Xenoblade Chronicles 2 [NS] - storyline spoiler-free please!

[briareos_kerensky]

I already do this; however the problem is that I start off a chain and often have to switch blades to finish it, and I'll be charging from 0 to potentially III, which just takes too long, even if I get the AI to perform the level-II bit in between.

You can increase duration of the bar by performing a full or partial Blade Combo (break, topple, launch, smash); don't swap Blades immediately, wait for the cord between Rex and the Blade to turn gold, this way the special meter will build on its own as long as you auto-attack (it will pause when executing special attacks); you can also build the meter to level I, then wait it's close to level II, and trigger the element combo starter; don't trigger elemental follow-ups immediately, wait for the element bar to reach its end, this will give you more time to build up meter.

You can change that? I thought that was inherent to the character, like my Rex is currently "Wild Cavalier" and Nia is an "all-rounder". I can see the blades have roles (tank, healer etc.) but I had no idea you could change the role of the characters.

These roles change based on the Blades a character is travelling with. If Nya is an all-around then you probably have three Blades of three different roles. Swap them around and you'll see roles and stat changing.

EDIT: Also gotta say, I don't like the way that blades are "bonded" to a character and can only be moved with a consumable, of which the game has a limited quantity. It leads to redundancy. As part of the story, I was forced to bond Roc to Rex, so I already have a good blade with Wind on Rex. Later, I used a rare crystal on him and unlocked another rare Wind blade, and it's useless. I'm never going to use it more than Roc, so it's redundant. I get why it's the case in the story but that's just a "plot justification"; as a gameplay feature I really don't like it.

Just a heads-up: don't use rare crystals with Rex, or at least push for rare Blades with other characters.
Element is not the only thing going in a Blade. Weapon used, skills, and bonuses make Blades useful in different situations. For example I've never really used Roc after getting to maximum Merc rank. There are some Blades that are more useful than others and others that work with very specific party composition, but I woulnd't dismiss a Blade for sharing same element or even weapon to some Blade already bound to a character.

[Asura]

I managed to get through that boss in the finish (it was...

->Open Spoiler<-

Mikhail and Patroka? The two drivers you fight after destroying Lila, the giant nendoroid maid

... by just putting three healer blades onto Nia. I think the reason why was that I've recently got the hang of how the blade combos work, but that was making the characters switch blades a great deal, which was actually making me weaker overall (because previously Nia was sticking with Dromarch a lot more) - plus I unlocked my first ever "non-robo-person" blade on Nia, Electra, and that was actually making my party worse even though the blade in isolation was very good.

[briareos_kerensky]

Electra's not bad on a dedicated tank. IIRC I have her as my main on...well, someone else.

[briareos_kerensky]

New rare Blade and Elma from Xenoblade Chronicles X announced for patch 1.5.2.

[briareos_kerensky]

The expansion hit shortly after the Nintendo Direct (at least for season pass holders), so here are some impressions.
The expansion is independent from the main game, but you still need to start the base game and select the expansion from the main menu. Extra tidbit of info: in Japan you can buy this expansion in its separate cart.
Options are a complete separate set as well, as are tutorials. I suggest not to skip them because the combat system has changed a bit, and it's way better to postpone this expansion till you have completed the main game.

The party is still composed by Drivers and their Blades, but during combat it's divided into vanguard and rear guard. You can switch characters between the two positions via the d-pad. What you control is still a Driver/Blade pair, so switching positions will actually let you control a Blade directly. The starting character has two Blades and you can still switch between the two should that be required. Drivers also have two fighting style: a normal one, and one that sacrifices something (like HP) for something else (like faster recharge rate for special attacks).
The basics are still the same of the base game, but this feels a bit less complicated as there are no roles and pretty much everyone has at least one healing technique. Characters in the rear guard also recover some HPs.

The first location in the expansion looks better than many (if not all) locations in the base game, although this is paid with a lot more dynamic resolution. Some of the reworked locations, especially villages, look rather basic and stereotypical though. There are some new enemies but most are also in the base game.
Main and sidequests still follow the same procedure, as well as field skills, Driver and Blade skill trees, and item management.
The expansion adds a "Community" entry in the menu similar to Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and X, although it doesn't seem as complex. Judging from this screen there are only four locations on the expansion.

The story is set before the base game, and I'll just say what you see here is essentially the genesis of the bad guys.

[Asura]

Ugh, so I got to the Crucible Elpys place, and it's led me to an absolute wall.

To get through one room, I have to pass a skill check. My blades can't pass it and I'm going to have to grind out the levels... But first I need to actually work out what that entails, because it isn't just experience, it involves hunting down stuff too.

Had a look online and seen that this is XB2's equivalent of the "Desert Prison" in Final Fantasy VIII, i.e. if you're going to quit, apparently this is where you're going to do it. I'm not surprised. Doing this one roadblock is going to involve several hours of work just to get across a gap of about 20 yards which I can't jump.

Edit: fortunately someone told me a fast way to earn those skills, so I’m back on course. It involved spamming the pouch items.

[briareos_kerensky]

Pouch items open up affinity levels, not the skills themselves.

[Asura]

Pouch items open up affinity levels, not the skills themselves.

Yeah, but one I had the levels, it was pretty easy to actually go on and get the skills. Now I've just passed the point where...

->Open Spoiler<-

I've seen Nia's true form, and can use her as a Blade if I wish - though I don't be, because she's a HLR blade and I'm doing pretty well with all ATK Blades on Rex.

So I think that sees me approaching the last parts of the game, as I'm midway through Chapter 7. I'm hoping to finish that chapter today and get onto 8, and I've been told that 10 is quite short.

Might see if I can smash it this weekend and finish it, so I can finally go onto playing something else.

[briareos_kerensky]

Mhmmm, it's gonna be a long weekend if you want to finish the game where you are now...but then again before I've tried to complete as much as possible before completing the main story.

[Asura]

Mhmmm, it's gonna be a long weekend if you want to finish the game where you are now...but then again before I've tried to complete as much as possible before completing the main story.

I got to Chapter 8 last night, and did the bit where...

->Open Spoiler<-

... you have to choose between which name to select, Pyra or Mythra.

So I'm a bit further along.

[Asura]

Hey, I just got to the bet where I'm...

->Open Spoiler<-

... inside the World Tree, and going up elevators to reach the top.

How close is that to the end? It feels close, story-wise.

[briareos_kerensky]

If I recall correctly, around 5 hours, maybe less. The final boss should be level 70-something.

[nakamura]

Played 45 hours of this, god knows why a half of it was crap. It's just too long and nowhere near good enough to withstand 70 plus hours before sidequests.

Why do they make these games so long nowadays?

[Asura]

Played 45 hours of this, god knows why a half of it was crap. It's just too long and nowhere near good enough to withstand 70 plus hours before sidequests.

Why do they make these games so long nowadays?

Admittedly I've found some bits of it a bit of a slog, and I've only maybe had about 50 hours and am about to finish it. I have no desire to do any of the sidequests.

[nakamura]

It's a shame because when it's good it's really great. The characters bar the nopon are all decent. Some really funny moments in there too. It's just too big and there is no real sense of purpose as a result. I never feel intimately knowledgeable of the locations. It's all one massive location after another, full of repetitive battles. If they just toned it all back a bit, could have been really special.