<s>
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2017	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
Monolith	O
Soft	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Nintendo	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Released	O
on	O
December	O
1	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
the	O
third	O
installment	O
in	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
and	O
the	O
seventh	O
main	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Xeno	B-Application
series	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Plans	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
began	O
shortly	O
before	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
X	I-Application
in	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
wanted	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
story-driven	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
style	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
localized	O
by	O
Nintendo	O
of	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
gameplay	O
,	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
similar	O
to	O
previous	O
entries	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
an	O
added	O
summoning	O
mechanic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
features	O
a	O
different	O
setting	O
and	O
characters	O
than	O
the	O
first	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
,	O
and	O
it	O
marks	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
return	O
to	O
being	O
story-driven	O
,	O
unlike	O
the	O
previous	O
installment	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
X	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
focused	O
on	O
gameplay	O
and	O
open	O
world	O
exploration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
Alrest	O
,	O
a	O
world	O
covered	O
in	O
a	O
sea	O
of	O
clouds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
December	O
2020	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
has	O
sold	O
over	O
2	O
million	O
copies	O
worldwide	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
the	O
best-selling	O
title	O
in	O
the	O
Xeno	B-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Monolith	O
Soft	O
's	O
most	O
commercially	O
successful	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
was	O
released	O
throughout	O
2018	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
story-focused	O
expansion	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
September	O
of	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
side	O
story	O
,	O
Torna	B-Application
–	I-Application
The	I-Application
Golden	I-Application
Country	I-Application
,	O
is	O
set	O
500	O
years	O
before	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
and	O
features	O
new	O
gameplay	O
mechanics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
,	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
July	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
,	O
the	O
third	O
title	O
in	O
the	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
40	O
distinctly	O
unique	O
"	O
rare	O
"	O
Blades	O
to	O
collect	O
throughout	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
with	O
an	O
additional	O
11	O
being	O
obtainable	O
either	O
through	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
or	O
New	O
Game	O
Plus	O
in	O
later	O
patches	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
Blades	O
are	O
not	O
a	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
story	O
,	O
and	O
can	O
be	O
assigned	O
to	O
any	O
Driver	O
;	O
among	O
those	O
is	O
KOS-MOS	O
from	O
the	O
Xeno	B-Application
sub-series	O
Xenosaga	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
has	O
an	O
action-based	B-Application
battle	I-Application
system	I-Application
,	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
manually	O
moves	O
the	O
current	O
lead	O
character	O
in	O
real-time	O
,	O
and	O
party	O
members	O
will	O
"	O
auto-attack	O
"	O
when	O
enemies	O
enter	O
their	O
attack	O
radius	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Aegis	O
has	O
two	O
personalities	O
,	O
Pyra	B-Application
and	I-Application
Mythra	I-Application
(	O
Japanese	O
:	O
Shino	O
Shimoji	O
;	O
English	O
:	O
Skye	O
Bennett	O
)	O
,	O
who	O
share	O
conscience	O
,	O
but	O
different	O
abilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
Torna	B-Application
–	I-Application
The	I-Application
Golden	I-Application
Country	I-Application
adds	O
a	O
new	O
story	O
,	O
set	O
500	O
years	O
prior	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
group	O
confronts	O
Jin	O
and	O
Malos	O
at	O
the	O
Cliffs	O
of	O
Morytha	O
,	O
during	O
which	O
Rex	O
unlocks	O
Pyra	B-Application
and	I-Application
Mythra	I-Application
's	O
true	O
form	O
Pneuma	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
group	O
arrives	O
in	O
Elysium	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
revealed	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
long-dead	O
wasteland	O
,	O
and	O
meet	O
the	O
Architect	O
,	O
a	O
scientist	O
named	O
Klaus	O
(	O
the	O
other	O
half	O
of	O
Zanza	O
,	O
primary	O
antagonist	O
of	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
1	I-Application
)	O
who	O
explains	O
that	O
he	O
had	O
discovered	O
a	O
device	O
that	O
sends	O
objects	O
into	O
different	O
dimensions	O
,	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
which	O
split	O
his	O
body	O
in	O
two	O
and	O
destroyed	O
the	O
old	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sensing	O
that	O
his	O
other	O
half	O
(	O
Zanza	O
,	O
the	O
primary	O
antagonist	O
of	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
1	I-Application
)	O
in	O
is	O
about	O
to	O
die	O
,	O
which	O
will	O
result	O
in	O
his	O
own	O
death	O
,	O
Klaus	O
sends	O
the	O
group	O
to	O
stop	O
Malos	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
corrupted	O
by	O
Amalthus	O
's	O
malice	O
and	O
has	O
obtained	O
Aion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Afterwards	O
,	O
Pyra	B-Application
and	I-Application
Mythra	I-Application
are	O
revived	O
in	O
separate	O
bodies	O
and	O
reunite	O
with	O
Rex	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
by	O
Monolith	O
Soft	O
and	O
is	O
the	O
third	O
entry	O
in	O
their	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
series	O
,	O
following	O
the	O
original	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
and	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
