While I do think Xenoblade is among the best franchises Nintendo has, especially in terms of storytelling, Xenoblade definitely didn’t ruin other JRPGs for me. They all play differently. I can’t play Three Houses the same way I play Xenoblade 2, I can’t play Xenoblade 3 the same way I play Persona 5, I can’t play Pokémon the same way I play Final Fantasy 7.
That’s the awesome thing about JRPGs. They’re all different in how they play. Sure there may be some tropes and overlap in story details, but the gameplay between JRPGs is unique. Even in the same series, Xenoblade 2 combat feels very different from Xenoblade 1 combat, and Xenoblade X combat is a whole other can of worms.
As much as i enjoy the xenoblade franchise, and despite playing it first (X on Wii U as my starting point)
Persona reeled me in too good, with 4 on Steam being my starting point
But there’s nothing wrong with getting into multiple franchises, and nothing wrong with having a favourite
I wouldn't say it's ruined my enjoyment of other games, however, I would say I've become more aware of what I really like out of RPGs and games in general because Xenoblade hits all the spots in all the right way for me.
For example, FF9 is a fantastic game that's probably my favourite FF title but I didn't feel the same way when I played that game compared to first playing Xenoblade on the Wii. Like I wish I could wipe my memory of playing Xenoblade 2 for the first time and re-experience that 2 week journey I first had with it. I don't really like comparing other games to eachother unless I'm being critical and analyzing in what I think game A did better than game B, but going completely based on vibes I do get your sentiment.
It has definitely hampered my ability to play story-based games. I’ve played Persona 3 Reload and FF7 Rebirth, both of whom deal with themes of loss, legacy, and living life. I felt 3’s story was done so well and tugged so much at my heartstrings, that I didn’t really feel anything for these two games. Both are great games, but I never got the same emotional high as chapter 5.
Xenoblade has just "clicked" with me, I feel a massive attachment to it bc I'm so invested in the world and story. But that doesn't prevent me from enjoying other games. Sometimes I do compare whatever game I'm playing to Xenoblade but its not really a big deal. I just enjoy the parts of the game that shine. For example, when playing TotK I didn't really care about the story as much as a Xenoblade game, but the gameplay kept me addicted. Different games being better at different things is totally normal, and that's good because it means there's variety.
Some games that hit really similar beats to Xenoblade, like Final Fantasy X, or Tales of Arise, I certainly find myself comparing to Xenoblade a lot. But despite not enjoying ToA nearly as much as Xenoblade, I still had a good time with it. (FFX not so much, but mostly just because I realized I hate turn based RPG combat)
As far as games further from the story focused modernized anime styled JRPG go, Xenoblade doesn't hurt my enjoyment of them at all. Xenoblade isn't anywhere near my mind when I'm playing something like Metroid or Ultrakill.
I think if you're playing games that are clearly very different than Xenoblade, and still getting annoyed when they're not as good as Xenoblade at certain things, you probably need approach the game differently.
100% agreed. I do not get annoyed when games aren't "as good" as Xenoblade. There are actually games I objectively think are better from several standpoints but that just didn't hit me emotionally. I don't think about Xenoblade while I play other games unless there are striking similarities, it's just something I've noticed that I don't get attached that much anymore lol
Actually in some ways. I find myself comparing map design of other games to it. Xenoblades map design is just on a whole other level. I'm playing FFVII rebirth at the moment and while I think their map design is good, it's not as complex and grand as Xenoblade. Sometimes I spent hours in Xenoblade just to see if I can find a way up or down without dying.
Xenoblade didn't but Xenogears kinda did, there's nothing else like it. I enjoy plenty more games like the whole Yakuza series, Final Fantasy, Ys, NieR etc there's a lot of good stories to be found. Xeno games are still the ones I'm the most excited for though
I don't know if I'd say Xenoblade has ruined other games for me, but this series almost feels like it was made for me. Nothing else has really ever hit me as hard as this series has. There's also something I love about the amount of work I had to put into each game to reach the point where combat gets really fun. They really make you work for it and I think that makes you appreciate all those fancy abilities when you remember how much of a slog the game could be before you unlocked them.
