Monolith Soft has turn into one of the vital 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 meant) Xenoblade sequence. Combining MMORPG-style, memorable worlds, gorgeous music, and philosophical writing, the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise has taken the world by storm. Monolith Soft’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. But within the years following Xenogears’ 1998 launch, Square determined to focus all of its power on the Final Fantasy sequence. Xenogears underperformed within the eyes of the corporate, however Takahashi had huge plans for his proposed franchise, of which Xenogears was meant to be ‘Episode 5’.

Xenogears did not match into Square’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 Soft on 1st October 1999. The firm was shortly acquired by majority stake by Namco, who printed the Monolith’s early titles.

But even within the early days, Monolith Soft began on the suitable foot with Nintendo.

Play your playing cards proper

In the early 2000s, Takahashi was prepared to hold on his Xeno-saga, and the corporate’s first new recreation got here to be the following ‘entry’ within the pseudo-Xeno sequence – Xenosaga Episode I. While this was a PlayStation 2 unique, among the youthful employees banded collectively beneath Honne and tri-Crescendo founder Hiroya Hatsushiba to create a wholly new turn-based RPG for the GameCube, Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean.

The improvement of this card-based RPG took round two years in complete, and it had an all-star solid on board. Masato Kato of Chrono Trigger, Final 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 recognized for its RPGs, however in a 2004 interview, producer Shinji Noguchi mentioned of the choice: “We wished to supply a real RPG for GameCube customers and finally set up a high franchise for the platform.”

Released in 2003 in Japan, 2004 in North America, and 2005 in Europe, Baten Kaitos nonetheless seems completely gorgeous right now. The recreation’s card system goes properly past battle mechanics, with the whole world constructed upon it. These ‘Magnus’ are the essence of every part. There are over 1,000 distinctive playing cards within the recreation, 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, fireplace swords burn out, and milk pasteurises. As a outcome, a 100% “speedrun” of this recreation takes almost 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. But Baten Kaitos Origins was finally greenlit because of the first recreation’s heat vital reception. Published 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 direction of the top of improvement. Sugiura remembers the corporate figuring out that porting the sport “was not price the fee and labour hours,” which finally led to the 2006 recreation by no means releasing in Europe, which is a darn disgrace.

At the identical time, Monolith Soft 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 government director at Nintendo, impressed Monolith to interrupt away from Namco, and Nintendo acquired an 80% stake within the firm.

Dual display goals

Under the Big N, Monolith Soft made the leap to a brand new technology, in addition to transportable methods. While the studio already had concepts for its first Wii recreation earlier than becoming a member of Nintendo in Disaster: Day of Crisis, the corporate was drafted in to assist with Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The studio’s first title beneath Nintendo was the Japan-only DS motion RPG Diablo-like Soma Bringer.

Plundering into dungeons with mates on-line was the secret right here, with six distinctive lessons and a loot system to dive into. Takahashi was the individual behind this one and wished to create a recreation you could possibly play briefly bursts. And whereas Soma Bringers’ fight went via a number 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 Trigger, Cross, Xenogears), it was rather more simple in scope than Monolith’s different video games. However, it was nonetheless text-heavy, which means this one is an actual problem for non-Japanese audio system.

That wasn’t the top of 2008 releases for the corporate, whose solely non-RPG, Disaster: Day of Crisis, lastly launched on the Wii. An arcade-like journey, the sport has you surviving pure disasters and saving residents. Unfortunately, developmental woes and delays meant that this motion recreation suffered and, because of this, wasn’t properly liked by critics. It launched in Europe however by no means got here out in North America.

But Monolith was additionally exhausting at work with different DS RPGs. Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier and its 2010 sequel, Endless 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 recreation that Monolith Soft labored on which mixes the worlds of Super Robot 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: Attack of the Saiyans obtained related reward, a superbly animated turn-based RPG that adapts the twenty third Tenkaichi Budokai arc from the massively standard manga sequence. With a timing-based guard mechanic, many thought this was top-of-the-line RPGs to make use of the Dragon Ball IP, though it nonetheless had restricted enchantment.

But all of those smaller titles had been resulting in one thing a lot greater, and within the background, Takahashi had some huge concepts for Nintendo.

The Chronicles of the Beginning 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, employees 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 useless giants or ‘gods’. With different senior employees and artist Honne, the staff created a 3D mannequin of those two titans, frozen in everlasting battle. The staff offered the mannequin to Nintendo, and producer Hitoshi Yamagami remembers being shocked that Takahashi did not have the “finer particulars” nailed down, nevertheless it 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 Beginning of the World was in manufacturing.

Nintendo, Yamagami, and Yokota proved to be an enormous assist — and large motivators — in creating this epic “open-world” RPG. Monolith Soft had taken on suggestions from Baten Kaitos and Xenosaga about being “old school” and wished to deal with creating one thing new.

With the proposed launch date looming, the staff bumped into difficulties. Takahashi proposed a number of recommendations to Yamagami to get the sport out on time, however Yamagami refused, as a substitute going to Nintendo to make sure the staff 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 important approach. As a approach 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 unique idea went via a number of iterations, with debates – as revealed in an Iwata Asks interview –about potential occasion member betrayals and whether or not the principle character, Shulk, can be a silent protagonist. The ultimate product is, arguably, one among Takahashi’s most targeted.

