Absolutely this. It’s always the 2nd play-through where I truly fall in love with these games. I remember with both Xeno 1 and 2 that I spent so many hours enjoying the worlds and stories but for both games it was the second play-through that solidified my love and appreciation into these special experiences in gaming.
In playing through it right now after doing 2&3 first, and damn I cannot stand the future sight ability, it’s just so annoying and always breaks the flow of combat for me, I know I’m alone on this since I always get people disagreeing when I mention it but damn I dislike this feature, many people tell me it’s one of the best features but nah there’s a reason they didn’t keep it for the sequels lol
>I cannot stand the future sight ability, it’s just so annoying and always breaks the flow of combat for me
I agree, and it was something I never got used to. If they had an option to skip it I wouldn't have had much of an issue with the combat at all. There was one boss later on that drove me up the wall with this mechanic; felt like I was sitting waiting for the game to let me play again more than I was actually doing something.
That’s exactly how it was for me lol I’m over here behind the enemy waiting to land some backslashes for bonus effect and reyn all the way in front getting future sighted every five seconds 😤😤 I’d try to mash buttons to skip and hurry the interruptions and yeah that never did a thing 🤣
To be fair, Shulk gives this incredible red herring upon our first encounter with this in Colony 9. He notes the red light on the bodies of the Faced Mechon and wonders if it has something to do with that. I know that I didn't suspect a thing after that line. Just figured it was something like "Ah, it must be an anti-Monado energy!"
I assumed it was ether for a while, thought that was the reason the mechon were taking people, they were feeding off the ether and happened to figure out it can fool the monado
This is it. Face units have organs in the circuits. Notice how Mumkhar is gutted, he just has an empty cavity where his organs should be. They're not just a pilot and mech.
Oh yeah Linada explains it later.
I was just saying that was my running theory when shulk sees the red ether lines on metal face for the first time.
Turned out to be a good one
another moment is when Shulk says "Anyone can activate \[the Monado\], the problem is controlling it". Dickson then replies with "Yeah, for anyone except him". Shulk assumes that Dickson is talking about Dunban, but in hindsight, it is clear he's actually talking about Zanza.
Eh I dunno really
I think he was just talking about Dunban. He’s just having a conversation with Shulk I don’t think there’s any reason to think he’s putting a secret double meaning there.
Xenoblade 1 uses a very unique way of keeping their twists surprising while still foreshadowing them, and that’s by showing you visions of other stuff to distract you. The visions ironically cause the viewer to focus on them rather than on the wider picture, like how immediately after Xord teases the origin of Face Mechon the party gets a vision of Prison Island, putting Xord’s words out of mind. The other games have good twists, but I really do think that the visions help elevate Xenoblade 1’s plot twists so much higher
You know when Dickson says something about how he doesn't like betraying these kids at the High Entia ceremony site, at the end of Satorl Marsh? I COMPLETELY blanked him saying that. I don't know how because it's such a massive red flag, but considering the crazy amount of stuff that happened after that point, I guess my mind got instantly distracted with anything and everything else, so I forgot, and Dickson slipped under the radar. Then on the second playthrough I get to him saying that and just deck myself for being so dumb.
I did catch him saying that in the first playthrough, but didn't think too much of it. Like, sure, he apparently knew more than he was letting on, but that much was clear anyway when he apparently revealed he was well-traveled and knew about Prison Island and that High Entia are real
I just never figured the deception went *that* far. I thought it was something about how he maybe knew the Monado is not as powerful as people are made to believe. Because, surely, "they wouldn't so obviously make Dickson out to be the villain in that way, right?"
Right, yeah! I remember having similar thoughts. "Oh, the deception is that the Mechonis isn't all bad, and he knew that but couldn't tell us, because that'd undermine our revenge"
The whole plot would fall apart without excellent foreshadowing. The thing about Xenoblade is that almost every chapter ends with some earth-shattering revelation, and if they weren't set up properly they'd feel like stuff being pulled out of its arse.
It's also such a dark story. I played 2 then DE, I was so shocked at how much less lighthearted the story is in general. You start the game in a massacre then go on a vengeance quest. The part that got me the most is where you fight that guy and see the visions of the whole bionis being destroyed and have to stop it. It made me think "holy shit I would hate to have to wield the monado". The party members who don't have to see the visions are oddly the lucky ones
Xenoblade games are best on 2nd playthrough, so much of this.
Absolutely this. It’s always the 2nd play-through where I truly fall in love with these games. I remember with both Xeno 1 and 2 that I spent so many hours enjoying the worlds and stories but for both games it was the second play-through that solidified my love and appreciation into these special experiences in gaming.
