Xenoblade Chronicles 2 saw phenomenal success on the Nintendo Switch, selling over 1.7 million copies to date. It's an irable number for a niche RPG, and now the Switch is set to Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition.
Despite their names, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 isn't a direct sequel to the first game, and players don't need to play one before the other. That said, there are some interesting connections that tie the two games together in unexpected ways.
With the release of the Definitive Edition, players that have only gone through Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will probably be wondering what those similarities are. Here's how Xenoblade Chronicles and XC 2 are connected. It should be noted that Xenoblade Chronicles X bears no connection to either game whatsoever.
The Surprising Connection Between the Xenoblade Chronicles Games
Off the bat there are a few similarities between the two Xenoblade Chronicles games, even if they aren't noted as connections. The Titans of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 bear a remarkable similarity to the Bionis and Mechonis of the first game. The real link doesn't become clear, however, until players reach the very end of both games.
In the first Xenoblade Chronicles players find out that the universe of the game was created by two scientists named Klaus and Galea. After seeing how humanity had ravaged the Earth, Klaus lost faith in the human race. The scientist discovers an object known as the Conduit that can open portals to other dimensions. When the First Low Orbit Station, where Klaus works, comes under attack, he activates the Conduit. This results in a cataclysmic event that opens up multiple portals and creates the world of the first Xenoblade Chronicles. Half of Klaus' body gets sucked into an alternate dimension, along with Galea who tries to stop Klaus. In this new dimension Klaus is reborn as Zanza, a god that serves as the final boss of Xenoblade Chronicles. Zanza becomes the soul of the Bionis, while Galea is reborn as Meyneth, and becomes the soul of the Mechonis.
Now, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 takes place in the world of Alrest, where enormous Titans roam a sea of clouds, and humanoid creatures live upon them. At the tail-end of the game Rex and party meet the Architect, regarded as the creator god of Alrest. The Architect is actually the other half of Klaus' body, left behind after activating the Conduit. Zanza was the evil obsessive half of Klaus, which resulted in the war-torn world of the first Xenoblade. Meanwhile, the Architect is the good half of Klaus, and he knows the horrible mistake that he made. After the Earth is practically destroyed from the Conduit event, the Architect uses his new powers to create the world of Alrest and its inhabitants. That means that Alrest is basically a post-apocalyptic version of the actual Earth.
The most interesting part of all of this, is that Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and 2 are happening at the exact same time. While talking to the Architect, Rex hears the voice of Shulk during the final boss battle of Xenoblade Chronicles. As Shulk destroys Zanza and creates a new world, the Architect is also destroyed, considering he's the other half of Klaus. While both Xenoblade games are separate stories they're directly connected because of the actions of Klaus, and there's even evidence that there may be multiple Monados. Malos uses his own Monado at the end of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and he has a lot of the same skills that Shulk uses in the first game. There's a fascinating backstory behind the Xenoblade games, and it creates some interesting possibilities for a future title.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition launches on May 29 for Nintendo Switch.
