Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Hard to Love, Harder to Hate

[@NamsCompendium]

Sorry this one took so long. The next video will hopefully be out sometime this month to make up for it!

[@100Servings]

@@NamsCompendium This was great, and well worth the wait. You did good. Stay positive! We're all happy to hear from you, and really like your content. I know life can get you down, but remember that you're never alone. If nothing else, focus on the stuff you love and you'll find others to share that love with!!! 😃👍

[@chaotix67]

Thanks Nam! I genuinely hope things get better for you soon and all is well! You are on your own time and should come back when you're good and ready. 😊

[@fishinwizard6]

Like that guy said in Toy Story 2: “You can’t rush art”

[@Laurmachi]

Stay awesome and stay healthy.

[@phantomslay5612]

I don't know, man. I love this game quite easily.

[@firerath]

You’re missing one crucial thing from the Architects explanation, which is that he absolutely hates himself. He makes no effort to hide that his world died because of his actions, and constantly states how him rebuilding the world was his way of atoning. His worst fear for his new humanity wasn’t that they would fail to pass his test, it’s that they would end up just like he did. Klaus was both someone that wanted to make the world a better place and a megalomaniac. The split between Zanza and the Architect isn’t one of good and evil, it’s that Klaus remembered who he was and was left with the consequences of his actions, resulting in his altruism having more prominence, while Zanza had no memories aside from being a god but all the power he could have wanted, thus his megalomania became stronger. Regardless, things such as the flashback being shown in black and white like the other flashbacks in the game and later material (such as the info in a god damn model kit for Siren, seriously why was important lore put in there?) supports the version of events shown in 2 are the canon ones.

[@marm070]

I agree, I don't think he's an unreliable narrator. There's a quite explicit parallel drawn here between Klaus and Amalthus. They're both people who have lost hope that humanity can become better, so they look for an outside solution, which just brings further harm. Despair and hubris in equal measure. He himself points out this similarity, which is also the reason why he loses hope and falls into apathy as Amalthus and Malos wrecks his new world.

[@boredgoddesstori6635]

The Siren model kit stuff was mostly just a neat little tie-in to Xenogears and Xenosaga. Just another way of Takahashi telling us that yes, these Games are all connected in some shape or form

[@JP2427]

When Rex said "Lets show 'em a thing or three!", I really felt that

[@itzcheeze2356]

His wives also felt that.

[@ezireblueflame5176]

My favorite part was when Rex said “Don’t underestimate us! I’ve got a Xenoblade 2!”

[@ArynBacklogDragon]

And them Xenoblade 3 happened, and we realized what he meant.

[@tecanec9729]

Correction: You were really feeling it.

[@Fermin-hw5pd]

So you really felt it?

[@andreasobermuller3044]

One thing I find interesting is that when you just fight without intricate understanding of the combat system, the enemies feel like damage sponges, but if you do it feels like they die before you get going.

[@ZorotheGallade]

That's why the 50 million HP boss in Poppi's sidequest is so satisfying. You can build up as much as you want and then pop it in one shot.

[@izzy1356]

Can't think of a better example of this than Tora. Most of the people that don't like him and just use Morag as a tank tend to be the folks uninterested in building up Poppi, and by extension, learning how to build up their blades or team comp. Not to say Morag's terrible, just that she's the "immediately decent" tank you don't need to invest much into. Wheras the folks that are willing to invest the time, learning, and experimenting to work on her have Toras that can practically *solo fights by himself,* or set up combos like no tomorrow for the other party members. (And before folks start on Tora Tora, you can get most of Poppi's best parts through spending Bonus Exp with certain merchants. Yet again, investing in the game rewards you, you're not permanently trapped to the janky mini-game.)

[@Fermin-hw5pd]

​@@izzy1356Yeah Tora is one of the best characters in the game IF you commot to Tiger Tiger, which I didn't know it was Tora Tora in japanese, should have known, and it's not that bad, you got easy mode and it's kinda fun, I'm being serious Poppiswap is kinda complicated to manage yes, there's a crapload of buttons and slots but at the end of the day if you understand what each part is, Poppi is just another Blade

[@friedmattato2158]

I fully recognize XBC2 is the most flawed of the trilogy, but it's also my favorite of the three overall from how much it gets right.

[@vray7607]

I do think it has the most flaws, but I also think it has the most or strongest highs in the series. I think that's kinda why it's so polarizing, it's highs and lows are more extreme than the other games.

[@AmonsRealm]

The first one is grindy and tedious its the most overrated game iv ever played

[@Blob-jx3fg]

I initially wanted it to be more serious but now i look back on it fondly because of how cheesy it is and how much fun i had with it.

[@theonesithtorulethemall]

Eh I think combat in 1 out ways it’s flaws god is it dated

[@currywurst2434]

Well it has its edges, but imo thats tolerable if you look at all the content the game gives you. And the battle system that really works well together with all the other systems. And the cooking works (in part 3 it doesn't). Battle system is also pretty good if you really understood it (which was terribly explained). I even liked the field skills in the end.

[@anthonycrank6406]

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 discussion are freaking terrifying…

[@rumotu]

Xc2 is one of my favourites, but honestly seeing a video like this after 6 years of online discussions, with that title, made me terrified to watch it

[@boredgoddesstori6635]

@@rumotuit‘s like going into a war zone for another time.

[@aacceeeell1089]

@@anthonycrank6406 The duality of man: Those who love XBC2, flaws and jank and all, and those who hate it, because of how much of a sloppy rushed mess it is 😂

[@renren47618]

Honestly the discussion around 2 has worn out a lot after XC3 which is great those were terrible times in the community. All of the 3 games are spetacular on their own way.

[@HansAlRachid]

I never really participate in community discourse like this personally, but it's interesting to hear there was controversy/discussion. I know where I stand, but I'd have assumed people would mostly love it, as it seems that game knows how to cater to its niche.