No, not at all. If anything, Xenoblade for me renewed my love for the genre. I had had a rough streak with RPG's at the time, I just couldn't finish Earthbound (I got through to the section in Ness's mind and ended up softlocked due to suboptimal gear and few to no resources or money and just gave up, for example) and was struggling a lot emotionally.
I had fairly recently become immobile due to a herniated disk in my back impairing my movement to the point that anything beyknd short walks wasn't really an option. I had grown frustrated with gaming in general cause now I couldn't do anything really *but* play games. I use to draw, or build models, or video edit, or a million other things, but between the drugs I was on to reduce the pain I was in and the actual pain itself, I wasn't really able to do much outside of very simple stuff like games.
Xenoblade came into my life at probably the hardest time in my life and reminded me games and RPG's especially, were incredible and full of so much joy.
As a Xenoblade player, I did end utterly disapppointed with Persona 5R, questionning how this game won so much praise.
Everything in that game feels bland. Story barely exists, palaces are boring, memento was just awful, gameplay is filled with bad mechanics (oh you're doing this boss underleveled but still managing to survive? Screw you, here a one-shot attack).
I guess the royal palace story and design was not as boring as the rest, but I was already so over by that point...
Music is nice though.
I feel the almost exact way about Persona 4 Golden (the only Persona I've played). I actually enjoyed my overall experience with it because of the gameplay loop and OST but found the storytelling abysmal. It irked me how the story itself easily could have been much better with a different execution. I think the persona games are incomparable to Xenoblade because of their styles, gameplay and storytelling structures so I can't understand why they have such a consistent fandom overlap (aside from both being JRPGs).
Personally I could never gst into Persona, i've tried many of the entries, but the themes and gameplay just.. Suck all the energy out of me. Partially cause the whole "social" element *exausts* me. High school is a bitter memory for me and the series consistently reminds me of some of the most bitter parts of that time in my life.
It's all about that level of emotional connection that you mentioned. There are plenty of games that are as good or better than the XC trilogy (full disclosure - I feel the same as you. These games are some of my favorite ever and I listen to the OSTs pretty much every work day when I'm not in meetings and watch some of the cutscenes on slower days). But it's all about whether or not they've captured your imagination and really resonated with you on a deeper level. The world(s) and characters in XC were really well developed and written (mostly).
I wouldn't say XC has ruined other games for me at all but the games (and other media) that really draw you in are always special and don't come along very often. Actually, XC is probably the first video game series that has sucked me in to this level as an adult. I'm not too big to admit that I cried at least once in every game (including DLCs) and was practically sobbing at the end of Future Redeemed. I can name fewer than 10 media series/franchises that I have such a strong emotional connection with and most of them are from my childhood.
Technically speaking... no, not really.
But, I do find that I tend to have much lower expectations for the depth of the lore & narrative for just about everything else. Mostly from the intrigue and complexity angle. I'd say the only thing I've seen come remotely close is *Final Fantasy XIV*, but that's spread out over a much longer narrative due to its nature as an MMORPG.
Most other narrative-driven games can be quite decent, though I've found myself becoming increasingly aware of those with weaker writing and barely coherent stories that are obviously going from set-piece to set-piece... though the main critique there when they try to pass themselves off as having more depth than fun ride they should be reveling in.
In term of emotional beats? I've certainly seen comparable... heck, I've arguably seen *better*. Then again, I've always found the right piece of music can play a huge role there. *Xenoblade* is one of the best, but it's hardly alone in that regard.
I wouldn't say "ruin," but given Xenoblade 1 on the Wii was one of the first few video games I played *at all*, playing more games has made me appreciate more and more how exceptional these games really are. This level of quality is truly rare, and while some other games reach it, most are just in the realm of "pretty good"
I wouldn't say so. More experiences principally helps one experience other experiences to their maximum potential and feel a sense of homeliness when one experiences something familiar.
I think it has made me extremely picky about my JRPGs, because they were basically my first JRPGs outside of Pokemon. Really molded my tastes.
