Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (no not X)

[Aurian]

So bought the game on Friday and am now putting it down. Just not enjoying it.

1) ok character designs are still cringe-worthy. The NPCs have more normalish proportions and then you have this anime mutant makn character. With assless chaps and a bizarre outfit. And he's supposed to be what 12? (Guessing by his height) with a mature voice? Whatever.

2) anime tropes are so heavy and cringeworthy. I guess I kind of liked the tone of the previous Xenoblade games and this one is just hard to take seriously. I guess the camera can't take it seriously since it keeps panning over to gawk at Pyra's bewbs.

3) the battle system feels like it takes a step backwards. Arts only charge if you attack and you attack only if you stand still? No stategic placing since you're not attacking and the enemy moves just as fast... can't dodge even though the attack clearly doesn't touch your sprite. And then all these different types of combos and cancelling attacks and such? And healing sucks (see posts above about potions spawning waaaaaaaaay over there...)

4) map? It's terrible. Unforgivable in a game that is supposed to have a lot of exploration.

5) the physics are really off too. The jumping is very floaty, and the swimming floatier. It just further takes me out of immersion.

At least the settings are pretty?

[Aeolus]

So bought the game on Friday and am now putting it down. Just not enjoying it.

1) ok character designs are still cringe-worthy. The NPCs have more normalish proportions and then you have this anime mutant makn character. With assless chaps and a bizarre outfit. And he's supposed to be what 12? (Guessing by his height) with a mature voice? Whatever.

2) anime tropes are so heavy and cringeworthy. I guess I kind of liked the tone of the previous Xenoblade games and this one is just hard to take seriously. I guess the camera can't take it seriously since it keeps panning over to gawk at Pyra's bewbs.

3) the battle system feels like it takes a step backwards. Arts only charge if you attack and you attack only if you stand still? No stategic placing since you're not attacking and the enemy moves just as fast... can't dodge even though the attack clearly doesn't touch your sprite. And then all these different types of combos and cancelling attacks and such? And healing sucks (see posts above about potions spawning waaaaaaaaay over there...)

4) map? It's terrible. Unforgivable in a game that is supposed to have a lot of exploration.

5) the physics are really off too. The jumping is very floaty, and the swimming floatier. It just further takes me out of immersion.

At least the settings are pretty?

1. MC's bad, but he's not the worst. Not when masked Sephiroth is out-Uzuki'ing the rest of the cast.

2. Sadly, the anime is thick with this one. One of your future party members is literally FE:Awakening's Owain. Frankly, it feels like someone stapled a Tales of Plot onto Xenoblade gameplay (but then, given the Xenowhatever track record thus far, this is essentially par for the course (Xenogears was basically a bunch of old skool Giant Robot anime plots glued together with theological philosophy 541); XBC1 was just better at hiding it (and it also took its main conceit fairly seriously which helped immensely as foresight is a hell of a plot device to run with when not bullshitting with it)).

3. I'm half way through Chapter 3 and I've only just now unlocked Chain Attacks. I appreciate the game taking its time to explain shit this time around, but its also kinda moving rather slowly (and yeah, the gameplay sucks out loud with only one party member; and you don't get a full party until mid way through Chapter 2). That said, the battle system starts earning its bread once you have Blade Combos and Art/Blade Canceling, its just unfortunate that the battle system takes so long to get there.

4. Its clunky as hell and the Directional Main Quest Marker sometimes pointing at something beyond the map you're currently on, but those are its only critical flaws. Sidequests, the Main Quest marker and NPCs all show up on the mini-map, while the Map Screen gives you far greater detail.

5. The physics were even floatier in XBCs 1 & X.


I should also mention at this point that the game is reminding me more of Baiten Katos than XBCs 1 or X.

[Arvis]

I should also mention at this point that the game is reminding me more of Baiten Katos than XBCs 1 or X.

SICK burn, bro

[Electricb7]

So bought the game on Friday and am now putting it down. Just not enjoying it.

1) ok character designs are still cringe-worthy. The NPCs have more normalish proportions and then you have this anime mutant makn character. With assless chaps and a bizarre outfit. And he's supposed to be what 12? (Guessing by his height) with a mature voice? Whatever.

2) anime tropes are so heavy and cringeworthy. I guess I kind of liked the tone of the previous Xenoblade games and this one is just hard to take seriously. I guess the camera can't take it seriously since it keeps panning over to gawk at Pyra's bewbs.

