Great video. I think the melancholic strength of this game is underappreciated. Crying can really make one feel alive and connect with the medium in a way not easily done in video games.
XC2 is one of those games where I just need to hear one of a certain few songs and all these emotions come rushing back. No matter if it is the first, second or third playthrough or I just hear them in a playlist. The execution of the link between context, emotion and sound just hits.
I go back and forth a lot about what my favorite Xeno soundtrack is, and while a lot of the individual compositions from 1 and 3 are superb, 2 ultimately wins out because there is so much emotion tied into that music, and like you said it all just comes rushing back
Xenoblade 2 is my favorite game of all time and I doubt any other game will come along and change that. I hate that this game gets ridiculed so much, it's genuinely a beautiful game that says so much and jam packs so much content into one flawless experience, at least for me
I think there are valid complaints to raise about the game, but ultimately everything it does right far outweighs that. It's Narrative is so gripping, rewarding, and just enthralling to watch play out. I cannot wait for this game to eventually get Remastered or remade, clean up the experience a little bit, and let more people experience the best parts of this game because it is truly a masterpiece
The game really only needs good tutorials, maybe speeding up the process of getting new gameplay mechanics, getting rid of/changing some of the insane field skill checks & not force you to actually have the needed blades engaged, and making the collection points consumable by just running through them instead of just waiting for it to end. That’s not even that much to complain about compared to how immensely I enjoyed the game otherwise. After you get all the gameplay mechanics, it is perfection. Nothing is more exciting than getting a full burst on your elemental orbs
For me, XC2's ending leaves me with an overwhelming sense of happiness. Especially, when listening to the final song "One Last You" Hearing Pyra and Mythra's desire to have a chance to be with Rex again it just feels right. Cause they want to give back to him for everything he gave them. I have to say this ending showed me the beauty of happy endings. A love that has a chance to flourish in a bright hopeful world.
Yeah I mean their romance is so beautifuly fulfilled and it is such an incredible way to end both characters arcs, and so I was definitely happy about that, but Pyra's death was so much more devastating and tragic because of that. And then looking back their return just fills me with so much happiness, especially after Xenoblade 3
@@skyloftgames Yeah. Because thanks to XC3, we get to see that Pyra and Mythra lived a fulfilling life with Rex. Pyra hinting that she wanted a family or Mythra hinting that she wanted to marry Rex. All these hints in XC2 are given closure. But I should say that they have Klaus to thank for that. Because he wanted to give his daughters a chance to have a life. As Pyra and Mythra put it that love for Rex is "a gift of light."
It's a really, really satisfying conclusion to their story, and while I wish there was a little more story about them in 3, the simplicity and implications are really lovely
I’m so so glad you made this video. It warms my soul to see other people appreciate the masterful writing in this game. It’s really difficult to make a story that’s insanely action-heavy, goofy, and emotional all at once but they fuckin accomplished that. I don’t think I’ve cried harder than when I finished XB2 either, but I do cry easily lol. This game really made me appreciate art and life in a whole new light like I never did before. It made me feel like I grew into a real person, if that makes sense. I still care about superficial things of course, but this game REALLY reinforced to me that being real and loving yourself and everyone around you is the most important thing in life. I still can’t think about so many points of this game’s story without tearing up
Glad you liked it! And super well said. I think, especially having this game hit me in my early high school years, and it being a story about change, growth, and acceptance, it's themes really resonated with me and the game became such a formative piece of media for me
Loved this video! However, 9:02 is not exactly true, there is a reason they could come back. Long story short, when Pyra/Mythra seperated their lifeforce from Rex right before they forced him to leave the world tree, you could see their core crystal falling out of Rex. They DID die after the explosion, but that also meant they could eventually be reawakened like any other blade, as long as someone resonated with their core. I can get the confusion but their death was never retconned, it followed all laws of the world of Alrest.
It's been a few years so maybe I'm missing important details, but the way I read it was that because they give up the other half of the life force, they wouldn't be able to come back
@skyloftgames Not really, nowhere in the game was it stated that they wouldn't be able to come back after. It was established by Malos however that an Aegis can live a short time without their core. It likely meant they would have 'died' soon after the explosion anyway, but even then they would be fine as long as their core is okay, like with any other blade.
XC2 has soooo much influence from Ancient Greece. From Rex being Greek for “king”, the trinity processor is heavily inspired by Plato’s tripartite soul (logos, thymos, eros). Your video also sheds light on the influence of Aristotle’s Peotics in which he goes into the importance of invoking catharsis in theatre in the forms of tragedy or comedy. Moving us to the point of tears.
