异度神剑

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异度神剑, known in Japan as 异度神剑 (Japanese: ゼノブレイド, Zenobureido), is a role-playing video game published by Nintendo and developed by Monolith Soft for the Wii 中央控制台. The game was announced during E3 2009, when a 拖挂车 was released to media. The 拖挂车 shows a futuristic sword-wielding character battling giant robots and creatures as well as third-person exploration gameplay. In January 2010, the game was renamed from Monado: Beginning of the World to 异度神剑 to honor Tetsuya Takahashi, "who poured his soul into making this and who has been working on the Xeno series". The game was released on June 10, 2010 in Japan, and released on August 19, 2011 in PAL regions. The game was released in North America on April 6, 2012.

Gameplay

The game conveys the feeling of freedom to the player through large, open environments, and is not as focused on cutscenes and story as its sibling games Xenogears and Xenosaga. 异度神剑 has an action-based battle system where normal attacks will happen automatically at intervals, similar to the set up in Final Fantasy XII. However, everything else is done manually, including movement of the character the player is using, which plays an integral role into Shulk's special attacks. Special attacks recharge separately when used and are set by the player on a "battle palette" at the bottom of the screen. The game also has the "Visions" system, where the player can see glimpses of the future, and try to react or prevent it from happening.

The game has a number of features labeled as "Time Saving Support Features". For instance, while the game has a day and 夜间 time cycle, players can "wind the clock" to the time they want to go to, rather than just letting time elapse. Additionally, while the game is about exploration, many warp points have been added to aid in traversing the land. The game also sports a "save anywhere" feature, a feature relatively rare among the 中央控制台 RPG genre.

Another of the game's systems is the "affinity system," in which characters can partake in many optional sidequests with non-player characters. Completing such quests can alter perception of the character in the towns, and open up additional story sequences.

The game has extensive customization, such as being able to change the character's outfits, and having those changes be seen in battle, field, and even event scenes.

Story

Main article: 异度神剑 (plot)

Characters


Shulk	Reyn	Fiora	Sharla	Dunban	Melia	Riki

异度神剑 3D

A New 3DS port of this game, titled 异度神剑 3D, was released worldwide in April 2015. This port was co-developed by Monster Games, an independent company, since Monolith Soft was working on the upcoming 异度神剑 title at the time. It is not compatible with previous Nintendo 3DS models.

The development was originally intended for the regular Nintendo 3DS, but due to hardware limitations, it lacked the power and memory to run the game efficiently. Unbeknownst that the Wii's processing capabilities were greater than the 3DS, Monster Games requested that the 3DS needed an upgraded version with a more power CPU and more memory to run the port properly. As such, Nintendo announced about the New 3DS that was more powerful than the previous counterpart, and its increased power made it possible to run the port properly. With the inclusion of the ZL and ZR buttons as well as the C-Stick, meant that the original Wii Classic Controller button layout could be used without adjustment. As part of the alterations made to the port, much of the on-screen information was moved down to the bottom touch screen to avert clutter to the top screen, while the layout was carefully arranged so as to maintain the feel of the original as much as possible.

To maintain frame rate and the seamless transitions between environments, unspecified "technical tricks" were used. They also worked hard to include 3D capacity despite the resultant technical difficulties. The most difficult part of the development was getting the game's scale to function within the new hardware. This entailed the creation of a new graphics engine with a custom visibility culling and complex level of detail systems. All of the environments were rebuilt and optimized for the new system while keeping the original aesthetic intact. The reason given for porting the game to the New 3DS rather than the Wii U home 中央控制台 was that the length of the game could be intimidating, especially for modern-day gamers, even if it was becoming more used to on-the-go, quick gaming sessions.

The game is displayed on both screens. A new feature consists of using the bottom screen as a map, as well as displaying party member information such as the Level, the HP, the character's portrait with the reflected Tension change and the inflicted Status Effect.

The new Collection Mode is another new feature allowing the ability to view the game's 3D models from any angle in the Model Viewer, and listen to the musical score in the Jukebox via a token based lottery. The Shulk amiibo can be scanned daily to unlock twenty-one tokens each week (three tokens per day).