X	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Plans	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
began	O
in	O
July	O
2014	O
,	O
during	O
the	O
latter	O
half	O
of	O
development	O
of	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
X	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
original	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
followed	O
the	O
typical	O
structure	O
of	O
a	O
general	O
story-driven	O
JRPG	O
,	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
X	I-Application
received	O
far	O
less	O
emphasis	O
on	O
story	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
organized	O
in	O
more	O
of	O
a	O
mission-based	O
structure	O
,	O
focused	O
primarily	O
on	O
exploring	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
massive	O
open	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
the	O
gameplay	O
was	O
more	O
of	O
a	O
continuation	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
,	O
they	O
decided	O
to	O
title	O
it	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
took	O
shorter	O
to	O
develop	O
than	O
previous	O
games	O
,	O
although	O
development	O
was	O
difficult	O
in	O
the	O
beginning	O
due	O
to	O
a	O
lack	O
of	O
finalization	O
of	O
the	O
Switch	O
's	O
technical	O
specifications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
architecture	O
of	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
X	I-Application
was	O
used	O
for	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
to	O
speed	O
up	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
motivating	O
factor	O
was	O
the	O
agreement	O
made	O
by	O
the	O
team	O
with	O
Nintendo	O
specifically	O
to	O
deliver	O
the	O
game	O
early	O
on	O
in	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
's	O
lifecycle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
Monolith	O
Soft	O
's	O
objectives	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
to	O
give	O
the	O
characters	O
a	O
wider	O
range	O
of	O
facial	O
expressions	O
compared	O
to	O
past	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
chose	O
him	O
to	O
give	O
the	O
protagonists	O
a	O
more	O
expressive	O
anime-like	O
art	O
style	O
than	O
prior	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
entries	O
,	O
which	O
featured	O
a	O
more	O
realistic	O
type	O
of	O
modeling	O
that	O
they	O
found	O
a	O
bit	O
too	O
stiff	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
guest	O
artists	O
also	O
contributed	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Xeno	B-Application
series	I-Application
veterans	O
Kunihiko	O
Tanaka	O
and	O
Soraya	O
Saga	O
,	O
who	O
designed	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
Blades	O
,	O
weapon-like	O
life	O
forms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Takeda	O
,	O
who	O
also	O
worked	O
as	O
a	O
writer	O
on	O
the	O
last	O
two	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
games	O
,	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
writing	O
techniques	O
and	O
workflow	O
for	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
a	O
movie	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
it	O
is	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
,	O
it	O
features	O
a	O
new	O
world	O
and	O
cast	O
of	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throughout	O
the	O
following	O
year	O
,	O
Mitsuda	O
and	O
Takahashi	O
held	O
numerous	O
meetings	O
discussing	O
the	O
overall	O
direction	O
of	O
the	O
music	O
,	O
eventually	O
inviting	O
musical	O
group	O
ACE	O
and	O
Kenji	O
Hiramatsu	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
also	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
first	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Mitsuda	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
done	O
in	O
a	O
way	O
that	O
would	O
satisfy	O
the	O
fans	O
,	O
as	O
they	O
did	O
not	O
want	O
to	O
"	O
ruin	O
the	O
image	O
"	O
that	O
was	O
set	O
by	O
the	O
first	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
contributions	O
from	O
over	O
300	O
total	O
musicians	O
and	O
20,000	O
sheets	O
worth	O
of	O
music	O
,	O
Mitsuda	O
considered	O
it	O
the	O
largest	O
project	O
he	O
had	O
ever	O
worked	O
on	O
,	O
with	O
files	O
and	O
data	O
from	O
Pro	B-Application
Tools	I-Application
,	O
his	O
music	O
production	O
software	O
,	O
surpassing	O
one	O
terabyte	O
in	O
size	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
announced	O
in	O
January	O
2017	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
detailed	O
reveal	O
of	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
with	O
a	O
gameplay	O
trailer	O
being	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
same	O
day	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similar	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
,	O
the	O
title	O
was	O
announced	O
as	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
2	I-Application
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
but	O
had	O
Chronicles	O
added	O
to	O
its	O
name	O
in	O
English-speaking	O
regions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
original	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
,	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
European	O
division	O
took	O
up	O
the	O
reins	O
for	O
the	O
English	O
localization	O
,	O
who	O
regularly	O
communicated	O
with	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Japanese	O
and	O
American	O
divisions	O
about	O
decisions	O
that	O
could	O
prove	O
controversial	O
,	O
something	O
that	O
was	O
previously	O
an	O
issue	O
with	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
X	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Days	O
before	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
launch	O
,	O
a	O
promotional	O
music	O
video	O
featuring	O
a	O
vocal	O
track	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
by	O
Mitsuda	O
,	O
"	O
Shadow	O
of	O
the	O
Lowlands	O
"	O
,	O
was	O
uploaded	O
onto	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
official	O
YouTube	B-General_Concept
accounts	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
New	O
story-based	O
content	O
,	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
Torna	I-Application
–	I-Application
The	I-Application
Golden	I-Application
Country	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
digitally	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
expansion	O
pass	O