The thing is, I absolutely love the ending and think it's perfect. Both Rex and Pyra succeeded in reaching the goals they set out for in chapter 1, but they have developed so much through the game that neither of them wanted that goal anymore by the end of the game. Rex learned it was impossible to save humanity just by finding infinite resources. He saw with his own eyes and thru Klaus/Amalthus' eyes how humanity will always seek out for more even when already having everything they could be content with. Pneuma finally learned she was not a blight to the world. She used to hated herself. She hated trusting people only to let them down. Both Pneuma and Malos accepted their true selves by the end of the game. And their one single exchange right at the end says so much about how far they have become. Aion's interface shows two powered up cores. Along with this, it's easy to deduce Malos helped her in powering up Aion and save Alrest. But you probably will ask why Malos would do that if he was just about to destroy it. Well, it makes perfect sense but that would take another ten paragraphs. In the end, Pneuma (assumedly) tells Malos how happy she was she got to live. To live and accept as herself, as the Aegis. Now using their destructive power she feared so much together to save the entire planet. And so, they both died, for real. The Zohar/Conduit left to a higher plane of existence. And the Aegises died definitely. Now, the last gift was for them to be reborn outside this system. Pyra and Mythra by the end are no longer the Aegis. They are no longer that legendary Blade. They no longer have that power they used to be so afraid of. Pyra and Mythra might very likely be the last blades "awakening" in history considering how Xenoblade 3, treats the characters as. The Aegis accepted herself and died. That divine power no longer exists. And now they are free to live as the girls Rex always saw them as. That's why the dinner cutscene before meeting Klaus is so important too. Everything about this game looks so stereotypical and surface level. And I kind of feel it was done on purpose for some genius writing to tackle a lot of anime tropes and twisting them so much to something so deep. No other xeno game has really reached the vast array of everything xenoblade 2 has. A tough game to love, but once you do, you'll have it in your heart for the rest of your life.
This is a really good explanation of everything, thank you! And totally agree. There earnestness and depth of this story I'd just unmatched even in the other masterpieces this series has to offer.
I played the game back around 2019 and I originally didnt like the game, but i pushed through it because i heard amazing things from my friend who recommended it. I knew the basic story of 1 from some lets plays i watched way back, so i knew the idea the game was going for: look to the future. 2019 was a rough year for me, my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer, and they didn’t think she would make it, so i took another shot at playing 2, and it was exactly what i needed. I NEEDED Rex's optimistic and upbeat attitude and i needed a long distraction of a jrpg. Every other jrpg has these broody protagonists that have a jaded look on life, and Rex was a breath of fresh air. Pyra's story of hiding everything she could about Mythra hit me hard. It tied into how i was trying to be strong for my mom because she wants sure if her sister would live, so i hid my emotions. When Mythra showed up i was immediately hooked into the world and had to play it as much as i could. I had to know more about the characters. What finally made me cry was the ending bit as probably everyone else. Pneuma finally accepting she had everything she wanted, and Zekes speech saying that you have to respect her decision didn’t help in the slightest, made her realize that Rex would be ok after she left. It also brought me back into the real world because i realized that, if my aunt had passed away, that yes it would take a lot to get used to her being gone, having the support of friends and family, that i would eventually be ok to some extent. Xenoblade 2 is my favorite game of all time, because of how it helped me heal emotionally, and accept that everything can and will heal with time, it just takes a bit of help. EDIT: the music made me bawl so hard in the ending, that i started crying, then had a breather, and then started bawling when the lyrical song started playing and i wasnt ok in the SLIGHTEST :)
Thank you for sharing this! Its been so heart warming to read everyone's comments and just how many people had such emotional experiences with the game. I hope you and your family are all doing well! And I totally agree, Rex is a really great protagonist, because yeah there are so many brooding protags, and theres still quite a lot of plucky young fools, but Rex's growth through the game is really well charted and feels so earned and natural. There isnt one moment where Rex suddenly grows up into a *real* hero, it gradually happens, and it isnt linear. I think thats why so many people resonated with this game, because it does a really good job of mapping out non-linear grief and growth.
Xenoblade 2 did the exact same thing for me as it did you. Growing up as a boy being told to never cry at anything this game made me ugly cry a LOT. Funnily enough Xenoblade 3 only increased my fondness for 2, knowing that they're a happy family in the new world. They deserve everything after what they've been through.
It's been so exciting to post this video because it's clearly reached the right audience. More than any game I've talked about, xenoblade 2 fans are so passionate about this game and it's awesome
You and me both bro. This and Gurren Lagann made me cry so much with its beautiful narratives. And they became my favorite game and anime of all time respectively.
Much appreciated! And glad you enjoyed/glad you think so. Was a little bit worried about my voice over in this one because I'm still adjusting to my new mic, so this comment made me smile.
The ending makes sense because it's about pyra and mythra learing to want to live. Which is the opposite of most where characters learn to accept death. Sure it not as depressing but it completes their arc.
The ending cut scene makes a lot more sense when you realise blades are immortal as long as their core crystal is intact. When Pnuma is saying goodbye to Rex, she removes the core crystal from his body - but if you notice, hers is missing. Now remember what Malos said earlier that a blade can live without their core for a time when discussing the linked cores, that she could allow Rex to live if she transferred it to him. That is what she did at the end. I imagine that as the Aegis she retains her memories.
