Tomorrow will be a big day for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 fans. Why? Because tomorrow will be the release of the “Future Redeemed” DLC, a brand-new story in this universe. Despite what many thought might happen, the story DLC is a prequel to the main game’s campaign, which has many interested in how it connects to everything. Adding to the intrigue is the return of two beloved characters from the franchise. Specifically, the return of Shulk and Rex, the protagonists of the previous mainline titles. But when you look at them, they don’t look like their previous forms. Instead, they’ve very much grown up.
First, we have Shulk, the original protagonist of the series. He’s grown out his hair quite a bit, and he’s lost his right arm. But even with that, he’s still wielding the Monado. Oh, and he has a robot arm to replace the lost one, which is pretty cool.
As many fans have noted in gameplay looks at the DLC, Shulk plays a lot like his friend Dunban from the original title. To further prove this, a new gameplay clip showcases his new class of “Grand Soldier” and shows him using the “Blossom Dance” technique in a new way. So if you’re hoping Shulk will play like before, he just might.
Then, we have Rex, the protagonist of the second main title. His journey saw him saving the world when he was only a young child, and now he’s all grown up and looking like an adult boss.
Not unlike Shulk, Rex has also had some issues with battles in the past, as he’s lost an eye. But since he has both of his arms, he wields both versions of the Aegis Blade that represent Pyra and Mythra. So he’ll be pretty hard to beat with those powerful blades under his command.
While seeing these characters back in action is great, it raises many questions about why they’re here in this world with these new ones. The world of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 isn’t the world that Shulk and Rex are from, as the main campaign notes. Plus, when you look at the trailers for the Future Redeemed story, you’ll see that outside forces add to the mystery of what’s going on.
How will it all connect? Why is the future redeemed with this story? Will it tease the next adventure in the franchise? You won’t have to wait long to find out!
