Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

 Switch
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1336 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,179 out of 1336
  2. Mixed: 58 out of 1336
  3. Negative: 99 out of 1336
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  1. Fab68
    Jun 2, 2020
    10
    One of the bedt JRPG's if not THE best of all time! Story is very good, mechanics and Tactics are deep, unbelievable amount of sidequests and lovely character.

    A must play and have for every Switch owner
  2. Zeriel000
    Jun 23, 2020
    10
    This game is a masterpiece and I highly reccomend it to any Switch owner. I haven't played a JRPG this good since the PS2 era. The story is amazing, the characters are amazing and the maps feel huge and open world. There's always something to do with Quests, collectibles, character leveling, gem crafting etc. etc.

    One thing, the combat takes a while to get used to because it can get    This game is a masterpiece and I highly reccomend it to any Switch owner. I haven't played a JRPG this good since the PS2 era. The story is amazing, the characters are amazing and the maps feel huge and open world. There's always something to do with Quests, collectibles, character leveling, gem crafting etc. etc.

    One thing, the combat takes a while to get used to because it can get complicated as you unlock the Monado and all of the other skills. Every character has special Arts, skills and strategies so I reccomend you read the in game tutorial several times because this game has a TON of different systems that can get really complicated. For example knowing when to use the Monado arts to combat different boss mechanics.

    Another thing that makes this game great is that it's actually a challenge to play. One big flaw of JRPGs is how they always feel so easy but in this game if you're under leveled a boss can kick your ass. There's also a ton of super bosses just laying around with epic loot if you manage to defeat them.

    This game deserves a 10/10, must have status and a Bad Ass seal of approval.    … Expand
  3. Cephey
    Jun 25, 2020
    10
    One of my favorite franchise, realy intrestin game, whith a lot of new mechanicsh and gameplay style
  4. joash
    Jun 2, 2020
    10
    Simply a masterpiece! Why are you still reading reviews instead of playing this work of art?
  5. AShinyGiratina
    Jun 1, 2020
    10
    So what do you get when you remake a masterpiece to fix almost all of its very few flaws. You get a 10/10 game is what happens. My only complaint with this game is that the animations are still very shoddy and unsynced. Of course, Monolithsoft did the best they could using a 10-year old animations engine, and would've haved to delay the project several more years if they did this. ButSo what do you get when you remake a masterpiece to fix almost all of its very few flaws. You get a 10/10 game is what happens. My only complaint with this game is that the animations are still very shoddy and unsynced. Of course, Monolithsoft did the best they could using a 10-year old animations engine, and would've haved to delay the project several more years if they did this. But other than that, the game is still the best JRPG of all time.… Expand
  6. Waelkrr
    Jun 12, 2020
    10
    This game is a prime example of why art style will always be more important to me than graphic fidelity. Along with the amazing visuals, the story is simply incredible. My favorite game of all time. For your own good, play this game.
  7. Megazx456
    May 31, 2020
    10
    Easily the best if not one of the best JRPGS in the past 10 years. This version is an overall graphical improvement over the first game. The world and characters are more alive and vibrant than ever. The UI has been cleaned up to give it a better visual appeal to match it to current-gen standards. As much as I love the this game, it does take a hit when it comes to the resolutionEasily the best if not one of the best JRPGS in the past 10 years. This version is an overall graphical improvement over the first game. The world and characters are more alive and vibrant than ever. The UI has been cleaned up to give it a better visual appeal to match it to current-gen standards. As much as I love the this game, it does take a hit when it comes to the resolution department. Only running at 504P in Handheld and 720P Docked. Handheld mode isn't too bad, but I was expecting that the resolution would it at least be 720P handheld to 900P docked upscaled, but that little nitpick isn't enough to keep anyone from playing this absolute masterpiece. For any and all JRPG fans who have being looking for a great game with a fantastic battle mechanic, a rich open world with tons of secrets to explore, and memorable characters that you will remember for a lifetime. If you haven't experience the greatness of Xenoblade, now is the time!… Expand
  8. Disweek
    May 29, 2020
    10
    My favorite game of all time by far, amazing environments, artistic design, one of the best soundtracks of all time, a beautiful history, a lot of lovely characters, just is soooo good in a lot of aspects, a must play and the best rpg of all time for me, the remaster only make it feel a way better, lovely
  9. ZenithBirion
    Jun 11, 2020
    10
    As a JRPG, the major reason why you would play this game would be the story. Needless to say, the story ifs fantastic. There are a ton of twists that will catch you off guard, but can still be predicted if you pay close attention. As for the combat, while it is relatively simple, and straightforward, the game does not take the entire game to fully flesh out its combat. Each of theAs a JRPG, the major reason why you would play this game would be the story. Needless to say, the story ifs fantastic. There are a ton of twists that will catch you off guard, but can still be predicted if you pay close attention. As for the combat, while it is relatively simple, and straightforward, the game does not take the entire game to fully flesh out its combat. Each of the characters bring about a different play style. Shulk focuses more on positionals, Reyn on buffing himself and keeping the enemy on him, and Sharla focuses on support. Sure while combat is simple, if you dislike the combat of a particular character, you can always change who you are controlling. If you were not a fan of Xenoblade 2, the general consensus in the Xenoblade community is that this one is superior as far as story and characters are concerned. That being said, I am not saying that all of the characters in 2 are boring, Xenoblade Chronicles just handles its main cast significantly better. There is not a single character in the main party that I dislike.