This was an incredible video, these are actually my exact thoughts. I love this game so much. Nothing I play comes close to it, sadly. Do you have any recommendations?
Glad you liked it! I haven't found anything that feels similar, but Cyberpunk 2077 + Phantom Liberty + the new ending AFTER you've done everything else was able to bring out the same intensity of emotions, if not more. Death Stranding is also not at all similar, but the payoff at the end is incredible. Unfortunately I cant think of a lot of games on switch that have had similar emotional payoffs for me. What other platforms do you have? (if any)
Xenoblade X comes to mind. Especially if you do as many of the Heart to Heart missions as possible. The end credits are the same montage either way, but the scenes hit harder if you KNOW the characters shown.
I think the end of Torna the golden cuntery hit me harder. That shitt hitt me like a fukking bullet train. Huge propps to the voice actor to Jin. You can tell in his voice that he is bearly hanging on, his faith in humanety compleatly crushed. And the only thing keaping him from snapping is Lora.
I need to go back and play it again because its such a good story but I remember so little of it. Some day I hope to do massive marathon of every xenoblade game and dlc and just relive all the magic
There are few games I love as deeply and as richly as the Xenoblade trilogy. I still remember learning about XC1 a literal day before it released, and taking a chance on the game for my Wii. While I bounced off of it the first time around at the bottom of Valak Mountain after getting my butt whooped relentlessly, I returned to it two years later. In a new phase of my life, where I picked up the game and started anew. Having learned from my mistakes and with a newfound determination, I made my way through. Only to find out that I was literally one single fight away from truly connecting with the narrative. Had I known that I was so close to something that would grip me so close, there would have been no doubt in my mind that I would've just gone back and grinded out some more levels. And yet that made me love the game so much more. Here on the second time to Valak Mountain, to be treated to a twist of those proportions moments after conquering that hill, I knew I stumbled upon something... truly magical. Having now finished the entire trilogy with its expansions included, I feel. I feel deeply. And I can't help but longingly look towards the future. One that has been redeemed, one that truly can be seized by those who reach out. For hope stands above the depths of despair, and all that separates you from the happiness you look for, is the will to keep going.
Youch yeah that's a really unfortunate spot to bounce off the game, but I'm glad you came back! I had started the original earlier that year and was playing it pretty consistently up until agniritha or maybe right before it, and got stuck there, played all of xenoblade 2, then came back to finish 1. And agreed, after having finished everything in the trilogy, and X, Xenoblade holds a dear, dear spot in my heart
I wish Zelda fans would play Xenoblade games. They're missing out so much. So, as Xenoblade fans I think it's our mission to tell everyone we know who owns a Switch to play Xenoblade Chronicles 1, 2 and 3. Zelda used to be my favorite franchise until I played Xenoblade 1 on the Wii. Then Xeno 2 became my favorite game of all time 🙌.
Hmm. For me it was the ending of House MD, season 4, after watching the first three seasons daily over a month or two. The connections I felt with the characters and how it developed over time, and then, BAM! No spoilers, but it BROKE me. I was never the same after. I did feel exactly the same way you described in the intro. Like all the feelings I held in my whole life to that point got released. So while Xenoblade 2 was impactful, that was the moment for me and nothing will ever top that.
I'll have to check it out! I've heard good things but never got around to watching it. And yeah it's such a personal thing, and once you break the dam, nothing else is quite going to match that feeling. Glad the video was relatable!
I just played NieR: Automata over the long weekend and had the same response. It was crushing! Yet, amazingly complex. I enjoyed Xenoblade on the Wii, I haven't beat it yet, but it has been good so far.
Poeple my see a gatcha with big booby waifu but me I see a story about connections, trying to save the world because its slowly fading, self acceptance, what hunan are, and of course waifu which makes explosion but I only learned the therm waifu AFTER finishing xenoblade 2.
After digging through the booby anime women, I think out of all the xenoblsde games this one has the story that sticks out in my head the most. The themes are so interesting and well done
It does not change the emotions felt, but neuma's return isnt entirely out of nowhere. We never quite see the ramifications of the fact unless looking specifically at theory and praxis, but it is well established and a fundamental part of the narrative that blades are blessed with a cursed immortality. It is not impossible for neuma to return, only highly contested due to her special-ness and "chosen-one-itis". Act of god level ex-machina? Well, the pill is a little easier to swallow when the god of the world itself acknowledges the blessing as a "final gift", even if not explicit in what that gift is. You are right in an ex-machina in so far as it is an act of god, but not quite in the same sense of lacking narrative building blocks to justify the solution as is so often the context of its derogatory use. Rex and Neuma have suffered so much on the journey, more than they have personally benefited; they deserve a happy ending. On a narrative level, it is the start of neuma's life. Spending the entire journey wanting to die, then learning to live only at life's end? The character arc would ring hollow if she never had a chance to act on her growth into loving life. The rebirth is symbolic of starting that new life: the neuma that wanted to die did, now the neuma who understands the value of life gets a second chance without any pressing need to put the world above themselves (at least until future connected that i dont have the context to speak either way on). Neuma the chose one dies, and neuma the individual is born. So she saved the world, so what? That is a dead world, all that matters is that she can now enjoy life.
