I also started with 2, such an amazing experience. Now 2 and 3 are my favorite games of all time. This is an amazing trilogy that I recommend to everyone.
@@AKABoondock19 i didn't like 1 as much as 2 or 3 due to combat system didn't like to scrolling across to hit move way combat was in 2 and 3 was better hope if they bring out X they change controls to like 2 and 3 and not bar across bottom of screen like 1
there is a reason why you should play xenoblade in order playing 1 in to 2 is like fully blown "resonant pulse" playing 2 in to 1 however, kinda tricky, in my oppinion it's a dissonance 3 doesn't matter you can play 3 whenever, you can start with 3 no problem...
Said it on Twitter but I'll say it again here but I agree the order doesn't matter too much. I was one of the people saying you needed to play 1 and 2 before 3, but after finishing 3 I changed my mind. Future Redeemed definitely requires the others though.
there is a reason why you should play xenoblade in order playing 1 in to 2 is like fully blown "resonant pulse" playing 2 in to 1 however, kinda tricky, in my oppinion it's a dissonance 3 doesn't matter you can play 3 whenever, you can start with 3 no problem...
@@faidhonnur3092 Agreed. Playing in order 1, 2 & 3 is the best and that's coming from me who started with 2 and then played 1. Now, I never owned a Wii U so XC2 was the only game I had access to when it launched. But I remember reaching the ending of XC2 and there is a part playing that confused me greatly since I hadn't played the first game. So that part did nothing for me until I played the first game.
I cannot think of one reason to play 3 before the others. You get less out of the game not knowing the backstory and then also spoil the other games. People only start with 3 because they want to play xenoblade and it was popular to jump on the bandwagon of 3 because it was so well reviewed and got more mainstream spotlight at the game awards and stuff like that.
To an extent you can play the games in any order. The only one's you can't play in any order is 3 and 3FR. 3 and FR spoil too much of 1 and 2 and imo the reveal that the first and second games are connected is an important reveal. Before Xenoblade 2 we assumed all Xeno games were disconnected like Final fantasy, so the reveal that they are all connected was amazing.
If I'm being honest. I've started with 1 way back on the Wi, and my recommendation for the order(s) you should play is: STORY ORDER: Play 1 or 2 first, whichever one tickles your fancy more and play it's respective post game DLC afterwards. Play the game you didn't choose to play first from above. Finish with Xenoblade 3 and it's DLC after finishing the main game. As much as these games have enough standalone content to realistically start in any order. I firmly believe 3 MUST be the last game you play. There is way too much in 3 that is rewarded for having the other two games on your belt. GAME MECHANICS ORDER: Play 1 -> Play 2 -> Play 3. If game mechanics matter more to you, play in numerical order. Until X comes out in March, 1 is the black sheep in terms of how combat works. But when you get to 2 and 3, while there's a lot that differentiates the two, the UI for your main way of attacking remains relatively the same between the two which makes for a much smoother transition between games. As a response to your somewhat controversial recommendation of playing 3 first. I can understand where you're coming from, however even with that benefit you're using as the crux of boosting your recommendation, I truly do believe that 3 as the closing game of the trilogy closes out the Saga the three games are involved with is too important to even take the chance of spoiling by playing first. Additionally, as much as it does make it harder for newbies to the games, I personally believe playing games with worse QOL before the games with better QOL will improve the gaming experience as it doesn't set up a situation where the player becomes mad that a feature they enjoyed from a previous game isn't present in the one they're currently playing. Overall, it truly is a preference and depends on your style of play and what you value most in games in order to find the best order for you. I do agree that this series is just that good that even if you play in a different order, you're bound to find some unique perspective on why the order you ended up with was good.
I played 3ds xenoblade first. The 3d effect makes a big difference compared to 2d stills on how it looks and feels. I credit that game for teaching me that games were still good and that I enjoyed them, the west had just been making shitty games
From my experience I played 2, Torna, 1, FC, 3, and FR. I will say that before Xenoblade I've never played these types of real time action games as I've more or less played turned based RPG's. Also even before that I watched chuggaconroy's let's play of the first game and knew about all the combat mechanics and story from his videos which was the reason that I wanted to play 2 when it first came out. So imagine my surprise when I started playing 2 and found myself picking up on the combat way faster than I expected and never found the game to be confusing or frustrating. I enjoyed the story and the characters from the beginning to the end and became my favorite game off all time to the point I've replayed it the most out of the 3 games. It even beats The Legend of Zelda series for me which I was a massive fan for years. So trust me when I say that it doesn't matter which order you play the 3 mainline games as playing just one of them will draw you in on this massive world of the Xenoblade series. Even if the first one you play might not be your favorite you should try each of them to see each of the games lore and stories that are interwoven together if you are looking for it. Give the series a chance and never to judge a game by only its looks.
I played the trilogy in release order. I feel this is the best one *************** Spoilers for those all three games ****************** . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Well, maybe XC1 or XC2 could be the start since they tie really well. If you play 1, you'll freak out when Malos pull out a Monado, Chapter 10 start or the "today we use our power to fell a god" line. If you play 2, you'll pick up on Ontos' core when Alvis appears, the similarities between the Monado / Aegis swords and Zanza / Klaus. So XC1 and XC2 can be interchanged. But if you'll really want to enjoy XC3 to the fullest, you'll need to play the previous ones. XC3 has lots of references and the world is just a big call back to Alrest and Bionis / Mechonis. Hearing the returning soundtracks in Swordmarch and Elaice highway was beautiful
there is a reason why you should play xenoblade in order playing 1 in to 2 is like fully blown "resonant pulse" playing 2 in to 1 however, kinda tricky, in my oppinion it's a dissonance 3 doesn't matter you can play 3 whenever, you can start with 3 no problem...
@@ShinetoZeroX sure, but when you finish 3, you will realize that you don't want to touch the epilogue DLC (Future Redeemed) before completing the first 2 games. XD
I am started with 2 too. I never even felt I missing something at all. The game is solid and great and when I revert to 1 and then 3 it actually make me love 1 and 3 more too. But honestly the very first Xenoblade I played was X not 2.
It's not about you, it's about the person who will be playing xenoblade not in order You might have no choice because xc1 was previously not available on the switch after XCDE released, there is 0 reason to not play the game in order
Played XC3 first. I loved that game and I also fully understood it without the context of the other ones. Because I loved XC3 so much, I decided to play the others as well. But I did not play XC1. I played XC2. Then I played XC2 DLC. Then XC1 and ended with XC3 DLC. I do not know if there is a DLC for XC1 too, I did not get that one. But maan, what a series/ XC is also my favorite series of games of all time, like is the case for many other players.
@@ludicrousswirl4364 Considering only the base games: in terms of story 1 then 2 then 3; in terms of combat: 3 then 2 then 1. Considering the DLC: in terms of story 3 and 2 then 1; in terms of combat 3 then 2 then 1. Both Torna and Future Redeemed are amazing. As good, in my opinion. Overall, considering everything, XC3 is still my favorite, then 2 then 1.
Future redeemed dlc in 3 definitely requires to have played 1 and 2. So while I agree that you can play 1 and 2 in any order. I’d say it’d be better to play those before 3. Since in the main game of 3 there are still a lot of references and a couple of characters from the previous games. The very last scene in 3 also won’t hit the same since it makes a huge reference to 2 that got a lot of people. lol
The first Xenoblade game people should start with is Namco X Capcom. Jokes aside, as a Fate fan, I agree that people can just play something in whatever order they want to. It feels like some people get too caught on "optimal orders". They end up being misguided in helping newcomers but ends up alienates them.
I slightly understand both sides, but say it with me... 🗣️RELEASE ORDER Compare Noah's voice actor (XC3) reaction in Future Redeemed Chapter 5 to Etika's (Etika World Network, RoseKami's archive of his XC2 streams) reaction to Chapter 10 opening cutscene.
@@SuperSavajinIt’s still a good analogy. I love Xenoblade 2 and played it first, but I wish I played 1 first to really understand the hype behind chapter 10’s opening my first time thru.
