Hail to thee, O Xenoblade!
The game we all hold dear
For thou art full of countless quests
And treasures, hopes and cheer

A game we all saw to the end
The story now complete
We sing your praises far and wide
You truly are elite.

Wait, did I say we have all beaten the game? *cough*
Well, I did pour around thirty hours into it. That's about the length of an average Zelda game, so I definitely got my money's worth, right? RIGHT?

The truth is, I love Xenoblade. I was one of the people who imported the game from Europe back before the rainfall operated on it, officially birthing it from Gamestop's North American womb.
Heck, I even possibly gave North America its first Reyn Time reference in the form of comic GOLD. A reference I knew would fall on deaf ears, yet one that was important to all of humanity.

GOLD, I tells ya!

Yes, I loved Xenoblade so much that I even championed it on the 22nd episode of the Negative World Podcast. I had nothing but wonderful things to say about the game. The huge, exploration-heavy Japanese RPG. The wonder of wonders. The miracle of miracles!

This is where the game is kept in my house.

Unfortunately, not long after my stellar performance on the Podcast, Shulk and company came across a humongous, vertical forest city populated by little bouncy anime mascots. That's when the sheer enormity of the game made my mind snap. That was when the Dark Times began. THAT was when I stopped playing Xenoblade Chronicles.

This photo was taken the exact instant I stopped playing.

Over the time that followed, I have often been reminded of my failure to continue the game. Due to this failure, I have secretly hoped that Monolith Soft's upcoming Wii U game, “X” isn't a direct sequel to Xenoblade! How awful is that?
Similarly, if you were to take a look at my 3DS Puzzle Swap collection, you will notice that the Xenoblade Puzzle hasn't been given much love. Yes, I gave more attention to the Concentration Training puzzle, and I have never touched that game in my life.

I still ended up with more pieces than I had hoped for. Seen here, with Prawn Mario.

This is my cry for help. A few days ago I attempted the impossible: To return to a giant JRPG after a two year respite. I now have no clue how the fighting mechanics work, though I once recall having mastery over all of its intricacies. Now I simply mash the buttons and hope for success. From mastery to mashery.

I must admit, I forgot some other things about the game...

What have I done? Has the sheer immensity of this game been its downfall in my eyes? That same immensity that once had me shouting from the rooftops?
I yearn to play this game again, and I'm willing to bet there are a few others in the same boat. I dare not start the game anew since I am still quite familiar with the story, and I don't have the time to devote to retreading old ground. I simply require a refresher course on the game's battle mechanics. I am ready for that course!

Who shall join me?

I pledge to beat you, Xenoblade!
I shall right an awful wrong
Two years of ignoring you
Is simply far too long.

I shall give your rightful due
This is an honest vow
Never before has it been
Such Reyn time as is now.

URL to share (right click and copy)

Does anybody know a good place to brush up on the battle system?

Also, who else is in the same boat?

Posted by

ploot

on: 01/25/14, 22:30

You need to complete that Xenoblade Puzzle on the 3DS. It's one of my favorites in terms of sheer beauty.

And I will join you in unshaming thy self in the eyes of Xenoblade! I need to finish it. I am so close, I can taste it! It sits unbeaten still. This cannot stand. This shall not stand!


Google shows things like this gamefaqs thread, but I think you need to just jump in and re-familiarize yourself with it hands on. Then remember the Break > Topple > Daze combo for a start. Ensure your team shares their special talents or whatever that's called and use gems depending on what you need to focus on.

Melia can be a strong contender when used right. She's all about using status moves to build up energy and THEN unleashing awesome power. Sharla is long-range but a healer. Stuff like this will be learned again by playing it and perhaps reading up at the Xenoblade Wikia.

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 01/25/14, 22:34

Edited:

01/25/14, 22:37

ploot said:

Does anybody know a good place to brush up on the battle system?

Also, who else is in the same boat?

Oh my goodness! This is so weird…

I'm in the exact same boat! I played a little of Xenoblade in early 2012, but stopped since my CRTV made the text impossible to read. I picked it up again in late 2012 and played on our new HDTV and really enjoyed it, but I got sidetracked once I reached…lo and behold, that forest village of critters.

Hm. I feel like this is some sort of sign that I need to pick up Xenoblade again and get back into it. But the problem is, like you, I'm not sure how easy it is to jump right back in. That and if there's one thing I'll be struggling to get this year, it's time…and I do plan on playing through Tropical Freeze next month. Hmm...

Posted by

TriforceBun

on: 01/25/14, 22:34

DrFinkelstein said:

I think you need to just jump in and re-familiarize yourself with it hands on.

@TriforceBun

Same goes to you!

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 01/25/14, 22:38

The game should have all the tutorials listed in the menu somewhere. And the story memo will tell you where to go next, and you can look at all your maps to see where you've been.

Xenoblade may be one of the easier RPGs to get back into since it has reminders, though it would be nice if it had a journal like the Tales series. Though they do tend to recap things in the cutscenes so it probably won't be too hard to pick it up.

Posted by

Mop it up

on: 01/25/14, 23:00

I managed to get just PAST the forest you mentioned, and then the same fate occurred. Though in my defense, my Wii died and I lost 100% of all the save data. I wasn't about to pay $100 something to get Nintendo to move the data over via snail mail, so I quit forever.