You're right about blades being cursed with immortality, though Pyra seemingly sacrifices that immortality in restoring rex's entire life force at the end, though thats just me inferring. Do they deserve a happy ending? Yes. Does the game go out of its way to explain/justify it? No not really. Does it matter? Not really. I agree that it is a better conclusion to the story and a more fulfilling way to end, but I dont think it would make Pnuema's arc ring hollow, it would just make it a tragedy. The arc would be the same whether or not she got to live in the fruits of her labor.
@@skyloftgames yeah, the "sacrificing immortality" is equally unexplained. It is implied through the game, but only in ways that unravel by removing the "chosen one" aspects. It is implied because neuma has been told she was special since birth and began believing it. She thinks she is giving up her immortality, and needs to give up some aspect of it to make her initial goal of death work, but equally, if rex is only alive because he can leech neuma's life force, should neuma succeed in her suicidal mission, rex would go alongside them. There is the fundamental contradiction that brings the entire thing into question, and in never being directly addressed by the game, leaves both sides open for debate. I wasnt saying it wouldnt be fulfilling if she didnt revive, i only meant through implication that in a game already filled with tragedies; adding one to the very end of the game kinda undermines the entire story by painting a picture of a repeating cycle. No, our tragic ending that makes narrative sense came from golden country, since we enter into the story with the context it will end badly. We enter XBC2 talking about god and the world in decay rex seeks him out to fix. rex's optimism could lead to tragedy, but the game shows its hand early on with gramp's rebirth and making an ally out of a villain. in a story fated for tragedy, gramps dying would be the spark to turn a mere dream into action towards a fruitless goal, and rex's optimism would be laughed off by everyone; not infectious enough to inspire enough hope in a former villain to make them turncoat. The tragic subtext remains in the various problems with the world, but rex gets out of scenarios a bit too lightly for the end to be a drastic tragedy. It isnt neuma's arc that breaks the tragedy ending, it is rex's. Neuma just gets enough of an arc where the game can justify her return for a happy ending. If neuma was nothing but a guide or had an arc that didnt end with her finding the value in a life she was ready to abandon, the happy ending would be solely for rex's and the audience's benefit. Seeing how her rebirth is a happy ending for ALL the characters we care about is what makes it satisfying, despite clashing with our expectations that the death is a permanent sacrifice. Heck, if we still want that tragedy, We can dive into the debate of multiple endings, with people still trying to figure out if pyra's unvoiced but mapped out for the language of the text line in the end implies she lost or maintained her memories, with a look from rex that fits equally in either camp. Want the tragedy? Neuma lost her memories, so though she gets a new lease on life, it is a new person the cast will struggle to transfer only the happy memories back to without burdening her with the multiple tragedies she witnessed. You are right, in the end, the ending works because of the journey and the room for interpretation, i am just trying to express why i didnt bat an eye at getting a happy ending over a tragedy.
I cry like a bitch and if you play it and dont like the game play and the anime tropes it is ok BUT if you see the end and dont cry with the song One last you YOU ARE DEAD INSIDE. Fight me if you think I am wrong.🤬😡😤
The part that made me cry the most: ENDING SPOILERS: 👇 👇 👇 👇 👇 👇 👇 👇 👇 The part where I cried like a baby it was when Poppy says she made a promise to Mythra! And Rex is desperate to cross the gap and can't reach Pneuma, while the World Tree is collapsing... OMG 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
10:03 "To cry until my body is drained of its water." I could drain your body of something else ;)
Hey man I appreciate the offer, you can come over after your mom is done here if you'd like
Great video. I think the melancholic strength of this game is underappreciated. Crying can really make one feel alive and connect with the medium in a way not easily done in video games.
Glad you enjoyed it!
XC2 is one of those games where I just need to hear one of a certain few songs and all these emotions come rushing back.
No matter if it is the first, second or third playthrough or I just hear them in a playlist.
The execution of the link between context, emotion and sound just hits.
I go back and forth a lot about what my favorite Xeno soundtrack is, and while a lot of the individual compositions from 1 and 3 are superb, 2 ultimately wins out because there is so much emotion tied into that music, and like you said it all just comes rushing back
same here
Xenoblade 2 is my favorite game of all time and I doubt any other game will come along and change that. I hate that this game gets ridiculed so much, it's genuinely a beautiful game that says so much and jam packs so much content into one flawless experience, at least for me
I think there are valid complaints to raise about the game, but ultimately everything it does right far outweighs that. It's Narrative is so gripping, rewarding, and just enthralling to watch play out. I cannot wait for this game to eventually get Remastered or remade, clean up the experience a little bit, and let more people experience the best parts of this game because it is truly a masterpiece
The game really only needs good tutorials, maybe speeding up the process of getting new gameplay mechanics, getting rid of/changing some of the insane field skill checks & not force you to actually have the needed blades engaged, and making the collection points consumable by just running through them instead of just waiting for it to end. That’s not even that much to complain about compared to how immensely I enjoyed the game otherwise. After you get all the gameplay mechanics, it is perfection. Nothing is more exciting than getting a full burst on your elemental orbs
For me, XC2's ending leaves me with an overwhelming sense of happiness. Especially, when listening to the final song "One Last You"
Hearing Pyra and Mythra's desire to have a chance to be with Rex again it just feels right. Cause they want to give back to him for everything he gave them. I have to say this ending showed me the beauty of happy endings.
