Mar 2024 Comment: Future Connected debatably does more harm than good existing, but part of me is still happy it does. While its a mess in many ways, theres a lot I enjoyed about. I like the new character designs and they were able to bring back the old og va's, I also think the 2 kids accompanying Shulk and Melia is fun! Still its a sequel or ig epilogue to XC1 and it was not planned out fully so the va's sound older than they should as its ten years after the original release, it sounds goofy when mixed in with their old 2010 attack yells. For the positives, im glad Bionis Shoulder is brought back in playable form and included in the story. The new music is peak like always and im happy I can revisit the world, see old characters and some more modernized through voice acted heart to hearts or old npcs getting a voice actor. Still XC1's ending was peak and it kinda got ruined cause of Future Connected, and its not that there cant be a sequel, XC3 exists, but it definitely seems like an add-on for more people to buy the game. The combat is a lot worse and while I enjoy the new prospectors thing, Chain Attacks, Visions, and Party Trees are removed making it very limited in freedom. Dosent help that the new Nopons play exactly like Reyn and Sharla so they arent even new. Still I think the overall story helps out Shulk's arc to be an inventor, Melia's royalty arc, and Riki's dad arc. Still this is all obvious stuff the characters would perfect on, especially looking at XC3 so theres still no justification for FC existing. The worst part is the ending, it is so rushed for no reason, they immediately beat the boss and it feels like the credits roll? Theres no celebration or down time! Its so rushed. I do enjoy this game as it gave me more Luxin Xenoblade Theory Videos though and its still fun to run around in, but definitely the worst Xenoblade arc.