Xenoblade Chronicles

[edczxcvbnm]

I have been playing more and it is clear that until I reach colony 6, I will remain a terrible player because that is just how I play these things. I just got done fighting against the Fat Metal Face (I can't be bother to find his actual name), and so far the only reason I am surviving is I have a tendency to explore. I don't have anything to put into slots, I have yet to do a side quest and I am chillin' at level 22. I thought it was hilariously funny when the tutorial mentioned important items for future quests XD

The button configuration thing is an old habits die hard thing. I could never play the Megaman Anniversary collection because the jump and fire button were switched with no way to change them. After playing for hours I never adapted to a simple two button switch on a two button game. Even this far into the game (7-8 hours) I still hit the wrong buttons in the menus. It isn't going to change.

I understand what you are saying when it comes to the item mapping but I still think giant squares with no information until you go over it is bad in comparison to a list style where names, #of slots, key stats for the item (attack power for weapons, phys/ether defense for armor) can easily be displayed. You can't really group but I still think a list works better.

At this point the ONLY attack I use is the back attack-a-mattack-a-majig. Maybe map an a key attack/art to a button instead and you can bring up the menu for other situations.

Maybe I said this stuff isn't a deal breaker but it is a big of an annoyance because I think it could have all been designed much better. I am sure I will eventually get around to doing some quests and doing other stuff but so far it has not been necessary and I have yet to get bored to the point where I want to check it out.

I also totally agree with your assessment that it is awesome that you practically immediately get to explore this huge world (although those level 80 monsters casually walking around do scare me) instead of waiting till practically the end of the game.

[Vyk]

I just spent the last two days polishing up all the sidequests I skipped on my way past the refugees and on to Colony 6. Just about ready to head there finally, and probably spent a good 14 hours doing just side quests, which is a complete rarity for me. I hate that World of Warcraft crap. But yeah, like Wolf says, the characters are not annoying or tedious, they're endearing. Kinda saddened that I skipped them until now, but no matter how you do it, they tend to work. Granted its kind of a waste doing Colony 9 quests when I'm almost level 30 lol But still, its really nice that both main-plot elements and mildly amusing side-quest plots are all entertaining to some degree. And the exploration is indeed quite fun and rewarding. Managed to meander my way into some very interesting secret areas on the Bionis Leg. And I kinda like that there's always LV 70+ monsters just chilling around in random areas, so you don't always feel like an invincible badass. And not to spoil anything but I'm really glad that the main character isn't the only one who gets hints of romantic sprinkles scattered about in the story and character interactions. Gives you a good reason to change which character you control for a slightly different pace in battle and a change of avatar-scenery running around making townsfolk love you

Edit: And I gotta say, I'm really glad its not an action'y battle-system set-up. It feels like an extremely refined version of the original Dragon Age's battle system. Mass Effect is kind of that way too, just with guns. The action is in real time, but you're not just mashing a button. You pick a target and pick your attack, and try to remain strategic about it. Only slight draw-back is that as long as you do a few quests and kill a few monsters, you're going to be at least equal level with the monsters, and at that point even a little strategic knowledge is going to put you in the advantage. If you're doing the better part of everything presented to you, you're quickly going to over-power the monsters. Unique monsters don't even bother me anymore. Bosses barely challenge me. The only times I've scraped for my life recently is when I accidentally had a whole room aggro'd at me who were all equal level which was before I started doing all these side-quests. Hopefully the monsters catch up in Colony 6

[Fynn]

Trust me, it's not going to be so easy later on.

[Wolf Kanno]

I'll have to do some commenting later, just wanted to update. I just recruited Sharla and I am very pleased to finally have a dedicated healer/buffer in the party especially since Shulk's healing spell lost it's usefulness a few hours ago. I like Sharla, and how she's a bit unconventional healer since she uses ether bullets (so that's where Billy Lee Black left them ) and she's a decent fighter as well. The fourth Monado skill seems a bit... broken but I just got it, so god knows how effective it will be in future battles. Like edczxcvbnm, I just finished the battle with the second Mechon with a face. The plot is picking up and I'm really liking the "seeing the future" angle of the storyline. I have done a fair amount of quests in the game, I've reached 4/5 stars for Colony 9, and I think I finally got 2/5 for the Refugee Camp. The Bionis Leg seems like it has no end but good god is is gorgeous with the day and night cycle, not to mention the weather changing as well. The ability to jump and swim have really come in handy and really make the world feel alive.

Also, I need to comment on the Achievement system in this game. It is awesome. That is all.

[edczxcvbnm]

I got an achievement called Terminal Velocity. I got it with my first act on the Bionious Knee. I tried to jump to my death. The XP gained by my act caused me to level up. How ironic XD

[JKTrix]

Sounds like WK is going to surpass my progress in the game pretty soon. When I got Sharla, I switched to manually controlling her for a while. I like support characters that can buff and debuff.

Maybe a slight tip, but it seems like manually controlling a new party member will help you to earn Affinity with them faster, since when you get those QTE prompts in-battle they'll be coming from whoever you're controlling.