A love that has a chance to flourish in a bright hopeful world.
Yeah I mean their romance is so beautifuly fulfilled and it is such an incredible way to end both characters arcs, and so I was definitely happy about that, but Pyra's death was so much more devastating and tragic because of that. And then looking back their return just fills me with so much happiness, especially after Xenoblade 3
@@skyloftgames Yeah. Because thanks to XC3, we get to see that Pyra and Mythra lived a fulfilling life with Rex.
Pyra hinting that she wanted a family or Mythra hinting that she wanted to marry Rex. All these hints in XC2 are given closure. But I should say that they have Klaus to thank for that.
Because he wanted to give his daughters a chance to have a life. As Pyra and Mythra put it that love for Rex is "a gift of light."
It's a really, really satisfying conclusion to their story, and while I wish there was a little more story about them in 3, the simplicity and implications are really lovely
I’m so so glad you made this video. It warms my soul to see other people appreciate the masterful writing in this game. It’s really difficult to make a story that’s insanely action-heavy, goofy, and emotional all at once but they fuckin accomplished that. I don’t think I’ve cried harder than when I finished XB2 either, but I do cry easily lol. This game really made me appreciate art and life in a whole new light like I never did before. It made me feel like I grew into a real person, if that makes sense. I still care about superficial things of course, but this game REALLY reinforced to me that being real and loving yourself and everyone around you is the most important thing in life. I still can’t think about so many points of this game’s story without tearing up
Glad you liked it! And super well said. I think, especially having this game hit me in my early high school years, and it being a story about change, growth, and acceptance, it's themes really resonated with me and the game became such a formative piece of media for me
Loved this video! However, 9:02 is not exactly true, there is a reason they could come back.
Long story short, when Pyra/Mythra seperated their lifeforce from Rex right before they forced him to leave the world tree, you could see their core crystal falling out of Rex. They DID die after the explosion, but that also meant they could eventually be reawakened like any other blade, as long as someone resonated with their core. I can get the confusion but their death was never retconned, it followed all laws of the world of Alrest.
It's been a few years so maybe I'm missing important details, but the way I read it was that because they give up the other half of the life force, they wouldn't be able to come back
@skyloftgames Not really, nowhere in the game was it stated that they wouldn't be able to come back after. It was established by Malos however that an Aegis can live a short time without their core. It likely meant they would have 'died' soon after the explosion anyway, but even then they would be fine as long as their core is okay, like with any other blade.
Alright fair enough. Thanks!
XC2 has soooo much influence from Ancient Greece. From Rex being Greek for “king”, the trinity processor is heavily inspired by Plato’s tripartite soul (logos, thymos, eros). Your video also sheds light on the influence of Aristotle’s Peotics in which he goes into the importance of invoking catharsis in theatre in the forms of tragedy or comedy. Moving us to the point of tears.
Doing a deep dive into all of the Greek mythos and philosophy in the game would be such a fun video to do
Rex is actually latin for king
The thing is, I absolutely love the ending and think it's perfect.
Both Rex and Pyra succeeded in reaching the goals they set out for in chapter 1, but they have developed so much through the game that neither of them wanted that goal anymore by the end of the game.
Rex learned it was impossible to save humanity just by finding infinite resources. He saw with his own eyes and thru Klaus/Amalthus' eyes how humanity will always seek out for more even when already having everything they could be content with.
Pneuma finally learned she was not a blight to the world. She used to hated herself. She hated trusting people only to let them down.
Both Pneuma and Malos accepted their true selves by the end of the game. And their one single exchange right at the end says so much about how far they have become.
Aion's interface shows two powered up cores. Along with this, it's easy to deduce Malos helped her in powering up Aion and save Alrest. But you probably will ask why Malos would do that if he was just about to destroy it.
Well, it makes perfect sense but that would take another ten paragraphs.
In the end, Pneuma (assumedly) tells Malos how happy she was she got to live. To live and accept as herself, as the Aegis. Now using their destructive power she feared so much together to save the entire planet.
And so, they both died, for real. The Zohar/Conduit left to a higher plane of existence. And the Aegises died definitely.
Now, the last gift was for them to be reborn outside this system.
Pyra and Mythra by the end are no longer the Aegis. They are no longer that legendary Blade. They no longer have that power they used to be so afraid of. Pyra and Mythra might very likely be the last blades "awakening" in history considering how Xenoblade 3, treats the characters as.
