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Though ''Xenogears'' was conceived as the fifth episode of a series of six, Square decided against devoting resources to further works related to ''Xenogears'' in favor of focusing on their flagship ''Final Fantasy'' series, which prompted Takahashi and much of the ''Xenogears'' staff to leave the company and form what would become [[Monolith Soft]] with the financial backing of [[Bandai Namco]]. Due to the legal rights of ''Xenogears'' remaining with Square, Takahashi could not create games that were direct extensions of the ''Xenogears'' continuity (despite what the end credits originally indicated), so he proceeded on a project that could more accurately be described as a reboot that shared thematic similarities: the ''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenosaga}}'' trilogy (which was originally intended to be six games), published by Bandai Namco from 2002 to 2006 on the PlayStation 2. Set millennia in the future where Earth is no longer the primary homeworld of a space-faring humanity, the games feature different combat systems between each installment, all of which are mechanically separate from their spiritual PlayStation predecessor. The series' reception was generally favorable, though review outlets tended to express more mixed opinions when comparing them with ''Xenogears'', finding fault with elements such as a much more lopsided cutscene-to-gameplay ratio and the removal of some of the acclaimed philosophical elements. | Though ''Xenogears'' was conceived as the fifth episode of a series of six, Square decided against devoting resources to further works related to ''Xenogears'' in favor of focusing on their flagship ''Final Fantasy'' series, which prompted Takahashi and much of the ''Xenogears'' staff to leave the company and form what would become [[Monolith Soft]] with the financial backing of [[Bandai Namco]]. Due to the legal rights of ''Xenogears'' remaining with Square, Takahashi could not create games that were direct extensions of the ''Xenogears'' continuity (despite what the end credits originally indicated), so he proceeded on a project that could more accurately be described as a reboot that shared thematic similarities: the ''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenosaga}}'' trilogy (which was originally intended to be six games), published by Bandai Namco from 2002 to 2006 on the PlayStation 2. Set millennia in the future where Earth is no longer the primary homeworld of a space-faring humanity, the games feature different combat systems between each installment, all of which are mechanically separate from their spiritual PlayStation predecessor. The series' reception was generally favorable, though review outlets tended to express more mixed opinions when comparing them with ''Xenogears'', finding fault with elements such as a much more lopsided cutscene-to-gameplay ratio and the removal of some of the acclaimed philosophical elements. | ||
In May 2007, Namco sold its stake in Monolith Soft to Nintendo, and Monolith Soft soon became a first-party developer for the company. Takahashi began work on a different IP for the [[Wii]], which over the course of four years of development was unveiled at E3 2009 under the title ''Monado: Beginning of the World''. It would later be renamed ''{{iw|xenoseries|Xenoblade Chronicles}}'', by then-president Satoru Iwata, once again following the convention of including ''Xeno-'' in the title to honor the director's previous, though otherwise unconnected, work. Involving himself in every aspect of the game's development, Takahashi worked to separate it from its forerunners in both gameplay style and theme, with the relationship between humans and machines as one of the carryovers. The original concept of the game came from the idea of giant godlike titans serving as the basis for the world and story, with the gameplay coming later. Once the concept was presented to the team, morale was bolstered and development kicked off. The game would eventually be released in Japan on June 10, 2010, and then in PAL regions on August 19, 2011; however, the game's American release would only take place on April 6, 2012, which led to an interim period where concerned gamers took part in a fan campaign called "{{iw|wikipedia|Operation Rainfall}}" to persuade Nintendo of America to localize the game and two other Japan-exclusive Wii RPGs, ''The Last Story'' and ''Pandora's Tower''. This campaign was successful and all three games eventually received limited releases throughout 2012. This release did come with some compromises, particularly with ''Xenoblade.'' An estimated 100,000 units were distrubted for all of North America through Nintendo's store and GameStop. The game sold out very quickly, and the original release is now considered a somewhat rare collector's piece. Also, since an english dub was already created in Europe, Nintendo of America simply used it for the North American release, starting the tradition of a majority of the english cast in every ''Xenoblade'' game since having thick european accents. | In May 2007, Namco sold its stake in Monolith Soft to Nintendo, and Monolith Soft soon became a first-party developer for the company. Takahashi began work on a different IP for the [[Wii]], which over the course of four years of development was unveiled at E3 2009 under the title ''Monado: Beginning of the World''. It would later be renamed ''{{iw|xenoseries|Xenoblade Chronicles}}'', by then-president Satoru Iwata, once again following the convention of including ''Xeno-'' in the title to honor the director's previous, though otherwise unconnected, work. Involving himself in every aspect of the game's development, Takahashi worked to separate it from its forerunners in both gameplay style and theme, with the relationship between humans and machines as one of the carryovers. The original concept of the game came from the idea of giant godlike titans serving as the basis for the world and story, with the gameplay coming later. Once the concept was presented to the team, morale was bolstered and development kicked off. The