Xenoblade Chronicles

 Wii
User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 1527 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,395 out of 1527
  2. Mixed: 51 out of 1527
  3. Negative: 81 out of 1527
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  1. CobaltGears
    Oct 3, 2017
    9
    During the last days of the Nintendo Wii, it became more difficult for me to find games as remarkable as its first releases. It would only be right for Nintendo to end the Wii’s career on a high note. Xenoblade Chronicles did just that. It’s a JRPG that gave me one of my greatest experiences I have ever had playing a video game. When it comes to the story, graphics, and game play,During the last days of the Nintendo Wii, it became more difficult for me to find games as remarkable as its first releases. It would only be right for Nintendo to end the Wii’s career on a high note. Xenoblade Chronicles did just that. It’s a JRPG that gave me one of my greatest experiences I have ever had playing a video game. When it comes to the story, graphics, and game play, Xenoblade Chronicles exceeded my expectations.
    The story of this fantasy and sci-fi hybrid game revolves around the legend of a duel between titans. They were Mechonis and Bionis. After this battle ended, civilizations were made on the bodies of these titans. However, the individuals from both titans still continue to battle each other to continue the legacy. Fast forward to current day and we meet the main protagonist, Shulk. When his homeland is attack by mechon, the inhabitants of Mechonis, the orphaned boy is forced to travel to Mechonis and into the unknown outreaches of enemy territory. In order to defeat his robotic foes, Shulk is granted the use of the legendary sword, the Monado, which bestows upon him the unusual power to see visions of the future. As Shulk progresses through his quest, he meets new allies, discovers extravagant locations of the world, and is given more insight on the origins of the Monado, and the history of Bionis and Mechonis. This game provided an enjoyable cast, memorable moments that were action packed, tragic, and humorous, and plot twists in the game that became even more interesting the more I progressed. The best part is the game is long enough where it does not shirk on any details.
    Speaking of how long Xenoblade Chronicles is, it surprised me with how much was fit into the game. This includes the expansive environment that it had to offer. The details of the graphics are unbelievable when it comes to how much a Wii can handle. Unlike a good handful of Nintendo games, Xenoblade Chronicles strays away from a cartoony style and handles it with a more realistic approach. I found so much excitement out of exploring the game just so I could find different places to look at. Notable examples are the Satorl Marsh on Bionis, a foggy but shimmering swamp with ancient ruins, and the central factory in Mechonis, the expansive field of massive machinery. Compared to other games on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, I noticed the graphics are not as polished. The closer I looked, the more pixilated the graphics began to appear. This over-analysis, however, did not deter my fun experience. I still consider it remarkable how much effort was given into making this detailed creation.
    I mentioned how multi-dimensional the game can be when it came to the graphics, but the game play is really where the game’s expansive nature is found. The basics are simple. You control up to three characters in game. As you progress, you can switch off these characters with others in your party. There are locations to travel to and people to talk to in order to progress. This can involve widespread exploration and puzzle solving. I did find it confusing on where to travel to since the environment is rather massive. With the game being so big, it is difficult to find where to go. The real aspect of the game play, however, is found in its battles. I found myself changing my methods of battle not only for the sake of progression, but also for the fun in the variety it offered. It only became an even greater experience when I realized there were so many ways to expand my many abilities such as raising affinity, changing my move set, and challenging harder monsters. If this already sounds like enough game play, then you will be surprised with how much more this game offers. There are over 400 side quests to tackle, offering new abilities and stories in game. I quickly found it overwhelming at times when it comes to how big the game can really be. I am an impatient person, but knowing that a lot can come out of the extra time given in the game, it was fun to get as far as I could. The only other problem I had with the game play is some sign of lagging when there is a lot of activity happening in battles. Battling a lot, however, helped me get used to it. I aim to play through this game again to see if I can fully complete the game. If you ever missed anything the first time you played like I did, then there is a lot of value in replaying this game.