[@Nelsito99]

1:02:52 you already have "torna the golden country" as you already have the dlc that let you get shulk and fiora. It will be accessible from the main menu

[@BadAssJohns]

I really hope he sees this, I love the expansion.

[@NamsCompendium]

Okay for a little context my code for the expansion pass was from my friends standalone copy of the Torna DLC. From what I’ve gathered from some comments that version of the pass doesn’t come with Torna because it’s already on the cartridge. They ended up giving me the code so I could get some extra goodies when playing and so that they could surprise me with the shulk and fiora stuff. I do own the expansion pass but I don’t own the Torna portion of that makes sense lol

[@Nelsito99]

@@NamsCompendium I didn't know that about the physical copy of the torna

[@chuckbatmangaming]

​@@Nelsito99yeah the Torna part is a full separate icon on the Switch's homepage that is on a different cartridge. It also costed like $10 more physically, presumably because of cartridge costs. Very weird DLC option for a Nintendo game

[@Nelsito99]

@@chuckbatmangaming to be fair it was the second year of the switch when torna came out

[@cybersoul2809]

10:50 Funny considering it was unintentional. The only reason XC1's art style looked the way it did was because of lack of time and resources, if they had that they would've made it look significantly more anime, just like all other xeno games.

[@ZX-Gear]

Yeah. Folks have said there were no proper character designers for the first game. The first game Lso has ROUGH looking face model. It is a miracle the game came out the way it did with the huge environments one gets lost in. Looking at you,Eryth Sea.

[@potatofarmergyro1720]

@@cybersoul2809 it's funny that Xenosaga the series that came before Xenoblade had the opposite kind of artstyle shift with its first 2 games, Xenosaga 1 was more anime with it's artstyle while Xenosaga 2 tried to be more realistic with its style which backfired heavily and is probably one of the most contributing factors to it basically being the most universally disliked game in the Xeno series.

[@theimpersonator7086]

Yeah, Xeno as a sereis has always been super anime. XBC1 still is, and you can see with stuff like: -Shulk's village being attacked to jumpstart the plot -Zanza being the real villain, not Egil

[@egbertmilton4003]

@@theimpersonator7086 That's not really an anime trope. Thats just a storytelling trope. With both an inciting incident, and mysteries about the true villain.

[@theimpersonator7086]

@@egbertmilton4003 A protag chilling in a village, untill said village is attacked by the villain is a really common trope in a lot of JRPGs though(see Kingdom Hearts, Xenogears, Tales of Symphonia). That one is kinda arguable. The real villain being some deity pulling the strings though is absolutly a JRPG trope, see it a ton in Final Fantasy, Persona, etc.

[@_JENOVA_]

Hard to love ✅ Hard to hate ✅ Hard while watching this video ✅

[@varun45681]

thank you whole lotta red sephiroth!!

[@ProjectTony]

Hard while writing this comment ✅️

[@100Servings]

@@ProjectTony Hard while reading this comment ✅

[@ProjectTony]

@@100Servings hard while you're hard ✅️

[@100Servings]

@@ProjectTony Yeah, turned out it was a priapism from a banana spider bite. Got to the ICU in time ✅ Going to live ✅

[@potatofarmergyro1720]

Yknow people can shit talk Rex all they want but his scenes with him grappling with the fact that one of the main people standing in his way to Elysium is in fact one of the biggest victims of this whole mess that Amalthus created will never not resonate with me. Its just hard to see someone as a villain when they get humanized so much and i love how that bothers Rex so much being the kind of person that he is. Rex's answer to Jin in chapter 9 is still my favorite scene in the entirety of the Xeno series.

[@potatofarmergyro1720]

Rex and Jin are such an amazing example of a main hero and fallen hero dynamic, it was someone who embodied the blade and titan revering will of old Torna that was finally able to give Jin the closure he had always desired since becoming a flesh eater. It's the perfect example of the new generation being able to help the older generation and it never fails to make me tear up.

[@theimpersonator7086]

Rex works as a character so well because of the villains in 2. Amalthus is the typical Xeno dark mirror character, Jin is the fallen hero, and Malos is peak

[@potatofarmergyro1720]

@@theimpersonator7086 true but his dynamics with the main party are really good too, especially Poppi, Pyra, Mythra and Nia.

[@theimpersonator7086]

@@potatofarmergyro1720 I like how Nia is intitally so cyncial in the game, but slowly becomes less so thanks to Rex

[@potatofarmergyro1720]

@@theimpersonator7086 yeah it's a pessimist slowly warming up to an optimist and eventually falling in love with them. Their dynamic is one of my favorites. Nia and Rex also share similar importance for their bonds with certain characters like Vandham and Jin, they understand each other so well and the genuine belief that Nia has in Rex is so heart-warming. From the very beginning she starts rooting for Rex and is the most frustrated when Rex is at his lowest in chapter 7. Nia is someone who genuinely loves Rex because she wants the best for him even if he didn't love her back(at the time). Fun fact the guardians of Rex and Nia are Seiryu and Byakko aka Dromarch and gramps who are based on 2 of the 4 chinese symbols that are famously depicted as rivals or enemies so maybe that not only extends to gramps and Dromarch but also Rex and Nia as well atleast with how their relationship starts off.

[@deredere-sama5995]

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 left such a profound impact in my life during the lockdowns of 2020 that I don't think I'll ever forget my experience I had playing it and fully immersing myself in it's world and characters. Truly a magnificent, but flawed masterpiece!

[@danielprocaccino4408]

Waifus help dull the pain. XC1 and 3 are intellectual. XC2 is waifu love

[@TheJaredPunch]

This game was a game I never once hated. I loved it from start to end. And don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely not without its flaws. But this is my favorite video game of all time. It got me through a very difficult time. And there will never be a game that hits me as hard as this one.

