Though it was only announced a few months ago, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has actually been in the works for around four years, with developer Monolith Soft beginning work on the game in 2018. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is set to be a direct sequel to its two predecessors, showing a world that's been shaped by the events of those games. The general narrative of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 involves a war between two nations, one being proficient in mechanics, and the other being adept in using Ether, the life-giving substance of the planet.
Stuck between the two warring factions are protagonists Noah and Mio. Accompanied by their respective friends, these two playable characters will have to navigate their way through this widespread conflict, tackling a variety of sci-fi fantasy enemies. Players will undoubtedly get to spend a lot of time with Noah and Mio during their playthrough, but there are a few details players may want to know before jumping into Xenoblade Chronicles 3 on July 29.
Who Is Xenoblade Chronicles 3's Noah?
The dark-haired male protagonist of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Noah is an 18-year-old soldier that fights for the nation of Keves, the faction that has a particular talent for constructing powerful mech suits known as Mechas. Based on the Xenoblade Chronicles 3's promotional material, Noah seems to wield a gigantic red blade, highlighted with some glowing blue lights. This continues the Xenoblade Chronicles tradition of having the protagonist wield a large red blade, just as Shulk, Prya, and Rex have before.
While Noah fights for his nation, he isn't just any soldier. Noah is an off-seer, a soldier with a special dedication to honoring his fallen comrades. Off-seers mourn their fellow soldiers by playing a soft harmony from their flutes. Fans of Xenoblade Chronicles should be prepared to hear a great deal of woodwind on the third game's soundtrack.
As is the case with all Xenoblade Chronicles protagonists, Noah will be joined by a range of companions, the first two being Lanz and Eunie, both fellow soldiers for Keves. Lanz sports white hair, and will wield a transformable greatsword in battle. Eunie, on the other hand, is the smartest of the three, and uses those talents to heal her friends in combat encounters. Eunie will wield a Gunrod, an amalgamation of a hard-hitting cane and a rifle.
Who Is Xenoblade Chronicles 3's Mio?
The other playable character in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Mio, hails from the other side of the world and the opposing faction of Agnus. Agnus may not have the most advanced technology, but they can wield the planet's mysterious energy known as Ether, and have harnessed it to create lethal weaponry unlike anything Keves has seen.
Like Noah, Mio is also an off-seer. As opposed to using a sword, Mio uses two disc-shaped blades, and players will use Mio's increased agility to dash around the battlefield and avoid enemy attacks with ease. In another parallel, Mio is also accompanied by two fellow soldiers, Sena and Taion.
Though the group haven't known each other since childhood, like Noah and his squad, they have spent the last few years together, fighting side-by-side, and growing incredibly close because of it. Sena is small and energetic, but also deceptively strong, wielding a giant hammer in combat. Taion, alternatively, is a bit more aloof, using intriguing paper-based projectiles in battle called Katashiro. When in battle, the entire squad can fuse together to form a unique Ouroboros, which resembles a powerful mech-like being.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 releases July 29 2022 for Nintendo Switch.