Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition Review – The Best RPG of All Time

It was a huge surprise when Nintendo announced that they were releasing a remaster for Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition for the Nintendo Switch. It’s not only an excellent game, but quite possibly the greatest RPG of all-time. While in previous articles I touted Xenoblade 2 as the best in the series, that has quickly changed. The definitive edition fixed so many problems that plagued the original, such as the clunky menu system, interface, and PlayStation 2 era graphics. This is all gone though. Monolith Soft, once again, has outdone themselves and have crafted one of the best games to come out on the Switch. This isn’t just a remaster; it’s more in the vein of a remake.

Xenoblade has undergone a complete overhaul of its menu system, which is a relief. The menu system in the original was downright horrible, and Monolith did a fantastic job organizing everything together. The affinity chart is cleaner and easier to follow, equipment is much more organized, as are gems and crystals, and collectibles are now much easier to follow. From a gameplay standpoint, sidequests are now much easier. Before, you had to wander around in order to find X person and X enemy to defeat in order to finish each quest. This is not the case anymore. Each enemy, collectible, and person of interest are now marked on the map. The quest menu has also undergone changes. You can now view your Colony 6 reconstruction progress in the quest menu and set quests as being “active.” Both main story quests and sidequests can be set as active, and it lays a path for you to follow so you can’t get lost. Some may call this handholding, but, it’s a great help in such a vast world and helps players that are stuck. It also makes the game more accessible for those who aren’t hardcore RPG players but still want to experience Xenoblade. You can also customize how your player looks, changing their appearance so their outfits match

The graphics are downright gorgeous. It’s clear that it was made from the ground up, which is why I hesitate to call it a remaster and call it a remake. The original game for the Wii looked like a PlayStation 2 game, but this is different. Given its vast world and environment and environmental effects, Xenoblade Definitive Edition has to be one of the best looking RPGs on the market. The cutscenes, the artstyle; all of it is leaps and bounds above its competition. What stands out most is the environmental effects at Eryth Sea. This was a highlight in the original and it is a highlight in this game as well. The world is massive and the characters all have their moment to shine. There a balance to the game that is very rare in an RPG. It’s also a very long game with many, many sidequests, clocking in at about 100 hours if you do everything there is to do. The Colony 6 reconstruction is one of the best and rewarding sidequests in any video game, and the affinity chart is an innovative take on building relationships throughout the world of Bionis and Mechonis. To put frankly, the game is unparalleled in this regard.

The combat is a lot of fun. It’s live-action based, full of arts to choose from, and a lot of customization. You have seven playable characters, which makes the game have a lot of replayability, experimenting with different teams. Monado Arts are key, especially your speed and shield abilities. If you complete the sidequests for XP, you don’t need to grind that much, but, towards the end of the game, grinding is a necessity. It’s not that bad though. The combat is so much fun. While Final Fantasy XV tried something similar, it wasn’t able to emulate Xenoblade’s superb combat. There are also chain attacks when your party gauge is full, allowing you to topple enemies easily for more damage. You can also equip gems to your equipment in order to make yourself significantly stronger. These are key both for Super Bosses and even the final boss. The combat is simple yet at times intricate and makes for a pleasant experience. The sidequests can get repetitive, but by that same token, the rewards are well worth it, especially the gems you receive. The game is like no other RPG to date.

Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition is quite possibly the greatest RPG of all-time. It has it all; superb combat, full customization, an organized and easy-to-follow interface, intricate sidequests, and some of the best music to grace any video game, period. It’s not just a game; it’s an experience. Every time you think the game is going to end, it keeps on going. The plot has so many twists and turns and has one of the most historic stories of any video game to date. The characters are developed and each has their moment to shine, which is a breath of fresh air. The final villain may seem like a cliche, but, it works.

There is no other RPG that has such an engrossing plot, such a massive open-world, and lovable characters compared to Xenoblade. It’s one of, if not, the best RPG of all time and if you never played it on the Nintendo Wii, this is the time to get it. The Switch version is light years better than the Wii version and catapults it to true greatness.

No game is perfect, but Xenoblade Definitive Edition comes very close.