    The music in Definitive Edition is amazing, thankfully, if you are not a big fan of the remastered soundtrack, you can always switch back to the original soundtrack.

    As for the changes made in the Definitive edition, There are a ton of quality of life improvements such as, icons to indicate which item orbs you need to grab, NPC tracking, quest tracking, Scout spotted you exclamation mark, art suggestion marker, Gift result memory, and many others. Needless to say, trying to 100% this game or even completing side quests are far less tedious than it was in the original game.

    A complaint that I have noticed in a significant amount of reviews is the fact that this game is grindy. This game will take you forever to grind your characters to the correct level threshold, if you are fighting monsters for grinding. Side quests give you far more experience than fighting enemies do, that being said, do not feel the need to complete all the sidequests that you get. If you complete no side quests, you will be underleveled, and if you complete all the sidequests in a particular area, you will be overleveled for the next boss. One thing to keep in mind is that 81 out of the 480 side quests in the game are found in the first area, so don't feel the need to complete all the quests here; however, if you are struggling to defeat bosses because of the level difference, consider doing a few side quests that give you exp, or better equipment. If ever you find yourself overleveled, there is an addition introduced in DE called Expert Mode. You can manually adjust which level you are with that option. The other complaint is the fact that you move too slowly, there is a gem that you can either craft, get from a sidequest, or get from finishing a page of the collectabedia called Quickstep gems. Equipping those will increase the movement speed of the character it is on.

    I personally find that this is one of the best JRGs ever created, and if you think this is nostalgia speaking, I have played the original game last year and stopped around halfway through because definitive edition was announced. That being said, the game should take around 70-80 hours to complete, if it take more time than that, either you are trying to be a completionist, or you are grinding manually.    … Expand
  10. Janek1907
    Dec 24, 2020
    10
    Xenoblade DE is a fantastic game. If you haven’t played the Wii or 3Ds version yet, this is a must have. The graphics are much better than in the previous versions and the future content is a nice addition to a brilliant game. Positives:
    - good art style
    - good characters - fantastic big world - amazing soundtrack - good combat system - good graphics - future content - difficultly Settings    Xenoblade DE is a fantastic game. If you haven’t played the Wii or 3Ds version yet, this is a must have. The graphics are much better than in the previous versions and the future content is a nice addition to a brilliant game. Positives:
    - good art style
    - good characters - fantastic big world - amazing soundtrack - good combat system
    - good graphics
    - future content
    - difficultly Settings - amazing story

    negatives:
    - grinding in the ending game is needed
    - Jump ability in the game is useless
    - maps aren’t unlocked, you have to visit every single place to have a complete version of an areas map

    I really enjoyed this game, brilliant story, really good game. Problems are mostly quality of life things, so not that bad. I recommend this game to any RPG fan, Xeno fans, gamers who like discovering a big world or following to a great story.    … Expand
  11. bulba2020think
    Jun 16, 2020
    10
    A genuinely good JRPG that has almost nothing wrong with it. I would highly recommend for fans of the game that couldn't buy the Wii version because it was overpriced, or the New 3Ds version cause nobody bought the system.
  12. Svanhild
    Jun 26, 2020
    10
    As a RPG lover this game is just a perfect 10.
    A great story, great characters, incredible enormous world, and the best music.
    You may find hard to understand the combat system and the complex gear system but once you try it you'll find lot of building posibilities to make the combat easier. The game isn't easy but this version offers a easy mode for just enjoying the story without    As a RPG lover this game is just a perfect 10.
    A great story, great characters, incredible enormous world, and the best music.
    You may find hard to understand the combat system and the complex gear system but once you try it you'll find lot of building posibilities to make the combat easier.

    The game isn't easy but this version offers a easy mode for just enjoying the story without dealing with the difficult combat parts.
    You may feel overwhelmed with the sidequests but they're that, sidequests. You can just ignore them or pick them and complete when you feel like it. This version also includes combat challenges with glamour gear rewards.