The Aegis accepted herself and died. That divine power no longer exists. And now they are free to live as the girls Rex always saw them as. That's why the dinner cutscene before meeting Klaus is so important too.
Everything about this game looks so stereotypical and surface level. And I kind of feel it was done on purpose for some genius writing to tackle a lot of anime tropes and twisting them so much to something so deep. No other xeno game has really reached the vast array of everything xenoblade 2 has.
A tough game to love, but once you do, you'll have it in your heart for the rest of your life.
This is a really good explanation of everything, thank you! And totally agree. There earnestness and depth of this story I'd just unmatched even in the other masterpieces this series has to offer.
I played the game back around 2019 and I originally didnt like the game, but i pushed through it because i heard amazing things from my friend who recommended it.
I knew the basic story of 1 from some lets plays i watched way back, so i knew the idea the game was going for: look to the future.
2019 was a rough year for me, my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer, and they didn’t think she would make it, so i took another shot at playing 2, and it was exactly what i needed. I NEEDED Rex's optimistic and upbeat attitude and i needed a long distraction of a jrpg.
Every other jrpg has these broody protagonists that have a jaded look on life, and Rex was a breath of fresh air.
Pyra's story of hiding everything she could about Mythra hit me hard. It tied into how i was trying to be strong for my mom because she wants sure if her sister would live, so i hid my emotions.
When Mythra showed up i was immediately hooked into the world and had to play it as much as i could. I had to know more about the characters.
What finally made me cry was the ending bit as probably everyone else. Pneuma finally accepting she had everything she wanted, and Zekes speech saying that you have to respect her decision didn’t help in the slightest, made her realize that Rex would be ok after she left.
It also brought me back into the real world because i realized that, if my aunt had passed away, that yes it would take a lot to get used to her being gone, having the support of friends and family, that i would eventually be ok to some extent.
Xenoblade 2 is my favorite game of all time, because of how it helped me heal emotionally, and accept that everything can and will heal with time, it just takes a bit of help.
EDIT: the music made me bawl so hard in the ending, that i started crying, then had a breather, and then started bawling when the lyrical song started playing and i wasnt ok in the SLIGHTEST :)
Thank you for sharing this! Its been so heart warming to read everyone's comments and just how many people had such emotional experiences with the game. I hope you and your family are all doing well! And I totally agree, Rex is a really great protagonist, because yeah there are so many brooding protags, and theres still quite a lot of plucky young fools, but Rex's growth through the game is really well charted and feels so earned and natural. There isnt one moment where Rex suddenly grows up into a *real* hero, it gradually happens, and it isnt linear. I think thats why so many people resonated with this game, because it does a really good job of mapping out non-linear grief and growth.
I cried like a bitch despite predicting her survival.
Xenoblade 2 did the exact same thing for me as it did you. Growing up as a boy being told to never cry at anything this game made me ugly cry a LOT.
Funnily enough Xenoblade 3 only increased my fondness for 2, knowing that they're a happy family in the new world. They deserve everything after what they've been through.
Glad this resonated with you! And yeah I agree, especially after Future Redeemed, I only think of 2 more fondly
LETS FUCKING GO, this
game is a masterpeice. Seeing people get it makes me so happy🎉
It's been so exciting to post this video because it's clearly reached the right audience. More than any game I've talked about, xenoblade 2 fans are so passionate about this game and it's awesome
You and me both bro. This and Gurren Lagann made me cry so much with its beautiful narratives. And they became my favorite game and anime of all time respectively.
Not much of an anime watcher anymore but I might have to check it out!
@@skyloftgames oh trust me dude it’s so worth it. I don’t normally like Mecha anime but Gurren Lagann is still my favorite for a reason.
It doesn't matter how heartless you are.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will make you feel every single emotion. 😶
Very very true. Really incredible how heartbroken and how happy it can make you
Beautiful video man. You have a voice worth listening to. Keep making banger vids 💪💪💪
Much appreciated! And glad you enjoyed/glad you think so. Was a little bit worried about my voice over in this one because I'm still adjusting to my new mic, so this comment made me smile.
The ending makes sense because it's about pyra and mythra learing to want to live. Which is the opposite of most where characters learn to accept death. Sure it not as depressing but it completes their arc.
Thematically appropriate sure, does it make sense immediately without delving deeply into lore? Not really
The ending cut scene makes a lot more sense when you realise blades are immortal as long as their core crystal is intact. When Pnuma is saying goodbye to Rex, she removes the core crystal from his body - but if you notice, hers is missing. Now remember what Malos said earlier that a blade can live without their core for a time when discussing the linked cores, that she could allow Rex to live if she transferred it to him. That is what she did at the end. I imagine that as the Aegis she retains her memories.
I've been thinking about this since you posted, and honestly this makes it make less sense to me
This was an incredible video, these are actually my exact thoughts. I love this game so much. Nothing I play comes close to it, sadly. Do you have any recommendations?
