Earlier this year, Nintendo revealed plenty of titles that will be coming onto the Switch, ranging from remasters of cult classics to brand-new games that took fans by surprise. One of these was Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the next mainline entry in the Xenoblade Chronicles series, which will round out the trilogy on the Switch. Even more surprising was when a follow-up trailer announced that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will be coming earlier than announced, moving from September to July.
This trailer gave fans a look an in-depth look at Xenoblade Chronicles 3's combat, with a party size of over seven members shown in battle at one point. Party members can also fuse together to create a being known as Ouroboros, with party members protagonists Noah, Mio, Eunie, Taion, Lanz, and Serena all being able to use this ability. Several other characters were revealed, with some fans believing them potential bosses or recruitable party members, who either hail from the game's Keves or Agnus region, such as Valdi.
The Keves and Agnus regions are at war with each other during the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, with one focused on power using technology and the other using magic. Valdi (known as Rudy in the Japanese version) hails from the Keves region, and is one of the region's mechanics. He can be seen in a trailer riding atop a giant mechon-like robot wielding a sniper rifle-like weapon.
According to Valdi's bio provided by Nintendo, he is a party member in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 who can join forces with the player. He's essentially a combat medic, where he can provide support on the battlefield. This includes healing the party when necessary or boosting their abilities in combat. This gives him a role similar to Sharla from the first Xenoblade Chronicles game, where she also can heal the party using her sniper rifle, or enhance their abilities in battle.
Some other potential party members for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 were also revealed, such as Ethel, who can use twin-blades in a dual wielding sword style. She was shown at the beginning of the most recent trailer for the game, where she is facing off against the party. The Keves region itself has plenty of mystery and intrigue behind it, with the leader herself implied to be Melia from the first game. With Nintendo revealing small bios like this for recruitable party members, it's possible a returning character from previous games can also become a guest party member as well.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on July 29th, 2022.