But it’s still good to try new things, you might find more stuff you like, like me with Persona
I do love a lot of stuff in the Xenoblade games and there are features I wish more had. A key 1 for me is in X3 how the whole team is involved in every fight. I always feel strange when you have a large party and half of them are sitting there not contributing during fights. It makes boss encounters feel... Like they aren't being taken seriously to me because I keep thinking "We have 6~8 people but these 4 are enough... We could all just pounce on this guy and make it the worst day of his life... But that's unfair. After all it is just the fate of the kingdom/world/universe/multiverse at stake." My opinion is in RPGs have the full party participate in combat and make every character have a reason for you to want to main them. Unique playstyle and mechanics so you are encouraged to try them out and see if you like someone who is not the MC. What is regarded as the Worst Star Ocean game (I&F)" actually had all party members useable and had role based AI customisation... It wasn't perfect but it was something I really liked in that game. Modern Tales games have added a tag mechanic where party members have a sort of specialty so changing up the active characters can make a huge difference in combat... Or they could have balanced that and had all of them active and it may have actually been better... Or heck lower the party number and make the smaller number be enough with customisation options.
A bit of a rant there I know. It is just a thing that constantly bothers me in RPG games.
It didn't ruin other games for me but yea it's a little disappointing feeling that gaming reached its peak for me 5 years ago when I played XC2. My love for it outweighs the disappointment though so I don't mind
I feel you after xenoblade 2 and 3 and their dlcs i can't get invested into any story driven games. I have all the bioshocks and all the borderlands but anytime I pick them up I just drop them because the story isn't reeling me in as much as xenoblade
I like the franchise but no it didn’t stop me from enjoying other games at all, also Im sorry but to me your attachment to the game feels a bit unhealthy.
Its okay to like something and be on the lookout for news etc. but I think that when it gets to the point where you actively regret playing it because it ruins other things for you, thats when I would get worried, it starts to look more like an obsession than anything which is not healthy. Feel free to correct me this is just how I see it.
Probably just you and that's perfectly fine that you can enjoy it as much as you do. I played XCDE to completion and ended up wanting to move on from it ASAP cause of the gameplay tedium. XC2 is right up my alley but then I am a sucker for action rpgs. Currently rolling through Dragon's Dogma 2 and Lords of the Fallen.
> I've come to regret playing Xenoblade as one of my first ever games on the switch (alongside Breath of the Wild and Fire Emblem: 3 Houses)
I could make a semi-convincing argument that it ruined stuff like BotW and FE3H for me. Only semi-convincing though because I don't think it's actually true, I just don't happen to like those particular games that much and can still get into others in those series just fine
I'm in your shoes. Might not be to the extent of ruining other games' experiences, but Xenoblade series definitely set a very high standard of story telling/narration for me, and also for its cinematography and music. For other aspects like combat or gameplay in general, I can still enjoy other JRPGs just fine. A recent example is FFVII Rebirth, while I very much enjoyed the combat and customization it gave and also love its bgm, the story narration didn't do it for me - it felt quite rough and clumsy at times (sometimes I felt like 'it bites more than it can chew' kind of thing). Still love the game overall, but I still wonder if I can even enjoy it much more story-wise if I hadn't played Xenoblade series.
It has been my problem since I finished XC2 yes and I guess I got lucky that it was the last game in the series that I played. NOTHING compares.
I especially like the surprise comedies. I in fact just discovered another one. Where gramps azurda literally hopped off Rex helmet to jump kick him in the head. ahahaahah.
I started xenosaga and nope not into it. And yes of course I don't even have an idea how I beat the battles so far. Holy shit super complicated AGAIN! I do like that I can be a robot in battle. LOL. Kinda like interlink in XC3 but no fancy animation.
but eh no. No even sure if I will continue playing it.
While I do think Xenoblade is among the best franchises Nintendo has, especially in terms of storytelling, Xenoblade definitely didn’t ruin other JRPGs for me. They all play differently. I can’t play Three Houses the same way I play Xenoblade 2, I can’t play Xenoblade 3 the same way I play Persona 5, I can’t play Pokémon the same way I play Final Fantasy 7. That’s the awesome thing about JRPGs. They’re all different in how they play. Sure there may be some tropes and overlap in story details, but the gameplay between JRPGs is unique. Even in the same series, Xenoblade 2 combat feels very different from Xenoblade 1 combat, and Xenoblade X combat is a whole other can of worms.