game would eventually be released in Japan on June 10, 2010, and then in PAL regions on August 19, 2011; however, the game's American release would only take place on April 6, 2012, which led to an interim period where concerned gamers took part in a fan campaign called "{{iw|wikipedia|Operation Rainfall}}" to persuade Nintendo of America to localize the game and two other Japan-exclusive Wii RPGs, ''{{iw|wikipedia|The Last Story}}'' and ''{{iw|wikipedia|Pandora's Tower}}''. This campaign was successful and all three games eventually received limited releases throughout 2012. This release did come with some compromises, particularly with ''Xenoblade.'' An estimated 100,000 units were distrubted for all of North America through Nintendo's store and GameStop. The game sold out very quickly, and the original release is now considered a somewhat rare collector's piece. Also, since an english dub was already created in Europe, Nintendo of America simply used it for the North American release, starting the tradition of a majority of the english cast in every ''Xenoblade'' game since having thick european accents. | ||
''Xenoblade Chronicles'' received overwhelming critical acclaim across the board. It was lauded for revitalizing and reinventing the otherwise stagnant Japanese role-playing genre and bringing it into the twenty-first century, with a sense of freedom instilled by a massive open world that has been compared to the size of the real-world Japanese archipelago. The gameplay style of the combat closely resembles that of ''Final Fantasy XII'', but with an emphasis on chained group attacks and allowing some characters to strategically divert enemy attention away from other party members. Closely tied in with the game's theme is a "Visions" system where the lead character can see glimpses of critical or even fatal enemy attacks, which can allow the player to either avoid or prevent an incoming attack. Especially praised were the characters, both for their writing and voice performances and for the integration of their relationships into core aspects of the gameplay both inside and outside of battle. The game sold over 800,000 units globally and, as a first-party Nintendo property, its main character Shulk was included in the roster of ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' in 2014 and returned in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. | ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' received overwhelming critical acclaim across the board. It was lauded for revitalizing and reinventing the otherwise stagnant Japanese role-playing genre and bringing it into the twenty-first century, with a sense of freedom instilled by a massive open world that has been compared to the size of the real-world Japanese archipelago. The gameplay style of the combat closely resembles that of ''Final Fantasy XII'', but with an emphasis on chained group attacks and allowing some characters to strategically divert enemy attention away from other party members. Closely tied in with the game's theme is a "Visions" system where the lead character can see glimpses of critical or even fatal enemy attacks, which can allow the player to either avoid or prevent an incoming attack. Especially praised were the characters, both for their writing and voice performances and for the integration of their relationships into core aspects of the gameplay both inside and outside of battle. The game sold over 800,000 units globally and, as a first-party Nintendo property, its main character Shulk was included in the roster of ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' in 2014 and returned in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. | ||
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As a series of science-fiction fantasy action RPGs, the ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' games introduce a combat system reminiscent of those in modern MMOs, with party members automatically attacking enemies when in range with weak strikes. The bulk of combat is handled with character techniques called Arts, which are governed by a cooldown system that does away with the traditional magic points. Battles are not turn-based and instead take place in real-time, with enemies roaming about the overworld, able to be engaged at the player's discretion. Enemies can direct their attention, or "aggro", to certain party members, and it is actively encouraged for particular techniques. Certain creatures are also "uniquely named" and act as overworld mini-bosses; it is not uncommon to find a unique monster roaming about in an otherwise tame landscape. The series actively encourages exploration of these sprawling landscapes as the party earns experience points for discovering new locations and Landmarks, and the player can freely fast-travel to and from these Landmarks upon discovery. The time of day can also be changed at any point from the start of the game to the player's convenience, adding to the quality-of-life improvements the series brings to the genre. In terms of character progression, there are usually hundreds of side quests that can be engaged at the same time and rewards come in the form of experience, equipment, and currency. And finally, bonds can be forged in towns and between party members to boost their affinity and effectiveness in battle in the latter's case, typically in the form of personalized conversations called Heart-to-Hearts which require certain prerequisites for the necessary characters. The following synopses lay out the premises for each installment of the ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' series: | As a series of science-fiction fantasy action RPGs, the ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' games introduce a combat system reminiscent of those in modern MMOs, with party members automatically attacking enemies when in range with weak strikes. The bulk of combat is handled with character techniques called Arts, which are governed by a cooldown system that does away with the traditional magic points. Battles are not turn-based and instead take place in real-time, with enemies