Platform: PlayStation 3
Theme/Genre: RPG Where Choices Spin the Future
Developer: Bandai Namco Studio (Much of the staff came from Tales Studio)
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Producer: Hideo Baba
Composer: Motoi Sakuraba
Animation: Ufotable
Artwork: Daigo Okumura, Kosuke Fujishima, and Mutsumi Inomata
Release Dates:
-Japan: November 1st, 2012
-North America/Europe: N/A (Maybe 2014?)
Theme Song: "Song 4 U" by Ayumi Hamasaki
Scores:
-Famitsu: 9/9/8/9 (35/40)
-Dengeki: 90/85/95/90
Special Editions:
-Lalabit Kyun Chara Pack (Includes Ludger and Elle Kyun Chara figures and a calendar)
-Famitsu DX Edition (Includes a tapestry with Ufotable designs, 6 clear files, a Lulu Plush, and a special mug)
-Xillia 2 X Edition (Includes Game and special Xillia 2 Dualshock 3 Controller)
All versions of the game, including the regular edition, have three DLC costumes (Emil for Ludger, Asbel for Milla, and Yuri for Jude), two PS3 themes, and a "Before Episode" book about the time between Xillia 1 and 2 as special bonuses.
Box Art
Trailer 1
Trailer 2
Trailer 3
Trailer 4
Trailer 5
Launch Trailer
Ludger Story Video
Ludger Battle Video
Elle Story Video
Leia Story Video
Leia Battle Video
Alvin Story Video
Alvin Battle Video
Elise Story Video
Elise Battle Video
Rowen Story Video
Rowen Battle Video
Jude Story Video
Jude Battle Video
Milla Story Video
Milla Battle Video
Gaius Story Video
Gaius Battle Video
Musee Story Video
Musee Battle Video
Kind of spoilery for Xillia 1
A year after Jude and Milla worked together with their allies to save the world, the land of Liese Maxia has now joined with the world of Elympios. As these two lands learn to cooperate with each other, the story now centers around Ludger Will Kresnick, a young man living in Triglaf, who gets caught up in a journey to stop yet another growing threat to the world.
Again, while I either avoided them or wrote them in a way that it doesn't blatantly state anything when I could, do note that there are some Xillia 1 spoilers in here. Just a warning if you read this section but haven't played Xillia 1
Ludger Will Kresnick
Age: 20
Voice Actor: Takashi Kondo
Character Designer: Daigo Okumura
A normal young man living with his brother in the Elympiosian city of Triglaf. Because his brother is often busy with work, he takes care of his pet cat Lulu and does the house work. He makes a lot of foods that his brother finds good, which eventually lead to him being able to create a wide variety of dishes and becoming pretty adept at cooking. Because he fails to get a job at the Claspia Corporation he admired, he takes on a job at a restaurant at Triglaf station. On his first day of work he meets the mysterious Elle, and gets wrapped up in her situation, where he takes a large debt and the fate of the world on his shoulders.
Elle Mel Mata
Age: 8
Voice Actor: Mariya Ise
Character Designer: Daigo Okumura
A very chatty and lively girl, she's following the orders of her father to find the 'Land of Canan', a place where any wish can be granted. She eventually meets Ludger, where due to some events that occur, they agree to go there together. She had recieved a pocket watch from her father before her journey, which is said to be very important.
Leia Roland
Age: 16
Voice Actor:Saori Kayami
Character Designer: Mutsumi Inomata
The fearless childhood friend of Jude. She is cheerful and energetic and faces any situation with a positive outlook. After she quit being an apprentice nurse, she thought about what she truly wanted to be, eventually deciding on a "journey to find herself" at Elympios. While there, she became fascinated by a job as a newspaper reporter,and now she's studying as an apprentice reporter for a minor newspaper company. She has the determination but hasn't quite gotten any good results, and now she's beginning to feel impatient.
Alvin
Age: 27
Voice Actor: Tomokazu Sugita
Character Designer: Kosuke Fujishima
A merchant with influence in the two lands of Liese Maxia and Elympios. His true name is Albert Vent Svent. As the son of a distinguised family in Elympios, a mercenary, and a former member of terrorist organization Arc Noah, he has a complex history. Currently he is struggling to get the new business he began with his business partner Yurgens back on track. He is fixing the evasive life he's lead up to now, in order to create a place where he truly belongs. For that reason he generally shows a more reasonable and pure side than before, but there are an increasing number of moments where he can't help but face people with his true colors, so he appears to have a hit a wall when it comes to connecting with people.
