Author: Trafficblast

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition has arrived on Nintendo Switch, and it features a deep battle system with a lot of different mechanics to master. This system is fundamentally similar to the one in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, so if you’ve played that entry, you’ll already be familiar with the basics. That said, there are some notable differences that set the two apart.

While the in-game tutorials do a good job of acclimating you to the various components of Xenoblade Chronicles’ battle system, there are some nuances that aren’t as well explained. To help you out, we’ve put together this guide breaking down the battle system’s different mechanics and how to effectively use them.

We gave the remastered RPG a 9/10 in our Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition review. Critic Jake Dekker wrote, “Although not every aspect of Xenoblade Chronicles has aged as well as others, Definitive Edition proves that Xenoblade Chronicles is still a fantastic JRPG with an immense amount of strategic depth that’s still impressive in 2020.”

For more on Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, be sure to check out our roundup of essential tips and things the game doesn’t tell you. And if you’ve played Xenoblade Chronicles 2, you’ll have another leg up when starting your adventure. Those with XC2 save data on their Switch will receive a nice bonus when starting up Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition–100,000 gold.

Basics

Xenoblade Chronicles’ combat system is more akin to that of an MMO than a traditional JRPG. You can maneuver your character around in real time during battle, and they’ll execute basic auto-attacks when they’re positioned close enough to an enemy.

Arts

As your character lands auto-attacks, they’ll gradually build up their Arts–special attacks that can run the gamut from restoring HP and buffing allies to dealing direct damage and casting debuffs. Many Arts inflict greater damage based on your positioning. For instance, Shulk’s Back Slash will deal twice as much damage when executed from behind a foe, making your position during battle vital.

After you use an Art, there will be a cooldown period before you can select it again. The amount of time it takes an Art to cool down will decrease as you level that attack up, so be sure to regularly level up your Arts as you progress through the adventure.

Status Conditions

In addition to dealing damage, most of the Arts at your disposal can cause secondary effects. For example, Shulk’s Stream Edge inflicts the Break status on an enemy, making them susceptible to being Toppled if a teammate follows up with an appropriate Art. Toppling an enemy will cause them to be briefly incapacitated and open them up to being Dazed. It’s important to keep this sequence of conditions in mind and chain these types of Arts together, particularly when battling bosses, as they’ll give you a significant advantage in combat.

Since you can only directly control one character at a time during battle, you’ll need to rely on your AI companions to follow your lead. While they are generally good about Toppling enemies and inflicting other status conditions when necessary, the AI isn’t perfect, and they may miss their cues. However, you have a chance to take matters into your own hands with a Chain Attack, which we’ll discuss further below.

Party Gauge

Perform well in battle and your party’s Affinity will increase, which in turn will fill your Party Gauge. This is displayed in the upper lefthand corner of the screen and is divided into three segments. You can spend one segment to revive a fallen teammate or warn them of an incoming attack, and the battle will continue so long as one segment of the gauge is full, even if your character faints. When all three segments are filled, you’ll be able to pull off a Chain Attack.

Chain Attacks

If you’ve maxed out your Party Gauge, you’ll have the option to use a Chain Attack. This will effectively freeze time and let you manually select an Art for each member of your team to use, giving you the perfect opportunity to inflict status conditions on enemies. The effectiveness of your attacks will also increase if you use Arts of the same color consecutively.

After all three members of your party have executed their Art, you may see a prompt to press the B button. Do so in time and you’ll extend the Chain Attack. The number of times you can extend a Chain Attack depends on a few factors, including your party members’ Affinity for one another, but you can potentially extend the Chain Attack up to 15 turns.

While Chain Attacks can deal an incredible amount of damage to foes, you’ll deplete your entire Party Gauge after using one. This means you won’t be able to revive a teammate should they be knocked out, leaving you vulnerable. For this reason, you’ll need to think carefully and find the best moment to execute a Chain Attack.

Monado Arts

Shulk’s Monado is the only weapon capable of damaging the Mechon. Fortunately, it has its own suite of Arts separate from Shulk’s standard attacks. Most of these revolve around buffing your allies. For instance, Enchant powers up your teammates’ weapons and allows them to damage Mechon as well. You’ll gradually unlock more Monado Arts as you make your way through the story, and you’ll rely on them frequently to deal with the escalating threats you face.

Changing The Future

The Monado also gives Shulk the power of clairvoyance, and you can use that to your advantage during battle. If an enemy is about to launch a devastating attack, Shulk will have a vision of it before it happens. This gives you the opportunity to change the future.

You can alter the course of events in a few ways. You can spend one segment of your Party Gauge to warn a teammate, allowing you to select an Art for them to use and disrupt the incoming attack. Shulk himself can also potentially change the future by using a Monado Art to shield an ally from damage. Fail to act in time, however, and the vision will come to pass.

