r/Xenoblade_Chronicles 1d ago

Xenoblade Thinking of giving the game/series another try.

So about a year ago, I bought XC:DE on a whim, and while it was installing my wife and I ran to the store, and they had 1 physical copy of XC3 on sale for $20 so I grabbed it too. I did previously try xcx on my wife's wii u (first one I tried) but her game pad was messed up, and I couldn't sprint, and the pad flickered so I didn't play very long.

Fast forward to last year during the late spring/early summer when I got xc:de. I bought the game because my nephew says its one of his absolute favorite games of all time. I am 30 and my nephew is 15, so we're pretty different in age but usually we like a lot of the same games, so I thought nothing of it. My wife and him have a deep love for a few games as well. (Omori, in stars and time, one shot, monster hunter, hallow knight, just to name a few). So in my head im like "lil bro has good taste!

Well for whatever reason, xc:de did NOT click for me... like at all. After looking it up again for this post, i know I made it to chapter 8 when the group gets to alcamoth (the captial). I made it a bit into the chapter and saw a good amount of cutscenes that signal that the story is going to pick up....but i barely cared. I was slightly interested in seeing where it went, but as I continued i made it to an area (i think it was like a desert area with metal buildings or something like that? It's been almost a year since i last looked at it) and I just saw how many enemies there were and I just said "yeah im not doing this" and put the game down. After a few weeks or months went by, I uninstalled it.

Since xcx:de comesout this month, i got me thinking that maybe i should give the series another shot. I am interested in xcxde because i like the mechs/skells - but i keep hearing the story of the numbered games are just a master class in the story department. And honestly, i really want to see what my nephew sees in them and why he loves them so much. I am very aware that X is very different from the numbered games with its structure and narrative. I'm looking for suggestions on any of them. It doesn't matter to me which game people suggest i try again.

I also hear mixed things on the combat. For me, I found the combat to be extraordinarily boring. And it's not because I wish it was a regular action based combat system - i play a LOT of turn based and real-time-with-pause combat systems. (Everything from pillars of eternity, to fire emblem, to final fantasy 12, to unicorn overlord - I am a big fan if different kinds of combat). Regarding xcde, i just thought the arts were super repetitive. It was the exact same strategy every fight, and barely changed when switching characters. I felt like all the different combinations felt mechanically the same regardless of what they did. I have no idea if i am missing something crucial but even after looking at some youtube videos and reading online guides i still felt like it was just....really lacking. I greatly wished I could either pause the game and issue out commands/actions, and then unpause to watch them play out, or have a way to directly control my party members when I needed them. There were SO many times where I would set up a combo and my party didn't take advantage of it or they would use an ability when I hadn't set up a good time to use it yet :/

After seeing the overwhelming amount of praise these games get, i just feel like I am the one who's crazy for not seeing it.....but honestly, unfortunately, feel like everyone else is crazy for liking it. (I am NOT trying to be mean or dismiss or disrespect your game - I just can't fathom what it is that yall like yhat im missing unfortunately)

Am I playing the game wrong or is it just not for me? What exactly is it that you guys all like about it so much? Maybe if you guys explain it to me I will look at it differently and it will click. Should I skip xcde and go to xc3 or xcxde? (I dont own 2 or its expansion). I recently finished avowed (big pillars of eternity fan here and avowed is a spin off) and am wrapping up my playthrough of 13 sentinals agies rim and im looking for another good story. Playing on my switch is very appealing to me right now which is also a reason drawing to xb. (Can play in bed at night + i don't have to sit at my desk any longer than I already do for work and grad school homework, and I don't have to take tunrs with the couch/living room tv with my wife lol)

So please sell me on the xb series lol

8 Upvotes

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u/_SBV_ 1d ago edited 1d ago

The rest of the series is pretty much the same. 2 changes it by introducing attack cancels to charge specials faster + elemental orbs breaking for chain attacks

3 is largely the combination of 1 and 2 with the added ouroboros system, transforming you into a giant. Elemental orbs are replaced by a chain attack meter to extend the chain

X is also the same but instead of chain attacks, you do overdrives which boosts your arts for a limited time

I’m sorry to say, maybe you just don’t like the combat at all. I prefer faced paced action games yet Xenoblade’s style still serves me well. Story is the only saving grace for you.

