Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is here after years of waiting, and fans are eating it up. Monolith Soft’s latest Nintendo Switch epic pickles up on the Xenoblade legacy, offering a new adventure in the world of Aionios.
This sprawling RPG tells the gripping story of a group of teens who, after being taught to kill each other their entire lives, have to band together to stop a world-ending threat.
The Xenoblade series has quickly become one of the most beloved of the Nintendo catalog, despite how relatively new it is. That means that with every new title there are plenty of gamers who are diving in for their first taste of the franchise.
So, with so many jumping into the world of Xenoblade for the very first time, here are some essential tips for success in Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Embrace the Pace
The Xenoblade journey is a long one. Embrace that. Upon starting a game like this, it is going to feel daunting, like looking up at a great mountain with no certainty of a successful climb. But it can be done!
The world of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is one that is meant to be explored. Listen to every cutscene, search every nook and cranny, and the rewards will show themselves.
Instead of treating this game like a bingeable miniseries, it is best to look at it like an eight or nine-season anime. Don’t rush it, savor this experience. Every gamer can make their own pace with a game like this, so there is no need to feel rushed.
Don't Let Difficulty Scare You
Some of the battles (especially early in the game) are going to feel like a challenge, one should not let that deter them.
Upon getting the hang of the battle system a bit, it is best to go for those challenging “elite” and “unique” monsters throughout the world. It is going to be harder than the normal grunts scattered across the environment, but the reward is almost always worth the risk.
The bonus XP awarded here can help to shorten the RPG grind found in a game like Xenoblade.
Role-Playing… Literally
Do not forget to bring strategy along onto the battlefield. Xenoblade 3 sets up its main characters as members of two warring armies, trained to battle their entire lives and in action, it tasks the player to take on that persona and literally role play.
In battler remember the role of each party member and where they fit into battle. Xenoblade very much plays like a single-player MMO (i.e. Star Wars: The Old Republic) and combat should be played as such.
Healers should be standing in the back of the action, buffing their team from afar. Defenders (aka Tanks) should be right in the middle of the action, taking the brunt of the damage. And attackers should be helping to combo with the other roles, and take down the enemy.
Break, Topple, Daze, Repeat
In combat, taking advantage of the Break System will mean success almost 100% of the time. Upon entering battle, make sure to get that Break going, as party members will combo on that Toppling the opponent and then Dazing them for some free hits.
It sounds simple, but if chained together, that Break combo can mean that the enemy doesn’t get a hit in edge-wise and will sometimes go down without dealing any damage to the party.
It’s a rudimentary system, but it works!
Stay Classy out There
After about eight hours into Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the game finally offers the player the ability to change classes as they see fit. DO THIS!
Yes, it is going to be weird getting out of that sword-swinging comfort zone that the game has shown with Noah and the team up to that point, but leveling up different classes will be the best bet for success later in the game.
These class switches offer the player Talent Arts. These are moves from across classes that can be combos and used with other classes through Fusion Arts. The higher the level the player is with each class, the more of these Talent Arts there will be ready to be utilized.
The best plan of action is immediately upon unlocking the ability to change classes - do it! From there, level up as many classes as possible and then, later in the game, go back to a preferred class from earlier, but now with the ability to use those Talent Arts from the other classes.
Be the Talk of the Town
Xenoblade 3 is an open world, for the most part, so use it! When adventuring, take on every quest possible, gather resources like it is going out of style, and find every collectible or optional objective out there. They are all worth it.
Xenoblade is so good at giving its players things to do and rewarding them, so helping out that Nopon on the side of the road by gathering some moisture-rich resources is going to be worth the time put in. Climbing to that container up on the ledge above, while difficult, is also going to be worth it.
This includes talking to LITERALLY everybody. Towns and colonies in Xenoblade can be packed full of people, and while not much of them will have something interesting to say, every one of them will net you some valuable Affinity for later down the line. Plus, these townsfolk will offer up some of the best side quests in the game, so take the time to chat.
Whether it is a new piece of gear to equip the party with, some Affinity that will help unlock new heroes later in the game, or just simply XP for the team, all of these optional things will prove worth the time in the end.
An Adventure Worth Taking
Yes, taking on a game such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 can look like a daunting task, but it is a nut worth cracking.
This enthralling RPG epic will be quick to hook players if they can get through that first info dump. Just take it in stride, look back at these tips, and success will be close on the horizon.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 isn’t just one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch, but one of the best RPGs in years. Its sci-fi world, deep battle system, and lovable characters all add up to one of the best packages on Nintendo’s hybrid console.
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