If you’re looking for a game or two with riveting gameplay, this week’s sale at the Xbox Store focuses on action games of all stripes. The Rockin’ Action Sale discounts nearly 100 Xbox One games, including newer hits like Metro Exodus and Borderlands 3 and older favorites such as the Devil May Cry HD Collection and Batman: Return to Arkham. You have until June 1 to shop the Rockin’ Action Sale.

First-person shooter fans have a lot to pick from in the sale. The entire Borderlands franchise is steeply discounted, with Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition at $12, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection down to $19.79, and Borderlands 3’s Super Deluxe Edition slashed to $50. Ubisoft’s Far Cry franchise sees similarly great discounts, as Far Cry 5 is cut to $15 and Far Cry New Dawn is up for grabs for $16. 2019’s Metro Exodus, a dark, story-driven FPS, is only $16, while the wacky and colorful Journey to the Savage Planet is just $18.

The Rockin’ Action Sale presents a great opportunity to pick up beloved compilations for cheap. Devil May Cry’s HD Collection, which bundles the first three classic titles in the series, is discounted to $18. Meanwhile, Batman: Return to Arkham–a remastered collection including Arkham Asylum and Arkham City–is 50% off at $10. If you’re a fan of old school side-scrollers, Mega Man’s 30 Anniversary Bundle–which contains a whopping 19 games–is $40.19, and Contra Anniversary Collection is down to $10.

The sale also features a few memorable action-RPGs, including Dragon Age: Inquisition – Game of the Year Edition for $10 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance for $15. Not every game on sale necessarily fits into the “action” genre. For instance, a bundle containing South Park: The Stick of Truth and The Fractured but Whole is discounted to $23.09, and Letter Quest Remastered, which wonderfully blends wordplay and role-playing mechanics, is only $3.

You can browse the full Rockin’ Action Sale at the Xbox Store and check out the highlights below.

Best Xbox One game deals

Mega Man games feel right at home on Nintendo Switch thanks to the portability of the massively popular (and currently hard-to-find) console. Thankfully, every mainline Mega Man title as well as a pair of spin-off series are available on Switch, and they are currently on sale for great prices at the Nintendo Eshop. The Mega Man franchise sale ends May 31, so you only have a few days to take advantage of these discounts.

The recently released Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection is on sale for $22.49, which is the first discount we’ve seen on the Nintendo Switch version. The collection compiles six titles that originally released on Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS: Mega Man Zero 1-4, Mega Man ZX, and ZX Advent. If you prefer a physical version, Amazon has the collection discounted to $24.90.

The entire mainline franchise can be purchased for roughly $35 total, with Mega Man 11 on sale for $15, Mega Man Legacy Collection down to $9.89, and Legacy Collection 2 for $10. The first Legacy Collection comes with Mega Man 1-6, while Legacy Collection 2 has Mega Man 7-10.

The most well-known Mega Man spin-off series, Mega Man X, also has a pair of Legacy Collections on sale for 50% off at $10. Mega Man X Legacy Collection compiles the first four Mega Man X games, while X Legacy Collection 2 rounds the series out with the last four.

Mega Man franchise sale

The best wireless security cameras have climbed their way to the top of the smart home chain. They’re among the most popular smart home devices right now, thanks to the many benefits they bring to the table. These security solutions are not only easier to install and more accessible to renters than their wired counterparts, but they’re also generally more affordable.

Before we delve into our list of the best wireless security cameras, there are a couple of things you must know. The “wireless” part refers specifically to the mode of transmission. These security cameras transmit security footage – more specifically, video and audio signal – without the use of a cable. That means that these cameras can either utilize a cable for power or be battery-powered. With that in mind, these are our top picks for the best wireless security cameras available right now, from ones that use a power cord to those that are truly wire-free.

TL;DR – These are the Best Wireless Security Cameras:

• Wyze Cam V2
• Wyze Cam Pan
• Ring Spotlight Cam
• Ring Stick Up Cam
• Blink XT2 Outdoor/Indoor Smart Security Camera
• Arlo Pro 3
• TP-Link Kasa Spot Indoor Camera
• eufy Security

1. Wyze Cam V2

Best Wireless Security Camera

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• See it on Newegg

Because it uses a power cable, the Wyze Cam V2 is not completely wireless. However, that doesn’t stop it from beating the rest of the battery-powered offerings out there in price, reliability, features, and storage options. This is a solid and versatile security camera that’s incredibly feature-rich and one of the cheapest options out there.