roaming about the overworld, able to be engaged at the player's discretion. Enemies can direct their attention, or "aggro", to certain party members, and it is actively encouraged for particular techniques. Certain creatures are also "uniquely named" and act as overworld mini-bosses; it is not uncommon to find a unique monster roaming about in an otherwise tame landscape. The series actively encourages exploration of these sprawling landscapes as the party earns experience points for discovering new locations and Landmarks, and the player can freely fast-travel to and from these Landmarks upon discovery. The time of day can also be changed at any point from the start of the game to the player's convenience, adding to the quality-of-life improvements the series brings to the genre. In terms of character progression, there are usually hundreds of side quests that can be engaged at the same time and rewards come in the form of experience, equipment, and currency. And finally, bonds can be forged in towns and between party members to boost their affinity and effectiveness in battle in the latter's case, typically in the form of personalized conversations called Heart-to-Hearts which require certain prerequisites for the necessary characters. The following synopses lay out the premises for each installment of the ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' series: | ||
*'''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles}}''''' (2010): The first game is set on a world of endless ocean, with the world's terra firma being the standing towering corpses of Bionis and Mechonis, two colossal gods who dueled long ago and have remained locked in their positions from the battle. Eons later, new life arose out of their bodies and formed civilizations and societies, such as the humanoid Homs and other organic lifeforms on the Bionis, and mechanical beings like the predatory Mechon on the Mechonis. When a Homs colony on Bionis is attacked by the Mechon, a young Homs named [[Shulk]] obtains a mystical sword called the Monado, which is capable of damaging the Mechon and gives its chosen wielder the gift of foresight. Shulk and his friends initially set out for a Mechon stronghold to exact revenge, but over the course of a journey filled with twists and turns, they are provided a deeper examination of the conflict between the two sides, and eventually, of the true workings of the world itself. '''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles 3D}}''''', a port of the original Wii title, was developed by Monster Games and released for the [[Nintendo 3DS|New Nintendo 3DS]] on April 2, 2015 in Japan, Europe, and Australia, and on April 10, 2015 in the Americas. The handheld port was lauded for preserving the scale and frame rate of the original game while also including additional side content such as a jukebox and character model viewer, but skepticism was cited for the port's considerably downgraded visuals. The original Wii version was made available for digital download much later on the Wii U eShop in Europe on August 5, 2015 and in the Americas on April 28, 2016. A full high-definition remake of the game with added story content, titled '''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition}}''''', was released for the Nintendo Switch on May 29, 2020. | *'''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles}}''''' (2010): The first game is set on a world of endless ocean, with the world's terra firma being the standing towering corpses of Bionis and Mechonis, two colossal gods who dueled long ago and have remained locked in their positions from the battle. Eons later, new life arose out of their bodies and formed civilizations and societies, such as the humanoid Homs and other organic lifeforms on the Bionis, and mechanical beings like the predatory Mechon on the Mechonis. When a Homs colony on Bionis is attacked by the Mechon, a young Homs named [[Shulk]] obtains a mystical sword called the Monado, which is capable of damaging the Mechon and gives its chosen wielder the gift of foresight. Shulk and his friends initially set out for a Mechon stronghold to exact revenge, but over the course of a journey filled with twists and turns, they are provided a deeper examination of the conflict between the two sides, and eventually, of the true workings of the world itself. '''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles 3D}}''''', a port of the original Wii title, was developed by Monster Games and released for the [[Nintendo 3DS|New Nintendo 3DS]] on April 2, 2015 in Japan, Europe, and Australia, and on April 10, 2015 in the Americas. The handheld port was lauded for preserving the scale and frame rate of the original game while also including additional side content such as a jukebox and character model viewer, but skepticism was cited for the port's considerably downgraded visuals. The original Wii version was made available for digital download much later on the Wii U eShop in Europe on August 5, 2015 and in the Americas on April 28, 2016. A full high-definition remake of the game with added story content, titled '''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition}}''''', was released for the [[Nintendo Switch]] on May 29, 2020. | ||
