This project represents a passionate effort to restore Xenoblade 2 to its original vision, building upon previous delocalization work while introducing substantial improvements. While previous mods laid important groundwork, this patch goes further in preserving the game's authentic Japanese cultural elements and narrative nuances that were altered or removed in the Western release. In addition, many things that previous patches left out by accident have already been fixed (not all names and designations have been restored, leaving some localized versions elsewhere in the game).
At the outset, I would like to mention that the patch is work in progress (and will remain so for a long time, unless I find a lot of people willing to help). Many things may not work as intended, some dialogues will need editing after initial translation, etc. You use at your own risk. However, any report of any bug, or providing something I have overlooked that has a significant impact on the perception of characters, story or lore will be greatly appreciated. Changes can be checked in commits on github.
Prior Work
- Name Delocalization Mod
- Heart-to-Hearts Uncensored Mod
A Personal Note on Project Origins
My journey with Xenoblade 2 began with the Japanese version, which I completed shortly after the Western release. This means my understanding of the characters, story, and lore comes purely from the original Japanese presentation, uninfluenced by the Western localization. Recently, I felt drawn to revisit this masterpiece and realized it was the perfect opportunity to refresh existing delocalization projects.
However, this wasn't a straightforward task. The main technical hurdle was working with Monolith Soft's proprietary BDAT file format. It wasn't until recently that I discovered a reliable method for unpacking and repacking these files. The current workflow involves processing JSON files through Notepad++ and a custom tool I developed specifically for this project that facilitates file searching, editing, and translation work.
As of the date of writing this post (17.02.25), I have already put well over 30 hours into this patch.
Core Philosophy
The fundamental goal of this patch is authenticity to the original Japanese version without compromising cultural elements for the sake of "Western accessibility." This isn't about making the game more "digestible" for the average player - the official localization already serves that purpose even removing the entire original lore and replacing it with “more appropriate” counterparts. Instead, this patch aims to preserve the rich cultural context and nuanced storytelling of the original, particularly its roots in Christian symbolism, Japanese and Chinese folklore and connections to otaku culture everyhere which were all significantly downplayed (or rather completely removed) in the Western release.
Major Changes and Restorations
(in addition to changes made in previous projects)
Terminology Unification and Cultural Accuracy
- Restored 巨神獣 to "Divine Beast" rather than the official "Titan" - this better reflects their divine nature and connection to the game's theological themes (in the original text specifying that they are しもべ/Servants of God). 巨神獣 Means "Giant Divine Beast" but it is generally too long to fit in many places in the game interface.
- Unified all instances of 楽園 as "Eden" (in previous patches inconsistent between "Paradise", "Eden", and "Elysium" was left from localization in many places). This choice was made specifically because the game's narrative centers around humans who once lived in a fertile land with God - directly paralleling the biblical Garden of Eden
- Restored "Bonding Talk" as the proper translation for the intimate character conversations (previously localized as "Heart-to-Heart")
- "Trigo" is now "Torigo"
- Restored all NPC names to their Japanese originals
- Completely revised and retranslated all attack names, restoring their original English, German and Italian names that were completely replaced by localizers
- Restored the World Tree's floor names to their original Talmudic references (names of Heavnes) - Vilon, Rakia, Shehaqim, and Zebul - rather than the Western localization's star-based naming system.
- Implemented proper waapuro romaji for character names, precisely - respecting long vowels (e.g., "Menou" instead of "Meno") - previous patches have mixed different methods, while I value consistency.
- Restored all instances of Hana's transformation names (e.g., "Judgement Day (JD)" instead of the localizer's "invention" - "Quantum Technochampion")
- Restored Nia's authentic characterization of Zeke, including her turtle-themed nicknames and related wordplay (such as turtlehaed)
- Added all original Japanese honorific suffixes (-san, -sama, -chan, -kun). This was a massive undertaking but rather essential for Xenoblade 2, as these suffixes are frequently used as characterization devices. The game makes numerous references to otaku culture - for example featuring scenes where Homura and Hana simulate Maid Cafe interactions - contexts where these honorifics are crucial to the scene's tone and impact. If the patch was about Xenoblade 1 or Xenoblade 3 - I would rather not undertake this approach, because there this aspect does not play such an important role to spend really a lot of time to search and restore every honorific in the dialogue.
