Monolith Soft has made plenty of bold claims about Xenoblade Chronicles X. It's talked up the size of the planet as being five times that of Xenoblade Chronicles, stated that any landscape you see is there to be explored, and promised that there are not only dozens of hours of legitimate gameplay, but hundreds. Often that sort of talk is based on half-truths and bluster, yet in this case it's absolutely true. This is as grand an RPG adventure that we've ever seen, and is an integral part of the Wii U's library.
It is also, despite the minor addition of X to its title, a very different beast to its predecessor. There are underlying mechanics and structures that are similar, some recurring species, and veterans of the Wii title will have a happier time early on adjusting to its complexities, yet don't consider this to be a shiny HD iteration of the original's core content. This is an entirely fresh title from Monolith Soft, and as a result should be immediately appealing to RPG fans with a Wii U that relish a heavily involved adventure, but also those that fell in love with the last-gen effort - or its New 3DS re-release - and want something new to tackle.
Before all else you create your character, and the toolset to do this is actually rather decent, though Monolith Soft is yet to truly master facial animations. We do rather like the idea that 'Special' hair basically means 'random spike' that makes the character look like they've rolled out of bed, but there's ultimately scope to create a man or woman that's either serious or bizarre. Our character has fashionably long hair and a Nightwing-style eye mask, while we combined the boyish superhero look with the daftest and most overly masculine voice available. We went for a goofy option, then. There are some nice moments for fans in this area, too, with Shulk's voice-actor being an option, though your chosen voice only barks occasional commands in battles.
The story then begins with your protagonist being found by Elma, a key character in the plot. You're in a corner of Primordia, the area of the Planet Mira most commonly seen prior to launch and the location of New LA, the human settlement that's sprung forth from the wreckage of a dramatic crash already seen by those following story trailers. That first trek towards New LA is a wonderful moment, with the scale of the world and its handsome landscape being immediately striking. Visually the world of Mira is a significant improvement from Monolith Soft's previous work, showing a substantial leap not only in utilising hardware capabilities but also in design flair.
The story that unfolds is fairly nuanced courtesy of the overall mission structure. Core Story Chapters represent the key moments of progression along with multiple twists, and within themselves portray a struggle for survival, with mysterious foes of various kinds plotting the demise of the human race. Yet that overarching storyline - which we won't spoil - is only a small part of the overall narrative at play here.
The true setting and tale is constructed partly through your own exploration and freedom of play, and in a loose structure in which Monolith Soft prods you towards completing some necessary grinding. The next level below Story Missions are Affinity quests, which can't be cancelled after they've begun - which early on can lead to occasional frustrating roadblocks if you struggle to find specific items, for example - and below those challenges are a huge number of Normal and Basic missions. Those latter two types are shorter and more flexible, and you're allowed to stack up to 20 of these lesser missions at a time to tackle at your leisure.
Story Chapters often require you to reach a certain character level and to discover a percentage of specific regions, for example, and likewise Affinity missions will necessitate a level and - sometimes - a degree of affinity with a specific character. A lesson we learned, too, is that unlocking these key missions or the smaller equivalents can also require some old fashioned networking and exploration. New LA itself is split into multiple segments, and simply running around can trigger discoveries and allow you to stumble across missions not visible in the BLADE mission panel - that's the organisation you join that's at the heart of the storyline.
What all of this delivers is an experience with an intoxicating degree of freedom. Occasionally there are disappointing moments, such as an Affinity quest that requires you to find particularly rare items - swallow your pride and seek help in walkthroughs when stuck, we had to look around resources from the Japanese release. These can cause legitimate agitation, yet when you find a flow and start to naturally engage with the game's world it's a hugely rewarding process. Filling in the map of the enormous and seamless planet Mira is a wonderful sensation, and the moment you discover a new area or continent is always a thrill. You gradually come to recognise characters, too, and what may begin as another simple low-key mission can occasionally evolve into what would be - in many games - a notable part of the story.
The effect of this is a steady development of the lore of New LA, the planet Mira and its varied inhabitants as dozens of hours roll by. You may explore a mysterious beacon and discover a new alien race that becomes an ally of New LA, or set off an entire sub-story about xenophobic humans that want to rid the city of alien races that have immigrated in order to forge alliances, share technology or seek protection. We've come across plotlines that spread over multiple standard missions and address themes such as religious beliefs clashing with logical reasoning, desperation at the plight of the colony, love stories and even material greed. Not all subplots hit the mark but many do, and it's an extraordinarily broad and dynamic world as a result.
