The Story Timeline Order of Xeno Games
The Xeno video games are a franchise of games that include multiples series, notably: Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenogears and Xenosaga. While these games are all different from one another, and specially from one series to the other, they have some elements in common: sci-fi environments and RPG gameplay. The first game in the franchise, Xenogears, was released in 1998.
Over the years, multiple video games were released in the Xeno franchise, including different game series. While these different series share common elements, they are generally set in different times, and perhaps different universes. For this reason, in this article, I've separated each series into their own chronological story order, to keep things simple. This means that there is one chronological story order for each series: one for the Xenogears game, one for the Xenosaga video games, and one for the Xenoblade Chronicles games.
The Chronological Story Order of Xenogears
The original Xenogears game, released in 1998, is the first video game of the Xeno franchise. Due to the importance of this game to starting the Xeno franchise, some of the elements found in the Xenogears game will also appear in the rest of the Xeno franchise. Unfortunately, due to the lack of a sequel and of other games that continue the Xenogear story, in this case we can only talk about the Xenogears game, as it unfortunately had not become a series like the other Xeno games.
Considering that Xenogears is the only video game that takes place in its time period and world, as far as I know, it is not possible to write a chronological story order of other games that would include Xenogears, at least not with the information that I have available. For this reason, Xenogears should be considered the only game in its own continuity, and not directly related, story-wise or time-wise, to the other Xeno video games, apart from gameplay elements and sci-fi theme.
Is The Story of Xenosaga Games Connected?
Unlike Xenogears, the Xenosaga series includes multiple games that belong to the same universe and continuity, and these games are directly connected to each other in regards to story. Due to this reason, while it is possible to play the Xenosaga video games in any order and enjoy the gameplay, it is suggested to play these games in the chronological story order presented in this article to better understand the story development of the Xenosaga series, as well as immerse in the Xenosaga universe.
It is worth to mention that, unlike other Xeno games series, that sometimes have unclear story connections between different titles, in the case of Xenosaga, all video games are clearly and directly related, story-wise, except for the Xenosaga: Pied Paper spin-off, that while not as clearly and directly related to the other Xenosaga games, is still set in the same universe and continuity.
The Story Timeline Order of Xenosaga Video Games
This is the story timeline order of the Xenosaga video games, including the spin-off Xenosaga: Pied Paper. This chronological story order lists the Xenosaga games in story order, or in other words, in the chronological order of the events that take place during each game of the series. This is the suggested order in which to play these games in order to better understand the story and the universe of these video games.
Xenosaga: Pied Piper
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Willie zur Macht
Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse
Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Xenosaga: Pied Piper, while technically a spin-off to the Xenosaga video games series, happens before the events of Xenosaga Episode I, and takes place in the same overall universe and continuity. For this reason, I've included this game before the others in this chronological story order of the Xenosaga games.
Is There a Story Connection Between Xenoblade Chronicles Video Games?
In the case of the Xenoblade Chronicles video games, some of them are directly connected, story-wise, and others are not so clearly connected. For example, Xenoblade Chronicles X and Xenoblade Chronicles take place in different locations and it is not clear if they belong to the same continuity. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden City, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, on the other hand, take place in the same continuity and are related in regards to story. For these reasons, while the story of Xenoblade Chronicles games is self-contained, meaning that you don't need to have played previous games in order to understand the story of a certain game, it is suggested to play the games in the story order presented in the list of this article.
The Story Timeline Order of Xenoblade Chronicles Video Games
The Xenoblade Chronicles games are not always connected narratively. For example, Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 are not connected story-wise. Likewise, Xenoblade Chronicles X is not directly connected to other Xenoblade Chronicles in regards to story. However, these games feature very similar elements and in some cases there may be connectios. For this reason, for this specific continuity, I've create some time breaks between certain games in the cases where there isn't a clear story connection.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Xenoblade Chronicles
Xenoblades Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
In the case of the chronological story order of the Xenoblade Chronicles games, Xenoblade Chronicles X is the most mysterious of the video games, time-wise. It is unspecificed in what moment Xenoblade Chronicles X takes place. It can either take place in an alternate continuity or in a very distant past. For this reason, I've included it with a time break. For me, personally, considering some of the story events depicted in the game, I believe that Xenoblade Chronicles X could perhaps be considered an origins story to the Xenoblade Chronicles series, and for this reason I've included it before the other Xenoblade Chronicles video games. However, this is my personal opinion and this perspective could be wrong, as there is no unquestionable evidence as to whether Xenoblade Chronicles X happens before or after the other Xenoblade Chronicles, and whether they are set in the same universe or continuity. Considering all these facors, I've included a time break between Xenoblade Chronicles X and the next Xenoblade Chronicles game.
Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 games are set in parallel universes. For this reason, it doesn't make sense to include them in the same continuity. However, these games are considered to happen at roughly the same time.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country is a prequel to Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and for this reason, it takes place before that game in the chronological story order of the Xenoblade Chronicles video games.
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