Sica 🎮 XDE 2.0

Lvl60! That would have been the top 10 years ago but times change so let's keep reaching higher 💪

OMG that Dökkalfhar Lyon... I love him

That would indeed have been a convenient opportunity to write Cross out of the narrative, but Xenoblade games usually don't give the player/main character a bad ending so I'm not too surprised they didn't stick to it

They could always make them a nameless background hero like Al was up until now

OK but if Al has a rifle from Lao but there's no weapons involved in their interaction on the Beach of Nothingness, that means he had it since before Mira, and if they haven't talked since Al got promoted to lone hero, that means he's had it since way back on Earth... They're besties...

I kinda want a timeline where my Cross didn't make it during that last fight
I like tragedies and I think it's an ending that fits too

That or he disappears and they find him again in another universe 2 years later

Where It Began - Where It Ends

It would be funny if by settling in a new world that's more stable than Mira, the different XCX species lost the ability to communicate

Xenoblade Babel tower myth incoming

One of the funniest retcons is how the Ares was meant to be a 2 pilots Skell and yet, despite everything, they never used that cockpit in the end

Whatever they do next for the Xenoblade series, I need them to hire Misaki Umase again, I really liked her work on XDE, her songs are so beautiful

It's alright. I wish it didn't hurt you that much too. I personally believe we don't owe devs to stick to what they created and that alt versions are interesting, so if you ever decide to try another story for Mira anyway, I'd be happy to hear and talk about it with you. But do what makes you happy❤️

Fixing a cliffhanger with another cliffhanger would have been so cruel! We already have enough questions as it is

And if it's not enough for you, you are more than welcome to pretend ch13 never happens and life continues on Mira. Xenoblade's core is in the existence of many universes and possibilities, claim the outcome that fits you, there's a world where it is true. Take that future into your own hands!

I'm sorry it killed your enjoyment of the game. All the hard work wasn't for nothing! The characters got to grow and learn, to experience so many things, to meet so many people... All the exploration done resulted in saving and taking part of Mira with us, in hopes of building another home for all

Yeah I really hope they'll balance the main story vs DLC stuff better next time... XC3 was a scam

I'm fully in favor of a wait and see behavior on stuff you're wary of. Not everything has to be bought and experienced directly on release. Take advantage of the era of playthrough videos

Xenoblade be like, tbh

At this point I just gleefully buy the games expecting a mess lol

I like to think there's a timeline split at the end of XCX. There's a world that goes into the events of ch13 and a world where life continues on Mira. Whichever you choose to believe in the most, they're both valid and canon to me

Is it the best way they could have handled him? no
I'd guess this wasn't even what they had planned to do with him ten years ago. But it works with what they decided to do for ch13, in the end he got some kind of redemption, even if not the one Irina wanted. Also he's at peace and it's important too

See the Lao stuff hurt me deeply, but I also see it as continuity of the grief theme: you can hope for years, threaten him that he can't die yet, that's not how it works. You don't get to choose if someone is done before being allowed to die. He's watching over us from beyond and it has to be enough

Yeah it's a mess, I'm pretty sure you're not the only one who didn't enjoy it. It works one me because I'm here mostly for the emotions and pick themes that speak to me and ignore the rest, but I try not to let my enjoyment blind me from the fact that it's not cohesive writing. People can hate it

Overall, this ch13 has wacky writing and continuity, some presentation issues, but also themes and emotions that moved me, and interesting characters and characters development (Lin especially got some very good screentime she needed to fulfill her arc)

Objectively mid, subjectively incredible

--brought by the change of focus in Xenoblade writing during that decade gap (less cohesive story, more studies of human emotions). It works or it doesn't, that becomes personal per player. It worked on me, but I don't need to look up to know others hated this epilogue

--gonna talk about the artificial mims and consciences?), and even goes to add *more* questions (so we're not gonna talk about the Gnos- sorry, Ghosts?)

HOWEVER
The red thread of loss and grief is very in the continuity of XCX, and solidifies this theme within the game. There's a tonal difference--

Some more thoughts on the whole ch13 after some sleep:

I don't think it's a good epilogue to XCX itself. It shifts away from some of its main questions and themes (what is it about this planet? Why does it attract and trap so many people? The ugly side of mankind isn't as relevant anymore? Are we--

For the record, I finished the game after a playtime of 221:35, at lvl70, with a Mira survey rate of 92.09%

Next step will be to complete that 100% survey (and let the emotions sink in)

I have no word to describe what I just experienced, what this game made me feel

I'm just incredibly glad I got to experience it

Is it perfect? no
Did it give me emotions few games can give me? yes

Amazing game

Ah yes I almost forgot about this other issue

This is why I like three parties wars better, always something new to play

Oh this game knows how to hit straight to my heart 😭💞

That was a surprisingly short fight?? As someone who tends to make boss fights last quite long for vibes enjoyment I'm slightly confused

There are probably other phases but?? Ok speedrun dude

Z could never

Alright, that's everyone save for scenario losses, time to regroup and proceed

Analysis complete he says, before proceeding to not tell me a thing
Dumbass