In Japan the first print run included the 1-CD Special Soundtrack.

异度神剑 Wii U eShop

The downloadable Wii version of 异度神剑 was released on the Wii U eShop on August 5, 2015 in PAL territories, on April 28, 2016 in Americas, and on July 27, 2016 in Japan. The downloadable digital distribution takes up 6588.0 MB of hard disk space. The game is fully playable on either the Gamepad using off-TV play, or on the TV, and does not require a Wii Remote.

By buying the game on the eShop, Nintendo of Europe offered €10/£9 off 异度神剑X bought on the eShop during the two weeks following its release in December 2015.

异度神剑: Definitive Edition

At the end of the September 4, 2019 Nintendo Direct, a high-definition remaster port titled 异度神剑: Definitive Edition (Japanese: ゼノブレイドディフィニティブ・エディション) was announced to be released on may 29th 2020 for the Nintendo 开关.

This version improves the graphics with high-definition assets and redesigned key characters. Most music tracks are remastered with new recordings (original versions remain available as an option), and the user interface has been updated for improved ease of use. The Definitive Edition does not include the features of the 3DS version, i.e. Collection Mode and amiibo compatibility. It is the first 异度神剑 release with new language options such as Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.

A new epilogue story, called 异度神剑: Future Connected, revolves around Shulk and Melia on Bionis' 肩 accompanied by Kino and Nene. This additional story is accessible from the beginning, it is not needed to 晴天 the main storyline.

Time Attack is a new feature added to the main storyline, during which 敌人 must be defeated in the shortest possible time. It is similar to the Challenge Battle Mode of 异度神剑 2. Time Attack can be reached through portals that appear in various locations. The 诺彭 Archsage is waiting and will propose two types of challenges: "Free" challenges where the current party can be used, and "Restricted" challenges that use a set party. A selected task starts a time attack, 敌人 appear one after another and must be battled. Once they are all defeated, depending on the evaluation (Cleared task time, battle success), noponstone is earned and can be exchanged for equipment and gems, in particular new armour sets that are not obtainable in normal game.

The new "Events Theater" feature, similar to the one in 异度神剑 2, features every game event and allows you to watch them again. You can apply various modifications to the events as well (equipment, time, weather).

Updates

Several free updates have been released for the game on 开关. These are downloaded automatically when the game is launched if the 中央控制台 has a working internet connection. Each update can expand the game content or fix bugs and glitches.

Version 1.1.0

The version 1.1.0 update was released on may 28, 2020. It included the following 将军 issues:

Fixed lockups that sometimes occurred on skip-travel and event-scene transition screens.
Fixed an issue with the quest Finding Happiness where the incorrect speaker name was being displayed.
Fixed an issue that prevented Status and Item details from displaying when the cursor was moved quickly between Cosmetic Equipment and Equipment on the Change Equipment screen.
The buff icon now updates with the 物理 and 以太 defense buffs received and lost when the Monado Art “Armor” is activated and expires.
Fixed the following issues with the 敌人 party of Leg Volffs when Napping Volffen moved toward the waterfall by the Volff Lair:
- Leg Volffs would continually move around and respawn in a small area, with an additional Leg Volff suddenly appearing.
- The Leg Volffs would stop at the watering hole instead of moving with Napping Volffen when it appeared.
- Battling any remaining Leg Volffs would cause the battle to end abruptly, and battles would start and stop as soon as you entered their line of sight.
Fixed an issue where sound effects would continue into the subsequent scene when event skip was used during a scene where the future is shown.
Fixed an issue where continuing to use the debuff skill “Lock-on” on an 敌人 would cause it to target only the first user of the skill.
Fixed a lockup that occurred in the Central Pit when boarding the elevator with your controlled character at a certain time during its descent.