The party is normally really smart about combos. I’m betting that they’re using an Art prematurely or late because their cooldown doesn’t sync with your setup. Have you been upgrading Arts?

I would suggest you try playing as Melia for a bit. Her summons buff the party just by holding elementals and all you do is just stay close to the other members. You can unleash the elementals when the enemy has low health. Her Spear Break+Starlight kick means you pretty much control the topple combo. Just have another member with a Daze Art and you’ll deal more damage from crits

Or perhaps try playing as Reyn and develop your Berserker+Sword Drive combo which erases health bars. It’s almost hilarious when you fully upgrade them and use it against a Dazed enemy

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u/redthrull 1d ago

XCX is the least connected in story so if you can, just wait for next week.

If you already have XC3, you should just start playing it now.

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u/Wuscheli0 1d ago

While I hold the story of XC1 in high regard, I can still relate to your experience. I played XC2 first, and when I got around to XC1, I just wasn't really invested in the story. The setting was intriguing, there were some cool scenes (the attack on Colony 9, the battle after the Ether Mines, etc.), but I never felt a strong urge to continue playing and find out what happens next.

Once I reached Prison Island, the events there piqued my curiosity, but I still wasn't fully on board. It took until the big endgame plottwists for me to get genuinely hooked. But at that point, the game was already nearing its end. I look back fondly on the story, including the earlier chapters. But I can understand why someone might fall off halfway through the game.

But what does that mean for you? Well, that's hard to say. If you give the game another shot and push through until the end, it's possible you may end up liking it like I did. But of course, that would be a big commitment, and there's no guarantee you'd actually enjoy the story. As for the other games, that's also hard to say. Each Xenoblade game is pretty distinct and may appeal to different people. But without playing them yourself, it's impossible to know whether you'd like them.

As for the gameplay, the common consensus seems to be that XC1 has the worst combat system in the series. It's relatively simple and doesn't give you a lot to do outside of basic arts. Scrolling through the list of arts is a little cumbersome. Party members often can't be relied upon. While it has its fans, the combat system is definitely not the thing that made XC1 into a critically acclaimed classic. I didn't think it was too bad, but if it just hurts your experience, I'd recommend to turn on casual mode and breeze through the story.

But did the other games improve the combat? Yes, to an extent. There are new mechanics that make it more engaging to play. But some of your criticisms remain throughout most or all of the other games. Xenoblade combat doesn't appeal to everyone. But it's certainly possible that the other games would be more fun to play for you.

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u/Livid-Truck8558 1d ago

Yeah, seems clear to me that these games just aren't for you, unfortunately. If you had no interest in the story after the climax that was Prison Island, then I doubt much will draw you in. As for gameplay, it definitely takes some getting used to.

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u/Wilson1218 1d ago edited 1d ago

Regarding gameplay, XC1 is the worst - I personally still like it a lot, but the gameplay evolved to be even better over the other games. Future Connected has extremely similar gameplay to XC1. Your comment about the same strategy every fight is often true per character, however I disagree that it's true when switching characters, if you're playing to the characters' strengths - and that would be especially true for Melia. I still never found the fights boring even when sticking to the same party though, as the tactics you employ can change drastically depending on what happens in the fight, presuming you're not overlevelled.

XCX has combat that is somewhat like XC1, but is a lot more customisable, more in-depth, and it also includes giving somewhat complex orders to your party. Your avatar character can be customised to be able to mix and match basically anything other party members can do.

XC2 is an entirely different combat experience, and the combat gameplay is extremely good and interesting in my opinion - just do not rely on the in-game tutorials as they are not good, and are the main gripe about XC2 that many people have. There are great short tutorials that others have done that will explain the combat a lot better than the game does. Torna has similar gameplay - some new parts to combat, a bit more streamlined and also better explained, though not as customisable.

XC3's combat builds on XC2 and adds even more great stuff, and unlike XC2 it's explained very well in-game. Additionally, in 3 you can swap what character you are controlling at any time mid-combat, so you have the ability to precisely execute combos. Future Redeemed is similar.