    While Xenoblade Chronicles may have its problems being a large game with its lag and unpolished graphics, they are so small compared to the praise I have. This game went above and beyond my expectations with its compelling story, incredible environment, and variety in game play. There is so much this game has to offer without becoming repetitive. I give this game an A.    … Expand
  2. Gouki
    Oct 8, 2017
    9
    the game in which I have invested more time. In some battles the fps lower what makes it lose quality ... anyway it is one of the best rpg I have played
  3. Adubis27
    Mar 20, 2018
    9
    9.1/10, It's still surprising to me how this battle system works. One of the best JRPGs ever made. Also it has an incredible soundtrack.
  4. kuston
    May 14, 2018
    9
    Amazing. A combat system I had never seen before, which I initially thought could be boring, but oh man, i was so wrong. It is really fun to play, although sometimes the targeted enemy selection may give you some headaches. The story is great, the characters are great, the variety of enemies is great... I don't want to say it's perfect, because it's not, but it is very close. DefinitelyAmazing. A combat system I had never seen before, which I initially thought could be boring, but oh man, i was so wrong. It is really fun to play, although sometimes the targeted enemy selection may give you some headaches. The story is great, the characters are great, the variety of enemies is great... I don't want to say it's perfect, because it's not, but it is very close. Definitely worth playing… Expand
  5. Cafe_8bits
    Nov 12, 2019
    9
    Xenoblade was my first JRPG after Pokemon, and thus my first true experience with common tropes and other things in the genre.
    But Xenoblade surprised me, right from the start to the end of the game, it was a amazing experience.
    I can´t say too much because of spoilers, but if you like JRPG or want to be introduced to the genre, you really should play this game. Its not a easy game, and    Xenoblade was my first JRPG after Pokemon, and thus my first true experience with common tropes and other things in the genre.
    But Xenoblade surprised me, right from the start to the end of the game, it was a amazing experience.
    I can´t say too much because of spoilers, but if you like JRPG or want to be introduced to the genre, you really should play this game.
    Its not a easy game, and the plot could be too much emotional some times, its the great game of the Wii era.    … Expand
  6. shulkgotlink
    Jun 19, 2020
    9
    it is truly one of the must play jrpgs of the decade. and now with release on switch . more people get to enjoy it. expansive world and great cast. each team member has their quirks and unique personality. personally i like using melia and dunban. music score is amazing. world is beautiful. being shackled to the wii is a shame but it is truly technologically groundbreaking
  7. Juuppa
    Dec 15, 2020
    9
    I've never been as amazed about how much I enjoyed my time with a game as I was during my time with Xenoblade chronicles. From beginning to end I was hooked on exploring this games massive world and I never got tired of walking around, fighting different things, collecting stuff for the collectopedia, doing side quests, finding hidden areas and going forward in the story. Truly my favoriteI've never been as amazed about how much I enjoyed my time with a game as I was during my time with Xenoblade chronicles. From beginning to end I was hooked on exploring this games massive world and I never got tired of walking around, fighting different things, collecting stuff for the collectopedia, doing side quests, finding hidden areas and going forward in the story. Truly my favorite part of the game was the amazing story, I counted how many characters I hated in this game and the number of characters came down to ONE character who shall remain nameless, because of spoilers. Just based on those facts this game would be a 10/10 masterpiece, but however there is this one tiny little problem that granted is a bit of nitpicking, but it bothered my experience with the game.

    That problem is that the best way to level up in the game is to do side quests, which wouldn't be problem, but personally I had to grind trough side quests after losing in important story bosses, which means that I had to do side quests during parts of the game where I would want to continue the story and again it's a nitpick but it hindered my experience with the game so it's gonna go down from a 10/10 to a 9/10. This game still is a master piece and now belongs in my gallery of my favorite games of all time.