I do get your point of comparing the same thing. I particularly brought up Etika because he loved Xeno (since he knew of/might've played Xenosaga. If anything, I do think comparing someone who knows Xeno lore seeing the XC2 Chapter 10 opening cutscene to someone who started with XC2 with no prior knowledge of the series shows a really good case why release order matters, if not at least holding a priority over any other order. Lastly this is coming from somebody who's order is: Chuggaa's XC1 playthrough -> XCX (my beloved) -> XC2 -> Torna the Golden Country -> XC:DE -> Future Connected -> BlunZ's Xenogears & Xenosaga streams -> XC3 -> Future Redeemed
Glad someone finally spoke in earnest of the issue. I think the Trilogy is "best" enjoyed if you go with either 1 or 2 both first, then the third game. Nonetheless, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 main story is something that can be understood by a newcommer easily since it doesn't reference directly whatever happens in the first two games. 3 is it own self contained stories. It makes many smart winks at old players, but it truly was not the crux of my enjoyment. The DLC though have caviats. Torna is to be reserved after 2 Main story while Future Redeemed is something you'll get the most of if you played the whole trilogy
I played 2 first, and I have one good thing to say about that that I havent seen anyone else cover. In Xenoblade 1 you have the Mechonis, and in Xenoblade 2 you have the World Tree. Its probably not too much of a spoiler to say that in each game, you eventually travel to those prominent world features - However the way the theming and world-building pivot away from typical fantasy and towards the stuff that makes Xenoblade special when you get to that part of each game is felt much more sharply in Xenoblade 2. The pivot is faster, and the change in theming and worldbuilding is larger and more impactful. And yet I feel like that pivot wouldnt have the same impact on someone who's played 1 first, who is familiar with the pivot in that game. For me, that pivot in 2 was a key part of what took the game "oh, this is neat" to "my mind is blown, and I am obsessed", so for that reason I hesitate to recommend playing 1 first. On an unrelated note, Im super excited for Xenoblade X to come to Switch next year!
edit: just play in order please, for the best experience.. 1 > 2 > 3 > X (....yeah X is number 10 so... last) There is like 0 reason to not play this game in Order I would recommend starting with 1 The experience of playing this game in order is a Resonant pulse But yeah you can do anything you like, lots of people don't like being told anything If i can forget all of my xenoblade playthrough i would still played them in Order It's wonderful.
I start with 3 and it's DLC and fell in love with the serious. So I want to know more about Rex and Shulk. So I played all Xenoblade Games on the Switch. Now I wait for Xenoblade X.
Just started 2 as my first in the series and ngl Nia is the main reason why i FINALLY jumped in. Saw her online for years and always wo dered wtf she was from😂😅 Edit: Theres already been moments in the game that have completely hooked me. I havent felt this excited to dive deep into a game sinve the witcher 3
The order I'd definitely recommend the most for everything related to the Xeno series is XC1, XCX, FF6, FF7 (The original, not the remake), Xenogears, Perfect Works, XC2 (to Ch9), Torna, the remainder of XC2, Chrono Trigger, Saga 1-3, Future Connected, XC3, Future Redeemed, Baten Kaitos, XC4 onwards. I placed heavy importance in my play order in understanding the struggle to finalize Perfect Works that Monolithsoft strived towards, and the order of certain entries is done for pacing as going back to back is incredibly jarring and needs more lighthearted intermissions between (Future Connected, Chrono Trigger, the start of XC2, Baten Kaitos - We havent seen anything of XC4 but after what happened in Future Redeemed an intermission is absolutely necessary). XCX also occurs incredibly early on because it uses XC1's gameplay and also seemingly has its own continuity with XC1 separate from the main Klaus Saga because its implied to occur after XC1. Xenogears also being originally proposed as Final Fantasy 7 means that I consider FF6 and the original FF7 pre-requisite reading material before continuing with the remainder of the series, as it serves to inform some of the decisions made in Perfect Works.
XCX was also my first Xenoblade, and XC2 was also my first in the original trilogy. Even though I don't regret playing XC2 before XC1, I feel that the impact of XC2's ending would have hit harder if I played XC1 first.
@@Sakisaka_Rei Oh, so he at least played XC3 before Future Redeemed... 😓😪 Thank god. Still REALLY REEEEEKS that he didn't play XC1 & XC2 before FR, though... 💀💀💀
The order is simple. Just play it in release order. That is the intended order they had in mind while playing the game. You can make the case for 2 before 1 because it pretty much has the same end game twist but really its best to keep it simple and just play release order. Especially with xenoblade 3. I hate it when people start with xenoblade 3 I literally cannot think of a single reason to do that.
My experience with Xenoblade games is a bit weird because i didn't played in the orders and also played several games at the same time. Here is my timeline: December 2011: Starting Xenoblade 1 on Wii November 2022: Starting Xenoblade 3 April 2023: finishing Xenoblade 1 on Wii April 2023: Starting Xenoblade 2 June 2023: finishing Xenoblade 2 chapter 7 and Starting Torna DLC June 2023: finishing Torna DLC July 2023: finishing Xenoblade 2 Augustus 2023: finidhing Xenoblade 3(breaking my heart😭) , starting Future Redeemed DLC and finishing it So yeah to me until 2023, Xenoblade was just one game and not a franchise, when the xc2 i didn't have a switch and didn't like the art direction it had, everything seemed so different than the first one that i didn't care about it. This was also a moment where I stopped playing video games. That's why I didn't finish xc1wii at the time. Even if I knew I wanted to finish it one day. And suddenly, in summer 2022 my sister got a switch for her birthday, this is the moment that put me back in the videos games. Also, i just saw a short trailer of xc3 and it seemed more serious than xc2 so it convinced me to finally give it a new chance to Xenoblade, I absolutely didn't know that the 3 games were connected, I just saw that you could play the game in any orders. It's only with the first battle against Queen Keves that I realised I was fighting against Melia from Xenoblade 1😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 and it made me appreciate the game a lot more!
While you can play the games in any order, I’d definitely recommend playing Xenoblade 1 and 2 before 3 because of all of the refrences that you wouldn’t get if 3 is your first game
I actually started playing Xenoblade 1 on Wii and played Xenoblade Chronicles X on Wii U at once, then when Xenoblade 1 released on the 3DS i restarted it on 3DS and finished it there while finishing Xenoblade Chronicles X on Wii U. The 3DS version have one thing going for it and that is the 3D effect. So if that is your thing it could be an option but the quest tracking on Switch is pretty nice but it shows it's age a bit at times but can be mitigated with the right gear equiped.
I love how Xenoblade is like the crossroads between Final Fantasy and Trails in terms of recommended play order. Final Fantasy: All of the numbered mainline games are completely standalone. All of the direct sequels will have the number of which game it's a sequel/prequel towards IE: X-2, XIII: Lightning Returns, VII: Crisis Core. Xenoblade: You can start with whichever one peaks your interest the most but playing in numerical order is most recommended Trails: Playing in chronological order is non-negotiable
This is a weirdly tricky topic, because logically, you should just play the games in order. They were releases in order, and you get the maximum effect of the narrative that way. But I've always sort of felt like playing Xc1 first kinda sets a bad president in terms of what one can expect from the series. Xc1 has all this hype and reputation behind it, and I feel that hype and reputation has had a negative effect on both Xc1 itself and on the series as a whole. For one, a lot of people take Xc1's reputation at face value and feel pressured to ignore its shortcomings, and other people find themselves frustrated if the game doesn't live up to the hype. Not to mention Xc1 is rather different than the other two, in terms of writing, structure, and gameplay. Xc1 wasn't made the same way 2 and 3 were, and I feel it kinds works better as a middle game, rather than a first game. And just in general, I think Xc2 is an easier game to figure out. Like yeah, "tutorials bad" blah, blah, blah, but in terms of the way game mechanics are paced out and introduced Xc2 is much better at slowly introducing its mechanics and building up the core Xenoblade series gameplay loop over time, than Xc1 is. Xc1 throws a lot at you right at the start, and in my experience watching dozens of people play the series online, Xc1's mechanics tend not to set in as naturally as Xc2's. Xc1 has much simpler total gameplay, but its quite a bit denser. getting an optimal build in Xc1 requires a lot more work than in Xc2. you spend way more time in xc1 menus in terms of moment to moment gameplay than in Xc2, and Xc1's system of no damage to enemies five levels higher makes leveling up much more time consuming. I've found watching people play the series over the years, people end Xc2 with much better understandings of that game's combat than Xc1.