Key to this sense of place is broader exploration, of course, and with that comes plenty of combat. To start with the former, early on you'll be on-foot a great deal, and an early priority is simply to stretch out onto the planet's various territories - or those you can reach, anyway - and lay down data probes. These probes provide some of your Fast Travel options, but also unlock information on surrounding areas and generate consistent resources at regular intervals. In their basic form they generate money and Miraniam - the latter being a vital natural resource - but can be spruced up with different types of probes earned through clearing missions and levelling up. This is a meta-game of its own, as you assess different probe sites, determine the best mining options and even aim to chain types together.
This is the primary function of the GamePad's map, ultimately. Though a small mini-map is on the main TV display the controller is a key part of the journey here; whether assessing the map to figure out unexplored sites or to view vital information on the hexagonal segments of the main view, it's an effective way to utilise the extra screen. The downside, though, is that the very idea of useful off-TV play is a no-go; even though it's technically an option, it's an awkward implementation that means you're lacking vital tools and information. Likewise using the Wii U Pro Controller still means the GamePad should be nearby, reminding us of a similar habit when playing Pikmin 3 with a Wii Remote and Nunchuk. Ultimately we stuck with the GamePad and TV combination, and this is a game that definitely makes the Wii U's chunky controller feel natural.
It's to the credit of Xenoblade Chronicles X and its intoxicating world that we discovered just how poor the GamePad's battery is, however. When trekking across Mira's five enormous areas we saw the controller's blinking red light of doom very often, with a few hours at a time passing remarkably quickly. Either get a better battery for your GamePad or plug it into the mains, otherwise you'll be scrabbling for the power as often as we were.
When adventuring through Mira, meanwhile, you'll also be involved in plenty of combat. With levelling up so integral to the experience your focus is often on a blend of finding new areas and picking fights with local animals or established foes of your level or under. Early on it's necessary to be pretty careful, as stumbling across a powerful villain can see you knocked out and back to the most recent landmark within a moment. After dozens of hours you can afford to be bold but, in the early stages, much time is spent taking long routes around deadly enemies.
Once in combat there's a return of the real-time Arts system seen in Xenoblade Chronicles, albeit with a slightly different dynamic and without a secondary layer of attacks and buffs as per the Monado moves. In this case Arts are more closely tied to your Class type and even what weapons you have equipped, with the latter being a factor when you finally get into a Skell. Buried within menus are multiple progression trees for combat classes that can dictate how you set about fighting enemies deep into the game; in general you can be an all-rounder, a combative fighter leading the line or a supportive sniper from distance. It's certainly possibly to rank up in multiple classes, yet we focused on one once we'd found a favoured style.
With each segment of the tree having its own set of 10 levels to gain you learn individual sets of Arts, and beyond that you can than choose from a wider list of them and use 'Battle Points' to level them up for your character and those in your party. That adds a layer of extra choice even within a chosen Class tree, as you can opt for moves that buff and debuff the enemies, stack your active batch with moves that are offensive and direct, or a mix anywhere in-between.
Finding a style and mastering your Arts, and their placement in your HUD, is imperative to success. The real-time system, for those unfamiliar with Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii, involves using the D-Pad to select Arts as the battle rages. Where this entry shakes up the combat is in the tempo and visceral impact of the battle; your automated attacks as you position yourself around the foe can be alternated between melee and guns, each with cooldowns. While considering that and selecting Arts - perhaps sweeping behind the enemy to use an attack most effective from that position - there are also focus commands that you issue or are barked by your colleagues.
It becomes imperative to listen to your teammates; they may Topple the enemy and ask you to use melee attacks, and the related Arts will flash - just for a few seconds - to indicate that they'll have greater impact. Successfully executing the move can buff or give health to the team in addition to applying more damage, and also sometimes prompts a rapid quick-time button press to boost the move and your team further. This all happens consecutively and quickly, while your brain is scrambling to react to the flow of the battle and consider strategies.
