I’ll be upfront with
you. If for some reason you have a Wii,
but never gave this game a shot, you owe it to yourself to track it down
now. And if you do, DON’T do what I did
and pick away at it over the course of a year.
I know it’s a long game -- very long -- but the faster you beat it, the
more likely you are to be able to digest its particulars in one fell
swoop. The gameplay, the story, all of
it; if you have the willpower, I’d recommend an all-guns-blazing marathon
run. Don’t play any other games but Xenoblade until you finish it. Got it?
That way, when you decide to sit down and write a post about it, you’ll
be able to remember and type everything you need to in order to prove that you
haven’t lost your touch.
…Though I could be
reaching a bit.
Warning: There are some minor spoilers up
ahead, so unless you want to subject yourself to the horrors within, I’d
recommend avoiding this post. Nothing
deal-breaking, but there is stuff in there that’ll sour an experience if you’re
not careful.
So let’s do this thing, and celebrate the one
game that justifies the Wii’s existence.
You know, unless you count Skyward
Sword, Punch-Out!!, Sin and Punishment: Star Successor, Kirby’s Epic Yarn,
Trauma Team, NBA Jam, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Super
Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2, No More Heroes, No
More Heroes 2, MadWorld, Sonic Colors, Super Paper Mario, Metroid Prime 3,
Monster Hunter Tri, Mario Kart Wii, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, New Super Mario
Bros. Wii, and about twenty other games on this list.
…Why do people give the Wii so much crap,
exactly?
Okay. So there’s this thing I do where I listen to
a song and I come up with plus or minus two thousand words explaining why it’s
pretty cool. You might have seen it once
or twice, maybe. Or maybe you saw that
one post I did where I named some of my favorite video game songs and explained
why they’re cool in plus or minus two paragraphs. Or even that post where I brought up DAT ANIME MUSIC. (Remarkably, no rowing or
power-fighting was done.)
Joking aside, there’s
one song that I’ve thought about analyzing in full several times in the past --
but I always held off. Part of that was
because The Manly Song Repository is (primarily) where Cross-Up visitors can
offer their own suggestions for manly songs…with the proper recognition, of
course. I’ll throw in a song every now
and then if need be, and while there are plenty I could choose from, I’ve held
off on including this song in particular.
I’ll explain why in a
moment. But for now, listen to this
song. I mean it; I’m making this a
requirement for the rest of the discussion.
Plus it’s pretty good, so there’s that.
If you weren’t aware,
“You Will Know Our Names” is the song that starts up whenever you encounter a
unique -- and more often than not, powerful -- monster on the field. A lot of people equate the song to the
quintessential realization of “oh shit, I’m gonna die”; honestly, I have to
disagree. You heard the song, didn’t
you? It’s true that there’s a sense of
danger behind it, but considering that those ominous tones are followed by
scorching guitar solos -- and that the REAL “oh shit, I’m gonna die” song only
kicks in when you’re in grave danger -- I’d say it’s hard to get too worried
when the song cues up. Though that could
just be me and my preferences; frankly, I was itching to hear that song
whenever I could, if only for the chance to have my battles turn into
blood-boiling struggles for survival, and a chance to blow away my opponents
with a well-placed Sword Drive or Monado Buster. Granted I got curb stomped more than a few
times when the song kicked in, but you get the idea.
I’d argue that “You
Will Know Our Names” is one of the key songs of Xenoblade Chronicles; that is, it carries within a four-minute loop
the spirit and thrust of the story. This
is something that I’ve been mulling over for a while, trying to find just the
right word to sum up the experience (besides the obvious, “good”). I wanted to get all the characters and ideas
and world under one umbrella. And I went
through a few potential choices. Discovery was one of them, and probably
the strongest contender. Revenge might have worked as well. But I think there’s one word that not only
encapsulates the game, but elevates it into something truly memorable…and it’s
as clear as the song of a thousand party wipeouts.
The spirit of Xenoblade Chronicles is triumph.
