Reforming a Genre

Few would argue that the JRPG genre has remained relevant in the videogame industry over the last decade. What was once a proud and much lauded genre in gaming has mostly dwindled into something, dare I say it - niche and clichéd. With the advent of customization, open-world gameplay, and other modern game mechanics in Western RPG series such as Dragon Age, Elder Scrolls, and The Witcher, most JRPGs are now overlooked due to the fact that they generally tend to stick to traditional ideas that are not quite up with the times. However, Monolith Soft aimed to change that with Xenoblade Chronicles, a game that is so seemingly unlike most JRPGs that it dares to stray from the medium and boldly take it to the next level.

Haven't I Seen That Name Somewhere Before?

Xenoblade Chronicles may share the same prefix with Monolith Soft's Xenosaga games, but don't allow yourself to be misled here - there's actually no correlation between the two, meaning this game has its own story. The world of Xenoblade Chronicles is set on the backs of two huge titans called the Bionis, and the Mechonis, both of which engaged in a battle long, long ago and now are lifeless husks with their bodies still locked in combat. Bionis, as “subtly” indicated by its name, is a god/landform that is nature-affiliated, having huge oceans, long green pastures and deep forests. On the other hand, Mechonis is filled with technology and development, and, at the story's outset, its inhabitants (the Mechon) are on the verge of invading Bionis.

The hero of this game is an unlikely 18-year-old named Shulk who comes into possession of a legendary blade called the Monado. It turns out that the Monado was once used by another warrior named Dunban, but its power overwhelmed him after a key victory in a previous battle against the Mechon, leaving Dunban's right arm useless. Thus, Dunban accompanies Shulk on an adventure to discover what is really behind the Mechons' invasion by journeying into the heart of Mechonis itself.

One of the first things you may notice during this voyage is how beautiful the game actually looks, especially considering that it is in standard definition on the Wii. Unlike many other RPGs, even compared to those on the HD consoles, the scope of this game is massive. Throughout the game, you'll notice key parts of the two gods as you look around and off into the distance. In one area, you may be on Bionis's leg, and a couple hours later, you'll be higher up on the landform looking down where you previously were.

Similar Yet Improved Battle System

One of the key features of the game is its finely tuned battle system, which at first glance may resemble Final Fantasy XII's free roaming battle aspect. There are no transitions to battle screens or anything like that; everything takes place in real-time as you run around each environment. And since battles aren't randomly generated, the game gives you the ability to avoid wild creatures and enemies on the field if you want to. Some will be prone to attacking if you're near or otherwise get too close while others will ignore you unless provoked.

As for the battles themselves, each character will auto-attack any enemies that enter their attack radius, but there are also special attacks that you can use that are manually activated, essentially preventing the entire experience from becoming auto-run. In addition, the position of each character in relation to the enemy will have an impact on how effective your attacks are. By manipulating an "aggro ring," which appears around characters that are currently being targeted by the enemy, you can have the non-targeted character(s) attack from the side or the back for more effective hits.

Affinity for New Features and Returning Legends

Another interesting aspect of the game is its "Affinity" system, where each party member has an affinity stat that gauges how much they like another member. By having two characters battle it out alongside each other and participating in gift giving, you'll trigger "heart-to-heart" moments that will show more of a character's history and thoughts, generally giving you more insight into each character. There are tons of side quests to do as well, which will often reward you with a rare item of sorts and ensure that you have plenty to do outside of the main quest.

Contributing to the soundtrack are none other than legendary Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger fame and Yoko Shimomura of Kingdom Hearts fame, in addition to a trio of sound designers who form a group called Ace+, who also composed most of the music in the game. The dubbed voice-overs in the game will still retain the British voices from the European version, but for those who would like to experience the original Japanese voice-overs with English subtitles, the option is available to do so as well.

All the Makings of a Classic

With an epic story, intuitive battle system, impressive graphics and one of the most unique and clever settings for a JRPG in some time, Xenoblade Chronicles looks to deliver what many JRPG fans have been seeking since the PS2 days. And with word already out from Europe and Japan about how critically acclaimed the game is, this is definitely one game RPG fans and Wii gamers should keep an eye on.