3) the battle system feels like it takes a step backwards. Arts only charge if you attack and you attack only if you stand still? No stategic placing since you're not attacking and the enemy moves just as fast... can't dodge even though the attack clearly doesn't touch your sprite. And then all these different types of combos and cancelling attacks and such? And healing sucks (see posts above about potions spawning waaaaaaaaay over there...)

4) map? It's terrible. Unforgivable in a game that is supposed to have a lot of exploration.

5) the physics are really off too. The jumping is very floaty, and the swimming floatier. It just further takes me out of immersion.

At least the settings are pretty?

1) Rex is the only thing thank seems out of place so far. His design looks awkward standing next to normal looking NPC's. It doesn't bother me that much.

2) The Anime levels are nowhere near as bad as Cold Steel 1. Id say it a less aggressive Tales game in the anime trope aspect. Its a JRPG so I suspect bewbs and anime girls. I've only seen the camera pan around Pyra in a lewd way a few times and the characters around her didn't acknowledge it so I guess its for the players.

3) The battle system fells ok, but I think its a little too messy.  Canceling arts, and mechanics that aren't really explained in a good way make you think you aren't  battling at your full potential. And yeah the potions usually fly a good distance away from the action. I guess it would be too easy if they just bounced over beside you all of the time.

4) The map is fucking Garbage. No Icons when you bring it up. The mini map is too damn mini. They dont even let you pause the game and look at an even larger concrete map that has icons on it or something. This is basic video game stuff. The exploring aspect seems way to large to not offer me a decent map. Especially when you fall over a map and land in the cloud sea. The map doesn't even tell you where you can get back to land. You have to fast travel.
The mission objective marker is lame too.

5)The physics are absolutely terrible. If you want to jump on something you might as well roll some dice. I spent a good 45 seconds trying to jump on a basic stack of crates and I just said wow. I'm not a bad gamer and I consider myself to be an pro. Missing standard wooden crates that are stacked neatly in front of you because you float without collision resistance from the crates is poor and somewhat laziness on their end.
 
Its clear to me this game was rushed to so that it could launched before Christmas.

[Isjaki]

I've been able to bring up a map with a shitload of markers on it........


I have been having a 100% blast with this game so far.

[Electricb7]

What do you mean by markers? The little green dots that are plastered everywhere and are indistinguishable from one another?

[Aeolus]

What do you mean by markers? The little green dots that are plastered everywhere and are indistinguishable from one another?

Press X.
Select your current Titan.
Select the Landmark closest to your desired location.
Read the controls text on the bottom right hand corner of the screen (because the game does a piss poor job of actually explaining the map without making you hit up an informant; also in actually letting you navigate said map since it requires using a secondary set of controls to do it).

[Electricb7]

What do you mean by markers? The little green dots that are plastered everywhere and are indistinguishable from one another?

Press X.
Select your current Titan.
Select the Landmark closest to your desired location.
Read the controls text on the bottom right hand corner of the screen (because the game does a piss poor job of actually explaining the map without making you hit up an informant; also in actually letting you navigate said map since it requires using a secondary set of controls to do it).

omg why

[Aeolus]

What do you mean by markers? The little green dots that are plastered everywhere and are indistinguishable from one another?

Press X.
Select your current Titan.
Select the Landmark closest to your desired location.
Read the controls text on the bottom right hand corner of the screen (because the game does a piss poor job of actually explaining the map without making you hit up an informant; also in actually letting you navigate said map since it requires using a secondary set of controls to do it).

omg why

Its kinda annoying when you have multiple stops to make within the same area (towns namely) and you have to navigate to your current map every time you want to fast travel.


Meanwhile Chapter 4 is basically straight out of a Giant Robot Anime (so put a check in that box), but continues the theme of Poppi being the best character, meanwhile Tora's a vast improvement over Tatsu, even if he still doesn't measure up to Riki. Kinda disappointed that Poppi doesn't have or start with a Rocket Punch (because she's basically a Mazinger Z homage) though she does have a Rust Tornado variant, and she might be pulling other moves from Great Mazinger and such. Then again, I haven't played around with her elements or class yet (mostly because an Earth Tank is working pretty well for what I've got going right now).

Also, my earlier joke about this sounding like JRPG Fantasy Highlander is pretty fucking-on-the-nose so far. Most of the dialects are variations on Irish or Scottish accents, as is quite a bit of the terminology.

