Full o’ beans and good gameplay
Gameplay:
Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed is a DLC for Xenoblade Chronicles 3, so it will come as no surprise that the base of Future Redeemed is taken straight from the original game. Combat and exploration work the same on a fundamental level as the original game, with the party being made up of six characters who each have six arts (strong attacks basically) to choose from, three of which recharge on a timer while the other three recharge from characters performing auto-attacks (which they will do when they are not moving). During battle the Chain Attack Gauge slowly charges, and once it has been filled the player can unleash a Chain Attack, which multiplies the damage dealt by the whole team hundreds of times over. One particularly important part of combat is the combo system, which has been simplified a bit in Future Redeemed. The combo has four parts, Break into Topple into Launch into Smash or Burst, and by utilizing it fully the player can deal even more damage. Of particular importance in Future Redeemed is Launch, which increases all damage an enemy takes. Not only is this relevant since it can be stacked on top of the bonus present from Chain Attacks, but it also ties into Future Redeemed’s main change to the base game’s combat. Replacing Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s Ouroboros forms is the Unity system, wherein two characters team up to deal massive damage. The three Unity pairs are determined outside of battle, with each offering both a unique skill for the pair and a special finishing attack that can be charged up, or automatically used at the end of a Chain Attack once certain conditions are met. In Future Redeemed, the only method of inflicting Smash and Burst, which are both immensely powerful, is through Unity Combos, which happen when a Unity attack occurs while a combo is at the launch stage. Setting it all up can take some work, but it makes battles immensely satisfying to work through.
Battles may be the core of Xenoblade, but exploration is also an important element, and this is where Future Redeemed takes the series to new heights. The basics are mostly the same: items can be found on the ground, enemies can be fought in seamless overworld battles, and quests can be undertaken for EXP and rewards. However, where this DLC shines is in the addition of the new Affinity system. Basically, doing anything in the overworld will reward the player with Affinity Points, which can then be spent on a character’s skill tree. Defeating a certain number of one type of enemy will give some, as will collecting x number of items off the ground, discovering new landmarks, meeting new NPCs, and more. It makes all the side content feel more meaningful than in any Xenoblade game prior to this one without ever coming across as busy work, and I can only hope that future Xenoblade games implement this system.
If I have any gripes with the gameplay of Future Redeemed, they only come from how character progression works. I really enjoyed how Affinity Points allowed me to choose who and what to invest in, but those are not the only thing needed to improve characters. Further levels of the skill tree, art slots, gems, and accessories (the latter two of which give extra stats and effects) all have to be unlocked by finding expansion kits in the overworld. While I appreciate the attempt to make progression less linear, I feel that this system ended up making the game more frustrating at times, since I would go hours without finding any of one type. I suppose it might work better with some fine tuning, but I think I would have preferred if those extra slots were just unlocked with Affinity Points instead. To be fair, this certainly isn’t a game-ruining issue, more just an annoying wrinkle in an otherwise fantastic gameplay experience.
Story/Characters:
Xenoblade is the sort of series where the story and characters are one of the main appeals, which left Future Redeemed with a daunting task. As the conclusion to the first main trilogy of Xenoblade, it had to build up a new party while also including far more nods to past games than any other Xenoblade game, all in a much shorter run time than a full game. Perhaps I should not be surprised, but Future Redeemed somehow manages to pull it off in spectacular fashion. The party is made up of new and returning characters from past games, but all feel relatively fleshed out. I think the new protagonist, Matthew, deserves a special mention for being very interesting but simultaneously very amusing to watch. He’s definitely the brashest Xenoblade protagonist yet (probably the brashest Xeno protagonist period), yet he never got annoying or felt stupid. The return of Shulk and Rex is also great, with both feeling like very natural evolutions of where their characters left off. The enigmatic A is excellent too, and though I feel the final two party members, Glimmer and Nikol, were perhaps a tad underbaked, I liked them nonetheless. The villains are interesting too, and though I will not elaborate on that too much for the sake of spoilers, I would like to mention that the use of N is especially cool because Future Redeemed shows him before he has fully gone off the deep end.
