It still feels amazing how MonolithSoft was able to make Xenoblade 2 what it is despite not having much time to develop it with also being focused on helping with Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2, and Xenoblade X still be in development when Xenoblade 2 started development
Uraya and the Leftherian Archipelago are for me THOSE Xenoblade areas - areas that are so beautiful, colorful and creative, so big and satisfying to explore, and accompanied by such wonderful music that you simply couldn't find their like in any other game series. I remember being initially somewhat worried that Xenoblade 2 wouldn't live up to the first game, but when I first saw gameplay footage of Uraya and heard its music, my doubts went away.
Uraya is the Titan that made me love this game. I still have many issues with it, but I feel like that area really did it for me, it’s probably my favorite in the entire franchise
Xenoblade chronicles 2 has my favorite places but the worst first time navigation system I remember these places more because I would get lost in certain side quests which lead me to appreciate these places more
Yeah we definitely have different tastes. I really like the "confusing navigation" you were docking points for. It felt like there was a ton to explore and many ways to do it. One of least favorite parts of 3 was how simple and basic the exploration and navigation was. My only issues with the abandoned factory was that it lagged, and to progress it you had to find some random keys. Also I personally LOVE parkouring above buildings and such in xenoblade 2, so alba cavanich was my playground 🤤 I really miss it. The only tiny sliver of it in xenoblade 3 is fort o virbus where there are a few roofs you can hop around, and colony 4 has a bit of it too
Totally understandable, I also like having a lot of freedom to explore, I just don't like it when there's only 1 route to the story objective which feels unnecessarily complicated like in Uraya and Cliffs of Morytha.
@@MaxMonado true. Especially Uraya with that troll stair case 😂. Though I would've preferred they worked on guiding players along the right path rather than simplifying the level design altogether. Like I wonder if the destination path lines from xenoblade 3 would be enough to accommodate the navigation frustrations in 2, while still keeping all the crazy level design
Was a bit surprised by the low placement of Mor Ardain, but I think the music carries the area pretty hard just like you said. It makes all the flaws of the area less annoying to deal with because the music is such a banger. Great video as always!
The sheer beauty of this game is what I missed when playing xb3. Uraya especially, everything was perfect. It's my favourite area of any video game, ever
I loved the spirit crucible personally. It is a beautiful place with the most calming, peaceful music. I quite liked the maze- like structure of the area, and think it fits really well as the place where the third sword was hidden away. I also enjoyed how it flipped the combat on its head, forcing you to rely more on Poppi or using driver combos. The phantasm fight is a kinda a pain in the ass, but not if you didn't neglect your Poppi.
ah xenoblade 2 my favorite xc game and one of my favorites games of all time, the areas themes always give me chills, and exploring is a lot of fun (except for field skills, fuck field skils)
@@MaxMonado true imo xc3 exploration is amost perfect, but the area themes is underwhelming imo and the lands are uniterissenting, but exploration is a Lot of Fun too Btw Xcx exploration is god tier
My favorite titan is easily uraya I think cause that’s at least for me where the magic of the game reeeeally hits the most. It’s just such a cool concept to be inside a titan that is so beautiful und whimsical like it’s easily the best looking one for me and also hast du most adventures day and calm night theme. Also this combined with the elevated city and the otherworldly looking stairs up there makes up for maybe the most memorable town in the game for me just because how good it’s build up and presented. And then yeah the fight at the end is one of the best fights in the game giving the titan a perfect first experience. Just checks all boxes for me. Tho I do agree with the criticism that it might be a bit confusing and there’s too much water. PLEASE DO THIS FOR XENOBLADE 3