Among the features we love are its 8x digital zoom for live streaming, CO2 and smoke alarm detection and notification, a magnetic base for effortless mounting, 2-way audio, timelapse recording, and its 3-axis design so you can tilt and turn it to whichever direction you desire without messing with the mount. Of course, it also boasts all the bare essentials like motion detection, alerts and notifications, as well as night vision of up to 30 feet. It’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, and it comes with free cloud storage that saves 12 second video clips for up to 14 days. All that for less than $30 – this one’s truly a bargain.

2. Wyze Cam Pan

Best Budget Wireless Security Camera

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• See it on Newegg

If Wyze Cam’s plethora of features still isn’t enough to convince you, then the Wyze Cam Pan’s feature set might be. It takes all the beloved features of the original model – from 2-way audio, night vision and live streaming to smart home integration and free cloud storage – and takes them up a level further. This wireless security camera has a bigger audio speaker, a wider 120-degree field-of-view, and much improved night vision.

Best of all, however, is the panning feature. The Wyze Cam Pan boasts a 360-degree rotation range, a 93-degree vertical tilting range, and high-speed panning at 110 degrees per second. Plus, not only does it have motion detection, but it can actually track motion within its field-of-view. So whether you’re trying to see what your pet is up to or hoping to get a glimpse of an intruder’s face, this camera will do the job.

3. Ring Spotlight Cam

Best for sounding the alarm

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• See it on Newegg

This wireless security camera has a battery-powered model and a plug-in model, so you can take your pick depending on your preference. But, that isn’t the Ring Spotlight Cam’s best feature. Beyond the essential features like night vision, motion detection, motion-detection alerts, and live video streaming, it also boasts a couple of features that other top contenders don’t.

Short of hiring professional monitoring, the Ring Spotlight Cam is your best protection against would-be intruders, thanks to its motion-activated LED spotlights and its 110-decibel siren alarm. Not only can this security camera send you a notification every time it detects motion, it also turns its spotlights on. To top that off, it gives you the option to turn on its 110-decibel siren. With the spotlight and the siren, you should be able to sound the alarm if there’s an actual crime happening. Better yet, you would be able to scare off intruders before they even get close to committing a crime.

Unfortunately, those features do not come cheap. And, you have to pay an extra $3 a month to have the ability to store your videos in cloud storage. But, it still beats having to pay for a professional security service.

4. Ring Stick Up Cam Solar

Best for energy-saving outdoor security

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With a range of power source options, the Ring Stick Up Cam is great for both indoor and outdoor use. This wireless security camera has rechargeable battery-powered, plug-in and solar-powered models, giving consumers a variety of options to choose from. Those who prefer to use sustainable energy sources, however, will love the Ring Stick Up Cam Solar. It comes with its own solar panel as well as backup power bank so it can stay charged, rain or shine. So not only is it money-saving at $150, but it’s energy-saving as well.

As far as its security camera features, it boasts night vision, two-way audio, real-time notifications, live view, and effortless installation. Since it’s an indoor/outdoor camera, it also has weather resistance, and can withstand extreme temperatures of down to -5°F and up to 122°F. For convenience, it is compatible with Alexa-enabled devices, Ring devices and even certain smart locks.

5. Blink XT2 Outdoor/Indoor Smart Security Camera

Best indoor/outdoor security camera

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• See it on Dell

For a truly wire-free security camera that’s perfect for both indoor and outdoor installations, nothing beats Blink XT2 Outdoor/Indoor Smart Security Camera. This svelte wireless security camera promises a two-year battery life so you won’t have to constantly worry about it running out of juice at the most crucial moments. And, unlike some of its rivals, every unit comes with free cloud storage so you can save hundreds of clips stored up to a year without committing to a monthly service fee.

Of course, as an outdoor camera, it features weather-proofing as well – IP65-rated weather resistance, in fact. It offers temperature monitoring as well. Among its other mention-worthy features include motion-activated instant-on recording, live-streaming, alerts and notifications, 2-way audio, and Alexa-compatibility. Perhaps the best part of this camera, however, is that it gives you all those features and cloud storage for only $99 a pop. And, it gets even cheaper when you buy the bundles.

6. Arlo Pro 3

Best 2K resolution security camera

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• See it on Dell

If you’ve got quite a bit of cash to spend on a wireless security camera, or you need one with a higher than 1080p resolution, you’d want to consider the Arlo Pro 3. This is one of the most highly-rated wireless security camera systems on the market right now, with great features and a terrific set of extra accessories to match.

This premium camera comes with premium features like a 160-degree viewing angle, 2K resolution with HDR for crisper images, color night vision, a spotlight, 12x digital zoom, and a built-in siren. It also has a magnetic mount and a magnetic charge cable. That’s on top of the usual 2-way audio, motion detector, auto-zooming and tracking, and live streaming features. Unfortunately, you do have to pay monthly for cloud storage access and intelligent alerts, which are incredibly vital. However, if you’re willing to pay $500 for a wireless security camera system, then there’s no doubt you can afford the monthly subscription as well.

