Today's gameplay video of Xenoblade Chronicles X was rather spectacular, but it also yielded a whole lot of new information about the game. Unfortunately it was also in Japanese, so most of you might have missed said information.

In my previous post I gave a brief overview, since translating all that information takes time, but now we can go in-depth.

The story begins in New Los Angeles (NLA), which is basically a city built on what remains of a giant emigration spaceship named Moby Dick, crashed on planet Mira after being caught in the middle of an interstellar war between aliens.

The female heroine who guides us through the trailer is named Elma, and she's an officer of BLADE, which means Beyond the Logos Artificial Destiny Emancipator, and basically governs the human presence on Mira. The name stands for "creating a new destiny made by humans beyond the will of the gods." The concept will probably feel very familiar to Xeno fans.

There are four main areas in New Los Angeles. The industrial area is the manufacturing center, where humans assemble all the products they need to survive and thrive. The Commercial area includes the shops where it's possible to buy a variety of products, while the residential area is where people live. There are various facilities like large parks, pools and even a church.

The fourth area is the BLADE district, where weapons are sold and the Doll mecha are stored and maintained. BLADE is divided in several branches: Arms (mecha), Colepedian (sience), Avalanche (army), and Interceptor (police).

One of the most relevant tasks for the player is exploring the world in search of the "Life Points", which are the landing locations of the many life pods launched during the crash of the Moby Dick. That's also Elma's job, and how she found the player to begin with.

The map is divided in segments, represented by clusters of hexagons. At the center of each segment there's a FrontierNet Spot. Placing a data probe in a FrontierNet Spot will scan the segment, and detail the map on the GamePad. Each hexagon will get an icon that identifies a type of mission. Two have been named: monster extermination and treasure.

Data probes also have further customizable features, like enhancing mining or combat capabilities in the area. Handling those elements is crucial to completing the survey of the planet.

It's also possible to receive a variety of story-driven quests from the inhabitants of NLA and from BLADE officers. Completing such quests will allow the player to improve and visualize the relationships between the population of the city, and experience more of the story.

Below you can see the map of the planet, divided in five main areas.

The Primordial Wilderness is the area where the story begins, and the location of New Los Angeles.

The Luminous Forest is a woodland area full of rivers and lakes (in which it's possible to swim) and beautiful scenery.

The Forgotten Valley is a wasteland with a desert climate.

The Continent of the White Tree is a swamp-like area populated by enormous creature.

The Continent of Black Steel is a volcanic area with fearsome ruins of titanic proportions.

During gameplay the player will be advised when he discovers a new area, landmark or unexplored region in order to encourage exploration. There are even "Superb Views" which are especially designed scenic area where you can enjoy the view. To make exploration easier you can dash, jump, and fast travel between data probes and landmarks.

To avoid getting lost the player can use a Navigation Ball, which will float towards a set destination. Following it will lead you anywhere you need to go. The Hopper Camera jumps high into the sky and lets you catch an aerial view of the surroundings.

The Doll mechas are faster than humans and can transform into wheeled vehicles and boats, which are even faster. They can also morph into aerial mode and fly. This is indispensible to explore areas that you can't reach on foot, and there are many of those. Don't expect to be able to pilot a Doll immediately, though, as they'll be available only after earning a license. Only chosen BLADE officers can use Dolls.

The planet's native animals and monsters can be small or enormous, and the player can visualize their level to see if they're a viable challenge. There are also named monsters that present a considerable challenge and should be approached only when absolutely sure of one's combat capabilities.

Mira's native sentient species include the friendly Nopon, Ru-Tsurufe and Ma-Non (who are able build enormous starships), and the not so friendly Baias.

If you missed the video, you can check it out below.