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Xenoblade Chronicles X - review round-up

by nintendaan
30 November 2015
GN Version 5.0

GamesRadar
Like Mira itself, trying to get a grasp of Xenoblade Chronicles X can be inscrutable and vexing at times. But in a way, that quest for knowledge often mimics the plight of the humans who find themselves stranded on the alien planet that becomes humanity's new home. Understanding Xenoblade's complexity isn't easy or always immediately obvious, but stick with it and you'll find a vast, untamed land where simply existing is its own reward.

Eurogamer
Nevertheless, this is contemporary Japanese RPG-making at its boldest and most imaginative in years. For every cliché - the helium-voiced furry mascot who totters along behind your group, the incongruous, schizophrenic rock-cum-rap soundtrack - there's an invention that hauls the open-world JRPG into the present, and then another that shunts it breezily into the future. Perhaps the game's greatest achievement is that, over the course of this journey, you settle into Mira and, in that mystical way of all video game greats, Mira settles into you.

Nintendo World Report
My own run through Xenoblade Chronicles X was an unintentional low level run, but I suspect this may have been because of the timing of when I got the game and playing super-extended sessions. Once the game is out and Christmas comes, I’m actually tempted to replay the game at a slower pace to really get the full experience out of it and to see if I avoid the extended grinding sessions (the 8th and 11th chapters of 12 had pretty heavy grinding required for my 1st playthrough). The fact that I plowed that time into the game and want to go back with more information to replay it should say a lot, though; Xenoblade Chronicles X is required playing for anyone with the slightest inclination toward RPGs, and if you need to buy the system then do it. It’s an essential part of the Wii U library.

Destructoid
This is one of the more interesting reviews I've done as of late because I know Xenoblade Chronicles X will be divisive. But it truly feels like an MMO world I've been living in for several weeks now. The more grimdark theme isn't quite as charming as the original Xenoblade, but everything else makes up for it.

NintendoLife
Xenoblade Chronicles X is as sprawling, diverse, complex and entrancing as we hoped. It utilises the Wii U's capabilities not only to produce a beautiful world, but shows how something as simple as a map on the GamePad screen can be invaluable. What's most impressive is the dynamism and impression of freedom in play - level caps and grinding are naturally part of the equation, yet they're managed within a structure where even small missions or Affinity quests greatly enhance the narrative and sense of place. To truly experience the story of this human colony and the vast planet Mira requires exploration and patience, and Monolith Soft has found an impressive balance in bringing its vast range of gameplay systems and mechanics together.

Occasional bottlenecks are infrequent and easily overcome in the broader experience, and overall Xenoblade Chronicles X delivers a hugely impressive RPG adventure. It's an enormous accomplishment for Monolith Soft and an irresistible part of the Wii U library.

Polygon
Xenoblade Chronicles X finds itself in a constant struggle between scale and bloat. When I crested over the game's first mountaintop and saw a dinosaur drinking from a lake in the valley below, it was amazing — one of those rare video game moments that can be described as "epic" without hyperbole. But the UI is just one example of how X gets in its own way, hiding its beautiful world beneath overly complicated and under-explained systems that just don't add enough. Monolith Soft has once more created something special under the Xenoblade name; it just happens to have buried that something special under a mountain of annoyances.

GameSpot
Mira and its inhabitants are awe-inspiring, and experiencing everything X has to offer is a monumental and rewarding task. It makes the journey consistently interesting by giving you intricate control over your characters' abilities and gear, and by offering a wealth of new toys to play with as time goes on. You will roll your eyes at characters, and bemoan the unnecessary story padding, but these frustrations are quickly forgotten when you head into the wilderness in search of unexplored territory and unforeseen challenges. X is a grand adventure that satiates your appetite for exploration and combat in ways that few games ever do, but because getting started is half the battle, it’s an experience reserved for dedicated players who have the patience and energy to unearth its greatest treasures.

Nintendo Everything
The Wii U has been lacking in large-scale games like this, and Xenoblade’s arrival is long overdue and one that belongs in every system owner’s library.

