Xenoblade Chronicles

Xenoblade Chronicles
European cover art
Developer(s)	Monolith Soft
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Tetsuya Takahashi
Producer(s)	Shingo Kawabata Takao Nakano
Designer(s)	Tetsuya Takahashi Koh Kojima
Writer(s)	Tetsuya Takahashi Yuichiro Takeda Yurie Hattori
Composer(s)	Yoko Shimomura ACE+ Manami Kiyota Yasunori Mitsuda
Platform(s)	Wii
Release date(s)	JP June 10, 2010 EU August 19, 2011 AUS September 1, 2011[1]
Genre(s)	Role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ACB: M[2] CERO: B PEGI: 12

Xenoblade Chronicles, known in Japan as Xenoblade (ゼノブレイド, Zenobureido^?), is a role-playing video game published by Nintendo^[3] and developed by Monolith Soft^[4] for the Wii console. The game was announced during E3 2009, when a trailer was released to media. The game follows a young man named Shulk, who wields the titular Xenoblade - an energy blade called the Monado - against the Mechon in order to ultimately save the world.^[5][6] Originally titled Monado: Beginning of the World, the game was retitled Xenoblade in January 2010 to honour Tetsuya Takahashi, "who poured his soul into making this and who has been working on the Xeno series".^[7] The game was released on June 10, 2010 in Japan,^[8] and was released on August 19, 2011 in Europe^[9] and on September 1, 2011 in Australia.^[1] Nintendo currently has no plans to release Xenoblade Chronicles in North America.

Gameplay

Exploration

It has been stated that the game will convey the feeling of freedom to the player, and would not be as focused on cutscenes and story as its sibling games.^[10] According to Tetsuya Takahashi, the game employs an open-ended design, allowing much of the world to be explored from the very start.^[11] He has has described the game world as "overwhelming, like an MMORPG" and compared its size to that of Japan,^[12] stating that from "one end to the other," the game's world is "about the size of the Japanese archipelago."^[11]

The game attempts to convey the feeling of freedom through large, expansive environments.

Battle System

Xenoblade Chronicles has a real-time action-based battle system where normal attacks will happen automatically when enemies enter a party member's attack radius, similar to Final Fantasy XII's battle system. However, manually-activated special attacks, called Arts, each have their own "Cooldown" time after being used; Talent Arts, on the other hand, can only become available for use again after using enough normal attacks. Arts for each character have to be set on a "battle palette" at the bottom of the screen, which can be modified outside of battle.^[13] Movement of the character in play is also executed manually with the analog stick; however this only plays an integral role when using Shulk's Arts as they are more effective if used from the side or behind. Another feature of battle is the aggro ring, which appears around party members who are targeted by enemies. The bigger the ring, the more focused an enemy's rage against that member will be. This gives Shulk and other members the chance to attack the enemy from the side or rear. Xenoblade Chronicles also has the "Visions" system, where Shulk can see glimpses of enemies' future attacks, and the player has to try to react (e.g. getting out of harm's way) or prevent it from happening (e.g. warning fellow party members about the attack or using a Shield Art), thus "changing the future."^[14]

The game is known to have a number of features labeled as "Time Saving Support Features".^[15] For instance, while the game will have a day and night time cycle, players can "wind the clock" to the time they want to go to, rather than just letting time elapse. Additionally, while the game is about exploration, many areas, called Locations and Landmarks, are added to aid in traversing the land by serving as warp points. The game also sports a "save anywhere" feature, a feature relatively rare among the console RPG genre.

Another of the game's systems is the "bonds system", in which characters can partake in many optional sidequests with non-player characters. Completing such quests can alter perception of the character in the towns, and open up additional story sequences.^[16] The game also has an affinity system, where each member has an affinity stat that indicates how they feel about another party member, ranging from indifference to love. These affinities can be altered by having characters participate in battle together, giving gifts, or using the 'Heart-to Heart' system. These 'Heart-to-Hearts' are intimate moments between two characters that can show more of a character's personality, history, or thoughts, and can be initiated by having certain characters at certain places whilst having a high enough affinity between them.^[17] The game also has extensive customization, such as being able to change the character's outfits and weapons, and having those changes be seen during battle, in the field, and even during event scenes.^[16]

Synopsis

Characters

Main article: Characters of Xenoblade Chronicles

The protagonist is an 18-year-old young man named Shulk, who lives in Colony 9 (located at the foot of the Bionis) at the start of the game’s main story. When the colony is attacked by the Mechon, he obtains the legendary energy blade called the Monado and leaves to initially stop the Mechon threat. He is joined by Reyn, a headstrong Defense Force soldier; Fiora, Shulk and Reyn's childhood friend; Dunban, the previous wielder of the Monado and Fiora's older brother; Sharla, a medic and sniper from Colony 6; Melia, a mage and crown princess of the High Entia; and Riki, a member of the Nopon who is chosen as a "Heropon".

