Xenoblade Chronicles 2 might be a stand-alone title in the way it approaches its story, but developer Monolith Soft has also made sure to acknowledge the game's roots wherever possible. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is full to the brim with references to past Xenoblade and Xenosaga titles, whether it be off-hand comments from a NPC about a legendary hero or the appearance of an old foe in an unexpected location. Monolith Soft isn't done with the trip down memory lane just yet, however, as the developer announced earlier today that a legendary figure in Xenosaga history would be returning in Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

According to the official Japanese Twitter account for Xenoblade Chronicles 2, a Blade named KOS-MOS Re: will appear in-game. KOS-MOS was a character from the Xenosaga series, a powerful android with enhanced combat capabilities. While it's unclear whether or not KOS-MOS Re: will be a Japanese exclusive, it's a big addition to one of the most exciting games for the Switch this year.

xenoblade chronicles 2 kos-mos re

For those wondering about what it means to be a Blade in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, that designation refers to a series of sentient weapons that appear in-game and can be collected by the player's party to strengthen their skills in combat. The Blades are one of the best examples of the varied and stylish character design in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which is likely part of Kingdom Hearts 3 director Tetsuya Nomura's influence on the title as a guest designer.

Blades are also a significant element of the game's progression system, and they are randomly awarded from gachi-style loot recovery. KOS-MOS Re: is likely to be one of the rarer and more powerful Blades, meaning she might be difficult to acquire—but for fan's of the Xenosaga games or players looking to make their party that much more formidable, she'll also be worth the chase.

With just a day to go before Xenoblade Chronicles 2's worldwide release, it's encouraging to see Monolith Soft already including various callbacks to the characters that have made the Xeno franchise so popular. Whether or not this means there will be significant DLC with more famous Blades in the future is unknown, but here's hoping series favorites like Fei and Chu-Chu make an appearance after all!

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 releases worldwide on December 1, 2017, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.

Source: Twitter