Everyone is involved in the story this time, and by the end of the expansion, I found myself wishing I could explore more of the world with this crew. Not only does this focus gameplay and party management, it also avoids the awkward scenario from the original game of having characters in your party never show up in story cutscenes. There’s no chugging through core crystals in the hopes of awakening a rare Blade instead, each Driver has two Blades that accompany them throughout the entire journey. Characters are generally likeable, particularly Lora and Addam, and the game really benefits from having a static cast this time around, even though a few members don’t get as much development as they should.
There are still some lighthearted moments, a few of which approach the style of humor seen in the original game, but story beats feel more balanced and there’s really none of the cringeworthy material seen during Rex’s tale. The story and world are smaller in scale (hardly surprising for DLC), but the tone is more serious than the original game, and things even get a little dark at times. Lora and Jin end up joining Addam’s cause, and their journey sends them up and down the Tornan titan and neighboring Gormott, which looks a bit different 500 years in the past. Addam is on the hunt for Mythra’s counterpart, Malos, who has been raining destruction on the land ever since his Driver lost control of him. Lora and Jin soon run into a Tornan prince called Addam and his Blade, Mythra - one of two legendary Aegises. For those unfamiliar with the lore of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Blades are basically living weapons that grant those who resonate with them - called Drivers - great power in battle. You play as Lora, a young Driver, and her Blade, Jin.
Torna – The Golden Country details the events of the Aegis War, a pivotal conflict referenced via dialogue and flashbacks in the original game. Torna – The Golden Country is quite a meaty experience (my non-exhaustive playthrough clocked in at just under 36 hours), and depending on how you felt about the main game, it might even be the superior RPG. The single largest piece of DLC, however, is a story expansion that takes place 500 years before the events of the main game. New blades, side quests, and even a challenge mode featuring cameos from series favorites have all been added to the game. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has seen a steady trickle of DLC since its release last December. Release Date Note: Torna – The Golden Country releases as a physical edition on September 21st, but became available to Season Pass holders on September 14th.
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