Prologue

In the beginning, the world had originally been nothing but an endless ocean. That was until two great titans—the Bionis (巨神, Kyoshin^?) and the Mechonis (機神, Kishin^?)—came into existence. These two giants fought a timeless battle, until one day only their lifeless bodies remained, forever locked in combat.^[18]

Eons passed, and life came to be on the corpse of Bionis. Civilizations were founded by several races—including the humanoid Homs and the Nopon—and life flourished. However, this peace did not last: one day the Homs colonies came under attack from the Mechon (機神兵, Kishinhei^?), a horde of machines originating from the Mechonis. The Homs fought to defend their existence, a battle which would come to be settled at the battle of Sword Valley.^[19] With the help of the Monado, a legendary blade with the power to penetrate Mechon armor, the Homs' hero Dunban fought against the Mechon threat.^[20] Those fighting alongside Dunban include: Dickson, a seasoned traveler and old friend of Dunban; and Mumkhar, an honorless soldier who secretly wants the Monado for himself.^[21]

During the battle, Dunban is almost overcome by the Monado's power and falls. While Dickson tries to help him, Mumkhar sees his own chance to escape.^[22] While running, he falls down a slope and comes face to face with a horde of armed Mechon.^[23] Dunban and Dickson, however, recover quickly, and lead a final charge against the approaching Mechon, completely destroying their army and ultimately winning the battle.^[24] However, wielding the Monado caused great harm to Dunban's body, negating the use of his right arm. Nonetheless, peace was temporarily restored to the colonies.

Story

One year has passed since the battle of Sword Valley. In the scrapyards outside his home of Colony 9, the protagonist Shulk is looking for usable parts from broken Mechon. His childhood friend Reyn arrives just as monsters attack them. They manage to hold their own, and they return to the colony.^[25] However, Reyn gets in trouble for being late for military drills, and is forced to collect ether fuel from the nearby ruins as punishment. He asks Shulk and Fiora to "tag along" with him.

From the ruins, the three witness a large fleet of Mechon attacking Colony 9, catching both citizens and soldiers unprepared for the assault. Shulk and his friends return to try to find Dunban, who left his house to reobtain the Monado. While racing to the Weapon Development Lab, where the weapon is kept, the boys get separated from Fiora.^[26] Suddenly, Dunban, wielding the Monado once more, arrives to assist Shulk and Reyn. However, even when using his left arm this time, the Monado's power overwhelms Dunban once again, and he drops the weapon in agony.^[27] Shulk picks up the Monado, showing greater control over the weapon, and exhibits the ability to see enemies' future attacks. Dunban realizes that Shulk may be the Monado's true Hier, and fights alongside him.^[28]

During the battle, they encounter a large, visaged Mechon leading the attack, called "Metal Face." To everyone's disbelief, Shulk cannot penetrate this Mechon's armor. While Shulk and the others become incapacitated quickly, Fiora arrives in an ether artillery tank to save them. However, Metal Face easily overpowers Fiora and stabs her, killing her. The Mechon then withdraw from the devastated colony, leaving behind a great number of losses and a mouring Shulk with a desire for vengeance against Metal Face. After the attack, Shulk and Reyn set off on a journey to find the Mechon stronghold, located at Sword Valley, to avenge those who had lost their lives, while Dunban stays behind to let his injuries heal before following.^[29]

Along the way, Shulk has a vision of him fighting—and defeating—Metal Face on a black, floating island. When Dunban and Dickson catch up with the two, Dickson deduces that the island in question is Prison Island, making its location—the Bionis' head—their next destination. Along the way, they meet Sharla, Melia, and Riki, who join the group. They also meet Alvis, a mysterious Homs and Seer of the High Entia; however, his true identity is still a mystery to Shulk and his friends, as he can also use the Monado to some extent.