The effect is undoubtedly exciting when involved in tense, evenly matched battles, delivering a dramatic form of real-time strategic action. When levelled up and blasting away weak indigens - the animals and wildlife of Mira - the quickfire nature is beneficial, while on the flipside climactic battles can stretch on for 15-20 minutes and beyond, with all of the aforementioned mechanics coming into play as you frantically juggle all of your responsibilities.
The sense of scale only increases, too, especially once you pick up your first Skell. Typical of this game you'll probably be past the 20 hour mark before you even have the opportunity to pick up one of these mechs, and even that is preceded by a set of tasks that included a borderline ludicrous - and irritating - set of quests. Skell proficiency has its own levelling system - of course - and early on it's wise not to behave as if you're in an indestructible Transformer. If a Skell is destroyed you lose one of three 'Insurance' policies to get it repaired, and after that you're paying a lot of money to get the machine back.
Initially you can't even fly the Skell - that waits until far later in the game, around the 40 hour mark and beyond in our case. It can transform into a ground-based vehicle from the off, though, and its impressive leaps allow you to reach new terrain and thus explore more of the world along with all its related benefits. Its combat mechanics are also unique, in that its Arts are accessible and varied depending on what weapons you buy and equip, from rocket launchers to beam swords and more extravagant items beyond. Skells also have a wonderful ability to 'Bind' foes at useful moments, paralysing them for 10 seconds while your teammates weigh in.
Once flying Skells are unlocked you truly feel fully equipped to approach the end game and the most deadly foes. Even so, the latter story missions are resolutely locked until you level up a great deal, and perhaps rightfully so. The joy should be in the exploration and adventure, the unscripted and flexible nature of the game's storytelling, to the point that Story Chapters are simply part of the end goal, not the primary and overriding purpose in themselves.
Everything we've covered are the offline aspects, in which you tackle the vast planet that's refreshingly clear of invisible walls, embark upon diverse challenges and get to know - and team up with - a sprawling cast of characters. Monolith Soft has integrated plenty of online features, however, which serve as background noise for the most part. For one thing your choice of BLADE Division early in the campaign places you within that group on a global level. There are eight choices that largely reward different exercises - discovering territory, winning battles, completing missions, collecting items etc - depending on their focus, so you can choose one to match your style; importantly you can change career at any time with no real impact on your character.
In the online segment, though, this translates to Division Rewards, and if you've opted for the 'Conquest' option when booting the game up - other options allow you to stick to online play with friends or focus on the solo campaign - you can embark on special quests. In one form timed Squad quests appear regularly when out in Mira that can be tackled by you and your compatriots from around the world, and earning Squad Tickets and Medals opens up the ability to head to a special console and choose unique arena challenges. These can be Time Attacks (where you try to set the quickest global time with your AI team) or specific Squad Missions (with AI or online teams) that are unlocked with a Division's progress. Time Attacks can be replayed and are ideal for harvesting experience points, while the varying Squad Missions are a one-time clearance.
Taking on these Squad Mission challenges with others online can certainly be fun, but also lucrative in terms of experience points and materials. We were also able to test out one 'Nemesis' battle, which involve enormous creatures that appear as limited-time challenges to tackle co-operatively online or with your AI partners, in Skells of course. The one we attempted was an enormous dragon-like level 60 creature; needless to say it didn't go well. These are evidently a pinnacle of challenge and reserved for those levelled up to a significant degree, but could undoubtedly provide significant add-on value once all other content and levelling up is done.
Disabled prior to publication of this review were SCOUT Reports, which seem like a fancy phrase for Miiverse posts; Nintendo clearly didn't want early leaks flooding the social network. The concept of leaving helpful messages around the world will be nice to see in action.
Away from the direct online action you can choose to see or ignore notifications showing the achievement unlocks and progress of others in your Division, and better yet avatars of strangers and friends alike will appear around the world. These can be recruited into your team of four for 30 minute windows, and on at least one occasion a tricky story mission was cleared with a little extra help from our online friends.
When you consider the sheer depth of Xenoblade Chronicles X and its structure, right down to developing competing Arms Manufacturers and looking after party member's equipment or buying them their own Skells, you're faced with an extremely complex experience; sub menus seem to have their own sub menus. Compared to its predecessor this entry doesn't quite introduce mechanics or present them as clearly, partly through UI design but also due to the fact it's simply got more layers and details to address. Nevertheless, all of what we've outlined above - and more besides - does start to fall into place eventually, though we suspect most players will have spells of head-scratching and confusion.
