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I wrote a few intros for this review and kept deleting them. I don’t want to continue harping on the fantastic library of games the Wii U had. I don’t even want to talk about how despite its cult following, the Xenoblade Chronicles series is still somehow underrated. I want to simply offer a question. What game series couldn’t possibly be improved by allowing the player to get into a mech? Xenoblade Chronicles X is arguably the most eye-roll-worthy story of the franchise. You take on a little bit of plot cringe to immerse yourself in one of the most massive open worlds in an RPG, filling your time with fantastic combat and a slew of improvements that make a good game great.

In Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, you play as a human character accompanying other humans in pursuit of a new place to live. An alien war has destroyed Earth, so it’s up to you and your team to pave a new path forward. Unfortunately, your character is void of any dialogue or voiceover work, meaning you’ll have little manner to connect with the characters around you other than your imagination. Luckily, the vast gameplay options, missions, and massive array of side quests keep you busy enough to decide early on to pay little mind to the dialogue. Still, if other Xenoblade Chronicles games have left you loving your band of allies, you likely won’t forge that same kinship here.

While the main character’s personality-less presence is a disappointment, it’s one of the very few things about Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition to dislike. If you remember back to the game’s original release, a lot of folks felt like X deviated too far away from the structure and formula of the numbered Xenoblade Chronicles games. Playing this game again with plenty of updates and quality-of-life adjustments, remains a fun zag away from the zig of constantly connected yet unique narratives of Xenoblade Chronicles 1, 2, and 3. At the heart of the game (of course) are the two persisting strengths of Xenoblade games: exploration and a near-flawless real-time combat system.

First, in terms of exploration, traversing the planet Mira and discovering its many mysteries is a franchise highlight. I do not have more fun in other Xenoblade Chronicles games simply learning about the world around me than here in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. Across five regions with terrain and ecosystem differences, massive monuments and landmarks continue to excite the player and encourage further exploration. Monolith Soft is masterful in their ability to create worlds, and while I bet this game will look even better on the Nintendo Switch 2, the art direction and creativity beam awe-inspiring moments through the screen regularly and rewardingly.

For the combat, Xenoblade Chronicles’ real-time action combat has consistently been a favorite of mine. The ability in X: Definitive Edition to combine arts and positioning feels as great as ever. Ally-focused abilities like the timing-based Soul Voice and morale-boosting Soul Challenge are welcome ways to keep you on your toes as you work on strengthening your team to take on more massive enemies. I will say that there were one too many moments where over-leveled enemies found their way to me in spaces they seemingly shouldn’t have. I had this problem enough times that it feels like a design flaw, but outside of these instances, combat is a signature strength of the series.

Moving around Mira feels easy and seamless, as does the inventive ways enemies interact with you. Not all creatures seek to harm you, meaning you’ll often try to stay away from certain menacing foes only to find they really don’t pay attention to you at all. The variety of ways that the world of Mira and its inhabitants react to you makes it feel more alive than many RPGs. Of course, many monsters that won’t try and attack you change their tune when you get into your Skell, the mech you can utilize to traverse Mira and access more powerful abilities. Can you blame the monsters? I don’t know many living things that would see a mech flying around and not notice a possible threat.

Skells expand your ability to explore by allowing you verticality that feels very immersive. Suddenly, spaces that seemed ornamental are areas you can explore thanks to your trusty mech. While many mech systems in a video game that aren’t explicitly a mech game can make mobility feel clunky and choppy, Skell traversal is quite smooth. There’s often that sigh and shrug in a video game where you’re encouraged or forced to utilize a vehicle, but Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition makes flying your Skell and fighting massive monsters fun and frictionless.

Quality of life updates to Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (including the Soul powers in combat) simply make a great game an all-timer. A quick cooldown bar that charges during auto attacks allows you to stack arts one after the other. The user interface also allows for increased readability. There are even more helpful tutorials when learning new abilities or skills, including the use and control of the Skell. Everything you’d want a team to improve upon a good game over a decade later got love and care from Monolith. These improvements make what was once seen as an outlier in the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise arguably the best-feeling game in the entire series.

So, what if you’re not necessarily into Xenoblade games traditionally? Well, I can’t say Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is going to magically whisk away issues you have with the other entries. The heavy focus on an alien planet, confronting the need to build a new future for humanity, and alien diversity do make it feel much more like a traditional sci-fi experience. A major gripe I think most have with the series is the combat’s auto-attacks, but the utilization of a class system in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition does add depth for JRPG fans looking to blend genre staples with signature Xenoblade mechanics.

I love the game, and I’m sure that’s clear. I’m dying to see what this looks like on the Switch 2, but I will say that in docked mode, the game looks fantastic. Art design and direction rule out over frames per second or 4K capabilities when it comes to my tastes. However, I won’t deny that an enhanced version of this already enhanced game is likely going to lead to me replaying this game again when the next Switch launches. Until then, I’ll continue preaching the good word that the Wii U library makes up for the console’s questionable launch and lifecycle. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is likely a top-five game on that obscure platform, and on the Switch, it’s a top-10 experience on an all-timer console, which says a lot.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition was provided by Nintendo for this review. 

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Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition

$59.99

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Offers every quality of life upgrade you'd hope for
• An essential Monolith title in their illustrious library
• A fantastic variation on the Xenoblade formula

Cons

• You can get absolutely dominated by overpowered monsters at seemingly poorly planned times
• There's little to love about your silent, personality-less character