Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Review: Best In Class

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Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the latest JRPG project from developer Monolith Soft, best known for the previous two components of the Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy. Though connected loosely enough to make sure that newcomers will get a proper, full narrative full of twists and turns, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 still attempts to blend beats from the first two games into a bold new vision of the series' consistent themes. The result is a dizzying achievement of scale and substance, successfully merging the tactical combat and planning of Xenoblade Chronicles with the variation and captivation of the sequel's open world.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 follows Noah and Mio, two off-seers from different nations on the world of Aionios. Off-seers are soldiers who play melodies for the departed on the battlefield, a profession that is in constant demand as the two factions of Keves and Agnus do battle to harvest life energy from each other in endless war. A chance encounter between Noah, Mio, and several other members of both armies results in their rebirth as Ouroboros, humans capable of combining together to form other-worldly, mech-like beings. In typical JRPG fashion, this encounter and awakening begins a long tale of betrayal, subterfuge, and the discovery of the hidden truths of Aionios, all culminating in a battle against the «true evil» that dominates the world.

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For as standard as some of those plot beats sound, however, the story of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 does an excellent job centering in on its core six party members and their struggle to accept each other. While at times it threatens to become too tropey or rote, the story always manages to swerve back into the