14 replies to this topic

[Detchibe]

I thought I would create this topic to speculate on Monolith Soft's Wii U project. It has been at least 2 years since the release of Xenoblade so I'd like to think they are hard at work on it. I'm constantly checking their home page for updates and for a while they have been currently hiring for new staff.

First of all, for some of you who may not know, Monolith Soft are known, primarily, for creating some of the most fantastic RPG experiences and are responsible for creating Xenosaga, Baten Kaitos, Disaster: Day of Crisis, Soma Bringer and the more recent, critically acclaimed Xenoblade Chronicles. Xenoblade received universal acclaim from reviewers and some time after Xenoblade, the remaining shares in the company were bought out by Nintendo making them a first-party developer.

Monolith have at least three divisions, one division is currently developing for the Wii U at their Tokyo headquarters, which Tetsuya Takahashi is likely to be heading. Another division is developing for 3DS at their new Kyoto studio, which is being headed by Yasuyuki Honne. And I think the last division worked on ProjectXZone.

The following is a piece taken from the fansite, 'Xenoverse':

"Tetsuya Takahashi and Koh Kojima stated, in an interview on MSI's official site in 2011, that now the time has come when game creators can do anything and make their dreams come true. Takahashi said that he would like to see people on the development team who isn't a player or interested in games, but who knows art and literature well. There will be a new designer, a woman named Kiko, and both groups (3DS and Wii U) from Monolith will be working on this project, which suggests that this project will be really big. Maps are said to be similar to Xenoblade, and that Xenoblade was just a trial for this project - what is possible to do today with JRPGs and how the world will respond. They want to do a story that even if someone doesn't know Japanese culture it will be fully understable for all players, no mater where they live."

Recently, Siliconera tweeted Soraya Saga asking about her involvement in an 'unannounced RPG', which can be seen on her Wikipedia page, her reply was "no comment " Maybe she is working alongside her husband on the Wii U project?

I am extremely excited and can't wait to hear more news on whatever it is they are working on, but for now, I guess the only thing we can do is speculate on what that could be. So...

[Deadly Virus]

Some concept art was released a while back. I've personally never played Baiten Kaitos, which was apparently a former Monolith Soft game, but some people have said it looks very similar to something from that game and it's art style. Baiten Kaitos 3, perhaps?

[jono]

I've only played Xenoblade, but it was one of my favorite games ever. Whatever they do for the Wii U will be amazing.

EDIT: wait..... Xenoblade? a trial? Holy.....

Edited by jono, 20 June 2012 - 04:10 PM.

[Detchibe]

Some concept art was released a while back. I've personally never played Baiten Kaitos, which was apparently a former Monolith Soft game, but some people have said it looks very similar to something from that game and it's art style. Baiten Kaitos 3, perhaps?

This is exactly what I'm thinking. It could be a Baten Kaitos for 3DS, considering Honne, who directed both games, is stationed at the Kyoto studio.

I also found the following pictures on Honne's Facebook page a while back. I'm not sure if they have anything to do with their projects, but they look absolutely amazing...





These have got me extremely hyped for a Baten Kaitos 3. Incredible.

[Alianjaro]

XENOBLADE WAS JUST A TRIAL FOR THIS GAME??? God it must be insanely huge. And the fact that they hired a non-gamer designer and a lot of people and the fact that they're having both teams working on the game... Wow it must be insane!

[Detchibe]

XENOBLADE WAS JUST A TRIAL FOR THIS GAME??? God it must be insanely huge. And the fact that they hired a non-gamer designer and a lot of people and the fact that they're having both teams working on the game... Wow it must be insane!

I know, it is so cool. This is why I think it will be huge. It seems they are really trying to make their Wii U project into their "magnum opus".

[Andy]

If Xenoblade was just a trial for their current Wii U project, than I have some pretty darn high expectations for their next game. Maybe it was due to the fact that I wasn't really expecting much when I purchased Xenoblade, I really only preordered it to boost the chances of The Last Story being localized, but I was just plain blown away by Xenoblade. The game's easily among my all time favorites, if not my favorite game of all time. If that was their idea of a trial, than consider me hyped.

[Detchibe]

If Xenoblade was just a trial for their current Wii U project, than I have some pretty darn high expectations for their next game.  Maybe it was due to the fact that I wasn't really expecting much when I purchased Xenoblade, I really only preordered it to boost the chances of The Last Story being localized, but I was just plain blown away by Xenoblade.  The game's easily among my all time favorites, if not my favorite game of all time.  If that was their idea of a trial, than consider me hyped.

Considering this AND the fact that Takahashi is known for naturally being a very ambitious director, it's looking to be a pretty big RPG for Wii U.

Nintendo has the money to fund the hell out of it too, so maybe this time Takahashi won't have to worry about going over a set budget.

Edited by Detchibe, 20 June 2012 - 08:12 PM.

