Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country

Several times during my playthrough of Torna, I found myself thinking that, in some ways, it might actually be a better experience than Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which is perhaps a shocking thing for me to say because I very much enjoyed the original game. The more mature tone, focused cast, and refined gameplay are definite pluses, and even though the scope of both the world and the time you spend in it is far smaller, this can play to the game's strengths. Those who liked the original game will almost certainly like Torna.

Torna ~ The Golden Country marks a wonderful send off to the world of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 with its cast of likeable characters, compelling narrative and a revamped combat engine that feels even better than the original. Having spent more than 150~ hours in the world of Alrest combined through the two titles, I can’t help but feeling that I still want more- a desire that serves as undeniable proof to the excellence of this series.

Torna – The Golden Country is here to complete a journey that started ten months ago. It is the tragic tale of a continent, its people and its heroes that fills up all the empty spaces of the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 lore and gives us a full perspective of Alrest and everything on it. With many improvements and interesting additions, even if some of them might not be totally welcome, the Torna expansion pack is set to satisfy even some of the most demanding players out there who lust for quality RPG tales.

Amongst the most generous expansions of all time, Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country is one of the year’s best RPGs.

Torna ~ The Golden Country manages to offer both a similar and distinct experience to Xenoblade Chronicles 2 at the same time. The prequel builds superbly on the main game’s lore, providing a fantastic experience for fans just looking to see more of the world. Meanwhile, those looking for a more mature story and cast will absolutely get on board with Lora, Jin, Addam, and the rest of the crew. It’s almost a shame that the time we get to spend with them is so short in comparison. Monolith Soft has created another excellent experience for Switch owners to get stuck into.

Nintendo Switch is no stranger to DLC and add-on content, but few expansions are as vast in their size and content as Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country. Whether you’re a season pass holder looking to revisit a series you love from a new perspective, or you’re fresh to the franchise and want a standalone adventure, this hefty slice of JRPG action will grab you right from the moment you start switching between Blade and Driver. With some welcome adjustments to combat and combos, this is a fine addition to an already brilliant game on Switch.

Between the characterisation of Blades and Drivers, the improved battle system and a storyline that will make you reach for a jumper sleeve (or for the more sophisticated of souls, a tissue), the expansion DLC just feels so satisfying to play.

Torna stands out as one of the best Switch adventures of the year, and one that all RPG fans should embark on, whether or not you've played Xenoblade Chronicles 2. [Issue #36 – November/December 2018, p. 82]

This DLC is like a love letter to Xenoblade fans. With an exciting story, The Golden Country supplements the original game, and provides a solid finale.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 expands its already huge amount of content with a brand new prequel story in the shape of Torna - The Golden Country. This is essentially a brand new game and it even improves upon its predecessor.

A fantastic standalone prequel to the excellent Xenoblade Chronicles 2 that is held back by one really annoying design decision.

Torna: The Golden Country makes for a fantastic place to start in the series and an essential play for anyone that enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

A more fluid gameplay and an interesting storyline, summarize what Monolith Soft has made: a great prequel for Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country, despite technically being DLC, is a remarkably accessible adventure to new players. For those viewing this simply as a DLC, I expect you’ll be floored by just how new it all feels. As a separate experience it has some very real pacing issues, and if you found the map, compass, or field skills frustrating in the original you’ll likely be revisiting that frustration here. Regardless however it the best combat the franchise has ever had. The story and gameplay all hold their own well against the Xenoblade series reputation for excellence, and will likely leave you wanting more.

Torna the Golden Country is a great expansion of an excellent GDR and the ideal point to enter Xenoblade Chronicles 2 for the simplified mechanics.

Torna is a marvelous expansion of the no less amazing Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Adding to what the original game already does good, Torna manages to improve the combat system and acts as a very good buildup on the original game's plot. This is an especially recommended additional experience to those who enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles 2, as it is designed to be especially appealing to fans of the original game.

With refined combat, a far tighter script, and an infinitely more likable cast, Torna - The Golden Country manages to address almost all of Xenoblade Chronicles 2's core problems without ever straying too far from its source.

A great companion piece for veteran players and a perfect entry point for series newcomers. A revamped combat system and refined narrative are just icing on the cake.

At times, it feels like the game isn't able to properly justify its own meandering tendencies. Yet Torna also proves that Xenoblade can often feel like it's pushing ahead, restlessly trying out new mechanics that can be intriguing and fun. While far from flawless, the standalone chapter is one that is worth paying attention to.

