Monolith Delicate has turn into probably the most recognisable of Nintendo’s first-party builders in current instances. Led by legendary RPG author and director Tetsuya Takahashi, the studio is famend for the monolithic (pun supposed) Xenoblade sequence. Combining MMORPG-style, memorable worlds, gorgeous music, and philosophical writing, the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise has taken the world by storm. Monolith Delicate’s historical past, nevertheless, is as monolithic as its now-flagship sequence.
Takahashi is maybe most well-known for co-writing and directing the seminal PS1 RPG Xenogears, which he created throughout his time at Squaresoft. However within the years following Xenogears’ 1998 launch, Sq. determined to focus all of its power on the Remaining Fantasy sequence. Xenogears underperformed within the eyes of the corporate, however Takahashi had large plans for his proposed franchise, of which Xenogears was meant to be ‘Episode 5’.
Xenogears did not match into Sq.’s future, so Takahashi — together with Hirohide Sugiura (producer of Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring) and Yasuyuki Honne (artwork director of Xenogears and Chrono Cross) — based Monolith Delicate on 1st October 1999. The corporate was shortly acquired by majority stake by Namco, who revealed the Monolith’s early titles.
However even within the early days, Monolith Delicate began on the correct foot with Nintendo.
Play your playing cards proper
Within the early 2000s, Takahashi was prepared to hold on his Xeno-saga, and the corporate’s first new sport got here to be the subsequent ‘entry’ within the pseudo-Xeno sequence – Xenosaga Episode I. Whereas this was a PlayStation 2 unique, a number of the youthful workers banded collectively below Honne and tri-Crescendo founder Hiroya Hatsushiba to create a wholly new turn-based RPG for the GameCube, Baten Kaitos: Everlasting Wings and the Misplaced Ocean.
The event of this card-based RPG took round two years in whole, and it had an all-star forged on board. Masato Kato of Chrono Set off, Remaining Fantasy VII, and Xenogears fame penned the story, with music from Valkyrie Profile and Tales of sequence composer Motoi Sakuraba, alongside a number of different Xeno and Chrono alums.
The GameCube wasn’t identified for its RPGs, however in a 2004 interview, producer Shinji Noguchi stated of the choice: “We wished to supply a real RPG for GameCube customers and finally set up a high franchise for the platform.”
Launched in 2003 in Japan, 2004 in North America, and 2005 in Europe, Baten Kaitos nonetheless appears to be like totally gorgeous at present. The sport’s card system goes nicely past battle mechanics, with the whole world constructed upon it. These ‘Magnus’ are the essence of the whole lot. There are over 1,000 distinctive playing cards within the sport, from collectible constellations to magic spells, armour, and the like. And a big chunk of those playing cards change as in-game time passes – meals rots, hearth swords burn out, and milk pasteurises. Because of this, a 100% “speedrun” of this sport takes practically 340 hours.
Baten Kaitos’ poor gross sales and competitors from an entry in a longtime JRPG sequence (and arguably console-defining RPG), Tales of Symphonia, initially harm that prospect. However Baten Kaitos Origins was finally greenlit as a result of first sport’s heat vital reception. Printed this time by Nintendo, the prequel refined the battle system and streamlined plenty of components, and it was as well-received as its predecessor, however the Wii was introduced in the direction of the tip of improvement. Sugiura recollects the corporate figuring out that porting the sport “was not price the fee and labour hours,” which finally led to the 2006 sport by no means releasing in Europe, which is a darn disgrace.
On the identical time, Monolith Delicate had additionally been engaged on Xenosaga Episode II and III, alongside a DS port of the primary two video games (which by no means left Japan), so Western Nintendo followers solely had this “anti-Xenosaga” to go on.
After relations with Namco started to bitter and the merger to create Bandai Namco occurred, the corporate felt it was being restricted creatively. Thus, an opportunity session with Shinji Hatano, then govt director at Nintendo, impressed Monolith to interrupt away from Namco, and Nintendo acquired an 80% stake within the firm.
