Due to the low sales of the Wii U, there is an understandable desire to see its more noteworthy titles brought to the Switch. Nearly every Wii U exclusive has already been ported in one way or another, with one major exception. Despite being one of the more polarizing entries in the series for its greater emphasis on open-world exploration rather than narrative, Xenoblade Chronicles X has been one of the most ardently wished for remasters, and one that, until recently, didn't look like we were going to see until after the launch of the Switch 2, if at all. However, against all odds, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is releasing in the Switch's final stretch, and early impressions suggest that it could be a fitting send off for Nintendo's most successful console to date.
Xenoblade Chronicles X opens with the dramatic flair that has become a trademark of Monolith Soft-developed RPGs. The year is 2054, and humanity is caught in the crossfire between two warring alien species, forcing them to abandon Earth to survive. Several interstellar arks are launched, but only a few escape destruction, and one of these, the White Whale, crash lands on a planet known as Mira. Several lifepods are scattered across the planet, including your character's, who you will create yourself from a modest selection of options. After you are awoken from stasis, your task is to explore the new world of Mira and colonize the planet for the surviving citizens of the White Whale, which has now been rechristened as New LA, and seek out the Lifehold, which houses the majority of the survivors. However, Mira is a strange and unknown planet, populated by many hostile creatures (collectively referred to as indigens) and may also house more aliens with more malevolent intentions towards the survivors.
Despite this explosive start, Xenoblade Chronicles X places the progression of affairs squarely on your shoulders. After being strong-armed into joining BLADE (an organization which basically functions as a jack-of-all-trades handyman for the surviving populace) and choosing which Division you'd like to be part of (a largely unimportant choice that just grants you slightly better bonuses for completing specific activities), you're left to explore to your heart's content, with the story mission objectives a loose goal that you will need to get around to eventually.
Venturing out into the world of Mira is a dangerous and exciting prospect, and there is an immensely satisfying sense of scale to it that all feels familiar, yet also otherworldly. Unnatural rock formations, exotic plant life, and clearly alien ruins at various different technological stages, all litter the landscape, inviting you to explore them and unearth their secrets. Xenoblade Chronicles X also frequently bucks the JRPG trend of starting you off with small, manageable encounters before gradually introducing you to tougher opponents. Many who have played Xenoblade Chronicles will no doubt remember seeing the formidable level 81 Territorial Rotbart ambling around Gaur Plains when they entered for the first time, ready to crush them should they venture too close to it. This kind of encounter is commonplace on Mira, with colossal indigens, both benign and actively hostile, scattered throughout each segment of the map, promising a swift end should you stumble into their field of vision or hearing range.
This effect is one that makes the various biomes of Mira feel more organic and open-ended, as there are no clearly defined or deliberately forced boundaries on places where you should or shouldn't be in accordance with your level. The only limit (at least initially) is whether you can physically get there or not. There is an undeniable thrill of sneaking past giant indigens that would snuff out your frail existence in a heartbeat to reach a new area, or salvage a chunk of debris from the White Whale for parts. Although it can be as frustrating as it can be rewarding at times, as more than once when in combat I was ambushed by a passing indigen that was several levels higher than my party, which saw me deposited back to the last checkpoint, often far from where I wanted to be.
Combat in Xenoblade Chronicles X shares the same DNA as its predecessor, but is of a notably more measured tempo. You'll switch between melee and ranged weapons at the tap of a button, or automatically when you activate a skill that uses that specific weapon, with your potential loadout of weapons determined by your chosen character Class. Most indigens have body parts that can be targeted to neutralise their more potent attacks and result in specific item drops, incentivizing a more tactical approach; this is especially important if you're taking on larger adversaries who have noticeably more hit points to match their size.
As part of the Definitive Edition, your skills can now be activated at a moment's notice even when on cooldown via the new Quick Recast gauge, which is a fantastic quality-of-life feature that allows you to keep the rhythm going in combat. The whole process simply feels more engaging now since you're not stuck waiting and watching your characters auto-attack for half a minute before you can take a more active role in the on-screen action again. Your allies will also call out in combat for you to activate certain skills to complement their own actions, and there is a much greater emphasis on this element of timing and teamwork, which activates party-wide buffs and healing, charges the TP gauges for stronger skill activation (or can be stored for reviving downed allies) and most importantly, deals damage at an increased pace.
If you played the original release back on the Wii U, you'll no doubt miss the convenience of being able to glance at the map at any time on the gamepad whilst playing on the TV screen. The map is now accessed via the menu and pauses the game, breaking up the gameplay flow slightly as you navigate the world. However, this is perhaps the only benefit to playing the original over the Switch version that I was able to discern in my playtime with the game thus far. The game's UI has received a significant overhaul, now lining up more with the other Xenoblade titles and being far more organized in how the information is presented, and I had no problems making out the text when playing the game in handheld mode either. The game has also received quite the significant visual overhaul, with sharper textures across the board, and character models that match the aesthetic of the other Xenoblade Chronicles titles, giving a more modern appearance.
Twenty hours in and I have barely scratched the surface of Mira, and despite having played the game exhaustively on the Wii U when it was first released, I still nonetheless find myself excited by what lies ahead. Exploring the expansive biomes, engaging in battle with colossal alien lifeforms, and reconnecting with the eclectic cast of humans and friendlier alien natives, has been made so much more compelling thanks to the various quality-of-life features that have been implemented. With trailers and pre-release information promising new additional story content and characters, it is looking like the wait for Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition has been worth it. Be sure to check back for our full verdict next month ahead of the game's launch on 20th March 2025.
A copy of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition was provided by Nintendo UK for the purposes of this preview.
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