Overall 9.6 Graphics 8.7 Sound 9.3 Addictive 8.3 Story 9.3 Depth 10 Difficulty 7
9.7
Xenoblade Chronicles Review. EvilAlu
Description - Xenoblade Chronicles is a single player action role playing game on the Wii, developed by Monolith Soft, published by Nintendo and directed by Tetsuya Takahashi. The game had dotted release dates, in Japan it was out in 2010 later hitting the UK shops in 2011 and North America in 2012.
Story - In the start, the world was originally a vast ocean. This was until two mighty beings known as "Bionis" and the "Mechonis" came to be. These two titans fought an epic battle, until one final attack caused only their lifeless bodies to remain, forever frozen in combat forever. Many eons later, civilizations founded by the different races of Bionis, the humanoid Homs and the Nopon. They were attacked by the Mechon, a legion of machines from Mechonis. Playing the role of Shulk, you take up the mighty "Monado" the only weapon that can break through the Mechon armor. Together with a variety of friends, you strive to take down the Mechon, and bring peace to Bionis.
I found the story to be really interesting, it starts you off with some nice action moments, and this was appealing to me, pulling me in to the game before I even took control. When you do finally take control, you are immediately thrown in to combat, I personally love when a game does this, as it makes me learn faster which helps when playing through the story. After a brief combat tutorial, you find yourself one year later, it is here you play as Shulk, and once again combat begins almost instantly. With a variety of different things to take on within the story, you wont be let down for conversation. As I got deeper in to the game, I found the story to grow more interesting as it went on, bringing to light some unanswered questions I had been asking myself while playing. With what seems like an almost endless amount of possibilities with the story, I rarely found myself without some form of conversation to take part in. The story as a whole had a nice mix of emotions that characters displayed, which really added a nice feel to it. Another great thing about the story, is the exploration value, as there is so much to do and explore, I always had something to do. A fine example of this are the two locations of Bionis and Mechonis. Though you may see that and think just two locations?, in this game that is all you needed, as each location is so vast, and offered hours upon hours of in story content. All in all, if you enjoy adventure, action some good conversation opportunities and the thought of exploring two giant titans, then Xenoblade Chronicles story should meet your needs.
Combat - The battle system was something new and refreshing to me, offering a new twist on how you battle. There are no random encounters within the game, each enemy is visible for you to take on as you please, and battles take place in the same area you are traveling through. When you decide to engage an enemy, or the enemy engages you, all of the characters in your party will automatically take up arms. You are free to control each individual character, and move around freely. This is helpful, as you will be issuing out commands known as "Arts" that can sometimes be critical depending on your position. Selecting arts was simple and easy to perform, and there are a number of arts at your disposal earning new ones as you go. Some arts are also fantastic for inflicting status changing effects on enemies, but in order to make them take effect, position is key and you will need to hit the enemy in just the right spot. There is also the ability to perform a "Chain Attack" once you fill up your teams meter, the chain ability becomes available and allows you to issue one art per character. This is highly important in some fights, as some enemies you will need to use a number of different attacks in order to inflict damage to it. It can also be very helpful in other ways, especially if you and your team are low on health, and need a quick selection of healing arts to be made. In some cases, only the Monado will be able to break an enemies defense, so it is vital to always keep Shulk in good condition. You can earn points upon leveling up, which can be used to increase your arts effectiveness, which again help out in battles. I found the combat to be exciting and refreshing to use, with a mix of fast action movements and powerful arts, it is one of the best battle systems I have played to date.
Graphics - The graphics were aesthetically pleasing, and were some of the best I have seen a Wii game have. The scale of locations was impressive to say the least, offering boundless possibilities. Enemy design was nicely done and clear, and towns had a good amount of detail to them. Though the facial expressions didn't really compare to all the other graphics, they were good for what they were and didn't really take anything away from the game. From the clear blue skies to the towering cliffs overflowing with greenery and even the smallest blade of grass blowing in the wind, the amount of detail put in to the graphics were stunning. Even the transition to night time had its charm, with some stormy nights showing a lot of detail with the rain, and the occasional streak of lightning illuminating the dark murky night. I truly believe that this game pulls as much out of a Wii game as possible when graphics are in mind.
Sound - The voice acting in the game fit well, and you could tell they were interested in expressing the feelings of the character. Though at times I felt the voice acting felt a lot more script read and slow in places, it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of it. The sound track within the game was great, bringing an exciting feel to it as you traveled across the vast areas. In battle music was fast and enjoyable, and really made me get in to the fighting spirit. Each location provided a very well done piece of music, and fit the overall feel to the area. Anyone thinking of playing this game, will without a doubt receive a nice treat for the ears.
Depth - Xenoblade Chronicles offers you as the player an incredible amount of depth, with enticing story that pulls you in to the game to towering locations to explore. The main story can last for up to a huge 67 hours, and that is without aiming for extras within the game. If you want to attempt any extra things, such as optional side quests and items, you can up your total play time to an impressive 98 + hours. It is highly possible to go well over 150 + hours of game play in Xenoblade Chronicles, so when depth is concerned you wont be let down at all.