That really is the best
word to describe it, considering what went on in the background. Remember, if not for Operation Rainfall (or
alternatively, a dearth of releases for the Wii during that period), the states
might have never seen Xenoblade outside
of tantalizing videos on YouTube. The
fact that we have it, AND The Last Story,
AND Pandora’s Tower has to stand for
something -- if not the power of a unified cause or the benefaction of a
company when reasonable demands are made, then just the fact that, hey, something actually worked in our favor.
Not having played The Last Story or Pandora’s Tower, I can’t speak about their quality. But in the case of Xenoblade, there’s no doubt in my mind that it IS a triumph. When people say it might be the best JRPG
released this generation, that’s not hyperbole.
Neither is it exaggeration when others call it the Wii’s best game. Where exactly it’ll slot in depends on
preferences from one player to the next.
But as for me? I’d say it’s a
strong contender for several titles, if it hasn’t claimed them already…well
among them, a potential spot as one of my favorite games ever.
But you know what the
funny thing is? Xenoblade isn’t a good game because it’s complicated. It has a slew of gameplay mechanics, sure,
and its story has interesting ideas and characters, as it should -- but all of
it comes in a thoroughly-simplistic package.
It’s got compressed complexity, to the point where you don’t even bother
worrying about whether the game is too simple or not. So in a sense, that makes things easy on me;
there really isn’t much to say on every little detail, because it’s a product
with uniform and intertwined quality.
Simply put? This’ll be an easy,
breezy, relatively short post. Well,
relative to my abilities.
Before we get going,
let’s spice things up a little. See, if
there’s one phrase that I’ve tossed out often when it comes to JRPGs, it’s
“Better than Final Fantasy.” That’s obviously me speaking from a post-FF13 perspective -- reinforced with the
release of 13-2 -- but I wonder if
that’s an applicable phrase in this case.
…
…Yes, of course it
is. Xenoblade
surpasses that hoary old franchise several times over. Not having played every game in the series I
can’t say with any confidence whether it’s better than, say, FF4 or FF6. That said, I can at
least offer up a comparison and contrast with some of the later titles. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Get ready for a brawl.
So let’s focus on
gameplay first. I’ve said this before,
and I’ll say it again: I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with a
turn-based combat system. It’s a
holdover from days of old, sure, but if Lost
Odyssey and Persona 4 have taught us anything, it’s that it’s
very easy to tweak and add mechanics so that even a game with controls no more
complicated than a DVD menu can offer both strategic, smooth, speedy, and of
course satisfying gameplay. It’s the
ability to slow down the action and observe selective gameplay moments that can
make for a stronger game…and of course, more success on the battlefield.
That said, Xenoblade makes a damn fine case for
real-time RPGs. You encounter enemies on
the field, and rather than teleport to a canned fighting arena, you -- that is,
a party of three -- engage with them wherever you cross paths. It feels like an MMO at first glance (which
admittedly was/is a turnoff for me), in that your characters -- one you
control, and two AI partners -- will auto-attack as long as they’re in range. Likewise, all your special moves operate on
cooldowns. Some have short cooldowns,
some have long ones, and some moves help restore your other moves to a ready
status.
It’s all a matter of
using the right moves at the right time, especially because every move has
significantly different applications than just being an attack. Take leading man Shulk, for example. He’s not exactly a glutton for punishment,
and his fighting style is more appropriate for someone of his character (more
on that later). So instead of acting as
the tank, he’s almost thief-like. Some
of his earliest and most vital moves are Back Slash and Slit Edge, which will
score huge damage/critical hits as long as you attack an enemy from behind or
from the side, respectively. Thing is,
enemies won’t make it that easy for you, since -- again, like an MMO -- you
have to manage each character’s aggro levels via a red ring that appears around
them. So in Shulk’s case, you want to
use Shadow Eye to reduce his aggro; maybe put the heat back on the game’s real
tank so you can get those critical hits.
