Yello's Gaming Journal
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February 9, 2025 - Trying something new with an open mind
For once, I took a leap of faith and am so glad I did. My usual MO is that I stick to what I'm familiar with, almost to an obsessive degree. This applies to all aspects of my life and especially around gaming. If I grew up with a franchise, chances are I'm still thinking about it to this day. Mario, Pokémon, Just Dance, the Sims, various edutainment games, etc. It takes a lot of convincing for me to try something completely new. But when I do, I usually wonder why I took so long to try it.
The game in question is Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition. Over the years, I've heard the immaculate reputation that this game had, especially around the Smash 4 days. People don't usually call games masterpieces but this was always mentioned as a must-play. What's wild is this super niche franchise blossomed into one of the big beloved Nintendo franchises. As of today, literally every Xenoblade title will be playable on the original Switch alone because of the increasing popularity, when ten years ago, copies of the original Wii release would cost over $100.
A few of my online friends also vouched for Xenoblade, and while they never pressured me, I felt this nagging feeling to see what the hype was about. Unlike most other recommendations, I didn't completely brush this game off. I was actually pondering about it for a good few months. Until finally, I wished for this game as a Christmas gift. And by golly, I actually received exactly what I wanted. I actually surprised my friends when I said that I got this game, but they were over the moon to see me play one of their favorite games. And now it was time to see why.
I'm 12 hours in Xenoblade Chronicles after a month of playing and...wow. I never thought I'd be so immersed in a fantastical story like this, but it's amazing how an open mind can allow pure enjoyment. I'm definitely guilty of judging games before I play them but can you blame me if I already have so many options? My friends warned me about the potentially steep learning curve and while I did struggle through certain parts, I've still been able to push through and keep moving.
This game reminded me to keep an open mind for new experiences. Especially during a time of chronically playing Splatoon and Pokémon for months, sinking my teeth into a completely different experience has revitalized this passion for me. I'm still gonna try the impossible task of completing every single Pokémon game, but it's nice to keep expanding my palette. I don't even necessarily have to be good at these new games from the get-go. As long as I want to keep playing, I'm doing at least something right.