This review contains spoilers
Oh, Xillia. Between its underbaked plot, baffling pro-child-marriage polemic, and habit of recycling locations but tinted green, there are many frustrations to be had here. But I just want to talk about the Milla route (or lack thereof), which is genuinely one of the most aggravating experiences I've ever had in a video game.
The game bills itself as having the first female co-protagonist, so going in not knowing much about it, I assumed this meant that you could choose your player character (Jude or Milla), and go through approximately the same story with minor variations. This is... not the case.
Partway through Act 1, Milla is seriously injured and removed from the party. You are forced to play as Jude. On the Milla route. Eventually, though, return controls to Milla--and the game, as if warning you of what is to come, asks if you would like to switch back to Milla or keep playing as Jude. If you, like me, stubbornly decide to play as Milla anyway, you're in for a rude surprise when Milla... dies. Just straight-up dies. You can now play as her while dead, missing all the actual plot events that occur while she's out.
"Man, I wish they had done this with Aerith!"--Nobody.
Luckily, she's later resurrected, in a deus ex machina for whatever the plot was that was happening offscreen. Between the introduction of Muzet, Alvin's betrayal, Jude's mental breakdown, their fight to the death, and Leia getting shot, there's a lot to catch up on. This is all conveyed to you via optional skits.
Even when you do get to play as Milla, the game doesn't really feel like it's in her perspective. Case in point: the many scenes where Milla talks to spirits, and the player is not able to see the spirits that she can see. Contrast this with Sorey's ability to see Malakhim in Zestiria--we can see characters like Mikleo or Lailah, and the humour comes from the supporting cast being unable to. Perhaps this is partly due to what feels like a rushed development schedule, rather than just not putting any thought into the character, but neither option is good.
In conclusion, Milla's "route" feels at best like a side story for players who have already completed what is clearly intended to be the actual game, Jude's "route", and I have no idea why they didn't implement things this way.
The game bills itself as having the first female co-protagonist, so going in not knowing much about it, I assumed this meant that you could choose your player character (Jude or Milla), and go through approximately the same story with minor variations. This is... not the case.
Partway through Act 1, Milla is seriously injured and removed from the party. You are forced to play as Jude. On the Milla route. Eventually, though, return controls to Milla--and the game, as if warning you of what is to come, asks if you would like to switch back to Milla or keep playing as Jude. If you, like me, stubbornly decide to play as Milla anyway, you're in for a rude surprise when Milla... dies. Just straight-up dies. You can now play as her while dead, missing all the actual plot events that occur while she's out.
"Man, I wish they had done this with Aerith!"--Nobody.
Luckily, she's later resurrected, in a deus ex machina for whatever the plot was that was happening offscreen. Between the introduction of Muzet, Alvin's betrayal, Jude's mental breakdown, their fight to the death, and Leia getting shot, there's a lot to catch up on. This is all conveyed to you via optional skits.
Even when you do get to play as Milla, the game doesn't really feel like it's in her perspective. Case in point: the many scenes where Milla talks to spirits, and the player is not able to see the spirits that she can see. Contrast this with Sorey's ability to see Malakhim in Zestiria--we can see characters like Mikleo or Lailah, and the humour comes from the supporting cast being unable to. Perhaps this is partly due to what feels like a rushed development schedule, rather than just not putting any thought into the character, but neither option is good.
In conclusion, Milla's "route" feels at best like a side story for players who have already completed what is clearly intended to be the actual game, Jude's "route", and I have no idea why they didn't implement things this way.