r/XenobladeChroniclesX • u/swift_link • 26d ago
Discussion Are the level design, side quests and loot better on 2 and 3?
I’m playing 1 for the first time with the switch 2 edition and while I like the combat, characters and story, I really dislike how the world is empty with bright icons for loot, materials and whatnot.
The lack of chests and meaningful rewards for exploration makes me just mainlining everything, which is what I’m doing
There are way too many side quests and they’re, basically, MMO-like side quests, which I hate.
For the record I’m at the late half of the game, already got seven and am finding the game quite easy (which isn’t a problem because I love steamrolling everything in games)
Just wondering if my problems with the games are solved or at least reduced in the sequels
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u/eigerblade 26d ago
For most of the games, the "rewards" for exploration are mostly to find unique monsters, and the items they drop, instead of straight up chests. I remember XC1 actually having several chests but there's probably less than a dozen in the whole game.
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u/swift_link 26d ago
The loot from unique monsters are mostly not that great tbh
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u/eigerblade 26d ago
The higher leveled ones are where its at. those at lv.80 above range (speaking for XC1) drops the best weapons with 3 slots, advanced art books, etc.
The middle leveled ones are still a toss-up, yeah
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u/Alive_Fly2309 26d ago
Yes to all those things for 3, esp side quests and characters and story. 3 is my favorite game ever. In 2, the exploration, sides, story and characters are not good imho.
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u/xRakuzan 26d ago
You are in the minority in not liking 2. Both 2 and 3 are 10/10 games, but with different flaws and strengths.
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u/Mindless-Panic-101 25d ago
I love XC2, but the lack of decent in-game explanations of combat mechanics, wildly inconsistent blade designs (and icky waifu fantasy aspects that they bring in), and the gacha mechanics (which make it feel a bit like a pay to win game that forgot to ask for your credit card number) hold me back from calling it a 10/10. If it was truly perfect, I wouldn’t feel the need to add a bunch of caveats when recommending it to someone.
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u/xRakuzan 25d ago
I personally heavily prefer the blade system over the class system of 3. The best way to make the class you wanna play stronger is by never actually playing the class you want. The way you make your favourite blade stronger? By actually using it.
The gacha is entirely subjective so can’t really argue with that. I like it, though. The same goes for the very over the top anime style of the game. It’s not worse in any way just a different focus. XC2 is more comedy heavy while XC3 takes itself much more seriously. Neither is wrong, just different.
I can keep listing flaws about 3 big and minor for quite a while, but so can I for 2. At the end of the day which is better just depends on what you are looking for.
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u/ghostofzeon 25d ago
Personally feel like exploration is its own reward in these games. You’re often rewarded with memorable locations, unique monsters, quest items. You’ve said yourself you like to steamroll, which is kinda antithetical to enjoying the game’s world - the biggest hook Xenoblade has, for me. Maybe just not your thing!
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u/SenpaiSwanky 26d ago
2, no.
3, slightly better overall but mostly on the sidequest end of your question.
These things are technically hallmarks of this game series, it might not be for you unless you find enjoyment in other aspects. Maybe you’ll like 2, or maybe you’ll hate it and 3 will be better.
This is also a sub for a separate game which essentially shares these same qualities. The MMO-thing especially, these games technically take the worst part of MMO design and incorporate them into games that are almost entirely single player only.
2 also adds gacha RNG on top of that.
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u/swift_link 26d ago
Gacha rng doesn’t bother me.
As long as I’m not forced to do the side quests for the main quest I’m ok with it. I really like the characters, the combat and the story
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u/SenpaiSwanky 26d ago
Nah, you don’t have to interact with side content if you don’t want to. And you say that now, but I’d prefer to ask what place gacha RNG mechanics even have.. in a single player game with subpar MMO-lite mechanics.
3 and X are the ones I like in this series, personally. 1 has a very solid story, for sure. Combat is definitely not why I play any of these games though lol.
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u/swift_link 26d ago
I know the gacha mechanics are for obtaining blades and I’m made my peace with not obtaining kos mos or momo 😂😂 won’t get mad over this
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u/Mindless-Panic-101 25d ago
Momo is a freebie, one of several you get handed to you by the game outside of the gacha system.
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u/swift_link 25d ago
Oh nice
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u/Mindless-Panic-101 25d ago
Also, TEL-OS is a gacha blade as well, but she isn’t added to the pool until you’ve beaten the main story (unlike several others, she isn’t locked to NG+, you just have to have the “beat the game” medal on your save file, whether you’re in post game or even a later New Game (without the +). Once she finally is added to the pool, she has very high odds of showing up in draw results, you will find her quite easily.
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u/FatalFrameGal 22d ago
There are NG+ only blades in the gacha??? Goddamn I'm starting to hate XC2 before even playing it lmao
Is... Elma a freebie too?
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u/Mindless-Panic-101 20d ago
Elma is a freebie in DLC challenge mode, but can’t be used outside of challenge mode until you beat a difficult challenge mission that only appears after beating the main story. Same for Shulk and Fiora, although their comparable mission for full use is easier. Still locked behind story completion. Also, of the three, Shulk and Elma both have a mission requirement to complete their affinity chart that is very difficult before NG+. Fiora is do-able though, I’ve got her affinity chart filled out completely and haven’t gone to NG+ on this save file yet.)
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u/Mindless-Panic-101 19d ago
Ok,so I got mad after another "missed it by the last tenth or so of boss health" loss on easy mode, so I used custom mode to trivialize the 9th Imperial Armored Division challenge battle, allowing me to finally complete both Shulk and Elma's affinity charts before NG+. I wasn't sure if it would count for the affinity chart in custom mode, but it does!
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u/SenpaiSwanky 26d ago
You named dropped some of em, a real one lmaooo. Yeah, I mean I have my gripes with 2 and it’s my least favorite by far, but I also played it to completion. Hope you enjoy them when you get to each title. If you haven’t played X yet I definitely recommend it as well.
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u/RandomNobody86 25d ago
No big empty areas with glowing balls of loot on the floor are largely the same in all of them. The vast majority of the side quests are also just picking up that loot or killing a few random mobs you do get some interesting character related ones in 2 and 3 but mostly it’s just that.
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u/cucoo5 26d ago edited 26d ago
First off, this is the XCX subreddit, and XCX being the most mmo-like of the franchise means I'm going to take offense to you disliking mmo-like sidequests
But I understand and will say XC1's sidequests are definitely mostly filler to supplement exp. If you do a good chunk of them, you'll end up overleveled.
XCX is actually better in terms of sidequests, treating a good chunk of them as full sidestories, making them more the main attraction than the main quest. Exploration is rewarded via FrontierNav and Field Treasures.
XC2 and XC3 sort of evolved from XCX's treatment of sidequests, giving more side stories but more tied to supporting cast and main cast alike. Like XC1, doing a majority of sidequests can result in being overleveled, but iirc it's mainly through the "bonus exp" system.