Glad you liked it! I haven't found anything that feels similar, but Cyberpunk 2077 + Phantom Liberty + the new ending AFTER you've done everything else was able to bring out the same intensity of emotions, if not more. Death Stranding is also not at all similar, but the payoff at the end is incredible. Unfortunately I cant think of a lot of games on switch that have had similar emotional payoffs for me. What other platforms do you have? (if any)
Xenoblade X comes to mind. Especially if you do as many of the Heart to Heart missions as possible. The end credits are the same montage either way, but the scenes hit harder if you KNOW the characters shown.
X is easily the weakest of the xenoblade games in terms of character and story, which still puts its leaps and bounds above a lot of games
I think the end of Torna the golden cuntery hit me harder. That shitt hitt me like a fukking bullet train. Huge propps to the voice actor to Jin. You can tell in his voice that he is bearly hanging on, his faith in humanety compleatly crushed. And the only thing keaping him from snapping is Lora.
I need to go back and play it again because its such a good story but I remember so little of it. Some day I hope to do massive marathon of every xenoblade game and dlc and just relive all the magic
I'm fairly certain all 3 Main Xenoblade games made me cry. Only X failed to deliver on that Cathartic release. They're all so good!
Same for me, though I think I cried a little bit at that one Lao scene, but that's it
First game blew my mind beyond belief, second made me my eyes water heavily and the third I full on bawled my eyes out.
I remember that I cried so much in 3 that I got a headache
There are few games I love as deeply and as richly as the Xenoblade trilogy. I still remember learning about XC1 a literal day before it released, and taking a chance on the game for my Wii. While I bounced off of it the first time around at the bottom of Valak Mountain after getting my butt whooped relentlessly, I returned to it two years later. In a new phase of my life, where I picked up the game and started anew.
Having learned from my mistakes and with a newfound determination, I made my way through. Only to find out that I was literally one single fight away from truly connecting with the narrative. Had I known that I was so close to something that would grip me so close, there would have been no doubt in my mind that I would've just gone back and grinded out some more levels. And yet that made me love the game so much more. Here on the second time to Valak Mountain, to be treated to a twist of those proportions moments after conquering that hill, I knew I stumbled upon something... truly magical.
Having now finished the entire trilogy with its expansions included, I feel. I feel deeply. And I can't help but longingly look towards the future. One that has been redeemed, one that truly can be seized by those who reach out. For hope stands above the depths of despair, and all that separates you from the happiness you look for, is the will to keep going.
Youch yeah that's a really unfortunate spot to bounce off the game, but I'm glad you came back! I had started the original earlier that year and was playing it pretty consistently up until agniritha or maybe right before it, and got stuck there, played all of xenoblade 2, then came back to finish 1. And agreed, after having finished everything in the trilogy, and X, Xenoblade holds a dear, dear spot in my heart
I wish Zelda fans would play Xenoblade games. They're missing out so much. So, as Xenoblade fans I think it's our mission to tell everyone we know who owns a Switch to play Xenoblade Chronicles 1, 2 and 3. Zelda used to be my favorite franchise until I played Xenoblade 1 on the Wii. Then Xeno 2 became my favorite game of all time 🙌.
I agree! I think EVERYONE should play xenoblade
Hmm. For me it was the ending of House MD, season 4, after watching the first three seasons daily over a month or two. The connections I felt with the characters and how it developed over time, and then, BAM! No spoilers, but it BROKE me. I was never the same after. I did feel exactly the same way you described in the intro. Like all the feelings I held in my whole life to that point got released. So while Xenoblade 2 was impactful, that was the moment for me and nothing will ever top that.
I'll have to check it out! I've heard good things but never got around to watching it. And yeah it's such a personal thing, and once you break the dam, nothing else is quite going to match that feeling. Glad the video was relatable!
I just played NieR: Automata over the long weekend and had the same response. It was crushing! Yet, amazingly complex.
I enjoyed Xenoblade on the Wii, I haven't beat it yet, but it has been good so far.
Poeple my see a gatcha with big booby waifu but me I see a story about connections, trying to save the world because its slowly fading, self acceptance, what hunan are, and of course waifu which makes explosion but I only learned the therm waifu AFTER finishing xenoblade 2.
