Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is, indeed, the best way to play this pillar of the Wii U’s library. The quality of life upgrades are top tier and make an already great game into a more refined masterpiece. Though the direction of the new epilogue feels a bit rushed, I’m excited for the future of this branch of the Xenoblade series.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Developer: Monolith Soft
Price: $80
Platform: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
MonsterVine was supplied with a Switch code for review.
I really dug Xenoblade Chronicles X back on the Wii U, as it stood out as a wildly different open-world game that was shockingly unlike the first Xenoblade Chronicles game. I was thrilled when it was announced that this underrated gem would receive new life on the Switch, especially with a new epilogue that would help tie up the original title’s loose ends. While I’m not 100% sold on how that went, the game itself is fantastic on the whole and worth anyone’s time.
The greatest strength of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition remains the same as in the original: the massive and sprawling world of Mira. Exploring the planet, both on foot and eventually in the massive robotic Skells, is a blast and feels incredibly fulfilling. The varied locations are full of treasures and secrets, all of which provide you with experience points to reward exploration. Running around and hopping high just feels great and keeps the entire lengthy campaign from ever feeling dull, purely thanks to the freeing movement.
Combat is complex and satisfying to take part in, truly emulating the sensation of an offline MMORPG. You often feel outclassed by these massive enemies who wander Mira, making being able to take them down an exciting and satisfying process. This is enhanced even further once you can fight with your Skells, which add a wonderful dose of heavy mecha combat into the mix.
“The side stories really shine in terms of narrative content, ranging from hilarious capers to heart wrenching tragedies.“
Some of the new additions include a few playable characters and a plethora of quality-of-life upgrades. The new characters are enjoyable enough and help fill out the already large roster, with personalities and classes that stand out. The small upgrades make things like changing your party and the time on the fly much more convenient, as well as changing the balance of gameplay in some pretty wild ways.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition has many improvements
One such improvement is the ability to use abilities, called Arts, before they cool down a set number of times. This radically changes combat to be quicker and easier to get a handle on, which I appreciated. Xenoblade Chronicles X has a bit of a reputation for being complicated in terms of its mechanics, so having the Overdrive ability better explained and the ability to skip Arts cooldowns should go a long way in making the Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition more accessible.
The story of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is as intriguing as ever, though it does take a bit of a backseat compared to other entries in the series. The struggle for humanity to survive that pervades the title is surprisingly dark as well as hopeful, and it stands as tonally quite different from the rest of the Xenoblade Chronicles games. I’m fond of the main cast, with Elma standing out the most, but the side characters you can recruit for your party range from charming to irritating – a risk you take with such a big cast.
The side stories really shine in terms of narrative content, ranging from hilarious capers to heart-wrenching tragedies. The wide variety of tones keeps all of the side content feeling fresh and helps to build out Mira even further. As for the new epilogue content, though the concepts are interesting and work alright, it feels as though these were a game or two’s worth of ideas of into one final act of a story. The continent you explore is a bit less expansive, and a lot of story content happens in very little time, leading it to come off as a tad rushed. I look forward to the future of these characters after seeing some of the ideas the epilogue introduced, I just wish Monolith Soft had more time to explore them.
The Final Word
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is a brilliant upgrade to what was already one of the best games on the Wii U. Minor snags have been fixed all over the place, making for a smoother and more accessible RPG, though fans of the original may be mixed on the narrative additions. I hope to see Elma and the gang return someday in the future, as this Definitive Edition is a reminder of how strong their world is.
MonsterVine Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – Great
