Review: Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

Xenoblade Chronicles was something that didn't pass my mind originally, until I actually knew what this game was like.

From the moment the game loads up, Xenoblade has you hooked. You are instantly thrown into the world of the Bionis, who, living on an old giant robot, are constantly being attacked by the Mechonis. Dunban, the holder of the Monado, disobeys orders and attacks with Dickson and Mumkhar. Mumkhar is killed and Dunban, although defeating the invading Mechons, is then unable to use his right arm.

Then you meet Shulk, who is then attacked by a crab-like monster. He is rescued by Reyn and head back to the field near Colony 9. Later on you meet Fiora, who also joins your team. Other characters also join your team over time.

You spend most of your time in Xenoblade Chronicles in the field. The controls are easy to understand if you use the Wii Remote/Nunchuck combination. You can also use a Classic Controller or Classic Controller Pro for the added RPG effect.

The gameplay and storyline are excellent. The battles are fun but require a lot of strategy. You can use arts which give you the upper hand over opponents, but for the added difficulty they must cool down after use. The game automatically attacks for you if you get close enough to your opponent, but arts are your lifeline. You also have to be close enough to your opponent to attack them, and sometimes you have to be attacking from the rear or the side to defeat your opponent quicker with arts. In some cases this can cause a lot of rage-quitting moments. However, there are party attacks which lets your team unite their efforts at once for an ultimate path of destruction.

But it's not all about the battles. In town after mining ether crystals and crafting them into ether gems they can be sold to people for money. There are various shops as well and you can have heart-to-hearts with other characters to try and boost their affinity level. This then assists you in battle where you can encourage and revive your team. Later in the game you will be able to use the important Monado blade to help you battle the approaching Mechons.

This game is really what I expected it to be. A fun and exciting but also challenging JRPG. If you love stuff like Final Fantasy I suggest you go out and buy this one!