As noted in our preview, at times complexity can make way for over-complicated aspects, at least until you figure out the tricks of the trade. Occasionally fetch quests - including some that are mandatory to progress the story - can be problematic, and there are also difficulty spikes in battles. Thankfully Story missions will reduce the difficulty of a boss after three failed attempts, yet even with this mechanic there can be bottlenecks that block progress for a time. It's not a frequent occurrence, but poorly thought out battles or overpowered surrounding minions that weigh in on a scripted battle can lead to long stretches of repeated battles; multiple hours can be lost in overly difficult segments that don't feel particularly fair. Thankfully you do at least keep experience points earned during lost battles, which is helpful in the everlasting quest to level up that bit more.
These setbacks in the experience are the exception rather than the rule, it should be said, and for the most part the world, its inhabitants, dangers and ecosystem seem well tuned to allow steady, methodical progress. We have no reason to doubt claims there are well over 100 hours of content here, and it's to the credit of Xenoblade Chronicles X that it seems worth the time; not only to see the story to its conclusion but also to play through the many optional Affinity and standard missions. Add online co-op battles and this is a title with a staggering volume of content.
We should close with recognition of the presentation values, too, in which Monolith Soft has gone well beyond the standards it set with its last-generation effort. We've already praised the Mira setting a great deal, yet its strength is in visual beauty in addition to its underlying sense of life. From mountainous Earth-like territories with sparkling waters and fantastical forests, to a sprawling arid desert, an alien territory of white earth and a foreboding volcanic region, even the five respective areas have diverse miniature eco-systems and changes in landscape within themselves. On top of that there are some terrific creature designs, with some that are alien in nature and others that are stylish evolutions of real animals. While some textures and character animations are a little messy up close, the wider world looks outstanding. When traversing Mira, particularly airborne in a Skell, this is visually unlike and beyond anything else on Wii U.
Sound design also deserves a nod; the soundtrack is very different from the grandiose and orchestral efforts of Xenoblade Chronicles. Yet the mix of rock, occasional rap, dramatic balladry and occasional returns to a sweeping orchestra fit the futuristic sci-fi setting and storyline well. The voice acting is far more hit-and-miss, though, with some good efforts and others that are rather cringe-worthy in their excessive approach to the artistic brief. Granted, it's not easy to voice a creature such as the vegetable-like Nopon without sounding silly, but at times attempts at camp humour don't succeed. Ultimately, though, the voice acting serves its purpose and gets the job done.
Conclusion
Xenoblade Chronicles X is as sprawling, diverse, complex and entrancing as we hoped. It utilises the Wii U's capabilities not only to produce a beautiful world, but shows how something as simple as a map on the GamePad screen can be invaluable. What's most impressive is the dynamism and impression of freedom in play - level caps and grinding are naturally part of the equation, yet they're managed within a structure where even small missions or Affinity quests greatly enhance the narrative and sense of place. To truly experience the story of this human colony and the vast planet Mira requires exploration and patience, and Monolith Soft has found an impressive balance in bringing its vast range of gameplay systems and mechanics together.
Occasional bottlenecks are infrequent and easily overcome in the broader experience, and overall Xenoblade Chronicles X delivers a hugely impressive RPG adventure. It's an enormous accomplishment for Monolith Soft and an irresistible part of the Wii U library.
Comments 213
Can't wait! Have the special edition pre-ordered!
I simply don't have enough time to play such an enormous game.
I'm so hyped for this game!!! It's at the top of my Christmas list!
Oh man, between this and Fallout, I'll have no time this semester!
I need to finish Xenoblade Chronicles before I play this. Fortunately I'm not getting it until Christmas. So that should give me the time.
I'm so hyped for this though.
Great Review! excited to play the game this week!
I'll come back next year and read this, maybe around March. Glad it got a 9 though, was thinking 8 after TW seemed so lost during his preview. Maybe the 8 turned into a 9 after he read the manual.
