Goddamn. Who is it, if you don't mind? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiVZMxf4E2Q

Dunkey is my spirit animal.

Finished chapter 7...I don't know what to say....the story really keeps on going. I love it. The characters, the moments, the location and situation you are being thrown into. And I am still not done. Surely, I havn't finished the story and I know that more stuff is coming in the form of DLC.

So, how are you liking the new look and ascended form in general? cool huh? And the Monado that Malos is using, I knew I heard that word before in Smash Wii U, what do you think is the relation?

I mean, you can complain about a staple if you don't like it, I usually don't mind it till it interrumpts my fights, so is very love-hate for me.

I'm sure he is making fun of X's music, tho anyways I don't like XC1 or 2's music nearly as much as X's.

I can't say much about the tutorials, I skip them all, the games are pretty simple to understand anyways :P .

The thing about the cutscenes he was talking about also gets to me as well, why even win when you are gonna make me lose in the cutscenes anyways, which I'll add that they are too long for my sanity at times.

No, it's not a glitch. It's a gimmick of the fight. I was wrong in calling it a glitch.

I honestly had a phenomenal time with it. One of my favorite games of the year, and so refreshing after XCX disappointed. People talk about scale, but this game's sense of it is insane. People will argue about if it's open world or not (it is), but it really doesn't really matter because its good and its freeing. The three things I deem necessary for a good open world are 1. a linear/semi-linear story, 2. towns/cities that feel bigger than they are, and 3. Memorable dungeons with complex layouts. 3 is probably the most important, because most open worlds suck at this. Even BotW sucked at this. Open world somehow means "outside world" now and has no interesting interiors. XB2 does all three without breaking a sweat.

I actually had no issue with the map at all, as I don't use maps in games like this. I have very strong feels about this stuff - your eyes should be on the world at all times, not in a map. If I were directing this game, there would be no mini map at all, even as an option. The map would be incredibly barren if existent at all, and fast travel wouldn't be unlocked until like 3/4 of the way through the game. You won't get lost. Learn your surroundings. Don't respect the player's time. Make the player respect the game's time. Games like this are best when you live in the world, not when you skim through it. If running is too slow, there should be a faster way of moving introduced like 1/4 of the way through the game. A mount or something. But you shouldn't be able to skip through areas completely like you can.

I will say that this isn't really the kind of story I'm into, tonally. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it.

I've encountered two weird bugs: The Switch goes standby by itself in handheld pretty often, when a cutscene ends and the ingame counter of how long one played Xenbolade just goes on, when I turn the switch into standby (I think also solely in handheld mode). Those aren't that annoying but really weird. Does anyone encountered them too?
Besides that I'm now in chapter 3 and Zeke is the best character ever.

@ Everyone: Don't read if you aren't past chapter 7. 

I like the new look. Looks so futuristic and on par with the Xeno franchise. I'm not one of the people who complained about his first one. Also it was a huge surprise to see a 3rd form of Pyra/Mythra which knows how to kick everyone's ass. Now I am on the destroyed futuristic city. That place is awesome. Like it really so far. It's completely different from the titans. Its similar in Secret of Mana where you go into the sunken continent and notice how modern everything looks.   

Oh and.. regarding the Monado by Malos. I really thought that was odd that the has one with a sympol in its ring. I still don't know what the connection is, but in an earlier cutscene they've showed the complete planet with a ring around it for a second. Reminds me of the ending seen of XC1 where Klaus destroys the universe. Maybe I saw it wrong... 

Yeah, never complained about the first look either, I just thought it suits him, anyways, having the new power it felt like I can take on mobs now compared before where I only lure 2-3 at a time, or maybe it's just because the power is new that's why the enemies are a little easier, who knows, anyway, I can't comment much on the Monado as well as I've only ever heard it on Smash Wii U and never played XC1, I just thought you may have any info as how he has the same weapon(or name at least) as that guy on Smash Wii U(sorry can't remember the name XD).

Shulk and it's not the same weapon in 2. They are similar.