- All Praetor and Praetorium instances were changed to Pope and Holy See.
- Man-Eater (マンエーター) is used instead of Flesh Eater
Technical Breakthroughs
What distinguishes this patch from previous relocation attempts is the compatibility with normal mod folders (romfs) - something previous patches struggled with due to (probably) conflicts with game updates. Through investigation, I discovered a method to utilize bdat files from the Japanese version that don't exist in the Western release, thus avoiding update conflicts entirely. Although the Western version does not have the Japanese language, after copying the files, the Western version runs in the original mode. This has two effects:
- The game now displays the superior original Xenoblade 2 logo in menus
- The control guide menu screen remains in Japanese, but this is the only affected screen and shouldn't impact gameplay at all
The Furigana Text System Restoration
One of the omissions in the Western release was the abandoning of the Furigana Text System which could have served in the Western version not only as a counterpart to what it was used for in the Japanese version, but also as a clarification of the meaning of the names, which would have resulted in the fact that none of the names “had” to be changed (the meaning of the names is the only argument of the proponents of changing them). The original game uses this system for additional context and depth through tags like:
This creates fascinating layers of meaning. For example, in the text above, while the character uses 僕 (boku, meaning "I/me" but also shimobe - servant. which is the case here), it's meant to be read as "Device" - adding context about the character. An even more meaningful example is:
Here, while the text shows 神 (kami, meaning "God"), it's meant to be read as とうさま (tousama, meaning "father"). This reflects not only the profound connection with the story's themes, but also powerfully characterizes the speaker's relationship and attitude. The choice of とうさま (tousama) - a very respectful and formal way of saying "father" - contrasts sharply with another character who uses おやじ (oyaji) - a much more casual, almost rough way of saying "dad" or "old man" - for the same person. These different word choices for "father" reveal volumes about each character's personality and their relationship with their father figure, adding layers of characterization that were simply lost in the Western release.
This system can and (will) serve multiple crucial functions in this patch:
- Provides essential context about the world, characters, and lore
- Enables the inclusion of short translation notes explaining character names and their origins
- Offers cultural context that enhances understanding of Japanese cultural elements
- Works seamlessly in both dialogue subtitles and NPC speech bubbles
- Completely nullifies the "localization argument" about changing character names, as we can now explain their meaning directly in-game
Technical Constraints
The engine has specific limitations that required careful attention:
- Strict 56-character limit per line
- Maximum of two lines per dialogue box (112 characters total)
- Text exceeding these limits is truncated
Previous mods sometimes overlooked these constraints, resulting in cut-off text. Every line in this patch has been carefully adjusted to respect these limits while preserving meaning.
Development Philosophy
This patch follows a rolling release model - rather than waiting for "completion," new versions will be released periodically for testing. Community feedback on bugs, translation errors, and overlooked details is invaluable and will help drive continuous improvement and restoring this game to be as good its original Japanese release.
However, let me be absolutely clear: while the feedback is welcome, the fundamental translation philosophy is not up for debate. This project exists specifically to provide an alternative to the heavily localized Western release, focusing on authenticity to the original Japanese version.
Installation
Just install it like any other switch romfs mod.
It's tested on both - emulation (Citron) and Switch with CFW. US version of the game with 2.1 patch and all addons installed. It's compatible with graphics mods too.
When you start a new game, you will see a message in Japanese asking you to choose a language. Unfortunately, I have not found a way to translate this screen. You have to select the Japanese language (日本語) - that is, press “X” and then confirm with “A”.
ADDED 03.04.25 (IMPORTANT):
The game is crashing during the final cutscene. The final cutscene with credits is implemented via a video file. This single video file is missing in the English version of the game, so the game is crashing.