I'm going to be honest as much as i love 2 tracks and especially it's story the world itself... is just a mess in terms of world building and it's literally without any of the core crystal blades, 80% is locked out to you. Yes there are some free ones, but again all those blades to be unique blades or because crystals go into cooldown with an oddly inconsistent cool down, i genuinely made all the good areas insufferable to explore. Props to tantal and its sudden fetish for fire blades, or uraya's random as hell x men legends ice bridges. Granted logically they do make sense but honestly all they do is _shatter the flow_ Like ironic as this is, because of a less emphasis on multiple blades, this kind of turned the spirit crucible into my favorite area in the game because removing pyra removed a huge chunk of field effects with focus, and to be honest the poisonous ether and the particles alongside the emerald triclinic gems very noticeably creaping along the walls tells a story of that while lefteiria is on sturdy ass car lot... fonsett will not last. Something from the aegis' creator wanted this place _teared down_ and it felt like it was like if satorl marsh and the bionis interior had a fucked up baby, complete with tick like unique monsters everywhere. But yeah 1 handled world design the best. Each zone had multiple entrances and exits that naturally intertwined with new areas, as well as goodies for the explorer of the giants. 2 Does not scratch that it, in fact i argue it forces sandpaper on your back for stray hair. But at the end of the day both worlds succeed at communicating what i should watch for in a show don't tell mentality
Yeah Torna looks nice, and Uraya is pretty... But I still think Gormott is the best titan, I just really like how the place looks and it has my favourite field theme
The most disappointing thing to me about the world of Xenoblade 2 is how small each indivudual area is. I would've loved to see a game with areas as large and well-designed as XC3 but that are as unique and breathtaking as XC2. (yes I'm aware that XCX exists and that basically fills that criteria, but I've never been able to play X and it's also a VERY different kind of game)
@@MaxMonado They never replied, did they? They probably didn’t have an answer, but I can tell you Tantal is better than Roaming the Wastes. Nothing beats Alba Cavanich though
Honestly, i feel like this game has an amazing OST. I love it, but... I don't think the areas makes justice to the music. I got bored with almost all areas. For me, just Uraya or Tantal are at the same level than their songs. Maybe even Lefteria. The rest? Clearly not enough for that incredible OST. Oh, i must confess i didn't play Torna yet. I'm actually finishing the last chapter of the main game :)
I can agree on the areas you liked, but damn everything you criticized about everything else is just so wrong to me. I felt like you were purposefully trying to make me mad the whole video
I remember getting very annoyed with how areas where designed, they look great and the music is great but exploring them is confusing and a pain in the ass with no clear ways for progression, and getting stuck in fights which last way to long and garbage field skills, So i preferred xc1 and xc3 exploration
Saying the land of Morytha is a "rip off of the last of us" may just be the single most stupid take ive heard in years what the hell are you on about. Post apocaluptic areas with skyscrapers in not even remotley unique to the last of us, and they LITERALLY arent overgrown like that in morytha
@@MaxMonado there wasnt outrage or anything in that comment. I was just pointing it out. No offense intended, friend. I apologize. I started with Xenogears, and fell in love with each Xenoblade entry that came. Except for Chronicles X, i havent had a chance to play it.
It still feels amazing how MonolithSoft was able to make Xenoblade 2 what it is despite not having much time to develop it with also being focused on helping with Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2, and Xenoblade X still be in development when Xenoblade 2 started development
Monolith really is the goat
Uraya and the Leftherian Archipelago are for me THOSE Xenoblade areas - areas that are so beautiful, colorful and creative, so big and satisfying to explore, and accompanied by such wonderful music that you simply couldn't find their like in any other game series. I remember being initially somewhat worried that Xenoblade 2 wouldn't live up to the first game, but when I first saw gameplay footage of Uraya and heard its music, my doubts went away.
Uraya is just THE area that makes everyone's jaw drop the first time they see it
Uraya is the Titan that made me love this game. I still have many issues with it, but I feel like that area really did it for me, it’s probably my favorite in the entire franchise
Tantal is like THE area for me... I remember having like a physical reaction in a good way when I walked into the city and that music started playing
"just a bunch of metal walls where you can get jump scared by motorcycles" gave me flashbacks 😂
Xenoblade chronicles 2 has my favorite places but the worst first time navigation system
I remember these places more because I would get lost in certain side quests which lead me to appreciate these places more
So true, the areas manage to be good DESPITE of how terrible the map and navigation system is.
"Torna is the best Titan"
Mythra: Hold my beer
Yeah we definitely have different tastes. I really like the "confusing navigation" you were docking points for. It felt like there was a ton to explore and many ways to do it. One of least favorite parts of 3 was how simple and basic the exploration and navigation was.