Addictiveness - This was one of the most addictive games I have ever taken on, at times I had to pull myself away from my game. I rarely found a moment that left me bored, it always provided something to grab my interest. I could easily get lost within the expansive locations and side quests for hours at a time, sometimes playing morning till night. For people looking for a good game that can keep them entertained for a long period of time, Xenoblade Chronicles would meet your needs and more.
Difficulty - The difficulty was actually rather challenging to me in some areas, while there are spots that you can easily overcome, some enemies can prove to be a handful. Like many games, the more you level up the easier fights can become, but with this game even if you spent hours leveling up your team, you could always find an enemy to give you a decent fight. Boss battles were some of the hardest I have encountered in places, pushing me to pull out all the stops in order to survive. Even field monsters could hold their own, sometimes making me step back to plan out an action. There are no save points anywhere to be found in game, you are able to save at any point you chose. I appreciated this as I got deeper in to the game, as it is a helpful feature when you are about to start something you think you might not survive though. I would recommend this game if you enjoy some interesting fights, as it offers plenty.
Overall - The game as a whole, I don't really have anything bad to say about it. Sure in some places it may not be on par with other parts of the game, but I found they are hardly noticeable while playing. So if you want a good gaming experience, full of good story, pleasing music, exciting combat and an overall rich graphic environment, then Xenoblade Chronicles will be right up your street. A true must play for any action RPG fan.
Graphics 8 Sound 8 Addictive 7 Story 8 Depth 10 Difficulty 7
Review Rating: 5/5
Submitted: 05-16-13
Updated: 05-16-13
Review Replies: 0
10
"One Rare Adventure, That'll Change One's Heart and Outlook" sonicthehedgeho..
Gods...the one quintessential term always reminisced by ancient folklore or during roman periods, several stories have shown and written with these humans of immense strength and knowledge. Some of which can tell a...tale? Of which a God that would nourish their land and keep the life there calmed and cared for, only acting when they see fit to do so; however, you then have the other stories wherein that "power" of the higher human which would use their godly power to create the world as they would see fit...no matter if it meant the cost of any human life on that world. Due to these 2 differences it causes some of us mortals to believe in past tellings of these gods, while others simply throw away that whole concept all together. Stating that the gods are dead, and the world lives on its own now...or does it really?
Like many tales you'll hear among this one, these 2 contrasting views between gods has lead to wars before causing many different options to open up. One may live and one may die, both may stay or both could fade away...these words perfectly foreshadow the events that took place on this world we now stand upon from above. The foundation we breathe upon...breathed and lived how we wish to make it out, with no gods in sight to destroy one's vision/outlook at least from what we had hoped. With us normal humans living atop the shell of these monsters or saviors, (however you wish to look upon them as) trying to making peace with the others around us. There's only one thing you viewers need to figure out...is this "God" complex a necessity in order to live one's life?...or...is it something that's no longer needed in today's society? *glowing orb talks to Vizzed Board* The choice is yours...follow me further into this story....and let me know how you feel and desire afterwards. That, is the will of this reviewer. *fades to black showing Monado lighting up brightly in darkened fields*
|~__Rare and somewhat unknown game, delivering a wondrous view to viewers__/~|
Now for all you viewers out here I'm going to be brutally honest with you all and say that when I saw this games title alongside a short teaser trailer made by a youtuber online I had figured: "oh it'll be like a Zelda/Final Fantasy esque kind of style" wherein it's creative; yet, not exactly the best looking for a system. I was COMPLETELY wrong and I wanted to go back and smack my previous self in the face (if only I could have had a vision like our hero to stop that from happening) as even though this game was released just around the end of this systems lifespan, I think it's the most beautiful looking game on the system as well as any other game I had seen even after 2012! (as didn't know about it till mid 2014) So what is it that makes this game special when compared to most you may ask? To start things off nicely the first thing you'll notice is the character sprites which are actually really great and have a mix of both realism wherein it looks like someone you could actually meet up with; but, it also has that feel/look letting you know it's a still a game character...even if they're able to suck you into the story/game with their great personalities.
As you can tell from the characters the game though pretty is not HD quality like you would expect from a modern system like PS4 and such; however, not only do I feel that'd be very unjust to review the graphics in that way for a 4 year old game... (last generation as well) but I actually feel even without that 1080P/60FPS resolution that the places you'll explore around will be very beautiful and really great to look at artistically and just normally once you take in the surrounding landscapes and wildlife/habitat. Enough bantering to you all though, let's move out to some examples of what I mean by this! *activates talent art and blueish aura surround hedgehog* Alright everyone! Let's go!!
[]Colony 9[]
*shows lower half of Bionis leg on Vizzed Map* Ahhh...if you could ever talk about a relaxing first visit to an area this would have to be it! Shortly before you come here you're lead to run through a nice plain like field which really gives you that great nature and beauty feeling before heading into your homeland of Colony 9. The peaceful and loving colonists of this area, even if this place may not be the best put together or stable in terms of living quarters (especially after all the Mechon attacks prior to this story) it does bring out the inner beauty of its surrounding landscape with the caring and helpful villagers you'll find around this town. Right upon walking in towards the place we're greeted by a nice bridge overseeing the nice waters of the lakes surrounding the body of this colony, as well as the nice beach like foundation you'll land upon below (if jumping to the water).
