Xenoblade Chronicles X Game Review. When Xenoblade Chronicles debuted on the Wii two years ago, it left an impression. Met with critical acclaim, Monolith Soft proved that grand JRPG adventures are still desirable and can be successful. Last E3, Nintendo announced a mysterious Wii U title called “X.” While we knew it was a new Monolith Soft game, we weren't sure if it was connected to Xenoblade, and very little news surfaced clarifying what the game would be. At E3, Nintendo set the record straight, bestowing the 2015 release date and new name Xenoblade Chronicles X, along with live-streaming 43 minutes of its opening moments.
Nintendo clarified some basic details during this event. Xenoblade Chronicles X is not a direct sequel to Xenoblade Chronicles. Instead, X is a spiritual successor, tapping into many of its philosophical ideas. The minds at Monolith Soft crafted many different "Xeno" tales, like Xenogears, Xenosaga, and the recent Xenoblade Chronicles. Nintendo confirmed that the concepts in X go further back than the Wii entry; it taps into director Tetsuya Takahashi's origins, with nods to his past games for longtime fans. I noticed a Xenosaga vibe right out of the gate, especially with the character models.
Xenoblade Chronicles X opens with two alien species battling above Earth. Unfortunately, the huge space battle is damaging Earth in the process. Humans are panicking, trying to fight back with all the technology they have, but it's no use. To survive, they must evacuate Earth immediately. During the frenzy, the crisp visuals stand out, as laser beams and explosions fill the screen, showcasing the pandemonium and letting you sense the hopelessness. Suddenly, the Earth, before your eyes, evaporates into nothingness.
During the battle, your ship becomes damaged, crashing into an alien planet. This is where X takes place, and the story begins with you awakening in an escape pod. This immediately leads to a character-creation screen to customize your character's gender, hairstyle, eye color, and facial features. After your selections, you meet your first party member, who introduces you to the strange, expansive world. She lets you know not everyone made it to safety and that you must search for survivors.
The real-time combat looks similar to Xenoblade Chronicles. You target enemies and use the arts palette to select special skills. Arts use up technical points, which you can restore quickly by using melee attacks. If you want a more cautious approach, you can slowly earn them back with ranged attacks. It also has B-button events, where a partner shouts out to you in combat. If you hit the button at the right time, you earn valuable perks like health restoration for allies. During battle, your party members also call out actions they think you should take, like telling you to melee attack ecause your technical points are dwindling. Positioning also matters; you can attack enemies from the back, side, or front to exploit different weak points. You have some control over your A.I. party members; you can issue orders during battle, like focusing fire, so they attack the same target as you.
As you explore, the world has time-of-day shifts and changing weather. This also affects which types of enemies you encounter and their behaviors. Also, before you attack an enemy, symbols above them indicate what to expect. For instance, red warns of a hostile enemy, shows if they can detect you by sight or sound, and even lets you know if another enemy is likely to join if you attack. The game has yet to unveil all its classes, but a new feature lets you swap classes on the fly, even midbattle. You can mix and match arts from different classes to cater to your gameplay style.
Xenoblade Chronicles X's world is striking; standing on vantage points, you can see the massive scope. The fantastic music already leaves an impression, as it adds depth to all situations, whether it's an intense battle or the personality of a city. One of the last towns shown in Nintendo's demo looked like a futuristic Los Angeles, with bustling traffic, people shopping, and vibrant structures. This city is important as it's referred to as mankind's last hope. It may be a work in progress, but the inhabitants look to make it a home for the future.
Xenoblade Chronicles X looks impressive so far, from its creative, dinosaur-like creatures to the deep battle system. We can't wait to see the mechs that you can ride and control in action. Openworld JRPGs are a rarity, making Xenoblade Chronicles X even more exciting.
Platform: Wii U
Style: 1-Player Role-Playing
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Monolith Soft
Release: 2015