7. TP-Link Kasa Spot Indoor Camera

Best underdog

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• See it on Dell

The TP-Link Kasa Spot Indoor Camera may not boast unique or premium features that set it apart from the competition. It has all the features that other wireless security cameras offer: a 1080p resolution, Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility, two-way audio, night vision up to 30 feet, and live streaming. However, it offers uniquely offers instant activity alerts without the cloud subscription. Users can also program up to 4 customizable zones so it can focus more on areas in your home that matter most.

Most importantly, it’s simply reliable. Made by TP-Link, a trusted name in routers and computer networking. To protect your privacy, your video streams are protected with 128-bit AES encryption straight from the camera so your recordings are safely transmitted as if it was piped through a VPN. The only thing is, you’d have to pay for the cloud subscription to save the full recordings for up to 30 days.

8. eufyCam 2C

Best for HomeKit ecosystems

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• See it on Best Buy

While eufyCam 2C is one of the most expensive wireless security cameras on this list, it’s worth checking out, especially if you’re invested in Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem. Highly compatible with HomeKit, this completely wire-free system also offers special features like human detection technology that distinguishes humans from animals and objects, only sending alerts when it’s detecting an actual person, and local-only storage that lets you store up to 3 months of footage, forgoing the need for a cloud subscription.

The eufyCam 2C also touts a 135-degree diagonal field of view, a battery life that lasts 6 months on a single charge, an IP67 weather-proof rating that allows it to survive inclement weather, a built-in spotlight, and an AES-128 data encryption to protect your clips and footage from prying eyes. For a 2-camera kit, this will set you back more than $200, so it’s certainly not cheap. However, for all those incredible features, it’s definitely worth saving for.

What to look for when buying the best wireless security camera

Picking the best wireless security camera for you and your home isn’t hard. These cameras, after all, have quite a few things in common that kind of make your buying decision easier. They’re all easy to install. They all have some sort of smart home integration, whether it’s with Alexa, Google Assistant or HomeKit. And, they all offer live streaming, alerts and notifications, remote access, and night vision.

If you’re not too particular, any of these excellent security cameras above should be able to handle your home security needs – as long as they’re within your price range. Still, it isn’t as straightforward as you might think, especially if you have specific features you want to check off your list.

Resolution

Most of the best wireless security cameras that are currently on the market have a resolution of 1080p. That’s pretty much the standard these days, although there are also a few options out there that only have a 720p resolution. 1080p should be sharp enough for your home security needs. However, if you want something sharper, there’s a small number of 1440p resolution cameras as well, albeit perhaps at a much higher price than their 1080p counterparts.

Storage

Many wireless security cameras store your security footage in a cloud, transmitting all of the captured video and audio files to an offsite or remote storage location that you can access via an app. This keeps your video footage secure and protected, especially from intruders looking to remove any evidence of their crime.

Unfortunately, while some manufacturers offer this cloud storage service for free and others offer theirs for a free-yet-limited use, there’s also quite a few that force you to pay for a monthly subscription. Without that subscription, not only are you unable to review past recordings, but you’re also losing some important features like real-time alerts. Luckily, you’re more likely to pay $3 to $5 than $50 a month for these subscriptions.

If cloud storage isn’t something you’re comfortable with, there are also a small number of wireless security cameras that come with MicroSD cards for local storage.

Power source

As we mentioned earlier, the word “wireless” in wireless security cameras refer more to the mode these devices use to transmit your video and audio signals, than to whether or not they’re completely cable-free. That means that some wireless security cameras still use a cable for power.

Unfortunately, these cameras are affected by power failures and outages, which is why many people prefer wire-free battery-powered security cameras instead. These come with rechargeable batteries that last anywhere from three months to two years on a single charge.

There are also a handful of wireless security cameras that use solar power, and they’re a favorite among the more sustainability-conscious consumers.

Indoor or outdoor use

Although some of these cameras are designed for both indoor and outdoor use, specific ones are indoor only. This is something you should double-check, especially if you’re living in an area with extreme weather. You wouldn’t want your $150 indoor security camera to stop working after a couple of months because it got snowed on the night before.

Other security features

Apart from the basic security features that all these cameras have in common like night vision, alerts and notifications, live streaming, and 2-way audio, there are some bells and whistles that only a handful of them offer. Examples of these extra features include built-in spotlights, a built-in siren, panning, and military-grade data encryption.

While many of these special features probably won’t come in handy in normal, everyday situations, they’re still worth looking into, especially if they don’t really cost you that much more to have.

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Michelle Rae Uy is a freelance tech and travel writer, part-time production editor, and a full-time traveler from Los Angeles, California. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles, London and the rest of the world. Follow her on Instagram @straywithRae.