What may make this landmark more interesting for you guys to feed upon like the crabs down below on the sand as we mentioned previously, is the fact that the town also doubles as a training area or militia camp for when an attack my be heading for the colony. Whether up high or down below from the hills, they must get their soldiers ready for battle and equipment set up to take down any of the threats. Mixed with the comforting and serene melody you'll hear as soon as you head up close to the main entrance with soldiers, merchants, and villagers galore, it just works soooo well with the way this land looks inside and out. Exactly what as I stated when starting this off, I feel it's a reaally great starting area for you to begin this game especially as a newbie to this possible play style as well. Just like the colonel's great job on managing this area, so let's head off to our next example! Good Job All!!
//::Valak Mountain:://
Probably the other most notable area in the game at least to me, due to just how different it can feel from the daylight transition to the night one. Basically have you ever watched a movie or show where they're headed for a mountain tavern to stay at due to a stormy blizzard that's told to be coming, or just like a wintry holiday where you picture piles and piles of snow falling from the sky and covering the landscape in its frosty white glaze. Therefore making the scenery appear very beautiful even if just a little bit dense on it's blurriness value due to this blizzard of beauty. Not enough to convince you of its brilliant looks just yet? How about this...*opens sonic menu and swaps to 21:30 time* there we go! Experience this winter haven, except now in the nighttime natural wonder it leaves you with. <3 (if ya can't tell yet but I love how it looks at this time)
With the Ice Trees shining brightly upon the white snow causing it to brighten up the rocks and areas all around it in a "gold" like color tone, while surrounding the area we also have Ice Crystals across the ground with the now yellow tone to them as well and just....ugh....when you go up upon a cliff in this area and just pan the camera around you just can't help but take in the inner sights and feel behind this wonderfully made landmark. If there's ever a time both during your playthrough of the story or from side-quests where you'd just like to relax for a bit and refocus everything you should do in your head then this area would be perfect for you viewers, especially with the night and morning music that accompanies it! Time to move on to our final part, leaving us with our reception of this area as...Heropon think very cool!
**``Cut-scenes``**
The final point to bring up here relies us to the viewing pleasure of everyone's favorite, cut-scenes. Now now...even though this game is cut-scene heavy and usually is a turn off for players since it makes you feel as though you're not even playing the game anymore, I feel however that with each scene you'll watch and try to understand during this games length is actually VERY interesting with each one. Learning more about some characters or the plot to the game in general with many twists and turns here and there between friends, enemies, and natives alike. Between some moments where you can just see a heartwarming time in which a couple of the characters in this game get together and discuss a certain event that occurred or what could be happening and how they should handle it all? While on the other hand you could deal with an average scene at first; but, then only a few minutes later you could get bombarded with enemies or friends that have decided to go rouge on you! Leading to an eventual fight between the two of ya which can become very fierce/relentless/and even depressing at times depending on the individuals and possible past events. Alongside the smooth animation between fight scenes or just when the main cast shows up alongside a new villain in the storyline with a threatening and dark introduction, I'd say the graphics in these cut-scenes are spot on and don't miss a chance to take a beat when the opportunity arises. So though there may be many at times, it's safe to say you won't ever be completely bored by any of them!
Taking a nice grand look at everything, I can definitely say this game does have a lot to offer in terms of looks and background perspective on things. The only real complaint I would think that one could make is that fact that like MOST Rpg's the animations on the characters mouth don't always follow nicely with what the character may be saying causing the animation to repeat and not seem as natural as one may wish. Although, with how well the actual graphics look minus that one tiny setback I'd say that it still deserves the high
10 out of 10 rating for the looks and feels of this game. Time for the next section so let's press on and on AND ON!
(!!) Absorbing some gaming tunes, that are so fitting for its godly atmosphere !()!
*Hears beat drop and music kick up quickly* Yeaaaah! If you viewers thought that this was mostly just going to be a win win for the graphics you're dead wrong, with how good the snow and ice feels while traveling around them...one can only wonder how does the chilling and enjoyful music sound once roaming around a player's landscape and stuff. We've already given you a small glimpse into what its like earlier when mentioning some places, and not joking I would personally say to me this honestly has to be the perfect music hue and soundtrack you could listen to for not only this RPG/fighting game; yet, also for any real game that'll have a lot of action or exploration to do. There's not really many tracks out of the 100 (or close to) available themes where I can listen and just be like :/ meh...could be a lot better; as instead, I'll probably say that I enjoy the theme as well but possibly not as much as other themes that I'll be mentioning below. Unlike the game though which doesn't have my horrible segways into parts, I'd say we can head into those examples now hm? <3
XXX//Unfinished Battlexxx
haaaa <3 sooo pumping...*stands gasped with quilled standing on end* Oh...yeah right...Sorry. This theme just captivates me whenever I happen to take a listen to it due to just how much I feel it's able to personally make your adrenaline and moral boost up immensely! Sure though, how can one single song have "that" great of an effect on others when all it's really just a bunch of instruments and sounds played sporadically from one ear to the next? The answer comes from the fact from which a songs musical score just like the looks of a place are created by memories of your times there or of listening to it the first couple of times, just like when looking at the mountains of the Valak area with its so melody. From what you could piece together from just that title alone it sounds like this song usually always plays whenever a battle can't be won or must be set off to the side, and surprisingly for some of you that's half correct and half incorrect at the same time. What makes this theme so touching and just making you want to get up and charge at your obstacle ahead besides the normal lovely orchestral work is the events that play out during that time, to help you understand let me shave off a tid-bit of a scene here."I can taaaalk, and I've got a great memory! I remember that girl from the Colony, having you all plowed to the ground...while my claws slid right through her flesh! It was like a hot knife througgggh butter! AHAHAHA".