Though the story is fun all the way through, I feel that special credit must be awarded to the ending for two big reasons. First, the game manages to cram in several references to the other main Xeno series (Xenogears, Xenosaga, and Xenoblade Chronicles X). Xenosaga particularly gets two overt references which suggest it might even be canon to Xenoblade, but I don’t want to get into specifics for those who have not played the game. I also won’t comment directly on what happens at the end, but I will say that I felt it was the perfect thematic conclusion to both Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and the series as a whole so far.
If I had to critique the story, beyond wishing it was a bit longer, I think it is fair to say that it is nowhere near as accessible as any of the other Xenoblade games. My recommendation would 100% be to wait until having played Xenoblade Chronicles, Future Connected, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Torna - The Golden Country (though this one isn’t as necessary), and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 before getting to Future Redeemed. Knowing everything makes the payoff here all the sweeter. Playing Xenosaga (and to a much much lesser extent Xenogears and Xenoblade Chronicles X) will also improve one’s appreciation for this DLC, but none of them are anywhere near as necessary to enjoy it.
Presentation:
Future Redeemed’s presentation matches up to the rest of the game quite well. Visually speaking it is quite impressive for the Switch, with its massive world (which has no loading screen) looking nice all the way through. The game also maintains 30fps, even when there are a number of enemies involved in a battle. It’s really just more of what was already present in the base game, but I cannot complain about that.
Even more standout is the new music. Having incredible music is the name of the game when it comes to Xenoblade, so Future Redeemed having an incredible soundtrack is hardly a surprise, but still very much worth bringing up. I really do not have anything to criticize on that front beyond it being relatively short, but that is to be expected with a DLC. If anyone reading needs proof that this game’s music bangs, just listen to this song: https://youtu.be/DeBG1g1BRMA
Conclusion:
Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed is without a doubt a celebration of the series as it prepares to move on to a new main story arc, but it never feels like the developers are resting on their laurels. The writing is as good as ever, the combat is maybe even more fun than the base game’s, the music is fantastic, and the core gameplay loop of acquiring Affinity Points is one of the most addictive I have ever come across in a game. As much as this DLC is reminiscing on the past, it also offers a look at what the future of the series may look like. If it is anything like Future Redeemed, then I am certain it will be as excellent as always.
Score: 92/100
Gameplay:
Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed is a DLC for Xenoblade Chronicles 3, so it will come as no surprise that the base of Future Redeemed is taken straight from the original game. Combat and exploration work the same on a fundamental level as the original game, with the party being made up of six characters who each have six arts (strong attacks basically) to choose from, three of which recharge on a timer while the other three recharge from characters performing auto-attacks (which they will do when they are not moving). During battle the Chain Attack Gauge slowly charges, and once it has been filled the player can unleash a Chain Attack, which multiplies the damage dealt by the whole team hundreds of times over. One particularly important part of combat is the combo system, which has been simplified a bit in Future Redeemed. The combo has four parts, Break into Topple into Launch into Smash or Burst, and by utilizing it fully the player can deal even more damage. Of particular importance in Future Redeemed is Launch, which increases all damage an enemy takes. Not only is this relevant since it can be stacked on top of the bonus present from Chain Attacks, but it also ties into Future Redeemed’s main change to the base game’s combat. Replacing Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s Ouroboros forms is the Unity system, wherein two characters team up to deal massive damage. The three Unity pairs are determined outside of battle, with each offering both a unique skill for the pair and a special finishing attack that can be charged up, or automatically used at the end of a Chain Attack once certain conditions are met. In Future Redeemed, the only method of inflicting Smash and Burst, which are both immensely powerful, is through Unity Combos, which happen when a Unity attack occurs while a combo is at the launch stage. Setting it all up can take some work, but it makes battles immensely satisfying to work through.
Battles may be the core of Xenoblade, but exploration is also an important element, and this is where Future Redeemed takes the series to new heights. The basics are mostly the same: items can be found on the ground, enemies can be fought in seamless overworld battles, and quests can be undertaken for EXP and rewards. However, where this DLC shines is in the addition of the new Affinity system. Basically, doing anything in the overworld will reward the player with Affinity Points, which can then be spent on a character’s skill tree. Defeating a certain number of one type of enemy will give some, as will collecting x number of items off the ground, discovering new landmarks, meeting new NPCs, and more. It makes all the side content feel more meaningful than in any Xenoblade game prior to this one without ever coming across as busy work, and I can only hope that future Xenoblade games implement this system.
