History VideoGame / TalesOfXillia

''Tales of Xillia'' is the thirteenth mainline entry in the ''VideoGame/TalesSeries''. The game was released on September 8th, 2011 in Japan, exclusively on the UsefulNotes/Playstation3. It received an international release on August 6th, 2013 in North America and August 9th, 2013 in Europe.

* PenultimateWeapon: Despite what the game tells you, the unawakened Devil's Arms are far from the strongest weapons in the game. By the time you're strong enough to defeat the [[BonusBoss Devil's Beasts]] guarding them, it's possible shops may be selling stronger stuff, and you can't awaken their full power until after beating the game, making them more of a BraggingRightsReward.

* IntendedAudienceReaction: Alvin being an ObviousJudas, according to the writers.

* NPCRandomEncounterImmunity: Justified by the existence of Lilium Orbs, which give humans enough power to combat monsters ([[GameplayAndStoryIntegration and facilitate]] the LevelUp system). People are ''strongly discouraged'' from leaving town without one; Jude wasn't allowed to go to medical school without one, and he'd have been safe on a boat for his whole journey. Luckily, Lilium Orbs are fairly common.

* EliteFour: King Gaius has the Chimeriad, all of whom are faced as bosses at various points in the game. They are Jiao, Wingul, Presa, and [[spoiler:Agria]]. They also double as a FourElementEnsemble, since Jiao specializes in [[DishingOutDirt earth]], Presa specializes in [[MakingASplash water]] and [[AnIcePerson ice]], Wingul specializes in [[BlowYouAway air]] and [[ShockAndAwe electricity]] (and dabbles in [[PlayingWithFire fire]]), and [[spoiler:Agria]] specializes in [[PlayingWithFire fire]].

* GagBoobs: Not in a direct way. While Milla has big knockers, the "bazongas"[[note]]'Bazongas' is a slang word for 'boobs'.[[/note]] are alluded to in a random conversation between Elize and Teepo, the latter claiming she has to eat properly or she'll never get big bazongas. Later, Jude asks about what Teepo means by bazongas, Rowen and Alvin tease him for his lack of knowledge, leading to Jude exclaiming '''[[LargeHam TEACH ME ABOUT ]][[https://youtu.be/xmKR_DziomM BAZONGAS!]]'''. Just as Rowen and Alvin leave, and within Leia and Milla's earshot. Milla brushes it off as Jude experiencing puberty (according to a book), but that does nothing to mend Jude's wounded pride.

* GagBoobs: Not in a direct way, while Milla has big knockers, they instead use Jude's lack of knowledge about that for humor ('''[[LargeHam TEACH ME ABOUT ]][[https://youtu.be/xmKR_DziomM BAZONGAS!]]'''). After all, 'bazongas' is a slang word for 'boobs'.

* SuaveSabre: * Rowen is a MagicKnight who uses almost exclusively [[RoyalRapier Rapiers]] and Sabres in battle. This fits heavily with his Battle Butler theme, accentuating his intelligence and his elegance in battle.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Both King Nachtigal and King Gaius are extremely tough bosses, with Nachtigal in particular being a HopelessBossFight when you first meet him. (Gaius is arguably also a HopelessBossFight the first time you fight him -- the game proceeds in the same way whether you win or not, and suggests that your entire party is more or less equally matched with him.) Both, however, also have a certain degree of [[JustifiedTrope justification]] for this -- Nachtigal fought in the army in his younger days, working his way up from foot soldier to general on merit alone, despite his noble birth (which, in fact, is the main reason he's king by now -- when it came to a civil war between him and his older brothers, the army backed HIM.) Gaius, meanwhile, rose to power on a philosophy of AsskickingEqualsAuthority, and effectively formed his kingdom from a bunch of scattered [[BarbarianTribe Barbarian Tribes]] by virtue of being able to kick everybody else's ass -- in a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy culture that greatly honors personal strength]].

* PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling: Old Vicalle Mine. A somewhat early sidequest is likely to send you there: while the enemies are strong, they're far from impossible to beat at level 25 and can give over a thousand of experience points in a single battle. Add XP-adding dishes to the mix, and, [[GameBreaker well...]] Xagut Floodmeadow too, if you go there as soon as you reach Nia Khera.

** There's another side to this too. While the skits that hint at sidequests are an attempt to avert this, the hint skits themselves count for HundredPercentCompletion. The GuideDangIt here is that doing certain sidequests ''too early'' can result in some hint skits being [[PermanentlyMissableContent lost]]. And is it's often not obvious which sidequests can safely be put off until later and which will disappear after a certain point.

