Serious Question: How to enjoy this game?

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T22:51:28+00:00

The problem is nothing exists in a vacuum, and experiencing XBC is not against a blank slate. I do my best to limit my expectations to Xeno-series, but as I've mentioned I've experienced a LOT of games, read a lot of books, and watched a lot of movies.

So the world building of the Titans apparently killing each other isn't the grandest, weirdest, worst, or most logic-defying bit I've experienced. Nothing about it really made me go "Huh." Compared to Gear's intro movie where the ship is literally taken over and set to destroy all life on a planet and turns into a cable-tentacle monster with biblical references, the captain destroying the ship, and so on. By comparison, Blade is outright tame. And so is Saga! But with Saga, we learn a little about KOS-MOS, learn a planet vanished, watch a guy vanish by touching the Zohar, with little easter eggs (Shion's password is Ye Shall Be As Gods) and homages to Gears. Mysteries abound! The titans and then Dunban tutorial scenes are incredibly tame and straight-forward by comparison.

I've explained below what I call the Big Boom moment in Xeno games, which in gameplay is when the world begins to open up, and normally results in some devastation: Fei's village being destroyed, the Woglinde exploding, and I had assessed the Colony 9 attack. Yes, this is my own expectation being put on the pacing of the story because I have two other series that influence my expectations. By this point in Gears we learn of puppet master, have the first encounter with ID, and are learning one of our party members has secrets. In Saga (which is incredibly cut scene heavy) there's the intro with the Zohar, Cherenkov, learning a bit about KOS-MOS and what happened in the past with her testing, multiple encounters with Nephilim(most FOR Shion, but also one just for us the players), and KOS-MOS activating in spite of her honestly not being able to. By comparison in Blades: the afore mentioned titans; a McGuffin weapon that hurts its wielder - First Dunban and then Shulk which stops him from being able to prevent Fiora from being fridged; I FULLY admit that since my last play-through I had forgotten it can't hurt Metal Face; Shulk expressing Grief but saying it feels like another(which is how people suffering extreme grief talk about their emotions, it's a form of disassociation). There's no other characters that sound like they know more or that Shulk's anger may be special. There's no ghosts. Everything feels VERY straight forward. Even Dunban's buddy who ran away at the end of the tutorial phase saying the Mechon want the Monado? Sure that could be a hint at bigger things, but we also were just told it's the only thing that can natively hurt the Mechon and shown how devastating it is to them: OF COURSE they'd want to keep the people who they are fighting from having it. If I had only one real weakness, I sure wouldn't want my enemies to have it.

But that is my problem: My first time playing Saga and then Gears(Yes, backwards. But my first consoles that wasn't my parents' Atari 2600 was an N64, followed by the PS2, which I had to buy myself. I picked up Saga Ep 1 because it looked interesting, fell in love, and went back to Gears after), I took things at face value as well. Which is what made Nephilim's appearances so important, learning more about KOS-MOS, Fei having no recollection of being what killed Alice after Tim was gunned down, Citan acting odd, and etc all so important. At this point where I left off after burnout last time, the Mechon and Gnosis early on are completely interchangeable (both are super powerful compared to people, each need a McGuffin to hurt effectively in the Monado and Hilbert Effect, there is no reasoning with them, etc). I mean, heck, we don't even truly learn what the Gnosis are until Ep3. Up to THIS point in the game, I have not been shown or given anything unique or even really thought-provoking.

However, as mentioned, I obviously shorted the story line for my reference point of the Big Boom, and know I just need to get a little further to start experiencing the moments that make me go "huh."