If that doesn't already get your blood boiling and wanting to just smash that foe whom had decided to spout those words against you, then I have absolutely now clue what will tick you off? And at that dark moment when you feel like even with that rage you can't bear anything as this song starts to begin its "spirit" pumping wonder about, a certain "couple" makes it onto the scene to lend a hand with skilled weapons and such made to give themselves and you the party a much easier time against those foul beasts. To me when seeing that mixed with this theme, it just refuels that fire in your heart and makes you not wanna give up on this fight nor wanting to have to leave it "unfinished" ironically. I'm sorry but...just...even if you have to highlight this part and look up the song to get my reaction to this at all PLEASE go ahead! I promise it'll be worth it for such a great song and hopefully onto the next great example.
"""_--Gaur Plains--_"""
Kicking us back off at the calm and peaceful near-beginning point of our journey with friends Reyn and Shulk in hand now, as you bridge across your first main huuuge area during this game. Trust me when I said in graphics where you can see something is how far you can go and that makes this place just right out of Colony 9 VERRRY large. Yet, with such a feeling like that of being off and exploring your first time all around this land...you get such a nice and upbeat song that starts playing in the background almost as if it's yelling to your eyes and ears (not like the colonel I hope...) these words: Hey there! Well hope you'll have a great time enjoying this lovely scenery all around you with the special wildlife and other strange creatures around this landscape. :3 Also I know you're still new at this so don't worry this place will be a great time for us to let you experiment and try out what you need go ahead, just make sure you keep on marching ahead and not forgetting about your goals due to the nice and carefree beat you've got following behind your every move.
Like how a certain sword wielding hero we love and know would say: "We mustn't be careless". Specially with one segment of this soundtracks song, as it builds up the same adventuring desire in you as the player it also changes to a soothing and sweet transition almost like 2 cymbals banging together and then having an angelic harp being strummed from top to bottom evenly as if the song let's you know that it's ok to take a break and relax for a bit between battling and exploring all around. Definitely a memorable place to go back and see during a later part of your journey or just a great visit when you're leaving your home colony for the first couple of times to help out against enemy attacks or chores the townsfolk may need finished. Another wonderful theme in my monado's heart; however, let's not dawdle and continue ahead into our last song for ya!
...!!!Confrontation with the Enemy!!!...
Now sure I've mentioned a lot of upbeat or songs that can really get you up in a difficult time; though, how about we take a step into the more darker side of some video games audio and pull out a song that will only really play in devastating moments to a character or a really difficult moment for a towns inhabitants or surrounding life amongst the people involved in this event. Just really getting you into that horrible feeling of wanting to be able to help someone out and even though you know you're not prepared or the person fighting against that evil in front of you all, you still don't give up trying. Because of that it becomes a fruitless effort in the end and as such a tragic moment can happen against one comrade or innocent civilian, at which point the sad violins and devastating voice that you'll hear humming throughout the music's dramatic tone and shifts just makes your emotions run rampant as you feel entirely helpless and horrible.
Good example could be the event which took place before the event in the Unfinished Battle segment quote, wherein we actually get to see a beloved character get attacked and left alone to cling onto what they may have left. Just like with the previous mentioned song this one also knows exactly how to get your blood boiling at points especially in that moment where you're just trapped and can't do anything to stop it or generate his aggression towards you instead of that nice character. Again :P not going to spoil the fun for you all by having names; but, just know that it can be quite a heart wrenching scene to your viewers the first time your eyes gaze upon that seen and your ears having to face this music at the same moment as well. It's very effective; however, you just better make sure you're ready for it later on and now cause it may or may not cause you to shed a tear with anger just like the main characters and friends of this game. *claps hands* Just a marvelous job from this company and it's sound production.