Elise Lutus
Age: 13
Voice Actor: Yuki Horinaka
Character Designer: Kosuke Fujishima
A somewhat shy girl, she's now attending school at Kalaha Shal, and attempting to enjoy her life and make more friends her age. While on a "Friendship Mission", she visits Elympios again, where she meets Ludger. For some reason while with Ludger, Tipo, who was initally put into a dormant state, is reactivated, which gets her involved in the adventure.
Rowen J. Ilbert
Age: 63
Voice Actor: Mugihito
Character Designer: Mutsumi Inomata
Known as "The Conductor", he's now become the Prime Minister of Liese Maxia and Gaius' right hand man, in charge of negotiating with Elympios in order for the two lands to become allies. In addition to his political duties, he's also an energetic old man who enjoys teasing the others and lifting their spirits.
Jude Mathis
Age: 16
Voice Actor: Tsubasa Yonaga
Character Designer: Kosuke Fujishima
A year after saving Liese Maxia with Milla, he's now graduated from Medical School and has become a distinguished researcher of a powerful new technology known as Origin. As one of the people who has changed the world, he feels responsible for ensuring that it's safe and stable, and for that reason has tried to become more mature and responsible than he was a year ago.
Milla
Age: 21
Voice Actor: Miyuki Sawashiro
Character Designer: Mutsumi Inomata
Calling herself Maxwell, Lord of the Spirits, she destroyed the Arc Noah organization and stopped the Spear of Kresnick at the age of 6. In accomplishing this task, she lost the powers of Maxwell and can no longer call upon the Four Great Spirits to help her. Now she's living a normal life in Ni Akeria with her twin sister, who is a Great Spirit.
Gaius
Age: 33
Voice Actor: Ryoutarou Okiayu
Character Designer: Mutsumi Inomata
Now the king of Liese Maxia, he united the lands of A Jule and Ra Shugal, and is now involved with negotiating and working together with Elympios. In an attempt to better learn the concerns and ideas of his people, he often ventures out into public, using his true name 'Arst Autwei' to keep his identity hidden.
Musee
Age: 21
Voice Actor: Asami Sanada
Character Designer: Kosuke Fujishima
Milla's sister and a Grest Spirit with the abilty to tear through dimensions. She was living in the Spirit World with her sister, but has come to world of agains again in order to fulfill some task. Though she had a angry and mad side to her, she's managed to get over her initial feelings, and now she has a calm demeanor to match her habit of being playful and blunt.
Choice System
In Xillia 2 you'll be presented with multiple choices for Ludger, where you can determine his responses and reactions to the situations around him.
Debt System
Due to some unfortunate circumstances, Ludger owes a more-than-hefty debt of 20 million Gald. To prevent him from running off, his ability to run around the world has been limited. When you pay off the debt, the areas you can access are increased. You pay off the debt to Nova, a friend of Ludger's who works for the bank, and she'll open up places for you. The entire debt doesn't need to be paid off to complete the game, but there is a reward for those who do so.
Quests and Titles
Like the last Xillia, there are people in the game who have tasks they would like for you to complete. When you complete these tasks, you earn items and money, as well as something new called "Merit Points". Using these Merit Points, you can obtain higher ranking Titles, which allow you to access more difficult quests with better rewards.
Alternate World
Throughout the story there will be moments where you go an alternate world, a world where events did not play out as they did in the real world. This can lead to things like characters turning out a different people, or people who were supposed to have during some event remaining alive. These worlds are taking energy from the real world, and Ludger has been given the task of destroying them by destroying the Time Factor, the core that keeps these alternate realities intact.
Cross Double Raid Linear Motion Battle System (XDR-LMBS)
Xillia 2 uses Xillia 1's DR-LMBS as a base, which means that the basic mechanics such as AC, TP, Character Abilities, and Link Artes remain. From there they added several small touches, some inspired by other Tales battlesystems:
Weakness system: Taking from Graces' weakness system, they've developed something more in depth. Like Graces, when you hit an enemy's weakness your damage output is increased, and by hitting more of their weaknesses the damage multiplier is increased. Should you hit an enemy's weakness, not only is the multiplier canceled, they can also blow through your attacks and counterattack while you're open.