[@purpleponteran2805]

Ugghh, the wait for the Xenoblade 3 video is gonna be ROUGH

[@EccentricSandal]

I always find people complaining about the opening to the game's story being very slow-paced an odd topic. Within the first hour of the game, you get context on how the world works, what the current worldwide struggle is, the main character's contextual role in the world, the lead villains, and the complete story setup with the protagonists' goal. Yes, the game does slow down a bit after that point, but I'd hardly call it aimless outside of a few moments. Everything the opening chapters do is to service the context needed for the worldwide events that happen later/ Chapter 5-10. The game uses this approach to have the main characters (aka, the player) learn more about the world as they continuously traverse it in a more grounded fashion (literally). It would be odd to have such a large focus with the war between Uraya and Mor Ardain without first portraying *why* these nations are struggling so badly to begin with. Simply talking about these countries without showing or interacting with *any* of it would lose any and all story impact we get in Chapter 5/6 when Jin interferes, Amalthus steps in, and the formal meeting with Mythra & these world leaders happens. It would lose any and all impact in Chapter 8/9 when Amalthus takes control of these titans himself to fuel his own goals too. You feel the impact of the later chapters more BECAUSE the game had you traverse these lands first. And that's like, a pretty standard storytelling format 💀 I personally will never ever understand the argument that the game has a slow-paced or aimless first half. Xenoblade 2 can't have a "peak back-half" without ANY of these things needing to be contextualized first.

[@ChiefOsutin]

Excellently written comment

[@ShallBePurified]

Exactly. It's a slow burn story, and it does the slow burn well. It puts thoughts into your head of how the world functions and why things are the way they are. Very early on, I was questioning the morality of Blades being tied to their Driver's lives, and how they lose their memories if their Drivers die. And this is something that becomes one of the driving forces of the antagonistic group of Torna. I can understand not everyone being patient or interested enough for slow burn stories, but you can't have the huge payoff without the build up to it. Xenoblade 2 still has the best final act of any Xenoblade game because of how it structured its story. They save the biggest climax for the very last chapter, rather than the 3rd to last chapter.

[@MoonMillenniummon]

As an avid fan of XC2 (have the USB collector OST), I have to agree that the opening is pretty boring to play. The long cooldown, the low auto damage, ... everything adds up, not to mention the bad player guide. Storywise, the start of the game is not bad but not captivating. Together with the gameplay, players can get bored quite quickly.

[@basedfrost882]

@@BARALover96 You say the rest of the game, but in another comment say you never even finished the game 💀 And this right here is the biggest issue when discussing this game. People like you feel the need to interject about a game with preconceived biases instead of taking everything as it comes at you. OF COURSE you wouldn't enjoy a game or story if you're still hung up on something that happened 30+ hours ago. That just sounds like a miserable way to consume media if you ask me.

[@BARALover96]

@@basedfrost882 yeah I made it around the end. Should I not comment of the game because I didn’t finish it?

[@heroicgangster9981]

Honestly, the very elaborate lore of Xenoblade 2 feels kinda more engaging but also not so complicated as much as an Xenosaga game tbh. Xenoblade 2 uses simple enough concepts that deal with energy and the connections between blades and the life sources of titans and stuff and more so feels like vague anime concepts that connect the basic themes of Xenoblade 2 pretty easily. Though, Xenoblade 2 definitely doesn't have a very elaborate introduction BUT honestly the story moments feel very lively in compensation.

[@Kaze91]

So Torna dlc does flesh out Jin but it also shows how Rex really was someone that transcends the barrier between Blade and Human. Due to being able to see Mythra with her past driver Adam. It elevates Rex a level higher when you get to see the contrast between both Aegis drivers and how they handled things. I also find that Rex literally being connected to them via them sharing life force, is one of the more meta concepts in that it gives them a relationship that transcends basic understanding. Which also helps lead to a different outcome than with Adam.

[@IDestroyStuff]

I remember getting KOS-MOS within my first 10 blade core openings and not understanding why my friend was freaking out about it. Only much much later did I understand why it was such a big deal. Loved my time in Xenoblade 2, this reminds me I should give it a replay lmao.

[@collinturner5307]

Same I actually got her as one of my first unique blades but I had no idea how rare she was to get until I looked things up about this game 😂

[@conorb.1901]

Xenoblade 2 is my favorite game, period. In my opinion, it's the best rpg to come out of the 2010s, and while it has its flaws, the highs outweigh the lows in my eyes. Nearly seven years out from its original release, this is still a game I would say deserves to be in every switch library. I can gush for hours about this game (as some exasperated friends can attest to), and have frankly played through this game far too many times. In my opinion Xenoblade 2 is the best Xenoblade game, but it's just that, an opinion.

[@neondouble_]

Agreed brother

[@tsunderemerc2963]

Definitely my favorite JRPG ever

[@pedrobeckup456]

​@@tsunderemerc2963our favorite RPG ever!

[@Zenustu_Sentinal]

I just finished the video and you did an amazing job encapsulating the highs and lows of XC2. I would highly recommend going over the Torna DLC at some point because it is seen as a pretty big improvement gameplay-wise. I am glad that you were able to more enjoy the combat system and honestly hope you go over XC3 some time far in the future. I do appreciate that you take the time to research about the context of games during development and it can be really enlightening. Lastly, I hope your personal issues get better soon and take care Nam.

[@theimpersonator7086]

Interested to hear your thoughts on this one, as its a personal favorite of mine. If there is one thing I can say is that Malos is a incredible villain, easily the greatest Nintendo villain imo. Menkin kills it in both the serious scenes and the hammy ones. "Words can be a curse" is one of my favorite scenes in gaming, seeing Malos reveals he knows Amalthus is influencing him but not caring, that he views himself as a monster, and that he is doing it all for Jin.

[@ShallBePurified]

Malos fits all the spectrum of villainy. Ontologically evil that has no reason to be evil other than because he is, genetically programmed to be evil and ends up questioning if he chose to be that way, and a tragic villain influenced by a greater evil and the world, at first believing what he was doing was right, and unable to accept that he may be wrong and refusing to accept forgiveness because he sees himself as an unforgiveable monster where his only redemption is for the true hero to strike him down with strong ideals that can overcome the worst thing in the world, being himself.