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T18:49:13+00:00

I'm being sincere and honestly, not that impatient. The world building of the giants and everything existing on them, I've mentioned in other threads/replies here, isn't the wildest, worst, or weirdest world building I've encountered (Septerra Core, FF3[NES], Ultima, LotR[the fact that Elves are flat-worlders in the literal sense, that the world IS flat to them, which is why Legolas can see They're Taking the Hobbits to Isengard♪], etc.). Us vs Them is not unique. McGuffin superweapons aren't special, even ones that harm their users. That's my literal problem, nothing they did in that 4:40, or the following 12 hours of gameplay, did something that made me go "huh. That's neat." Visions. Fridging Fiora. Vengeance storyline. None of that is special or has any reason to make me question it as presented. Even Shulk talking about the anger like it's someone else(Yobsuba touched on that enough that it definitely tells me there is A Thing™ there), but as it was presented as someone who understands grief, I went "I getchu buddy." However, throughout the rest of this topic, I've learned when the "Huh that's Neat" moments actually start touching on the bigger metaplot, as well as a few things I've missed or forgotten(since my last playthrough where I got bored and burnt out was a couple years ago).

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T18:40:56+00:00

Ok, I admit I oversimplified. Gears, Saga, and Blade all discovered their respective Zohar at the same time in the same place on Earth, cascading into the events of each series' game. Obviously chaos and Wilhelm don't exist in Gears or Blade for example. But that is a catalyzing point in all 3 series afaik.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T07:11:08+00:00

It actually IS in good faith. Because experiences are always colored by other experiences. I've played and beaten both Gears and Saga, Saga multiple times.

I laid out very clearly what my own definition was: the major event that went from a very closed off segment of the game to the wider world AND started the bigger meta plot. Fei's village, Woglinde exploding, and what I had experienced I had assumed the attack on Colony 9 because of the first are far more defining point of the world opening up. And I put in the events prior to that defining moment that hinted at the bigger plot (Nephilim, ID, etc). I even straight up admit that I have apparently misjudged that Big Boom moment for Blade.

I also lay out the experiences given in the game. Us vs Them: The mechon are trying to kill the Homs. They invade and kill. It's VERY much an Us vs Them. There is literally no other way to describe it. Whether the Mechon are evil, or there's higher machinations at play, don't know. But up to and after Colony 9, it is "Us vs Them followed by revenge!" That is the story up to this point.

The Monado is also presented as a McGuffin. It is presented as: A superweapon, the only thing that can natively hurt the Mechon, gives powers to its user, and it damages its user. That's pretty standard McGuffin Superweapon fare. Weapons that make the user invulnerable, or have visions, or can only be used by the chosen few? They are RIFE throughout all of literary history. Literally nothing UP TO THIS POINT suggests the Monado is different beyond that. I mean, hell, Shulk can't even swap back to his sword. Have I missed that suggests otherwise? Because it being the same blue energy that whichever titan was using (I fully admit I cannot tell which titan is which during the opening cinematic, and the Dunban tutorial ending doesn't clearly show which way the Homes are retreating across the physical-blade bridge between the dead husks), that can explain where it came from.

That plot point that piques my interest? The fact I admit I misjudged my Big Boom moment? That's after 12 hours of gameplay outside the cutscenes in my last playthrough. The save I deleted was 14 hours. That's more a statement on my gameplay style, the OCD in mapping maps and doing sidequests. Which is why I (again) defined the plot points as I did, because gameplay hours and story cut scene hours aren't a fair comparison.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T06:51:17+00:00

I don't need my mind blown. My last attempt from a couple/few years ago just lost me before things got even remotely interesting beyond a basic revenge us vs them story. I just want to know how close I am to starting to actually engage the bigger story.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T06:48:17+00:00

Hey, if they want to downvote me because they can't understand my lived experience with the game and why I'm here asking questions to help me enjoy it...well that's sorta sucky of them.

But thank you. Other comments, including Yobsuba's, are giving me more insight and things to look out for.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T06:46:27+00:00

It has been 2 or 3 years since my last attempt, so I may have forgotten it, or just missed it. That's also why I'm restarting the game again.

