Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Epic tale with mild combat promotes thinking for yourself.
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Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Parent and Kid Reviews
What’s It About?
XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3 is set in a world that seems to be perpetually at war. Two nations -- Keves and Agnus -- churn out a steady stream of genetically engineered soldiers purportedly designed to live just 10 years, during which they're trained in combat and then sent off to colonies to fight each other. Should they happen to survive to the end of their 10-year term, they are "sent off" (killed) in a ritualistic ceremony. The story focuses on a pair of trios, one from each nation, approaching the end of their allotted lives. But when they meet, it's in the company of an aging man who has lived long past his intended expiry. Through him, the protagonists begin to suspect that there's more to this world -- and themselves -- than they know. They reluctantly join forces and swear off killing any more people from either nation if at all possible as they pursue the truth. The sextet adventures across a vast open world, battling robots and monsters and making new allies as they go. Combat takes place in real time, with characters automatically attacking their enemies. The player's main job is to position the hero they're currently controlling in the right spot on the battlefield to perform special attacks -- which can only be used once their corresponding meters are charged -- at just the right angle, or cast buff and debuff spells in the vicinity of others. As the game progresses, more combat features become available, including powerful arts, fusion skills, chain attacks, and the ability to change roles and classes, many of which are unlocked by meeting new characters. Various side missions and crafting activities give players opportunity to explore the vast world to find necessary resources and gradually level up their heroes.
Is It Any Good?
There's not much need to have played previous Xenoblade games to grasp this game's story, though players who have played earlier entries may have a slightly easier time in combat. Xenoblade Chronicles 3's battle system is both its greatest asset and the biggest barrier to entry. It's extremely complicated, even by Japanese role-playing game standards, with new features and tutorials regularly introduced even a dozen hours after you began playing. The complexities will likely be quite satisfying for players who enjoy this sort of thing, eventually leading to some eye-poppingly powerful moves that see pairs of characters linking together into towering merged forms while others chain special attacks into minutes-long strings of damage. Thing is, it can also be pretty intimidating and overwhelming. Fortunately, there are multiple difficulty levels, the easiest of which is designed to let players enjoy the story first and foremost, as well as an auto-combat feature that sees the computer do all the fighting for you except in the most important of battles.
Assuming the sophisticated combat is your cup of tea (or at least doesn't turn you off too much), you'll be free to enjoy the narrative, which covers some very interesting territory. The idea of artificially limited lifespans -- which feels vaguely cribbed from the sci-fi film Logan's Run -- is fascinating, especially since the heroes know no other way to live. Once they begin to realize they've been kept from the truth and that there may be another path, one that doesn't involve constant war and early death, they become outcasts from their respective societies, and it's hard not to root for them. The two trios' conversations about what makes them the same and different are surprisingly insightful and nuanced, and the way they gradually win over allies on both sides with a mix of logical arguments and emotion -- everyone is tired of war -- is believable and resonates. There are prettier and more accessible role-playing games for Switch, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a fun fantasy romp that offers an epic story and imaginative battles.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about screen time. A massive game like Xenoblade Chronicles 3 can easily cut into real-world socializing and physical activity. What signs do your body and mind provide to let you know when it might be a good idea to take a break from playing a game?
Talk about focusing on commonalities rather than differences when meeting new people. What tends to happen when people only see contrasts in others rather than the things that make them the same?
Game Details
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
- Pricing structure: Paid ($59.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Nintendo of America
- Release date: July 29, 2022
- Genre: Role-Playing
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Friendship , Robots
- ESRB rating: T for Language, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
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