Monolith Soft created a 2022 action role-playing game called Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Nintendo released it for the Switch only. It is a component of the Xenoblade Chronicles open-world gaming series, a subset of the wider Xeno metaseries.
The story in Xenoblade Chronicles 3
This plot is so complete that even people who have never played a Xenoblade game before will find it enjoyable. There are undoubtedly allusions and connections to Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and 2, but they are not particularly important. Also, you are unlikely to notice the parallels unless you know what to look for. There is much to enjoy if you have been following the series from the start. By the time you are done, you will feel like you just received a pleasant reward for sticking with it all these years
Bad things about the story
However, despite the universe and the story being delightfully bizarre, they aren’t always employed well. That can particularly be felt when it comes to hit-or-miss writing that has characters repeatedly repeating plot developments. It’s not always told with finesse, and frequently, three protracted cutscenes are utilized to accomplish what could have been accomplished with just one line of conversation. However, the concepts and characters nearly never stop shining.Â
Not to add that virtually every trope from an anime story has been used in the maximum amounts allowed by law. With so much filler padding out the journey, combined with some serious pace issues, the game may feel long. One segment where you must go undercover to complete mundane duties or another where you must travel the globe collecting metal bits is pure proof of bad writing. While some of that is acceptable, it might have been preferable to omit some of the unnecessary details from a game that took 150 hours to complete.
Characters in Xenoblade Chronicles 3
The good news is that, with very few exceptions, the characters shine brightly even when the tale drags a little. It is quite challenging to resist developing a love for the motley crew of misfits and ne’er-do-wells that make up your group, whether you’re hanging out with the loud meathead Lanz and his basic charms or spending time with the serious bookworm Taion.Â
They may not be the most original character. However, after spending so much time with them, trust me, they will become like family. This is particularly true when each character receives so much screen time. Each party member is given in-depth biographical biographies. Also, optional side quests that are completely voiced over and offer further depth to the characters’ backstories.
Combat
Similar to the fighting system, various upgrades have been made that make it feel significantly less monotonous and more exciting than its predecessors. While the basic idea of combining auto-attacks, super-powered Arts, and attack combinations hasn’t changed much, a ton of new possibilities have been added. They’ve managed to keep the action fresh for more than 100 hours. Among other things, it is achieved with the return of chain attacks, which let you deal a ton of damage by engaging in a straightforward minigame, new transformations that combine two characters into their Ouroburos form for a limited time, and six playable characters plus a guest NPC that can be swapped out.
Closing thoughts
The voice acting, soundtrack, story, and characters are all excellent. I can only promise you that this game will give you serotonin if you can look past the archaic graphics. Without a doubt, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a masterpiece. We are interested to see where Monolith Soft plans to take the franchise in the future.
