New release date, new trailer, and a special edition.
Get on that work calendar and make sure you’ve claimed July 29th for PTO. That’s when Nintendo will release Xenoblade Chronicles 3, moved up two months from its initially anticipated September release.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 connects the futures of the two previous mainline Xenoblade Chronicles games, both of which are now available for the Switch (while overlooking the Wii U’s Xenoblade Chronicles X). The fact that we’re now at 3 is a huge victory for JRPG fans who fought to simply have the first entry in the series receive a U.S. release.
In the game, players will step into the roles of protagonists Noah and Mio amid turmoil between the nations of Keves and Agnus. Six characters hailing from those nations join forces to learn the truth behind their conflict, and set their sights for Swordsmarch, a land pierced by a giant sword.
If the new release date alone isn’t enough to get your blood pumping, the trailer will take care of that.
In it, we learn more about the world of Aionios and get some new details about the game’s battle system:
- Battle with up to seven characters: Like in previous Xenoblade Chronicles games, battles start by facing enemies directly in the overworld. Players can control Noah’s party of six, as well as additional characters they’ll meet during the adventure. Each character has a unique role in battle, which allows for diverse strategies.
- Class change: Noah is a Swordfighter, specializing in close-range attacks, while Mio is a Zephyr, drawing enemy attention while evading their strikes. Thus, each character has their own class with their own strengths. Progressing in the adventure, players can change characters’ classes, creating a customized party.
- New Interlink system: Each of the tag-team pairs – Noah and Mio, Lanz and Sena, Eunie and Taion – can make use of the Interlink system if certain conditions are met. They will then combine into a giant form called Ouroboros. Each Ouroboros has its own powerful move set, and deciding when to transform can be the key to winning a battle.
And sure to frustrate collectors, a Special Edition of the game will also be available (but very difficult to obtain, no doubt) via the My Nintendo Store, exclusively. The special edition will include package artwork from Masatsugu Saito, a full-color 250-page+ hardcover art book and a steel case.
More details will be revealed at a later date.
For more information about Xenoblade Chronicles 3, visit nintendo.com.
