In a very special Xenoblade-themed Nintendo Direct, the Japanese gaming giant showcased a half-hour of straight gameplay footage for the upcoming Wii U exclusive JPRG Xenoblade Chronicles X.
The footage gives a delightful overview the RPG’s expansive battle system, which is a real-time action-based active system very much akin to the combat mechanics found in the original Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii.
Fighting sequences are pretty immersive, painting a distinct picture of being able to drop in and out of combat within the game’s wide-scaled environments. The UI is sleek and MMO-like, featuring a hotbar with various abilities balanced out by active cooldowns, as well as a dynamic party-based system for strategic and tactical battles.
Combat will be fluid and different characters will have “Arts” (as Gamingbolt notes these are very similar to Monado Arts featured in the first game) which are color-coded skillsets determined by various battle stances and techniques. There are four different kinds of arts: fighting, shooting, support and weakening.
Combos are an important part of combat, and you’ll be able to thread together attacks between various party members for spectacular high-damage finishing moves.
Plus every character has a sort of Limit Break-like Super Saiyan-esque boosted-damage status called an “Overclock”, which can raise damage output and unlock various other abilities.
Apart from combat sequences, the new 30 minute video gives us a decent glimpse at Xenoblade Chronicles X‘s class change system, and gamers can expect to see a multitude of different jobs and classes each with their own set of unique roles and abilities.
Nintendo still hasn’t revealed a release date for North America and Europe, and hopefully we’ll hear something on that account soon. I don’t know about you but I’m incredibly hyped for this game, and it looks to be a strong contender for 2015’s best RPG of the year.
Since were betting some of you don’t speak Japanese, Cheesemeister3k translated some of the more important facts from the video:
- Last time, we introduced Planet Mira. This time, we’ll explain the battle system. Tatsu can’t battle, so has to stay at home.
- You’d be in trouble without Tatsu. Need info? Ask him. You won’t get any info without him. He’ll keep things going smoothly.
- Now introducing beasts near NLA (New Los Angeles). Switch between sword and gun for simple attacks, activated by auto attack.
- More advanced techniques are called arts. They’re categorized into fighting, shooting, support, and weakening arts.
- Be careful when using arts: you have to wait a certain amount of time before you’re allowed to recast the same art.
- It’s important to balance usage of auto attack and arts. Soul Voice lets you communicate with your party to use specified arts.
- Soul Voice settings let you plan out strategies in advance of battle. The characters will use the ones you select
Combos increase damage. Learn arts to generate combos. Doing a combo will let you deal 1.5x damage. Hit from behind.
- Shooting from above or below will increase your accuracy. You can target parts of an enemy to break defenses piece by piece.
- Double recast, waiting for the recast meter to refill a second time after becoming available again, will boost arts strength.
- You can bring your fallen party members back by resuscitating them. You can use auto attack while waiting for double recast.
- Overclock Gear reduces recast waiting times. Using the same arts consecutively ups damage. Triple recast is stronger still.
- Enemy Icons display their level, other info. An eye indicates visual search. A bolt means seismic sensitivity (tread lightly).
- Enemies with a circle around the eye icon hunt in packs, and will call others when they see you.
- Equipment. Weapons come in melee and shooting varieties. Armor: helmets, body armor, left arm, right arm, and leg armor.
- As you use weapons and armor, the supplying company will develop new equipment products for you.
- Equipment slots allow you to customize your weapons and armor with stat-modifying items.
- Leveling up. Gain experience not just from battle, but by finding treasure, etc. Unlocked the arts in your class to open more.
- Choose which class and set of arts to unlock and change to.
- You can form teams of 4 characters. Here’s Ilina. Guin has youthful strength. Doug uses heavy equipment, and is kind.
- This is Lao. Many characters will surprise you with what they bring to battles.
- How are you supposed to fight this big robot? Use your battle skills to win. There’s another weapon at your disposal: dolls.
- Next presentation will be about Dolls