[@slapstickers]

Thanks for giving such a divisive game a fair shake! I'm also in the camp of abandoning it part of the way in and then finishing it a few years later, but it truly is one of my favorite games ever. I know its flaws, and yet its so beyond lovable and beautiful to me. I beat this game during one of the lowest times of my life and since then I have played it 3 more times all the way through. Without this game I probably would not have met my current partner, and maybe I would not even be the same person, or even alive. I know that's a lot of things to put into a random KZbin comment, but genuinely seeing someone connect with the themes and characters of a game I adore so much, almost had me crying to be honest. Like Nam says in the video, I at least recommend trying out the series, and the Switch is the best opportunity to do so!

[@swivelboiiguess6422]

So something you only get when really into this Meta-Series is just how much XC2 is the first Xenoblade Game to be a Xeno gane as well and I felt like sharing it. This is not to say XC1 has no Xeno elements, Shulk is just as much Bart as Zeke is but a lot of the elements that it shares with the Meta series are more just because of Takahashi liking them in his writing. Meanwhile XC2 is very clearly calling back to Gears and Saga when you know it. Like the Pneuma Trinity is very much based on Fei from Gears. Kos-Mos' Blade quest introduces a character that looks like Shion, clearly has a similar relationship to her as Shion did, and is literally named after the same kinda flower. And there's even more like Poppi and Zeke are visually just Party members from Gears with now color schemes, then later getting the original colors as alt costumes. This series does things to you, man

[@rumotu]

Ah yeah, here for another 3 years of XC2 discussion

[@Snackugo]

Literally just rolled credits, I liked when Rex said, “Let’s do this, so we can move on.” Based Game.

[@Cool-Vest]

We need you in the Splatoon 3 Grand Fest. I think you can figure out which team.

[@Nelsito99]

1:09:15 i would argue the one in xc2 is the real one as it is shown to the play at the syart of last chapter but was never asked for its meant to be a surprise for both new and long time fans of xenoblade as new one will be confused while long ones would also be questioning

[@mph8er]

Torna is definitely a worthwhile expansion. Not in a 'Star Wars prequels' mentality either. The story beats hit you in the feels as you watch this little ragtag group come together. Even knowing what is coming, it feels 'worth it' for the extra time you get to spend with some characters. The upgrades to the combat system are also like butter. It pains me that XC3's combat, while interesting in its own way, didn't click the same way that Torna's does. As far as XC2 itself, I bought it on launch day and I got to the infiltration right after getting Poppy where every fight had their dialogue on repeat that really, really bugged me. Afterwards, I had major issues with the map system trying to use it to find items required for the fixing the Nopon ship. I bailed at that point. Came back maybe a year later post-patch and got really attached to the characters and world-building. Didn't put it down for 200 hours. XC1 had little in the way of anime tropes or fan-service in it (DE added some of both however) so I can see why some were turned off for XC2. I'm one of those who even preferred the changes made to the outfits of Mythra/Pyra in Smash Bros (which were ported to the original game as additional outfit options). For anyone who grew up in the golden age of anime (Dragonball Z, Naruto, Bleach), none of it is particularly shocking and is mostly just something we've come to accept or find charming if not overused. I thought the 'blushy crushy' was great. It was hilariously cringe, but so self-aware as to be charming. You should absolutely play XC3 as it and its DLC help conclude the stories of XC1 and XC2 while striking a careful balance between the excesses in comedy and fan service of XC2.

[@OxygenC2]

Careful balance? More like the comedy in 3 got sanitized aka made less Japanese-y. And I don't hate 3, it was just made more palatable to the vocal western audience who until this day don't know why 2 is still the most loved Xenoblade in Japan despite 3 having the most polished gameplay in the Blade quadrilogy.

[@mph8er]

@@OxygenC2 Yes, careful balance. The main characters were made to be tools; not soldiers. That some even had funeral rites for their dead was treated as unusual. What kind of humor would there be in such an environment? The characters and environment feel...almost sterile. The humor is added slowly over time, particularly when the party makes it to Home and sees what 'living' is like. Your characters finally start to drop their guard and feel more like people, yet they don't completely or immediately acclimate. It feels realistic for how someone in their situation might respond. To be clear, I'm a westerner and even I think XC2 is the best of the series. The emotional highs and lows are a rollercoaster. The music is the most memorable for me and is still on my personal playlist today. I randomly hum tunes like Tantal years later. I think the gameplay, once in its final form, is the best of the games. But it has flaws. The poor tutorials, the excruciatingly slow mechanic unlocks, the lack of an item journal, removing the first game's NPC town-based side quest system and especially the tonal dissonance. In XC2 it's like there is a quota for jokes that has to be met, usually at the expense of the heavier moments. Boob shot of Pneuma during her introduction during a critical and emotional moment. Western culture sees this kind of thing as very negative. I tolerate it as someone who grew up with anime, but it still makes my eyes roll and I'm taken out of what should be an important moment. I don't even have a big problem with it during story downtime as that's how it would occur in real life. Rex is 15 and there is obvious chemistry between him and Pyra/Mythra. It would be shocking if he didn't stare periodically. It's a problem for me when it doesn't fit the tone of the moment. Considering how gorgeous the artwork is, I don't know why we don't have a photo mode that works in gameplay and in-engine cutscenes. That way people can be perverts, take cool pictures or completely ignore it without having to worry about tacky scenes like that one.

[@ZX-Gear]

That is why you play the main campaign,then Torna,and the campaign again with what you now know.

[@OxygenC2]

@@mph8er My problem with your assessment is that a lot of boob shots aren't intentional boob shots. But the fanbase loves acting like it is, because direction and not at all just limited expertise in the hardware they're working on. 1 also had more jiggly bits than 2 ever had, I'm not lying. 3 also had Monica. Monica bounced around for a cutscene more than Pyra did her entire game. The stigma of being more Japanese than the other games has given westerners confirmation bias about what is and what isn't fanservice, and it's a little racist too.