There’s an undeniable
amount of differentiation between one character and the next, and because of
that the synergy between your on-screen fighters makes for some cool
combinations. I’m not exactly the
adventurous sort when it comes to my party setup, so I was fine with spending a
good 98% of the game with sword-boy Shulk, tanking Reyn, and supporter
Sharla. Reyn draws fire with his
aggro-building abilities, taking the heat off his soft-bodied cohorts. Sharla keeps the team healed, turning Reyn
into a wall of steel. Meanwhile, Shulk
gets in those hits; with moves like Air Slash and Stream Edge, he can set up
enemies with the Break status effect…and once they have that, Reyn can use Wild
Down to inflict Topple, knock them over, and open them up for free hits.
The combat system takes
a little getting used to, but once you’ve spent enough time with it -- the
perennial “cracking the code” -- you’ll have a tight and manageable
system. It’s worth noting that even
beyond the uniqueness of each character and the strategies therein, the system
still has plenty of other flourishes.
Chief among them? No items. Barring a few exceptions, all your healing is
done via cooldown skills -- which in my eyes made Sharla almost a requirement,
but apparently she’s unnecessary in the metagame -- and while you’ll slowly
heal back up to full HP after a fight, if you’re taking a beating you’re bound
to feel some real pressure.
Furthermore,
reviving characters takes the use of the Chain Gauge; if it’s full, you run up
to a downed partner, hit B, and spend 1/3 of the meter to bring them back. The trick, of course, is that if you’re not
fighting effectively, you won’t be able to keep that gauge full, and you’ll be
that much closer to death. Even beyond
that, there’s a certain risk-reward nature to the gauge, in that you can spend
100% meter to execute a string of attacks with your party via “Chain Attacks”
-- and if you’ve got Sharla in the party, you can get in one free heal after
another. Options have to be weighed
accordingly, strategies have to be considered, and even though there’s no item
management aspect, there are still resources you have to be mindful of. Or else.
To say the combat
system is a success would be the understatement of the millennium, and I’d
recommend the game on that facet alone.
Even so, I can’t help but take the issues into consideration. For one thing, I feel as if the gameplay is
almost too complex and has too many flourishes. Okay, so it’s like an MMO, and an easy one to
grasp. But then you’ve got Shulk’s
ability to see visions of the future that’ll let you see when an enemy’s about
to curb-stomp one of your characters, and you’ve got a few seconds to do
something about it. Easy, yes?
Except “doing something
about it” comes down to using the proper ability that coincides with the color
of the text, so if you use Shulk’s Monado Shield, that’ll save the party from
Talent Arts, but Ether Arts are still fair game, I think? Oh, but you can use Monado Speed to boost one
party member’s evasion, but that won’t save you from a full-party attack. And using one of Shulk’s (many) party-saving
moves puts them all on cooldown, so
if you save one party member from one monster, and then another monster uses
another big whompin’ attack, the most you can do is run up to a party member
and tell them to use a certain move, but sometimes they won’t be able to do
anything about it, especially if they’re taking on multiple attacks. And your Chain Gauge is the only way to
revive people, and if you have to revive fallen party members in rapid
succession -- by running over to them, exposing yourself to a savage beating of
your own -- then that Gauge will not only empty, but STAY empty. Basically, it’s very hard to make a comeback in this game without sheer luck on
your side -- and I feel as if those are complications that didn’t need to be
there.
The whole “see the
future” element of the combat isn’t a deal-breaker by any means, but I just
want to make it clear that while the combat in this game is great, it’s not
without flaws. Still, the complexity can
be overwhelming to some, and to some extent that trait carries over into the
customization. Basically, there are
about four separate levels of customization (five if you count the affection
levels between characters) that you need to be mindful of to succeed. You have to manage their equipment and the
status bonuses/losses therein -- including MMO stats like auto-attack
speed. You also have to give your characters
materia gems that also offer stat bonuses and slot into equipment, but
some equipment comes pre-loaded with gems so you run the risk of overloading
yourself trying to keep the perfect setup up to and including forgoing certain
gear.
And even beyond that,
you have to get raw materials for gems in the field and produce them yourself
(and unless you do the proper sidequest, you have to return to the same single
spot over and over again). And then on
top of that you have to put points into your moves so they can get powered up
and have shorter cooldowns, and on top of that
you have to choose your characters’ specs so they can gain passive bonuses,
but if their affection levels are high enough and they’ve progressed far enough
down certain trees they can get the same bonuses that other characters have,
but you can only do that by slotting in certain perks into certain geometric
holes, and -- shit, I think I’m starting to understand why it took me almost a
year to finish this game. It’s so damn
long, you’ll grow a beard by the time you’re finished with the tutorials. Seriously, who goes out of their way to
overload their works with so much content?
