Now things are getting interesting.��
Listed on Nintendos japanese site
IGN eyes on trailer and screens
A lone warrior chopping through an army of robotic warriors with an outsized Cloud Strife-like energy sword. Colossal war machines advancing though a misty canyon, shooting anything that moves. The few remaining human defenders hiding behind simple wooden shields that are no match for high-energy weapons. Welcome to the world of Monado.��
The debut trailer for Monado: Beginning of the World premiered today at E3: 2009, and first impressions for the new Wii RPG are that the beginning is going to be pretty exciting. Things kick off with that canyon-set battle, revealing more and bigger enemies with an interesting steampunk design. Things likely don't end well for our lone warrior, as we soon segue to a young blonde hero discovering that energy sword - now inert - only to see it flash blindingly to life the moment he picks it up. Your standard JRPG Hero's Journey (tm) is definitely in full effect here, with just a dash of King Arthur.��
Gameplay appears to be open-world, where you'll traverse lush jungles, glowing forests, climb sheer walls, and encounter the crumbling remains of a conquered people. It looks nicely textured and details pop, animating at what looks like a smooth 30 fps.��
Players will pick up two partners in their travels, and while combat initially looks turn-based, we saw all three party members attacking simultaneously. Transitions into combat are completely seamless; characters approach enemies, draw weapons, and it's on. One scene showed your team (wielding much smaller edged weaponry) surrounding a lizard-man enemy, who didn't make much of a dent in their lifebars before it was downed. A much larger lizard-man (a good twenty feet tall) and giant mutant crab monster probably fared better.
(back up link - check the japanese site first link in post for proper quality trailer)
Hit the HQ option.
There are some 46-49 level uniques where you at. And level 50 enemies ahead of you. Maybe go ahead and move the story along. Don't worry about the timed sidequests, they will remain active a long time. Go ahead until you reach 2 more areas.
Hats off to Monolithsoft for creating these MASSIVE areas to explore. It's certainly overwhelming, but in a very cool way. I want them hired to create the areas of Zelda Wii U!
It's official, I pulled an Aspro with this game: I'm 40-ish hours in and I just somehow NOW noticed someone mentioning Trading with people. I had the 'Controller Help' icons turned off so the interface wouldn't be so cluttered. I had to turn them back on so I could SEE that you have to press 'Y' on the Classic Controller to 'Trade' with people you have high Affinity with. I was wondering what all of that 'Collectible' crap was for...
Twenty hours in and I just figured out how to give presents.
Wait...
YOU CAN GIVE PRESENTS TOO ? ! ? HOW ? ! ?
Check your items, some have an exclamation point. I might have ignored it before thinking it had to do with a sidequest.
You are like the only person I have seen complain about this.
They helped with the graphics on Skyward Sword.
To give presents, go to collectibles, select an item and choose who to give it to. DO NOT give away or sell items with an ! next to it, they are for quests.