Version 1.1.1

The version 1.1.1 update was released on may 28, 2020. It included the following 将军 issues:

Fixed an issue that prevented the Arts Palette from closing when no selectable arts were available during a Chain Attack.
Fixed an issue that prevented the Arts Palette from closing when no selectable arts were available during a Chain Attack and the 垃圾 Sword was equipped.

Version 1.1.2

The version 1.1.2 update was released on July 8, 2020. It included the following 将军 issues:

Feature Changes

Changing the Tutorial notifications in Notification Settings to Don’t Notify will now cause recommendations to try Casual Mode to not appear.
- This can be set through Options → Notification Settings and setting Tutorials to Don’t Notify.
Some of the “!” icons appearing on the area map and in the field while using Travel Guidance can now be disabled. Disabling them will remove them from 敌人 and collectibles concerning the quest, however they will still appear above the quest-giving NPC as usual.
- This can be set through Options → Display Settings and setting Travel Guidance to Hide.

Spec Adjustments

Starting a New Game Plus after lowering character levels in the New Game Plus Settings could cause the number of 牵绊 Coins held to decrease. If this has occurred, loading save data will apply the correct amount.
Starting a New Game Plus after lowering character levels in the New Game + Settings would result in more Skill Links being active than 牵绊 Coins available for them. If this has occurred, removing Skill Links so that they are lower than the number of 牵绊 Coins will cause them to function as usual. Additionally, Skill Links can be removed with the + Button.
Fixed the attack-interval value during battle for some characters (Shulk, Reyn, and Nene are unaffected). The attack intervals while affected by Slow will slow down and quicken while affected by Haste—making it easier to sense when affected by Haste/Slow.
Fixed an issue after a boss fight in Chapter 16 where three-slot 武器 would become two-slot 武器, with all equipped gems being removed.
Fixed an issue where switching the BGM between Arranged and Original in the options during certain event scenes wouldn’t affect the song “Engage the 敌人.”
- "Engage the Enemy" can be changed with Toggle Field BGM in the Options.

Lockups

Fixed a lockup that occurred when closing the quest-clear dialogue during the quest Clearing Obstructions after Reyn’s level rose to 16 after beating three Zealous Arachnos.
Fixed a lockup that sometimes occurred when battling Nero Andos.
Fixed an issue that caused the player to become uncontrollable when attempting to trade with an NPC who disappeared due to the passage of time.
Fixed an issue that caused the player to become uncontrollable when falling off a ledge just before seeing a vision from a collectible.
Fixed an issue that caused the player to become uncontrollable after finishing a battle while unconscious.
Fixed a lockup that occurred when changing gems or the time on the main menu during the interval in the last battle.
Fixed a lockup that occurred when bringing up information dialogue while pressing the – Button to call up Help at the same time.
Fixed an issue that caused characters to be in the 倒地 status when an event scene and a vision prompted by a collectible item would occur at the same time.

其它 Fixes

Fixed an issue that caused the quest to become unacceptable when changing to a different event or changing the time while talking to a quest-giving NPC.
Fixed an issue where if the controlled character were cheered up and HP were restored at the same time they lost consciousness, they would lose consciousness with that amount of HP remaining.
Fixed an issue where Travel Guidance wouldn’t display correctly during the quest Monado Replica 5.
Fixed an issue where selecting Arts simultaneously with being dazed would cause the character to be stuck in the fainting motion.
Fixed an issue where accepting a quest with the 武器 Development Lab as its destination would cause the Travel Guidance route not to appear.
Fixed an issue where loading an autosave file after hearing a quest-acceptance conversation would cause quest progress already seen to return to that before having heard the conversation.
Fixed an issue that caused battles with Gentle Mother Armu, Baby Armus, and Deluded Ignas to be disengaged too easily.
Fixed an issue where changing the controlled character while climbing a wall would cause the character to fall through the wall.
Fixed an issue where the BGM wouldn’t play during certain event scenes.
Fixed an issue where in Chapter Nine, while the Mechon soldiers do battle with the Laias on Prison Island, viewing Prison Island from Eryth Sea would show the battle effects, but they weren’t visible from Imperial Capitol Alcamoth.
Fixed an issue that caused leveling up after defeating an 敌人 with a Chain Attack to cause the numeric display of the level to appear strange.
Although the added damage would function properly, fixed an issue that caused the damage displayed on screen to appear 256 points lower than the actual value when the additional damage value of added attack gems would surpass 256.