“Overload” is the only
word you can possibly use to describe Xenoblade. I’m 100% convinced that, unless you’ve got a
guide in your lap every step of the way (or you’re some sort of deified
savant), there is NO WAY you’re ever going to see all the content in this game. Ever.
Let’s set aside the fact that there are untold hundreds of sidequests,
where any given city can offer dozens of them, and any given NPC can give you
three quests at one time. And let’s set
aside the affection system that demands you have the right characters in the
right spots to advance their bond further, not only requiring expeditions
throughout the world, but for you to develop affection in the first place by
having the right party members fighting on the field (so if Reyn and Riki
haven’t been fighting together enough, tough luck). And let’s ignore the fact that it’s extremely
possible to clear the game without even knowing that you can unlock additional
talent trees -- and even moves -- for your party members by way of doing
certain quests. Let’s just set all of
that aside.
Why? Two reasons.
One: because even with that overload in mind, it is hardly a detriment
to the overall product. In fact, it’s
pretty much a strength in its favor, whether you like the MMO styling or not;
the fact that the most I can do is take the piss out of Xenoblade should be proof enough of the quality. Two: when I say “overload”, I’m not just
talking about the gameplay mechanics or the quests. The element that matters most -- the element
that everyone who’s played this game has noted and adored -- is a simple one.
The world.
You know, I think
there’s an image floating around on the internet about the scale of the
universe. The kind of thing that just
goes to show just how small Earth is in comparison to the rest of the solar
system, and the solar system compared to galaxies, and galaxies compared to the
universe, and the universe we know of compared
to the rest of the universe. If I remember right, the entirety of the
universe that we know about compared to the rest of the universe is like
comparing the size of a quarter to the entirety of the universe we know
about. That’s the kind of stuff that’ll
make you feel really friggin’ small.
And that’s this game in
a nutshell. Never mind the fact that
you’re roaming around on what’s pretty much a bipedal mech large enough to
house multiple ecosystems, up to and including an ocean across its body…and
let’s just ignore the fact that you eventually get to explore another giant bipedal mech made
accessible by a sword that doubles as a valley.
Any given area in this game can require a multi-day commitment --
in-game or otherwise -- to fully traverse from one end to the next, and that’s
under the assumption that you move in what’s essentially a straight line. You won’t, of course, because there are
twists and turns you’ll be making almost constantly -- if not to get to the
waypoint marked on your map (and thankfully pointed to by an arrow and distance
marker in the HUD), then to mine resources, look for special monsters for
clearing quests, and look for a path that’ll lead you back toward the right
path, because after minutes of traversal you’ve realized that you’ve been on
the wrong path for ages. And on top of
all that, there are still hidden areas for you to find and explore (and reap
additional EXP from).
I guess what I’m
getting at here is that Xenoblade is
what happens when the JRPG everyone’s idealized for years is finally made…and
then proceeds to pump iron almost nonstop until it’s a hulking titan of stats
and pixels. This isn’t a world you
explore, but rather a world you survive;
what’s on display here is absolutely overwhelming, to the point where even a
single area and the traversal demanded can prove exhausting. But it’s the good kind of exhausting, if you
believe such a thing exists. The lack of
item management outside of battle puts the focus on getting from Point A to
Point B (or Point C, D, E, and Tau, if you prefer), which in turn lets you
enjoy the sights without worrying if you’ll have enough Orange Gels to keep
your TP high. Outside of the thousands
of battles you’ll fight on your way to the endgame, you’re free to do what
dozens of other games have failed to offer this generation: the ever-vital
ability to move at your own pace.
