Walking into a franchise when you’re not completely immersed in it can often be a dicey prospect. In most cases, you’re not going to start watching Marvel movies with Avengers: Endgame; you’re not going to throw on The Godfather Part II before you watch the original; and you’re not going to start playing Xenoblade Chronicles 2 for Nintendo Switch 2 unless you’ve played the first game, right?
Well, not quite, since over the last few weeks I’ve been diving into that particular game.
Previously available on the original Switch, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition puts a nice coat of paint on the game for those who played previously, and offers an enticing story for newcomers. The good news is, unlike those other pop culture titans I mentioned, you don’t have to have any familiarity with the franchise to understand the storytelling and the world you’ve found yourself in.
The short form of the story is simple – you play as Rex, a scavenger bonded to a girl named Pyra, as they search for the mythical Elysium. Along the way, they make friends, fight battles, and deal with a group of bad guys named Torna. The story is the stuff of anime and RPG, and that’s exactly what it feels like playing Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, for better and for worse. The better is that the game, on Switch 2, looks absolutely phenomenal and shows the power of the upgraded console. The worse is that there are a lot of cut scenes that, while giving us ample story and lovely animations, can take you out of the game and make you a bystander rather than an active participant. At least, that’s how I’ve felt so far playing (it’s worth noting I’m only a few chapters in).
The question for folks who played Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition in its original format is whether it’s worth upgrading for $14.99 to replay. For those who do, here’s what you’ll get:
- Experience a journey across Titans in 4K resolution in TV mode, and full HD in handheld mode, at 60 frames per second.
- Discover a new rare Blade, MOMO, with two forms to swap between and a quest for you to take on. Directly control the Blades you send on mercenary missions in the Merc Assault action battle mode.
- Unlock new outfit designs for Pyra and Mythra that appear both while adventuring and in cutscenes.
For fans, I’d say the price is more than reasonable to get the game in its best possible version, especially if you’re a hardcore fan or completist. As for gamers, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is an easily accessible entry point into an ongoing franchise. While you might want to start at the beginning, I don’t think you’ll have any issues getting yourself immersed in the game and its fantastical setting.
That being said, please don’t watch Avengers: Endgame or The Godfather Part 2 without watching the previous films. That WOULD be a mistake.