I though I would have finished the first Xenoblade in time, but I GREATLY underestimated it's length... Either way, I was going to buy it anyway and I am glad that it got such a high mark!
"A Mira-culous discovery"
Aahh, Thomas, you scallywag
Nice, preordered and waiting for it. Not sure if I should start the Witcher 3.
I NEED IT!
This will definitely take me a long time to complete. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes me a year lol
I hate finals week.
Great review! Getting pretty positive scores all around, which is excellent to see. Can't wait to play this game, though it will probably be the only game I play for the next year
It looks like I'll can expect Santa to bring me a copy of XCX.
Sold! I just plunked 30 hours into Final Fantasy 7 over Turkey Day weekend(black Friday sale that crashed the Squeenix store servers), so by the time this gets released here, I will definitely get it!!
Sounds like an amazing game, but I'll get it later! Still have a bit of a back log of Wii U (and VC games) to play!
Can't wait for friday, hhhyyyyyyyppppppeee!! A quick question, thomas, when using off tv play, can you at least access the map that would have been on the gamepad from a menu option or pausing the game or something? I mainly use off tv play so the lack of map would be a shame for me personally.
Not reading the review as I just want to experience the game with very little knowledge or opinions in my mind but nice to see it get a 9.
Yes!! I'll probably will get this after Christmas
@Chandlero
I hear you, I actually prefer casual games ducks behind sofa
I hardly have the time to play any games nowadays but I'm still as excited as ever to pick up my copy and traverse the expansive world of Mira!
Special Edition pre-ordered , counting down the days till friday .
Looking forward too this game big style.
Forget skells. How long does it take to meet the neck testicle creatures?
I just started playing Xenoblade Chronicles 3D about a week and a half ago. It might be a while until I pick X up....plus, it will depend on how much I like Chronicles too.
4 more days till we play this beautiful game
So, November sucked for Nintendo releases(in Europe), but December will be great.
I have the LE pre-ordered, but I won't be playing it anytime soon as I've yet to play the first XC. But I don't want to cancel the LE as it's already sold out in most shops.
Score almost doesn't matter to me - this is a game that plays to all of my "wants" in an RPG and looks like a fantastic (if maybe a bit safe) follow-up to one of my favorite games of all time. Can't wait to experience this gem.
Not going to have the time to play this game for around two Years!!!!! (I have 8 chartered accountancy exams to study for, doing one every 3 months so do the math..)
Irrespective of this, I've pre-ordered the limited edition simply because I don't want to have to pay double the price on eBay by the time I have enough free time to dedicate to an adventure this big.
Now- the real test of character will be withholding from playing this for so long. Wish me luck!!
I really hope this series continues on the NX, as this has become something I look forward to as I once did for Final Fantasy releases. Just knowing that they took a year just to map out the missions tells me they are doing proper franchise care on it to ensure the quality stays high.
...worst subtitle pun ever, EVER in the history of NL!
Well done, Thomas.
Still icky about the censor and I can't bring myself to like the character voices but I suppose it won't change the game much. Might pick it up if I can spare enough
Friday can't come soon enough! Waiting on my external HDD to arrive so I can download the patch thingies
My life is over once this game drops. Will be taking it with me for my trip this weekend.
9/10?
Cancelled my pre-order.
Gonna abandon this game.... must be horrible.
jk
awesome review. Nicely written. The main nintendo news website in germandy (ntower.de) gave it a 9/10 too
This is why I hate numbered scores. You give this a 9 but give SM3DW and ALBW a 10. Ugh!
XCX is still a 10/10 for me.
Sounds like everything I ever dreamed of.
RIP grades
@rjejr that 20 hour mark isn't for storyline completion. They also say 40 hours and that's not a storyline completion time either. I have read that if you focus entirely on storyline with no deviation you can bring the time down, but you'd need a guide to pull that off.
Nice review! Would've bought this anyway but great to see that most reviews are really positive. Friday can't come soon enough!
If your talking about Dick Grayson its Nightwing. No K required.
@Smitherenez I've been looking EVERYWHERE and I can't find a copy left
Jealous
Still finishing up XC, but will not pass this up even if it takes me another 5 years to complete this game (I preordered the special edition guide to go with the special edition to help bring that time down).