Nintendo Enthusiast
There are many complaints to be made with Xenoblade Chronicles X. The game is certainly not lacking for issues, both small and large. And yet when I look back at my experience as a whole, I find myself just not caring about those problems. The story and characters are a bit dull, but I still played the game over five hours a day. The music may not have fit very well, but I still was in love with exploring everything I could. There are almost no moments of serenity, but I still stopped to stare at the view. I was confused about some elements 50 hours in, but I still kept playing and figuring stuff out. Some quests are a bit frustrating, and most lack any real depth, but I still did them anyways and had a blast doing it.

That is because ultimately, in what the game tries to do, it succeeds completely: it creates an incredible, breathtaking, awe-inspiring world that is an absolute joy to run around in, to fight in, to collect in, to look around in, to be in. It may not have done so flawlessly, but Xenoblade Chronicles X gave me one of the finest worlds gaming has to offer, and it populated that world with incredible things to do. You have the option to be a part of that world as well. And while you should not expect perfection or anything near it, I can say with absolute certainty that you should play Xenoblade Chronicles X.

GameReactor
There's no such thing as a perfect game, but we believe that, in this case, our score and absolute recommendation is justified. Xenoblade Chronicles X is an amazingly well rounded game. There's so much to do on the planet Mira, from quick-fire quests to experiencing great adventures alone or with four other players in online mode. And that's not mentioning customising your base and your Skells. There's so much to do that we often forget that the future of humanity is in our hands... Time flies when you're having this much fun.

The Jimquisition
There are moments that make me scratch my head, infuriate me, and even make me cringe, but when I consider the layered mass that is Xenoblade Chronicles X, all I can think of how damn arresting it is. How much of it is there. How much of it is thoroughly enchanting.

Thesixthaxis
Xenoblade Chronicles X is a genuinely enthralling game. It doesn’t take it easy on you though, and the perseverance and attention required may override the spectacle and beauty found here. Fans of the last game may also struggle with the tonal and technical shift, but if you want to experience one of the most involving, creative and expansive open worlds ever created, Xenoblade Chronicles X is essential.

Nintendo News
Xenoblade Chronicles X is the most ambitious console RPG I’ve ever played, and quite easily my favorite Nintendo game of 2015. The overall scope and the sheer amount of content is mind-boggling. Monolith Soft has once again demonstrated its fantastic ability to push hardware to its limit. Whether it’s a continuation of the Xenoblade series or not, I’m extremely excited to see what this talent could do with an even more powerful system. Until then, I’m climbing in my Skell and getting stuck in every nook and cranny of the astonishing world of Mira.

Godisageek
I have enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles X so much that I am planning to start it all over again from the beginning, so I can really take my time with this absolutely gargantuan adventure, and I rarely feel that way about any game, let alone one I’ve been playing almost non-stop for a month. This is an essential purchase for all Wii U owners who love the JRPG genre.

Nintendo Feed
With over seven hundred achievements and a solid campaign which lasted around fifty hours for me personally, I expect the longevity of this game to far exceed most other titles on Wii U.

HardcoreGamer
Xenoblade Chronicles X is epic in scope. Most of the time, it’s better for it; other times, it’s clear that the developers didn’t have a golden thread sewing together all of its various parts. It’s an unconventional JRPG in many ways, most notably in its reliance on gameplay and multiplayer over an involved single player adventure ripe with quality storytelling and climactic plot twists. Its narrative is lacking at times — pulling inspiration from some of the most overused tropes out there — and its presentation is problematic to say the least. All of that aside, the sheer number of ways to custom tailor the experience, the wonderful combat, the inclusion of an astounding multiplayer mode and the compelling, massive world that’s presented make it one of the Wii U’s best games as well as one of 2015’s most complete RPGs. It may not be the follow-up that hardcore Xenoblade Chronicles fans were hoping for, but it’s a worthy sequel all the same — just one that marches to the beat of its own drum. Its unflinching tendency to do things that were not part of its predecessor’s legacy will solidify it as not only its own game, but the best role-playing experience on Wii U.