Certainly living up to the systems library of impressive and unique soundtrack; and yet, I almost feel like it tops the others games or comes very close to doing so with all of them in my opinion. Between the emotional response it can cause you to have from the scenario's and tunes supplied it exceeds in what most people come to think of as musical perfection, maybe not every song will suit with you well though I promise you...you won't be having a list longer of songs you dislike compared to like. Between the performance of the orchestra used for this game and the voice actors of each character being so well done. This just...just makes it to the highest of lists in my eyes earning a solid
10+ out of 10. So now I'll move on...as those words...were my laasssstt!!! *gets rageful from last song*
|++_One's story and gameplay, that you most likely won't be putting away!_++|
I'm going to let you guys in on a little secret in case you don't really know my specific gaming style well...but, I usually would never really be interested in a RPG game series like this as I never have really been a big fan of mostly all the Final Fantasy games (can enjoy a couple, though still probably wouldn't play them) so most of you followers are probably going to be expecting a lower score on this section due to the series style and the fact I'm not a real fan of it correct even with the high rated music and visual appeal as well. Sadly the downer train isn't going to be running on much steam as we've seen thus far, as not only do I feel that I enjoy just "watching" this game immensely; but, I also think I'd reaally enjoy it if I had a chance to play it as well! *hears shock and see's appalled reactions in audience* Yes yes...this isn't April anymore so no jokes are being spilled out in this review so don't worry you're not all fools thinking you heard that. I, Sonic57 would love a legitimate RPG and not one that's simple and based around a "thin" layer of fun (Sorry Mario ;_; ) and I must say I was shocked as well. Let's not lose our heads her though with the montage of me, instead talk about "what" it is that makes this game so addictive in my eyes and to others whom are RPG fans or especially for ones like myself that are newbies to the series or don't enjoy them as much? Well I've already mentioned the way the characters appear and talk alongside the orchestral symphony you'll be pleased with throughout this adventure, so let's jump into some other reasons shall we ;)
To start off with I absolutely love the way they laid out the story for this game, due to the way it actually does make you think of real life issues at times with the whole thing of power amongst a god and that no one can talk back to them and they have all right to what happens. Then we see our main characters end up struggling through that with a separate clan known as the Mechon, possibly later on as well we meet a different group of character whom really just bring the feelings of this story alive and how our friends with Shulk express their emotions with how all they want is peace alongside everyone. It just really captivates you and makes you wanna continue with the game no matter how difficult or long it may take to get past one point.
My second point being what I believe to be the biggest selling point in addictiveness is the combat style they decided to go around with by making it nice and simple; although, still reminiscent for fans of other RPG's before it (Feels like a mix of Final Fantasy with arts, and Kingdom Hearts with normal combat) What I mean by this is that unlike previous games from this genre where you just instinctually have to know exactly what a move does before you use it on an enemy, if you're afraid of that with series like this then take a sigh of relief as with each move you have unlocked
selected in your talents art bar it gives you a tiny description at the bottom telling you what it does and can inflict on enemies.
This is something I REALLY wish more games did, as not everyone can remember what "drill driver" or some move that you used 7-10+ years ago does and how it affects certain enemy types.
The Final point I'd like to bring up deals with the relative length of the game, which as stated in addictiveness with how big just one area can be for a certain part of the Bionis/Mechonis can be you'll have to end up traveling long distances during your adventure and we all know what that means ;_; backtracking...and waiting for time to pass by right? For the tracking point I will say, yes there will be that along the way. WAIT THOUGH! Hold your Nopon butts here for one second :/ the big difference here is that it's not that big of deal really, how could that be when it's always a chore? Well mostly for the fact that you can not only teleport to different landmarks you've already visited instead of just walking back; BUT, you can also change the time of day at will as well! Game...you're really starting to win me over all over again <3-<3
There are many other reasons that I feel make this game so very addictive to pick up and play or even just watch on the computer if you aren't able to snatch a copy of it, sadly I can't exactly tell you everything as otherwise what'd be the point to having you watch the game or try it out for yourself then? Being not much of a huge fan towards games set in this kind of play style normally, I was and still am shocked at how much it flipped the tables on me with its fighting style as well as exploration options that it offered you. Hands down I feel the game deserves a
9 out of 10 for addictiveness, only reason it's not a 10 is cause like with almost any game in this style...you do need a little break before you come back and play the game all over again. Eh :P good thing I'm here to explain right! No? Anyone? ..... :( ok...let's move on.
*O==/* An ancient story left to amaze viewers of this world*==O*
Such a cataclysmic event that had to occur thanks to the greedy will of one god whom wanted to have it all under their rule (and other previous events for players to find out) from this decision our whole word had been split apart in two, leaving the human side to fend for themselves and protect against the other living side known as "Mechon" whom mostly desire nothing less than to attack and destroy all living "Homs" (humans) on the other side of their own titan mold. Many years have passed since that fateful attack, though it was there that this problem all began...where the war between human life and mechanical ones were being pushed to their utmost limits. With our old warrior Dunban, being at the centerfold of the entire battle...trying to make it peaceful once more by driving the mechon away to show them that they didn't want any war; however, they would fight if it meant they got to stay alive leading to the successful war upon Mechonis's "Sword Valley" working quarters. With that one blade...the Monado to thank for the victory, the one that though is powerful is also very destructive to our hero's health as shown by his vision almost fading several times before. A mysterious weapon to be sure...almost as if it was a ungodly like weapon due to its abilities and strengths for one very large weakness.