Twin display screen goals
Underneath the Huge N, Monolith Delicate made the soar to a brand new technology, in addition to transportable methods. Whereas the studio already had concepts for its first Wii sport earlier than becoming a member of Nintendo in Catastrophe: Day of Disaster, the corporate was drafted in to assist with Tremendous Smash Bros. Brawl. The studio’s first title below Nintendo was the Japan-only DS motion RPG Diablo-like Soma Bringer.
Plundering into dungeons with buddies on-line was the secret right here, with six distinctive lessons and a loot system to dive into. Takahashi was the particular person behind this one and wished to create a sport you would play briefly bursts. And whereas Soma Bringers’ fight went by means of a couple of iterations, it was – unusually – settled and accomplished earlier than the story was established. Written by Soraya Saga, Takahashi’s spouse (co-writer on Xenogears and Xenosaga), with music from Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Set off, Cross, Xenogears), it was far more simple in scope than Monolith’s different video games. Nonetheless, it was nonetheless text-heavy, which means this one is an actual problem for non-Japanese audio system.
That wasn’t the tip of 2008 releases for the corporate, whose solely non-RPG, Catastrophe: Day of Disaster, lastly launched on the Wii. An arcade-like journey, the sport has you surviving pure disasters and saving residents. Sadly, developmental woes and delays meant that this motion sport suffered and, because of this, wasn’t nicely beloved by critics. It launched in Europe however by no means got here out in North America.
However Monolith was additionally arduous at work with different DS RPGs. Tremendous Robotic Taisen OG Saga: Countless Frontier and its 2010 sequel, Countless Frontier Exceed, noticed the corporate again with Bandai Namco. These turn-based crossover RPGs pulled inspiration from PS2’s Namco x Capcom, a 2005 crossover sport that Monolith Delicate labored on which mixes the worlds of Tremendous Robotic Wars, Xenosaga, and different Monolith video games. Working with Banpresoft, solely the primary of the 2 video games left Japan, however the distinctive turn-based fight and visuals confirmed Monolith’s continued aptitude for originality.
2009’s Dragon Ball Z: Assault of the Saiyans obtained related reward, a superbly animated turn-based RPG that adapts the twenty third Tenkaichi Budokai arc from the vastly widespread manga sequence. With a timing-based guard mechanic, many thought this was among the finest RPGs to make use of the Dragon Ball IP, though it nonetheless had restricted enchantment.
However all of those smaller titles had been resulting in one thing a lot larger, and within the background, Takahashi had some large concepts for Nintendo.
The Chronicles of the Starting of the World
Takahashi was nonetheless decided to hold on the Xeno sequence identify, regardless of Xenosaga having to be condensed down from six to 3 video games. Following Xenosaga III, workers morale was low, so when arising with a brand new undertaking, Takahashi recalled an concept he got here up with years in the past — individuals dwelling on the our bodies of lifeless giants or ‘gods’. With different senior workers and artist Honne, the crew created a 3D mannequin of those two titans, frozen in everlasting battle. The crew introduced the mannequin to Nintendo, and producer Hitoshi Yamagami remembers being shocked that Takahashi did not have the “finer particulars” nailed down, but it surely was sufficient to pique his curiosity.
So, with this imaginative and prescient, Nintendo introduced in Genki Yokota to assist direct the sport alongside Koh Kojima, who wrote Baten Kaitos Origins’ story. Thus, Monado: The Starting of the World was in manufacturing.
Nintendo, Yamagami, and Yokota proved to be a giant assist — and large motivators — in creating this epic “open-world” RPG. Monolith Delicate had taken on suggestions from Baten Kaitos and Xenosaga about being “old style” and wished to concentrate on creating one thing new.
With the proposed launch date looming, the crew bumped into difficulties. Takahashi proposed a number of options to Yamagami to get the sport out on time, however Yamagami refused, as a substitute going to Nintendo to make sure the crew had sufficient time to finish their full imaginative and prescient. Even the late Satoru Iwata left a mark on the sport in a small however vital manner. As a manner of honouring Takahashi, “who poured his soul into making this and who has been engaged on the Xeno sequence,” Iwata wished the sport to bear the Xeno moniker. And it is right here the place Xenoblade — or Xenoblade Chronicles — was born.
