Torna is a microcosm of everything *I* want out of Xenoblade. Rhythmic, combo driven battles with a solid endgame; perfectly sized, otherworldly environments; great music; and an appropriately weighty story with a likeable cast - who can share lighthearted moments without the tonal whiplash of XC2.

It suffers the series usual shortcomings - namely the arbitrary road blocks that punish you for skipping side content - but by comparison it's a lot more manageable here than in the larger games.