My only issues with the abandoned factory was that it lagged, and to progress it you had to find some random keys. Also I personally LOVE parkouring above buildings and such in xenoblade 2, so alba cavanich was my playground 🤤
I really miss it. The only tiny sliver of it in xenoblade 3 is fort o virbus where there are a few roofs you can hop around, and colony 4 has a bit of it too
Totally understandable, I also like having a lot of freedom to explore, I just don't like it when there's only 1 route to the story objective which feels unnecessarily complicated like in Uraya and Cliffs of Morytha.
@@MaxMonado true. Especially Uraya with that troll stair case 😂. Though I would've preferred they worked on guiding players along the right path rather than simplifying the level design altogether. Like I wonder if the destination path lines from xenoblade 3 would be enough to accommodate the navigation frustrations in 2, while still keeping all the crazy level design
Hey, the cliffs of morytha music is good
Was a bit surprised by the low placement of Mor Ardain, but I think the music carries the area pretty hard just like you said. It makes all the flaws of the area less annoying to deal with because the music is such a banger. Great video as always!
Mor Ardain is just a big mixed bag for me, for everything it does well there's something annoying, but the music is consistently great
The sheer beauty of this game is what I missed when playing xb3. Uraya especially, everything was perfect. It's my favourite area of any video game, ever
Note: based entirely on its sheer beauty and soundtrack.
Best Xenoblade game once you learn the controls
Xenoblade 2 is where the gameplay of the series started to become REALLY goated
...and literally everything else, since the tutorials are either complete shit, or non-existent.
@@MaxMonado100%
@@MaxMonadotrue xc 2 combat os awesome until you understand What hell you are doing, xc3 is even better!
@@tecmangames69i find xc2 way more fun and challenging than 3 tbh
I really love tantal. Its such a melancholic area and I really enjoyed the sidequests there. Like the sidequest to get Herald!
I loved the spirit crucible personally. It is a beautiful place with the most calming, peaceful music. I quite liked the maze- like structure of the area, and think it fits really well as the place where the third sword was hidden away.
I also enjoyed how it flipped the combat on its head, forcing you to rely more on Poppi or using driver combos. The phantasm fight is a kinda a pain in the ass, but not if you didn't neglect your Poppi.
ah xenoblade 2 my favorite xc game and one of my favorites games of all time, the areas themes always give me chills, and exploring is a lot of fun (except for field skills, fuck field skils)
The exploration would be close to perfect if they just handled field skills in a better way
@@MaxMonado true imo xc3 exploration is amost perfect, but the area themes is underwhelming imo and the lands are uniterissenting, but exploration is a Lot of Fun too
Btw Xcx exploration is god tier
I personally think that Tantal has the best music. Especially the day theme. I'm always looking forward to go there.
Me personally i like the factory music
the fact that i disagreed with almost everything throughout over half the video goes to show how diverse and awesome xenoblade 2 areas are. god bless.
so nostalgic to see theses again in my favorite xenoblade game
My favorite titan is easily uraya I think cause that’s at least for me where the magic of the game reeeeally hits the most. It’s just such a cool concept to be inside a titan that is so beautiful und whimsical like it’s easily the best looking one for me and also hast du most adventures day and calm night theme. Also this combined with the elevated city and the otherworldly looking stairs up there makes up for maybe the most memorable town in the game for me just because how good it’s build up and presented. And then yeah the fight at the end is one of the best fights in the game giving the titan a perfect first experience. Just checks all boxes for me. Tho I do agree with the criticism that it might be a bit confusing and there’s too much water. PLEASE DO THIS FOR XENOBLADE 3
I feel like Argentum should be higher. That’s the area I found myself at for the majority of the game and enjoyed every minute of it
While indol is plain, I really liked the pure white aesthetic after playing the game, knowing how fucking up indol is.
I'm going to be honest as much as i love 2 tracks and especially it's story the world itself... is just a mess in terms of world building and it's literally without any of the core crystal blades, 80% is locked out to you.