[@Hyp3rSonic]

@@OxygenC2 agree

[@triskitcafe]

I now wanna know your reaction to “let’s begin the experiment” scene.

[@niltendo8664]

It has always been very sad to me seeing that many people say that the start of the game is boring, personally once I entered the game I fell in love with the world building and could not stop playing until I beat it one week later after 80 h, for me it was one of those few games that impacts you for the rest of your life

[@ZX-Gear]

People are impatient. Especially today

[@nichytsukamoto9788]

This is an amazing video. Thanks for reminding me of my love for Xeno 2. I got the special edition when it released and remember the struggles of playing through the game with limited information available. But i actually caught on to it's systems fairly easily and had fun engaging with the community to bridge the understanding of the game concepts. I don't think i helped all that much but it was really great to see everyone come together to improve players experiences. I really love the game despite its flaws and i really can't forget it. I haven't played the dlc either and i finished the game before ever the original Xenoblade. I just really like wacky rpgs lol in the same vein that i enjoy shadow hearts from the new world. It also took me 200 hours on my original playthrough to get Kosmos which was so exciting and i could do new game plus with all the blades if i wanted to but it might be another year or two before i replay the game lol

[@yugimonmaster1018]

This means we get xenoblade chronicles 3 review eventually, right? And i know my pfp is xeno 2 but i never changed it after i played 3, and 3 is my favorite.

[@distortiondude7997]

I agree with this, as someone who has xenoblade 3 as my favorite game ever.

[@godsil11]

Glad to see you liked it, i went all in on the franchise at the start of last year after getting 1DE with some Christmas money, and walked away with 2 probably being one of my favorite games period, even in light of its faults. currently riding the cope train for Xenosaga remakes every Direct, because i do genuinely want to experience more of Takahashi's work after finishing the Blade series

[@WestonMeyer-n6x]

And now you can play X

[@heroicgangster9981]

Xenoblade 2 is like the most classic anime modern anime for a video game and that's why it is the best Xenoblade game to me. Xenoblade 2 is straight up a hidden anime collab game that is in clever disguise as an mainline game of an narrative heavy franchise. To me, this game is kinda like an niche Studio Trigger anime that doesn't appeal to the mainstream weeb but instead has very heavy kids cartoon that is teen shonen anime vibes.

[@antoniocisneros8753]

Hidden Gem yada yada and all but it's just a trash anime game for some people; like captain Astronaut

[@Eis7]

​​@antoniocisneros8753 say it again for the people in the back

[@darktheg.o.d5541]

"I won't let the world burn a second time" 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@jl_510]

My favorite shonen anime

[@mosquitopyjamas9048]

Honestly same

[@yersiniapestis5237]

that's like calling it your favorite rash

[@skylandersfan6954]

@@yersiniapestis5237 Drop a list of all the shonen anime you've watched rn

[@Em-yd3sn]

Sorry to hear you haven’t been in your best state of mind due to personal issues Nam :( I really like the video you delivered and can’t wait for your upcoming projects, but mental health first :) No need to worry about disclosing personal stuff if you want to say it as well, we do genuinely care Nam if you ever really want to say something, we love you dude :)))

[@Deoxys_Used_Mimic]

Hard to love. Hard to hate. The game just *makes it really hard* for some reason. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm…

[@mosquitopyjamas9048]

Makes me really hard too 😊

[@takashiari1598]

I always put it like this: Xenoblade 2 is the best Xenoblade game, buried somewhere underneath the worst Xenoblade game. It has my favorite music, world, story and combat of the entire franchise, but is held back by some odd design decisions, ridiculous and at times uncomfortable Anime esque moments and some technical issues. I still think it's a great game and it does have a special place in my heart, but I really struggle where to place it in my personal ranking of the series. It has the highest highs of the series but also some of the lowest lows.

[@an1hony28]

I'm really glad you recognise Rex as a guy that changes the characters and the world around him, I've seen people just hating on him as a little idiot that doesn't change. I love the characters, world, gameplay, music, and story in Xenoblade 2 and I'm indifferent to all the negative parts like the gacha because it's so good.

[@HybridAngelZero]

YAY XENOBLADE 2! I could probably go on for hours and hours about how much I love this game, how much it means to me and a lot of other things in that vein, needless to say, I am absolutely one of the people this game is made for. More importantly, I hope that the irl stuff you mention at the end of the video is taking a turn for the better. Sending love, dude!

[@JapanFreak2595]

One Heart-to-Heart that takes place in Fonsett Village that I especially love is the one between Morag and Zeke, where they talk about how different and peaceful it is, how it informed Rex's up bringing. It really helps put into perspective why heroes like Sora and Rex are the way that they are, because they themselves were raised as normal children without heavy expectations placed on them by their environment. Allowing them the ability to define themselves; to live a life full of possibilities in how they shape their own futures. It's because of this well adjusted upbringing that they are able get on with people so well and make friends with just about anybody, acting as a supportive presence to whom ever needs a shoulder to lean on. They're not perfect, or have the full grasp of what people may be going through, but they are what many people need in a world that is seemingly uncaring and devoid of meaning.

[@potatofarmergyro1720]

Fun fact Pyra and Mythra aren't the first example of a 2 halves to greater whole type character in the Xeno series if anything they're very much inspired by a certain Xenogears character and so is a lot of other things

[@Fyngys]

I haven't watched the video yet, but that title absolutely embodies my experience with this game. I got it about 2 years ago, and it took me 3-4 different starts of a playthrough until i finally finished it. Its ultimately a fantastic game but it absolutely gets in its own way a lot.

[@andreasobermuller3044]

36:18 Zeke joins at level 47 before an area with level 39 enemies

[@rumotu]

You guessed it right with sense of community. I remember being there day 1 on Reddit threads writing tips and tricks with other players and coming up with builds. Never in my life I've felt that way. Discovering a thing about game when noone other discovered it yet, without any youtube videos on it etc. those raw exel files that were modified by whole comunity. Sharing blade drops etc.