    Thank you for reading this sort of long review.    … Expand
  8. Cool8tReviews
    Aug 29, 2021
    9
    Operation Rainfall FTW! This game took me AGES like pretty much a whole decade to beat even tho i ignored most sidequests. The diffivulty curve is excellent and story is both memorable and well paced. I reccomend this game to ALL RPG fanatics wether WRPG or JRPG. Only flaw is well nothing rly just dont understand why i kept dropping this game in my backlog
  9. grimreapersims
    Feb 20, 2022
    9
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  10. AShinyG1ratina
    Jun 21, 2022
    9
    peak but the graphics and UI are outdated as **** but holy **** this is still the best story ever.
  11. Cobalt_Red
    Mar 29, 2023
    9
    Xenoblade Chronicles is the JRPG of the seventh generation.
    It is also the game that most pushes the Nintendo Wii to the limit of its technical possibilities, to the point that at times you can feel the effort of the console and the developers.
    Outstanding plot, soundtrack, and art direction. Fun and rewarding combat system and customization. Long-lived, varied, packed with content.    Xenoblade Chronicles is the JRPG of the seventh generation.
    It is also the game that most pushes the Nintendo Wii to the limit of its technical possibilities, to the point that at times you can feel the effort of the console and the developers.
    Outstanding plot, soundtrack, and art direction.
    Fun and rewarding combat system and customization.
    Long-lived, varied, packed with content.
    Impossible not to remember it with joy.    … Expand
  12. LemurLH
    Aug 9, 2022
    9
    A few words: MUST HAVE!

    It's a fantastic game. Good story, good combats, amazing scenarios.
  13. Mattaclysm
    Aug 22, 2012
    8
    Xenoblade Chronicles is by far and away one of the best RPGs of this generation, one of the best games on the WII and even one of the best I've played since RPG's like Dragon Warrior 8 and Rogue Galaxy. Graphics wise this game isn't good, no question. For what it can do however it is not terrible. Landscapes and areas are designed well. It's just the power of the WII holding back whatXenoblade Chronicles is by far and away one of the best RPGs of this generation, one of the best games on the WII and even one of the best I've played since RPG's like Dragon Warrior 8 and Rogue Galaxy. Graphics wise this game isn't good, no question. For what it can do however it is not terrible. Landscapes and areas are designed well. It's just the power of the WII holding back what would truly be a great vision. Character models are not terrible either, they have a strong resemblance to Final Fantasy 12's characters. Controls I have no complaints either. Having the controller that came with Monster Hunter Tri makes so many games more playable for me on the WII. I'm no fan of motion controls. The voice acting is a little annoying at first but after a while you do get used to it. Sounds and music are fantastic. The quests did eventually get a bit redundant and just downright annoying. In barely a week I had 60 hours into the game and I had completed more then 250 side quests. Now this wouldn't be bad normally but this game requires you to do these side quests to level up... If you decide to skip them you could end up being vastly under leveled. Killing normal enemies did not seem to reap much reward so leveling up on normal monsters I felt was out of the question, you are basically left with not much option. This does eliminate the traditional grinding that so many people find annoying, but searching for rare collectable items and killing so and so unique monsters that have conditions to spawn is just as bad if not worse then mindless button mashing to kill enemies. It's not all bad - the story does keep you strapped into the game and leave you wondering what happens next. Exploring areas is fun as well. This games only flaw I feel is the amount of side quests put into the game. I play more PS3 and 360 games then I do WII and I can honestly say I wish this game was on either console. Xenoblade's only major flaw is that it is being constrained by the WII's specs. Overall though it's a great game and should be picked up for RPG fans.… Expand
  14. sanchokobe
    Apr 11, 2012
    8
    Fantastic game--the best JRPG I've played in years--but it isn't without its flaws. The first and most glaring thing everyone will notice is the graphics could be classified as PS2 quality at best. I would say later PS2 games like Final Fantasy XII and Xenosaga Episode III had better graphics. We've seen with Skyward Sword, Super Mario Galaxy, and others that the Wii is capable of moreFantastic game--the best JRPG I've played in years--but it isn't without its flaws. The first and most glaring thing everyone will notice is the graphics could be classified as PS2 quality at best. I would say later PS2 games like Final Fantasy XII and Xenosaga Episode III had better graphics. We've seen with Skyward Sword, Super Mario Galaxy, and others that the Wii is capable of more than this. However, when one sees just how huge this game is, Monolith can be forgiven for skimping on the graphics. I would guess the graphics were watered down because the game wouldn't fit on a single disc otherwise. There's tons of geography to explore, items to collect, and sidequests to complete, and that's only a fraction of things to do in Xenoblade. Even so, the game's