Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country

Storywise, it's a 10/10. It simply builds upon the original and doesn't do anything that ruins or changes the plot- it only adds to it. IT's told very much as a tragedy and it's done perfectly. Interestingly enough it's told in a way that doesn't spoil the biggest plot details in the main game but answers many questions about the past from the main game. Basically certain cutscenes are excluded or shown differently to achieve this. So playing this before XC2 isn't a bad idea at all, especially if you're new to the series.The gameplay is extremely fun when it comes to battle. The music, sound effects, mechanics, animations, moves, etc. all work so well and are, most importantly, FUN to deal with. THis is the most fast-paced Xenoblade game by far.My only gripe with this game is the Community system. 2 times is it forced upon you to use throughout the game, which ruins the whole point of a sidequest, and the second time it easily can waste 1-3 or even more hours, and that's when I SKIPPED the cutscenes from the sidequests, which after a while you realize are padding and don't necessarily add to the overall plot, not to mention when they're forced it ruins any interest you have in them given you're trying to save the world.Besides that it took me a little more than 15 hours to beat, and I didn't rush the game, I spent time exploring the new areas and fighting different super bosses for fun, and I can see myself playing it for several more hours before I start playing the other DLC that is used on the main game.Definitely should be your first Xenoblade game if you're new to the series and want to have a glimpse of it, it's the easiest to get into, fastest, shortest, cheapest, and it doesn't (necessarily) spoil the plots of the other games.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was already my favorite game on the Switch and this standalone DLC (effectively its own Xenoblade game) improved on it in almost every way. They figured out what was the most fun about the original game and brought those elements to the forefront while getting rid of or improving all the bad stuff. The combat system is maybe the best I've ever seen in an RPG, and while I could see it possibly getting stale in a 100-hour game, the Torna story is short enough and paced well enough to make every new mechanics development -- not that there are many -- feel fresh and timely. (Think the original Portal.)The story was really great and impactful and did a good job showing instead of telling outright, though people who haven't played the base game might be pretty lost. Even though I knew how everything had to end up it was cool to see the characters interact and some crucial points of the Xenoblade lore brought to life. And I was already ready to give this game 5 stars until the last 20 minutes rolled around, which were even more incredible than what had come before.The only downside was getting forced to do sidequests at certain points. That being said, they did a good job of offering you a bunch of different quests to choose from, some easier than others and some you might already have mostly completed from earlier exploration. I usually don't play games much beyond the main story but I didn't find these too bothersome when I actually went out and started talking to people and collecting resources.You owe it to yourself to play the two Xenoblade entries on the Switch. If the base game is an epic poem, this expansion is a page-turning novella. Both are worth every penny.

Having play Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles X, I knew I wanted Xenoblade Chronicles 2. I especially liked that this bundle came with the DLC.The first time I played it, I played it for about 4 hours, got to the first "continent" and set it down. I really "wasn't feeling it". Six months later I decided to restart and give it another shot. This time, I changed the difficulty (ie. Lowered only mob health) and had an immensely better time. I completed the playthrough and loved the story.By the time the game gets near the end, the cutscenes, dialogue, and story only improve. Where some games go halfway and let you down, this one remains strong in the opposite way. It starts slow and you don't want it to end.Playing this really did feel like watching a good anime. If you get this, and find yourself disliking the beginning portion, do know it gets better. The story definitely takes an epic turn.