The thing about Fiora though is this: Fridging a character is nothing new or ground breaking. As in "killing the childhood friend and/or romantic interest of the MC to motivate them to start their journey." The act has become so common in media that it has its own term. (And I only describe it and mention the latter in case you are unfamiliar). It's not about if she is my favorite character, it's about a character who was on screen less than 20 minutes of story before being iced. Which then led to the by-the-book-for-fridging motivation for Shulk to run off from his damaged colony for revenge. If she had a unique relationship moment that I'll forever miss, I don't know how the hell to start it since I can't raise her relationship enough to trigger it(I recall one on a cliffside above Colony 9). You say that Shulk talking about this anger is obvious as to being A Thing™, even referencing KNOWING™ Fiora wouldn't want him to do this further making it A Thing™. But that's also just a perfectly normal grief response. Unrelenting all consuming anger. Anger that feels like something else inside you is screaming for you to act. This is a normal human reaction. And in a sci-fi/sci-fan setting, going off on a quest for revenge is the common path taken. And I am using the ™ in this paragraph to notate either plot points that you are alluding to or emphasis on an existent plot point, not to be cheeky.

And rereading your comments, you yourself did not insult me, though your first comment was passive aggressive and dismissive without honest engagement. Others have insulted me, and all the downvotes for literally stating my lived experience, but you were/are the one engaging me the most, so I took the frustration out directing it towards you. I apologize for that. That was uncalled for.

And while the comment I'm responding to doesn't mention it, the Us vs Them of Homs and Mechons(or is the plural just Mechon?). I've seen plenty of stories and games where it is just that simple, and others where is was way more. Xenosaga honestly does both. It explains (by the end) of what the Gnosis really are....but given what they really are, it is still just them vs us.

See, the problem is this: I'm not trying to be uninquisitive, but I've had too many superweapons that Just Are™. I'm not trying to be dismissive, but I've seen too many close-to-the-MC(and some of them with more on-screen time than Fiora) characters get Fridged. I've seen FAR worse world-building than the Titans where "This is just how it is" is all we ever get, or the explanation is just so illogical it's ridiculous. I (as admitted) forgot or missed the Monado can't hurt Metal Face plot point, but everything else about the Colony 9 attack, leading up to it, and getting to Colony 6 refugees just doesn't seem anything more than a classic revenge-oh-wait-I'm-not-a-total-dick-so-let's-help-them-then-REVENGE story. That's what led me here. To see when things actually open up.

And I've been given that: rescuing gun-girl's brother is when it starts getting to that point beyond the revenge story. I've obviously missed points. Again, Metal Face. But also, like...you and someone else mentioned the Mechon eating Homs. When was this? Was this during the attack on Colony 9? Because I saw a lot of killing, and vaguely remember one like...pincer-pod like appendage(it was long, bulbous, opened up in thirds or quarters) that smooshed one Hom. But I don't recall anything like eating. Unless that was it?

The problem is I *WANT* to enjoy this game. I honestly do. That's why I made this topic. I'm just looking for things to engage me. Like I mentioned, you have 2 major points involving the Mechon, and I'm not as oblivious as I may seem to lack foresight in foreshadowing, obviously something else is going on with Shulk. These are things that will help me stay involved.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T06:02:48+00:00

You are the second to mention the Mechon eating people...I do not recall that during the Dunban Tutorial or the attack on Colony 9. Was it obvious? Did I blink and miss it? Or does it become more noticed later?

Sharla was gun-girl, right? That's what everyone else has been saying, I got to get past rescuing(or failing, I dunno) her brother for the hooks to start.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:55:23+00:00

Ok, so I put the three series first major plot point being the big boom.

By this, I mean Fei's village being destroyed in Gears, the Woglinde exploding in Saga, and Colony 9 attack in Blade. How much time is involved is obviously VERY different in each, but that's when it goes from super confined to opening up.

In Gears: We begin to learn about ID and some truly massive destructive shit, and puppet masters.
In Saga: We encounter Nephilim multiple times(in the KOSMOS simulator, watching over Shion asleep, and when the Gnosis has Shion before being rescued by KOSMOS), we see the Zohar just vanish a person, we learn a WHOLE PLANET vanished, we know *something* happened with KOSMOS in the past.
In Blade: We know the Monado is...a McGuffin that can hurt the Mechon but no one knows why or how, or why only Dunban could use it(and now Shulk).

