If you’re planning on spending over 100 hours on the next chapter of Monolith Soft’s epic JRPG, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, then you might understandably have your fingers crossed that the combat system sitting at the core of that adventure can go the distance. Having spent the past couple of weeks submerged in that incredibly complex battle system, I can confidently say that so far it has not disappointed. Reusing all the best parts of combat from previous games, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 adds layer upon layer of customizability, class options, and crazy transformation mechanics that turns two characters into a purple demon creature that rides a wicked surfboard. Although the stories, characters, and wonderfully bizarre worlds have always been the main attraction in Xenoblade, these awesome combat overhauls are a welcome change in a journey that demands so much time.
No Xenoblade game is complete without the tactical combat system that had me controlling a squad of characters swinging weapons bigger than their bodies. Like previous entries, I needed to master various combat Arts, perform deadly and satisfying Chain Attacks, and trigger super abilities that let me smack around bad guys with extreme prejudice. But while it retains most of the tried and true formula that defined it, it also adds a ton of new stuff to get excited about, especially a new system that allows characters to take on one another’s character classes and master their skill sets. Once mastered, I could choose to retain certain skills from that class while switching to another one, allowing me to take the best parts from each class and create a custom cocktail of my favorite abilities rolled up into one build. Plus, I could make them wear the clothes of any classes I’d mastered so far, which is a great touch.
There’s also a new feature called the Interlink System, which allows two characters to utilize their unique bond to enter their Ouroboros Form: a merging of the two characters into a giant purple creature for a short period of time that’s completely unstoppable. Learning the perfect time to trigger this form became vital to my success, not only because I could deal a lot of damage, but also because it doubled as an opportunity to save the two characters in question from their imminent death. Also, one of these Ouroboros monsters literally attacks with his hair, so what’s not to love?
That’s not all Xenoblade 3’s combat system evolves either! Now there’s an expanded party of six playable characters that can be directly controlled at-will, a seventh heroic party member who helps out in the fight, and much more. There’s so much happening on-screen at any given time that it took me several hours just to get my feet under me.
In fact, if there’s any cause for concern, it’s not that combat might become dull after dozens of hours, but that it’s so complicated you might drown in it. I’ll admit that at certain times I entirely forgot about a mechanic or two before being reminded of it at a later time much to my dismay – there’s just so much to keep track of. Luckily a game this enormous gives you ample time to learn and juggle everything it throws at you though it certainly may take some time.
Having had quite a bit of time to immerse myself in this incredibly complex sandbox of customizable classes, crazy attack combos, and over-the-top monster transformations, I’ve still not found myself at all bored by (or at times even comfortable with) all it has to offer – and that’s great news for those like myself who like a nuanced battle system that’s perfect for getting lost in for hours on end.