I really wanted to replace Xenoblade Chronicles before trying this, but I don't see how that's going to be possible, nor can I resist firing this up. Hopefully I can at least finish Paper Mario first or I'll be juggling three story-based games!
I played an early release copy. It is the game of the year in my opinion. Probably the best RPG I have ever played as far as gameplay is concerned.
This is the game of the year as far as gameplay is concerned. It will usher in a whole new era of open-world RPG.
Voices in my head:
No! NO! Don't get suckered into the hype! You been burned before, wait it out! Wait, & see...
Just in time for Christmas break!
Wow, question. Which takes longer - beating the game or reading this review?
Either way, glad there's at least one good coming out during the holiday season. Had it preordered since E3, since I felt pretty confident it would be excellent.
Sounds like an incredible game. The review sounds like a 10//10 to me. Shame it is 80+ on metacritic where it is clearly, with its accomplishments, GOTY.
@Monado_Boy I ordered one last week... Here in the Netherlands they are readily available.
@Robotron2084 There are some tutorials, but this game doesn't hold your hand much at all. Lots of practice and a read of the manual should get you into it. I'm planning to do a guide too.
Well, it's a good thing this is a December release, because I won't have to miss out on that much sunlight anyway.
@Fandabidozi Whoops! I shall correct that.
@Robotron2084 Nintendo has also posted some YouTube survival guides that are fairly informational.
YESSSSSSSSSSSS IM SOOOO HAPPY THIS GOT SUCH A GOOD SCORE!!!!
I've been excited this since its reveal (xenoblade is my fav game ever). Can't wait for Christmas!!!
So...is the same battle system fro, XC eh?
Pass.
2nd most anticipated game coming out.... Zelda being the 1st. Unfortunately with holiday shopping going on I won't be able to get this until post-New Year but I can't wait to play it! Looks amazing.
But if this game didn't get a 9 or 10 then everyone would have been burning down this embassy so I'm not surprised. But anyway they sold me on this game like 2 years ago.
@Yorumi They are advertising it to the proper audience: geeks and otakus. This is not a game for the masses. JRPGS are not game for the masses. No point is spending millions in advertising for a niche game,
I'll wait until the price goes down a bit next year - the amount of grinding sounds like a Destiny-sized hell, but the story and world do look interesting enough.
Oh wait I forgot, no boob slider Im not buying it anymore.
I won't be playing this until Christmas, but I've already got a week off planned... No contact with the outside world - just me and Xenoblade Chronicles X
@Smitherenez I'm Canadian, and they're virtually non-existant
I can hardly believe this game's about to release... I still remember when Nintendo showed the very 1st trailer. Such hype!
I hope I can get this on discount this Friday (my local store does discounts on all general merch on the first weekend of every month).
My log of uncompleted games grows longer...
I'll probably clear out two or three months of my free time to focus on completing this game after Christmas. Maybe January to March? I'd like to clear out my backlog a bit, and I won't be able to focus on other games with this monster-sized masterpiece sitting around, beckoning me with its metaphorical finger to drop everything and play it.
I already spent +70 hours in the Commonwealth and I just scratched the surface of Fallout 4. I'm sure it will be the same with this!
I have LE preordered as well
Except everything is lagging BECAUSE OUR POST WORKERS ARE ON STRIKE. And then again, I'll be gone from 4th till 12th pretty much. Stupid husband gets to play it first.
with first XC he had to play it first because I was so sick with 40c fever that was too tired to play so I forced him to play so I can watch.
Tho he'll probably order Fallout 4 (he had first get better graphics card) and is busy with that ...
The game looks very fun, I'm just not sure when I'll be able to get it since I don't have any money on me at the moment.
I still have issues with some of the visual inadequecies regarding texture detail, material shaders and lighting (but it's all understandable considering its a Wii U game) and auto attack battle systems just aren't quite as engaging to me as they were 10-15 years ago, even the modernized versions used in Xenoblade, Final Fantasy 14, and Blade and Soul, but the Nintendo fan in me is desperate and starving for great Wii U games (or Wii U games in general), so....I have the $90 LE preordered ahahahah........
Should still be quite an enjoyable game despite its flaws and my ownreservations against it.
Just wished there was a Last Story 2. The TLS event in Terra Battle just leave me wanting to know more of what happened to the characters.
Christmas List this goes!