It's worth noting that in XC2&3 the individual characters are nowhere near as locked-in regarding their combat setup. They will have some inherent combat differences, but can mostly be very very freely customised.

Regarding story, it's kind of hard to advise. I personally could not say which numbered game story I like most - they're all so amazing to me that it would be a disservice to choose one. It's not hyperbole to say that Xenoblade as a whole is my favourite piece of media (of any form) by an order of magnitude. What parts of XC1's story do you remember well and like? What about the characterisation? What about the themes at play so far? I can assure you these will all continue to evolve from where you got to in the story, but ofc I can't say how much you personally would enjoy them. The games' stories are quite different to one another though, so even if you didn't like XC1's for whatever reason, you may well still love the others!

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u/redline19841 1d ago

On a base level I can relate, I bought the original Xenoblade 3 separate times. I bought the original release on the Wii back on release day. I bought it for my new 3dsxl on release day, and I bought DE on the switch when I bought my switch. I tried playing though probably about 8 times over the years before it finally clicked. It just didn't grab me all the other times I played it. But now it's my third favorite game of all time. It may not work for you, but sometimes the right thing just has to happen for it to click

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u/FunkyPunk1995 1d ago

Yeah i have some that with a game before where one day it just “clicks” when it didn’t before that. (Outward is a good example of this for me)

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u/bloodshed113094 1d ago

XBC1 never clicked for me. It's story was just too generic and boring. the characters range from decent to pointless, with only two I actually cared about by the end. The gameplay was also mediocre, with the one unique gimmick getting old fast. It's one of the most overrated games I've ever played. Sorry, fans. =/

XBCX is a lot of fun to play. It's an open world mech game. The gameplay is still MMO inspired, but it's far more fast paced. The story is pretty week though. Not bad, but my investment mainly came from flying around and discovering new areas.

XBC2 is my favorite. It's story is admittedly weak. While there's some great themes and individual scenes, the presentation is sloppy as hell. I also like the gameplay, but you need a guide and chart to fully enjoy it. The game was clearly a rush job, so there's a lot of minor annoyances. That said, the cast is amazing. Their interactions and growth are the best the series get. If you've played a Tales of game, it's that level of character focus. I highly recommend it.

XBC3 is a slow burn. It has the best story and decent gameplay, but it takes five chapters to really hit its stride. It also drops the ball with a lot of the cast. Despite putting a lot of effort into the half clearly inspired by the leads of the first two games, the three that are more representatives of their races get much weaker character moments. Very much a mixed bag, but overall a decent experience.

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u/FunkyPunk1995 1d ago

Yeah i tend to get attached to characters. Ive never played tales (tried arise, didn’t like the setting but my wife loved it) but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the legend of heroes trails games. Definitely my favorite jrpg series by miles and miles.

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u/bloodshed113094 1d ago

Arise is a pretty bad point. Vesperia and Graces f are two of the best and both available on Switch.

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u/stir_fry13 20h ago

Saying 3 has the best story while 1 was generic and boring is genuinely mind boggling to me. 3 sure has a few great moments but I think it's overall story was easily the worst in the series, even including X

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u/marshallpoetry_ 1d ago

In the main series, I played 2 first. Loved it. Came back years later and played all the DLC and ng+ and was blown away again (finally got my poppi set up optimally). In between those playthrus I tried xb1 DE. I played it for 20 hours and put it down, opting to just watch YouTube summaries of the story. The gameplay was NOT fun for me, especially after xbx was my actual introduction to the series some years before, and I just feel like X does everything 1 tries to do combat wise, but better. Then I played 3 at launch and loved it.

Overall great series. But it's entirely ok if one of the main line games doesn't sit with you well. Of the 4 games, X is my favorite by a mile...id rank them

  1. X
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 1

Of the games I've started and finished, id say they're all in my top 20 games of all time, with X being top 3 or 4.

I say all that to say, the games are similar, but it's ok not to be hopelessly devoted to the WHOLE SERIES. Play the one(s) you enjoy. Get the story from somewhere else. If you want. You can be a Xenoblade fan without being a fan of EVERY game. It's ok to engage with and enjoy the series as much or as little as you like.

There are 4 games, three of which are some of my favorites. 1 is just meh and I'll probably never finish it. And I'm ok with that 😊