I started with 1 (wii) and I honestly think I would have given up if I started with 2. It has a lot of flaws that hold it back imo, some of which are probably a consequence of monolithsoft's involvement in other nintendo projects at the time it was developed. I say this cause it givrs the idea the game was kinda rushed. Scenes that feel super empty with no sfx, scenes that have wayy to many sfx in contrast because haha wacky anime moment, the sloppy tutorials sprinkled through the whole game, the confusing maps that you get lost in and go in circles just to find a quest destination, all sorts of tired anime tropes that would constantly make me roll my eyes, the voice acting in the dub (i know, its not the VA's faults). I do enjoy the combat, but I still think the battles go on for way too long. The gacha mechanics are a headache. The field skills mechanics are a huge headache, especially since it forces you to skim through all your blades just to equip them for 2 seconds to open a path or a chest. Unfortunately these actually prevented me from enjoying the game the first time. I would love to replay this game if one day they make some sort of definitive edition of it that fixes a bunch of these flaws, if not all. I had to play the game a second time years later to try to give it another shot and then I actually understood the story better and appreciated it more. I did play it subbed, that probably helped. My favorite story is still XC1 and my favorite gameplay is XC3
Not going to lie, you really did change my mind about starting with the main story of XC3, but i still wouldn't recommend it, because if you played XC3, you'd want to play Future Redeemed after, but you basically NEED to play XC1 & XC2 before, so you'd go to play XC1 & XC2, but then, by the time you're done with them, you might forget some things about XC3 that would be vital for your Future Redeemed playthrough. Thus, i'd still recommend playing XC1, then FC, then XC2, then Torna, then XC3, then Future Redeemed.
@@lemmyxpro the real recommended order will always be the release order but I think it's important to say that if you really want to start with either game you can. Except FR
In my mind, I'm glad I played them all in order. However, if playing them out of order gets someone into the series, that's only a good thing! So I suppose it really doesn't matter.
Yeah, ladies, gentlemen, and everything in between, this is it, this is the definitive Xenoblade playing order video. As a diehard fan who played and loved all of them, I literally agree on everything
I can get past all the complicated stuff of XC2 but the fact I can only have one save and need to override my beaten save to play NG+ shouldn't have been allowed in 2017
i was just gonna make a joke saying "start with xenosaga pied piper" but i will not stand for FC slander the order i played the games in left an impact on me that i dont even think can be recreated with new players i started with XC1 on wii then was there for the whole hype cycle leading up to X and 2 and after finishing 2 it inspired me to go back and play gears and saga which was the perfect setup for XC3 to break me emotionally
In hindsight FC sounded harsher than I wanted it to be lmao I like FC for bringing back the shoulder alone but story wise it's really not that important.
Started on 1 (back on the Wii) but i dont understand why playing Torna is a Problem before playing 2 - yes maybe Minos or the Appearance od Mythra will not surprise you as much but for me i had a hard Time getting through Torna because i already knew what was going to happen from the Base Game (of courese not in all details) - i had no real Reason to play it anymore and because of that i couldnt enjoy Torna (its my least favorite in the Series). I am doing a 100 % Playthrough to every Xenoblade Game right now (not my first time doingt that except for 2) and i want to play Torna first to see if it really changes anything big. Also technically Future Connected should be played after 2 as it is being after 1 and 2 and the Fog Beasts are Signs of teh 2 Worlds combining (but i understand that this is not much relevant in FC and its more about Melia)
My first xenoblade experience is torna then X.C 2 ,then X.C 1 then X.C 3 But Still i dont finished first those game. Im currently Playing X.C 1 . I love this X.C franchise waiting for X.C .X on switch
I started with 3ds version of xc1 than x and xc2 and xc3 and now Xenogears and xenoblade 2 and xenoblade 3 are my fav games of this amazing trilogy and yes nia is peak same with her amazing daughter mio
I played 2, then played like the first sixt of 1, then played a third of 3, then my switch malfunctioned so I waited to play the rest, played until the fight with D and J, played definitive edition and then finished X3. I am currently playing FR and maybe I will play torna in the future but I sold my copy of 2 trying to buy a bargain on X2 especial edition but once I returned it was alredy sold.
Have to strongly disagree with this take. At the very least nobody should start with Xenoblade 3 as it is THE culmination of the Xenoblade-story that brings together all the prior games and while you surely can enjoy parts of the game on the surface, you will lose out on SO much. Xenoblade 1 and Xenoblade 2 can be played in either order since the only reason to play XB1 first used to be the big twist at the end of XB2 which is THAT it's connected to XB1, but nowadays everyone knows that already. The other important placement is to NOT play Torna before XB2 maingame, as Torna spoils a lot of important late game-plot points of the maingame. When people are unsure about playing order, I always ask them: Why do you want to play Xenoblade123? Okay, then why not start at the beginning, when ALL Xenoblade-games are SO good. It's like starting with Harry Potter part 4, saying "I love Harry Potter"; why not read the first 3 books first? :D
I know a lot of people feel the same way as you but I truly think you can't compare Xenoblade to Harry potter that has a continuous storyline. The connections are a great part of the overall world building but Xenoblade 3's main story and characters don't need knowledge of 1 and 2 to work.
@@SuperSavajin Really have to disagree re:XB3, if only because I made a video about that myself where I talk about that you shouldn't play it first. But it's okay to disagree, isn't it.
@@SuperSavajin Agreed. The worst situation is when people start shitting on other Xenoblade-games to praise the one they like best - ALL Xenoblade-games are great
@@SuperSavajinthe characters, especially Nia and Melia, as well as the FR cast DEFINITELY needs context prior to previous games otherwise you lose out on so much of the experience. On a surface level, it's fine but it's really not where someone should start if they wanted the full Xenoblade trilogy experience
Start the franchise with the best game ever Xenoblade 1 duh . Xenoblade 2 just like Xenoblade x can start slow and way too many battle systems at once can be a turn off to new player's. Specially that super happy song in first town of 2 might think its a kids game. Xenoblade 3 is however really polished almost perfect.
xenoblade x has good quality of life that aged well? in what universe 💀 your experience with 3 is... interesting to say the least... maybe a little sad. I've also known people who couldn't get into the game who started with it. Even though I'd say it's amazing either way. And usually will be better played after the other games. (if youre not in the 0.1% ultra lore-obsessed theory group i guess baha) ((really, tho? every character needed an explanation? crazy... 😭)) and i really feel like people who had the same experience as you honestly exaggerate these points affecting the game. like half of the discussion on 3 worthy? maybe a sentence in passing surely. this experience at its most severe i dont think is any extra reason to start with 3 first to 'avoid' this potential dichotomy. you were either gonna enjoy a more ambiguous, up for interpretation, symbolism filled and philosophical based story, or you werent. even first time players who are into more lore type discussions on media than abstract analytical ones would feel the same way about it, regardless of their first time status. youre right you can start with pretty much any numbered game though. I started with 2 :) and really loved it. But I felt the final chapter was kinda underwhelming back then honestly, now i like it though. the numbered games are all masterpieces regardless of what you 'miss' or 'know'. but I'd say 2 is the most reliant on other knowledge for the numbered games, but its not that big of a deal. I dont think someone should start with X because im off the opinion and the common opinion is its the worst in the series. making them start with the relatively weaker entry is just setting them up to reject the series in a way (since theres tons of people who only 'like' the numbered games and dont consider them best of all time material. so if these people played x they would consider it perhaps an average games. and looking at review scores for all these games this seems to be backed by evidence) I know many numbered trilogy fans who dont consider X nearly as good as the others as well. gameplay and story-content wise. And i feel the expectations angle doesnt work there, as the story issues are not just expectations based. It's not just the focus on gameplay or amount of story that makes it lacking. the actual content that is there is substantially less in-depth and refined as the other entries. so when someone is watching a cutscene, theyre less likely to enjoy what IS there. and that can make them not enjoy the game and in turn the series from their perspective. Many who play a entry in a series and only find it adequate wont continue to play the other games. unlike the example you support in this video that an X player will continue to the next games, and so its better since its unrelated. I see the potential player who plays X first, doesn't like the avatar, lack of linear structure, rushed elements, all the grinding, repetition and filler. From that experience they might not even play the other games. If its true like you said liking it isnt good to know if you'll like the others, then the same is also true for not liking it. And so to that end, its a poor representation and shouldnt be a starting game.
@@SuperSavajin I agree, since I still love xenoblade way too much.I'm just basing this off the of most common public opinion for the highest likelihood for creating a series fan. considering the fact under large groups the consensus averages out to the average experience. I know it's your recommendations at the end of the day. But I feel the average opinion still has value when making recommendations to average people. Atleast worthy enough of a mention. And that many first game players won't continue if they didn't enjoy what they played. Also do you have anything to say on the Xenoblade 3 point? I saw someone on twitter say even a first time player found unexplained story elements underwhelming so there's some more anecdotal evidence that being or not being a first time player likely wouldn't change someone's opinion on this.
@@JEANS__ I've seen some more people who have played 3 first saying they loved the game. I really think it's still the same point as 2. You get more out if it by knowing the previous games but you don't have to play them to get a full and great experience.
@@SuperSavajin well yeah that's what I think and what most of the video represented. My reasoning for the comment in the first place was that a first time player wouldn't enjoy it more because of the fact they were a first time player. Which was a small point of the video I don't agree with.
