XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3
War… what is it good for?
RELEASED OUT NOW! Format Nintendo Switch
Publisher Nintendo
The nations of Keves and Agnus have always been locked in war, fighting to survive. Each battalion “colony” is presided over by a Flame Clock that sustains the lives of its soldiers for their 10-year lifespan. They’re grown in pods at an accelerated rate before dying in battle, turning into a kind of dust, and beginning all over again. It’s bleak, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 isn’t interested in wallowing only in that, focusing instead on a group from each side who end up having to come together, in turn realising that – you guessed it – they aren’t so different after all.
As the cast of characters try to get to the bottom of who’s actually benefiting from the forever war, they stumble through little stories arising from the devastation. Technically finishable in 50-60 hours, this is the kind of RPG that’ll make you want to double that; sidequests along the way are meaningful both narratively and mechanically, as they often unlock traversal tools or classes.
While the Switch can’t compete with its powerhouse rival consoles, the game’s visual design more than makes up for it, with expansive maps really feeling like they’re yours to poke around in and discover. The real-time combat can get a bit mashy, but there’s depth in its cross-classing options (offering the kind of RPG innovation that used to be Final Fantasy’s bread and butter).
The gameplay, however, can’t live up to the ambitious story, which in typical JRPG style frequently has to lean on well-crafted though lengthy cutscenes for its big moments. Still, this is the most exciting the genre has felt in years.
Oscar Taylor-kent
Our heroes are flute-playing “Off-seers” that lay the dead to rest. Replicas of the flutes were made during development.
Sidequests are meaningful both narratively and mechanically