Tales of Xillia 2 liveblog!

[everdistant]

SO /b-brushes the dust off this

I got ambitious and determined to do a live blog of Tales of Xillia 2 even though my Japanese skills are very sad! This is it.

Naturally, spoilers for the game will be in these posts, and for the first Xillia as well. These will be unmarked in my comments, so if you're steering clear of them until the localization comes next year, stay out of these posts YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Those of you who don't care, come on in-- I will be posting a somewhat short summary of the first game, partly because no one has played it and knows what's happened or the characters involved, and because Xillia 2 gives players digest movies of the first's plot to review, so it's part of the game too.

Comments

Xillia 1 Summary 1/?

[everdistant]

So the first game starts out with Jude Mathis, a med school student in the middle of his practicum at the age of 15--jesus--. He meets up with Milla Maxwell, a woman on a MISSION: to destroy something in the kingdom's research facility that dooms Spirits and humans, Gin/Jinn, because it's her MISSION as Maxwell. Unlike Spirit Artes that allows the mana used to be recycled afterwards, Gin burns it up completely, reducing the finite supply of mana in the world of Rieze Maxia, and drains the mana of any nearby Spirits and people as well. However, Milla's attempt to destroy the Gin, the Spear of Kresnik, fails spectacularly as the Four Greater Spirits(Undine, Ifreet, Sylph, Gnome) are captured, she loses her abilities as Maxwell as a result, and they have to book it out of there since she's powerless.

In the quest to go back, save the Spirits and destroy the Spear, they add to the party: Alvin, a mercenary who tries to be cool but is just shady and predictably backstabs all three groups he works for, but he gets better by endgame; Elize Lutus, a shy girl who uses her doll Tipo/Teepo to speak for her and bite peoples' heads, but she gets better by endgame; Rowen J. Ilbert, a former military commander turned butler who politely trolls the party and makes tea during rescue missions at the age of 62, and he just takes a level of badass by endgame; and Leia Rolando, Jude's childhood "friend" who takes competitive to a new level and became a nurse in training just so she could be close to Jude, but she gets better by endgame.

[everdistant]

OKAY GOT MY PREORDER DLC AND PUT ON THE THEME THAT CAME WITH IT

it's pretty despite being pink :D

[everdistant]

OKAY WE START RIGHT OFF IN A BATTLE. Against some guy whose upper half is shadowed, and uses twin swords like Ludger...

No HP bars, or menu or any interface at all. You can move and use basic attacks until a cutscene takes over.

Shadowed figure: Heh... The same movement. We are brothers, after all. However--! /manual fight resumes for a bit to let you get a feel for it; there's a side step like Graces! Also the battle music is pretty awesome <3

Shadowed figure: [couldn't make it out bc sfx]
Ludger: /takes a wild swing with his sword that the figure easily ducks under
Shadowed figure: People are predictable/easy to read/etc.

He then says something about destroying/crushing the world, history is repeating and other stuff that is hard for me to catch because it's during battle :|

[everdistant]

In a cave now, and three guys are standing about; two in uniform and mask, one in glasses, dressed sharply and looking at a pocket watch. Ludger comes running in, and glasses guy says he's all worked up, and asks how he can hope to become an agent of Clanspia Corp.

IT'S THE SAME VOICE AND FIGURE AS THE SHADOW DUDE. I guess his murderous brother.

Anyways, Ludger just glares him, and we're given a choice! We can pick either "I understand, Julius" or "I understand, Nii-san".

...NII-SAN IT IS. Julius says no "nii-san"s today though, he's technically Ludger's boss at the moment so it's unprofessional, especially for a company like Clanspia. Ludger nods, but then looks shocked and we're given another choice when Julius asks what's wrong; "Nii-san, have you had nightmares with me in them?" or "Nothing".

The former gives us Julius getting confused at that, but then he lightens up and says something along the lines of it's not a nightmare, but his daily life teasingly. He then urges Ludger to follow along.

[everdistant]

OPENING

SO BEAUTIFUL

SONG 4 U NOT AS GOOD AS PROGRESS BUT STILL OKAY

[everdistant]

At home! Julius is tinkering with the watches--yes, both gold and silver this time...-- while Lulu meows and rolls over for attention. Ludger's getting dressed when Julius calls for him, and then they have brotherly times where Julius tries to ruffle Ludger's hair, but Ludger stops him in embarrassment. Julius suggests Ludger cook, since he's gotten good over the years, and Lulu whines too out of hunger.

Julius: Chef, what's on the menu? [Omlettes] or [Mabo Curry]

MABO CURRY HELLS YES

Julius: You... know I'm not fond of spicy things, right.

Lulu comes over still whining and Julius says he can have the leftover if he's a good kitty, and lifts him up. And we are treated to several shots of the Lulu's gratuitous lard.

I don't care if the cat's 40 pounds. I want it.

[everdistant]

The colors are muted now, and as everyone gets up, Elle hides behind Jude, clearly scared of Ludger now. She gives her name now, and Jude tells her not to worry. She irately says she has to, with this weird person [pointing at Ludger] around. Ludger looks at the hand he used to pull Elle before, concerned too.

Jude, though, just says he is used to weird since he knows the Greater Spirits and Maxwell. Elle spots another mook and the boys get ready to fight... but this one's taken out from behind too, but a girl with a broomstick, Nova. She's a friend of Ludger's apparently. A choice on what to do: try to take control of the train still, or go find Julius.

NII-SAN WE'RE COMING

And Elle too, I guess. Jude tries to get her to stay back, but Elle's cuteness winds him over. Plus she's usually smart enough to know to hide when the fighting starts. Lulu's still with us too. Somehow.

[temples]

When can I come visit and watch you play Xillia?

[temples]

Okay you're using a lot of names and I have no idea who these people are. You should have them introduce themselves in a fashion show-type skit just for me. That's within your power as an Ari, right?