Added: 24.04.2015 20:30 | 5 views | 0 comments

Back on the ground, combat in X is the same as it was in Xenoblade Chronicles. Arts--special physical and magical attacks that can be used to knock enemies to the ground and cast protective shields around party members--make a return. Characters have two weapons: a manual weapon like a sword or daggers, and a gun. Both weapon types have their own special Arts abilities, and being able to switch between spraying enemies with bullets at a distance and hacking and slashing up close is a nice touch. It makes you feel powerful, and maybe gives you a little more confidence in having the tools to take down larger enemies.

One thing about roaming enemies, however: their levels don't scale to your characters' levels. That one area under the overhang will always harbor a level 50 monstrosity, no matter if you're level 10 or level 60. Because of this, you have to be careful which monsters you engage as you explore areas. You can typically take down enemies two or three levels stronger than you, but any higher than that is a risk. Enemies' levels are displayed over their heads, and some of them have a tiny eye-shaped icon that indicates they will attack if you're in their line of site. Most enemies don't have this stipulation, and you can freely pass by them without incident; they won't attack you unless you attack first.

I spent most my time with X exploring the large area of the map left open for me, attacking monsters as I saw fit (and dying when I was overbold). I also pursued a side quest that led me to an alien stronghold--yes, aliens--and the story gave me the choice to leave them alone and scope for intel or run in guns blazing. I chose the latter, and ultimately paid for it with my life and a checkpoint setback.

On the surface level, Xenoblade Chronicles X is just more Xenoblade Chronicles: it has the same style of combat, the same quest structure, and the same central idea of humanity struggling to rebuild and survive. But X builds wonderfully on these ideas, granting access to a larger, more complex space in which to carry out its role-playing goodness. There's much more to the game than just exploring and fighting--we've yet to get hands-on time with dolls, the weaponized mechs used by humans--but from what I've already seen, Xenoblade Chronicles X will be a welcome addition to RPG fans' repertoires and the Wii U library itself.

Added: 24.04.2015 20:30 | 5 views | 0 comments

Back on the ground, combat in X is the same as it was in Xenoblade Chronicles. Arts--special physical and magical attacks that can be used to knock enemies to the ground and cast protective shields around party members--make a return. Characters have two weapons: a manual weapon like a sword or daggers, and a gun. Both weapon types have their own special Arts abilities, and being able to switch between spraying enemies with bullets at a distance and hacking and slashing up close is a nice touch. It makes you feel powerful, and maybe gives you a little more confidence in having the tools to take down larger enemies.

One thing about roaming enemies, however: their levels don't scale to your characters' levels. That one area under the overhang will always harbor a level 50 monstrosity, no matter if you're level 10 or level 60. Because of this, you have to be careful which monsters you engage as you explore areas. You can typically take down enemies two or three levels stronger than you, but any higher than that is a risk. Enemies' levels are displayed over their heads, and some of them have a tiny eye-shaped icon that indicates they will attack if you're in their line of site. Most enemies don't have this stipulation, and you can freely pass by them without incident; they won't attack you unless you attack first.

I spent most my time with X exploring the large area of the map left open for me, attacking monsters as I saw fit (and dying when I was overbold). I also pursued a side quest that led me to an alien stronghold--yes, aliens--and the story gave me the choice to leave them alone and scope for intel or run in guns blazing. I chose the latter, and ultimately paid for it with my life and a checkpoint setback.

On the surface level, Xenoblade Chronicles X is just more Xenoblade Chronicles: it has the same style of combat, the same quest structure, and the same central idea of humanity struggling to rebuild and survive. But X builds wonderfully on these ideas, granting access to a larger, more complex space in which to carry out its role-playing goodness. There's much more to the game than just exploring and fighting--we've yet to get hands-on time with dolls, the weaponized mechs used by humans--but from what I've already seen, Xenoblade Chronicles X will be a welcome addition to RPG fans' repertoires and the Wii U library itself.