This brings us viewers into the world of our protagonist Shulk, wherein after a dark and tragic brawl against those 2 gods above as well as the fight that was purged after the residents of both gods foundation faced it out...we reach our present time and hero. A peaceful boy Shulk as noted above, was searching randomly for some spare armor that had been laying around from that battle so many years before. Seeing if he could make same fancy equipment out of it for the soldiers or even have it become part of the mobile artillery, everything had seemed nice and dandy with his many friends at side and mentor/idol Dunban always checking up on his condition and growth. Everything was at peace just like our previous hero had wishes for and hope it would remain for all time...until...the rivaling company of Mechonis decided to pay a secretive and destructive visit causing grief and damage to much life around the town. Although armored and properly conditioned for battle, the wounds of past have taken their toll on our mentor Dunban...causing the Monado...to be all but pointless. Hmph! Or at least that's what they'd want to happen *Shulk rubs up and grabs Monado* looks like it's time for a new warrior to take hold of the Monado and help make the future as they feel best fits! For every side...for all of humanity Mechon, Homs and all alike! *see's vision of bad future happening in brawl* heh not gonna happen with this story! *slices screen and ends possible outcome*
Seems like the story is already huge enough with all that alone right? It's very easy to say that this isn't even half of what you'll get to experience and have to decide and emotionally connect to in order to make the best choice in your heart. This not only creates a great story in general; and yet, also adds the ability for the player to have some connectivity and make their own path of what should happen during the story at certain points with few details being taken in or out due to helping or forgetting about anything during your journey. Just trust me when I saw if you give this adventure at least 3-4 episodes worth I can almost be certain that you'll enjoy it a lot if you're open to most stories in this play style (like the 2 games listed above as examples). Because of the creativity ensued and other parts that you'll learn about later it deserves a high score, this is the Monado's power! This is a
10 out of 10 rating for Story!
{}[]Lots to do, heaping amounts of fun, and a long journey for all players][}{
As it would appear from this review so far this game certainly does offer a lot more than it may let on from a single trailer or two right? Which you'd be correct since as we said before the graphics of each town/valley/or plain is far vaster than it may originally appear or seem when first hoping in, mostly due to the fact that in most games before this one always had an invisible barrier or something not letting you go so high up on a building or past a certain point left or right in a meadow. Thankfully in this game you don't really have this issue as the basic saying goes: "what you see, is what you get" and nothing could be more truthful to that statement than what you get to see and journey across inside this game. If you see a 200 foot monolith that you can climb upon you'd best believe you can make it all the way up there and then stand and take wide look at the view below where you had started your quest, give yourself some nice memories how far you've come along since the beginning.
It's a really great feeling to be able to have this perspective from just about any place you'll visit as well as from different angles possibly too! This game will also give you a lot of playtime for just the story part of the game which is kind of rare to see in most games these days even by just normal/average players, even if you're skilled at this game it's still going to take you at least a couple days to get by everything in the main game. Best part for some of you completionists out there, that's only just for the story! In case you enjoy doing everything achievement wise or sidequest wise in a game, then you could just quite possibly have 100 hours devoted into the game or higher depending on how well versed you are with the layout of some town/or places in Bionis or Mechonis (wherever the job takes place) so there's definitely a lot for you there game wise. ;) I think Reyn's time is shouting for the next example of depth this game has to it.
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|_|Arts/Gear| |
Probably the second most time consuming and depth filled factor in the game, is helping manage arts between character and changing gear around for certain situations to make things easier on yourself. The first of the two I'd like to chat with you all about would be the arts since there's more to discuss about them and how much they can affect you at different points in the story, so let's hope into it. Basically each character starts off with a certain amount of special arts they're able to use once the icon is completely filled up from attacking the enemy (or waiting for it to replenish, depending on situation and art) such arts can help out by toppling and enemy in which their defense will plummet significantly and you'll be able to do a lot more damage to them in that phase, or you could have an art which will inflict bleed upon an enemy which shall basically make it so while you're doing damage to the opponent it will start to lose health at a small rate but will last usually around 10-20 seconds depending on the art that was used. Since you can hold I believe 8 arts at a time for each character that's where you can get creative and have multiple different affects you can inflict on an enemy or give yourself a better chance to evade and not take as much damage from an attack.
As you progress through the story or are able to gain certain arts by buying art books from shopkeepers in different towns and areas, there's no need to get worried either as if you already have 8 slots with arts on a character you'll still be able to gain and change them around at any time. All of that above is basically kind of the same with the gear you'll find around from dropped treasure chest or when you're buying them from a merchant, both your gear and weapons are allowed to carry gems which will increase your damage and possible give you some special effects as well such as raising your "evasion" and "stealth-atk" basically meaning it will be a lot harder for enemies to spot you when attacking or just trying to move along a path near them. So in case you really wanna beef our glass cannon a character of yours inside the game then you'll definitely have fun with this feature of the game that is definitely filled to the brim with items and special treats here and there, leaving you with much to find and try out in the game.
Hopefully from everything you saw already mentioned in the addictiveness and what was added here, that you're definitely getting a money's worth for how much time you'd be able to invest into it. Between the side-quests, to the collectapedia you can fill out, to just collecting every piece of equipment that you can get...this game for sure bring it home with how much you'll be offered. So again once more for the game I'm going to have to give it the well-deserved
10 out of 10 score, this time for its depth factor! Onto the final section now, leave it to me!
