(SPOILER WARNING Don't read if you wanna avoid spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles)

Heyo people of Vizzed thanks to Pokemon x I can now review Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition! I decided I wanted to play this game after Xenoblade Chronicles 2 left a lasting impression on me where the game was constantly in my mind months after I played it but I knew next to nothing about it so how did the first game hold up was it still the classic you sometimes hear about? Or was it a game that aged poorly? Only one way to find out of course.


Difficulty 7/10 -

The difficulty in this game unfortunately in my experience came simply from being under-leveled at seemingly every single important story battle, leading to me constantly having to stop and grind until my numbers matched the enemy's number which really killed the flow of the game. Besides the constant grinding, I don't think most of the battles were too bad once you knew what you were doing which the game gives you time to get used to combat before throwing anything too insane at you in the story.


Graphics and Sound 9/10 -

The graphics are very impressive they took a game that while pushing the Wii to its absolute limit didn't age all that well at all, to a game that looks very in line with the current games releasing on the Switch. One thing that took away from that once I noticed it and couldn't stop noticing it was the way the grass appeared in the game it felt very pop in like which I don't think is exactly what was happening it's more the render on the grass was not far enough for my liking which took me out of the experience just enough for me not to be able to rate the graphics a perfect 10. The sound however is a perfect 10 I was hooked on the soundtrack from the first time I heard Engage the Enemy the scene it first plays in is so haunting and that's true for almost every scene Engage the Enemy plays in. It's the perfect song to have you on the edge of your seat worrying about what is going to happen but are still hopeful it's magnificent at doing its job whenever it's used. The very few times it's used to lead into another song that being You Will Know Our Names is perfect the song starts out sounding very desperate but it slowly builds to this energetic guitar chorus that leads into this energetic finish to the song that works so well regardless of if it's in a story boss or vs a unique monster. The voice acting in this game is great while I wasn't really aware of any of the actors before playing the game they all play their characters extremely well allowing the player to get invested in the story.


Depth 10/10 -

Exploring the vastness of the landscapes never lost its appeal I underestimated the game many times and it would always prove me wrong by showing me some incredible sights I hadn't imagined possible before on the Switch. The unique monsters always offered me a chance to challenge my understanding of the depth of the combat system and trust I did learn their names with the number of times I would get so close to topping the foe just to lose but it wasn't infuriating like you might think it would be but instead I would think of a different way to approach the situation and give it another shot. The game has many side quests for you to do as well while many are simple there are some pretty cool ones throughout the game as well but the best side quest in the game is the restoration of colony 6 which you can spend hours on just rebuilding the colony and seeing how the colony gets more lively again slowly.


Story 9/10 - (Once again Spoiler Alert!!!)

During my first couple hours with the game I questioned what was in store for me as it started off a bit slowly but when things kick into action they REALLY kick into action! What had started out as a seemingly simple game suddenly decides to punch me in the gut as the Mechon invade ravaging Shulk's home and quickly taking Shulk out since the Monado had no effect on Metal Face, so the helpless Shulk had no choice but to watch as Metal Face took joy in killing Fiora. So after that Shulk and Reyn set off for revenge and the game never really slows down much again and it doesn't really need to because the game does enough early on to get you attached to Shulk and Fiora so you want to fulfill his quest for revenge. Of course, there's a lot more to the plot than just that but I think it should just be experienced through playing the game.


Pros -


- The Monado allowing Shulk to see the future is implemented in a way I've never seen pulled off before in a game it not only allows Shulk to see a devastating attack the enemy will soon do but can also let the player know when you pick up an item you'll need in the future for a quest

- The world this game features is incredibly thought out and expansive

- The game features enough party members to allow some party experimentation

- The soundtrack mentions many more songs that I chose to not go in-depth into some of the best songs in the game might be the themes that play when exploring

- One of if not the best JRPG story I've ever experienced

- Long story that you won't beat overnight

- The characters are all fantastic and enjoyable in their own special way

Cons -

- Grinding that never seems to end

- I wish the render distance on grass was a just a bit longer

- Future Connected the added story in this release of the game is just okay, I enjoyed having a new area to explore but I didn't find it nearly as engaging as the main story



Overall 9/10 -

This game is easily one of the best I've ever played and gripped me the entire playthrough making me wanna push through whatever obstacle was in my path and I think if you enjoy RPGs it's a game you owe it to yourself to experience once.