My only experience with XB2 base game was watching a younger cousin play it on Christmas in their living room and getting second hand embarrassment from family's reactions to the opening 2 hours I could see my cousins soul leave his body when Pura told rex to touch her chest
I played 2 first, loved it and dumped 500 hours into it, excitedly bought the XB1 port, and burned out at like half way through, just didn't grab me the same way, it was still pretty good, but not the same as 2, I eventually forced my way through the rest of the game and DLC, but other than a couple brief glimpses of future improvements to come in the sequels, just didn't feel the same. Luckily XB3 grabbed me the same way as 2, I didn't dump nearly as many hours at the end, but also 3's postgame isn't as exciting as 2's was.
You can absolutely start with any of the games, (EXCEPT Future Redeemed, lmao) but i would highly dissaprove of starting with the main story of XC3, and i would still also slightly dissaprove of playing XC2 first before XC1 and then XC3, even though i started with XC2, then played XC3's main story, then XC1, then Future Redeemed when it came out. In my case, this weird order didn't end up mattering TOO much, (even though XC1: DE was out already by the time i decided to get into the series with XC2) since i became such a MASSIVE fan of the series, and ended up replaying every Xenoblade game a countless amount of times, and watching countless reactions of other people to the games on YT, too. About Gears & Saga, you should definitely at least play them before Future Redeemed, either just before them, or before the Xenoblade series.
Why would I play Xenoblade when I can just play the trails series. I am going through the series and it looks much more interesting than Xenoblades open worlds.
for anyone wanting to try xenoblade, 1 and x are the best starting options and then give 3 a chance afterwards, though starting with 3 is also fine, no objectively correct order here, just makes sense for 3 last order because it comes later timeline-wise. There is also 2 if you are a degenerate, sure there might be a decent story and gameplay but with all the female characters halfnaked all the time it completely ruins any immersion. You could be experiencing be a very emotional scene and then the game shows a close up on pyra's chest for no reason.
ALWAYS PLAY IN ORDER! 1, 2 & 3. From that order. It is the optimal path and always will be and that's coming from me who started with XC2. Things in the story plays out in a way that connects all three games. Without having played from 1 to 2 to 3, you will be confused and go "Who?? What??" at certain parts if you don't play in the correct order. The entire premise and world building starts with XC1 and while XC2's world is very different from XC1, you will understand why if you've played the first game. The ENTIRETY of XC3 is XC1 and XC2 from the get go and you will only understand by having played both prior games.
This answer is super simple. Play Chronicles(the first one). Then play X. Then ignore everything else if you don't want to be disgusted and disappointed. Or if you have no intellectual capacity or class or charm or any desire for even borderline decent story construction/telling then I guess you might enjoy it. No one who has those things could possibly. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was a the greatest tragedy to writing since ink first touched paper. To call it juvenile would be far far too high of praise. I never bothered playing 3 because inspite of trying to play through 2 about a dozen times I've never been able to finish it because I was simply unable to overcome the cringe and boredom and bloat.
Nah 3's main story can stand on it's own, even the annihilation effect can be understood as a normal physic (it's basically anti matter collision). The world of xc1 & 2 are reversed in polarity. If they want to merge then Origin is needed to reboot the world from scratch. It's not like 3 requires anything to explain from 1 & 2.
Hard disagree. XC3 is easy a stand alone title. It has two cameos from prior games and their role in 3s story is explained in 3s narrative. You may miss some cute eater eggs, but 3 is a bonefied stand alone title.
My order was 1 (2013) 2 (2017) 3 (2022) FC (Not played) Torna (Not played) FR (Not played) X (Unfinished X) I might have some Main Storyline Purist syndrome LoL
@@faidhonnur3092 i have enteres to The series with 2, so i continued with torna, after that, i liked the series so i wanted to play 1, after 1 i wanted something a bit different so i went with 3, for the same reason as after 1 , i went to connected for finally play redeemed.
My journey though the games was: 1 ---> Torna ---> 2 ---> FC ---> DE ---> FR ---> 3 Yeah, I did not play X despite having a WiiU. That is because I was dumb and was still in "If it's not a sequel to Xenoblade 1, I don't care"-mode when X came out and when I finally got back to considering starting it, the eshop was already gone alongside the datapacks for physical, with online about to shut down.(I am currently waiting for Pretendo to include X). Before that, I also originally stopped playing Xenoblade 2 when I first got to the "we need to build a ship, gather materials"-part shortly before Uraya. Didn't play for literal years until I randomly decided that I gotta give it another shot and then I played through the entire game, starting my hyperfixation on the Xeno series to the point of me wasting my time trying to 100% all the games...and also having started to prepare a german wiki on my PC. Also, my Joy cons are drifting and it drives me nuts in 3 and FR sometimes because characters won't autoattack if you aren't completely still, but I am still making progress, so whatever. Infact, I already 100%ed FR like that xD
Wow you did play torna and fr before the main games. It's the part that I didn't agree with the most in the video so I wonder how you feel about it. Was it confusing and did it take away some of the surprises?
@@SuperSavajin I think I only really played the Torna and 2-combo reasonably blind and the only bits that confused me were things that can be considered objective headscratchers that are still a thing after learning the full narrative, like stuff that was very weirdly retconned in Torna and never updated in 2(which they totally could have done for consistency) or how Mythra never connects the dots on Mikhail despite learning everything she needs to do so by the end of the game.
I played them in release order, with the caveat that I was always a game behind because I'm slow to play things. So I played 1 (wii) after X released, X after the switch and 2 were out, etc. And you know what, the game you should play first is X BABY! Who needs fantasy and titans and orchestral scores when you can have rap and guns! Woo Woo New LA Is a true American libertarian dystopia, and you can help the last remnants of human civilization burn to the ground in capitalist self-interest! (Story presentation is a real mixed bag though. 9/10 concepts and sci-fi ideas, 4/10 actual implementation of those ideas)
I also started with 2, such an amazing experience. Now 2 and 3 are my favorite games of all time. This is an amazing trilogy that I recommend to everyone.
1 is better than 2 and 3 combined
Sorry didnt mean that to sound as snarky as it did. 2 and 3 are phenomenal games too. Just my opinion. sorry again
@@AKABoondock19 i didn't like 1 as much as 2 or 3 due to combat system didn't like to scrolling across to hit move way combat was in 2 and 3 was better hope if they bring out X they change controls to like 2 and 3 and not bar across bottom of screen like 1
@@AKABoondock19preach
there is a reason why you should play xenoblade in order
playing 1 in to 2 is like fully blown "resonant pulse"
playing 2 in to 1 however, kinda tricky, in my oppinion it's a dissonance
3 doesn't matter you can play 3 whenever, you can start with 3 no problem...
Said it on Twitter but I'll say it again here but I agree the order doesn't matter too much. I was one of the people saying you needed to play 1 and 2 before 3, but after finishing 3 I changed my mind. Future Redeemed definitely requires the others though.
there is a reason why you should play xenoblade in order
playing 1 in to 2 is like fully blown "resonant pulse"
playing 2 in to 1 however, kinda tricky, in my oppinion it's a dissonance
3 doesn't matter you can play 3 whenever, you can start with 3 no problem...
@@faidhonnur3092 Agreed. Playing in order 1, 2 & 3 is the best and that's coming from me who started with 2 and then played 1. Now, I never owned a Wii U so XC2 was the only game I had access to when it launched. But I remember reaching the ending of XC2 and there is a part playing that confused me greatly since I hadn't played the first game. So that part did nothing for me until I played the first game.
I cannot think of one reason to play 3 before the others. You get less out of the game not knowing the backstory and then also spoil the other games. People only start with 3 because they want to play xenoblade and it was popular to jump on the bandwagon of 3 because it was so well reviewed and got more mainstream spotlight at the game awards and stuff like that.
To an extent you can play the games in any order. The only one's you can't play in any order is 3 and 3FR. 3 and FR spoil too much of 1 and 2 and imo the reveal that the first and second games are connected is an important reveal. Before Xenoblade 2 we assumed all Xeno games were disconnected like Final fantasy, so the reveal that they are all connected was amazing.
If I'm being honest. I've started with 1 way back on the Wi, and my recommendation for the order(s) you should play is:
STORY ORDER:
Play 1 or 2 first, whichever one tickles your fancy more and play it's respective post game DLC afterwards.
Play the game you didn't choose to play first from above.
Finish with Xenoblade 3 and it's DLC after finishing the main game.
As much as these games have enough standalone content to realistically start in any order. I firmly believe 3 MUST be the last game you play. There is way too much in 3 that is rewarded for having the other two games on your belt.