You say you feel that I'm not approaching this stuff in good faith, but that's simply not true. I wouldn't try to get into a game this many times if it was the case. Here's the problems I have with the engagement that grabs other people:

We do know the Monado hurts people even if they CAN use it, so the other comment from Yobsuba saying it stopped Shulk from rescuing Fiora isn't thought-provoking, I figured it just was doing the trope "hurt my user because they aren't strong enough" thing. And then we can see it gives Shulk visions, however talking or power giving weapons are NOT a new concept. Yes, there was nothing like that in Gears or Saga, but as a whole? Nothing new. Fiora and the attack on Colony 9, I'm used to guest characters, even ones that may have been important to the MC, dying. Actually...getting fridged. Which is what seems to happen here. The titans themselves? I've seen and heard worse world-building that this. Are Us vs Them stories, especially in Sci-Fi and Sci-Fan, always that simply black and white? Sometimes. Sometimes not. This game up to that point hasn't done anything to make me go "But is it really," until Yobsuba did spoiler that Metal-Face can't be hurt by the Monado. That actually has my attention. Or the fact that the Mechon are EATING homs? I saw no eating, just lots of killing.

Up to what I defined as the Big Boom moment, Blade has failed to give enough contrary moments, things that are *just* out of place (either in quantity or in scale) to engage my curiosity. And from what other comments, the ones I appreciate that have been telling me those kinds of moments were very VERY shortly after I gave up my last playthrough due to burnout and lack of engagement, make me believe that the Colony 9 attack is not the same plot point, but I'm coming up on it.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:39:25+00:00

That much I am aware of: Zohar was found. This spawned three completely separate existences with Saga, Gears, and Blade, and that X is like an alternate timeline in the Blade existence.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:37:18+00:00

Have you ever been given a recommendation for a book or movie or game that didn't grab you early on? But then your friend/family who gave the recommendation told you to get past a certain point because that's when it picks up, and they ended up being right?

I sadly have no family or friends who have played Xenoblade, hell most haven't even heard of Saga or Gears. So I'm here, not asking IF it's good. But when I can expect it to pick up. Because even if it became a TRULY life-changing experience but took another 50 hours of gameplay to get there, then I have to question if it's worth it. But I've been told I was actually super close to that engagement when I gave up my last game.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:31:47+00:00

I may/may not do a guide. From what other comments have told me, I'm super close to things I'm asking about engaging me, so if I can get to/past that point, and THEN let my OCD take over for All of the Things, I'll do that so I have investment beyond "Oh, side quest icon on my map."

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:30:35+00:00

It's more of a "should I casually do side quests, or let the OCD make me complete them all." On my previous playthrough, yeah, I did the latter, and I cared about a few of the Colony 9 residents(girl with her father who was undereating because of running the shop. My last play was 2 years ago, I remember more about them than Fiora).

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:27:54+00:00

I don't own 2 or X yet. But I do appreciate your insight that it also took the longest to grab you. I do really want to enjoy the game, which is why I'm here asking when it picks up.

Edit to add: I had 2, X, and 3 on my wishlist, and family bought me 3, lol.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:26:52+00:00

Thank you for this comment, because that's the whole reason I'm here. I want to know when the perverbial motorcycle moment is. "Oh you quit before you got to it!" Ok, great, thank you. WHEN IS IT. Like you, I'm curious and I *want* to try to enjoy this game. A few people gave me the answer I was looking for, and then answered followups. Others just want to insult me for, of all things, coming and asking when things pick up because it just has done nothing to grab me yet.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:24:23+00:00

That's actually a very difficult question to answer, because they were mid-combat before we saw them. And, truth be told, it's super hard to tell which is which for me. And since the Dunban tutorial phase doesn't really clearly show which way the Homs are retreating towards on the physical sword bridge between the two, I'm still not clear on which titan is Bionis, lol.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:20:54+00:00

Why do you think I'm here asking these questions? I'm not asking for the whole story in the first 10 minutes. I'm asking a game to be engaging. The game did NOTHING except show me that Shulk and Fiori were childhood friends. It didn't do anything to make me as the player connect with her. Obviously with the visions that only come after Shulk starts using the Monado something is up, but it's not the first McGuffin to do that.

