Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna The Golden Country

When I learned the DLC for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 came with an entire standalone prequel game, I was ecstatic! I was already loving the base game, and this was the most ambitious DLC I had ever seen, so there was a lot for me to get excited about. I didn't play it right away after beating XC2 since I figured it would be better to pace myself with the series, but it wasn't until I started hearing rumors of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 years later that I actually made it around to it. While the game is short and the story lacks a lot of the depth that the series is known for, I still think that Torna has earned its place as a recognized entry in the Xenoblade series.

While I believe it to be a standalone game, I highly recommend only playing this after beating Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Mechanically, I really enjoyed contrasting how the two games approached combat and sidequests; having obviously been cut from the same cloth, they still both have something unique to offer. Plot-wise, I absolutely believe that the general Torna experience is improved with the background knowledge you acquire in XC2. This story, while a little more superficial than is series-standard, was a huge draw for me, even a couple dozen hours in. Learning how the nation of Torna fell is a great premise for the game, but I actually spent more of my time focusing on and caring about the side-narrative, which was unexpectedly really enjoyable and provided the basis for the best mechanic that Torna has to offer.

Reminiscent of the affinity chart found in the original Xenoblade Chronicles, Torna has a community chart that tracks the people you have met and their disposition towards you. As you interact with these people and befriend them (often through a sidequest or two), they'll join your personal community, symbolizing their loyalty to you. Growing your community is occasionally required to progress the story, but it can also unlock additional sidequests and change how people interact with you. Now, I love sidequests. While they are usually implemented to pad out a game, I see them as free extra chapters and welcome the bonus content. Thanks to that mindset, if sidequests end up forming the backbone of a game, you can count me in. Save for the final secret challenge (way too grindy to be fun), I completed every sidequest Torna had to offer, and I had an absolute blast! It was neat to see how the quests wove their own narrative about the Gormotti and Tornan people, making them feel more human and real, and I always loved when a new quest would build on a previous one, advancing its little story further.

Story always plays a big part in how much I enjoy a game, which explains why I love this series so much. Torna definitely delivered on that, just not in the way that I expected. I still enjoyed the overall plot of the game, but getting to know the characters through the story-driven sidequests made the world come alive in a way that only makes sense for a smaller-scale game. While I welcome any new Xenoblade adventure, no matter the length, I'm glad that Torna exists and to fill the fun little niche that it does. If you have already played and enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles 2, you'll surely enjoy Torna as well. If not, you may still have fun, but this is definitely a game best experienced after its progenitor.

The game is available for Switch here (as of 7/25/22): https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/xenoblade-chronicles-2-torna-the-golden-country-switch/

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