@Chandlero same goes for me, wishing I still had the ability to play such large games as these for a whole day. Well hoping for a free weekend after this release.
@ThomasBW84 Small question - the feature you mentioned of story boss difficulty being reduced after 3 failures, is that optional? Games that forcibly lock the player out of taking on a full-power boss or such after a few failures are kind of a pet peeve of mine.
Only thing I'm iffy on is the boss difficulty being reduced after three failures. Other than that, I can't wait. I already have it pre-downloaded.
I am not reading this review, just looked at the score. I am afraid to see any spoiler. I know, there are none, yet, I am scared. I can't wait. Time, please go faster!
@Fath Yes it's optional, you can decline to lower the difficulty if you want.
Can't wait to play this but DAMN SQA EXAMS WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO LONG
I'm very happy for all the people (not me) who are smart enough to enjoy this game! XD
This is one of those rare instances where I'm happy there's not a lot of content coming to the Wii U. I'll have until Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem (or whatever they're calling it now) is released in the States to finish Xenoblade Chronicles X.
Does the game have an option for Japanese dialogue?
My local retailer promised me he'll have it this week (not exactly normal when it comes to Nintendo games in Brazil these days), and I'm absolutely hyped.
I'm also kinda scared, as I'm still halfway through Yoshi's Woolly World and The Witcher 3, and thinking about getting Undertale on Steam. Seems like I'll have no life this month.
@ThomasBW84 Good I'm glad to know that it's just an option.
@ThomasBW84 That's a relief, thanks for the quick response!
"A Mira-culous Discovery"
Well done, but which took longer for you guys, writing this detailed (and well-written I might add) review, or coming up with a perfect pun-title for it.
Good review, I won't be picking this up right away, but I will definitely get this eventually.
I'm more comfortable with this review, because right out the gate I can clearly see a lot of the issues it mentions:
http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/30/9817678/xenoblade-chronicles-x-review-wii-u-nintendo-monolith-soft
This is going to be the longest 4 days of my life isn't it.
@ThomasBW84 White earth doesn't make that much sense. It's white Mira.
@amiiboacid In that context I meant the ground, soil
I'm not sure I'm ready to drop the time for this game... I guess it'll be like Xenoblade and sit there for a bit.
The story progression seems very different...
@rjejr Do you always have to troll? Learn to read the entire review before commenting.
I was expecting a high review score. Thankfully I wasn't disappointed.
My wife will be absolutely thrilled. She's been looking forward to this since its initial announcement. Me personally, I haven't gotten to the first one yet, but I swear on my life that I will do it one day. Too many games to play, so it's hard to fit in such a massive one, lol.
To be fair a patch looks to be coming soon to catch up the western release to the Japanese release by fixing most of the issues. The launch release in NA & EU is the same as the unpatched Japanese launch version, with the exception that the DLC is a part of the actual game rather than separate DLC.
@Yorumi
That's good to know, thanks. I would still rather play the Wii one first anyway. Besides, my wife will be hogging the main tv with this coming out, so maybe that will be my que to play the old one on a different tv.
Excellent in depth review. I'm only playing Monster Hunter on my Wii U right now, and it's deep. And NBA 2K16 on my xbox one. If Nintendo had released this in the spring of this year I would have been all over it, but now there is zero chance I play this.
Great stuff. I'm worried I won't get time to really throw myself into it but I'll buy anyway.
It also means that, for all Nintendo have struggled this year and all the forgettable games they've put out, they will have three games regularly showing up on 'Game of the Year' lists everywhere.
I've been enjoying my time playing Xenoblade Chronicles on the 3ds, and I'm looking forward to playing this sometime but is it just me or do the character models in this game looking like animated wax dolls.
I hope everyone remembers to get high enough to try.
@rjejr that was in reference to acquiring your first skell...
@abbyhitter how can you be mad at them scoring this a 9 when you have not even played the game yet and they have.
I'm really looking forward to playing this but the metacritic seems to confirm that while a good game, it's not up there with Xenoblade Chronicles. High standards to meet of course.
I expect everyone on here will still get angry when it gets passed over for GOTY awards.
There was a time in hollywood (between the release of Lord of the rings and about 2011) where more was always better. Now people know that longer films often drag, and they start to miss well paced films...
