TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — "Xenoblade Chronicles 3" is a JRPG cup that runneth over.
Piled on with voluminous character development, Shakespearean story beats and breathtaking combat sequences, the sequel strives to outdo its predecessors in scope, looks and depth, and largely accomplished all three.
Thematically tying together the casts and throughlines of "Xenoblade Chronicles" (2010) and "Xenoblade Chronicles 2" (2017), "Xenoblade Chronicles 3" sets up a war of attrition between contending armies.
The setting is the dilapidated tech dystopia of Aionios. Tech-driven nation Keves struggles with Agnus, which focuses more on magical properties.
The cast consists of six characters with interlocking destinies. Themes such as alliance, betrayal, sacrifice and exploitation resonate throughout the serpentine tale.
Developer Monolith Soft always knocks it out of the park when it comes to visuals, and this entry doesn't disappoint in that department. Immense detail is sprinkled throughout the battlefields, and towering bosses approach with spine-tingling grandiosity.
As with the previous entries, the storytelling can get a bit obtuse, with flow charts needed to keep track of the intertwined connections between characters.
Intense, free-moving combat sequences — which call on you to orchestrate attack, buff and defensive properties, along with tide-turning specials — are interspersed with lengthy cut scenes that establish the next story development. An entrancing score underlines the emotional beats, granting the game a cinematic quality.
A seven-course gourmet meal of a game that gives you as much as you put into it, the staggeringly massive adventure beckons to Switch players with the gumption to take it on.
Publisher provided review code.
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Phil Villarreal is the senior real-time editor for KGUN 9. He is also a digital producer and host of "Phil on Film" seen weekly on Good Morning Tucson, Phil moved to KGUN after 17 years with the Arizona Daily Star. He is married and has four children. Share your story ideas and important issues with Phil by emailing phil.villarreal@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
