Behold: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in 12 glorious images

The first Nintendo Direct of 2022, held on February 9, was chock-full of surprises.

Nintendo saved the best for last, showing the first footage of the long-awaited next installment of a beloved action-RPG series, Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

Here are 12 delightful images of Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

Our first glimpse of the new protagonist.

A treacherous foe towers over a shallow pond.

This scholarly fellow summons a flock of paper birds in battle.

Your heroes flit by as a massive yellow lizard stomps across the sandscape.

This grizzled fellow seems like he has an interesting past.

The protagonist and his companion take a musical moment. Who — or what — might be listening to their song?

That might be the scariest seahorse ever imagined.

Looks like someone’s here to make a whole lot of trouble.

These vast, rolling plains and endless skies are quintessential Xenoblade.

A beautiful moment at daybreak.

This lady looks like trouble.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 comes to Nintendo Switch in September 2022.