The February 2022 Nintendo Direct had some incredible reveals and chose one particularly high note to end on with Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s reveal, the latest sequel in the beloved Xenoblade franchise. Since the first Chronicles debuted on the Wii, players have voiced their appreciation for this deep JRPG franchise with great modern gameplay trappings, and this installment appears to tie the previous mainline entries together. Read on for our coverage of the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Nintendo Direct reveal!
Nintendo Direct February 2022: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Reveal
Xenoblade fans have been spoiled lately and for good reason. The franchise has attained widespread acclaim across Chronicles 1, 2, X, and the Torna expansion, allowing for developer Monolith Soft to establish themselves as Nintendo’s primary source for modern 3D JRPGs. The latest reveal for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 takes on a somber tone, addressing a vicious cycle of violence in the game world. Additionally, fans will be delighted to see lush, massive overworlds across different biomes, which makes a great deal of sense given how the XC 2 ended. The video teases a look at nefarious masked foes and glorious backdrops promising entire worlds on the backs of the Titans. This, juxtaposed with the peaceful and melancholy music, suggests the most thoughtful worldbuilding and emotional storytelling experience we’ve yet to see in Xenoblade.
What’s exciting about this game is that it appears to have a similar feel in its storytelling to the original Xenoblade Chronicles, while retaining many of the concepts found in its sequel. The games have been a great success on the Switch, with the platform allowing for greater appreciation and bringing the series a long way from its Wii incarnation’s scarcity. It’s clear that this Direct had a great amount of focus on showcasing strong RPGs to keep fans enticed, and choosing this game to end the showcase demonstrates how much stock they’ve put into the franchise.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 releases in September 2022, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch as announced by the Nintendo Direct. Keep an eye out for more coverage from the event.