GAME MECHANICS ORDER:
Play 1 -> Play 2 -> Play 3.
If game mechanics matter more to you, play in numerical order. Until X comes out in March, 1 is the black sheep in terms of how combat works. But when you get to 2 and 3, while there's a lot that differentiates the two, the UI for your main way of attacking remains relatively the same between the two which makes for a much smoother transition between games.
As a response to your somewhat controversial recommendation of playing 3 first. I can understand where you're coming from, however even with that benefit you're using as the crux of boosting your recommendation, I truly do believe that 3 as the closing game of the trilogy closes out the Saga the three games are involved with is too important to even take the chance of spoiling by playing first. Additionally, as much as it does make it harder for newbies to the games, I personally believe playing games with worse QOL before the games with better QOL will improve the gaming experience as it doesn't set up a situation where the player becomes mad that a feature they enjoyed from a previous game isn't present in the one they're currently playing.
Overall, it truly is a preference and depends on your style of play and what you value most in games in order to find the best order for you. I do agree that this series is just that good that even if you play in a different order, you're bound to find some unique perspective on why the order you ended up with was good.
I played 3ds xenoblade first. The 3d effect makes a big difference compared to 2d stills on how it looks and feels. I credit that game for teaching me that games were still good and that I enjoyed them, the west had just been making shitty games
@@deitylink1 bruh, I legit thought xc1 was European games due to how strong the British accent was 😄 🤣
Agreed.. I played it on the 3ds and had an amazing experience..
From my experience I played 2, Torna, 1, FC, 3, and FR. I will say that before Xenoblade I've never played these types of real time action games as I've more or less played turned based RPG's. Also even before that I watched chuggaconroy's let's play of the first game and knew about all the combat mechanics and story from his videos which was the reason that I wanted to play 2 when it first came out. So imagine my surprise when I started playing 2 and found myself picking up on the combat way faster than I expected and never found the game to be confusing or frustrating. I enjoyed the story and the characters from the beginning to the end and became my favorite game off all time to the point I've replayed it the most out of the 3 games. It even beats The Legend of Zelda series for me which I was a massive fan for years. So trust me when I say that it doesn't matter which order you play the 3 mainline games as playing just one of them will draw you in on this massive world of the Xenoblade series. Even if the first one you play might not be your favorite you should try each of them to see each of the games lore and stories that are interwoven together if you are looking for it. Give the series a chance and never to judge a game by only its looks.
I can feel your passion for the series. Good video!
I played the trilogy in release order. I feel this is the best one
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Well, maybe XC1 or XC2 could be the start since they tie really well. If you play 1, you'll freak out when Malos pull out a Monado, Chapter 10 start or the "today we use our power to fell a god" line.
If you play 2, you'll pick up on Ontos' core when Alvis appears, the similarities between the Monado / Aegis swords and Zanza / Klaus.
So XC1 and XC2 can be interchanged. But if you'll really want to enjoy XC3 to the fullest, you'll need to play the previous ones. XC3 has lots of references and the world is just a big call back to Alrest and Bionis / Mechonis.
Hearing the returning soundtracks in Swordmarch and Elaice highway was beautiful
That's it, I'm playing 3 first., And no one is going to stop me.
@@ShinetoZeroX enjoy peak
@@SuperSavajin No thank you, for giving me the reason to play it early
there is a reason why you should play xenoblade in order
playing 1 in to 2 is like fully blown "resonant pulse"
playing 2 in to 1 however, kinda tricky, in my oppinion it's a dissonance
3 doesn't matter you can play 3 whenever, you can start with 3 no problem...
@@faidhonnur3092 Well, there, you have it, I guess I'll play 3 and then I'll play one and then whenever I find a copy of two, I'll play two.
@@ShinetoZeroX sure, but when you finish 3, you will realize that you don't want to touch the epilogue DLC (Future Redeemed) before completing the first 2 games. XD
I started with 2 too. Thanks Chugga
I am started with 2 too. I never even felt I missing something at all. The game is solid and great and when I revert to 1 and then 3 it actually make me love 1 and 3 more too. But honestly the very first Xenoblade I played was X not 2.
It's not about you, it's about the person who will be playing xenoblade not in order
You might have no choice because xc1 was previously not available on the switch
after XCDE released, there is 0 reason to not play the game in order
Played XC3 first. I loved that game and I also fully understood it without the context of the other ones. Because I loved XC3 so much, I decided to play the others as well. But I did not play XC1. I played XC2. Then I played XC2 DLC. Then XC1 and ended with XC3 DLC. I do not know if there is a DLC for XC1 too, I did not get that one. But maan, what a series/ XC is also my favorite series of games of all time, like is the case for many other players.
Now that you’ve played all of them. Which is your favorite now?
@@ludicrousswirl4364 Considering only the base games: in terms of story 1 then 2 then 3; in terms of combat: 3 then 2 then 1. Considering the DLC: in terms of story 3 and 2 then 1; in terms of combat 3 then 2 then 1. Both Torna and Future Redeemed are amazing. As good, in my opinion. Overall, considering everything, XC3 is still my favorite, then 2 then 1.
@@gemodemplay415 thanks I’m thinking of buying my friend 3
@@ludicrousswirl4364 No matter which one you will get, it is a win for sure. Nothing to lose.
Future redeemed dlc in 3 definitely requires to have played 1 and 2. So while I agree that you can play 1 and 2 in any order. I’d say it’d be better to play those before 3. Since in the main game of 3 there are still a lot of references and a couple of characters from the previous games. The very last scene in 3 also won’t hit the same since it makes a huge reference to 2 that got a lot of people. lol
The first Xenoblade game people should start with is Namco X Capcom.
Jokes aside, as a Fate fan, I agree that people can just play something in whatever order they want to. It feels like some people get too caught on "optimal orders". They end up being misguided in helping newcomers but ends up alienates them.
Honestly I'm glad the Xenoblade Chronicles X is coming to Switch because that was my first xenoblade game
I slightly understand both sides, but say it with me...
🗣️RELEASE ORDER
Compare Noah's voice actor (XC3) reaction in Future Redeemed Chapter 5 to Etika's (Etika World Network, RoseKami's archive of his XC2 streams) reaction to Chapter 10 opening cutscene.
I don't think thats a fair comparison tho. I would like to compare reactions to the same scene from different perspectives
@@SuperSavajinIt’s still a good analogy. I love Xenoblade 2 and played it first, but I wish I played 1 first to really understand the hype behind chapter 10’s opening my first time thru.
I do get your point of comparing the same thing. I particularly brought up Etika because he loved Xeno (since he knew of/might've played Xenosaga.
If anything, I do think comparing someone who knows Xeno lore seeing the XC2 Chapter 10 opening cutscene to someone who started with XC2 with no prior knowledge of the series shows a really good case why release order matters, if not at least holding a priority over any other order.
Lastly this is coming from somebody who's order is:
Chuggaa's XC1 playthrough -> XCX (my beloved) -> XC2 -> Torna the Golden Country -> XC:DE -> Future Connected -> BlunZ's Xenogears & Xenosaga streams -> XC3 -> Future Redeemed
Yeah if you played 2 after finishing 1, the brain melts
RIP etika
Glad someone finally spoke in earnest of the issue. I think the Trilogy is "best" enjoyed if you go with either 1 or 2 both first, then the third game.
Nonetheless, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 main story is something that can be understood by a newcommer easily since it doesn't reference directly whatever happens in the first two games. 3 is it own self contained stories. It makes many smart winks at old players, but it truly was not the crux of my enjoyment.
The DLC though have caviats. Torna is to be reserved after 2 Main story while Future Redeemed is something you'll get the most of if you played the whole trilogy
I played 2 first, and I have one good thing to say about that that I havent seen anyone else cover. In Xenoblade 1 you have the Mechonis, and in Xenoblade 2 you have the World Tree. Its probably not too much of a spoiler to say that in each game, you eventually travel to those prominent world features - However the way the theming and world-building pivot away from typical fantasy and towards the stuff that makes Xenoblade special when you get to that part of each game is felt much more sharply in Xenoblade 2. The pivot is faster, and the change in theming and worldbuilding is larger and more impactful. And yet I feel like that pivot wouldnt have the same impact on someone who's played 1 first, who is familiar with the pivot in that game. For me, that pivot in 2 was a key part of what took the game "oh, this is neat" to "my mind is blown, and I am obsessed", so for that reason I hesitate to recommend playing 1 first.
On an unrelated note, Im super excited for Xenoblade X to come to Switch next year!
story comprehension, always release order.
fun game to have? get one that interests you the most
how to decide on wich game to start
look at the cover and box art and decide on what you think looks sounds the most intresting, honestly.
