When Xenoblade Chronicles 3 carved its way to the public in the summer of 2022, gamers of all stripes began to notice how compelling the six main characters, aka party members, were written as fully-rounded characters they can relate to and root for despite some of the odious actions they undertake. While Mio and Noah serve as the chief protagonists among the party members, the others stand out with their mix of personality quirks and special skills and abilities.
Because there are only a half-dozen party members in the beloved JRPG, more depth is given to each one of them, making the main characters in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 far more enjoyable to spend time with than most games of its ilk.
6 Sena
Sena is the diminutive soldier from Agnus who balances her shy social side with her hot temper in the heat of battle, giving her a three-dimensional personality that is easy to support in the all-time beloved JRPG. The way she adorably refers to her idol Mio as Mimi is impossible to dislike, and her giant Comet Mallet hammer attack is one of the coolest in the game. Even more compelling, Sena is the one who often gives the party a rousing motivational speech before heading into battle.
Alas, there’s nothing about Sena’s recognizable personality that makes her inherently detestable, which is a true testament to how well-written the party members are. Instead, it’s the fact that her tiny stature isn’t equipped to swap out her role with the other party members, which leaves a lot to be desired in terms of the ability to play with Sena for the long haul.
5 Lanz
Essentially the impenetrable tank of the party, Lanz is a witless hulking strongman who is willing to protect his members at all costs, including his own life. He may be reckless and acts before he thinks, but Lanz’s unwavering sacrifice to ensure the party’s success makes him extremely easy to care for. Lanz also grew up with Noah and Eunie, and his genuine bond with them leads Lanz to say endearing things like, “What the spark are you on about? I’m not letting take the fall alone.”
Beyond Lanz’s impressive combat prowess in the highly acclaimed 2022 JRPG, what really makes him so compelling is the tough-guy front he puts on to conceal his true vulnerabilities. When Joran died saving his life after they were on bad terms, Lanz went into an introspective depression, knowing he never got to apologize and have closure. From that day on, he vowed to defend the party no matter what. Although Lanz’s actions are highly commendable, his grim and cynical outlook on life often detracts from them, which takes him down a peg.
4 Taion
The highly intelligent brain of the operation, Taion is the party’s tactical strategist the team looks to come up with game plans to defeat various enemies and concocts healing remedies when they are injured in battle. Sometimes silly and sometimes overly serious in the popular Nintendo Switch RPG, Taion’s nerdy demeanor is bolstered by his precise origami creations, aka Katashiiro, which help his party members in battle.
While Taion can get impatient and upset when he can’t figure things out quickly, his backstory is really what makes him such a lovable character. After his mentor Nimune died protecting him, Taion blamed his own carelessness for the fatality. Since then, Taion has promised to be more measured and thoughtful before acting out, which has also led to indecisiveness at times. Despite his sometimes distant demeanor, Taion is smart, kind, sensitive, and has a multifaceted personality that’s even more realistically complicated than Lanz and Sena.
3 Noah
As one of the two chief protagonists in the all-time great JRPG, one might expect Noah to have a more enjoyable personality from the start. However, despite his commanding presence as a Swordfighter Attacker who is willing to risk his life for his friends, his monotonous storyline in the early going leaves a lot to be desired. Thankfully, as he rises to the fore in the latter half of the game, Noah’s personality becomes much stronger and easier to identify with and root for to the end.
Much of Noah’s sympathetic story derives from his role as an Off-Seer, people who mourn fallen soldiers who gave their lives on the battlefield. Taking this role very seriously, Noah is kind and moral enough to send fallen Agnians even though he’s been warring with Agnus his whole life. Despite keeping up his duties, Noah harbors no ill will toward his long-sworn rivals, which, combined with his palpable anxiety regarding his pacifistic views, makes him extremely well-rounded. By the end of the game, Noah is clearly one of the most enjoyable characters to spend time with.
2 Eunie
The hysterical show-stealer with more memorable quips, quotes, and zingers than anyone else, Eunie is so enjoyable to interact with that she should get her own spinoff game. The childhood pal of Lanz and Noah may come off as rude due to her caustic wit and foul mouth, but there’s no way to dislike the immense joy she brings to the game. Of course, as a Healer, Eunie’s actions in keeping her party safe and sound at all times only offset her verbal outbursts.
Blunt as can be without holding her tongue, Eunie’s brash and impetuous demeanor is also beautifully balanced by her strong-headed responsibility and long-held fear of Consul D, her killer, who she begins to have recollections of even after her memory is wiped. Between her traumatic past and the 180 that she pulled after learning The Queen of Keves was really a robotic substitute for Melia, Eunie’s compelling arc in the main story and side quests makes her supremely lovable.
1 Mio
As the other dual protagonist, Mio is easily the most likable character in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Sensitive yet stern, the soldier from Agnus often writes her thoughts in a diary, giving players a direct window into her soul and vulnerable psychological state as the game progresses. As such, she often voices such altruistic goals as “Finding a path that lets us all live, I will make that my mission.”
Beginning on her 10th term with death imminent in three months, an emotional weight hangs around Mio’s neck from the beginning that only intensifies as the story unfolds. Once Mio meets Noah, her arc becomes even more compelling as she begins ruminating on her life legacy as death fast approaches. Beyond her kind, caring personality, it’s Mio’s internal battle to hide her true fears of her death that make her heroic actions later on so commendable. Moreover, Mio’s heartfelt reaction to her fellow Off-Seer Miyabi’s death, who risked her life to save Mio, is emotional enough to warrant genuine tears.