Torna ~ The Golden Country

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country expands Alrest’s history through a heartfelt prequel with refined combat, memorable characters, and a more focused adventure built around connection.

Torna ~ The Golden Country At a Glance

Before the Aegis War

Released in September 2018 for Nintendo Switch, Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country is a standalone prequel developed by Monolith Soft that explores the events leading up to the Aegis War. Set 500 years before Xenoblade Chronicles 2, it follows Jin, Mythra, Addam, and Lora while expanding the history of Torna and the conflict against Malos.

The story was originally conceived during the early planning stages of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Series creator Tetsuya Takahashi later explained that Torna – The Golden Country began as one of several prototype story concepts before its scope grew into a standalone expansion. Integrating it into the main game would have required substantially more development time and resources.

Although Torna – The Golden Country can be played on its own, it is best experienced after completing Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The expansion assumes familiarity with the main game’s world and characters, allowing many of its emotional moments and revelations to land with greater impact.

Reviewer’s Perspective

I completed Torna ~ The Golden Country after finishing Xenoblade Chronicles 2, following the intended story order. Experiencing the prequel with full knowledge of the main game’s events gave me the context needed to appreciate how it expands the world, characters, and emotional weight of Alrest’s history.

A Journey Before the Fall

A Legacy Written in the Past

Set 500 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Torna – The Golden Country explores the events of the Aegis War through the perspectives of Jin, Lora, Addam, and Mythra. Rather than simply expanding the lore of Alrest, the expansion provides new context for the characters and conflicts that shaped the world of the main game.

The story begins as Lora, Jin, and their companions travel toward the kingdom of Torna, introducing the relationships and tensions that define this era of Alrest. By focusing on characters who existed long before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the expansion offers a different perspective on familiar history while building its own emotional foundation.

Refining the Blade of Combat

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country refines the combat system of the main game by making battles faster, more direct, and more focused on teamwork between Drivers and Blades. Rather than relying on a single Driver and their equipped Blades, players can actively switch between party members during combat, creating new opportunities for combos and allowing the group to adapt more quickly to changing situations.

The revised battle system reflects the era depicted in the story, when Drivers and Blades had not yet reached the level of cooperation seen in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This different relationship gave Monolith Soft room to build combat around switching roles and coordinating the party, creating a system that feels familiar while rewarding a more active approach to teamwork.

Exploration benefits from the expansion’s more focused scope. New locations, including the Tornan Titan and its capital city, offer fresh perspectives on Alrest without simply revisiting familiar areas, while the returning Field Skills system feels less cumbersome thanks to the smaller party and streamlined progression.

Building Bonds Across Alrest

The Community System is one of Torna ~ The Golden Country‘s most meaningful additions, encouraging players to interact with the citizens of Alrest and build relationships throughout their journey. Rather than existing as simple side content, these connections help make the world feel more alive by showing the people and communities affected by the events surrounding the Aegis War.

As players complete quests and learn more about Torna’s residents, the Community System reinforces the expansion’s focus on relationships and the lives that exist beyond the main cast. However, requiring a certain Community rank before the final act can interrupt the story’s momentum for players who have largely focused on the main quest, making it the expansion’s most divisive gameplay addition.

A World Before the Fall

Torna ~ The Golden Country presents a different side of Alrest through environments shaped by the culture and history of the Tornan kingdom. The expansion’s locations feel distinct from the base game, with landscapes that emphasize the beauty of a world that exists before the events players already know.

The character designs also help establish this earlier era of the story, giving familiar faces a different context while allowing new characters like Lora and Addam to stand alongside the returning cast. The expressive animations and strong character presentation continue one of the series’ greatest strengths.

Yasunori Mitsuda’s soundtrack further strengthens the expansion’s identity, using orchestral and acoustic compositions to complement both the emotional tone of the story and the atmosphere of Torna’s landscapes. The music carries a more mature and reflective feeling, matching the darker themes explored throughout the journey.

Tracks such as the night theme and Our Paths May Never Cross stand out as memorable examples of how the soundtrack enhances the emotional weight of the expansion.

Seiyuu Performances

Torna ~ The Golden Country continues the Xenoblade Chronicles series’ tradition of character-driven storytelling, with a talented cast bringing greater depth to both new and returning characters. The expansion relies heavily on the chemistry between its central cast, as performances help establish the relationships, conflicts, and emotional moments that define this earlier era of Alrest.

Several returning and new performances stand out throughout the journey, including:

• Lora — Saori Hayami
  Notable roles: Hulkenberg (Metaphor: ReFantazio), Yor Forger (Spy x Family), Tao Isonokami (Shin Megami Tensei)
• Jin — Takahiro Sakurai
  Notable roles: Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy), Rohan Kishibe (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), Suzaku Kururugi (Code Geass)
• Brighid — Shizuka Ito
  Notable roles: Kafka (Honkai: Star Rail), Byleth (Fire Emblem), Sailor Venus (Sailor Moon Crystal)
• Malos — Yuichi Nakamura
  Notable roles: Bruno Bucciarati (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), Hazama (BlazBlue), Fei Long (Street Fighter)
• Mythra — Shino Shimoji
  Notable roles: Chevreuse (Genshin Impact), USS Georgia (Azur Lane), Female Player Character (God Eater 3)
• Aegaeon — Shuichi Ikeda
  Notable roles: Char Aznable (Mobile Suit Gundam), Kite (Hunter × Hunter), Marluxia (Kingdom Hearts)

Final Verdict

Torna ~ The Golden Country is a strong expansion that builds upon Xenoblade Chronicles 2 with a more focused story, refined combat system, and memorable character relationships. While the Community System can slow the pacing during the later stages of the adventure, its emphasis on exploration and connection helps strengthen the world of Alrest.

Beautiful new environments, a mature acoustic-driven soundtrack, and an emotionally compelling cast give the prequel an identity of its own rather than simply retelling familiar events. Best experienced after completing Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Torna ~ The Golden Country adds meaningful depth to the series while delivering a rewarding journey in its own right.

Review Summary

Tested On
CPU: Ryzen 7 5900X | GPU: Nvidia 3080ti 12GB | RAM: 32GB DDR4 | Storage: Crucial P5 Plus NVMe SSD
OS: Windows 11 x64 | Resolution: 1080p

References

1. Nintendo. (2018, June 21). Monolith Soft’s Tetsuya Takahashi reveals more on Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – the golden country. Nintendo of Europe AG.
2. Night Theme
3. Our Paths May Never Cross