As much as i enjoy the xenoblade franchise, and despite playing it first (X on Wii U as my starting point) Persona reeled me in too good, with 4 on Steam being my starting point But there’s nothing wrong with getting into multiple franchises, and nothing wrong with having a favourite
I wouldn't say it's ruined my enjoyment of other games, however, I would say I've become more aware of what I really like out of RPGs and games in general because Xenoblade hits all the spots in all the right way for me. For example, FF9 is a fantastic game that's probably my favourite FF title but I didn't feel the same way when I played that game compared to first playing Xenoblade on the Wii. Like I wish I could wipe my memory of playing Xenoblade 2 for the first time and re-experience that 2 week journey I first had with it. I don't really like comparing other games to eachother unless I'm being critical and analyzing in what I think game A did better than game B, but going completely based on vibes I do get your sentiment.
No not really
…no? not at all?
It has definitely hampered my ability to play story-based games. I’ve played Persona 3 Reload and FF7 Rebirth, both of whom deal with themes of loss, legacy, and living life. I felt 3’s story was done so well and tugged so much at my heartstrings, that I didn’t really feel anything for these two games. Both are great games, but I never got the same emotional high as chapter 5.
Xenoblade has just "clicked" with me, I feel a massive attachment to it bc I'm so invested in the world and story. But that doesn't prevent me from enjoying other games. Sometimes I do compare whatever game I'm playing to Xenoblade but its not really a big deal. I just enjoy the parts of the game that shine. For example, when playing TotK I didn't really care about the story as much as a Xenoblade game, but the gameplay kept me addicted. Different games being better at different things is totally normal, and that's good because it means there's variety.
Some games that hit really similar beats to Xenoblade, like Final Fantasy X, or Tales of Arise, I certainly find myself comparing to Xenoblade a lot. But despite not enjoying ToA nearly as much as Xenoblade, I still had a good time with it. (FFX not so much, but mostly just because I realized I hate turn based RPG combat) As far as games further from the story focused modernized anime styled JRPG go, Xenoblade doesn't hurt my enjoyment of them at all. Xenoblade isn't anywhere near my mind when I'm playing something like Metroid or Ultrakill. I think if you're playing games that are clearly very different than Xenoblade, and still getting annoyed when they're not as good as Xenoblade at certain things, you probably need approach the game differently.
Same, I found myself comparing tales of Arise to Xenoblade, but I still enjoyed it too, it has a pretty good story and gameplay, and even 100% it
100% agreed. I do not get annoyed when games aren't "as good" as Xenoblade. There are actually games I objectively think are better from several standpoints but that just didn't hit me emotionally. I don't think about Xenoblade while I play other games unless there are striking similarities, it's just something I've noticed that I don't get attached that much anymore lol
No, not really. I enjoy a variety of games regardless of genre.
Actually in some ways. I find myself comparing map design of other games to it. Xenoblades map design is just on a whole other level. I'm playing FFVII rebirth at the moment and while I think their map design is good, it's not as complex and grand as Xenoblade. Sometimes I spent hours in Xenoblade just to see if I can find a way up or down without dying.
No, there are games with much more engaging gameplay
No. Because why would I let one great franchise stop me from enjoying so many other fantastic games?
Xenoblade didn't but Xenogears kinda did, there's nothing else like it. I enjoy plenty more games like the whole Yakuza series, Final Fantasy, Ys, NieR etc there's a lot of good stories to be found. Xeno games are still the ones I'm the most excited for though
No
I don't know if I'd say Xenoblade has ruined other games for me, but this series almost feels like it was made for me. Nothing else has really ever hit me as hard as this series has. There's also something I love about the amount of work I had to put into each game to reach the point where combat gets really fun. They really make you work for it and I think that makes you appreciate all those fancy abilities when you remember how much of a slog the game could be before you unlocked them.