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/_I'm reaaally feeling it, with fair and strategic difficulty throughout/
Everything seems to be going so smoothly so far, could this possibly be the breaking point now for the game though? Sadly I don't think so, well at least I don't with the way it's handled. Most of the time when people come down and look at the difficulty segment for a game genre like this, they'll usually always end up mentioning that you'll need to grind a bit to quite a while before you can win a battle with little to no issues. So how does this game fare when it comes to that standard you may ask? The surprising answer is actually "quite well" for the fact that of course when you level up your attack/life/and special power goes up a bit, the only difference is that whenever you come across a different/unmarked claim then you'll gain some extra experience increasing your chances to level up more. Think about it this way you don't end up falling that short of Colony 9 or Gaur Plains shortly after starting your game...that's already 2x that you'll have gotten that whole area exp bonus; therefore, I don't really see grinding becoming a main task with this game and even if may need to it'll be veeery minute so no needs to worry. What about when it comes to fighting up against enemies with the Monado? Sounds just like it would when you say it, not a huge deal; however, not an easy feat either.
Even though you can use the Monado's power to attack or shield yourself from status affects they may incur you still have to pay attention and watch out for you or your partner cause one fatal mistake and that could cost your partner's life and they'll be incapacitated until you can either: "A. Defeat the enemies in battle with only yourself, and your partner will revive with 1hp. or B. If at least 1/3 of the "Party Gauge" is full you'll be able to revive them". As such never get too cocky with your partners while fighting against an enemy or a group of enemies as they could very easily turn the situation around at times, and that lowering aggro to someone who's more so a tank would help benefit fighting against such strong opponents. The difficulty for certain parts can also depend on how much you're checking your partners and equipment for the battle that's coming up, so that way you're not having bad weapons or not so great partners out for the fight...so mostly with this game its difficulty relies on you. The controls are fluent and nice like we said in the addictiveness segment and regular combat is also simple and easy to understand as it's mostly just locked on combat with one another (auto attacks while you lock on and can choose arts to damage enemy with/heal self).
Really besides how well you are at micro-managing your supplies here and there, there isn't much else you can say about how difficult the game will be for you. As it could be easier for one person than another due to the fact that they had proper equipment supplied for that round while the others didn't. Same with bosses and normal foes even if they seem very very tough at times, just know either one of you could switch it around by either having you topple it and slashing away or it putting you into a daze and you're left helpless for a bit. As such with everything I think a nice solid
8 out of 10 would be fair for difficulty as even though it is all fair between every side, you can just as easily be knocked down by enemies as they could be with you...adding to the fact that they're usually a little higher leveled when first met compared to you.
The time has now come, it's time for all of you to make a choice. Will we walk the path destined by the gods whom battled for control back then...or....will your forge your own creative path letting things come and go at this world's leisure like others in this world would've desired? The choice is yours...What is it you desire? Heroic Hedgehog? *Sonic57 nods with Sux, User, Eirinn, Zero, Poke, and Kimmy* It's not mine...no...it's not our right to rule and make decisions for everyone...all we wish for *throws Vizzed Monado into air* is a world...with no reviewing gods!! *Board flashes with Monado's and blasts, creating new Vizzed World*
Sonicthehedgehog57tm 2015
Graphics 10 Sound 10 Addictive 9 Story 10 Depth 10 Difficulty 8
Review Rating: 5/5
Submitted: 06-27-15
Review Replies: 8
10
The best JRPG to set foot on the Wii tyranit
Hello everyone, I am Tyranit, and welcome to my review of Xenoblade Chronicles. I have had a history with this game since about July of 2014, searching wildly for this game, to only find a disc. I learned about this game from a popular Let's Player on Youtube by the name of Chuggaaconroy. He has been covering this game 100% for about half a year now. Before we get to the review, this game almost never made it over to the United States, even though it received rave reviews over in Europe and Japan, and that is why we have the British voice actors for all of the characters. Operation Rainfall saved this game, along with The Last Story and Pandora's Tower, so we could have this game on North American consoles. Be warned, there are some spoilers ahead, and the future may not be for you. Now lets get to the review, shall we. Graphics: 8I give Xenoblade Chronicles an 8 in the graphics department because this game has the most amazing atmosphere that you could have ever asked for. The day and night cycle really shows this in areas such as Eryth Sea and Valak Mountain. The cut-scenes are great looking as well, as the character models are well polished for a Wii game. There are a lot of cut-scenes that stretch about ten to fifteen minutes long, and I never get bored because it looks like a cartoon I would watch on Saturday morning. The NPC designs are very good, especially the High Entia and the Machina, as they look human, or Homs in this game, but still have their distinctions between them. The enemy designs also look great, as the Mechon have great color usage, but some unique monsters look like the regular monster, or are just re-colors, but they still look good. The weapon and armor designs for the characters also look unique, but do sometimes clip through