graphics look like something from a ten year old game, and for that I cannot give it a perfect score. Gameplay wise, there are elements of both Japanese and Western RPGs, as well as MMORPGs. All three genres are blended together quite well, though the ability for your character to jump seems to be rather buggy (and generally unnecessary). I also have yet to hear any music that compares to the compositions of Yasunori Mitsuda or Yuki Kajiura in previous "Xeno" games. One more thing that may put some people off is the US localization was basically copy-pasted from the European release. The characters all speak with a UK dialect (everyone is called "mate", armor is spelled with a U, etc.) It didn't bother me, but some people may get uppity about it. Monolith and Nintendo get big kudos, however, for including the option to switch between English and Japanese voice tracks. Long story short, this game is hands down the best RPG on the Wii to date. It's a must-have for JRPG fans, and many western RPG fans will enjoy it as well. I know it'll keep me busy until The Last Story is released in June. :)… Expand
  15. vahn
    May 25, 2013
    8
    Xenoblade is definitely one of the most interesting RPGs of this generation and for many several good reasons that in most RPGs nowadays are either removed, not present, or just forgotten. For starters, we HAVE exploration! YES, we can finally explore areas once again, even though there's no real world map but it is still a great thing to have, with extremely huge areas with details,Xenoblade is definitely one of the most interesting RPGs of this generation and for many several good reasons that in most RPGs nowadays are either removed, not present, or just forgotten. For starters, we HAVE exploration! YES, we can finally explore areas once again, even though there's no real world map but it is still a great thing to have, with extremely huge areas with details, enemies to fight, and add also that we get sub quests (which can be either annoying, or simple, but they are there!), this game has already a lot of stuff to give. We also get a very nice relation system that even though I don't remember exactly doing much (it was more useful for later part of the games), it's nice to have...but I'll go back to it later. The combat also is pretty good and, ACTUALLY, mix the turn based and action based combat pretty well: infact you actually have a good control over the combat, with hotkeys like in an MMORPG (skill trees included), and your compagnion work and act properly well, because they usually have a role; for example, Melia is the mage (and the only one not very good with an AI, for me at least), Reyn is a "tank", and Sharla is a healer, and so forth, and that even makes combination with your team mates pretty interesting, since they are all pretty unique in their way. And for last, but not the least, a detail that I really really liked of this game...the armors actually CHANGE your appearance, and the armors are extremely detailed and good looking! "Applauds" Bravo, I was really stunned by this, since that in 99% of RPGs (not including Western RPGs), the armor customization is literally zero. I'm pretty sure I'm being vague on the game details, combat and stuff, but it's because these are extremely good and well made, with few flaws that barely are remarkable. Except for the story. While the game itself is great...the story is flatout one of the worst I've ever seen but for ALL the wrong reasons. One of these reasons is that...it's SO predictable! I'm not kidding when I say that even the GAME COVER is a spoiler (just analyze the name Xenoblade...yeah, it's what you think. Yeah, it's a vital part of the game later on). But what about the story itself? It's not bad but I was able to predict any kind of twist, plot devices, character motivations....ANYTHING! I'm not saying this game is bad because the story is not original, but PLEASE at least tell it properly and without being too predictable: the only unpredictable thing of the story, was the the ending! Infact, I mentioned about the relation between characters, which usually means that behaving accordingly with certain characters usually will lead to a different ending: in this game, it serves only for getting either achievements and other stuff, and that's it...and that was such a waste because, actually, the game gives you ways to make up friendship with your team mates, and that helped me to like certain characters because they had their motivations. But then, if the game will have one ending, why giving us a fake trace of multiple endings by giving us the chance of interacting with the people of the game! Perhaps I'm overreacting over it, but that to me was a major flaw, because the ending is also weak and left me unsatisfied. But still...this is a good game and I honestly encourage to try it out, because it's both fun to play and very long to complete, due to the explorations, the skill trees to unlock, the subquests, the relationship building (even if not that great), the combat being fun and smooth (still, we can't dodge by moving away...), and so much more. But the story really didn't get me and I was really disappointed by it. Definitely a game to play and try, especially if you have a lot of time to spare.… Expand
  16. Melopahn
    Mar 4, 2015
    8
    I just recently became the lucky owner of this game... I don't know if i can do a review that gives justice to this game.