For the sport’s state of affairs, Takahashi obtained assist from Yuichiro Takeda (who beforehand labored with Takahashi on Xenosaga: The Animation) and Yurie Hattori (a state of affairs planner at Nintendo). Takahashi’s authentic idea went by means of a number of iterations, with debates – as revealed in an Iwata Asks interview –about potential social gathering member betrayals and whether or not the principle character, Shulk, can be a silent protagonist. The ultimate product is, arguably, considered one of Takahashi’s most centered.
Mitsuda returned to compose the sport’s ending theme, however Xenoblade Chronicles additionally introduced the world plenty of new expertise. Alongside veteran Yoko Shimomura, ACE+ and Manami Kiyota made their marks on the online game music world. Xenoblade Chronicles grew to become solely the second Xeno title to obtain a worldwide launch (beforehand, solely Xenosaga Episode II had been launched worldwide), with a fan marketing campaign from Operation Rainfall serving to the sport get extra consideration.
Xenoblade Chronicles makes a particularly robust case for being among the finest RPGs of its technology. Its gorgeous open-world environments have echoes of Baten Kaitos’ lush locales, and its hybrid MMORPG fight has a flip of the action-based social gathering fight from Soma Bringer. Primarily, it took lots from the whole lot Monolith had accomplished beforehand and solely paved the best way to better issues.
Crossing the zone
The shut working relationship with Nintendo resulted within the firm being trusted to help with the event of each The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Animal Crossing: New Leaf, and to this present day, Monolith Delicate is intently concerned in a few of Nintendo’s largest franchise entries.
After Xenoblade Chronicles, Monolith Delicate labored with Bandai Namco as soon as once more on Challenge X Zone for the 3DS in 2012. Scaling again from its god-sized world, the crew returned to large crossover RPGs containing characters from Satan Might Cry, Tales of Vesperia, Tekken, Xenosaga, and Resident Evil. The thought was all Bandai Namco’s, however Monolith’s work on Namco x Capcom as soon as once more proved invaluable to the corporate. A standalone sequel, Challenge X Zone 2, adopted in 2015.
Monolith Delicate started engaged on the Wii U by supporting Nintendo on Pikmin 3 and Splatoon whereas additionally helping with large 3DS titles The Legend of Zelda: A Hyperlink Between Worlds and Animal Crossing: Glad Dwelling Designer. And whereas Shulk was busy smashing round Nintendo characters in Tremendous Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS, the subsequent part of the Xenoverse was brewing within the background, and it could mark Monolith Delicate’s foray into excessive definition with fashion.
X enchantment
Teased in a 2013 Nintendo Direct as ‘X’, Xenoblade Chronicles X departed from the unique sport’s extra story-based focus, as a substitute placing much more emphasis on the world and the sci-fi points that solely crept into Xenoblade Chronicles within the latter half of the sport.
Many names from the Wii sport returned for this religious successor, with Assault on Titan composer Hiroyuki Sawano bringing his uncommon digital soundscape to the rating. And, should you thought Xenoblade Chronicles’ world was gorgeous, Mira has one thing to indicate you.
This grand scope did not come with out problem for Monolith Delicate. In an interview with Eurogamer, Takahashi felt the crew discovered to “create places which might be enjoyable to discover on a price range” with Xenoblade Chronicles as a result of Wii’s restrictions. And whereas the Wii U was extra highly effective, Monolith Delicate nonetheless pushed the system to its restrict. The sport barely match on a Wii U disc and there have been optionally available 10GB obtain packs should you purchased a bodily copy, which would scale back load instances by putting in regularly used knowledge in your arduous drive. Takahashi advised Iwata that he initially wished to create a “complete planet” for the sport. Perhaps sooner or later!
What stays is a sport that is trapped on outdated {hardware} and one which Xeno sequence followers are begging to see ported to Swap – which could be a problem as Xenoblade Chronicles X closely utilised the Wii U’s gamepad (although you may play the entire sport on the gamepad should you really need — so come on, Nintendo!). Nonetheless, the sheer scope and ambition of the sport are unparalleled, even in different Xenoblade video games. You may trip Mechs, play on-line with buddies (otherwise you might) to take down highly effective monsters, and flesh out a whole metropolis with alien races.