[Vyk]

It also seems to be the only way to get affinity between two non-main characters (i.e. between Reyn and Sharla). It doesn't seem like it would happen unless you were controlling one. And you need other characters to have affinity towards one-another for certain heart-to-hearts. Which, I've noticed, there's a LOT of heart-to-hearts I can't access. And it won't even tell me the conditions for it. Which considering the one between Reyn and Sharla did tell me, I can only assume that means they're for characters I have yet to obtain. Which means we'll definitely be coming back. And I think I kinda like that idea. In most RPGs, hometown gets forgotten as you go out on a grand adventure far beyond anything anyone else has ever even dreamed of seeing. I think these guys might end up appreciating their roots a lot more

[edczxcvbnm]

Does anyone else find it odd or a bit annoying that they sometimes have a cut scene and then you take 14 steps forward and there is another cut scene. Neither of them are long so why not just combine them? It almost feels like they were being overly cautious against long cut scenes :/ I only find it insignificantly annoying because I get control back and I am ready to go do stuff only to be stopped instantly XP

Also, I love how when I leave the game for a while the music changes to something relaxing because it knows you are away. I think that is a cool little feature and it was even awesomer when my screen was showing they myst moving around with this weird spirit tree thing in the background

awesome.jpg

[Freya]

Someone buy me this game. I'm super poor and super want to play it. WHO WANTS TO BUY ME IT ?

[Fynn]

Also, I love how when I leave the game for a while the music changes to something relaxing because it knows you are away. I think that is a cool little feature and it was even awesomer when my screen was showing they myst moving around with this weird spirit tree thing in the background

I'm pretty sure it's just that the music is calmer when it's night-time. Same with the trees you mention.

[Wolf Kanno]

Well, I finally reached Colony 6, after completing everything I could find on the Bionis Leg and even after heading back to Colony 9. Thanks to the tip to switch out party members to raise affinity for Heart to Hearts because I was racking my brain trying to get Reyn and Sharla to like each other better. Even after switching out with her, she became friends with Shulk first. I'm also laughing because from what the map has shown me, Colony 6 is on the Bionis' groin, and now I'm, traveling through the Ether Mine, which I can't help but hypothesize with the glee of a 9 year old child, is the Bionis' Rectum.

One of the missions on the Bionis Leg was really intriguing, because it finally forced me to take advantage of the fact certain enemies respond to different stimuli to go on a rampage. I was helping this myopic Pon Pon collect two items to make a special soup for some friends, who happen to be us, but the poor guy can't see very well. One involved collecting an egg from a giant bird's nest where both creatures were level 70. Luckily it's behind them and as long as they don't see you, you can sneak by them. The other involved me going into the Cave of Winds, and crawling into an Arachno nest where everything is level 75+. These guys respond to sound (even their Alien Facehugger style eggs do) so I was literally tip-toeing into the middle of this nest surrounded by high level monsters, the main ingredient right next to this General Arachno Lv. 75 and had to tip toe next to it and grab the item, and tip toe away so it didn't find me and murder me. To say it was a tense experience is an understatement but it was an awesome side quest to say the least.

I also enjoy the enemy level curve in this game. My party is about level 28 right now, and I still can't really put up much of a fight against lv. 35 monsters. If this was Final Fantasy, I could mop the floor with anything that wasn't 20 levels higher than me; but in this game, just being five levels higher is enough to give me a rough fight if I'm not fully prepared. I'm still surprised that I'm already about 28 hours into this game, and I only now have my third party member, I'm not even level 30 yet, I've made Reyn and Shulk such good friends it's now in Bromance territory, and I have yet to max out my Affinity with Colony 9. Sharla has also brought a very amusing dynamic to the party as well. She's a bit more of a tragic figure than Shulk and Reyn are so far, and her awkward relationship with Reyn is adorable since he obviously has a thing for her, but her heart is only for Gadolt. The dialogue after battle is usually pretty cheesy but also quite hilarious, usually at poor Reyn's expense.

Now I kind of wish I didn't have three papers due next week for school, or for that matter, I wish I didn't have school or work so I could dedicate more time to this game.

[edczxcvbnm]

I'm pretty sure it's just that the music is calmer when it's night-time. Same with the trees you mention.

That makes sense. I had not noticed the music too much in the game until I stepped away after a battle. I just heard the music change and the camera just happened to be in that position. I was just thinking the went the extra step that most games don't when you are away.

I was just mentioning the trees looked awesome and made the scene =D

[The Captain]

Just got my hands on a copy but have only played through the intro so far. Hopefully, I'll have some free time in the coming week to actually play it. From what little I saw, I was deeply impressed. Not since Dragon Quest VIII can I recall a game where I was actually looking forward to just wandering the world.

Take care all.

[Wolf Kanno]

So I finally got Dunban in my party. I was also right in thinking he would be the "Uzuki" character of this game though he doesn't share their name. He actually surprised me a bit, because while I figured he was going to be a powerful fighter, I didn't expect him to be an agility based Tank character. So he is technically an alternative tank from Reyn, who dodges attacks instead of just taking it. I also love how one of his helmet designs is giving him an eye-patch. That is awesome.

I've finally reached the complicated moment of the game where I am torn between exploring the world and doing quests, or rushing to the next story sequence of the plot because I seriously want to know what's going to happen next. I am also quite disturbed by the hinting the game is doing considering the nature and possible origins of the faced Mechon, giving me an idea of the twist that may be in store for Metal Face. I am also torn from whom my active party should be now that I have four characters, though it's sad to say, Reyn is probably going to be the poor man out for awhile.

I also finally reached the point where I can hold my own against some of the Lv. 34-35 enemies in Colony 9's Agora Beach. I'm still four levels from being able to fight that Lv. 40 Gentle Brog and complete one of the few lingering missions for Colony 9 though. I'm heading up the backside of the Bionis, in the Marsh lands, so I can actually try to make one of the visions of the future come true for a change, instead of the usual trying to prevent it from happening.

[krissy]

this looks like a fleshed out rogue galaxy which is good. my main gripe with that game was that the environments were so boring. these look pretty grandiose.

one day, maybe!