Ah well! There's always X.

Posted by

-JKR-

on: 01/25/14, 23:07

I am, in fact, booting up the disc at this very moment. I only have an hour or so until I have dinner plans, but I will spend that hour tutorializing myself like mad.
Wish me luck!

@DrFinkelstein
You are much further along in the story, but it it time! IT IS TIME TO PLAY XENOBLADE!

@TriforceBun
You need to get back in there, maaannnnnn! We'll be starting at the exact same spot.

@Mop it up
Oooh, I forgot that there are tutorials in the game itself. I will be all over this.

@-JKR-
That is horrible!

Posted by

ploot

on: 01/25/14, 23:09

Edited:

01/25/14, 23:11

@ploot

I will join you, Plooticus.


I'm WAY behind everyone else. I think I'm at "the 2nd area," or something. You know that first Colony you leave? I've done that.

Posted by

Mr_Mustache

on: 01/25/14, 23:36

I made it to the Club Nintendo registration and never progressed any further. It mocks me every time I open my cabinet drawers to change games or movies. Right next to The Last Story.

Posted by

legendofalex

on: 01/26/14, 01:22

@Mr_Mustache

Sooo much goodness coming your way.

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 01/26/14, 02:28

I'm currently just before the final boss and am working on 100%. Good luck all who are attempting it! I'm one of those crazy people who is addicted to questing in this game.

Posted by

Pokefreak911

on: 01/26/14, 02:33

You're braver than I Ploot. I don't think I could ever bring myself to do all the side quests. Definitely one of my least favorite part of the game. Just too annoying to do anything!

Still, a great excuse to get back into the game.

Posted by

PogueSquadron

on: 01/26/14, 03:53

@PogueSquadron
The side quests aren't so annoying if you have a guide up telling you where each person is located and where all the enemies are and what the drop. The game really needs a bestiary and an expanded Affinity Screen.

Posted by

Pokefreak911

on: 01/26/14, 04:10

What am I the only person here who has actually beaten the game? Hell I even accidentally deleted a file that I was 35 hours into and had to do it all again from scratch and I still beat it pretty quickly.

Posted by

chrisbg99

on: 01/26/14, 04:48

@chrisbg99

Well it's not that I'm playing and playing and am having trouble. I'm at a "need to grind a bit" point and was distracted by a bunch of other games/the Wii U. I've got a lot more under my belt than others though but I'm still just as sad as the rest.

Do we need a Xenoblade February? Maybe April which houses the anniversary of the game (I think)? Or I already made up my mind this past week that I need to finish it soon. I'm not nabbing DKCTF immediately so I'll have the time.

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 01/26/14, 04:53

@chrisbg99
I'm trying to 100% it before the final boss otherwise I would have beaten it already.

Posted by

Pokefreak911

on: 01/26/14, 05:06

@chrisbg99i beat it last year. Amazing game, but the sidequests basically turn into "look at Gamefaqs."

Posted by

PogueSquadron

on: 01/26/14, 08:04

Yeah, the section from the beginning of the forest to the end of the area after that is a drag. That's where I quit too. Once I picked the game back up though, I had a blast finishing it. It's definitely worth playing through to the end.

Posted by

Secret_Tunnel

on: 01/26/14, 08:20

for once, I can say that I'm not in this particular backlog club. I got Xenoblade immediately (N.A release in April 2012)...played it till the Last Story came out - finished that game then went back to Xeno. I didn't beat the game until April 2013 - One year and over 110hrs later. Quite the beast but it was worth it.

Hints!:

Don't do sidequests when you start to get battle weary... it makes you lose focus and you get frustrated because you just spent 20hrs doing 'nothing'. If you must do them, prioritize - talk to EVERYBODY first.. then if you discover that you are accomplishing something while defeating an enemy - you now know what the enemy looks like and you can concentrate on finding more of them immediately or ASAP. Why do this? Because Xeno doesn't have a beast/enemy index. I spent way too much time trying to figure out which enemy to kill..just let it happen naturally.

Finding enemy 'treasure' side quests are next: same thing - you beat an enemy, you pick up what you need, then go after the same one to get more to finish 'quest'.

Fetch quests: ignore as much as possible.. they just aren't worth it.. do them only by chance..after you talk to someone you may run into the right blue 'orb'..

Levels mean a LOT in Xenoblade..almost too much. If you are getting your butt kicked, you may just have to level up by one level to make all the difference. Take the time to kill an extra creature then..or do some quests but picking an enemy out that's a higher level then you and beating it will give you experience faster.

Gems are your friend..take the time to really read the tutorials on them....

HAVE FUN YOU GUYS/GIRLS!

Posted by

Smerd

on: 01/26/14, 08:32

@Smerd
I have to disagree about the levels meaning that much. I mean, the difference between one level and the next can definitely make a big difference, but I would argue that good use of gems, equipment and available arts is just as important as having a particular level in order to overcome certain obstacles. Whenever I found myself getting beaten to a pulp I would make it through by trying out new strategies; I never grinded for experience in order to advance. I guess my main point being that it's one way of doing it, but not the only way.

Beating monsters out of your league to gain experience is an effective way to gain levels, but if the monster in question drops high quality gems and/or equipment you're not really expected to have at that point, those spoils could be an even faster way to success.

Posted by

r_hjort

on: 01/26/14, 13:55