Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition review for Nintendo Switch

At long last, one of the last bastions of my Wii U has been freed from eternal torment and gets to breathe fresh air on the Nintendo Switch. Xenoblade Chronicles X is one of those games that people either loved or hated back when it was released a full decade ago (yes, it’s been a decade) given how different it is from the Xenoblade mainline trilogy, but I think it deserves some spotlight, especially now. Featuring overhauled visuals, massive quality of life changes fans have been craving since 2015, and the same kick-ass Hiroyuki Sawano soundtrack, Xenoblade X is welcomed home on the Switch with its fellow Xenoblade brethren.

The immediate and first thing anybody with knowledge about Xenoblade X noticed was the visual upgrade. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (XCX DE for short) has been brought up to snuff with the other 3 Xenoblade games on Switch, giving it a fresh coat of paint and more stylized graphics. The environments were already really pretty before despite the lower quality resolution of textures, but DE really ups the ante. Combining the Switch’s power plus the art style modification does wonders. This makes exploring with Skells even better than before, too.

On the subject of updates/changes in the game, we’ve got a brand new epilogue following the ending of the game’s main story and some new additions outside of that. You’ll get to experience a brand new story for Xenoblade Chronicles X upon completion of the main story, as well as enjoy 4 new party members. Featured in the epilogue are a slew of new music tracks by composer Hiroyuki Sawano and Misaki Umase. In addition to the new party members, you can now freely switch members of your party at will. No more running around and finding them in New LA, which is an incredible change. It just makes the party building system more fluid and easily accessible. There’s also updates to the save system, so you now have three save slots instead of the default one slot. The follow ball has also been updated to showcase a proper line path instead of just shooting off in the distance.

When in combat, your HUD and art execution have been updated. The HUD is now more legible and easier to make out thanks to icons and text being increased in size for clarity and readability. Additionally, you can now instantly execute arts by expending a bar of meter below your arts menu. This acts as a “quick recharge”, enabling instant use of arts instead of waiting for cooldowns to complete. It is worth noting that this does reset the art cooldown(s), so make sure you’re using it right after an art gets used to maximize efficiency.

There’s a whole bunch of additions to cosmetics and information that make it a better system overall in comparison to the original 2015 release. Any armor pieces you acquire through your adventure will be automatically unlocked for transmog, so you don’t have to keep gear just for its appearance anymore. Feel free to mix and match attire as you please. There were also changes to the initial character creator. There are now a few more hairstyles for players to pick from for their character, so there is a bit more freedom in customization.

While also having better character customization, there’s a new “database” function. This database acts as a way to go back over tutorials as well as view lore about characters, areas, and more. For fans of the franchise that love learning about the world and its inhabitants, this is a massive upgrade to Xenoblade X. For those getting into the series for the first time (or this entry for that matter), this could be a great way to learn about the game and its systems if you need to re-reference a tutorial or system popup.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, just like the original Xenoblade Chronicles’ Definitive Edition, makes its way onto the Switch as the premiere way to play the title. If you’ve never played a Xenoblade game before and want a taste without having to commit to a full trilogy, X marks an excellent starting point. It plays similarly to Xenoblade Chronicles (the first game), but stands on its own two feet in the overarching story that the other three games share. It also boasts an excellent sci-fi world with some of the most incredible music in its genre, as well as full blown mech customization for combat and world exploration with the addition of “Skells”. These are not new to the Definitive Edition, however there is at least one new Skell added, dubbed the “Hraesvelg”.

If you’re a fan of JRPGs or looking to dip your feet in, Xenoblade Chronicles X’s Definitive release on the Switch is an excellent start and comes back boasting new features, new content, and updated quality of life to truly make it worth your while. It is an absolute gem and is a game to keep on your radar, even if the story leaves a little to be desired.

Note: Nintendo provided us with a Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition code for review purposes.