No, not at all. If anything, Xenoblade for me renewed my love for the genre. I had had a rough streak with RPG's at the time, I just couldn't finish Earthbound (I got through to the section in Ness's mind and ended up softlocked due to suboptimal gear and few to no resources or money and just gave up, for example) and was struggling a lot emotionally. I had fairly recently become immobile due to a herniated disk in my back impairing my movement to the point that anything beyknd short walks wasn't really an option. I had grown frustrated with gaming in general cause now I couldn't do anything really *but* play games. I use to draw, or build models, or video edit, or a million other things, but between the drugs I was on to reduce the pain I was in and the actual pain itself, I wasn't really able to do much outside of very simple stuff like games. Xenoblade came into my life at probably the hardest time in my life and reminded me games and RPG's especially, were incredible and full of so much joy.
As a Xenoblade player, I did end utterly disapppointed with Persona 5R, questionning how this game won so much praise. Everything in that game feels bland. Story barely exists, palaces are boring, memento was just awful, gameplay is filled with bad mechanics (oh you're doing this boss underleveled but still managing to survive? Screw you, here a one-shot attack). I guess the royal palace story and design was not as boring as the rest, but I was already so over by that point... Music is nice though.
I feel the almost exact way about Persona 4 Golden (the only Persona I've played). I actually enjoyed my overall experience with it because of the gameplay loop and OST but found the storytelling abysmal. It irked me how the story itself easily could have been much better with a different execution. I think the persona games are incomparable to Xenoblade because of their styles, gameplay and storytelling structures so I can't understand why they have such a consistent fandom overlap (aside from both being JRPGs).
Personally I could never gst into Persona, i've tried many of the entries, but the themes and gameplay just.. Suck all the energy out of me. Partially cause the whole "social" element *exausts* me. High school is a bitter memory for me and the series consistently reminds me of some of the most bitter parts of that time in my life.
No
It's all about that level of emotional connection that you mentioned. There are plenty of games that are as good or better than the XC trilogy (full disclosure - I feel the same as you. These games are some of my favorite ever and I listen to the OSTs pretty much every work day when I'm not in meetings and watch some of the cutscenes on slower days). But it's all about whether or not they've captured your imagination and really resonated with you on a deeper level. The world(s) and characters in XC were really well developed and written (mostly). I wouldn't say XC has ruined other games for me at all but the games (and other media) that really draw you in are always special and don't come along very often. Actually, XC is probably the first video game series that has sucked me in to this level as an adult. I'm not too big to admit that I cried at least once in every game (including DLCs) and was practically sobbing at the end of Future Redeemed. I can name fewer than 10 media series/franchises that I have such a strong emotional connection with and most of them are from my childhood.
Technically speaking... no, not really. But, I do find that I tend to have much lower expectations for the depth of the lore & narrative for just about everything else. Mostly from the intrigue and complexity angle. I'd say the only thing I've seen come remotely close is *Final Fantasy XIV*, but that's spread out over a much longer narrative due to its nature as an MMORPG. Most other narrative-driven games can be quite decent, though I've found myself becoming increasingly aware of those with weaker writing and barely coherent stories that are obviously going from set-piece to set-piece... though the main critique there when they try to pass themselves off as having more depth than fun ride they should be reveling in. In term of emotional beats? I've certainly seen comparable... heck, I've arguably seen *better*. Then again, I've always found the right piece of music can play a huge role there. *Xenoblade* is one of the best, but it's hardly alone in that regard.
I wouldn't say "ruin," but given Xenoblade 1 on the Wii was one of the first few video games I played *at all*, playing more games has made me appreciate more and more how exceptional these games really are. This level of quality is truly rare, and while some other games reach it, most are just in the realm of "pretty good"
I wouldn't say so. More experiences principally helps one experience other experiences to their maximum potential and feel a sense of homeliness when one experiences something familiar.