Reception and release

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	93.52% (based on 21 reviews)[30]
Metacritic	93 out of 100 (based on 39 reviews)[31]
GameStats	9.0 out of 10 (based on 16 reviews)[32]
Review scores
Publication	Score
Edge	9 out of 10[33]
Eurogamer	9 / 10 (UK)[34] 10 / 10 (Sweden)[31] 9 / 10 (Italy)[31] 9 / 10 (Portugual)[31]
Famitsu	36 out of 40[35]
GamePro	[36]
GamesMaster	93%[30]
GameSpot	9 out of 10 (UK)[37]
GamesTM	9 out of 10[38]
IGN	9 out of 10 (UK)[39]
Official Nintendo Magazine	92%[40]
PALGN	9.5 out of 10[30]
Cubed³	10 out of 10[41]
Digital Spy	[42]
Gamereactor	9 out of 10[43]
Metro GameCentral	9 out of 10[44]
N-Europe	10 out of 10[45]
Nintendojo	10 out of 10[46]
RPGamer	5 out of 5[47]

Xenoblade Chronicles debuted at #1 in its week of release in Japan, selling 83,000 copies.^[48] It was also voted the third most interesting game released in Japan during the first half of 2010 in a survey conducted by Dengeki.^[49] Japanese magazine Famitsu awarded the game 9/9/9/9 in its review, totaling 36/40.^[35] At the end of 2010, the game had sold 161,161 copies in Japan, making it the eighth best-selling Wii game of the year.^[50]

The game debuted at seventh on the UK game charts,^[51] and at second place on the Wii charts, despite stock shortages.^[52] According to Gamasutra, it was the fourth best-selling game in the UK during its first week.^[53] The game has received universal acclaim from reviewers, with average aggregate scores of 93.52% at GameRankings,^[30] 93 out of 100 at Metacritic,^[31] and 9.3 out of 10 at GameStats.^[32] As of November 2011, it is listed as the second highest-rated RPG of 2011 at GameRankings,^[54] the eighth highest-rated game of the year at GameRankings,^[55] the fifth highest-rated Wii game of all time at Metacritic,^[56] and the fifth highest-rated game of all time at GameStats (after The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Soulcalibur).^[57]

IGN UK gave the game 9.0 out of 10 stating that "Xenoblade Chronicles is the best Japanese RPG of this generation".^[39] Metro GameCentral shared a similar view awarding the game 9 out of 10 and saying in conclusion that Xenoblade is "the best Japanese role-player of the current generation and a big step forwards for the genre in terms of accessibility and ambition".^[44] Cubed³ gave the game 10 out of 10, stating "Monolith Soft’s grand Xenoblade Chronicles has arrived, bringing with it a sterling soundtrack, a phenomenal visual impact, vast amount of customisation, intriguing story and massive value for money."^[41] Eurogamer gave the game 9 out of 10 stating that "It's a game that invites us to reassess an entire genre, pointing to a bold future while nodding its respect towards the past. It's a towering triumph",^[34] and later chose Xenoblade Chronicles as game of the week.^[58]

Edge said that it's "a glowing comeback for the Japanese RPG" and saying in conclusion that "Xenoblade Chronicles manages to impress, enrich and, best of all, inspire wonder" awarding the game 9 out of 10.^[33] The Official Nintendo Magazine have also praised the game, giving it a score of 92% and calling it, "A genre-reviving blaze of wonder, immense scale and smart design."^[40] GameSpot UK awarded a 9 out of 10, saying that it "is a remarkable game" and "drags the JRPG into the 21st century, modernising many of the genre's traits and nailing a pace that outclasses the majority of its peers" giving the game a 9.0.^[37]

DualShockers awarded the game a 9.5 out of 10 and praised it as the best Japanese RPG released this generation, writing that Xenoblade Chronicles is "the perfect “Don’t worry, I still Love you” signal given by Nintendo to it’s most hardcore fans, and a strong, resounding “no” said right in the face of those that advocate the theory that the JRPG genre is dead".^[59] ImpulseGamer awarded the game a score of 9.5 out of 10.^[60] Vandal Online gave the game a near-perfect score of 9.9 out of 10.^[31] Gameblog.fr gave it a full 5 out of 5 stars.^[31] GamePro gave the game 5 out of 5 stars and stated in conclusion that "it's not just the best RPG of this generation, but one of the best games I've ever played."^[36] RPGamer also gave the game 5 out of 5, stating that "while the comparative lack of RPGs means it isn't hard to be one of the best on the system, Xenoblade goes beyond that to be right up there with the best of the console generation as a whole."^[47]

Marketing

In Australia the first release was bundled with a limited edition ’Special Soundtrack’ on CD containing 12 original tracks that were composed specifically for Xenoblade Chronicles.^[1] In parts of Europe, a special edition of the game came bundled with a unique red classic controller pro and 3 A1-sized posters, electronically signed by the founder of Monolith Software, Tetsuya Takahashi. Also, the game's soundtrack is available as a download to Club Nintendo members who register the game online, though only for a limited time.