**'''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Connected}}''''' (2020): The new campaign was released with the ''Definitive Edition'' in 2020, and was made available from the start. It also recycles an unused place, albeit altered in some places, as the main settling, which was found in both the original Wii release and in the ''Definitive Edition''{{'}}s files known as [https://tcrf.net/Xenoblade_Chronicles/Bionis%27_Left_Shoulder Bionis' Left Shoulder]. A year after the events of ''Xenoblade Chronicles'', Shulk and Melia use Junks to fly to the Bionis' Shoulder, but a beam originating from Alcamoth hits the ship and crash into a lake on the Shoulder. There, they encounter two of Riki's littlepon, Kino and Nene, being attacked by Volffs; they explain soon after how they got there by infiltrating the ship. Throughout the adventure, the team will find out about a mysterious being who is invincible to any attack and roams around Alcamoth, the Fog King. After fixing this issue by defeating the Fog King, the team returns to Colony 9, meeting the rest of the crew there. | **'''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Connected}}''''' (2020): The new campaign was released with the ''Definitive Edition'' in 2020, and was made available from the start. It also recycles an unused place, albeit altered in some places, as the main settling, which was found in both the original Wii release and in the ''Definitive Edition''{{'}}s files known as [https://tcrf.net/Xenoblade_Chronicles/Bionis%27_Left_Shoulder Bionis' Left Shoulder]. A year after the events of ''Xenoblade Chronicles'', Shulk and Melia use Junks to fly to the Bionis' Shoulder, but a beam originating from Alcamoth hits the ship and crash into a lake on the Shoulder. There, they encounter two of Riki's littlepon, Kino and Nene, being attacked by Volffs; they explain soon after how they got there by infiltrating the ship. Throughout the adventure, the team will find out about a mysterious being who is invincible to any attack and roams around Alcamoth, the Fog King. After fixing this issue by defeating the Fog King, the team returns to Colony 9, meeting the rest of the crew there. | ||
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**'''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country}}''''' (2018): 500 years into the past in the Kingdom of Torna, Lora and her Blade Jin find a young boy named Mikhail in the destroyed Porton Village while looking for Haze, and decide to look over him. The next day, they find a big crater near Feltley Village and meet Addam, the prince of the Tornan royal family, and his Blade Mythra who attacked them. | **'''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country}}''''' (2018): 500 years into the past in the Kingdom of Torna, Lora and her Blade Jin find a young boy named Mikhail in the destroyed Porton Village while looking for Haze, and decide to look over him. The next day, they find a big crater near Feltley Village and meet Addam, the prince of the Tornan royal family, and his Blade Mythra who attacked them. | ||
*'''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles 3}}''''' (2022): The fourth entry in the series was revealed during the Nintendo Direct of February 9, 2022 and originally set to be released for September 2022. The game ties together the universes of both two earlier numbered titles. The fusion of both universes was abruptly stopped by beings known as Moebius, which put the two worlds in a static fusion called Aionios, with two nations: Agnus for the ''Xenoblade 2'' side and Keves for the ''Xenoblade 1'' side. As an endless war between the two nations is happening, heroes of the Kevesi army; Noah, Lanz, Eunie, and Riku, meet and fight important foes of the Agnian army; Mio, Sena, Taion, and Manana until Guernica Vandham, a human coming from neither side, interrupts the fight. Their fates were changed soon after Guernica activates an Ouroboros Stone, which gives them the ability to become entities known as Ouroboros during battle, and defeats a Moebius with this new ability, as the aforementioned Moebius turn them into foes in the perspective of both armies. In result, the team flees from their army and adventures through Aionios, investigating on the origins of this ongoing war, what are Moebius, and the hidden truth behind their queens. ''Xenoblade Chronicles 3'' was released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch on July 29, 2022, earlier than its original release date. The game was praised by numerous reviews, broke new sale records in the ''Xeno'' franchise, and got nominated as Game of the Year at [[The Game Awards|The Game Awards 2022]], only to lose against | *'''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles 3}}''''' (2022): The fourth entry in the series was revealed during the Nintendo Direct of February 9, 2022 and originally set to be released for September 2022. The game ties together the universes of both two earlier numbered titles. The fusion of both universes was abruptly stopped by beings known as Moebius, which put the two worlds in a static fusion called Aionios, with two nations: Agnus for the ''Xenoblade 2'' side and Keves for the ''Xenoblade 1'' side. As an endless war between the two nations is happening, heroes of the Kevesi army; Noah, Lanz, Eunie, and Riku, meet and fight important foes of the Agnian army; Mio, Sena, Taion, and Manana until Guernica Vandham, a human coming from neither side, interrupts the fight. Their fates were changed soon after Guernica activates an Ouroboros Stone, which gives them the ability to become entities known as Ouroboros during battle, and defeats a Moebius with this new ability, as the aforementioned Moebius turn them into foes in the perspective of both armies. In result, the team flees from their army and adventures through Aionios, investigating on the origins of this ongoing war, what are Moebius, and the hidden truth behind their queens. ''Xenoblade Chronicles 3'' was released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch on July 29, 2022, earlier than its original release date. The game was praised by numerous reviews, broke new sale records in the ''Xeno'' franchise, and got nominated as Game of the Year at [[The Game Awards|The Game Awards 2022]], only to lose against [[FromSoftware]]'s ''{{iw|wikipedia|Elden Ring}}''. An Expansion Pass would be developed and will release its contents throughout 2022 and 2023, including color variants and new outfits for the cast, the return of Challenge Battle Mode from ''Xenoblade Chronicles 2'', new heroes with quests related to them, and a brand new scenario released on April 25, 2023. | ||
**'''''{{iw|xenoserieswiki|Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed}}''''' (2023): An interquel between all three numbered ''Xenoblade'' titles, this story expansion focuses on two new protagonists named Matthew and A. | |||
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''== | ==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''== | ||