That wouldn't help with Xenoblade ;P
I started with 2 then played 3 , I just got my hands on Definitive edition starting it this week.
edit: just play in order please, for the best experience.. 1 > 2 > 3 > X (....yeah X is number 10 so... last)
There is like 0 reason to not play this game in Order
I would recommend starting with 1
The experience of playing this game in order is a Resonant pulse
But yeah you can do anything you like, lots of people don't like being told anything
If i can forget all of my xenoblade playthrough i would still played them in Order
It's wonderful.
I start with 3 and it's DLC and fell in love with the serious. So I want to know more about Rex and Shulk. So I played all Xenoblade Games on the Switch. Now I wait for Xenoblade X.
Just started 2 as my first in the series and ngl Nia is the main reason why i FINALLY jumped in. Saw her online for years and always wo dered wtf she was from😂😅
Edit:
Theres already been moments in the game that have completely hooked me. I havent felt this excited to dive deep into a game sinve the witcher 3
The order I'd definitely recommend the most for everything related to the Xeno series is XC1, XCX, FF6, FF7 (The original, not the remake), Xenogears, Perfect Works, XC2 (to Ch9), Torna, the remainder of XC2, Chrono Trigger, Saga 1-3, Future Connected, XC3, Future Redeemed, Baten Kaitos, XC4 onwards. I placed heavy importance in my play order in understanding the struggle to finalize Perfect Works that Monolithsoft strived towards, and the order of certain entries is done for pacing as going back to back is incredibly jarring and needs more lighthearted intermissions between (Future Connected, Chrono Trigger, the start of XC2, Baten Kaitos - We havent seen anything of XC4 but after what happened in Future Redeemed an intermission is absolutely necessary). XCX also occurs incredibly early on because it uses XC1's gameplay and also seemingly has its own continuity with XC1 separate from the main Klaus Saga because its implied to occur after XC1. Xenogears also being originally proposed as Final Fantasy 7 means that I consider FF6 and the original FF7 pre-requisite reading material before continuing with the remainder of the series, as it serves to inform some of the decisions made in Perfect Works.
I started with 2.
And it’s still my favorite Switch game. 🙌🏾
I went XC2, XC2 Torna, XCDE, XC FC, XC3, XC3 Future Redeemed
XCX was also my first Xenoblade, and XC2 was also my first in the original trilogy. Even though I don't regret playing XC2 before XC1, I feel that the impact of XC2's ending would have hit harder if I played XC1 first.
Harry Mcentire played Future Redeemed before he played the the first two games. And that was clearly the wrong move.
HUH?!?? Surely you meant Future Connected, right!?!?? (Even though that'd be horrible, too.)
@@lemmyxpro No. He regrettably did play FR before the first two games.
@@Sakisaka_Rei Oh, so he at least played XC3 before Future Redeemed... 😓😪
Thank god. Still REALLY REEEEEKS that he didn't play XC1 & XC2 before FR, though... 💀💀💀
Yea FR is the one people should be aware not to touch before having played the others
@@SuperSavajin Yeah... 😬
I started with Xenoblade 1 on 3DS, then Xenoblade X, 2, Xenoblade DE + Future Connected, 3, then Future Redeemed. Yes, they're all amazing games.
The order is simple. Just play it in release order. That is the intended order they had in mind while playing the game. You can make the case for 2 before 1 because it pretty much has the same end game twist but really its best to keep it simple and just play release order. Especially with xenoblade 3. I hate it when people start with xenoblade 3 I literally cannot think of a single reason to do that.
I also played X first, then 2, 1, and finally 3. Any order definitely works!
My experience with Xenoblade games is a bit weird because i didn't played in the orders and also played several games at the same time. Here is my timeline:
December 2011: Starting Xenoblade 1 on Wii
November 2022: Starting Xenoblade 3
April 2023: finishing Xenoblade 1 on Wii April 2023: Starting Xenoblade 2
June 2023: finishing Xenoblade 2 chapter 7 and Starting Torna DLC
June 2023: finishing Torna DLC
July 2023: finishing Xenoblade 2
Augustus 2023: finidhing Xenoblade 3(breaking my heart😭) , starting Future Redeemed DLC and finishing it
So yeah to me until 2023, Xenoblade was just one game and not a franchise, when the xc2 i didn't have a switch and didn't like the art direction it had, everything seemed so different than the first one that i didn't care about it. This was also a moment where I stopped playing video games. That's why I didn't finish xc1wii at the time. Even if I knew I wanted to finish it one day. And suddenly, in summer 2022 my sister got a switch for her birthday, this is the moment that put me back in the videos games. Also, i just saw a short trailer of xc3 and it seemed more serious than xc2 so it convinced me to finally give it a new chance to Xenoblade, I absolutely didn't know that the 3 games were connected, I just saw that you could play the game in any orders. It's only with the first battle against Queen Keves that I realised I was fighting against Melia from Xenoblade 1😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 and it made me appreciate the game a lot more!
While you can play the games in any order, I’d definitely recommend playing Xenoblade 1 and 2 before 3 because of all of the refrences that you wouldn’t get if 3 is your first game
I actually started playing Xenoblade 1 on Wii and played Xenoblade Chronicles X on Wii U at once, then when Xenoblade 1 released on the 3DS i restarted it on 3DS and finished it there while finishing Xenoblade Chronicles X on Wii U.
The 3DS version have one thing going for it and that is the 3D effect. So if that is your thing it could be an option but the quest tracking on Switch is pretty nice but it shows it's age a bit at times but can be mitigated with the right gear equiped.
obviously you should play in chronological order of Xenoblade 2: Torna, Xenoblade 1, Xenoblade 2, Future Connected, Future Redeemed, Xenoblade 3.
Nobody is going to do that
I love how Xenoblade is like the crossroads between Final Fantasy and Trails in terms of recommended play order.
Final Fantasy: All of the numbered mainline games are completely standalone. All of the direct sequels will have the number of which game it's a sequel/prequel towards IE: X-2, XIII: Lightning Returns, VII: Crisis Core.
Xenoblade: You can start with whichever one peaks your interest the most but playing in numerical order is most recommended
Trails: Playing in chronological order is non-negotiable
This is a weirdly tricky topic, because logically, you should just play the games in order. They were releases in order, and you get the maximum effect of the narrative that way. But I've always sort of felt like playing Xc1 first kinda sets a bad president in terms of what one can expect from the series. Xc1 has all this hype and reputation behind it, and I feel that hype and reputation has had a negative effect on both Xc1 itself and on the series as a whole. For one, a lot of people take Xc1's reputation at face value and feel pressured to ignore its shortcomings, and other people find themselves frustrated if the game doesn't live up to the hype. Not to mention Xc1 is rather different than the other two, in terms of writing, structure, and gameplay. Xc1 wasn't made the same way 2 and 3 were, and I feel it kinds works better as a middle game, rather than a first game.
And just in general, I think Xc2 is an easier game to figure out. Like yeah, "tutorials bad" blah, blah, blah, but in terms of the way game mechanics are paced out and introduced Xc2 is much better at slowly introducing its mechanics and building up the core Xenoblade series gameplay loop over time, than Xc1 is. Xc1 throws a lot at you right at the start, and in my experience watching dozens of people play the series online, Xc1's mechanics tend not to set in as naturally as Xc2's. Xc1 has much simpler total gameplay, but its quite a bit denser. getting an optimal build in Xc1 requires a lot more work than in Xc2. you spend way more time in xc1 menus in terms of moment to moment gameplay than in Xc2, and Xc1's system of no damage to enemies five levels higher makes leveling up much more time consuming. I've found watching people play the series over the years, people end Xc2 with much better understandings of that game's combat than Xc1.
I started with 1 (wii) and I honestly think I would have given up if I started with 2. It has a lot of flaws that hold it back imo, some of which are probably a consequence of monolithsoft's involvement in other nintendo projects at the time it was developed. I say this cause it givrs the idea the game was kinda rushed.
Scenes that feel super empty with no sfx, scenes that have wayy to many sfx in contrast because haha wacky anime moment, the sloppy tutorials sprinkled through the whole game, the confusing maps that you get lost in and go in circles just to find a quest destination, all sorts of tired anime tropes that would constantly make me roll my eyes, the voice acting in the dub (i know, its not the VA's faults). I do enjoy the combat, but I still think the battles go on for way too long. The gacha mechanics are a headache. The field skills mechanics are a huge headache, especially since it forces you to skim through all your blades just to equip them for 2 seconds to open a path or a chest. Unfortunately these actually prevented me from enjoying the game the first time.
