Developer: Monolith Software Inc.
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch
Tested on: Switch
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition – Review
With the original Switch inching closer to retirement, Nintendo and Monolith have put the final nail in the coffin of its predecessor, the Wii U. Xenoblade Chronicles X was the last major game in the Wii U library that hadn’t made the jump over to the Switch yet. Nearly ten years after its debut, and after much clamoring from fans, that has finally been rectified. While we played the game’s original version and have fond memories, it has been a long while since we last set foot on planet Mira. As such, we were eager to find out if XCX had stood the test of time.
Story
A lengthy cinematic cutscene sets up XCX’s main conflict. In the year 2054, planet Earth became collateral damage in a war between two alien forces. Only a fraction of humanity managed to escape, aboard a massive space ark called the White Whale. The majority of the survivors were kept in stasis in the Lifehold, with the ark itself being manned by essential staff, mostly military personnel from BLADE. After some time in space, the White Whale was attacked by aliens, forcing it to crash land on planet Mira. In this crash, the Lifehold Core was lost somewhere on Mira. BLADE is able to quickly set up the colony city of New Los Angeles. From there, their main mission is to recover the Lifehold Core. Players take on the role of a survivor from the Lifehold, whose stasis pod was separated from the Lifehold. After being found by BLADE Colonel Elma, they join the search for the Lifehold Core. What initially appeared as a search and rescue mission on the vast, hostile planet of Mira turns into a race against time as the alien race of the Ganglion is also looking for the Lifehold, as part of their attempt to eradicate humanity.
The original version of XCX’s ending left quite a few threads unresolved, but the Definitive Edition aims to rectify this by adding a whole new chapter to the main story. Even then, XCX’s narrative isn’t as deep or character-driven as other entries in the series. For the kind of game XCX wants to be, that’s okay. It’s refreshing to see that the player character isn’t the story’s protagonist, as that role goes to Elma. Apart from the “main four” characters, being Elma, the avatar, thirteen-year-old engineer prodigy Lin Lee Koo, and the potato-like alien Tatsu, the characters lack depth. XCX’s overarching narrative and supporting cast may be the weakest aspect of the game, but as you’ll see when we get to the gameplay, that’s something that can be forgiven.
Graphics
Monolith continues to work its wizardry, seemingly able to push the Switch’s graphical capabilities further than any other developer. Not only do the sprawling landscapes and outlandish creature designs look as jaw-dropping as ever, thanks to a new coat of digital paint, but XCX’s performance is incredibly smooth. Loading times are short and only appear when you’re fast-travelling or are transitioning to a completely separate area. You can traverse the entirety of Mira, an enormous map, without encountering a single loading screen. The game may be locked at 30 fps for now, but it can keep up this frame rate consistently. Data miners have already found a 60 fps setting in the game’s code as well, so there’s a realistic chance that XCX’s performance will be improved even further on the Switch 2.
Sound
An adventure of XCX’s size and scope requires a suitably grandiose soundtrack. Composer Hiroyuki Sawano, of Kill La Kill fame, certainly delivers on this front, with some of the best music in the series. Granted, Sawano’s style doesn’t always mesh very well, as some other tracks are more misses than hits. NLA’s theme in particular is a bit too low-key for our liking. A particularly nice touch is that the overworld themes come in both a day and night arrangement. XCX also boasts an impressive voice cast, with the likes of Caitlin Glass, Matthew Mercer, and Yuri Lowenthal. A good chunk of the game is voiced, and the cast made a welcome return for the additional story content new to the Definitive Edition. The final piece of the puzzle are the sound effects, which really bring Mira to life.
Gameplay
Although XCX shares a lot of its gameplay DNA with the other entries in the series, it has a distinct identity. XCX puts less emphasis on delivering a linear, character-driven narrative and instead focuses on exploration. The world of Mira is a character in its own right, as much so as some of the party members that you are able to recruit throughout your run. XCX’s main story is still a hefty 70+ hour quest, but despite its narrative urgency, it can be completed at your own pace. XCX encourages exploration through its plethora of side quests and missions. There are story missions that add depth to the world, affinity missions that deepen the bond with NPCs, and basic missions that typically encompass fetch quests. The sheer amount of stuff to do is overwhelming, and there are always tasks you can take on, ensuring that XCX never feels like a grindfest.
That’s also reflected in the way the game is paced. Despite its length, XCX is a slow burn. Leveling up your character takes time, and high-level enemies are found all around you. Fortunately, the game indicates the levels of opponents, alongside a color code to let you know which ones you’d be foolish to take on. Additionally, icons indicate which creatures will attack you on sight or if they hear you, so that you know which ones to avoid. That brings us to XCX’s combat, which is where the game most feels like a Xenoblade title. The game uses the series’ signature combat arts system, where basic attacks are done automatically, filling up meters for your more powerful combat arts. The idea is that you build synergies with your party members to create devastating combos. This system is further bolstered by a robust class system, with each of the recruitable party members offering their own class-related arts. Each of the party members is fully playable too, although the player avatar is the only one able to switch between all the different classes.
Perhaps the most defining feature of XCX are Skells, giant pilotable mechs that become available in the latter half of the game. There is a wide range of these robots, and they can be upgraded and customized. They play a huge part in exploring the entirety of Mira and completing the game’s FrontierNav map -one of XCX’s major goals. Skells allow you to traverse the world much quicker, and let you reach areas that you simply cannot reach on foot. At a certain point in the game, they can even be upgraded with a flight module. Skells are also essential for taking on some of Mira’s gigantic inhabitants. Even so, Skells aren’t the answer for everything. They’re expensive, and repairs and insurance can add up. This approach makes getting a Skell feel special, as you really have to earn it, rather than the game just handing it to you.
With several dozen hours under our belt, we feel like we’ve barely scratched Mira’s surface. This is the kind of game that asks you to put in the effort, but also rewards you for doing so. The main story will take most players around 90 hours to “complete”, although anyone wanting to 100% it will more than likely rack up an hour count in the triple digits. That’s without even getting into the game’s online component, which sees you team up with other players to complete missions to take on foes you wouldn’t be able to tackle single-handedly. At an RRP of €59.99, XCX is up there with most of Nintendo’s first-party titles, and we’d say this one is worth every single penny.
Conclusion
With Metroid Prime 4 and Pokémon Legends: Z-A still on the horizon, things aren’t quite over for the original Switch just yet. However, had Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition been the last major release on the platform, it would’ve been a more than worthy sendoff. XCX is the kind of game that pushes the Switch to its technical limits, but somehow, it runs as smooth as butter. It’s more than just a technical marvel too: with hundreds of hours worth of engaging gameplay and a massive world to explore, XCX definitely deserves a place in your library.
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