A beefy stand-alone prequel DLC with the same lights and shadows of the main game and a fresh twist on the combat system side.

All things considered, I had a great time with Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country. However, it’s not necessarily because of what changed. While I liked the streamlined and more fluid combat, that’s balanced out by the Community system’s atrocious padding. I simply enjoy the expansion because it offers more from a game world that I loved, just on a a smaller scale. It also introduces a likable mature cast of characters with a truly dramatic narrative. The Torna expansion doesn’t just offer a novel chapter to the Xenoblade Chronicles mythos, it presents an easy, digestible way for both newcomers and veterans to enter an engaging fantasy.

An exceptional expansion, justifying itself as a major enhancement of the original game with improvements to level design, combat and the majority of side content.

XC2: Torna - The Golden Country is a wonderful add-on to an already great game, but as a standalone experience it doesn't quite work.

The many improvements made to the gameplay show how the developer has paid attention to the main criticisms made by fans, but the desire to extend the package at all costs, forcing users to take hours and hours of negligible content, has finished to dampen the otherwise extraordinary rhythm of the narration, definitively paving the urban myth that sees longevity as a synonym of quality.

A fantastic entry point for those who are unfamiliar with the series as well as being a great addition for long time fans. Torna ~ The Golden Country manages to be approachable and enjoyable for everyone. The new changes to combat really help make things more interesting and the world is huge. Definitely worth a play.

This is a very solid expansion that adds not only a lot of new content, but also many tweaks and enhancements to the core experience.

The odd style of pacing and sidequest focus can be off-putting for some, but taken as a whole Torna is a fantastic piece of additional content for a massive JRPG.

Through a less intimidating world, a cozier, jazzy atmosphere and an even more dynamic combat system, Torna: The Golden Country reveals not only an archaic chapter from Xenoblade Chronicles 2, but also a fundamental pillar of the series as a whole. While the adventure never quite reaches the density of a full installment, the focus on human relations drives the narrative across uncharted emotional territories, making this standalone expansion a fantastic introduction to this universe, and an unmissable opportunity to explore Alrest more deeply.

While many of its gameplay systems remain the same, Monolith Soft did a tremendous job tweaking battles to make them a bit faster-paced and more digestible all at once. Even though the expansion has its share of problems, like gating progress with forced sidequest thresholds, I still found it a lot of fun and people who loved the world of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will have an absolute blast with this new perspective of the stories they’ve heard before.

It’s clear now that Torna - The Golden Country is a more refined and much better experience. The story of Lora and Jin, Addam and Mythra, and the rise and fall of Malos is actually far more engaging than the tale of Rex and Pyra was.

Torna didn't need to re-invent the wheel beyond its swap conceit. Monolith Soft is already perfectly capable of crafting giant worlds worth exploring and characters worth listening to or getting invested in.

If you're a fan of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 then you must play Torna - The Golden Country. It may not be as grand of an adventure but it provides an incredible back-story that fills out the world of Alrest in a beautiful way.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Torna is a great sequel to the game, that focuses more on the hero's destiny, while bringing gameplay optimization and a successfull lore addition to the game.

A good expansion for one of the most intriguing RPGs of recent times, where forced side quests stand in the way an emotional story.

Torna - The Golden Country is a solid expansion to an already great game. The community feature adds nothing to the experience, but the same epic combat is just as compelling as before.

For fans, this is a substantial expansion providing new characters, a new continent to explore and plenty more to comfortably fill your boots. Considering the retail copy includes a downloadable code for all the expansion pass content, it’d be a waste not to.

Cool story moments and combat improvements offset some of The Golden Country’s frustrations, but not enough to entirely redeem the experience. It is missing some of the best parts of the base game (like the thrill of collecting unique allies and completing quests tailored to them), but retains many stumbling blocks that impeded the fun before. However, the way the story fills in gaps and provides insight into the characters makes The Golden Country a satisfying addition for fans who have already built up a tolerance for the sometimes-baffling quirks of Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

While Torna’s story unfortunately turned out to be a huge let down, the gameplay does more than enough to pick up the pieces. Ultimately, exploring the world of Alrest is still a delight, and any excuse to re-enter this gorgeous universe is one worth taking.

Torna the Golden Country could’ve been a welcome expansion with some insight into the past of several key characters and a welcome twist on combat. However, the new “community level” mechanic that is forced upon you makes a good portion of it just a slog to get through.