* GagBoobs: Not in a direct way, while Milla has big knockers, they instead uses Jude's lack of knowledge about that for humor ('''[[LargeHam TEACH ME ABOUT ]][[https://youtu.be/xmKR_DziomM BAZONGAS!]]'''). After all, 'bazongas' is a slang word for 'boobs'.

* DrJerk: Jude's dad is a combination of this and JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He does care for his son, but because of his professional and strict demeanor he comes of as rather hard-hearted. (It also doesn't help much that one of the people Jude's traveling with is responsible for him becoming a wanted criminal, and another is someone that Jude's dad is implied to have a bit of a history with and knows is bad news.) If you go purely by the main story, he's simply a jerk, but multiple supplementary side-quests show him [[DefrostingIceKing privately proud of his son growing a spine, and taking responsibility.]]

* GoodOldFisticuffs: Jude's WeaponOfChoice. He's one of only two ''Tales'' main characters to use his fists as his main weapon, the other being [[VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia Senel]].

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Xillia_7180.jpg]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: Even by the standards of most ''Tales'' games, ''Xillia'' is up there in terms of darker content, complete with a higher body count than other games, a more complex villain, and deeper character traits. The [[AllThereInTheManual Offical Guide]] provides more details.

Another entry in the ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'', released in Japan for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 on the 8th of September 2011. It currently holds the record for the fastest-selling ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'' title and the second fastest-selling [=PS3=] title with approximately 525,605 copies sold in the first week. It was released on August 2013 in North America and Europe... where it dethroned ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' [[http://www.siliconera.com/2014/12/11/bandai-namco-say-theyre-paying-attention-fans/ as international best-seller]], at least, when comparing single system releases, [[https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20080414/tov1.html/ as Symphonia's multiple original versions still outsell it]]. Thanks to some math, this would mean it is now one of a handful of ''Tales'' games to sell a grand total of a million-plus units worldwide. In short: this game's pretty successful.

A direct sequel to the game, simply named ''VideoGame/TalesOfXillia2'', was released [[http://rpgfan.com/news/2012/1539.html as a Japanese Winter 2012 PS3 title]] and was released in North America and Europe in August 2014.