The ability to move at
one’s own pace in a game makes a world of difference. It’s what separates games like BioShock or Mass Effect apart from games like Gears of War or Call of Duty. The mindset behind the latter games is all
about shuttling you from one firefight to the next, and de-emphasizing the
world that scores of programmers have put their blood, sweat, and tears into
making; without that ability to process information by virtue of strapping
players to a rollercoaster, there’s no way to get the full effect intended by
the developers or the narrative at
large. In stark contrast, games in the
former camp are only successful, and even possible because there are big gaps in the action. You have all the time you need to walk
around, search for rarities, talk to the populace, and just generally faff
about. As such, the world -- and again,
the developers/narrative at large -- can leave a much stronger impression than
if you just went from fight to fight. It
certainly helps that they have more to show, of course.
And that brings us back
to the “exhaustive” nature of Xenoblade (and
plenty of other good games, I’d wager).
On the one hand, once you’ve cleared an area and the enemies therein --
bosses and all -- you’ll have a sense of relief wash over you. That said, you’ll ALSO have some pretty
strong memories of your journey, by virtue of spending so much time in an area
as well as the ability to enjoy the particulars instead of just letting them be
a backdrop for the action. I won’t soon
forget grooving to the sounds of Gaur Plain as the battle system finally
started clicking, and I headed down the big bridge in search of monsters to
wallop. Or my first visit to Satorl
Marsh -- a dingy swamp by day, but at night becomes one of the most
awe-inspiring areas ever to grace a video game.
And once you venture to the world of mechs, there are plenty of chances
to strut your stuff -- from exploring rocky canyons outfitted with mechanical
parts to taking on spider tanks the size of the average brontosaurus…and if
you’re good enough, beating said
spider tank.
But there’s one moment
fairly early on in the game that’s really something. I was exploring the edges of the world --
relatively speaking, given my position on the biological titan’s body -- and
about to head into a new area. But
before I could, I noticed that the sun was setting. So I stopped to swivel the camera around to
have a look at it. And I stared at the
sunset for a long while. Long enough to
realize that even though I was standing on a precariously-perched bridge (in a
game where fall damage is a real threat), I still couldn’t help but think of
that scene, and that moment, as beautiful.
Without question, I was on an adventure.
And I would go on to enjoy it every step of the way.
If I had to sum up Xenoblade with one word, it would be
“genuine.” It’s true -- and obvious --
that there’s always going to be a divide between the real world and what’s
going on inside the TV/Wii. That much is
unavoidable. But Xenoblade creates the illusion of being on an adventure, and in
this world, and in each and every fight. The developers managed to make the heights
dizzying and frightening, making you take each step as carefully as you
can. They made each tunnel in a cavern
perilous and unpredictable, with one path leading you to an underground lake,
and another to a nest of spiders. And
they made the walk to the final boss unreal, in the sense that it has you literally travelling through space. That’s
not the kind of shit you’re likely to forget anytime soon.
Nor will you be
forgetting the victories you’ll rack up over the course of the game. When you win a fight while “You Will Know Our
Names” is on full blast, you’ll be getting into the battle fever. The battle system in general, in spite of its
MMO basis, exists as a tool designed to get you hyped. Positioning and aggro management are
important, no matter which character you play as. Proper use of your skills at the right time can
make you an offensive juggernaut, a living fortress, or the ultimate support
unit. Moreover, the characters will talk
to and support each other as the battle wears on; some status effects can be
cured without cost by running up to a teammate and hitting B to give them a pep
talk.
More often than not,
you’ll use it simply as a way to A) put a fallen party member back on his/her
feet after being Toppled, or B) boosting their tension so that they’ll fight
more effectively instead of missing the target.
If Reyn scores a critical hit, if you press B with the right timing
Shulk or Sharla will chime in with compliments, boosting that party’s affection
as well as offering bonuses like restored health or meter in the Chain
Gauge. Simply put, the combat is as far
away from static or uninvolving as you can possibly get; these characters are
not only active, but supportive of one another on a gameplay level instead of
just a story level. It’s a vital tool
that builds rapport on a subconscious level -- and when it’s time for them to
bond in cutscenes and uphold the almighty idea of The Power of Friendship™,
it’s all the more believable. All the
more genuine. All the more triumphant.