I would love to replay this game if one day they make some sort of definitive edition of it that fixes a bunch of these flaws, if not all. I had to play the game a second time years later to try to give it another shot and then I actually understood the story better and appreciated it more. I did play it subbed, that probably helped. My favorite story is still XC1 and my favorite gameplay is XC3
We need to get that XB2 Definitive Edition
My personal recommended order is 1, 2, Torna, Future Connected, 3, Future Redeemed
Not going to lie, you really did change my mind about starting with the main story of XC3, but i still wouldn't recommend it, because if you played XC3, you'd want to play Future Redeemed after, but you basically NEED to play XC1 & XC2 before, so you'd go to play XC1 & XC2, but then, by the time you're done with them, you might forget some things about XC3 that would be vital for your Future Redeemed playthrough.
Thus, i'd still recommend playing XC1, then FC, then XC2, then Torna, then XC3, then Future Redeemed.
@@lemmyxpro the real recommended order will always be the release order but I think it's important to say that if you really want to start with either game you can. Except FR
@@SuperSavajin Yeah! I can get behind that...
In my mind, I'm glad I played them all in order. However, if playing them out of order gets someone into the series, that's only a good thing! So I suppose it really doesn't matter.
The only game that really matters for playing in the right order is 3 really but even then it’s not entirely necessary
I played 2, 1, then 3. My favorite is 1 but I wanna replay all of them
I started with Xenogears and played every game in order as they came out hahaha!
I recommend the series with Goddess Elma. 😊💕
I played 2 first because i liked nia, and pyra’s design. Then i played 3 then dev
me watching this like i didnt play all 3 plus x already
My favorite viewers
Yeah, ladies, gentlemen, and everything in between, this is it, this is the definitive Xenoblade playing order video. As a diehard fan who played and loved all of them, I literally agree on everything
@@timb.3171 I'm glad that people agree 🙏
Thanks for your kind words
Play all of them starting with the originalg. Don't overthink it; each part has something valuable to offer.
I can get past all the complicated stuff of XC2 but the fact I can only have one save and need to override my beaten save to play NG+ shouldn't have been allowed in 2017
You CANT in good conscience talk about Xenoblade Chronicles X quality of life without talking about the awful awful menus come on now 😭
i was just gonna make a joke saying "start with xenosaga pied piper" but i will not stand for FC slander
the order i played the games in left an impact on me that i dont even think can be recreated with new players i started with XC1 on wii then was there for the whole hype cycle leading up to X and 2 and after finishing 2 it inspired me to go back and play gears and saga which was the perfect setup for XC3 to break me emotionally
In hindsight FC sounded harsher than I wanted it to be lmao
I like FC for bringing back the shoulder alone but story wise it's really not that important.
Started on 1 (back on the Wii) but i dont understand why playing Torna is a Problem before playing 2 - yes maybe Minos or the Appearance od Mythra will not surprise you as much but for me i had a hard Time getting through Torna because i already knew what was going to happen from the Base Game (of courese not in all details) - i had no real Reason to play it anymore and because of that i couldnt enjoy Torna (its my least favorite in the Series). I am doing a 100 % Playthrough to every Xenoblade Game right now (not my first time doingt that except for 2) and i want to play Torna first to see if it really changes anything big.
Also technically Future Connected should be played after 2 as it is being after 1 and 2 and the Fog Beasts are Signs of teh 2 Worlds combining (but i understand that this is not much relevant in FC and its more about Melia)
Torna spoils major revelations for Malos and Jin for example that only get revealed way later in the base game.
My first xenoblade experience is torna then X.C 2 ,then X.C 1 then X.C 3 But Still i dont finished first those game. Im currently Playing X.C 1 . I love this X.C franchise waiting for X.C .X on switch
Nice! Have fun
I started with 3ds version of xc1 than x and xc2 and xc3 and now Xenogears and xenoblade 2 and xenoblade 3 are my fav games of this amazing trilogy and yes nia is peak same with her amazing daughter mio
My Xenoblade order was 2, 1, 3
I played 2, then played like the first sixt of 1, then played a third of 3, then my switch malfunctioned so I waited to play the rest, played until the fight with D and J, played definitive edition and then finished X3. I am currently playing FR and maybe I will play torna in the future but I sold my copy of 2 trying to buy a bargain on X2 especial edition but once I returned it was alredy sold.
If you don't play Xenoblade, did you really live?
Never got to play the Xenosaga trilogy - never got released over here...
Yes there's not a definitive order to play them... But I would leave XC3 last
Have to strongly disagree with this take. At the very least nobody should start with Xenoblade 3 as it is THE culmination of the Xenoblade-story that brings together all the prior games and while you surely can enjoy parts of the game on the surface, you will lose out on SO much. Xenoblade 1 and Xenoblade 2 can be played in either order since the only reason to play XB1 first used to be the big twist at the end of XB2 which is THAT it's connected to XB1, but nowadays everyone knows that already. The other important placement is to NOT play Torna before XB2 maingame, as Torna spoils a lot of important late game-plot points of the maingame.
When people are unsure about playing order, I always ask them: Why do you want to play Xenoblade123? Okay, then why not start at the beginning, when ALL Xenoblade-games are SO good. It's like starting with Harry Potter part 4, saying "I love Harry Potter"; why not read the first 3 books first? :D
I know a lot of people feel the same way as you but I truly think you can't compare Xenoblade to Harry potter that has a continuous storyline. The connections are a great part of the overall world building but Xenoblade 3's main story and characters don't need knowledge of 1 and 2 to work.
@@SuperSavajin Really have to disagree re:XB3, if only because I made a video about that myself where I talk about that you shouldn't play it first. But it's okay to disagree, isn't it.
@@monolithsoft_guy definitely. I can see both sides. As long as people play Xenoblade everything is good
@@SuperSavajin Agreed. The worst situation is when people start shitting on other Xenoblade-games to praise the one they like best - ALL Xenoblade-games are great
@@SuperSavajinthe characters, especially Nia and Melia, as well as the FR cast DEFINITELY needs context prior to previous games otherwise you lose out on so much of the experience. On a surface level, it's fine but it's really not where someone should start if they wanted the full Xenoblade trilogy experience
I enjoyed the first xenoblade chronicles but never got around to playing the rest..... well unless you count X 😅
Can only recommend. Now is the best time
Start the franchise with the best game ever Xenoblade 1 duh . Xenoblade 2 just like Xenoblade x can start slow and way too many battle systems at once can be a turn off to new player's. Specially that super happy song in first town of 2 might think its a kids game. Xenoblade 3 is however really polished almost perfect.
I think people should either play 3 first or play it after 1 and 2. No point in getting only half of the references.
I wonder how confused people would be if they only played 1 and 3 without the connecting bridge that 2 explained lol
i currently playing xenoblade 3 i really like the combat
xenoblade x has good quality of life that aged well? in what universe 💀
your experience with 3 is... interesting to say the least... maybe a little sad.
I've also known people who couldn't get into the game who started with it. Even though I'd say it's amazing either way. And usually will be better played after the other games. (if youre not in the 0.1% ultra lore-obsessed theory group i guess baha) ((really, tho? every character needed an explanation? crazy... 😭))
and i really feel like people who had the same experience as you honestly exaggerate these points affecting the game. like half of the discussion on 3 worthy? maybe a sentence in passing surely.
this experience at its most severe i dont think is any extra reason to start with 3 first to 'avoid' this potential dichotomy.
you were either gonna enjoy a more ambiguous, up for interpretation, symbolism filled and philosophical based story, or you werent.
even first time players who are into more lore type discussions on media than abstract analytical ones would feel the same way about it, regardless of their first time status.
youre right you can start with pretty much any numbered game though. I started with 2 :) and really loved it. But I felt the final chapter was kinda underwhelming back then honestly, now i like it though.
the numbered games are all masterpieces regardless of what you 'miss' or 'know'. but I'd say 2 is the most reliant on other knowledge for the numbered games, but its not that big of a deal.
I dont think someone should start with X because im off the opinion and the common opinion is its the worst in the series.
making them start with the relatively weaker entry is just setting them up to reject the series in a way (since theres tons of people who only 'like' the numbered games and dont consider them best of all time material. so if these people played x they would consider it perhaps an average games. and looking at review scores for all these games this seems to be backed by evidence)
I know many numbered trilogy fans who dont consider X nearly as good as the others as well. gameplay and story-content wise.
And i feel the expectations angle doesnt work there, as the story issues are not just expectations based. It's not just the focus on gameplay or amount of story that makes it lacking.
the actual content that is there is substantially less in-depth and refined as the other entries. so when someone is watching a cutscene, theyre less likely to enjoy what IS there. and that can make them not enjoy the game and in turn the series from their perspective.
