Xenoblade

(Only works for the New Nintendo 3DS)

Considered to be one of the best Japanese RPGs of all time, Xenobladewas a complete rarity upon release. Those who were fortunate enough to play Monolith Soft's RPG opus gave it exceedingly high reviews across the board, and the rest of the world could only live vicariously.

Now, with an updated port of the original Nintendo Wii title, gamers across the world can finally have an opportunity to play this legendary game, exclusively on the New Nintendo 3DS!

An ancient conflict of gods lives onthough those in the present, but they only know of one thing, that they must survive the onslaught of violent robotic creatures known as the Mechon. FollowShulkand his comradesas they search for the truth oftheir past, present and future with the ultimate answer lying with the mysterious sword "Monado."

Xenoblade takes place in a vast open world with a real promise that delivers what many open world games lack - that any location see can be traversed. While exploring exceedingly lush and well conceived environments, players will encounter side quests and the NPCs that give them; these include item hunting and monster hunting quests.

Exploration is highly encouraged, and without breaking the flow of travel, side quests completed are automatically turned in with the relevant rewards, removing the common mechanic of constantly returning to a hub world. There are also day-and-night cycles that affect in-game factors like events, item appearance, and quests; players can also set the time to the specific moment they desire.

Battle in Xenobladeis done via real-time in combination with action-based attacks, where manual movement and key positioning ensures for deep strategy. While party members auto-attack foes within an attack radius, limited manual commands can be made, but these are reserved for character specific moves called "Arts" and "Talent Arts", which are set with a cool down period. While leveling up is done with traditional experience points, the true potential of party members shine when developing their repertoire of "Arts."

To further affect the flow of battle, players must fully use the "Party Gauge," which fills overtime with successive attacks and allows the chaining of multiple attacks; but with each command, party members will also increase enemy ire through the aggro ring, making themselves the main target. There is also a "Visions" system, which gives players a sneak premonition into upcoming enemy moves, so by balancing chain attacks, paying careful attention to enemy aggro, and careful positioning, players can leave battles unscathed, but only with credit to their ability to be aware of such factors.

And while many open world games loses track of themselves through the sheer amount of content available, in game systems like the "Affinity" system will keep the story grounded, as players unlock the "Heart-to-Hearts" moments revealing deep character backgrounds, thoughts, and personality. This mechanic also affects the perception of the player's party in the eyes of the actual game world, making an immersive experience possible from the beginning till the end. And when all that's done, Xenobladehas a new game plus mode, carrying over progress between game completions.

Finally, Xenobladehas extensive character customization, with changes of outfits, armor, and weapons directly reflected in game, appearing in both scripted and field events.

Already a highly polished title, Xenobladeis a game that all fans of a premier JRPGs can look forward to playing.