Have a Look at Xenoblade's Battle System

Finally, we have our first proper look at Xenoblade's battle system, courtesy of the usual Everyone's Nintendo Channel posting that was quickly leaked to YouTube.

View clip here:

The background narration first describes how when you approach enemies, the game seamlessly switches into battle mode. Your standard attacks are released automatically, allowing you to freely move around.

The video proceeds to detail the game's special skill, or arts, system. You'll have to select your arts strategically based off the current situation.

Each character has their own set of arts which can be combined into an arsenal in the "Arts Setting" screen. In the sample menu screen shown in the video, we see such arts as "Slit Edge," "Back Slash," "Light Heal," "Air Slash" and "Shadow Eye."

Normally, your allies perform arts on their own. By properly combining your own moves with the arts pulled off by your allies, you'll be able to defeat even the largest of foes.

The battle system also has something called the "Party Gauge." This gauge is built up as you cooperate with your allies. Once filled up, you'll be able to perform "Chain Attacks," where you select everyone's arts individually.

The "Vision" component of the story plays a part in battle. In the Xenoblae storyline, a "Vision" lets the wielder of the Monado sword see a bit into the future. In the battle system, Visions let you see if you and your allies are about to take major damage. Before the vision becomes reality, you can attempt to to use healing and other appropriate arts to change the future.

Based off the video's narration, the key component in the Xenoblade combat system seems to be arts selection. Nintendo will hopefully provide a more formal look at the official site later this week.