    Normally i would assess the game on its individual merits but this game is too good for this, I will just discuss all things that are amazing. Affinity system and all things relating interaction amongst the PC and NPC of the game. The daunting size of the world    I just recently became the lucky owner of this game... I don't know if i can do a review that gives justice to this game.

    Normally i would assess the game on its individual merits but this game is too good for this, I will just discuss all things that are amazing.

    Affinity system and all things relating interaction amongst the PC and NPC of the game. The daunting size of the world and quest system, the beautiful scenery and amazing views, the depth of the world sucks you in like no other RPG has ever done. The world itself being 2 huge colossi that are dormant after an epic battle is quite possibly the greatest world I have ever encountered. I cannot stress enough that this game is absolutely amazing in all aspects and will leave you playing for well over 100 hours.    … Expand
  17. tarodnet
    Apr 17, 2012
    8
    Technically not as good as I expected. Good plot, story and characters, but the battles become bored when you've been fighting for more than 50 hours...
  18. Gwyndolin
    Dec 18, 2015
    8
    There are so many good things to say about this game, but I could not bring myself to finish the game even after 2 seperate attempts (first one lasted 50 hours, second one lasted 80 hours). Yes, definitely got my money's worth, but as an RPG fan this is the game that I have the most mixed feelings about.
    The game did so many things perfectly. The vast and beautiful world, the outstanding    There are so many good things to say about this game, but I could not bring myself to finish the game even after 2 seperate attempts (first one lasted 50 hours, second one lasted 80 hours). Yes, definitely got my money's worth, but as an RPG fan this is the game that I have the most mixed feelings about.
    The game did so many things perfectly. The vast and beautiful world, the outstanding soundtrack, a very engaging combat system, and an overall very intriguing plot. Think of it like Final Fantasy XII, but better executed in all of those areas. If those things are all that you need for a good time, play this game, it's definitely one of the best the JRPG genre can offer.

    "So what is your problem with this game?"
    Well, I happen to have exceptionally high standards when it comes to the writing in RPGs. I value good dialogue, character development, and worldbuilding more than anything. A lot of gamers don't even know what the difference between worldbuilding and 'having a big world' is. A beautiful stage play becomes dull when its stage actors are bland. An expansive world feels empty when its residents are shallow. So, the strongest points of the game, over time, became its most glaring flaws in my eyes.

    In most shorter, linear RPGs, I have an easier time dismissing boring characters and just speed through the plot and be done with it. I couldn't really do that with Xenoblade Chronicles, for this game, the gamer side of me wanted to explore and quest in this beautiful world, but at the same time it is not at all fulfilling. Almost all side quests are generic Free-to-play MMO style "kill 10 bunnies quest #6" "fetch plant quest #7", and there's just a crap ton of them. These quests would have been great if they actually had context, creating opportunities for character interaction between your party members, or some kind of side story that fleshes out the more intricate details of the world the game takes place in. Town NPCs across the realm of Xenoblade are for the most part, extremely boring and pretty much the only reason to talk to them is because most of them give you quests, and most of the time they're the aforementioned mundane tasks.
