Fans have been eagerly awaiting the release ofXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Editionon Nintendo Switch. This spin-off game of the main series offered up amazing locations and combat that provided players with a whole new way to experience the series. The new, updated version of the game comes with new upgrades to the original, like updated graphics and the inclusion of all the past downloadable content. When booting up the definitive edition ofXenoblade Chronicles X,you’re able to also expect a plethora of new quality-of-life changes that make the game even more accessible and enjoyable to play.
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Diving into Xenoblade Chronicles X
Compared to the rest of the series, you’ll find a lot of the enjoyment in this iteration is going to be the exploration and the combat. Exploring is the bread and butter ofXenoblade Chronicles X, and it remains the same in this updated version. It’s a truly open world with plenty of corners to explore and side quests that will allow you to see what this new world is like. It’s a unique experience for the series and a decent starting point to see if you enjoy the combat and what the world ofXenoblade Chroniclesis all about.
Even with the fantastic exploration and combat, however, the game does have issues that the other entries don’t have. The main character you control inXenoblade Chronicles Xis somewhat bland and seemingly a blank slate. They act as a way to attach and immerse you in the world and lore without much dialogue or input into what they are going through. Cutscenes also do end up dragging on sometimes, overstaying their welcome with dialogue that falls flat. The characters and some of the scenes are the weaker parts of how the story is portrayed, but don’t take away from what the game has to offer.
Your main character may come across as boring, but the entire game is filled with lore and characters that are wonderful. The world you get to explore is packed with side quests and main quests that will give you more information on the planet you are on, while the characters you encounter will provide you with new ways to engage in combat. You can change active party members whenever you’d like and play as others if you wish, with new additions to the cast of characters being added to the Definitive Edition.
If you are new to theXenobladeseries, it will be a wonderful new gaming adventure to enjoy and progress throughXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition.
But the best part of the game has to be the different biomes and areas you get to explore. The starting area is going to be lush and beautiful grassland teeming with monsters you can take on. While neighboring areas will be a dense forest or even a desert teeming with crashed alien tech visible in the distance. Each area becomes more and more awe-inspiring as you explore and progress.
The Spin-Off is Back with the Same Great Gameplay
Combat is exactly what fans of theXenobladeseries would expect. You’ll have active time combat while you have auto attacks and skill cooldown. It’s a staple ofXenobladeand compelling for those who are not only fans of turn-based games, but sprawling RPGs that feel like a living world. If you’re looking to get into the series, you can’t go wrong withXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. The gameplay is more or less the same as the others in the series, but still offers up a new place in time within the timeline for you to venture through.
Your allies will vocalize when and what abilities you can use to gain additional effects on your attacks. Soul Voices as well as Soul Challenges will pop up in combat frequently, allowing you to gain an edge in tough fights and keep yourself and allies alive while in some of the most intense fights the game has to offer. It’s a unique and entertaining system for combat that always keeps enemy interactions fresh and new. The overall combat is more or less the same as the rest of the series, with minor changes and adjustments to make the game its own experience.
There are a variety of attacks that will have you topple and stun enemies to increase damage or even flank them for extra damage as well. You can set up ally abilities to be what you’d like for support on the field and give you some interesting ability combinations with the various classes that each character will have. On top of the combat skills, you also have the Skells, which are a big part of the combat after some time in the story. These set the game apart from its counterparts.
Skells are something unique to this game in the series and bring about new ways to explore and fight enemies that you run into. These pilotable mechs will be available after a decent amount of time into the story and are an optional side quest that will require you to perform a variety of tasks to unlock them. But once unlocked, Skells will change the game in a ton of ways for you as the player to explore and combat foes to your heart’s content. They provide you a way to explore quickly to avoid dangerous foes while also giving you an upgrade path and ways to engage in combat with your party.
Updated Graphics and Gameplay
With the Definitive Edition, you’re able to expect quite a few new changes in general. The gameplay overall hasn’t changed all that much and has remained the same. You’ll have your attack actions and skills that you’ll unlock throughout your time in the game, with minor adjustments to how level and loot works now. Before, in the original version, there was a BLADE level system tied to how you unlock missions and skills. This is no longer the case and it has been changed to progress with you in the main story that you complete.
New features have been added to the gameplay and combat as well. Going to respec your characters is easier than ever and you can remake your character’s build at any time. As long as you have the resources for the skill point reset, it’s an easy task. The grind has also been significantly cut down, with many of the issues players had with the original version being done away with. Shared experience with your party helps cut down on the time investment in getting your team to be your optimal and preferred party of characters. Obtaining money for skill resets and gear is also quite easy with the new Survey Rate awards, giving you even more reasons to go through and explore each area to the fullest.
The graphics have been updated with the Switch release, making everything more detailed and pop out to you in HD. While they aren’t the most amazing or groundbreaking visuals, they still get the job done and immerse you in this strange new world if you’re new to the series. Fans returning to the game will be pleased to see the game looking at its best while having solid performance on the console. It seemingly runs slightly better in handheld mode than the Switch dock, but it still runs well considering the size and scale of the game. Frame rate drops aren’t common, making the time in the game enjoyable.
Closing Comments:
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Editionlives up to the Definitive Edition moniker that it sports this time around. Everything about the game has been enhanced to another level for fans, new or old, to jump into and enjoy. The updates to the graphics and gameplay have not only made the game feel more up-to-date, but more compelling and fun as a whole. You’ve got plenty of options and routes to build your characters while on foot, as well as various options for the Skells you fight with. With the past expansions being reworked into post-game content for players to enjoy, there’s plenty to do in this version ofXenoblade Chronicles X. There’s no doubt that this fan-favorite game is back in its full glory and better than ever.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Rebuild humanity on the mysterious planet Mira in this action RPG.The year is 2054. Earth has been destroyed by an intergalactic war between two alien races, and humanity is on the brink of annihilation. A small number of survivors, aboard the USS White Whale, crash land on the vast and untamed planet Mira—and now it falls to you, as a member of BLADE, to help bring humanity back from the edge of extinction…with the aid of powerful giant robots called Skells!Choose from a huge variety of special attacks, skills, and classes in a combat system that’s as deep as you want it to be. Once you’ve proven yourself to BLADE, you’ll earn the right to pilot and personalize your very own Skell—a powerful machine that can fly, transform into a vehicle for fast overland travel, and wield immense strength in combat with customizable weapons and armor.As you go about the reconstruction effort, getting to know the people of New Los Angeles (NLA), you’ll build affinity with your party members and unlock quests for gear and other rewards. Join your choice of military organization within BLADE to take on even more missions—or even team up with up to 32 players from near and far online* in Squad Tasks, Online Missions, and extra-challenging Global Nemesis Battles!