[@lackinggnat]

I have a friend that I watched play through Xenoblade 2 and he got Kos-Mos on his 8th core crystal. He was wondering why I was freaking out in the corner.

[@JR384]

I remember Chuggaconroy saying during his LP of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 that the reason why a majority of the voicework is so janky is because - on top of the things you mentioned, what with them not being allowed a lot of retakes or re-records; everything was also recorded in order of appearance in game. So the beginning of the game starts off super janky with the voice acting because the voice actors are just becoming accustomed to these characters; while that jankiness is considerably reduced by the end of the game because much like us, the player, the voice actors have now been significantly accustomed to their characters and are better off because of it.

[@Condor-gb1xp]

Yeah, it was a simultaneous international release while 1 had about year for the dub. The translation in general made the story less enjoyable for me.

[@mahkicarter]

43:59 LET'S GO GAMBLING!!!

[@Averi0]

the KOSMOS search experience

[@mahkicarter]

@@Averi0 I got her close to the end of my new game plus run,lol ( I started new game plus not to long after beating the main story)

[@Fermin-hw5pd]

Aw man not the fact that the Kos Mos drop rate is the same or lower of a ssr servant in Fate Grand Order...

[@Averi0]

@@Fermin-hw5pd 5 days after i made that comment, i got KOSMOS in chapter 4 (albeit i burned through a lot of legendary and common cores)

[@Fermin-hw5pd]

@@Averi0 In my 1st playthrough I got her on like chapter 7 or something, randomly, on my 2nd? Had to grind for 3 days

[@kittenfan7664]

the joke isn't that they are talking about one eyed monsters, it's that rex colides face first into the forth wall and that flows into the screen crack battle transition that zeke fights have.

[@zerochill4096]

I resonate with those end comments a lot. Funnily enough, I feel that you would resonate the most with the story of Xenoblade 3 because of how it conveys the importance of mental health through its story themes in interesting ways. Heck, you might discover something new about yourself after playing through its story. It's that impactful

[@zerochill4096]

Of course, the game's story is slower-paced, but not without reason. It's meant to have players process an emotional journey and the themes it has so that it can challenge its players to better themselves... to fight for their own future and not give up

[@MegaDragon1983]

I just want...Xenoblade X2...I want mechas again. :(

[@ZX-Gear]

You and me both. And Armored Core levels of customization😊

[@thedeathray8620]

At the very least, we will have a remaster of Xenoblade X coming to the Switch. It's something.

[@MrMarvell]

What I love about Xenoblade fans is that we can recognise the games flaws, we don't pretend the games are absolute perfection, but at the same time we all realise how special these games are. No other series delivers multiple characters you deeply care about in every game, no other series has such a high quality and diverse soundtrack, or has villains you end up feeling for. Exploring the worlds in Xenoblade is unmatched and when you master the combat it's so satisfying, especially in Xenoblade 2. Like others have said it has some big lows for sure, but the highs in 2 is peak Xenoblade.

[@pralenkaman8105]

Never thought I'd see Nam yap about xenoblade, but I have to say, I'm not disappointed Edit: nevermind, totally forgot about the xc1 video Can't wait for the xc3 video next year, that's my favorite one in the triology

[@dragonturtleab.3036]

First of great Videos thank you for highlighting what the game has to offer. Second i highly recommended Torna since not only gives it more Context to characters but also a big gameplay upgrade in addition to how it tries to tell it's story. What i also want to say is how i view Pyra and Mythra but i just realized now that the Torna DLC is in need for context...oh well gonna wait for that video whenever it comes out.

[@TylerjWebb]

I Loved XBC2 from day 1. It’s got so much heart. I was really thankful for the early release date.

[@Dionaea_floridensis]

XENOBAAAAASED RAAAAH WHAT THE FUCK IS A TUTORIAL AAAAAAH

[@SonicZGamer]

One if not the only game where the story actually made me cry 3 times , I have over 500 hours on this game tell ya how much I love it

[@undercoverduck]

My primary issue with XC2's early game was the battle mechanic. It makes sense that they slowly build up its complexity but that comes at the cost of engagement. I felt like I was merely waiting for the battles to finish rather than an active participant.

[@Octav2000]

PEAK VIDEO GAME

[@Rpglover456]

Okay. So I just learned more about the mechanics of this game from this video, a non tutorial video, than I ever did. And I beat the game. It took me like 120 hours, and it took them adding the ability to change minute details such as how much damage you are doing and enemy health (that is the reason I picked this game up again after dropping it), but I beat it.

[@tirex3673]

Unless you got Shulk and Fiora by some friend giving you the code that came with the standalone Torna Cardridge, You should already possess Torna, if you possess any of the other DLC, as the DLC is all inclusive. You can simply switch between Torna and the Main Game via the golden button in the main menu. I find your interpretation of the Architect as an unreliable narrator interesting, but even accounting for that, there is still a bit of a retcon going on, judging by the physical differences in the design of the space station between the games. (In XC1 there was no conduit, no space lift, Klaus and Galea were not alone in the Room and the station was rotated by 90°.) My headcanon is, that Alvis was giving Shulk only an abbreviated version of the events, because there was no time to explain everything.

[@Rex_alpha]

Fantastic video, perfectly sums up what I love about Xenoblade Chronicles 2, while giving some fair critiques that don't outright bash on the game completely. This game is without a doubt my favourite video game of all time, everything from the gameplay to the story, the world, music and plenty of content to offer always keeps me coming back for more. I've convinced a few friends to pick this game up as well as the others in the series and they've all enjoyed them a bunch. If you've watched the video and are still hesitant to give the game a try, it's absolutely worth giving it that chance, it's definitely a time investment but if you're willing to properly sink your teeth in you'll without a doubt get a truly unforgettable experience.

[@kultissim]

I feel the reason it got so much support despite its flaws is because it's the first "complex" rpg for many young nintendo players. The one who basically only played pokemon and zelda

[@professatristan3223]

Xenoblade 2 is the most inconsistent of the Trilogy. When it's rough it's ROUGH. But when it's firing on all cylinders, it has the highest highs of the series. Even though it's not my favorite Xenoblade game, its one of my favorite games of all time. Truly peak fiction.

