Tag: RPG

What are Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Ouroboros? Well, the latest entry in the JRPG franchise is looking to finish off the story of the two previous titles, and seems to take inspiration from Xenoblade Chronicles X and the Skell mechanic. It brings together different races, weapons, and features from every entry and mashes them together – it’s all pretty exciting for longtime fans.

The main thing you need to know about Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Ouroboros is that it’s the combination of two characters, who join together to create a large new form that resembles a robot, piloted by both of the characters at once. It’s a little bit Neon Genesis Evangelion in design, a bit like Pacific Rim in function, and is completely badass.

We’re going to do our best to explain the new mechanic here, as well as what blades mean in this context. Plus, it’s always good to get a refresher course on the game’s active battle system, which plays out in real-time, unlike a lot of JRPG games. You’ll need quick reactions and your wits about you, as the Xenoblade games are notoriously tough. Are you up for the challenge?

What is the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 battle system?

Like previous games, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 utilises an active battle system, meaning all of the moves from your party and enemies happen in real-time. There’s no waiting to take your turn. You have to just go for it.

Depending on which character you control, a selection of four different moves is visible in the game UI, mapped to the button on the right side of the controller, A, B, X, and Y. These attacks often have situational bonuses, like back attack. In essence, this means the attack does more damage when you strike a monster from behind, instead of from the front. This means you have to be aware of where you are in relation to enemies, as well as which attacks to use.

In previous entries, there’s a chain system that involves break, topple, and launch. A successful break attack cuts through the enemy’s defence. Once this happens a small window is open, and it’s possible to topple an enemy.

If you pull off these two moves consecutively, the opportunity to launch an enemy into the air is available, providing you successfully perform a launch attack. This has the chance to do massive damage, and successfully chaining these types of moves is essential. You can check out the footage Monolith Soft released below to see the battle mechanics in action.

舞台となるアイオニオンには、沢山の原生生物や敵がそこら中に点在していますも。原生生物と戦うかどうか決めるのは、あなたの自由。武器を手にしたら、バトルが始まりますも！#ゼノブレイド3 pic.twitter.com/lU610kFggF

— ゼノブレイド総合 (@XenobladeJP) April 22, 2022

What are the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 weapon types?

Each character in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 holds specific weapon types, and these provide advantages to heal, attack, and defence, as well as other changes. The game refers to these as blades, and they’re an extension of the user that they can summon.

We don’t know yet whether these have battle advantages over other weapon types like in titles such as Fire Emblem, but we do know that as the game progresses, characters are able to equip weapons from different classes. So you can adjust your battle style to suit you. The weapon types announced so far are swords, guns, shields, hammers, dual discs, and origami.

ケヴェスとアグヌスの兵士たちは、自身が使用する武器を生み出すことができますも。この武器のことを「ブレイド」と呼びますも。ブレイドは、兵士たちの特性に応じて生成され、剣・銃・盾・ハンマーなど、タシュタヨーですも！#ゼノブレイド3 pic.twitter.com/qbzYrTZmG6

— ゼノブレイド総合 (@XenobladeJP) April 22, 2022

What is the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Ouroboros

When in battle, two characters from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 can fuse together in a system called Interlinking. Noah and Mio can combine together, as can other members of the core party, Lanz & Sena, or Eunie & Taion. Fusing to create an Ouroboros makes them considerably more powerful, and grants them special abilities. You must be mindful though, as using this ability too much can cause the Ouroboros to overheat.

Noah and Mio have fused together! The giant form they combine to create is called Ouroboros. Lanz & Sena or Eunie & Taion can also pair up and transform into Ouroboros. #XenobladeChronicles3 pic.twitter.com/2JR5tN8Of8

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 20, 2022

What do the different Ouroboros forms look like?

Noah and Mio Ouroboros

When Noah and Mio combine, they wield a huge sword during battle.

Lanz and Sena Ouroboros

Lanz and Sena combine to make a huge Ouroboros. This combination is great for protecting teammates from powerful attacks.

Eunie and Taion

The combination of Eunie and Taion makes this striking Ouroboros. Like this, they even have the ability to revive fallen allies.

We don’t have much longer to wait now, as the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date creeps up slowly. As we sit patiently waiting for it to arrive, why not also check out our Xenoblade Chronicles 3 characters guide to get to know your new crew.

Who are the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 characters really? In a series heavily steeped in JRPG and sci-fi lore, you might struggle to keep track of the many different species in these universes, let alone the subtle nods to characters from previous titles with some newer designs. We’re going to be stuck with these folks for nearly 100 hours though, so let’s get to know them.

Much like the past games, the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 characters will mostly consist of your party members, who accompany you on your journey across Aionios. As forces from Keves and Agnus are caught in war, who is truly on your side, and who can you trust to help you bring peace to this war-torn world? Plus, if Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is anything like previous entries in the franchise, who is going to have an atrocious British accent?

If you love leveling up and ridiculous armour, you can find even more fantastic RPGs to play thanks to our guides, such as the best mobile RPGs, the best Switch RPGs, and the best Switch strategy games.

Here’s our guide to the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 characters.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 characters

Noah

The main protagonist of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and a member of the Keves nation, Noah is an off-seer who plays a musical instrument to help the souls of soldiers lost on the battlefield pass on into the next plain.

He sports a samurai-like ponytail and wields a sword that looks very similar to the Monado that Shulk uses in Xenoblade Chronicles. Noah wants to work to stop the fighting on Aionios and will team up with anyone with a good heart who shares the same goal.

Mio

The counterpart to Noah and the other main protagonist, Mio is a member of the rival nation of Agnus, and much like Noah, is also an off-seer. Mio also has cat ears much like the Gormotti from Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and just like Nia from that game, the English-language version has her sporting a welsh accent. Her main weapon is a pair of discs, and she’s described as being able to attack very fast and is great at dodging enemy attacks.

Eunie

With the wings on her head, she resembles a member of the High Entia race, much like Melia in the original Xenoblade Chronicles. Eunie has known Noah and Lanz since childhood and speaks with a cockney accent in the English-language version of the game. She focuses on healing abilities, and her main weapon is a long staff that also functions as a rifle.

Taion

A tactician and another member of the Agnus forces, Taion fights alongside Mio using his smarts and insight. He creates constructs from paper that resemble origami, calling these katashiro, and he uses them as a weapon. When not waging battle, Taion dotes on these constructs like pets. He also wears a long flowing orange scarf, that matches the orange highlights on his outfit.

Lanz

A fierce ally to Noah, and a large soldier who uses a giant shield that doubles as a sword. Lanz seems to be a member of the Machina race, the beings born from the Mechonis in the original Xenoblade Chronicles. Does this prove the existence of the Mechonis in this universe? From all the clues, apparently, the universes have merged in some way.

Sena

Another solider of Agnus, Sena works alongside Mio and Taion. Despite her small size, she’s tremendously powerful and wields a giant hammer as a weapon. The blue lines that run down her body and the crystal on her chest, all seem to imply that she is in fact a blade, like Pyra and Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

Riku and Manana

A pair of Nopon, Riku and Manana work together despite being soldiers from the Keves and Agnus forces respectively. They have large eyes filled with emotion unlike many other Nopon we’ve met in previous games, and they fight together as a single unit.

We don’t have much longer to wait now until the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date, so check back here for regular updates. In the meantime, keep an eye on our page dedicated to Xenoblade Chronicles 3 pre-orders to ensure you get your copy when they go on sale.