The installation is split into 2 files. Since the videos I mentioned take up about 400MB, they will be placed in a separate link. The rest of the patch will be in a zip file in the thread's file section, as always. The part with the video files only needs to be installed once.
DOWNLOAD Add-on
This is how your mod directory should look like.
Color legend:
- Files included in add-on patch (video)
- Files included in the regular patch, which is updated on a regular basis, available in a zip file in the thread
Emulator:
Emulator:[/SIZE]
Switch:
Screenshoots
Localization Comparison Examples
To illustrate just how the Western localization departed from the original text, here are some striking examples of chapter names:
Original Japanese | Official Localization | Translation
-----------------|----------------------|---------------------
ヴァンダムが遺したもの | Rex Makes His Mind Up | What Vandham Left Behind
スザク誕生 | Suzaku Talks Kind Of Like Vandham | Birth of Suzaku
黒鉄の城 | Birth Of A Marvelous New Blade | The Black Iron Castle
聖杯大戦 | Adel Spars with Laura | The Holy Grail War
雷轟のジーク | Bringer of Chaos, Round Three | Zeke of the Thundering Roar
難民キャンプ | No More Blades, No More War | The Refugee Camp
雨 | I Lived As You Wanted | Rain
愚かなるものたち | The Birth of a Universe | The Foolish Ones
Development Tools
To facilitate this project, I developed two Python programs:
1. A BDAT file repacker for managing game files
2. A dedicated translation tool that displays Japanese and translation scripts side by side and allows to edit the translation.
GitHub Repositories:
- BDAT Tool
- Translation Assistant
- Delocalization & Retranslation Patch Github
Contributing
This project welcomes contributions in several areas:
- Translation (for those who share the same philosophy of authenticity)
- Testing and bug reporting
- Original Japanese lore consultation (not based on localized versions)
- General feedback and suggestions
This isn't just another localization - it's an effort to restore Xenoblade 2 to its authentic form.
Discord Group
At the outset, I would like to mention that the patch is work in progress (and will remain so for a long time, unless I find a lot of people willing to help). Many things may not work as intended, some dialogues will need editing after initial translation, etc. You use at your own risk. However, any report of any bug, or providing something I have overlooked that has a significant impact on the perception of characters, story or lore will be greatly appreciated. Changes can be checked in commits on github.
Prior Work
- Name Delocalization Mod
- Heart-to-Hearts Uncensored Mod
A Personal Note on Project Origins
My journey with Xenoblade 2 began with the Japanese version, which I completed shortly after the Western release. This means my understanding of the characters, story, and lore comes purely from the original Japanese presentation, uninfluenced by the Western localization. Recently, I felt drawn to revisit this masterpiece and realized it was the perfect opportunity to refresh existing delocalization projects.
However, this wasn't a straightforward task. The main technical hurdle was working with Monolith Soft's proprietary BDAT file format. It wasn't until recently that I discovered a reliable method for unpacking and repacking these files. The current workflow involves processing JSON files through Notepad++ and a custom tool I developed specifically for this project that facilitates file searching, editing, and translation work.
As of the date of writing this post (17.02.25), I have already put well over 30 hours into this patch.
Core Philosophy
The fundamental goal of this patch is authenticity to the original Japanese version without compromising cultural elements for the sake of "Western accessibility." This isn't about making the game more "digestible" for the average player - the official localization already serves that purpose even removing the entire original lore and replacing it with “more appropriate” counterparts. Instead, this patch aims to preserve the rich cultural context and nuanced storytelling of the original, particularly its roots in Christian symbolism, Japanese and Chinese folklore and connections to otaku culture everyhere which were all significantly downplayed (or rather completely removed) in the Western release.
Major Changes and Restorations
(in addition to changes made in previous projects)
Terminology Unification and Cultural Accuracy
- Restored 巨神獣 to "Divine Beast" rather than the official "Titan" - this better reflects their divine nature and connection to the game's theological themes (in the original text specifying that they are しもべ/Servants of God). 巨神獣 Means "Giant Divine Beast" but it is generally too long to fit in many places in the game interface.