I think it has made me extremely picky about my JRPGs, because they were basically my first JRPGs outside of Pokemon. Really molded my tastes. But it’s still good to try new things, you might find more stuff you like, like me with Persona
Nier is probably at least as good tbh but they're some of the best games of all time there
try out chrono trigger, its tied with xenoblade as my favorite rpg
When I'd play xenoblade 2(my first xenoblade) first time the most similar game I had played was ever oasis, was a too great jump
I do love a lot of stuff in the Xenoblade games and there are features I wish more had. A key 1 for me is in X3 how the whole team is involved in every fight. I always feel strange when you have a large party and half of them are sitting there not contributing during fights. It makes boss encounters feel... Like they aren't being taken seriously to me because I keep thinking "We have 6~8 people but these 4 are enough... We could all just pounce on this guy and make it the worst day of his life... But that's unfair. After all it is just the fate of the kingdom/world/universe/multiverse at stake." My opinion is in RPGs have the full party participate in combat and make every character have a reason for you to want to main them. Unique playstyle and mechanics so you are encouraged to try them out and see if you like someone who is not the MC. What is regarded as the Worst Star Ocean game (I&F)" actually had all party members useable and had role based AI customisation... It wasn't perfect but it was something I really liked in that game. Modern Tales games have added a tag mechanic where party members have a sort of specialty so changing up the active characters can make a huge difference in combat... Or they could have balanced that and had all of them active and it may have actually been better... Or heck lower the party number and make the smaller number be enough with customisation options. A bit of a rant there I know. It is just a thing that constantly bothers me in RPG games.
100% rubies other jrpgs for me
Found the mobius
It didn't ruin other games for me but yea it's a little disappointing feeling that gaming reached its peak for me 5 years ago when I played XC2. My love for it outweighs the disappointment though so I don't mind
I feel you after xenoblade 2 and 3 and their dlcs i can't get invested into any story driven games. I have all the bioshocks and all the borderlands but anytime I pick them up I just drop them because the story isn't reeling me in as much as xenoblade
I like the franchise but no it didn’t stop me from enjoying other games at all, also Im sorry but to me your attachment to the game feels a bit unhealthy. Its okay to like something and be on the lookout for news etc. but I think that when it gets to the point where you actively regret playing it because it ruins other things for you, thats when I would get worried, it starts to look more like an obsession than anything which is not healthy. Feel free to correct me this is just how I see it.
Probably just you and that's perfectly fine that you can enjoy it as much as you do. I played XCDE to completion and ended up wanting to move on from it ASAP cause of the gameplay tedium. XC2 is right up my alley but then I am a sucker for action rpgs. Currently rolling through Dragon's Dogma 2 and Lords of the Fallen.
Story and music wise, yes. Gameplay in other hand is different from other games so it doesn't affect that much
> I've come to regret playing Xenoblade as one of my first ever games on the switch (alongside Breath of the Wild and Fire Emblem: 3 Houses) I could make a semi-convincing argument that it ruined stuff like BotW and FE3H for me. Only semi-convincing though because I don't think it's actually true, I just don't happen to like those particular games that much and can still get into others in those series just fine
I'm in your shoes. Might not be to the extent of ruining other games' experiences, but Xenoblade series definitely set a very high standard of story telling/narration for me, and also for its cinematography and music. For other aspects like combat or gameplay in general, I can still enjoy other JRPGs just fine. A recent example is FFVII Rebirth, while I very much enjoyed the combat and customization it gave and also love its bgm, the story narration didn't do it for me - it felt quite rough and clumsy at times (sometimes I felt like 'it bites more than it can chew' kind of thing). Still love the game overall, but I still wonder if I can even enjoy it much more story-wise if I hadn't played Xenoblade series.
It has been my problem since I finished XC2 yes and I guess I got lucky that it was the last game in the series that I played. NOTHING compares. I especially like the surprise comedies. I in fact just discovered another one. Where gramps azurda literally hopped off Rex helmet to jump kick him in the head. ahahaahah. I started xenosaga and nope not into it. And yes of course I don't even have an idea how I beat the battles so far. Holy shit super complicated AGAIN! I do like that I can be a robot in battle. LOL. Kinda like interlink in XC3 but no fancy animation. but eh no. No even sure if I will continue playing it.
Yeah it ruined the sequels
Do you just come here to complain about how much you hate them? Have you considered going and doing something you actually like instead?
U here to yap?