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 turned solely the second Xeno title to obtain a world 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 an especially sturdy case for being top-of-the-line 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 occasion fight from Soma Bringer. Essentially, it took loads from every part Monolith had completed 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 Soft is intently concerned in a few of Nintendo’s largest franchise entries.

After Xenoblade Chronicles, Monolith Soft labored with Bandai Namco as soon as once more on Project X Zone for the 3DS in 2012. Scaling again from its god-sized world, the staff returned to huge crossover RPGs containing characters from Devil May Cry, Tales of Vesperia, Tekken, Xenosaga, and Resident Evil. The concept 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, Project X Zone 2, adopted in 2015.

Monolith Soft started engaged on the Wii U by supporting Nintendo on Pikmin 3 and Splatoon whereas additionally helping with huge 3DS titles The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer. And whereas Shulk was busy smashing round Nintendo characters in Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS, the following part of the Xenoverse was brewing within the background, and it might mark Monolith Soft’s foray into excessive definition with fashion.

X enchantment

Teased in a 2013 Nintendo Direct as ‘X’, Xenoblade Chronicles X departed from the unique recreation’s extra story-based focus, as a substitute placing much more emphasis on the world and the sci-fi features that solely crept into Xenoblade Chronicles within the latter half of the sport.

Many names from the Wii recreation returned for this non secular successor, with Attack on Titan composer Hiroyuki Sawano bringing his uncommon digital soundscape to the rating. And, if you happen to thought Xenoblade Chronicles’ world was gorgeous, Mira has one thing to point out you.

This grand scope did not come with out problem for Monolith Soft. In an interview with Eurogamer, Takahashi felt the staff discovered to “create places which can be enjoyable to discover on a finances” with Xenoblade Chronicles because of the Wii’s restrictions. And whereas the Wii U was extra highly effective, Monolith Soft nonetheless pushed the system to its restrict. The recreation barely match on a Wii U disc and there have been non-compulsory 10GB obtain packs if you happen to purchased a bodily copy, which would cut back load instances by putting in continuously used knowledge in your exhausting drive. Takahashi advised Iwata that he initially wished to create a “entire planet” for the sport. Maybe someday!

What stays is a recreation that is trapped on outdated {hardware} and one which Xeno sequence followers are begging to see ported to Switch – which could be a problem as Xenoblade Chronicles X closely utilised the Wii U’s gamepad. Nevertheless, the sheer scope and ambition of the sport are unparalleled, even in different Xenoblade video games. You can journey Mechs, play on-line with mates (otherwise you might) to take down highly effective monsters, and flesh out a whole metropolis with alien races.

Xenoblade Chronicles X was a significant indication of Nintendo’s continued religion in Monolith Soft. The recreation turned Nintendo’s huge recreation of the vacation season in 2015 after The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was delayed – which, curiously, Monolith Soft was additionally serving to out on.

The golden future

2017, the yr the Switch hit cabinets, was an enormous one for Nintendo and Monolith Soft. Not solely did Breath of the Wild launch to rapturous reward, however Monolith returned to work on the ink-splatting sequel, Splatoon 2.

However, 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 recreation with new characters and a brand new world, somewhat than revisit the Bionis and Mechonis from the primary recreation.

Nintendo wished to get the sport on Switch early within the new console’s life cycle, however the specs for the system weren’t established by the point Monolith Soft began engaged on the sport. Xenoblade Chronicles’ New 3DS port confirmed how the staff might condense one thing large all the way down to a a lot much less highly effective system, and X had proved that the studio might additionally create even greater, extra different worlds.

With Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the staff – 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 via a gacha-like system.

The recreation 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 Switch 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 might be getting a Season Pass with a DLC story episode. Torna – The Golden Country launched lower than a yr later and featured a full 30-hour marketing campaign that added context to among the occasions of the principle recreation. The DLC was extraordinarily well-received, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 remains to be the best-selling recreation within the sequence up to now.

New Horizons?

Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s large success and Shulk’s return in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate — alongside Pyra & Myrtha turning into a mixed DLC character — cemented Monolith Soft’s repute as a one among Nintendo’s greatest studios. The firm had opened studios in Nakameguro, Osaki, and Iidabashi – although the latter has since closed (and 2nd Production staff is presently helping Eiji Aonuma’s Zelda staff on Breath of the Wild 2). The studio’s affinity for the skies, sea, solar, and all issues stunning, was put to make use of when drafted in to help with 2020’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons, too, presumably for environmental design.

The Switch was removed from completed with Xenoblade, with Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition 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 top of the principle recreation.

And then, there was Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in 2022. A shock announcement (properly, 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 recreation’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 top of Xenoblade. Splatoon 3 has been retaining the developer busy, and its ‘staff 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 shall be answered from Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s conclusion in subsequent yr’s story DLC and probably what lies past for the Xenoblade Series.

In fewer than 25 years, Monolith Soft has gone from energy to energy, and the corporate’s partnership with Nintendo has confirmed to be a massively fruitful relationship for each events. After feeling stifled all these years in the past beneath Square, Takahashi and Monolith Soft get the inventive freedom they want, and Nintendo will get a top-tier RPG sequence, plus invaluable help on a few of its largest IPs.

To say this has been a monolithic journey is not an understatement.