For those who want to look stuff for sidequest I recommend using this google docs. At least for me it was incredibly useful at the time I played the game (launch in Europe)

Xenoblade - Google Docs

It's almost spoiler free, the only spoiler are the locations of the game, so be careful with that. Alternatively you can filter the page, so it's not really an issue.

Also you have the hearts - to - hearts events, Colony 6 items and a lot of things more.

This is my problem with how Nintendo handled this game.  For the import community, it is 2 years old, so a lot of people who imported the Japanese version just don't care anymore.  The European posters are generally good about not spoiling it for us in the Western Hemisphere, the real problem are the idiots over here (in America, Canada, etc) who imported the Euro version or Pirated the game and think that its funny to spoil stuff.

Case in point, I was in a thread the other day where someone was lamenting, "I really didn't like _______ _______ ______" and then someone came in and was like, "Well don't worry _________ _________ and then _______ _______ ________ the gerbil has to go ALL the way up the rectum and then ______ _____ _____ ___ and so you shouldnt worry about it. "

Basically spoiling 30 hours of gameplay.  I have to admit that most of the game is already spoiled for me, I lost faith and just read the synopsis of the first 75% of the game, stopped before the end because of that one last thread of hope.  Still, you spoilers are asses. 

I've done a decent job of avoiding major plot spoilers. Some of the later areas have been spoiled to me (but just names, not screens), and I know who my next two party members will likely be. That's it.

16 hours in and loving it. However now that I'm so far in, there are a few flaws IMO. Minor spoilers (names) are covered.

1. When you fight the Telethia in the Marsh, you need Shulk and that new girl in your party, however you can't change your party during battle (only immediately before) and although the game heavily hints at you needing Shulk, they don't tell you that you need the girl as well (maybe you don't need her, but with just Shulk, ALL my attacks were missing, and my Monardo meter wasn't filling). So the issue is, if you die you don't re spawn anywhere near the boss, the game doesn't force you to use the characters you need, and the game doesn't tell you that you need to use the girl until the cut scene immediately after you select who fights. as a result, you need to fail on purpose if you have the wrong party, and run really really far to get back there again. With some over-leveled monsters directly on your path, you might die with a single attack by accidental encounters on your way there as well (like I did) which adds to the frustration.

2. Although there is almost a tutorial for almost everything in the game, and a tab to craft gems outside of colony 9 (which I can't use for some reason, even in other cities or camps), you have to back travel to Colony 9 to craft gems. This is kind of annoying. So are finding out which heart to heart moments you can activate (menu only tells you the region), and the fact that the game never tells you that members have to be in your party to boost affinity.

2 isn't so much a flaw, just an annoying little thing, in an otherwise nearly flawless game. 1 I consider a flaw. As it is right now, I'd give the game a 9.6/10, it's addictive, long, polished, interesting, unique (world is on a giant monster? common), big (probably a bigger over-world then Oblivion, and Fallout 3, maybe even Skyrim, but I dunno how big that or XenoBlade is exactly), and overall really fun. Probably the best JRPG on consoles this gen, and maybe even best RPG this gen overall.

Other then fixing those minor flaws, and maybe allowing you to switch characters withing your party during battle (like the Tales of franchise), or commanding them to heal/use a specific attack. This game is perfect. It's a gem, and honestly with how cheap the Wii is now, this game is so good that non Wii owners should buy a Wii for this game, or a backward compatible Wii U with this being the first game they get.

Yea they should give you that earlier in the game, it's annoying backtracking.

There are more simularities then that. First of all some weapons and armour are imported from other games (but you won't recognize them unless you played the other games and remember the specific weapon you equiped), and I've read that the XenoBlade game takes place somewhere in the same universe as XenoSaga and XenoGears, but much much earlier on. Not sure about the second point, but I would speculate XenoSaga takes place thousands of years later when Humans migrate to space, and I think I read an article about XenoGears taking place on another planet in the same universe. Regardless physical ties are extremely loose, mostly just related by themes and weapon "cameos."

1. I have not experienced this flaw you speak of. Nor do I remember a part where the girl is necessary. Then again, I was somewhat over leveled at the time.

2. Agreed. There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to craft gems at away from Colony 9. But then again, this isn't the only RPG with immobile crafting stations. And one could always skip.

3. I've heard that the traversible parts of the game world are supposedly around 12 square miles (or 17 km) total. This has not been confirmed. Skyrim is 16 square miles. However, the Bionis as a whole is much larger area than Skyrim.

1. I couldn't beat this particular boss without her ability to stop or freeze the boss (as shown in the cut scene). Couldn't hit him with the Monardo without it, and it's new ability was useful, but without powering up the meter, I can't use it can I? Also without the Monardo, this boss is actually impossible as you just never hit him. So to me this boss was poorly designed, why do I spawn so far away if i die??

2. Agreed, it's a minor issue in an almost perfect game, and I think later I do get a portable cradter (there is a tab for it in the menu).

3. Well that's pretty close, but it's bigger then Oblivion (Skyrim is a 2011 game, Oblivion is 2007, XenoBlade 2010 or in between). Also I would argue that XenoBlade is more unique in environments. I haven't played much of Skyrim, but Oblivion was almost all re-used tree and grass models in a wooded field connecting cities, which in general looked the game. That Marsh and the following rainforest, Entra Sea, Colony 9, Sword Valley, Bionis's Leg, and basically every large scale location I have been to has been very different so far. Also there are a lot more large scale objects and unique landmarks in XenoBlade (like Prison Island, and seeing different Bionis limbs and different location... I hope you go to the giant Mechon)

Men this thread, i have to restart Xenoblade when i'm done with Pandora's.