[Mignaga]

If they do decide to make a Baten Kaitos 3 I hope that they decided to make an HD package for the first 2. That way people (like me) can catch up on the story, and actually enjoy the 3rd.

[Detchibe]

If they do decide to make a Baten Kaitos 3 I hope that they decided to make an HD package for the first 2. That way people (like me) can catch up on the story, and actually enjoy the 3rd.

I agree. I'd love to see the first two games get an HD makeover. HD backdrops would look gorgeous.

[10k]

Well with HD development being expensive and making JRPGs more linear (ffiii and iii-2) I would be happy if this project was just as big as xenoblade but in HD!

[Alianjaro]

I know, it is so cool. This is why I think it will be huge. It seems they are really trying to make their Wii U project into their "magnum opus".

Yeah actually did you know that it has been said that one step in Xenoblade equals one step in Japan? That means, the total explorable surface in Xenoblade=Japan

[Andy]

Yeah actually did you know that it has been said that one step in Xenoblade equals one step in Japan? That means, the total explorable surface in Xenoblade=Japan

I know! Imagine how huge their Wii U game will be. How awesome would it be if they could make something around the size of the USA's original 13 states. If they game turned out to be that huge, I would be in heaven.

One thing I'd like to know is, while it's obvious that they could make a world much larger than Xenoblade's with the Wii U's improved hardware, what could they do to top the feeling of Xenoblade's world? One of the things that made Xenoblade really stand out was the fact that through the entire game you were pretty much running around the bodies of two gigantic titans. Think about that moment when you first emerge from Tephra cave onto the Bionis Knee, and you look out to see the Mechonis looming miles away, watching your every movement. Or when you travel to the Bionis Leg, look up, see th Mechonis' sword far above you, and then it hits you "Holly crap, that's where the very first scene of the game with Dunban took place." And then there's one of my absolute favorite moments of the game. On the fallen arm, you climb to the very top of digit 2, look down at the hidden village bellow, and then look up at the Bionis towering above you, practically saying "Eat your heart out Shadow of the Colossus."
Xenoblade might have been on the weakest system of this generation, but it's the most beautiful looking game I've ever played; not through it's polygon count, but through the world that Monolith Soft crafted by hand, with each individual detail in mind. Each area of Xenoblade Chronicles felt unique; with the fact that you could look out and see another body part of either the Bionis or Mechonis, and think "I might actually have to go there soon," or "I can't believe I was actually there," just adding to the wow factor that I feel most games this generation have just lost sight of. In many ways, it's this what I'm most looking forward to seeing how they'll top, more so than the overall size of the world.

[Alianjaro]

I know! Imagine how huge their Wii U game will be. How awesome would it be if they could make something around the size of the USA's original 13 states. If they game turned out to be that huge, I would be in heaven.

One thing I'd like to know is, while it's obvious that they could make a world much larger than Xenoblade's with the Wii U's improved hardware, what could they do to top the feeling of Xenoblade's world? One of the things that made Xenoblade really stand out was the fact that through the entire game you were pretty much running around the bodies of two gigantic titans. Think about that moment when you first emerge from Tephra cave onto the Bionis Knee, and you look out to see the Mechonis looming miles away, watching your every movement. Or when you travel to the Bionis Leg, look up, see th Mechonis' sword far above you, and then it hits you "Holly crap, that's where the very first scene of the game with Dunban took place." And then there's one of my absolute favorite moments of the game. On the fallen arm, you climb to the very top of digit 2, look down at the hidden village bellow, and then look up at the Bionis towering above you, practically saying "Eat your heart out Shadow of the Colossus."
Xenoblade might have been on the weakest system of this generation, but it's the most beautiful looking game I've ever played; not through it's polygon count, but through the world that Monolith Soft crafted by hand, with each individual detail in mind. Each area of Xenoblade Chronicles felt unique; with the fact that you could look out and see another body part of either the Bionis or Mechonis, and think "I might actually have to go there soon," or "I can't believe I was actually there," just adding to the wow factor that I feel most games this generation have just lost sight of. In many ways, it's this what I'm most looking forward to seeing how they'll top, more so than the overall size of the world.

That's what I always thought too! The fact that, when you're on one of the two titans, the other one stares at you miles away feels so magic. I totally agree with that and I can easily place Xenoblade's universe as the most beautiful one. It has been said that the developer is really ambitious. That's something we don't see too often and he really showed us what determination can do, plus I think that Monolith Soft is not that big!

Oh, by the way, how big is Skyrim's world?

Edited by Alianjaro, 23 June 2012 - 12:53 PM.

[Falconberg]

I feel like I'm the only person on earth who didn't enjoy xenoblade chronicles. I must admit I didn't play it through. I feel like I was missing some obvious but crucial piece of info that would have made it fun, but instead I found it frustratingly difficult. I loves me a good jrpg but this one lost me early on.
However I know greatness when I see it and would love them to make another game so I can enjoy all their skills in developing.

Edited by Falconberg, 23 June 2012 - 05:36 PM.