At today’s Nintendo Direct 2022.6.22, the upcoming Xenoblade Chronicles 3 real-time combat RPG revealed a substantial amount of information that highlights the game’s story and its mechanics. An expansion pass has also been announced and is available for pre-order on Nintendo eShop. This latest entry of the long-running role-playing series is set to release for Nintendo Switch on July 29.
▍Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Story
The people of Keves and Agnus have a lifespan of 10 years. Born to fight, they were trained as soldiers from an early age, fighting to defeat their enemies and fill the clock of life.
Our story begins with three soldiers from each of the warring nations, who were then sent to eliminate each other. However, after meeting a mysterious figure, they decide to band together to learn the truth about their world.
▍Combat
In Xenoblade Chronicles 3, each character has specific Arts or abilities, and each of them is assigned to the right and left JoyCon. They can do a variety of attacks and supporting roles, and each of the six main characters specializes in different arts.
You can also swap freely between characters, and use Chain Arts with the ZR button. These are linked attacks that involve multiple characters, which can turn the tide of battle.
▍Class System
Each party member is part of a series of classes: Swordfighter (Attacker), Zephyr (Defender), Medic Gunner (Healer), Tactician (Healer), Heavy Guard (Defender), and finally, Ogre (Attacker). Each class can learn different Artes and has different links as well.
Players are able to switch their party members’ classes however they please! What’s more, once you master a certain class, you’ll be able to retain certain skills from it, even after the change, allowing for a very flexible battle strategy.
▍Explore a Vast World in Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Explore fields that are rich in ecosystems, ranging from gentle to hostile enemies. Among them, powerful monsters with two names are called “Unique Monsters”. If you think you cannot win, it is important to know when to run away!
Each region is dotted with Colonies, which are the respective strongholds of Keves and Agnus. Inside each colony is a huge mobile base, which is also a good weapon for battle.
▍Amiibo Support
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is confirmed to have Amiibo support! Any Amiibo you scan will give you rewards, but if you scan the Shulk Amiibo specifically, you can get the Monado weapon skin!
That being said, if you don’t own the Shulk Amiibo (especially since it’s incredibly hard to find one these days…), you can still obtain the Monado skin by clearing the game once!
▍Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Expansion Pass
At the end of the Direct, a $30 Expansion Pass has been revealed. This Expansion Pass will add many items, such as Outfit Color Variants and even new content. Among that new content, a brand-new story scenario is included.
While all of the other DLCs mentioned in the image have defined release dates, the story DLC features a placeholder December 31, 2023 date. You can already pre-purchase the Expansion Pass from Nintendo eShop.