* MythologyGag:
** Subtle, but the Lord's Manor in Sharilton shares a design with the Lhant Manor from ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces''.
** Near the end of the opening narration, the old man narrating ([[spoiler:who is the real Maxwell]]) says something along the lines of [[VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia "Evil is born in the hearts of men."]]
** Two worlds vying for existence with [[spoiler: one supposedly having to be destroyed to save the other and the heroes ultimately deciding they want to save both? And one world is more technologically advanced that the other? Why hello there, plot of ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia''.]] However, that side that is [[spoiler:supposed to be destroyed]] is overly dependent on its resources -- so much that this over-dependence will eventually destroy said world. So we're combining ''Symphonia'' and ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' now?
*** It's a bit of a shaky comparison, really. [[spoiler:Even though Elympios is the more technologically-advanced nation, it's in a period of sharp decline because of its critical mana shortages. And while ''Gaius'' certainly believes that one world should be destroyed to save the other, the heroes are actually presented with a viable third option from the very start]]. If anything, ''Xillia'' features the plot elements of previous ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'' games but approaches them in new ways.
*** Spyrixes are essentially [[VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia Blastia in terms the danger they possess to the world]] but are used in the same manner as [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Exspheres]].
*** The game's plot mixes a lot of Vesperia and Symphonia together, as mentioned above. It also has elements of [[VideoGame/TalesOfGraces]] with its dying original world that was destroyed by its absue of nature and sealed paradise that gets infected by a remenant of the old world. [[spoiler: Milla and Muzet]] can be seen as Sophie and the Little Queen respectively in that regard, [[spoiler: as the former is a living weapon created to destroy the corruption (spyrix here), and the latter is an immune-system like program that destroys any incursions.]]
*** The first 3 chapters are also reminiscent of ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss.'' The major two countries have a shaky peace that is moving closer to war all the time (spoilers for ''Abyss/Xillia'') [[spoiler:and it turns out that the countries are being manipulated into the war by a third organization for their own ends: in ''Abyss'' it's the CorruptChurch, here it's Exodus.]]
*** The game was originally meant to be a homage to the other tales games for the 15th anniversary of the franchise.
** Lilium Orbs are special spheres that humans use to awaken their inner potential and allow them to be able to fight monsters, but where they come from is a dark secret. They're basically [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Exspheres]], except they don't really factor into the plot outside of a sidequest or two, and their dark side [[spoiler: (the BonusBoss made them and distributed them so humans could grow powerful and he could copy their strength and add it to his own)]] is easy enough for the party to take care of.
** Many of this game's main characters are references to other characters in the series.
*** Jude is a [[VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia fist fighter who likes older women]] and [[VideoGame/TalesOfGraces is pretty dense]]. He also strongly resembles [[VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny Leon Magnus]], and when wearing his outfit as DLC looks almost identical.
*** Elize takes the [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss token moe loli with a stuffed animal that fights in combat]] [[VideoGame/TalesOfEternia but uses Dark Artes and is also a healer]].
*** Alvin is basically [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Kratos]], by being a mercenary who constantly back stabs people and is connected to the game's villains; and [[VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia Yuri]], by being a older AntiHero who is sarcastic -- the two even have Dragon Swarm. He even gets Kratos' 'Traitor' costume as a DLC outfit, complete with some of his memorable lines as victory quotes. "Blame your fate!" He also has a lot in common with [[VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny Leon Magnus]]. [[spoiler: He's related to a socially prominent villain, obeys said villain because of an (indirect) hostage, is a traitor from the start who grows to like the people he's supposed to betray because of their constant trust in him and]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking has Dragon Swarm]].
*** Rowen is a combination of [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss Jade]], being a much older spellcaster who is famously known in-universe; and [[VideoGame/TalesOfGraces Malik]], by playing a supportive role to the main character as a teacher.
** Leia combines elements of [[VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia Arche]], by being a GenkiGirl; and [[VideoGame/TalesOfHearts Amber]], by being a CombatMedic who uses a staff in battle. She also looks a lot like [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss Natalia]]. Furthermore, she's also very similar to [[VideoGame/TalesOfEternia Farah]] (another GenkiGirl CombatMedic who's also the childhood friend of TheHero), and even gets her dress as a DLC costume.
*** Leia's backstory also has a lot in common to [[TalesOfGraces Cheria's]]. Both are childhood friends of the male protagonist, and are in love with him. They both used to be [[IllGirl Ill Girls]] who got better and want to prove that they can keep up with everyone else. Both get teased a lot by the rest of the party, try to look after a younger girl, and are a CombatMedic.
*** Milla is a {{Determinator}} on a mission to destroy the Lance of Kresnik, and has blonde hair as well as a laser-like arte, a tetra-spell-looking linked arte, and a Mystic Arte that uses InstantRunes to attack the enemy with a elemental beam. She's basically [[VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia Dhaos]], only not evil or male. Howevever, her endgame status is more like [[spoiler: [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss Luke]], being a artificial life form made by a major villain. Van and Maxwell even share a voice actor in the English dub]].
*** As mentioned on the characters page, Agria is basically the bastard child of [[VideoGame/TalesOfGraces Emeraude]] and [[VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia Zagi]].
*** Gaius is interesting in that some of his aspects are from more than one villain. He has [[VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia Dhaos's]] motivation to save his world at the possible cost of another, [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Mithos's]] NecessaryEvil in regards to the two worlds, [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld Richter's]] GoodAllAlong, but AntiHero status, and [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss Van's]] in-universe MemeticBadass levels as well as having a personal group of powerful generals by his side. He also gets to [[spoiler: wield The Eternal Sword,]] which puts him in the company of [[VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia Cress]] and [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Lloyd]].
** The globe Gnome sits on is a map of [[VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia Terca Lumereis]].
** An optional side quest has you visit a location called the [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss Tatalian Abyss, where you have to solve glyph puzzles and there's miasma]].
*** After you defeat the BonusBoss at the end of the Tatalian Abyss, Jude wonders if it might have sought the miasma out on purpose in order to die, since it was constructed to be an immortal fighting machine. Milla replies that "the idea of a [[ArtificialHuman being created for an unwanted purpose]], [[ScrewDestiny desperately battling with its own destiny]]...doesn't sound too far-fetched." This conversation is a reference to (spoilers for ''Tales Of The Abyss'') [[spoiler: Luke, who is a clone created to avert a prophecy about the end of the world, and who eventually sacrifices himself to destroy the miasma]].
** Some of the attachments are references to older Tales games. The stuffed dragon is Ba'ul from ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'', and the half-frame glasses look a lot like Hubert's from ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces''.