Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country is a standalone 2018 JRPG expansion by studio Monolith Soft that serves as a prequel to the main game Xenoblade Chronicles 2, taking place a full year earlier on the continent of Torna, which in the main game was already a destroyed, only vaguely remembered memory. The player follows the fates of characters such as Addam, Mikael, and Lora and their Blade companions in a story that gradually explains the key events and decisions leading up to the catastrophe that is only referenced indirectly and in fragments in the base game.

The combat system has been noticeably simplified and sped up compared to the main entry – the player controls the whole party at once instead of a single lead character, battles flow more smoothly and require less micromanagement, which was appreciated even by players who found the main game's complex system overly complicated and confusing. The series' characteristic elements remain intact, such as an open world made up of giant beings called Titans, on whose backs most of the game takes place, and an emotionally told, strongly character-driven story full of personal drama.

Torna – The Golden Country was received by critics and players alike as one of the best-written and most emotional expansions of its generation, offering, thanks to its shorter length and tighter storytelling, a more focused and intense experience than the larger, more sprawling main game. For fans of the series, it's an indispensable piece of the puzzle that adds deeper context and emotional weight to events that are otherwise only referenced indirectly in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The presence of a prequel sold separately yet inseparably tied to the main story was a fairly unusual move at the time of release and showed that Monolith Soft is willing to invest considerable creative effort even into side, supplementary parts of its extensive JRPG universe.