fighting monsters.

Caterkiller · « **Reply #484 on:** April 21, 2012, 11:29:57 AM »

Awesome Enner thanks! Going to look that up now.

Ryadin91 · « **Reply #485 on:** April 21, 2012, 10:01:31 PM »

This game hasme hooked! I can't stop playing it, and I have a research paper due date fastly approaching!

Oblivion · « **Reply #486 on:** April 22, 2012, 01:38:03 AM »

How far are you guys in the story? In the least spoiler-riffic way to tell you all where I am:

I'm on Mechonis.

Enner · « **Reply #487 on:** April 22, 2012, 03:14:45 AM »

Ooo, I feel like I'm close to that point as I clock in at the 66-70 hour mark. I'm at the end of Valak Mountain and nearing Sword Valley.

Many have criticized the story and characters of Xenoblade to be relatively simple and flat compared to Monolith Soft's other Xeno- games. I have no points to compare, sad to say. Still, I'm entertained by the plot of this grand adventure and mission so far. While the characters haven't developed significantly/drastically, I can't help but like everyone in this varied party.

Oblivion · « **Reply #488 on:** April 22, 2012, 01:31:42 PM »

70 hours? I'm way past that point an I have only about 45 hours under my belt. Now granted, I'm not going too crazy with the side quests.

Enner · « **Reply #489 on:** April 22, 2012, 03:02:16 PM »

With some regret, I have been going crazy with the side quests. As I detailed above, they can be time-consuming affairs. Also, they have the side-effect of over leveling my party. For the entirety of Valak Mountain, nearly all of the aggressive monsters did not bother me.

I don't think I'm ruining the game for myself by taking on so many side quests. I feel I've been good so far at continuing the story whenever I am bored by the side quests.

Oblivion · « **Reply #490 on:** April 22, 2012, 03:39:48 PM »

What level is your party? I had a semi hard time with Valak. At where I am now, my party just hit level 60.

Enner · « **Reply #491 on:** April 23, 2012, 05:47:02 AM »

I'm at the bottom of Valak Mountain with my party at level 50-52. Also, the timer reads 72.05 on a System Save. Whoa!

So, I seem to be very ahead of the experience curve of the game.

Oblivion · « **Reply #492 on:** April 23, 2012, 10:00:29 AM »

That's what my levels were at the time so...maybe I just suck?

NWR_Neal · « **Reply #493 on:** April 23, 2012, 10:32:45 AM »

I finally put some time into this and my mind was freaking blown by the end of the opening sequence. This game has me. I'm totally on board with it.

gbuell · « **Reply #494 on:** April 23, 2012, 11:51:51 AM »

Yeah, great opening. Have you gotten to Bionis' Leg yet? That's where I got really hooked.

NWR_Neal · « **Reply #495 on:** April 23, 2012, 12:49:59 PM »

I stopped right after that part, so no, I haven't. I just need to carve out some time, hopefully tonight, to play more.

MagicCow64 · « **Reply #496 on:** April 23, 2012, 01:09:18 PM »

Thought I'd chime in with my experience:

Was initially overwhelmed by all of the different systems introduced (arts, Monado arts, gems, inventory, quests, collectibles, premonition battle events, team attacks, status effects, affinity, skill trees, etc.) having not having played a JRPG since the SNES, but after getting ruined by the tentacle boss on Bionis' Leg I spent three and a half hours going back, doing side quests, leveling up, and generally figuring out how the game actually worked (you can level up your specials! you're supposed to use your arts in battle non-stop, not just wait for one or two to refill!), and got completely hooked. I returned to the Mechanis tentacle boss and proceeded to wipe the floor with him, and anticipated forty more hours of a JRPG good time unmatched since the Final Fantasy 6/Chrono Trigger days. Then, right as the boss was on its last tentacles, the game froze and my Wii went to the black screen disc read error.

It now won't read any discs at all. I have a first gen Wii, which has been getting louder and louder over time, but it finally kicked the optical bucket. This is particularly troublesome, as I had no plans on playing any other retail games after Xenoblade. This was to be the swan song, and I now I'm in the position of paying to get it repaired to finish the game or just letting it die. $50 on Xenoblade lost (- resale potential - experience of playing game) or and addition $70+ to resurrect my senescent Wii long enough to finish it?

gbuell · « **Reply #497 on:** April 23, 2012, 01:23:05 PM »

That sucks! If you plan on getting the WiiU, you could just wait till then to finish Xenoblade. I don't know if I would be that patient though.

gbuell · « **Reply #498 on:** April 23, 2012, 01:23:33 PM »

Or, borrow a friend's Wii. I'm sure plenty of people you know have Wiis gathering dust in their entertainment centers.

Lithium · « **Reply #499 on:** April 24, 2012, 07:08:41 AM »

I've been completely overwhelmed with this game. i dont know whats going on or what does what in terms of combat etc...

Granted this is my first modern Jrpg (the only modern rpgs i've played have been from western studios) but now i know what old people feel like when they try to play video games.

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Author Topic: Xenoblade Chronicles Wii / 3DS / Definitive Edition (Read 215998 times)