[@Tatssus]

holy peak

[@KatanaRikku]

This video was a great listen on my 2 hour drive.

[@Eduardo_TDO]

Amazing work man. I was one a hater of this game. I despised it really. I finished it with about 60h of gameplay, just wanted to get to the end of what it seemed like a boring game. After a couple of years of hearing this game get so much love, and seeing so many people passionate about it, I decided to give it another shot. This time I played it while also watching chiggaconroy's walk-through. I had the best time with the game, I understood the mechanics, began to appreciate the differences between the second game and the first one (wich is one of my favorite games ever) and also saw more clearly why I didn't have on my first time arround. I finished it at about 130h this time, tried to do as much as I could. Loved the gameplay, the characters, the world... I thank myself for giving it a second chance.

[@popstarchamp]

Going into Xenoblade 2 after experiencing 1, I braced myself by acknowledging that I may prefer it to 2 on a basic level of "feels". Doing so made it so even if I didn't have the same feelings and reactions as I did with the first game, I could still really appreciate it for what it was trying to do. And especially on repeat playthroughs I could vibe with what it was trying to do more and more.

[@ximeria2435]

..."put it down after about 2 hours." I hear you. I did the same - and it was mainly the tutorial that killed me. Now with 1 and 2 behind me, a third into 3 - I adore 2, not going to lie.

[@menhirmike]

Poppi's Monologue in Chapter 7 ("When Rex tries hard, Poppi and Masterpon try hard.") is one of the greatest moments in JRPG history. And Poppi as a Character has genuine depth and works as a perfect side character that Rex, Pyra and Nia's plot bounce off of. I understand every single flaw in the game and agree with most of them. But when the final cutscene ran and Drifting Soul played, I knew that I just experienced one of the greatest JRPGs out there - and ending on the black screen with "Chapter 10 - When Boy Meets Girl" was just the cherry on top. This isn't just simply the best Xeno game of all of them, it's in my Top 5 RPGs ever. Between all the fan service and goofiness, the characters are all interesting (even the side characters) and have satisfying character arcs, and the entire game has a satisfying ending (which is where XC1 dropped the ball for me).

[@grayrodent8232]

I adore that way after it's initial release people are still producing feature length thought pieces about Xenoblade 2.

[@13thseeker73]

Honestly this is the best way to describe XC2 I love this game a ton faults and all but the story while it starts slow gets so good later on and the genuine emotions I felt experiencing the base game and torna was great.

[@GentlemanGamer94]

Really great video! ^_^ Though I love Xenoblade 2 and it was the game that got me into the series, I also realize it's a mixed bag and I can understand why some people bounce off of it. So getting to witness others' experiences with XC2 and hear about what did and did not resonate with them is super enjoyable to me: love it or hate it, there's a lot to talk about with a game like this! As an aside, I'm also curious as to whether this game will eventually experience a remaster similar to XC1 Definitive on the Switch successor. It's modern enough that I could see it simply running on the Switch 2 as is, maybe with a resolution/frame-rate/texture patch to smooth things out. But there's enough wrinkles to iron out here that if a remaster were announced.... I'd be over-the moon about it! Especially since at this point, we're about 7 years away from OG XC2's release. Which absolutely feels insane to think about 0_0

[@fernando98322]

I remember there was a tutorial in the start of Chapter 2 I accidentally skipped over by pressing the A button too quickly. Hours later you have me watching a playthrough of the game just to read the tutorial properly, it was important, something about the Combos that are not really well explained. What does a Fusion or Blade combo mean to me? Tutorials were much better in 1 and 3. I also hate the idea of "the combat is the best in the series, you just need to sidestep and equip that Jelly pouch item forever". Feels unintuitive. I had a good time, I think Torna struck a perfect gameplay balance, the systems came together very nicely. It's hard to explain because it's not that different but just the choice (or non choice) of party members with a set skillset and also the ability to change the lead mid battle created a fantastic battle rhythm that matches the fantastic battle theme.

[@RedPuddin]

Such a good and fitting title and couldn't agree more. I love the Xenoblade 2, despite its mess and totally understand why many people just don't vibe with it. But giving it a fair shot and not just one sided bashing is always appreciated. I sure would be interested in a follow up for 3 maybe next year!

[@OdorGod]

I just finished this game yesterday for the first time so this video is perfect timing.

[@SiltStrider232]

Can't wait to watch this. I was pretty down on Xeno 2 at the time, hated the gatcha and affinity chart/feild skills so much that I decided to just put in on easy and mainline the story. Best decision ever. I was so won over by the world, characters and story, and now despite the issues I experienced while playing, I look back on Xeno 2 with lots of affection. Torna was also amazing start to finish so that definitely helped tip the scale somewhat. Xeno 2 is idiosyncratic and divisive, but maybe that's what makes it so interesting to talk about 😊. Looking forward to hearing your take on it Nam.

[@Blob-jx3fg]

Bought this game blind and initially regretted my purchase in the early chapters. I kept playing and I'm glad i did because this is one of my all time favs. I genuinely think it's a flawed masterpiece.

[@HansAlRachid]

Can't say I've ever had a hard time hating it personally. The basic Xenoblade gameplay is as addicting as ever of course, but the story, the characters, the character designs and the gacha elements made hating it pretty damn easy in my mind. The OST is absolutely incredible though. And hey, it gave us Torna, which I thought was a massive improvement in every regard, so that's a big plus.

[@skylandersfan6954]

I dont see how the story and characters make it easy to hate given how fantastic they are

[@HansAlRachid]

@@skylandersfan6954 I don't begrudge you or anyone else liking this game or its cast. Rest assured, I've got my reasons.

