Earlier this week, Monolith Soft unveiled a 24 minute Overview/Field trailer that revealed details about Xenoblade Chronicles X. Thanks to a recent fan translation, we can now share more details on how expansive and broad this game, and its world, actually is.
NLA, or New Los Angeles, patterned after the real life city, is a Robotech-like city within the planet of Mira, where survivors from the White Whale live. This is no military base, as they have recreated commercial shops, parks, homes, even churches, all sealed and protected from the rest of the planet. You will presumably be able to take breaks from the action and relax here.
BLADE, or Beyond the Logos Artifical Destiny Emancipator, is the combination military/police/combat force who helps protect NLA, and where Elma recruits you into. As a member of BLADE, you take on two of their greatest missions: finding Lifepoints, AKA finding other refugees dispersed throughout Mira in Lifepods, and investigating Mira itself. Investigating Mira (possibly better translated as colonizing or discovering Mira) will comprise a major part of the game.
Frontier Net will be your primary tool in investigation. On the Gamepad, you can see the map, divided in a hex grid. Throughout Mira, Frontier Net has chosen Frontier Net spots, key places from where you can learn more about the planet. Data probes planted in these spots serve to inform you of your objectives in each area, and also act as portals back to base in NLA.
You may pick up quest several ways. They can be assigned to you directly from the higher ups at Blade, or you can check out a Quest Board. Either way, accomplishing quests gains you experience, money, and items.
NLA is affected by the quests you accomplish. Not only will they be talking about your recent achievements, but reaching certain objectives will increase affinities between characters, bringing the residents of NLA closer together. In a roundabout way, you will learn more about the people of NLA as well.
Mira is large, larger than they had already revealed in prior trailers. In fact, we only saw one of several continents in the game, and the trailer hints there are more you have to discover.
We are familiar with the Primordial Wilderness, which looks like it came out of Jurassic Park. Noctilucent Forest, on the other hand, seems to take visual cues from avatar, with many large illuminated plants in this mysteriously dark, lush forest. Whereas the Valley of Negligence evokes the hot harsh deserts of the American South, the Valley of White Ash resembles the sand dunes of Western Sahara. Finally, the Land of Black Steel is a large volcanic area. As you can imagine, all of these areas are incredibly large and varied, so even these descriptions don’t do it justice.
As you may already know, the giant mechs, called Dolls, are a major form of locomotion. You can race around the tracks in vehicle mode, and fly to reach faster speeds and approach places that are unapproachable otherwise. BLADE gives out a license to use the Dolls, so you will have to earn one to use it.
In addition, Navigation Balls will help you find your way any time you need them, and the Hopper Camera can always be activated, to act like a probe, taking a 180 degree view of your surroundings from up high.
Creatures come in different shapes and sizes. In general, you will want to stay away from considerably more powerful enemies. You need to particularly watch out for the Overed, unique creatures with special names and abilities.
There are also various humanoid races you can talk to directly. Aside from the Nopon, there is Lu Sylph, a friendly blue skinned demonoid, and other visiting extraterrestrials, such as the Ma Non, who boast advanced technology you may want to trade for. Finally, there are the Byas, completely hostile to the human race.
Xenoblade Chronicles X will be released exclusively to Wii U, on April 29 in Japan and sometime this year for the West.