After digging through the booby anime women, I think out of all the xenoblsde games this one has the story that sticks out in my head the most. The themes are so interesting and well done
I did not hear a word you said this game looks goofy as hell also holy booba
Yeah it looks goofy asf and Holy booba indeed
No funny comment I’m crying
Woah no way that's what I was doing one cold day of December 2017 after finishing Sleeper hit video game xenoblade chronicles 2
@@skyloftgames Wait that’s crazy omg we have so much in common should we kiss
Can I watch?@@CaprisunSippinMonkey
It does not change the emotions felt, but neuma's return isnt entirely out of nowhere. We never quite see the ramifications of the fact unless looking specifically at theory and praxis, but it is well established and a fundamental part of the narrative that blades are blessed with a cursed immortality. It is not impossible for neuma to return, only highly contested due to her special-ness and "chosen-one-itis". Act of god level ex-machina? Well, the pill is a little easier to swallow when the god of the world itself acknowledges the blessing as a "final gift", even if not explicit in what that gift is. You are right in an ex-machina in so far as it is an act of god, but not quite in the same sense of lacking narrative building blocks to justify the solution as is so often the context of its derogatory use. Rex and Neuma have suffered so much on the journey, more than they have personally benefited; they deserve a happy ending. On a narrative level, it is the start of neuma's life. Spending the entire journey wanting to die, then learning to live only at life's end? The character arc would ring hollow if she never had a chance to act on her growth into loving life. The rebirth is symbolic of starting that new life: the neuma that wanted to die did, now the neuma who understands the value of life gets a second chance without any pressing need to put the world above themselves (at least until future connected that i dont have the context to speak either way on). Neuma the chose one dies, and neuma the individual is born. So she saved the world, so what? That is a dead world, all that matters is that she can now enjoy life.
You're right about blades being cursed with immortality, though Pyra seemingly sacrifices that immortality in restoring rex's entire life force at the end, though thats just me inferring. Do they deserve a happy ending? Yes. Does the game go out of its way to explain/justify it? No not really. Does it matter? Not really. I agree that it is a better conclusion to the story and a more fulfilling way to end, but I dont think it would make Pnuema's arc ring hollow, it would just make it a tragedy. The arc would be the same whether or not she got to live in the fruits of her labor.
@@skyloftgames yeah, the "sacrificing immortality" is equally unexplained. It is implied through the game, but only in ways that unravel by removing the "chosen one" aspects. It is implied because neuma has been told she was special since birth and began believing it. She thinks she is giving up her immortality, and needs to give up some aspect of it to make her initial goal of death work, but equally, if rex is only alive because he can leech neuma's life force, should neuma succeed in her suicidal mission, rex would go alongside them. There is the fundamental contradiction that brings the entire thing into question, and in never being directly addressed by the game, leaves both sides open for debate.
I wasnt saying it wouldnt be fulfilling if she didnt revive, i only meant through implication that in a game already filled with tragedies; adding one to the very end of the game kinda undermines the entire story by painting a picture of a repeating cycle. No, our tragic ending that makes narrative sense came from golden country, since we enter into the story with the context it will end badly. We enter XBC2 talking about god and the world in decay rex seeks him out to fix. rex's optimism could lead to tragedy, but the game shows its hand early on with gramp's rebirth and making an ally out of a villain. in a story fated for tragedy, gramps dying would be the spark to turn a mere dream into action towards a fruitless goal, and rex's optimism would be laughed off by everyone; not infectious enough to inspire enough hope in a former villain to make them turncoat. The tragic subtext remains in the various problems with the world, but rex gets out of scenarios a bit too lightly for the end to be a drastic tragedy. It isnt neuma's arc that breaks the tragedy ending, it is rex's. Neuma just gets enough of an arc where the game can justify her return for a happy ending. If neuma was nothing but a guide or had an arc that didnt end with her finding the value in a life she was ready to abandon, the happy ending would be solely for rex's and the audience's benefit. Seeing how her rebirth is a happy ending for ALL the characters we care about is what makes it satisfying, despite clashing with our expectations that the death is a permanent sacrifice. Heck, if we still want that tragedy, We can dive into the debate of multiple endings, with people still trying to figure out if pyra's unvoiced but mapped out for the language of the text line in the end implies she lost or maintained her memories, with a look from rex that fits equally in either camp. Want the tragedy? Neuma lost her memories, so though she gets a new lease on life, it is a new person the cast will struggle to transfer only the happy memories back to without burdening her with the multiple tragedies she witnessed.
You are right, in the end, the ending works because of the journey and the room for interpretation, i am just trying to express why i didnt bat an eye at getting a happy ending over a tragedy.
I cry like a bitch and if you play it and dont like the game play and the anime tropes it is ok BUT if you see the end and dont cry with the song One last you YOU ARE DEAD INSIDE.
Fight me if you think I am wrong.🤬😡😤
Real ‼️‼️‼️‼️🔊🔊🔊🔊🗣🗣🗣🗣
Anyone that talks about crying in Xenoblade games gets a sub from me!
Have easily cried at every one
Xenoblade 1 is happy cry
Xenoblade 2 is ugly cry to happy cry
Xenoblade 3 is a 5 act tradgedy stageplay
Very accurate
Milk moment
You are my muse milk boy
only for you sky boy@@skyloftgames
🥵🥵🥵🥵
And then Xenoblade 3 gave us harem Rex
I'll be forever bitter the DLC didn't revolve around this
First
Un-First
Holy shit the meta is getting crazy
Correct, Meta-man@@skyloftgames
The part that made me cry the most:
ENDING SPOILERS:
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The part where I cried like a baby it was when Poppy says she made a promise to Mythra! And Rex is desperate to cross the gap and can't reach Pneuma, while the World Tree is collapsing... OMG 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