Many who play a entry in a series and only find it adequate wont continue to play the other games. unlike the example you support in this video that an X player will continue to the next games, and so its better since its unrelated. I see the potential player who plays X first, doesn't like the avatar, lack of linear structure, rushed elements, all the grinding, repetition and filler. From that experience they might not even play the other games.
If its true like you said liking it isnt good to know if you'll like the others, then the same is also true for not liking it. And so to that end, its a poor representation and shouldnt be a starting game.
X is great idc
@@SuperSavajin I agree, since I still love xenoblade way too much.I'm just basing this off the of most common public opinion for the highest likelihood for creating a series fan. considering the fact under large groups the consensus averages out to the average experience.
I know it's your recommendations at the end of the day.
But I feel the average opinion still has value when making recommendations to average people. Atleast worthy enough of a mention.
And that many first game players won't continue if they didn't enjoy what they played.
Also do you have anything to say on the Xenoblade 3 point? I saw someone on twitter say even a first time player found unexplained story elements underwhelming so there's some more anecdotal evidence that being or not being a first time player likely wouldn't change someone's opinion on this.
@@JEANS__ I've seen some more people who have played 3 first saying they loved the game. I really think it's still the same point as 2. You get more out if it by knowing the previous games but you don't have to play them to get a full and great experience.
@@SuperSavajin well yeah that's what I think and what most of the video represented.
My reasoning for the comment in the first place was that a first time player wouldn't enjoy it more because of the fact they were a first time player. Which was a small point of the video I don't agree with.
A huge impact means you haven’t played 30 years of j rpgs at this point the stories are lacking substance. And are redundant at this point.
agreed, start with saga
My only experience with XB2 base game was watching a younger cousin play it on Christmas in their living room and getting second hand embarrassment from family's reactions to the opening 2 hours
I could see my cousins soul leave his body when Pura told rex to touch her chest
Wait xenogear and xenosaga are linked to xenoblade lore? @_@
Is the outro song from 3?
@@lovesoderpalm1555 Xenoblade X Oblivia Night 😉
I played 2 first, loved it and dumped 500 hours into it, excitedly bought the XB1 port, and burned out at like half way through, just didn't grab me the same way, it was still pretty good, but not the same as 2, I eventually forced my way through the rest of the game and DLC, but other than a couple brief glimpses of future improvements to come in the sequels, just didn't feel the same. Luckily XB3 grabbed me the same way as 2, I didn't dump nearly as many hours at the end, but also 3's postgame isn't as exciting as 2's was.
The order I'm playing them in:
I got through a few hours of 1, decided I liked it and now my order is:
3, FR, 2, Torna
I haven't beat 1, FC or X yet.
You can absolutely start with any of the games, (EXCEPT Future Redeemed, lmao) but i would highly dissaprove of starting with the main story of XC3, and i would still also slightly dissaprove of playing XC2 first before XC1 and then XC3, even though i started with XC2, then played XC3's main story, then XC1, then Future Redeemed when it came out. In my case, this weird order didn't end up mattering TOO much, (even though XC1: DE was out already by the time i decided to get into the series with XC2) since i became such a MASSIVE fan of the series, and ended up replaying every Xenoblade game a countless amount of times, and watching countless reactions of other people to the games on YT, too.
About Gears & Saga, you should definitely at least play them before Future Redeemed, either just before them, or before the Xenoblade series.
Why would I play Xenoblade when I can just play the trails series. I am going through the series and it looks much more interesting than Xenoblades open worlds.
@@RoanoraZoro123 because both can be great 👍
for anyone wanting to try xenoblade, 1 and x are the best starting options and then give 3 a chance afterwards, though starting with 3 is also fine, no objectively correct order here, just makes sense for 3 last order because it comes later timeline-wise. There is also 2 if you are a degenerate, sure there might be a decent story and gameplay but with all the female characters halfnaked all the time it completely ruins any immersion. You could be experiencing be a very emotional scene and then the game shows a close up on pyra's chest for no reason.
@@first_8_digits_of_Pi me when I don't know what I'm talking about
@@SuperSavajin nah bruh, this comment is straight facts. XC2 is a trashy weebo waifu quest game.
ALWAYS PLAY IN ORDER! 1, 2 & 3. From that order. It is the optimal path and always will be and that's coming from me who started with XC2. Things in the story plays out in a way that connects all three games. Without having played from 1 to 2 to 3, you will be confused and go "Who?? What??" at certain parts if you don't play in the correct order. The entire premise and world building starts with XC1 and while XC2's world is very different from XC1, you will understand why if you've played the first game.
The ENTIRETY of XC3 is XC1 and XC2 from the get go and you will only understand by having played both prior games.
started with 2. waites for XCDE, then played 3, and still havenplayed X but that will happen eventually. and yes, XC2 is my favorite game of all time
This answer is super simple. Play Chronicles(the first one). Then play X. Then ignore everything else if you don't want to be disgusted and disappointed. Or if you have no intellectual capacity or class or charm or any desire for even borderline decent story construction/telling then I guess you might enjoy it. No one who has those things could possibly. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was a the greatest tragedy to writing since ink first touched paper. To call it juvenile would be far far too high of praise. I never bothered playing 3 because inspite of trying to play through 2 about a dozen times I've never been able to finish it because I was simply unable to overcome the cringe and boredom and bloat.
Tell them bro. You are so right. Only intellectuals like you could be this based.
@@SuperSavajin You're welcome.
You can play 1 and 2 in either order, but 3 and FR need to be played last
Nah 3's main story can stand on it's own, even the annihilation effect can be understood as a normal physic (it's basically anti matter collision). The world of xc1 & 2 are reversed in polarity. If they want to merge then Origin is needed to reboot the world from scratch.
It's not like 3 requires anything to explain from 1 & 2.
Hard disagree. XC3 is easy a stand alone title. It has two cameos from prior games and their role in 3s story is explained in 3s narrative.
You may miss some cute eater eggs, but 3 is a bonefied stand alone title.
My order was:
-2
-torna
-1
-3
-f. Connected
-f. Redeemed
My order was
1 (2013)
2 (2017)
3 (2022)
FC (Not played)
Torna (Not played)
FR (Not played)
X (Unfinished X)
I might have some Main Storyline Purist syndrome LoL
@@faidhonnur3092 i have enteres to The series with 2, so i continued with torna, after that, i liked the series so i wanted to play 1, after 1 i wanted something a bit different so i went with 3, for the same reason as after 1 , i went to connected for finally play redeemed.
My journey though the games was:
1 ---> Torna ---> 2 ---> FC ---> DE ---> FR ---> 3
Yeah, I did not play X despite having a WiiU. That is because I was dumb and was still in "If it's not a sequel to Xenoblade 1, I don't care"-mode when X came out and when I finally got back to considering starting it, the eshop was already gone alongside the datapacks for physical, with online about to shut down.(I am currently waiting for Pretendo to include X). Before that, I also originally stopped playing Xenoblade 2 when I first got to the "we need to build a ship, gather materials"-part shortly before Uraya. Didn't play for literal years until I randomly decided that I gotta give it another shot and then I played through the entire game, starting my hyperfixation on the Xeno series to the point of me wasting my time trying to 100% all the games...and also having started to prepare a german wiki on my PC.
Also, my Joy cons are drifting and it drives me nuts in 3 and FR sometimes because characters won't autoattack if you aren't completely still, but I am still making progress, so whatever. Infact, I already 100%ed FR like that xD
Wow you did play torna and fr before the main games. It's the part that I didn't agree with the most in the video so I wonder how you feel about it. Was it confusing and did it take away some of the surprises?
@@SuperSavajin I think I only really played the Torna and 2-combo reasonably blind and the only bits that confused me were things that can be considered objective headscratchers that are still a thing after learning the full narrative, like stuff that was very weirdly retconned in Torna and never updated in 2(which they totally could have done for consistency) or how Mythra never connects the dots on Mikhail despite learning everything she needs to do so by the end of the game.
That's a really fucked up order to play the games and dlc especially
I played them in release order, with the caveat that I was always a game behind because I'm slow to play things. So I played 1 (wii) after X released, X after the switch and 2 were out, etc.
And you know what, the game you should play first is X BABY! Who needs fantasy and titans and orchestral scores when you can have rap and guns! Woo Woo New LA Is a true American libertarian dystopia, and you can help the last remnants of human civilization burn to the ground in capitalist self-interest!
(Story presentation is a real mixed bag though. 9/10 concepts and sci-fi ideas, 4/10 actual implementation of those ideas)
X is great
you should start with 2 and Torna cause its the best