    If you like JRPG you'll love this game for sure!
    Play Xenoblade Chronicles for Nintendo Switch!    … Expand
  13. LongHappyFrog
    May 29, 2020
    10
    This game is really good. Even almost a decade later after its original release its still an amazing game and a must pick up. It might not be for everyone but if you like the JRPG genre this will become your favorite game.
  14. TheMarvelousMrL
    Oct 7, 2020
    10
    I am actually one of those guys who played Xenoblade Chronicles 2 first and never had the chance to play the original Wii version, after finishing Xenoblade Chronicles 2 I was planing to pick up the original wii game until eventually seeing the reveal for this remaster. I was continuously battling in my head if i should pick up the original wii release or wait until this game to release. iI am actually one of those guys who played Xenoblade Chronicles 2 first and never had the chance to play the original Wii version, after finishing Xenoblade Chronicles 2 I was planing to pick up the original wii game until eventually seeing the reveal for this remaster. I was continuously battling in my head if i should pick up the original wii release or wait until this game to release. i eventually decided to wait and picked it up a little bit after it's release and it was definitely worth the wait, i am so glad i got to experience This game for the first time on the Switch in hd, i was totally blown away. The story, world and characters are absolutely amazing, the gameplay as expected was super fun and engaging and has kept me busy ever since i picked it up there are many side quest's, unlockables and places to explore and discover as expected from a game in the Xenoblade Series that will keep you engaged and playing even after completing the main story, there is also a bonus epilogue game exclusive to this remaster that takes place after the event's of the main game that expands the story even further which made an excellent addition to this amazing game. regardless If you are someone like me who never had the chance to play the original release or If you are someone who played the original release I would definitely recommend picking up this game this is an amazing open world story based RPG and it absolutely lives up to it's title ''Definitive Edition''… Expand
  15. Ravager47
    May 30, 2020
    10
    If you're into JRPGs, this is a must play. It's characters, world, story, visuals, and are to die for. Truley an epic game with an amazing story.
  16. Indigo514
    May 29, 2020
    10
    Xenoblade Chronicles was already a masterpiece among masterpieces with it's incredible story, interesting world, beautiful environments, memorable characters, engaging battle system and amazing soundtrack. This game doesn't miss a mark on any of those things. The original's only noteworthy issues were it's side quest tracking and UI/battle HUD; some may even argue that graphics was anXenoblade Chronicles was already a masterpiece among masterpieces with it's incredible story, interesting world, beautiful environments, memorable characters, engaging battle system and amazing soundtrack. This game doesn't miss a mark on any of those things. The original's only noteworthy issues were it's side quest tracking and UI/battle HUD; some may even argue that graphics was an 'issue' for the original even though graphics should never make or break whether a game is good or not. Anyway, the Definitive Edition has addressed every issue with an incredible amount of quality of life changes and additions. Monolithsoft have knocked it out the park with this one and anyone who is a fan of JRPGs should definitely pick up this game up. Even if this is your first JRPG, they've made it so much easier for newcomers to be introduced into the amazing world that is the Xenoblade Chronicles series. This game a special one for sure and lives up to it's praise and hype. And I didn't even mention that there's extra content that was cut from the original game which already had a lot of content in it.

    I'd like to take this opportunity here to thank Monolithsoft so much for putting so much love and care into this game! Hope others will enjoy and appreciate this game as much as I do!    … Expand
  17. Makashinga
    Jan 29, 2021
    10
    I don't give 10s out but this game deserves it. Great story, combat, graphics, and music. Once in a decade game.
  18. Mhaaad
    Aug 7, 2020
    10
    AMAZING! , this game is like an MMORPG but for a single player.

    I like playing MMORPGs, I am a fan of FFXIV, playing through solid plot while exploring new areas and completing side quests, drop items, gem crafting, different gear, area unique bosses, ....... etc. I played without seeing any reviews or trailers, People are praising the game so I gave it a blind shot, glad I did    AMAZING! , this game is like an MMORPG but for a single player.

    I like playing MMORPGs, I am a fan of FFXIV, playing through solid plot while exploring new areas and completing side quests,
    drop items, gem crafting, different gear, area unique bosses, ....... etc.

    I played without seeing any reviews or trailers, People are praising the game so I gave it a blind shot, glad I did because the story is filled with twists and curve balls that would have been spoiled for me.

