We can finally put the rumors to bed.
Last week we reported on a rumor that Xenoblade Chronicles X, the upcoming RPG by Monolith Soft for the Nintendo Wii U, will have some censored material in the European and North American localizations. It turns out that rumor is true.
According to the youtube channel GameXplain, there are only two obvious examples of localization edits regarding the game's graphics. The first is the now confirmed bikini redesigns for the character Lin, showcasing a much less skimpier bikini than the other female characters in Xenoblade Chronicles X in various bikinis. Lin's age also remains unchanged, she is still a thirteen year old in-game.
It should be noted that the redesigns are not nearly as drastic as the twitter screenshots made them out to be. Lin is generally only showing less skin in the localized versions around the pubic and breast area.
The second localization change is a bust-size slider for character creation, which would have allowed players to make large or small-sized breasts for female characters. The English version removes the bust-size slider, instead, giving players a one-size bust size for their character model for Xenoblade's character creator.
The short video showcasing this information is below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA7uW-Efy3k&feature=youtu.be
It should be noted that only the Lin character has these changes to her costumes; other female characters are unaffected by the localization.
Xenoblade Chronicles X will be released in North America on December 4th.
Quick Take
Once again, I must admit I have no problem with these changes. They are minor and inconsequential to Xenoblade Chronicles X, and in regards to typical localization, make a lot of sense and are not that drastic in their alterations.
Let's face it; the only real reason, I believe, that her outfit has changed in localization was due to her age, and that is a fair compromise. As for the bust slider, well that also seems like an unnecessary part of the game as well overall, since it adds little to gameplay other than a physical change to the main character.
This is, if you ask me, a case of justified censorship. But what do you think? Will you be picking up Xenoblade Chronicles X, or no? Leave your comments below.
