Story Analysis - Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Stories can have a lot of different themes: Rebellion against fate, a love that conquers all and more. But the majority of stories have one theme in common: growing up. It has been done good, it has been done horribly wrong, but it still captures the heards of it's readers, watchers and listeners. But why? I mean, I see a lot of brats around me every day, and I swear some of them grow about my height in one day! Well, that's not the growing up that is meant. It's a creature growing up emotionally, accepting the consequences of their doing. Growing up is a change so mesmerizing, we can't help but watch. What kind of person will await us at the end of the transformation? This is what Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is in it's core: A story about a young boy growing up, beginnig with a fateful encounter.
What is XenobladeChronicles 2 about?
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is about a boy called Rex, who lives in a world called Alrest, where people inhabit the backs (or bellies, heads, shoulders... it's not that limited, really!) of giant creatures called titans. Those swim/walk in the so called "Cloud-Sea", circling around the mysterious "World Tree" called Elysium. Well there is only one little problem: The titans are dying. That's kind of a bummer, isn't it? So Rex has a dream: Reaching Elysium, which is located at the top of the World tree, where everyone can live happily ever after! But first things first: He has to make money. Because Rex works as a salvager, meaning he jumps into the cloud sea and sells whatever he finds (mostly artifacts of a time long gone). But one day, he is hired for an important mission, where he becomes through many events the driver of the aegis! Now might many ask: what the frick is an aegis? Well the aegis is a blade. And blades are living beings, awakened through humans called drivers. Together they fight and live, until the driver dies, in which case the blade goes back into his core crystal and forgets everything that has happened. Now a little time has to pass before the blade can be awakened again, fresh like a new born baby! But the ageis, a girl called Pyra, is special: She is one of the most powerful blades in the world, and she doesn't do this whole return to core crytal thing. Now with the power to sunder Alrest itself by his side, multiple fiends on his tail, and even an upcoming war, will Rex reach his goal Elysium?
What breaks and makes the story of Xenoblade Chronicles 2?
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| That's a Nopon |
Yeah, that wasn't even all of it. But while it is a bit messy, I have to admit, I like each of the parts on its own. You heard me right, I even wanted to hear what happened to Toras Dadapon. Each of the parts is compelling in it's own right and most of the time the connections between the themes work out. It is just so much to take in, it sometimes surprises me, how I can take the story seriously (why I do, I will tell you later).
But that is not Xenoblade Chronicles 2 only problem. It has two major problems that probably turn many people off an otherwise amazing experience: cliches and eternal cutscenes. When a cutscene is so long, that I can eat supper wihle watching it, it may be too long. Now, don't get me wrong, I like myself some good cutscenes like any loving movie watcher. But everytime a cutscene plays, you are ripped out of action. And if a cutscene shows your characters losing in a fight, that you cleary just won gameplay-wise, it makes me annoyed. If a game does that more than one time, I become angry. If your characters than win the fight through a deus-ex machina solution, I am dissapointed. Why is my victory brushed off like it was nothing? It just doens't feel fair or enjoyable.
Now the cliches: Especially at the beginning Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is brimming with them. It gets better as it goes on, but there are many things we saw before. The sweet girl can cook, of course there is a love triangle and of course he will save everyone.
But still, I found that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 did one of the most common cliches as a main point Xenoblade Chronicles 2 actually right. A point I love it for:
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| A change that just didn't work out - Sorry Anakin |
The main theme of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is spot on. While it may have been used in so many stories, I actually feel that it is pretty hard to pull off. Making a character grow up, change in a believable way seems to me like a daunting task. But Xenoblade Chronicles 2 embraces the theme and spreads it between the protagonists, the antagonists, heck, even the music! Nobody is safe from the effect a journey has on someone and everyone learns new things. Those who deny change are the loseres in this story, since they miss out on chances others give them. The story matures with it's cast, and I loved watching this transformation it made, dancing bewteen lightness and sadness.
Which brings me to the point that really makes me forgive a lot of problems Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has: The cast. Sure they may be stereotypes that are often used. But seldom I have seen them so well excecuted. The chemistry between all of them, their banter, their sadness, their whole journey was a joy I will likely never forget.
Conclusion:
Xenoblades Chronicles 2 has by no means a perfect story, since it is often a hot mess and it relies too heavily on stereotypes - but I can't help but love it. There are so many themes that delve into the human core: equality, the wish to life on, redemption, sacrifice, the search for your meaning and more. The characters transport those messages and I feel for them with all my heart as they go on their journey. I can't help it, since the core of the story is simple, a story we all know so very well. At the end of the day, the last chapter isn't called for nothing "And thus, boy meets girl"
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| I know: Her design is questionable |
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