- Unified all instances of 楽園 as "Eden" (in previous patches inconsistent between "Paradise", "Eden", and "Elysium" was left from localization in many places). This choice was made specifically because the game's narrative centers around humans who once lived in a fertile land with God - directly paralleling the biblical Garden of Eden
- Restored "Bonding Talk" as the proper translation for the intimate character conversations (previously localized as "Heart-to-Heart")
- "Trigo" is now "Torigo"
- Restored all NPC names to their Japanese originals
- Completely revised and retranslated all attack names, restoring their original English, German and Italian names that were completely replaced by localizers
- Restored the World Tree's floor names to their original Talmudic references (names of Heavnes) - Vilon, Rakia, Shehaqim, and Zebul - rather than the Western localization's star-based naming system.
- Implemented proper waapuro romaji for character names, precisely - respecting long vowels (e.g., "Menou" instead of "Meno") - previous patches have mixed different methods, while I value consistency.
- Restored all instances of Hana's transformation names (e.g., "Judgement Day (JD)" instead of the localizer's "invention" - "Quantum Technochampion")
- Restored Nia's authentic characterization of Zeke, including her turtle-themed nicknames and related wordplay (such as turtlehaed)
- Added all original Japanese honorific suffixes (-san, -sama, -chan, -kun). This was a massive undertaking but rather essential for Xenoblade 2, as these suffixes are frequently used as characterization devices. The game makes numerous references to otaku culture - for example featuring scenes where Homura and Hana simulate Maid Cafe interactions - contexts where these honorifics are crucial to the scene's tone and impact. If the patch was about Xenoblade 1 or Xenoblade 3 - I would rather not undertake this approach, because there this aspect does not play such an important role to spend really a lot of time to search and restore every honorific in the dialogue.
- All Praetor and Praetorium instances were changed to Pope and Holy See.
- Man-Eater (マンエーター) is used instead of Flesh Eater
Technical Breakthroughs
What distinguishes this patch from previous relocation attempts is the compatibility with normal mod folders (romfs) - something previous patches struggled with due to (probably) conflicts with game updates. Through investigation, I discovered a method to utilize bdat files from the Japanese version that don't exist in the Western release, thus avoiding update conflicts entirely. Although the Western version does not have the Japanese language, after copying the files, the Western version runs in the original mode. This has two effects:
- The game now displays the superior original Xenoblade 2 logo in menus
- The control guide menu screen remains in Japanese, but this is the only affected screen and shouldn't impact gameplay at all
The Furigana Text System Restoration
One of the omissions in the Western release was the abandoning of the Furigana Text System which could have served in the Western version not only as a counterpart to what it was used for in the Japanese version, but also as a clarification of the meaning of the names, which would have resulted in the fact that none of the names “had” to be changed (the meaning of the names is the only argument of the proponents of changing them). The original game uses this system for additional context and depth through tags like:
Code:
[System:Ruby rt=デバイス]僕[/System:Ruby]
Code:
[System:Ruby rt=とうさま]神[/System:Ruby]This system can and (will) serve multiple crucial functions in this patch:
- Provides essential context about the world, characters, and lore
- Enables the inclusion of short translation notes explaining character names and their origins
- Offers cultural context that enhances understanding of Japanese cultural elements
- Works seamlessly in both dialogue subtitles and NPC speech bubbles
- Completely nullifies the "localization argument" about changing character names, as we can now explain their meaning directly in-game
Technical Constraints
The engine has specific limitations that required careful attention:
- Strict 56-character limit per line
- Maximum of two lines per dialogue box (112 characters total)
- Text exceeding these limits is truncated
Previous mods sometimes overlooked these constraints, resulting in cut-off text. Every line in this patch has been carefully adjusted to respect these limits while preserving meaning.
