Everything I wished for in Final Fantasy XIII is all here.
Long review:
Excited from all the hubbub and effort it took to bring Xenoblade to the States, expectations were high when I first popped the disc into my dusty Wii.
And so it began with a beautiful title screen music and then… the cutscenes and suddenly I was hit in the face with the harshness of the graphics and hyper aware of how very old the Wii was. Not to be confused, Xenoblade's art design is quite lively, colorful, gorgeous- however the reality of its outdated graphics still made me cringe.
Fortunately, the bad feeling dissipates once you actually start playing the game. You assume the protagonist role of Shulk, a young technogeek who lives in a human (Homs) colony with his fellow friends Reyn (a bulky likable soldier) and Fiora (Shulk's female childhood friend/love interest). The world is set in a fantastic nature-thriving environment with changing weathers (from sunny clouds to a howling storm) and distinct intervals of in-game time (morning, day, night). Shulk lives in a unique and massive world (called the Bionis, which you find early on, is a gigantic 'dead' humanoid). In this world, the Homs (humans) are at war with the Mechon (robotic sentient beings). Driven by an intriguing and emotional main storyline with themes of vengeance and despair, players will travel (and fight) on the Bionis from toe to head gaining additional memorable companions along the way.
Collectible foilage, bugs, and whatnot push you to explore every nook and cranny of the world, and it's easy to become sidetracked; there is a certain thrill in exploring the Bionis because of how expansive and gorgeous the world is. From breathtaking waterfalls to jagged cliffs, pausing to enjoy scenic sights, while discovering hidden routes are both satisfying and rewarding experiences.
The gameplay is out-of-the-box compared with the traditional battle-systems in JRPGs. In a polished active-real-time fighting system, players automatically attack (melee) an enemy once it is in range and being targeted. There is a variety of unlockable special attacks that can be chosen and strategically combined to effectively destroy your enemy. The battles are interesting (Shulk will gain the ability to see an enemy's future attacks, which he can then avoid or cause some other change) and battles grow harder after each stage.
Other features like cultivating your relationship with companions/towns (influenced by how often you battle with them, completing a percentage of side missions and dialogues, and gift-finding-giving system) and gem-weapon modifications that boost fighting bonuses, are all familiar JRPG elements and yet special expertly crafted experiences in Xenoblade Chronicles. Xenoblade stands out from its harshly critiqued genre, with cleverly added character interactions and gameplay accessibility.
In terms of accessibility here is one example: there are no save points because you can save anywhere. You can also teleport back to key areas you have previously visited when the need arises, thus avoiding long treks back and forth. Also if you are incapacitated by an enemy, you automatically resurrect in a nearby site, where you can continue without loading. Health is replenished once the battle is over so there is no need to constantly nurse your characters. These small aspects of the game are a relief because battles become increasingly difficult as you progress throughout the game.
Though the accomplishments and little ticks off of checklists make the game irresistible and addicting, a minor annoyance rises from item accumulation. The amount of loot you can acquire becomes unmanageable and alarming especially with the limited amount you are able to hold. The complex side missions and gem customization forces you to hoard enemy loot, which you are not quite sure may come in handy later on.
Other imperfections in the game include the side quest menu that weirdly does not clear out a number of completed missions. Therefore you will need to scroll all the way down to look up incomplete missions.
However, in spite of very very minor grievances, the game is a noteworthy evolutionary step for JRPGs. Defying traditional game mechanics for a polished and enjoyable gameplay as well as maintaining its usual charm and excitement story-wise and character development-wise, Xenoblade Chronicles has much to offer to any fan of the role-playing genre.