North American localization

Main article: Operation Rainfall

In an interview on the French television station Nolife, Mathieu Minel, the marketing manager of Nintendo France, stated that Nintendo of Europe was unable to show Xenoblade Chronicles at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011. Nintendo of America denied it since they are not planning to sell the product locally.^[61] In response, on June 22, 2011, users on IGNBoards have started a campaign called "Operation Rainfall" that hopes to persuade Nintendo of America to localize Xenoblade Chronicles, along with the Japan-only Wii titles The Last Story and Pandora's Tower.^[62][63] Fans are encouraged to write letters to Nintendo headquarters as well as pre-ordering the game on Amazon, listed under its original title Monado: Beginning of the World.^[64][65] On June 25, 2011, it became the #1 best-selling game on Amazon.com, and stayed in that position for over a day.

On July 7, the "Operation Rainfall" website reported a rumor that the North American localization of Xenoblade Chronicles was finished and The Last Story was in progress, but this has not been officially confirmed.^[66][67]

See also

• Xenogears
• Xenosaga

References

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18. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Scene: Prologue. (2011-9-1) "Shulk (voice-over): Long ago, the world was nothing more than an endless sea cloaked in a boundless sky, reaching as far as could possibly be imagined. Then two great titans came into existence. The Bionis and the Mechonis. The titans were locked in a timeless battle. Until at last, only their lifeless corpses remained."
19. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Scene: Battle of Sword Valley. Level/area: Battle of Sword Valley. (2011-9-1) "Shulk (voice-over): Eons have passed. Now, our world, this vast land stretching across the remains of the Bionis, is under attack by a relentless force known as the Mechon."
20. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Scene: Battle of Sword Valley. Level/area: Battle of Sword Valley. (2011-9-1) "Dunban: We may die if we take a stand here. But staying gives us the chance to change our destinies. We have the Monado. With this, the future is ours for the taking!"
21. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Scene: Battle of Sword Valley. Level/area: Battle of Sword Valley. (2011-9-1) "Mumkhar: Those idiots. I'll just come and get the Monado when everything's quietened down a bit. That thing's gonna be mine!"
22. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Scene: Battle of Sword Valley. Level/area: Battle of Sword Valley. (2011-9-1) "Dunban: Mumkhar?! What are you doing?! That way is— / Mumkhar: Sorry, brothers! Hate to drop this on you, but it's the Monado they're after. So have fun keeping 'em occupied for me! I'm getting the hell out of here! / Dickson: Mumkhar, you dirty..."
23. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Scene: Battle of Sword Valley. Level/area: Battle of Sword Valley. (2011-9-1) "Mumkhar: Oh, no! Please—NO!"
24. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Scene: Battle of Sword Valley. Level/area: Battle of Sword Valley. (2011-9-1) "Dunban: Vile Mechon! If you think the Homs, the people of Bionis, are just waiting here for you to pick us off, you are sorely mistaken!"
25. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Level/area: Colony 9. (2011-9-1) "Shulk: Thanks, Reyn. That was a close one. / Reyn: Man, what were you doing wandering off by yourself? Stay where I can keep an eye on you. [...] Anyway, we'd better get back to the colony. If I'm late for drills again, old Square-tache is gonna kill me. / Shulk: Square-tache? Oh, the Defense Force Colonel. He's pretty scary. / Reyn: Tell me about it..."
26. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Level/area: Colony 9. (2011-9-1) "Shulk: Where's Dunban? / Fiora: He's gone! I can't find him anywhere. / Reyn: What?! He ain't fit enough to face these things! / Shulk: Reyn! Let's get to the lab! / Reyn: The lab? Of course! The Monado's there!"
27. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Level/area: Colony 9. (2011-9-1) "Reyn: Dunban! Your body can't take anymore of the Monado! / Dunban: But I must! I have no choice! / Shulk: Reyn's right. You can't go on like this. [...] Dunban! (picks up the Monado) This time...it's my turn!"
28. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Scene: Colony 9. Level/area: Colony 9. (2011-9-1) "Dunban: Don't think about it now! Just believe what the Monado showed to you and fight! / Shulk: Got it!"
29. ^ Monolith Soft. Xenoblade Chronicles. (Nintendo). Wii. Scene: Leaving Colony 9. Level/area: Colony 9. (2011-9-1) "Dunban: Look after yourselves, boys. As soon as this heals, I'll be right behind you."
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External links

• Official website for Japan (Japanese)
• Official website for UK/EU (English)
• Official website for Australia (English)
• Xenoblade Chronicles Wiki, an exernal wiki.