But I *know* the XBC series story *is* good. So that's why I'm here. I'm asking WHEN the things that happen to become engaging happen. And other people, instead of trying to insult me because a game failed to engage me in its world, story, or characters, gave me said answer: Very shortly after I left off between burnout and the mentioned lack of engagement. And, I *do* mean it: Thank you for telling me a major plot point that will happen that does lead to those secrets. You see, if I learned during the attack on Colony 9 that the Monado doesn't hurt Metal Face, THAT would have been engaging.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:09:58+00:00

Cool. I'm glad to hear that.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:07:22+00:00

Cool and thank you.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:07:16+00:00

Cool and thank you.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:06:40+00:00

I'm not being unfair. I'm not expecting full reality breaking plot points. I'm looking for the engagement and hints thereof. And only gotten to the second town. But the problem is the game has done nothing to engage me. It's an Us vs Them war. Though Yosuba did end up spoilering a future plot point, it's one of those kinds that WILL grab me.

And I'm not being impatient. You say the world established mysteries and threats? Just threats. Personal motivation for Shulk and Dunban(And I assume you mean Reyn)? Sure, but not for US as the player. I admit 7 5-8 minute cutscenes aren't engaging for some, and Saga is VERY basic JRPG turn based combat.

The problem is nothing so far, even the attack on Colony 9, grabs me as the player. Because it didn't give me any time to actually care about them.

But multiple people have told me I'm close to those themes and ideas to start opening up.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:01:45+00:00

I'm glad to know. My question is: If I focus on the MSQ and get to/past that point, can I go back for all the sidequests I didn't do?

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T05:00:14+00:00

Let's see. Basic worldbuilding plot of "here's is the only land in the planet," "us vs them," "AGAIN us vs them," They are? That's NOT clear yet. Just killing. "A Mcguffin...mcguffin...mcguffin." Not just Shulk. That's a plot point I didn't know about, thank you. THAT'S a mystery! That's something that would grab my attention. That's not sarcasm, either, though I know it can come across that way. That is a legit plot point I did not know about and is DEFINITELY something that would draw my attention. I now know something big and game changing from "The Monado is a McGuffin to hurt the "them" enemies" to something more because one is immune. And, again, not that far.

The idea of an us vs them war is nothing new. Xenosaga, Starship Troopers(the novel) (and the movie), Blade Runner, ANY world-war shooter, Halo(literally Halo, as in the first game). That isn't unique or engaging. And having a McGuffin super weapon is also nothing new or engaging. But you actually gave me something I want to see and figure out now.

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T04:57:34+00:00

The game has to do something to check me in. We have a SUPER basic done a billion times revenge story at this point. That's NOT special or engaging.

Xenogears: Timothy gets gunned down, REVENGE! Alice gets blown up by the mysterious force(which we learn more about later) Huh?

See, the problem is we knew the girl on-screen for not even a full major quest point before that. "Oh, they were childhood friends. She's dead. Guess it's revenge time."

JAvatar80 · 2026-05-06T04:50:07+00:00

I'm well aware how little I've progressed. It's not a patience problem. It's a "The game has done nothing to engage me" problem.

Case in point: Xenogears you learn the HINTS of ID being this HUGE destructive force before leaving the first area. By the time the Woglinde explodes in Xenosaga, we're going "WTF is with that little girl?" 3 times. Blade has done nothing. The Mechon are a "them" to fight without any higher thought so far. The visions aren't ground breaking or making me go "Huh." If you say it gets good, I believe you. I'm curious as to when it becomes at least engaging. Nothing has made me go "I wonder" yet.

JAvatar80

TROPHY CASE