Xenoblade Chronicles 3 details its new heroes and the heartbreaking reason they play the flute
There's grief in those melodies
![Xenoblade Chronicles 3](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x98HZcxzhuHz2CArEoWjC5-320-80.jpg)
Nintendo has released a handful of updates introducing some of Xenoblade Chronicles 3's new protagonists, and there's a surprisingly sad reason they're always playing the flute.
In case you missed it, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was revealed in a stunning trailer during last week's Nintendo Direct. The trailer shows off beautiful, diverse environments, a few key characters, and lots of pretty haunting flute tunes. Over the last few days, Nintendo has been sharing information about Xenoblade Chronicles 3's heroes, including the dual protagonists Noah and Mio.
Noah is a Keves soldier who wields a bright red blade in combat, while Mio is a soldier of Agnus who uses her impressive speed to dodge attacks and fight back with her ring-shaped weapons. Tragically, Noah and Mio are what developer Monolith Soft calls "off-seers," which are people who mourn for lives lost on the battlefield.
"'Fighting to live…and living to fight' is the harsh reality of Xenoblade Chronicles 3's world," reads a tweet from Nintendo. "As 'off-seers', both Noah and Mio have mourned for the loss of many lives, a burden that can be felt from the music played on their flutes."
This is Noah, one of the protagonists from #XenobladeChronicles3. As a Keves soldier, he wields a bright red blade in combat. He is also an “off-seer”, someone who mourns for those who’ve lost their lives on the battlefield. pic.twitter.com/3i2Mkd34SoFebruary 14, 2022
Meet Mio, the other protagonist of #XenobladeChronicles3 & a soldier of Agnus (who sports some rather distinctive ears!). Her speed on the battlefield allows her to easily evade attacks while dealing damage with her ring-shaped weapons. Much like Noah, Mio is also an “off-seer”. pic.twitter.com/g8gZxx6D21February 14, 2022
Nintendo has also revealed descriptions for a pair of supporting characters as well. Lanz is a long-time pal of Noah's who uses his immense strength to wield a huge sword that doubles as a shield. Meanwhile, Sena is a deceptively tiny soldier of Agnus whose weapon of choice is a giant hammer.
Lanz is a childhood friend of Noah’s and battles alongside him as a fellow Keves soldier. His strength allows Lanz to wield a large sword that doubles as a shield – handy for protecting his allies! #XenobladeChronicles3 pic.twitter.com/BVBBa5Z4DBFebruary 15, 2022
Don’t underestimate Sena’s size! This pint-sized soldier of Agnus possesses ample strength to wallop foes with her giant hammer. Is it any surprise that her favorite hobby is muscle training? 💪#XenobladeChronicles3 pic.twitter.com/CInNKUvai2February 15, 2022
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is due to launch exclusively on Nintendo Switch in September.
Here are the best Switch games you can play right now.
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After scoring a degree in English from ASU, I worked as a copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. Now, as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer, I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my apartment, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.
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