Development Philosophy
This patch follows a rolling release model - rather than waiting for "completion," new versions will be released periodically for testing. Community feedback on bugs, translation errors, and overlooked details is invaluable and will help drive continuous improvement and restoring this game to be as good its original Japanese release.
However, let me be absolutely clear: while the feedback is welcome, the fundamental translation philosophy is not up for debate. This project exists specifically to provide an alternative to the heavily localized Western release, focusing on authenticity to the original Japanese version.
Installation
Just install it like any other switch romfs mod.
It's tested on both - emulation (Citron) and Switch with CFW. US version of the game with 2.1 patch and all addons installed. It's compatible with graphics mods too.
When you start a new game, you will see a message in Japanese asking you to choose a language. Unfortunately, I have not found a way to translate this screen. You have to select the Japanese language (日本語) - that is, press “X” and then confirm with “A”.
ADDED 03.04.25 (IMPORTANT):
The game is crashing during the final cutscene. The final cutscene with credits is implemented via a video file. This single video file is missing in the English version of the game, so the game is crashing.
The installation is split into 2 files. Since the videos I mentioned take up about 400MB, they will be placed in a separate link. The rest of the patch will be in a zip file in the thread's file section, as always. The part with the video files only needs to be installed once.
DOWNLOAD Add-on
This is how your mod directory should look like.
Color legend:
- Files included in add-on patch (video)
- Files included in the regular patch, which is updated on a regular basis, available in a zip file in the thread
Emulator:
Emulator:[/SIZE]
Emulator/
├─ load/
│ ├─ 0100E95004038000/
│ │ ├─ Xenoblade 2 Unburger/
│ │ │ ├─ romfs/
│ │ │ │ ├─ bdat/
│ │ │ │ │ ├─ jp/
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├─ XXXX.bdat (4537 files)
│ │ │ │ │ ├─ jp.bin
│ │ │ │ ├─ stream/
│ │ │ │ │ ├─ movie/
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├─ mv10480100_h.webm
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├─ mv10480100_s.webm
Switch:
Emulator/
├─ load/
│ ├─ 0100E95004038000/
│ │ ├─ romfs/
│ │ │ ├─ bdat/
│ │ │ │ ├─ jp/
│ │ │ │ │ ├─ XXXX.bdat (4537 files)
│ │ │ │ ├─ jp.bin
│ │ │ ├─ stream/
│ │ │ │ ├─ movie/
│ │ │ │ │ ├─ mv10480100_h.webm
│ │ │ │ │ ├─ mv10480100_s.webm
Screenshoots
Localization Comparison Examples
To illustrate just how the Western localization departed from the original text, here are some striking examples of chapter names:
Original Japanese | Official Localization | Translation
-----------------|----------------------|---------------------
ヴァンダムが遺したもの | Rex Makes His Mind Up | What Vandham Left Behind
スザク誕生 | Suzaku Talks Kind Of Like Vandham | Birth of Suzaku
黒鉄の城 | Birth Of A Marvelous New Blade | The Black Iron Castle
聖杯大戦 | Adel Spars with Laura | The Holy Grail War
雷轟のジーク | Bringer of Chaos, Round Three | Zeke of the Thundering Roar
難民キャンプ | No More Blades, No More War | The Refugee Camp
雨 | I Lived As You Wanted | Rain
愚かなるものたち | The Birth of a Universe | The Foolish Ones
Development Tools
To facilitate this project, I developed two Python programs:
1. A BDAT file repacker for managing game files
2. A dedicated translation tool that displays Japanese and translation scripts side by side and allows to edit the translation.
GitHub Repositories:
- BDAT Tool
- Translation Assistant
- Delocalization & Retranslation Patch Github
Contributing
This project welcomes contributions in several areas:
- Translation (for those who share the same philosophy of authenticity)
- Testing and bug reporting
- Original Japanese lore consultation (not based on localized versions)
- General feedback and suggestions
This isn't just another localization - it's an effort to restore Xenoblade 2 to its authentic form.
Discord Group
Last edited:
