Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition review: An overly ambitious space opera

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Xenoblade Chronicles X might not seem exceptional when you focus on its details, such as its simple character models or the unpolished manner characters appear in the environment. The missions often involve slaying a few monsters or collecting an item, with minimal dialogue to break up the action. The gameplay, whether it’s exploring the world or battling creatures, may not be particularly exciting moment by moment. However, if we take a step back and consider the game in its entirety, Xenoblade Chronicles X could well be one of the most visionary science fiction video games ever created.

Let’s tackle the minor issues first. The dialogues in most missions are presented through character gestures and text, while Affinity and Story missions have full voiceovers. This difference can feel a bit jarring, but it seems that Monolith Soft prioritized building an immersive world, providing interesting paths to explore, and allowing these paths to change throughout the game. However, there are occasional load times in crowded areas like Armory Alley, and your character sometimes passes through moving vehicles in New LA without interaction. These small glitches may give off a “low budget” vibe initially, but as you progress, the game’s focus on its world becomes more apparent.

Xenoblade Chronicles X’s vast open world, Mira, remains one of the most awe-inspiring open worlds I’ve encountered in a video game, even after a decade since its release on the Wii U. Games like Death Stranding and the combined experience of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom come close, but none quite match it due to how the world influences movement, which is the core gameplay mechanic. At first, you traverse Mira on foot, but this becomes inadequate when your intended destination could be over 10,000 meters away.

In Primordia, you find yourself in the last refuge of humanity, New LA, which lands following Earth’s devastation. The journey from the BLADE Barracks to New LA’s exit is vast, and eventually, you step out into the world. Towering cliffs and rocky landscapes compel you to take circuitous routes, allowing for extensive wandering over extended durations, gradually moving away from your home base. As you delve into exploration, you can deploy Data Probes and Mining Probes across the map, which accumulate minerals and money passively, serving as Fast Travel spots as well. Fast Travel ensures that you won’t often feel like you’re retracing the same ground, and similar to other Xenoblade games, your health fully regenerates after each combat encounter, thus resource management isn’t an issue when traveling on foot.

Similar to the first installment of Xenoblade Chronicles, X is a real-time RPG that employs an active cooldown system in its combat, similar to games like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV. You can create a team of four characters from an extensive roster of possible allies, and the combination of Arts, Skills, and equipment can result in diverse gameplay styles and character builds. I primarily used tactical melee attacks and supportive abilities to progress through most of the game, but dedicated players vouch for the effectiveness of “infinite Overdrive” builds.

You venture forth from Primordia, exploring the forests of Noctilum and deserts of Oblivia, eventually crossing the narrow land bridge linking Primordia to the unknown continent of Sylvalum and the intense heat of Cauldros. The initial steps into uncharted territory can be a bit nerve-racking as you familiarize yourself with a whole new array of alien creatures, some to hunt and others to evade.

Though many mission destinations will present challenges that align with your capabilities, towering post-game world bosses casually roam these same areas. This effectively creates an atmosphere of a hostile, perilous alien world, although having a world boss disrupt a battle is more than slightly inconvenient.

You journey from Primordia into the forests and deserts of Noctilum and Oblivia, then cross over to Sylvalum and Cauldros via a thin land bridge. It’s scary when you first step into new areas because there are strange alien creatures to deal with. Even though most destinations have enemies that match your skill level, big bosses from the game’s final stages can be found in those same places. It makes Mira feel like a dangerous alien world, but it’s annoying when a boss interrupts a fight.

In the flow of the game, you’ll encounter colossal mech suits known as Skells. These can be bought and assigned to all your team members. While the general gameplay remains similar to when you’re on foot, the abilities now depend on the weapons you’ve armed each slot with on your Skell. Some exceptionally powerful weapons require multiple slots to be used effectively.

In the realm of Mira, my world expands exponentially with the arrival of these mechanical suits. Colossal beasts lose their intimidation factor, the miles I tread seem insignificant, and those towering cliffs that once seemed impassable are now mere stepping stones. The landscape remains unchanged, but with the added vantage point and enhanced mobility, my approach to traversing and discovering this world undergoes a dramatic transformation. It’s nothing short of enlightening, and then it happens again when I unlock flight. Skells become accessible around the 30-hour mark, while flight is granted just shy of 50 hours into gameplay. The extended periods spent exploring and maneuvering through this world in each mode make me truly appreciate the meticulous design that ensures a seamless experience from every angle. Flight is so liberating that it’s challenging not to glide effortlessly over the landscape while the powerful soundtrack echoes in my ears, rather than focusing on completing missions.

The game primarily focuses on exploring its world, marking locations on your map using various travel methods. Consequently, the narrative occasionally takes a secondary role since story missions become available only after reaching a specific level and completing certain prerequisites like Affinity missions. Eager to avoid missing any, I endeavored to complete each Affinity mission as they appeared while also maximizing Affinity for my diverse party members. As a result, I played perhaps one Story mission for every five hours of gameplay, with the Affinity missions being relatively low-stress events centered around individual characters. The anime-like feel to these missions can sometimes make the game seem slow and leisurely.

In the original version of the game, the plot seemed to take a secondary role in its conclusion. However, in Definitive Edition, the story doesn’t end there. A fresh Chapter 13 epilogue has been incorporated into the game, introducing a new character, new adversaries, new equipment, and most crucially, a new ending. This added content gives the impression that it was always meant to be included in the game, making Xenoblade Chronicles X’s story feel complete. Moreover, it connects the narrative more closely to the broader Xeno series mythology, and ends on an uplifting and hopeful note that will leave theory enthusiasts eagerly speculating.

Upon another close look, I recall devoting entire days to Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition, uncertain if I advanced significantly. The pace may seem painfully slow when attempting to explore everything, but if you’re not, the main missions can appear daunting. Yet, stepping back affords a broader perspective. The game as a whole unfolds – an expansive, endless alien terrain that still conceals mysteries from me after over 90 hours of play. I see the ambition behind this massive, open-world mecha RPG that can be explored on foot, in vehicles, and in flight, along with the numerous stories from a diverse array of alien races who join you in New LA. The grandeur and scale of this game aim for the cosmos, and to achieve such heights, certain compromises had to be made.

As a dedicated gamer, I must admit that while Xenoblade Chronicles X might not have the polished visuals or voice acting you’d expect from a top-tier RPG, it offers an experience that surpasses anything I’ve encountered in the sci-fi genre before. Imagine, if you will, a Mass Effect sequel where you could board a small ship from a human outpost, soar above a colossal alien world without a single loading screen, and then touch down wherever you please, miles away. Sounds like a dream game, right? Well, Xenoblade Chronicles X comes close to delivering that dream.

Despite minor concerns about presentation, balance, or enemy spawn points, I can’t help but marvel at what this game manages to accomplish. I often find myself asking: what other games are doing all the things that Xenoblade Chronicles X is doing? And let’s not forget, it runs on a Nintendo Switch! It’s truly remarkable.

After a decade, Xenoblade Chronicles X has been fully realized with the Definitive Edition, and it remains one of the most astoundingly ambitious games I’ve encountered. It manages to achieve and excel in so many areas, though not every component matches the grandeur of Mira. At times, it can be leisurely and laborious, yet despite clocking over 90 hours, a piece of me yearned for the journey not to conclude. The future is uncertain for Monolith Soft, but should they return with Elma, Lin, and the inhabitants of New Los Angeles, I’d be thrilled.

Score: 9/10

Platform: Nintendo Switch

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2025-04-14 16:17