Review – Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition

The launch of mark the return of Monolith Soft with one of its most ambitious titles in a remastering that reaches the Nintendo Switch at the end of the first trimester, with graphic improvements, gameplay adjustments and unprecedented content, at an opportunity to revisit a Wii U classic.

As a gift for franchise fans and those who have not yet had the opportunity to explore the vast planet Mira, considered by many to be one of the RPGs that was part of the change in the genre games for the most current generations, returns after 10 years of its original release into a definitive edition but still carries some design choices that can divide opinions.

Journey by the unknown

Even after a decade, the story of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition remains one of the pillars of the game, mixing science fiction with ethical dilemmas and amazing revelations. The plot follows the struggle for humanity’s survival after the destruction of the land, while the player explores aims and faces alien threats in an attempt to protect New Los Angeles. Unlike other titles, the player assumes the role of a customizable avatar, rescued by Colonel Elma and recruited by the Military Organization Blade to help in the reconstruction of humanity.

It is noteworthy that while the main plot explores existential and survival themes, the narrative does not have the emotional weight found in other titles in the series due to the choice of a silent protagonist without personality. However, secondary missions and affinity missions compensate for this limitation by deepening the development of the characters and exploring social issues, such as coexistence between humans and aliens.

However, what shines in this chapter of the series is the planet Mira, which emerges as the true protagonist of the game. A fascinating open world, divided into five distinct regions, each with unique biomes, provides an incredible sense of freedom, especially when we follow an initial portion of the game and release the Skells, a kind of giant strands that allow us to explore the planet by land and air. Once the nearly 18 hours, in a slower progression, exploration becomes even more rewarding because of experience, treasures and meetings with colossal enemies. However, the use of Skeells ends up being limited because of the high repair costs, which may push players who are not used to more cadenced titles in their narrative construction.

Since we have a definitive edition, so let’s go to the news of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. A new chapter has been added, accessed after completing the main campaign, expanding history with unpublished events such as Vanishing Event, the introduction of Ghosts and the revelation of Elma and Alois’s past, which deepen the past of characters and offer answers to loose ends left in the original, ensuring a more satisfactory outcome for fans.

In addition, interface improvements make it easier to navigate the open world and make it simpler to manage secondary missions, with all of the map, even when they are not being traced. You will also have time control (24 -hour cycle) directly through the menu and the frontiernav system, previously exclusive to Wii U Gamepad, has been adapted to work on a single screen on Switch, making management more accessible. Still in this regard about managing, it is now also possible to change team members directly through the menu, bringing greater practicality without having to return to New Los Angeles.

Beautiful, chaotic and interesting

The Combat System in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition was famous for remembering a MMORPG, combining automatic attacks with special skills, known as Arts, which require strategic positioning. This definitive edition introduces improvements such as Quick Cooldown, which instantly recharges a more dynamic combos skill, even though its use is limited by battle to maintain balance. In addition, Soul Voice system encourages group members coordination by offering bonuses based on tactical responses during battles, but this makes the amount of information on the screen excessive and combat chaos, especially for novices.

Developers have also rethought issues related to game mechanics, removing Blade levels to simplify progression, and with relationships between characters evolving faster, unlocking affinity missions more easily. Importantly, now the characters that are outside the active group also gain experience automatically, reducing the need for individual grind.

Even with a SinglePlayer adventure, players can come together in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition to explore aim, face challenges in specific missions, or participate in global boss battles known as Global Nemesis. These epic battles require coordination and offer valuable rewards, such as rare items and materials to improve equipment. In addition, the Squad system (TASKS or Mission) introduces rotating missions and goals on the map, encouraging collaboration between players to defeat enemies or collecting resources.

In analyzing the look, the game received a significant upgrade compared to Wii U. Mira remains impressive with its stunning landscapes and detailed alien architecture. Character and texture models have been improved, with clearer resolution and stable performance at 30 FPS in portable and dock mode. The interface was also redesigned, with more readable text and more intuitive menus, facilitating navigation. However, technical limitations of switch are noticeable in inconsistent textures and occasional crashes. The epic soundtrack composed of Hiroyuki Sawano remains one of the highlights of the game, mixing orchestral and electronic themes that perfectly complement the Sci-Fi atmosphere.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is a celebration of the legacy of the series and its original game, as an authentic RPG that contributed to the transformation of the genre. The vast and alive world encourages constant exploitation while the combat system challenges even the most experienced players. Although it has a long narrative, which takes a long time to prove to be interesting, in addition to the steep learning curve and some old problems still present, this definitive version is indispensable for franchise fans or JRPGs lovers seeking a rich and challenging experience at the end of Nintendo Switch’s life.