In Tetris 99

Through the 14th MAXIMUS CUP event 拖挂车 of Tetris 99 published on June 23th 2020, Nintendo has announced that after having accumulated a total of 100 event points, earned based on the placement in each match, a new theme will unlock, featuring art, music and Tetrimino designs inspired by 异度神剑: Definitive Edition. The music is specifically "Time to Fight!" when starting, "Mechanical Rhythm" at the top 50, and "You Will Know Our Names" at the top 10.

Reception

Famitsu awarded the game 9/9/9/9 in its review, totaling 36/40. 异度神剑 debuted at #1 in its week of release in Japan, selling 83,000 copies. It was also voted the third most 有趣 game released in Japan during the first half of 2010 in a survey conducted by Dengeki.

Awards

IGN - 2012 Best Wii U / Wii Game
IGN - 2012 People's Choice Best Wii U / Wii Game
Nintendo Life - Staff Award for Wii Retail Game of 2012
Nintendo Life - Community Award for Wii Retail Game of 2012
TechTudo (Brazlian website) - Best Wii-exclusive game of 2012 (in Portuguese).
Gamespot UK - Editor's Choice Best Wii Game of 2011
MMGN - 2011 Best RPG

Merchandise

Several tie-in products have been released. These include:

A 异度神剑 Special Soundtrack which was available as a free download in Europe for anyone who registered a copy of 异度神剑 within a certain period of time after its release. It was also included as a 物理 CD in Japan with the first print run of 异度神剑 3D.
The full 异度神剑 Original Soundtrack was released as a 4-CD set in Japan.
异度神剑: The Secret File is a book released in Japan. It contains concept art, background information on the game, and a short story. A French version was released later in France with a very limited number of pre-orders of the game (only 1000 copies).
异度神剑: The Complete Guide is a book released in Japan. It is a strategy guide that contains maps, 敌人 drops, and 其它 information useful for players of the game.
A special bundle containing the 异度神剑 game copy with a red Wii Classic Controller was released in Europe.
A 异度神剑 Steelbook was offered in Europe for a limited time as a pre-order bundle of the game.
A trilogy promotion and commemorative coin collection was offered in Europe for a very limited registration of the three 异度神剑, The Last Story and Pandora's Tower game copies on the Nintendo Club website (Games trilogy know as Operation Rainfall trilogy in North America). This tie-in consist of a special black case containing the three gold-coloured coins bearing their respective game's logo on one side and a symbol on the reverse.
A 40-piece 异度神剑 puzzle was released worldwide for the Puzzle Swap game on Nintendo 3DS in June and July of 2013, with the exact release date varying by region.
An amiibo of Shulk was released worldwide in January and February of 2015 as part of a line of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U amiibo, with the exact release date varying by region. In the US, the amiibo is exclusive to Gamestop.
Two 异度神剑 themes were created for the New Nintendo 3DS:
- One theme is "Xenoblade Chronicles: Monado" which gives a view of Shulk and friends overlooking the Bionis. The song playing in this theme is 高尔 Plain.
- Another theme is "Xenoblade Chronicles: Mechonis" which shows the Box Art and plays the Main Theme.
Two bundles of 异度神剑: Definitive Edition were released, the Definitive Works Set in North America, and the Collector's Set in Europe and Japan, with a new 250-page artbook.
Several goodies from 异度神剑: Definitive Edition were made in Japan, in particular the Monado keychain also available in Europe as a pre-order bonus from certain stores.
Goodsmile will make a scale figure of Melia from 异度神剑: Definitive Edition.
Two 物理 rewards from 异度神剑: Definitive Edition are added on My Nintendo Store in September of 2020, they are a Phone Ring Holder purchasable for 500 Platinum Points, and Three Sheets of Stickers for 300 Platinum Points.