    Anyway, strongly recommended if you like MMOs or JRPGs.    … Expand
  19. ludoplayer
    May 29, 2020
    10
    The best version of the videogame of Monolith Software.
    This is the perfect game in this period
  20. Gamertag77
    May 29, 2020
    10
    Un juego que apesar de tener 10 años sigue siendo de los mejores jrpg del mundo
  21. Omnislasher420
    Jul 10, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is my first time with this game and it was probably the best JRPG experience in a while. From twist villains like Mumkahr and Dickson to sprawling areas such as Guar Plain and Valak Snowfields and an engaging combat system, this game proves time and time again that it lives up to the hype. I probably enjoyed this better than Xenoblade 2, Xenoblade 1 has more story, more enjoyable characters so on. That being said Xenoblade 2 is still pretty good but this is much better. (Less anime tropes) If you want an action JRPG with lots of content and exploration, this is it. Can’t get much better. The captivating story will leave you astonished and will make you surprised. Don’t take my word for it, buy this amazing game.… Expand
  22. Beto1960
    May 29, 2020
    10
    Its graphic section that now looks like anime suits you wonderfully, its history, characters and duration are incredible
  23. Theuzetz
    Oct 19, 2020
    10
    Honestly, when I bought this game, I wasn't expecting it to be such a masterpiece, easily my favorite game of all time, it's incredibly innovative at everything it does, gameplay feels fluid and rewarding, while it might be tough for newcomers, because I'll admit it's not really that fun until you master the combat system. The story is one of, if not the best I've ever seen, not only inHonestly, when I bought this game, I wasn't expecting it to be such a masterpiece, easily my favorite game of all time, it's incredibly innovative at everything it does, gameplay feels fluid and rewarding, while it might be tough for newcomers, because I'll admit it's not really that fun until you master the combat system. The story is one of, if not the best I've ever seen, not only in JRPGs, but in all of fiction, characters are well built, world is huge and fun to explore, a bit lacking on quality of the side quests, which might be my biggest complaint about the game, but overall, much better than I expected it to be, please buy this game, very unlikely will you regret it, if you have any interest in the genre at all, this game excels at everything it does, and it's the best at it.
    Also, if you like this game, please check out xenoblade 2 as well, that game is also phenomenal.    … Expand
  24. Tutucoto
    May 29, 2020
    10
    Masterpiece in low resolution one of the best JRPGS OF ALL TIME NINTENDO WINS AGAIN
  25. Duncs12345
    Dec 3, 2020
    10
    I am new to Zenoblade Chronicles and I loved this game.
    The battle system, boss fights, character development, voice acting, cut scenes, and overall story were brilliant.
    Anyone who enjoys RPGs should play this game.
  26. Breadman42
    Jun 13, 2020
    10
    This game is a masterpiece.

    It's definitely one of my favourite games for many reasons. The world you play in is expansive and immerses you into the game. The sound track is AMAZING (listen to "you to you will know our names" and I doubt you won't want to start dancing). And the combat is really fun once you get the hang of it. My only complaint is that the character models aren't    This game is a masterpiece.

    It's definitely one of my favourite games for many reasons. The world you play in is expansive and immerses you into the game. The sound track is AMAZING (listen to "you to you will know our names" and I doubt you won't want to start dancing). And the combat is really fun once you get the hang of it.

    My only complaint is that the character models aren't amazing. A lot of the time they don't look like they are actually speaking, more like doing a **** lip-sync to somebody talking. But the rest of this INCREDIBLE game makes up for this small flaw that didn't even bother me that much, which is why this game's score remains a 10.

    In summary, this my favourite JRPG to date and i hope that it will become yours as well!    … Expand
  27. mrrayan
    May 29, 2020
    10
    it a great game and so fun and enjoy the characters are loveable and game play countless time
  28. Hij45g
    May 29, 2020
    10
    A true Masterpiece of jrpg gents if it hadn't came to the we would have missed a lot of things so we owe it a lot
  29. LuckyXD
    Jun 3, 2020
    10
    As a kinda new Xenoblade fan, i gotta say this game is awesome, it has a lot of things that make it very enjoyable such as great gameplay, a quite unique battle system, one of the most lovable characters cast I have ever seen and amazing locations. If you have a Nintendo Switch, you should really buy this game!
  30. Angelo_64
    May 30, 2020
    10
    The best switch game besides Zelda Breath of the Wild. Excelent gameplay and music, truly a definitive edition!
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best Switch Game of 2020
3
#3 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 92 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 92
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 92
  3. Negative: 0 out of 92
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Oct 26, 2020
    100
    This has been a delight in a dark time in humanity's history. [Issue #48 – September/October 2020, p. 74]
  2. GameMAG
    Sep 14, 2020
    90
    Xenoblade Chronicles is still one of the best games of the genre, which 10 years later continues to delight and surprise with a unique world, luxurious epic landscapes, an incredible sense of freedom, beautiful music and a really interesting story. Of course, it is a pity that the Definitive Edition has a technical limitation in terms of resolution, which does not allow the image to really shine in 2020, but otherwise it is a chic project that every fan of the genre of adventure and Japanese role-playing games should play.
    Read full review
  3. App Trigger
    Jul 20, 2020
    95
    It’s hard to believe this is a game that released in 2012 and not more recently. Though there are some dated and heavy systems, the atmosphere and a combat system that gives freedom and depth make Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition an RPG for the ages.
    Read full review
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