the characters in cut-scenes if the equipment is big.Sound: 10I give Xenoblade Chronicles a perfect 10 in sound because this is some of the best sounding music that has ever come out of a video game. Yes, it is even better than Wily Stage 1 in Mega Man 2. Go look up the songs You Will Know Our Names and Mechanical Rhythm in your spare time, they are amazing to hear in battle as well as by itself. There are also songs in areas that I love to listen to, such as Mechonis Field, and the night time theme of Valak Mountain. None of the music is lacking, and it is a long soundtrack. It was so big, that it was officially released on FIVE DISCS! I have high hopes for Xenoblade Chronicles X's music because of the greatness of this soundtrack.Addictiveness: 9I give Xenoblade Chronicles a 9 in addictiveness because it is a very fun game to experience with the battle system, the story, and just walking around in beautiful areas whenever you get the chance. I don't go through all of the quests whenever I go through the game again, but I do try to discover each area so I don't have to worry about levels. There is a feature called New Game + where you can play through the game again at your current level that you beat the final boss with, and you will keep all of your equipment. If you know about all of the Level 80 unique monsters that you had to run as fast as you could away from in early areas, now you can defeat them because you are leveled up enough to do so, as you were too under leveled to do so in your first run. Story: 10+If I could rate the story of Xenoblade Chronicles above a 10, I would. I give it a perfect 10 though because this is the first game that the story actually interested me, and I did not actually skip the cut-scenes of. Even though some of the cut-scenes hit the twenty minute mark, I still do not get bored because it feels like I am watching a quality anime. I think the heart-to-hearts in this game really impact the story and some unique dialogue that you could skip over if you do not explore everything that is accessible to you at the time. I learned that an early faced Mechon named Xord was actually the father of one of the characters in Colony 9. A basic summary of the story of Xenoblade Chronicles is that two ancient titans named the Bionis and the Mechonis, beings made by Zanza and Meyneth respectively, lived in peace originally, but the Bionis attacked the Mechonis, and they were waged in an endless war. When the titans stopped moving, the Mechon waged war on the Bionis, led by Egil, to kill every living being on Bionis so that it could not reawaken. This introduces our young hero, Shulk, and his friends Reyn and Fiora. Fiora is killed in a Mechon attack, and Shulk and Reyn, with the Monado in hand, climbed the Bionis in search of Metal Face, the Mechon who killed her. On the way, Shulk and Reyn meet the medic Sharla, the Heropon Riki of the Nopon race, Melia, a half Homs, half High Entia princess of the capital of Bionis, Alcamoth. They also recruit Fiora's older brother and previous wielder of the Monado, Dunban. They figure out on top of Prison Tower that Fiora was not dead, but turned into a Face Mechon named Face Nemesis. They eventually save her after Fiora regains some control, and she joins the party with the spirit of Meyneth inside of her Face Mechon. They go across Sword Valley, and get into the Mechonis, and have to climb all the way up to defeat Egil, leader of Mechonis. After this, we realize that Egil was not the true villain, but the spirit of Zanza that was living inside of Shulk took the Monado, as well as Meyneth's Monado from Fiora. This was caused by long time friend Dickson, who shot Shulk in the back, and reveals himself as one of Zanza's disciples. Shulk is unconscious after this, and the party has to go on without him. They also figure out that the other 2 disciples were friends of theirs, Lorithia of Alcamoth, and Alvis, the sear of the royal family of Alcamoth. Shulk comes back, and they go on to defeat Zanza, and Shulk recreates the world where there is no need for gods like Zanza or Meyneth. Dang that was a long explanation, but that was the smallest summary that I could give, that is how long the story is.
Depth: 10+
If I could give the Depth of this game over a ten as well, I would definitely do it. This game is linear, but the areas of the game are so expansive that you could literally explore a smaller area, like the Bionis Leg, for over 5 hours trying to kill off unique monsters and complete all of the quests. In the bigger areas like Makna Forest and Valak Mountain, it can take about 10 to 15 hours per area to get all of the areas discovered and all of the quests completed. This game has over 470 quests to take out, and each one can take about 10 minutes a piece, giving you a long bit of time to complete them. The story also makes this score higher because this game could not be as big if the story did not take advantage of this huge world, which it does rather well.
Difficulty: 6
I give this game a six on difficulty because even if you are over leveled, if you do not pick the right combination of characters for a boss, you will most likely die over and over again. It is also easy to die if you have quite a few enemies attacking you at once. The controls are somewhat complicated, but you get used to them after about a half hour of game play, so that does not contribute to the score all that much. I did have trouble in my runs whenever I did not get all of the quests and explored because the experience that they give you is enough to let you not have to grind at all through the entire game.
Overall: 10
I give this game a perfect 10 because the sound, story, and depth are all phenomenal, the difficulty seems just right and makes sense whenever you die, the addictiveness give me a lot of reason to replay this game over and over again, and the graphics are also a drawing point because of the cut-scenes being so long. This has been my review of Xenoblade Chronicles, thank you for reading.
Graphics 8 Sound 10 Addictive 9 Story 10 Depth 10 Difficulty 6
Review Rating: 5/5
Submitted: 02-08-15
Review Replies: 0
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