Common Link Artes and Unique Link Artes: They've altered the Link Arte system a bit and created two types of Link Artes, in order to create more freedom in the system. Common Link Artes are Link Artes that can be used between any pair of characters. Unique Link Artes are special attacks only used when the necessary characters are paired together.
Corpse Shell Mode: After a certain point in the story, Ludger unlocks the ability to transform into something more powerful. Through this, Ludger and the enemies enter a different dimension, where Ludger has infinite resources and stamina (he can't be damaged nor does he run out of TP or AC), allowing you to make an all-out on enemies for a period of time. A gauge increases during battles that needs to be filled before it can be activated, and it has multiple levels that are unlocked over time, each of increasing power.
Around Step: Another idea from Graces, you can now freely sidestep around enemies to dodge attacks.
The game also features several other small details, such as improved AI and AI command systems, new artes, new Link Artes, new or powered character abilities, etc.
Main Chapters and Character Episodes
The game has several different storylines to follow: the Main Chapters, which focus on Ludger, and the Character Episodes, which focus on the character it pertains to. The Main Chapters are the main storyline of the game, while the Character Episodes are basically glorified sidequests, where you take a detour to help out a party member.
The Character Episodes have several benefits, such as special items, unique costumes, the character gaining a better relationship with Ludger, or special scenes that occur during the Main Chapters.
Character Relationship
As you make choices throughout the game, Ludger's relationships with the other characters can grow stronger. As they grow stronger, you get various benefits, such as special items, or the character teaching Ludger a new arte or skill.
Aurosal Orb
Due to the events of the last game, Liliale Orbs have been deactivated. A new Orb has been developed called the Aurosal Orb. With these each character has an orb, which takes in energy through something called an Absorber, jewels which absorb elemental energy. There's six elemental energies: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, and Darkness. Along these six elemental lines are Skills and Artes for each character to learn, and you have to get the necessary amount of energy (or "Points") in that element in order to learn them. There are also skills and artes between two lines, which require you to earn points for the two elements next to that Akill or Arte.
The Absorber equipped determines which energy is absorbed from Elemental Cores when you obtain them from battles or on the field. Some jewels absorb one kind of energy, others absorb more than one. The amount of energy absorbed from an Elemental Core also varies, some may absorb 1 Fire Point, other may absorb 3 Points, and so on. You can get new Absorbers in several ways as yo progress through the game.
Also, unlike Xillia 1, the game uses a traditional level system like most other Tales games. When you earn the experience needed, the character levels up and their stats increase.
Special Orders
Unlike Xillia 1, where every type of shop had the same inventory and their stock increased as you leveled them, every shop in the world now carries their own unique inventory of items, weapons, armor, and/or accessories. They've also added a Special Order system, where you give the materials found from battles, treasure chests, or on the field, to the shops along with some money, so you can make a request to have special items made. This includes just about any type of item: weapons, armor, absorber jewels, etc.
Skill System
The skill system has been slightly altered from the usual system. Now you no longer get SP from leveling or from the Orb, when you learn a skills, you're given half the SP necessary to equip the skills (for example, a 10 SP skill will increase your max SP by 5). To increase your SP further so can equip more skills, you have to kill a certain number of a particular monster, and by doing so the max SP of the character who needed a number of that enemy defeated will increase.
Cats
A lady living in Ludger's building lost a ton of cats, and she'd like you to find them. The cats that have to be caught are located all over the world, and are usually named after Tales characters, such as Yuri or Luke. There are 100 cats to be found.
In addition to this, you can send the capture cats into various places, and after some time, they'll have items for you when they come back.
Downloadable Content
Standard with Tales games this generation, the game offers a collection of DLC costumes that players can purchase. Also, much of the DLC from Xillia 1 can be carried over and used in Xillia 2.
Code Geass: November 1st, 9 costumes, 500 Yen per Character
Madoka Magica: November 15th through January 16th, 3 costumes (Elise, Milla, and Leia), 500 Yen per character (200 Yen for Kyubei attachment)
School Costumes: November 15th, 3 costumes (Ludger, Musee, and Gaius), 300 Yen per character
Sports: November 8th, 9 costumes, 300 Yen per character
Swimsuit: November 15th, 3 costumes (Ludger, Gaius, Musee), 300 Yen per character
Tales: November 22th, 3 costumes (Ludger as Ruca Milda/Asras, Gaius as Dymlos Timber, Musee as Shiina Fujibayashi), 300 Yen per character.