Xenoblade Chronicles X was a serious indication of Nintendo’s continued religion in Monolith Delicate. The sport grew to become Nintendo’s large sport of the vacation season in 2015 after The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was delayed – which, apparently, Monolith Delicate was additionally serving to out on.
The golden future
2017, the yr the Swap hit cabinets, was an enormous one for Nintendo and Monolith Delicate. Not solely did Breath of the Wild launch to rapturous reward, however Monolith returned to work on the ink-splatting sequel, Splatoon 2.
Nonetheless, in 2014, concepts for a ‘correct’ sequel to Xenoblade Chronicles had been set in movement. Following X’s launch, Takahashi wished to return to a extra story-driven sport with new characters and a brand new world, moderately than revisit the Bionis and Mechonis from the primary sport.
Nintendo wished to get the sport on Swap early within the new console’s life cycle, however the specs for the system weren’t established by the point Monolith Delicate began engaged on the sport. Xenoblade Chronicles’ New 3DS port confirmed how the crew might condense one thing large right down to a a lot much less highly effective system, and X had proved that the studio might additionally create even larger, extra assorted worlds.
With Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the crew – with Masatsugu Saito main the character designs – wished to create a extra anime-esque with extra visually-expressive characters. So a melting pot of artists, from Tetsuya Nomura and Xeno veterans Tanaka and Soraya Saga, got here collectively to create varied characters and Blades, which you get from summoning them from Core Crystals by means of a gacha-like system.
The sport was introduced and launched in 2017, that includes a world set on the “our bodies” of “beings” (this time titans) in a sea of clouds. Simplifying the fight from each 1 and X – the latter of which had already helped to hurry issues up – Xenoblade Chronicles 2 layered much more methods on high of established ones to create a very deep system. And, regardless of Swap generally struggling to run the sport, it is a visible feast. Even KOS-MOS and T-elos from Xenosaga made cameos, together with Shulk and Fiora from 1, and Elma from X.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was successful and, earlier than it was even launched, Nintendo introduced it could be getting a Season Go with a DLC story episode. Torna – The Golden Nation launched lower than a yr later and featured a full 30-hour marketing campaign that added context to a number of the occasions of the principle sport. The DLC was extraordinarily well-received, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 continues to be the best-selling sport within the sequence so far.
New Horizons?
Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s large success and Shulk’s return in Tremendous Smash Bros. Final — alongside Pyra & Myrtha turning into a mixed DLC character — cemented Monolith Delicate’s fame as a considered one of Nintendo’s finest studios. The corporate had opened studios in Nakameguro, Osaki, and Iidabashi – although the latter has since closed (and 2nd Manufacturing crew is at the moment helping Eiji Aonuma’s Zelda crew on Breath of the Wild 2). The studio’s affinity for the skies, sea, solar, and all issues lovely, was put to make use of when drafted in to help with 2020’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons, too, presumably for environmental design.
The Swap was removed from accomplished with Xenoblade, with Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Version hitting the console the identical yr, bringing rearranged music, improved visuals, and a model new epilogue chapter that expanded on Shulk and Melia’s story after the tip of the principle sport.
After which, there was Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in 2022. A shock announcement (nicely, aside from a leak the earlier yr), improvement began in 2018 and – like XC2 – was introduced and launched the identical yr. With noticeable enhancements within the sport’s efficiency and visuals from each 2 and Torna, it felt like a “lesson discovered” from all three earlier entries in a number of other ways.
Takahashi considers Xenoblade Chronicles 3 a “stopping level” for the sequence, however definitely not the tip of Xenoblade. Splatoon 3 has been retaining the developer busy, and its ‘crew B’ is engaged on bringing us extra candy open-world Zelda, however we nonetheless have extra to come back from Noah and Mio’s story. We’ll should see what questions might be answered from Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s conclusion in subsequent yr’s story DLC and doubtlessly what lies past for the Xenoblade Collection.
In fewer than 25 years, Monolith Delicate has gone from power to power, and the corporate’s partnership with Nintendo has confirmed to be a vastly fruitful relationship for each events. After feeling stifled all these years in the past below Sq., Takahashi and Monolith Delicate get the artistic freedom they want, and Nintendo will get a top-tier RPG sequence, plus invaluable assist on a few of its largest IPs.
To say this has been a monolithic journey is not an understatement.