Also also, I've pulled two Rare Blades (both on Rex; Bird Brain and Thunder Chick), which when taken alongside the two the game gave me for free, has helped my field skill set diversity quite a bit.

[Agent D.]

When the motherfuck do you get a fortitude field skill? It's killing me, passing all these things that I can't use or open or swim through cuz NO ONE HAS FORTITUDE!!!

Edit: So I found out I'll get it pretty soon. Sorry for the rant. Game rocks!

[Aeolus]

When the motherfuck do you get a fortitude field skill? It's killing me, passing all these things that I can't use or open or swim through cuz NO ONE HAS FORTITUDE!!!

Edit: So I found out I'll get it pretty soon. Sorry for the rant. Game rocks!

I've been really feeling it as well. I hate the fact that they introduce branching quests with a skill check that required two skills that I didn't have at all.

At least I've almost obtained another Rare Blade, so that Nia can have a full set at last (of course, I'm probably going to need to have the Core Crystal recharge first).

[Agent D.]

When the motherfuck do you get a fortitude field skill? It's killing me, passing all these things that I can't use or open or swim through cuz NO ONE HAS FORTITUDE!!!

Edit: So I found out I'll get it pretty soon. Sorry for the rant. Game rocks!

I've been really feeling it as well. I hate the fact that they introduce branching quests with a skill check that required two skills that I didn't have at all.

At least I've almost obtained another Rare Blade, so that Nia can have a full set at last (of course, I'm probably going to need to have the Core Crystal recharge first).

I've got about 11 or 12 rare blades now. Most of them through common crystals believe it or not. Rare blades are actually pretty aggrivating with their special requirements for leveling up and such....not all of them but a few are pushing my buttons to say the least. What annoys me most is how FUCKING RANDOM the blade is that you'll get. Rex keeps getting tanks and healers, while Nia gets healers and tanks as well. Sucks that all the ring blades are attached to beasts too...they look stupid.

[Aeolus]

When the motherfuck do you get a fortitude field skill? It's killing me, passing all these things that I can't use or open or swim through cuz NO ONE HAS FORTITUDE!!!

Edit: So I found out I'll get it pretty soon. Sorry for the rant. Game rocks!

I've been really feeling it as well. I hate the fact that they introduce branching quests with a skill check that required two skills that I didn't have at all.

At least I've almost obtained another Rare Blade, so that Nia can have a full set at last (of course, I'm probably going to need to have the Core Crystal recharge first).

I've got about 11 or 12 rare blades now. Most of them through common crystals believe it or not. Rare blades are actually pretty aggrivating with their special requirements for leveling up and such....not all of them but a few are pushing my buttons to say the least. What annoys me most is how FUCKING RANDOM the blade is that you'll get. Rex keeps getting tanks and healers, while Nia gets healers and tanks as well. Sucks that all the ring blades are attached to beasts too...they look stupid.

I ended up spending an Override to swap the Catgirl Blade I pulled on Nia to the third Blade user since I gave Nia the Beast Core Crystal earlier (which is also Earth Elemental). Amusingly, I got that Catgirl Blade right after completing the last 2nd rank Merc Mission that uses her exclusive skill (whoops). I also now have Vess and a Dark elemental Katana Rare Blade, the latter was pulled by my third Blade user to solidify my diversity (I need only Ice now), while Vess went to Nia to replace the Catgirl.


That said, http://www.siliconera.com/2017/12/13/xenoblade-chronicles-2-update-will-make-tiger-tiger-easier-improve-maps/

They're fixing the map (also making Tiger! Tiger! easier; although I feel that its easy enough as is; I'd complain about gains, but then I went and made a Stage 2 run that ended up netting me both a Rare Core Crystal and about 3000 Ether Crystals, which is kinda nuts).


Edit: Welp. Had my first crash. Fortunately I had saved pretty recently so the only things I lost were some quest cleanups (my Merc Missions are (un)fortunately on hold as I've unlocked the Merc Level 3 Quest and am currently too underleveled to take it right now (as I have to punch out a Level 43 Blade user who can straight up oneshot my entire party from full once he reaches the 50% HP mark; even if I avoid it, he pretty much finishes me off right afterwards due to pumping steroids)).

[ScottC]

@Aeolus Don't stop doing merc mission.  Points carry over to the next level even if you haven't beaten the quest yet and you need 20k for rank 5 eventually.  Takes a while.

[Electricb7]

Literally the worst waypoint/map system in any video game I have ever played.
Astonishing.