Yes there are some free ones, but again all those blades to be unique blades or because crystals go into cooldown with an oddly inconsistent cool down, i genuinely made all the good areas insufferable to explore. Props to tantal and its sudden fetish for fire blades, or uraya's random as hell x men legends ice bridges.
Granted logically they do make sense but honestly all they do is _shatter the flow_
Like ironic as this is, because of a less emphasis on multiple blades, this kind of turned the spirit crucible into my favorite area in the game because removing pyra removed a huge chunk of field effects with focus, and to be honest the poisonous ether and the particles alongside the emerald triclinic gems very noticeably creaping along the walls tells a story of that while lefteiria is on sturdy ass car lot... fonsett will not last.
Something from the aegis' creator wanted this place _teared down_ and it felt like it was like if satorl marsh and the bionis interior had a fucked up baby, complete with tick like unique monsters everywhere.
But yeah 1 handled world design the best.
Each zone had multiple entrances and exits that naturally intertwined with new areas, as well as goodies for the explorer of the giants.
2 Does not scratch that it, in fact i argue it forces sandpaper on your back for stray hair.
But at the end of the day both worlds succeed at communicating what i should watch for in a show don't tell mentality
Yeah Torna looks nice, and Uraya is pretty... But I still think Gormott is the best titan, I just really like how the place looks and it has my favourite field theme
The most disappointing thing to me about the world of Xenoblade 2 is how small each indivudual area is. I would've loved to see a game with areas as large and well-designed as XC3 but that are as unique and breathtaking as XC2.
(yes I'm aware that XCX exists and that basically fills that criteria, but I've never been able to play X and it's also a VERY different kind of game)
How long do you think it will be before the area ranking for 3 comes out?
I have 3 other videos I definitely want to finish first, but around the end of September I'll probably have the 3 area ranking out
The areas of XC1 give me more to explore
But xc2 has so much better music and its ridiculous how good the OST IS FOR IT
Mor Ardain having the best OST is cap
What is the best OST according to you then?
@@MaxMonado
They never replied, did they?
They probably didn’t have an answer, but I can tell you Tantal is better than Roaming the Wastes.
Nothing beats Alba Cavanich though
Honestly, i feel like this game has an amazing OST. I love it, but... I don't think the areas makes justice to the music. I got bored with almost all areas. For me, just Uraya or Tantal are at the same level than their songs. Maybe even Lefteria. The rest? Clearly not enough for that incredible OST.
Oh, i must confess i didn't play Torna yet. I'm actually finishing the last chapter of the main game :)
I can agree on the areas you liked, but damn everything you criticized about everything else is just so wrong to me. I felt like you were purposefully trying to make me mad the whole video
Oof sorry to hear lol, what were some of the things you disagreed with the most then?
Monolith Soft did their best with Torna's DLC, too bad they didn't do the same with Future Connected. It was very good, but not as good as Torna.
FC has a lot of missed potential but at least Torna and FR are both amazing
Torna is OP
Truueeee
I remember getting very annoyed with how areas where designed, they look great and the music is great but exploring them is confusing and a pain in the ass with no clear ways for progression, and getting stuck in fights which last way to long and garbage field skills, So i preferred xc1 and xc3 exploration
I feel you there, the confusing navigation or annoying field skills really bought some areas down
Saying the land of Morytha is a "rip off of the last of us" may just be the single most stupid take ive heard in years what the hell are you on about. Post apocaluptic areas with skyscrapers in not even remotley unique to the last of us, and they LITERALLY arent overgrown like that in morytha
Do you know what a joke is...
Morytha ripping off the last of us. Horribly inaccurate. It's the Zeboim civilization from the original Xeno game, Xenogears
You know that was a joke right
@@MaxMonado there wasnt outrage or anything in that comment. I was just pointing it out. No offense intended, friend. I apologize. I started with Xenogears, and fell in love with each Xenoblade entry that came. Except for Chronicles X, i havent had a chance to play it.
Rip off last of us? Lol
If a game has Zombies it ripped off the last of us, tell me I'm wrong
@@MaxMonado trueing they invented the zombies afterall