It’s rare for a game to
be so overwhelming, especially in the era of triple-A excess and wastelands of
brown. But here we are, with a single
disk on an underpowered, underappreciated system that manages to offer one of
the most complete and thorough experiences in ages. And when I say experiences, I MEAN
experiences; not the buzzword version you’ll hear used to describe every other
title. No, Xenoblade Chronicles is the real deal. It has a goal in mind, the mechanics to do
so, and the vision to offer up something incredibly substantial. And each time you set down your pad for the
night, you’ll know that each outing taken has given you something vital. A sense of progression. A sense of
accomplishment. A sense of
ownership. A sense of true
adventure.
Well. Wasn’t that just the most ringing endorsement
for a game you’ve heard in a while? Eh,
well, it can’t be helped. I’ve played
some crappy games in the past, so if I get the chance to celebrate a good
title, I’m going to do it. And with that
in mind, let’s see how Xenoblade’s
gameplay stacks up to its “competition”:
So yeah. It’s pretty friggin’ good, is the takeaway
from all this.
But as good -- and
rewarding -- as the gameplay is, that’s not where Xenoblade is at its strongest.
No, that honor goes to its story and the intricacies therein. I’m not going to act like it’s a perfect
story -- no such thing exists -- but it is a very good story. A very, very good story.
How good? So good, that it actually made me want to stop playing long before I’d finished.
But that’s a topic for
another day. In the meantime, keep “You
Will Know Our Names” fresh on your mind.
Bookmark it or something. We’re going
to be coming back to it (and ALL OF THE SPOILERS) next time. Hope you’ve got a Monado on hand. You’ll need it.
Or maybe not. I’ve heard that weapons beyond human
comprehension can prove problematic.
"Don’t play any other games but Xenoblade until you finish it. Got it?" That was my plan back in 2012, then my Wii died on me, and I lost the 90 hours I put in it! It is a unique scenario, and one that I'm not sure if I can recover from, after a good 50 of those hours were devoted to the game's bizarrely bloated sidequest system. Which was more than daunting with its sheer quantity and the amount of prerequisites that had to be managed prior to their activation.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of the sort of game I'd get a guide with as a kid, doing literally everything in it and eating away an entire summer back when having twenty games meant I was the holder of a large collection. In the end, I really do want to beat the game, but the devoted time to recover my progress would be enough to go through six others. Why can't I ignore most of the side quests? Same reason I'm getting all S ranks in Sonic Generations. Still think Xenoblade is freaking radical though.
Truth be told, I pretty much ignored a lot of the sidequests in this game. I did the ones that jumped out at me, sure, but I wasn't going out of my way to complete some of the no-doubt obscure ones. There's an argument to be made that I'm not getting the "full experience" as a result, but then again, that's probably what New Game Plus is for. Plus I can use Dunban a lot more rigorously if I do another playthrough.
ReplyDeleteBut sidequests -- the many, many, many sidequests -- aside, Xenoblade IS freaking radical. The gameplay is something special (barring a few nitpicks here and there), but to me it's the story that makes the game really special. But that's a topic for another post...
And now for the obligatory BORN IN A WORLD OF STRIFE!
I'm trying my best to finish this and skyward sword. I fell out of console graces this generation and only beat a handful of games. No coincidence that I started writing seriously at the same time. But if you need a nice brainless break, head back not one but two generations to a little gem on the N64, Blast Corps. If you've played it, great. If not, time to get edjumacated son.
ReplyDeleteAh, I tried that one back in the day...for a given definition of "tried". My brother and I rented it a couple of times, and he played more of the game than I did (as was the standard), but what I played, I enjoyed. Then again, any game with giant robots gets a few million points in its favor.
ReplyDeleteStill, I don't blame you for not finishing Xenoblade yet. Its length is enough to scare anyone off, I'd wager -- or if not anyone, then at least me. For a while it felt like no matter how much I played the game, it felt like I was chipping away at a mountain. A blessing and a curse, if you ask me.
Buuuuuuuuuut that said, I'm glad I beat it, and I'm glad I played it. Hope you get to have some fun with it, too.