    The main characters are dull but I can't blame them, they had pretty awful lines and their actual character interaction / development scenes (which did little to help the matter) are locked behind something called the Affinity system. You gain Affinity between characters in battle, very slowly and it can get grindy and once you meet the required Affinity level between certain members, you have to go to specific spots in the world for these bonus dialogue scenes to trigger, some are well hidden. You also gain Affinity by completing side quests. On top of that, many side quests will not be available until you reach a certain "Town Affinity" which consists of you doing quests that helps the NPCs of the specific towns. Given how I felt towards the game's side quests, this was not a good thing.
    So basically, the cast is extremely shallow and soulless, and to make them less shallow and bland I needed to invest considerable amount of time on bad side quests. This type of design does not mesh well with me.    … Expand
  19. Chipzahoy
    May 16, 2012
    8
    Long awaited, but delivered. A fantastic JRPG! One of the things I loved the most about the game was the art style and music. The characters look great, the world looks great, and the game sounds great. While the Wii is obviously behind in tech, it proves that you don't need the most current hardware to have a game be great. The gameplay and control are smooth. Lots of exploring toLong awaited, but delivered. A fantastic JRPG! One of the things I loved the most about the game was the art style and music. The characters look great, the world looks great, and the game sounds great. While the Wii is obviously behind in tech, it proves that you don't need the most current hardware to have a game be great. The gameplay and control are smooth. Lots of exploring to do, and thousands upon thousands of side quests to be done. When playing this game, I felt a huge wave of nostalgia wash over me. It felt like playing a new RPG for the SNES back in the day. Its a shame that not alot of people will get to play this game. JRPG gamers for the most part should love this game, though you can't please everyone, the overall reviews still speak for themseleves.… Expand
  20. Darkmark
    May 24, 2013
    8
    A pretty good game overall, and one of the best RPGs i've played in some time. The story is great, the gameplay is pretty good, and most of the characters are pretty awesome. However the reason this game doesn't get a 10/10 is that it simply includes too many small flaws.

    First of all one of the things that annoyed me quite a bit about the game is the difficulty: The enemies and bosses    A pretty good game overall, and one of the best RPGs i've played in some time. The story is great, the gameplay is pretty good, and most of the characters are pretty awesome. However the reason this game doesn't get a 10/10 is that it simply includes too many small flaws.

    First of all one of the things that annoyed me quite a bit about the game is the difficulty: The enemies and bosses actually have a fine difficulty to keep the game challenging without being to hard there's just one problem: If you don't stay and farm in each place you won't be able to keep on the same level as your opponents and then the game gets far too hard. This wouldn't be so much of a problem if the game actually had a decent side-quest system, but unfurturnately it doesn't. The sidequest are repetetive, boring and aren't very rewarding.

