In 2017 we had great games like Zelda, Horizon, Nier: Automata, and Persona 5. All these games can be portrayed as a kind of RPG or Action/RPG with an epic story. They all earned the position of best games of the year for many people. I loved all these games, but in this article, I want to say that my game of the year was Xenoblade 2, exclusive to Nintendo Switch.
Zelda stood out for its infinite range of possibilities, Horizon for its graphics and story, Nier and Persona 5 for addressing philosophical issues. Personally, none of these games managed to surpass the story of Xenoblade (Wii) released in 2010 with an open world and beautiful graphics for its time. There are 10 hours of story scenes and real-time tactical gameplay that distanced itself from the herd of similar games.
I thought nothing could be better than the story of the first Xenoblade. When I saw the trailer for the second game (not counting the spin-off X), I thought it would be “aaaah cool”. I didn’t even want to accept that the soundtrack would be better, even with composer Yasunori Mitsuda. I thought the idea of having drivers and blades would be somewhat bizarre.
The graphics didn’t seem better than those of Xenoblade X (Wii U), and the world also seemed much smaller. The characters changed their faces to look more like anime; at first, I found it strange, but even with that, they managed to get it right. I’m glad I was wrong.
Of course, Xenoblade 2 is not for everyone. The game is a JRPG aimed primarily at the Japanese audience and is full of references and clichés from anime. The battle system doesn’t please everyone, but I personally consider it much better than playing a traditional turn-based RPG.
Table of Contents
The story of Xenoblade 2
The game consists of 10 chapters, allowing you to navigate the entire world of Alrest whenever you want, even after entering places that would theoretically be impossible to leave. This allows you to improve your skills to fight against the bosses. I’m terrible at summarizing things, let’s try:
The game universe takes place in a sea of clouds that has giant titans serving as islands and countries where humans live. The story begins with a diver named Rex who lives on a small titan and joins a group called Torna in search of a sunken place. There he meets the protagonist Pyra (Homura in Japanese).
The protagonist promises to take this girl to the top of the world tree in a place called Elysium (rakuen in Japanese, meaning paradise). Along the way, other people appear to help with this impossible mission. In the game, you use primordial crystals to release blades, which are characters that help you in battle.
It may seem cliché, but only by playing will you understand the depth of the story, how it touches deeply and questions things about life, truth, and the universe. Each character can use 3 arts (skills) and 3 blades. Each blade has its weapon that you use; they also have 4 special arts. The battle system is complex and requires patience and time to master.
I and most people who played did not expect anything from this cliché story. Only by playing will you delve into the universe and see how epic it becomes. There are issues involving politics, war, and especially the relationship between humans, blades, and titans. The game is full of religious, mythological, and cultural references everywhere.
Some may consider Spoiler: Just like the first game, Xenoblade 2 mixes science with fantasy. Heavy Spoiler: The creation of the universe was done by the same scientist from the first game, Klaus.
Why is Xenoblade 2 the best?
While the second game of the franchise (X) for wii u took a different route and provided an entire planet to explore, leaving the story completely aside. Xenoblade 2 managed to rescue the entire essence of the franchise from the first game in every way. If I were to list the reasons:
- Improved battle system;
- More charismatic characters;
- Infinite characters for battle (blades);
- Combo system;
- Chain attack system;
- More than 14 gigantic locations/worlds to explore;
- Huge replay factor;
- Surpassed Level 60 (something that was not possible in X);
- Perfect soundtrack;
- Side-quests rich in details and dialogues;
Just like the first game, Xenoblade 2 gives the idea that it is ending but it is not. The feeling of playing it is the same as watching a high-quality anime with an epic story. I have already expressed in another article my desire for this franchise to receive a TV adaptation. (See a bit of the soundtrack below:)
Xenoblade 2 manages to be one of the most ambitious games on the Nintendo Switch. The game has thousands of things to do, the universe is beautiful and well-crafted, with epic scenarios that dazzle the eyes, featuring a unique and vibrant ecosystem. Don’t let talk about performance in handheld mode or the 720p in dock discourage you from acquiring this masterpiece.
Xenoblade 2 is a must!
After playing all these epic games in 2017, I can still say that Xenoblade 2 was the one that captivated me the most in the universe. There are still thousands of things to do that provide over 300 hours of gameplay easily. The game has its flaws like any game, but it should be a must-have on your Nintendo Switch.
I’m not very good at writing detailed game reviews. I’m just saying to you to buy this game without fear! If you were in doubt about buying the Switch just because of Zelda and Mario, you can add this and several other releases to your priority list.
While most current games teach nothing to people beyond violence and misery, with Xenoblade 2 you will have a different and totally fun experience with an epic story that Nintendo games usually do not deliver. The game manages to deliver action and adventure in a unique universe full of possibilities.
Congratulations to Monolith Software for delivering once again an epic story that makes us reflect on life. I hope this time this game reaches more people, something that Xenoblade 1 could not achieve due to being released at the end of the Wii’s life and for seeming like a niche game.
Have you completed Xenoblade 1 and 2? Share your opinion about this franchise in the comments. Thank you for the comments and shares. We also recommend reading:
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