[@K.A.R.Gaming]

"my thoughts exactly"

[@munchrai6396]

Easily my favourite aspect of this game is the rare blade roster. The shear amount of different characters you can unlock in this game makes teambuilding, especially for New Game+, incredibly enjoyable. This variety can also extends to the roles the rare blades play. Blades like Corvin or Boreas may be categorized as a Tank and Healer respectively, but they have aspects from other classes that make this distinction less defined. This class hybridization is something that is definitely at its peak during New Game+ where multiple blades flip common weapon types on their heads while still keeping some aspects that make those classes work in the first place. This is also something that I feel is rather lacking in Xenoblade 3, especially when it comes to Tank classes, which are practically unnecessary in that game if you know how to optimally teambuild around the plethora of broken Healers

[@DaTruth683]

this is my favorite entry. followed by 1 and 3

[@android19willpwn]

Xenoblade 2 is a game where the first 6 hours are a 5/10 and the last 6 hours are a 9/10, and the intervening 70 hours are just a straight slope upward from that first point to the second.

[@NrgBuster]

All I'm hearing is that when Xenoblade 2 gets it's Definitive Edition in a couple years that fixes most of it's gameplay issues, it will be even more amazing. One step closer to divinity!

[@alexandergoldstein4908]

Something I've realized about XBC2 that makes it stick out from the other entries in the series as well as xeno games as a whole is that it lacks the narrative hook that all other xeno games have. That being an opening scene that sets up a mystery followed by a large time skip of several thousand years that gets answered over the course of the game. XBCX also doesnt have this but it is a spin off compared to a mainline entry.

[@fathm4623]

This is one of my all time favourite games (as is every xenoblade at this point lmao), but it also has to be the all time favourite game that I have the most genuine complaints about lmao

[@Raykushi]

Loved the point about the developing skill of the voice acting throughout the game. I find it unintentionally plays into the narrative. As the party grew more competent, so did the delivery. Was kind of meta-story-telling lol

[@gonzalolorca794]

I'm actually playing it rn so I'll watch this as soon as I finish it. I definitely understand the title already though. Started playing it almost immediatly after finishing the first entry and it was such a big change of pace. Still, there are common elements to both games that I adore, such as the environments and battle system. So I'm excited to keep playing despite the flaws it may have.

[@Walmbat]

I love Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and I was someone who came late to the game. Like, just before 3 dropped. But I loved it anyways, and I loved the cast, I don't think it's a perfect game - it has some very definite and clear flaws, but I think they help the game shine when taken full. I'm glad to hear that you found joy in it, and that you're as willing to talk about what you found issue with in it.

[@butthemeatwasbad]

Don't forget the few of us that think 2 is just fine. Not amazing, but not bad either. One of my biggest gripes is simply that I couldn't relate to the cast like 1 and eventually 3. XC1 did a nice job making you care about all the characters as they grow together as a party and you see how they weave together. XC3, I care more about those 6 than any other party. But I really only care about Rex, Pyra/Mythra, and Nia in XC2. Morag was too dry and under developed. The implication of Tora's perverted intentions with Poppi are gross. Zeke comes way too late after being essentially a joke and I only used him because the internet told me he was a good character. I don't dislike these characters by any means, I just... don't really give a shit about them like I do any one else.

[@cartoonvideos5]

I think that's because Brighid was more the main focus of the game than Morag herself.

[@ZapBlaze]

Damnit, Nam, I was all set to watch a Xenoblade 2 video, but I don't want to be spoiled on 1. Guess I'll come back in 6 years when I finally finish Xenoblade 1. (This is not a joke, I always get burnt out on the side quests because of how they're introduced. I feel bad for not exploring all the content when it shows up, because I know I'm going to forget to go back for it later.)

[@Zachruff]

TIL that elemental orbs temporarly decrease damage from that element

[@andrewfarrenkopf3408]

I really enjoyed this video! You're Xenoblade videos have been wonderful and I really enjoy your perspectives on these games I hope you end up giving XC3 a shot, it's fantastic and is my favorite. I would really love to hear your thoughts on it

[@henrygokufan10]

Video game discussions about a specific type of game is just very you know scary online

[@hylianfelldragon1308]

NGL it's because of this game in particular that when I start playing certain RPGs for the first time, (regardless of what type of RPG it is) I'll usually give them around 5-10 hours or so to hook me in before giving my first impressions on the game and deciding wether or not I want to keep playing. Kind of like how a lot of weebs will follow the 3 episode rule.

[@ajbXYZcool]

Speaking of the change in art style, Chuggaaconroy had an interview as well where he inquired, and another reason behind it was talent aquisition. As in, it was easier to find artists near MonolithSoft who were familiar with the more anime art style vs the more western, realistic style. Perhaps Takahashi used that as a reason to try something different, but it likely contributed a lot. Or at least served as an excuse for higher ups.

[@OxygenC2]

It was because they didn't have dedicated character designers in 1. They made the character artwork after the devs made the 3D models.

[@ajbXYZcool]

@@OxygenC2 So when they started looking, that drove them to the more anime-like style then! That's neat.

[@OxygenC2]

@@ajbXYZcool Yup, hence Masatsugu Saito in 2 and 3 and CHOCO in Saga and X.

[@felipearaujo5572]

Not hard to love at all, this is a masterpiece.

[@MasterStacona]

quest exp you don't get on completion, it all goes to the inn and you can control how much exp to give that way

[@niltendo8664]

Great video, I'm glad that you liked the game and stated your true feelings and criticisms about the game

[@elliotmarlow6384]

I never used pouch items and only found out about the orb system on the final boss 😂

[@fatbro7283]

I played this game with the jp VO, I also really enjoy more laid back anime, so the slower pace of the earlier chapters were very cozy when I bought the game, having read about it online, I thought it was gonna suck balls... I spent 400h in ng... and I got kosmos well before the end of the game... the only complaints I have are about the technical stuff, image quality, slow menus, memory leaking, it has a lot of flaws, but its overall just so good I can't stop going back to it

[@cartoonvideos5]

LOL imagine playing Xenoblade in anything other than English.