If I have any gripes with the gameplay of Future Redeemed, they only come from how character progression works. I really enjoyed how Affinity Points allowed me to choose who and what to invest in, but those are not the only thing needed to improve characters. Further levels of the skill tree, art slots, gems, and accessories (the latter two of which give extra stats and effects) all have to be unlocked by finding expansion kits in the overworld. While I appreciate the attempt to make progression less linear, I feel that this system ended up making the game more frustrating at times, since I would go hours without finding any of one type. I suppose it might work better with some fine tuning, but I think I would have preferred if those extra slots were just unlocked with Affinity Points instead. To be fair, this certainly isn’t a game-ruining issue, more just an annoying wrinkle in an otherwise fantastic gameplay experience.
Story/Characters:
Xenoblade is the sort of series where the story and characters are one of the main appeals, which left Future Redeemed with a daunting task. As the conclusion to the first main trilogy of Xenoblade, it had to build up a new party while also including far more nods to past games than any other Xenoblade game, all in a much shorter run time than a full game. Perhaps I should not be surprised, but Future Redeemed somehow manages to pull it off in spectacular fashion. The party is made up of new and returning characters from past games, but all feel relatively fleshed out. I think the new protagonist, Matthew, deserves a special mention for being very interesting but simultaneously very amusing to watch. He’s definitely the brashest Xenoblade protagonist yet (probably the brashest Xeno protagonist period), yet he never got annoying or felt stupid. The return of Shulk and Rex is also great, with both feeling like very natural evolutions of where their characters left off. The enigmatic A is excellent too, and though I feel the final two party members, Glimmer and Nikol, were perhaps a tad underbaked, I liked them nonetheless. The villains are interesting too, and though I will not elaborate on that too much for the sake of spoilers, I would like to mention that the use of N is especially cool because Future Redeemed shows him before he has fully gone off the deep end.
Though the story is fun all the way through, I feel that special credit must be awarded to the ending for two big reasons. First, the game manages to cram in several references to the other main Xeno series (Xenogears, Xenosaga, and Xenoblade Chronicles X). Xenosaga particularly gets two overt references which suggest it might even be canon to Xenoblade, but I don’t want to get into specifics for those who have not played the game. I also won’t comment directly on what happens at the end, but I will say that I felt it was the perfect thematic conclusion to both Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and the series as a whole so far.
If I had to critique the story, beyond wishing it was a bit longer, I think it is fair to say that it is nowhere near as accessible as any of the other Xenoblade games. My recommendation would 100% be to wait until having played Xenoblade Chronicles, Future Connected, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Torna - The Golden Country (though this one isn’t as necessary), and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 before getting to Future Redeemed. Knowing everything makes the payoff here all the sweeter. Playing Xenosaga (and to a much much lesser extent Xenogears and Xenoblade Chronicles X) will also improve one’s appreciation for this DLC, but none of them are anywhere near as necessary to enjoy it.
Presentation:
Future Redeemed’s presentation matches up to the rest of the game quite well. Visually speaking it is quite impressive for the Switch, with its massive world (which has no loading screen) looking nice all the way through. The game also maintains 30fps, even when there are a number of enemies involved in a battle. It’s really just more of what was already present in the base game, but I cannot complain about that.
Even more standout is the new music. Having incredible music is the name of the game when it comes to Xenoblade, so Future Redeemed having an incredible soundtrack is hardly a surprise, but still very much worth bringing up. I really do not have anything to criticize on that front beyond it being relatively short, but that is to be expected with a DLC. If anyone reading needs proof that this game’s music bangs, just listen to this song: https://youtu.be/DeBG1g1BRMA
Conclusion:
Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed is without a doubt a celebration of the series as it prepares to move on to a new main story arc, but it never feels like the developers are resting on their laurels. The writing is as good as ever, the combat is maybe even more fun than the base game’s, the music is fantastic, and the core gameplay loop of acquiring Affinity Points is one of the most addictive I have ever come across in a game. As much as this DLC is reminiscing on the past, it also offers a look at what the future of the series may look like. If it is anything like Future Redeemed, then I am certain it will be as excellent as always.
Score: 92/100