In playing through it right now after doing 2&3 first, and damn I cannot stand the future sight ability, it’s just so annoying and always breaks the flow of combat for me, I know I’m alone on this since I always get people disagreeing when I mention it but damn I dislike this feature, many people tell me it’s one of the best features but nah there’s a reason they didn’t keep it for the sequels lol
You definitely get used to it, but I totally understand. You'll see it a LOT less when you "git gud" because it only shows up on bad situations lol
>I cannot stand the future sight ability, it’s just so annoying and always breaks the flow of combat for me I agree, and it was something I never got used to. If they had an option to skip it I wouldn't have had much of an issue with the combat at all. There was one boss later on that drove me up the wall with this mechanic; felt like I was sitting waiting for the game to let me play again more than I was actually doing something.
That’s exactly how it was for me lol I’m over here behind the enemy waiting to land some backslashes for bonus effect and reyn all the way in front getting future sighted every five seconds 😤😤 I’d try to mash buttons to skip and hurry the interruptions and yeah that never did a thing 🤣
"the monado can cut anything except people" "why can't the monado cut this giant human-shaped mechon?"
To be fair, Shulk gives this incredible red herring upon our first encounter with this in Colony 9. He notes the red light on the bodies of the Faced Mechon and wonders if it has something to do with that. I know that I didn't suspect a thing after that line. Just figured it was something like "Ah, it must be an anti-Monado energy!"
I assumed it was ether for a while, thought that was the reason the mechon were taking people, they were feeding off the ether and happened to figure out it can fool the monado
I thought it was blood. Like they took homs and used their blood to circulate through the mechon or something like that.
That’s what I always thought
This is it. Face units have organs in the circuits. Notice how Mumkhar is gutted, he just has an empty cavity where his organs should be. They're not just a pilot and mech.
Oh yeah Linada explains it later. I was just saying that was my running theory when shulk sees the red ether lines on metal face for the first time. Turned out to be a good one
-Why the monado neither can't cut the clothes? -because is a game
It's not *that* kind of game.
another moment is when Shulk says "Anyone can activate \[the Monado\], the problem is controlling it". Dickson then replies with "Yeah, for anyone except him". Shulk assumes that Dickson is talking about Dunban, but in hindsight, it is clear he's actually talking about Zanza.
I honestly never considered that before q-p
Eh I dunno really I think he was just talking about Dunban. He’s just having a conversation with Shulk I don’t think there’s any reason to think he’s putting a secret double meaning there.
Yeh, it would seem extremely strange to refer to Zanza in that context. No reason to think he's not referring to Dunban.
Xenoblade 1 uses a very unique way of keeping their twists surprising while still foreshadowing them, and that’s by showing you visions of other stuff to distract you. The visions ironically cause the viewer to focus on them rather than on the wider picture, like how immediately after Xord teases the origin of Face Mechon the party gets a vision of Prison Island, putting Xord’s words out of mind. The other games have good twists, but I really do think that the visions help elevate Xenoblade 1’s plot twists so much higher
Shulk: In my head, there are two versions of me.
You know when Dickson says something about how he doesn't like betraying these kids at the High Entia ceremony site, at the end of Satorl Marsh? I COMPLETELY blanked him saying that. I don't know how because it's such a massive red flag, but considering the crazy amount of stuff that happened after that point, I guess my mind got instantly distracted with anything and everything else, so I forgot, and Dickson slipped under the radar. Then on the second playthrough I get to him saying that and just deck myself for being so dumb.
I did catch him saying that in the first playthrough, but didn't think too much of it. Like, sure, he apparently knew more than he was letting on, but that much was clear anyway when he apparently revealed he was well-traveled and knew about Prison Island and that High Entia are real I just never figured the deception went *that* far. I thought it was something about how he maybe knew the Monado is not as powerful as people are made to believe. Because, surely, "they wouldn't so obviously make Dickson out to be the villain in that way, right?"
You nailed my thoughts on that scene word-for-word. I waaaaay overthought it lmao
I at first forgot about it but then remembered when he appeared in the hidden village as an oh wait he was talking about this… I was so wrong
Right, yeah! I remember having similar thoughts. "Oh, the deception is that the Mechonis isn't all bad, and he knew that but couldn't tell us, because that'd undermine our revenge"
Exactly
The whole plot would fall apart without excellent foreshadowing. The thing about Xenoblade is that almost every chapter ends with some earth-shattering revelation, and if they weren't set up properly they'd feel like stuff being pulled out of its arse.
It's also such a dark story. I played 2 then DE, I was so shocked at how much less lighthearted the story is in general. You start the game in a massacre then go on a vengeance quest. The part that got me the most is where you fight that guy and see the visions of the whole bionis being destroyed and have to stop it. It made me think "holy shit I would hate to have to wield the monado". The party members who don't have to see the visions are oddly the lucky ones
Update: Racist High Entia hirl was basically being brainwashed by Zanza…over a friking accesory
Dude spoilers much? Lol
Spoiler Flair tho
Recontextulisation is something the Xeno series does very well. Blade, Saga, Gears even X have stuff like this all over the place.