    Another big flaw with the game is with building your team. The characters simply aren't properly balanced with some of them being almost useless. And if you want to keep your team as strong as possible there's only like 2 combinations that work. There's quite a few other flaws like some enemies having way too much thorns when toppled and some other stuff, but i didn't want to write it all here. But it's a pretty fine game anyways so if your not the type that goes to much into the details, but simply wants a good story and decent combat, then this is a game for you.    … Expand
  21. gamerINchief
    Jul 8, 2012
    8
    I have mixed feelings about this game. It is not perfect and definitely has its flaws. Still, there is no game this generation that brings the nostalgia of old rpgs past, quite like Xenoblade. Pick it up for that reason alone. One thing that few people ever comment on is how much time spent just in the menus. You will spend almost half of your gaming time there. I"m not kidding. This is aI have mixed feelings about this game. It is not perfect and definitely has its flaws. Still, there is no game this generation that brings the nostalgia of old rpgs past, quite like Xenoblade. Pick it up for that reason alone. One thing that few people ever comment on is how much time spent just in the menus. You will spend almost half of your gaming time there. I"m not kidding. This is a good thing or bad thing depending on how you look at it. I liked it though, making sure I had the most up to date arts learned, arts leveled up, equipment, gems, collectables,skills sets, etc. The camera will frustrate you to no end. Sure you can manually adjust it, but combat is fast paced and there is too much going on during battles to have to stop and adjust the camera.The story is good in some places, but poor in others. The graphics are last gen. As far as the environments, I think the devs really wanted to give each one its own unique feel and it really shows. I also liked fighting my battles with different leaders and their playstyles. I went from Shulk being my main, to Sharla , to Riki ^ _^, to...well lets say the last character that joins the party. Really any are capable of playing directly and its interesting because each has their own strength.My only regret in this regard is that I didn't use Melia in my party unless the story required it.… Expand
  22. Jacer200
    Nov 2, 2013
    8
    I played about 25 hours and I have to say that this is the pinnacle of Wii games. I will not finish due to being a week away from the PS4 release. But what I have played is a jrpg at its best. Story, gameplay, graphics and sound are all top notch for the Wii. Just play this with the pro controller and not the nunchucks like I did. This is a 75+ hour game so just be warned.
  23. ShaggyJesse
    Apr 1, 2013
    8
    You are going to need a Classic Controller and a love of JRPG's before you pick this one up. Finally the Wii has a game that is best described as epic. Huge, imaginative, beautiful open world accented by killer music. It reminds me of Skyrim. The overall story and characters are very vanilla (hence a need love of JRPGs), but it has enough twist and turns to keep you playing for the 70+You are going to need a Classic Controller and a love of JRPG's before you pick this one up. Finally the Wii has a game that is best described as epic. Huge, imaginative, beautiful open world accented by killer music. It reminds me of Skyrim. The overall story and characters are very vanilla (hence a need love of JRPGs), but it has enough twist and turns to keep you playing for the 70+ hours of campaign. It is a shame that side quests (300+) are fetch quests for random item drops and monster fights. They aren't thought out like the loyalty quests in Mass Effect 2. I ignored side quests and focused on combat. Combat is a lot of fun and will get tougher as you get deeper into the story. Negatively, aging Wii hardware means the game slows when fighting a lot of foes.… Expand
  24. PringleDringus
    Dec 16, 2013
    8
    The game is great, but I wish it was a bit more difficult. The side quests are also a bit of a disappointment, due to the fact there are so many of them and most if not all are not worth it. Definitely worth playing if you focus on the main story.