on	O
September	O
14	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
a	O
standalone	O
retail	O
release	O
a	O
week	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
costume	O
based	O
on	O
Rex	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
:	I-Application
Breath	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Wild	I-Application
a	O
few	O
weeks	O
ahead	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Characters	O
from	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
were	O
considered	O
for	O
a	O
position	O
as	O
a	O
playable	O
fighter	O
in	O
Super	B-Application
Smash	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
Ultimates	I-Application
initial	O
roster	O
,	O
but	O
they	O
were	O
ultimately	O
passed	O
over	O
due	O
to	O
poor	O
timing	O
,	O
as	O
according	O
to	O
director	O
Masahiro	O
Sakurai	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
announced	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
far	O
too	O
late	O
in	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Ultimate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pyra	B-Application
and	I-Application
Mythra	I-Application
were	O
eventually	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
roster	O
as	O
a	O
2-in-1	O
fighter	O
via	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
in	O
March	O
2021	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
a	O
new	O
stage	O
and	O
several	O
music	O
tracks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Rex	O
was	O
considered	O
,	O
Sakurai	O
deemed	O
it	O
unfeasible	O
to	O
control	O
both	O
of	O
them	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
,	O
likening	O
the	O
situation	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
the	B-Application
Ice	I-Application
Climbers	I-Application
,	O
so	O
he	O
was	O
reduced	O
to	O
supportive	O
roles	O
in	O
Pyra	B-Application
and	I-Application
Mythra	I-Application
's	O
moveset	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
critics	O
called	O
the	O
initial	O
reveal	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
unexpected	O
"	O
,	O
with	O
Jeremy	O
Parish	O
of	O
USGamer	O
favorably	O
comparing	O
it	O
to	O
Chrono	B-Application
Cross	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
release	O
,	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
reviews	O
"	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
which	O
gave	O
it	O
an	O
overall	O
score	O
of	O
83%	O
on	O
93	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Alex	O
Fuller	O
for	O
RPGamer	O
was	O
enthusiastically	O
supportive	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
2017	O
has	O
been	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
greatest	O
years	O
in	O
RPG	O
history	O
;	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
caps	O
that	O
off	O
in	O
mesmerising	O
fashion	O
by	O
being	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
finest	O
titles	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nadia	O
Oxford	O
of	O
USgamer	O
stated	O
that	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
"	O
captures	O
nearly	O
everything	O
that	O
made	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
great	O
,	O
borrows	O
the	O
best	O
elements	O
from	O
Chronicles	O
X	B-Application
,	O
and	O
then	O
improves	O
on	O
much	O
of	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shubhankar	O
Parijat	O
of	O
GamingBolt	O
called	O
it	O
""	O
A	O
must-play	O
for	O
all	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
owners	O
""	O
and	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
JRPGs	O
of	O
this	O
generation	O
"	O
and	O
calling	O
its	O
world	O
"	O
vast	O
and	O
beautiful	O
"	O
,	O
its	O
story	O
"	O
complex	O
and	O
layered	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
combat	O
"	O
intricate	O
and	O
addictive	O
"	O
,	O
while	O
also	O
noting	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
occasionally	O
held	O
back	O
by	O
"	O
obtuse	O
design	O
choices	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
a	O
simple	O
lack	O
of	O
polish	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jason	O
Schreier	O
of	O
Kotaku	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
also	O
disliked	O
the	O
original	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
,	O
gave	O
a	O
largely	O
negative	O
review	O
,	O
calling	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
dull	O
,	O
dreary	O
,	O
overly	O
complicated	O
,	O
and	O
unconcerned	O
with	O
wasting	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
time	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
won	O
awards	O
for	O
excellence	O
at	O
both	O
the	O
2019	O
Japan	O
Game	O
Awards	O
and	O
the	O
2018	O
Famitsu	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
positioned	O
itself	O
at	O
number	O
19	O
overall	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
,	O
which	O
made	O
it	O
debut	O
9	O
places	O
higher	O
over	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
X	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
April	O
2018	O
,	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
had	O
become	O
the	O
best	O
selling	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Xeno	B-Application
franchise	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
best-selling	O
game	O
of	O
Monolith	O
Soft	O
altogether	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
2018	O
,	O
Takahashi	O
stated	O
:	O
"	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
exceeded	O
my	O
expectations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
We	O
really	O
saw	O
more	O
people	O
pick	O
the	O
game	O
up	O
and	O
experience	O
it	O
in	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
and	O
European	O
territories	O
than	O
we	O
thought	O
would	O
do	O
so	O
...	O
the	O
sales	O
of	O
the	O
Torna	O
DLC	B-Protocol
are	O
exceeding	O
our	O
expectations	O
as	O
well.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
an	O
interview	O
with	O
4Gamer	O
,	O
Takahashi	O
revealed	O
that	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
had	O
sold	O
1.73	O
million	O
units	O
worldwide	O
as	O
of	O
March	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
2022	O
CESA	O
Games	O
White	O
Papers	O
revealed	O
that	O
Xenoblade	B-Application
Chronicles	I-Application
2	I-Application
had	O
sold	O
2.44	O
million	O
units	O
worldwide	O
,	O
as	O
of	O
December	O
31	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
