The next part of Tales of Xillia’s continuing coverage around these parts is a look at what I consider to be the game’s best feature: customization.

I would be complimentary of quite a few of Xillia’s mechanics so far — the characters are rock solid, except for Teepo; the graphics look fantastic, since this was designed for the PS3 and not a port from the Wii like Graces; the battle system’s choice to blend the familiar TP and CC systems (AC in Xillia) rewards smart gameplay, etc.

But by far, the thing that has impressed me the most is the level of control you have over your characters.

Surf the Web!

As pictured above, the Lilum Orb is the biggest part of this process. Every time your character gains a level, you get to spend a handful of points expanding your web in different directions. The web contains outer points with stat boosts, HP/TP increases and the like, while the encompassed circles unlock artes and skills. If you connect the outer lines to surround an ability in the middle, that ability is yours.

While maxed out (level 99) characters will ultimately have a completely filled in Lilium Orb, most players won’t reach that point on a standard first playthrough, meaning that your choices matter and that your Jude will be different than someone else’s. Maybe you stick to the intended idea and focus on his AGI, increasing his mobility in battle. Maybe you opt for a more defensive approach and beef up his hits, working down the VIT/STR sides of the tree. The choices are yours, and you can pick and choose to match your playstyle.

Yes, this mechanic is perhaps another version of the Sphere Grid from FFX, with a decade gone by. But there’s nothing wrong with sticking with what works.

Accessorize!

Tales games have included accessories for a while now, but only recently have they changed your character’s appearance. This change has created the perfect fusion of battle utility and aesthetics — now that attachments are separate, you can put on whatever you want and not have to worry about stats, because accessories are their own thing. You want bunny ears, goofy glasses and a dagger on your Alvin? Make it so.

Xillia goes above and beyond what we’ve come to expect from Tales, however, because it includes a TON of options. Vesperia first opened the door with the ability to have one accessory, like giving Karol a Pringles mustache. Graces expanded that number to three, but only gave you a handful of choices (unless you got all the DLC). Xillia essentially gives them out like candy. Almost every subevent (or quest) that you do on the side gives you an attachment.

We’re maybe 15 hours in and we’ve already got a couple dozen choices, from aviator sunglasses to straw hats to a little Baul plush to put on your arm. Supposedly, from videos that were available before the game’s release, we’ll be able to further customize these attachments later on — increasing the size, changing the color, and so on.

Tip of the Iceberg!

There’s plenty more to talk about, from costumes and alternate colors (although only a few are available at the moment) to increasing the effectiveness of your artes through repeated usage. We’ll get to that somewhere down the road, either in another smaller post or in a full-fledged review, which will be out in the next couple weeks.

Suffice to say, if you’re not playing Xillia right now, you should be. Get on that. Right now. No excuses. I will hurt you.