  25. braindamage
    May 19, 2015
    8
    its a decent game with a decent soundtrack female characters that are somewhat attractive, you have the ability to jump off a cliff and hear your character scream to his death , a charming game for the wii what else can you say
  26. DinoBeam
    Feb 11, 2023
    8
    Some amazing unique fantasy landscapes that big fantasy fans will not want to miss. Fun auto based combat. Cool enemies that sadly repeat in new areas alot. Some bosses you need to grind for, with the last boss being one you will most likely need to turn "casual mode" on for, even if you have a solid team that has gotten you easily though the whole game up the that point [and no they doSome amazing unique fantasy landscapes that big fantasy fans will not want to miss. Fun auto based combat. Cool enemies that sadly repeat in new areas alot. Some bosses you need to grind for, with the last boss being one you will most likely need to turn "casual mode" on for, even if you have a solid team that has gotten you easily though the whole game up the that point [and no they do not let you teleport away to grind for that one]. Half the writing is good, half is extraordinarily cheesy bad anime/ 80's kids cartoon level writing. Lots of plot twists. 8 overall.… Expand
  27. XV_
    May 14, 2018
    8
    I don't think this is game is a masterpiece or the best JRPG of its generation, it has a lot of problems: the sidequests are just plain bad and uninteresting, there are a lot of tutorials and things to do that are very poorly explained and the menus and crafting are very clunky to said the least. That said, the combat is an absolute wonder, the soundtrack is also a work of art, the storyI don't think this is game is a masterpiece or the best JRPG of its generation, it has a lot of problems: the sidequests are just plain bad and uninteresting, there are a lot of tutorials and things to do that are very poorly explained and the menus and crafting are very clunky to said the least. That said, the combat is an absolute wonder, the soundtrack is also a work of art, the story is good but the characters are not in the same height and for that reason the story feels a little underwhelming. In the end I wanted more of that exquisite combat, but be aware that it can be very long (It took me 68 hours just to complete the main quest, without deep exploring or side questing, also there's a lot of grinding).… Expand
  28. Dazar
    Dec 13, 2019
    8
    The game is fun. I would argue that it is the best of the franchise. The options you have for tank, DPS, and heals are enjoyable and unlike X actually matter. The DPS actually does something unlike 2 and you in general have more options. It is also not as free as 2 which I actually feel is a good thing. Overall the gameplay was the best. When it comes to exploration. It is fine, kindaThe game is fun. I would argue that it is the best of the franchise. The options you have for tank, DPS, and heals are enjoyable and unlike X actually matter. The DPS actually does something unlike 2 and you in general have more options. It is also not as free as 2 which I actually feel is a good thing. Overall the gameplay was the best. When it comes to exploration. It is fine, kinda like. You really do feel free, but you can still find a good number of secrets and goodies. Honestly, I forgot about the music so I can't talk about it. The story was good though as were the characters. Can't really say more about it. Some side quest and collection completion stuff were annoying, X actually shares that problem. Overall, I would give it an 8.… Expand
  29. Thejodjeremie
    Apr 21, 2020
    8
    A very long and fun RPG. The graphics are good and gameplay is good. A great hidden gem on wii.
  30. TheXxchaKing
    Jul 7, 2023
    8
    + OST is a masterpiece of epic proportion
    + World design is totally unique and creative, packed with memorable, breathtaking environments
    + Bosses are extremely memorable and challenging + Overarching story was interesting, if not a little tropey at times - Combat system is ok but could have been improved with better RPG elements - Graphics are horrendous, though it's a miracle it    + OST is a masterpiece of epic proportion
    + World design is totally unique and creative, packed with memorable, breathtaking environments
    + Bosses are extremely memorable and challenging
    + Overarching story was interesting, if not a little tropey at times

    - Combat system is ok but could have been improved with better RPG elements
    - Graphics are horrendous, though it's a miracle it even managed to run on the Wii hardware
    - Plot twists were predictable and writing was generally poor in spite of an interesting plot
    - Lazy side-quests    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Wii Game of 2012
1
#1 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2012
1
#1 Most Shared Wii Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 59 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 59
  3. Negative: 0 out of 59
  1. GameCritics
    May 24, 2012
    80
    Xenoblade may not be the greatest JRPG ever, but it's certainly one of the best games on the Nintendo Wii.
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  2. Quarter to Three
    Apr 19, 2012
    100
    There's a lot more to recommend Xenoblade Chronicles. The dialogue, the humor, the artwork, the prophecy system, the music, the variety of environments, the character progression, the crafting system, the crazy quest density, the quest quality, the memorable characters, the collectibles, the secrets, and so on. This is a landmark achievement in the genre. As of its release, you can no longer talk about great RPGs, or maybe even great games, without also talking about Xenoblade Chronicles.
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  3. G4 TV
    Apr 12, 2012
    90
    Xenoblade Chronicles is the sort of precious jRPG that this recent console generation has sorely lacked. Despite some missteps and over-complication, the game stands out as one of the best in recent years. Xenoblade creates a world simply begging to be explored.
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