Gamers slowly start to understand this problem, too.
This game is just too big. The main story alone is already way too long and many reviewers point out how dead the open world feels because of its giant size. If you just want big...ok, fine. But I hope reviewers will see the problems with a game thst size soon.
Man I purchased an Xbox One since there was a really good deal going on that I simply couldn't pass up and it looks set to arrive in the mail on the EXACT same day that this game comes out... Talk about bad timing because now I have to decide what I want to play more since this gem will require some serious dedication to complete, and I have around five titles coming with my Xbox One in the mail! Either way I will be picking up the special edition since I have it preordered but I just have to either find a way to juggle this game with another or not play it until I have given the Xbox One a go, though that is not actually a bad decision to have to make!
Ok finally you guys are pleased aha, was expecting a 7 or slimly an 8 but a 9?! Gonna have to pick this up as soon as it drops
Can't wait!!!!! Special edition guide and collectors edition game pretty ordered!!! Just because the game is big doesn't mean it has have 500 cramps quest, exploring and grinding existed on NES. Sometimes people even easier joy that process. I think I lvled all most all 108 stars in suikoden 2, 3, and 5. Same thing for some tales games, Breath of fire ect.
I passed up fallout 4 for this game and don't think I'll look back. See you I bargain bin mr!
@sevex I believe it doesn't include a Japanese audio track, at least not in the PAL release of the game. Because it's packed with spoken dialogue. I don't know about the USA release though.
This game has had a long run to fruition in America, don't know why one would hope bad reviews without even playing it. Unfortunately I don't the space for all pre patches so guess ima have long load times, just have hop in some spartan action prior to skell action
@Yorumi YOUR experience. Doesn't count as the average.
JRPGS don't sell gangbusters in the western. The last JRPG that did was FF7 decades ago. Latter FF and other JRPG games had diminishing sales. And this game doesn't look different. Ugly anime-ish characters, dumb soap opera story, turn-based gameplay. Only Otakus like that.
Totally can't wait for this. Going to suck up all of my time, and stop any chance of future game dev .
Xenoblade had a sale last night, so I picked it up effectively for free - $13AU ... but with a $13AU discount on Chronicles X. I'll rather pick up both games for $90AU, than just one of them (finished Xeno on 3DS, but never played on the Wii).
Excellent review, mate!
@rjejr
20 hours to get a Skell in a 100 hour game seems wise to me.
You wanna spread the excitement over the course of play, rather than make the game top-heavy with nothing exciting for the next 100 hours. At my rate of thorough exploration- 25 hours to skell, another 25 hours to fly, another 25 to reach end game stretch, and a final 25 to the end of the story.
Extremely hyped for this. Anyone download the data packs? I downloaded the basic one.
HYYYYYYYYPE!!!!! WHY ISN'T IT FRIDAY YET???
Santa cant came soon enought...
Also, why is Xenoblade not on Wii U E-shop in NA? I want it really badly!
I can't get it until Christmas! Super excited to play!!
I haven't played the first Xenoblade Chronicles, can anyone suggest whether I play it first or do I just jump straight into XCX?
I'm still in the thick of Xenoblade Chronicles 3D (which has been derailed by my recent purchases of Splatoon and some smaller pick up and play/indie games that were irresistibly cheap over the sale weekend), so I think I'll try to wrap that up before I inevitably buy this one in 2016.
My biggest concern was the story. It sounds like the "story" is actually more of a web that emphasizes discovering the world, which is awesome to hear. In my opinion the story in Xenoblade Chronicles leaned too much on goofy magic and destiny tropes. The adjustments in X sound spot on.
Sorry to hear the voice acting is lacking again. I really wish they would minimize the goofiness of the Noppon voices. Hopefully there's nothing as bad a Riki this time around.
I'm also pumped for more frenetic battles. Some of the unique monster battles in Xenoblade Chronicles were tough and exciting, but after the umpteen billionth regular battle with an underpowered enemy, I found myself getting a little weary of the system. More intensity and speed sounds like a great idea to refresh the game.
I won't be a day one buyer, but rest assured I'll be picking this one up eventually.
I want this so bad!
I won't be disapointed if it doesn't live up to the first since that game is probably hard to live up to.
I never played the first game, so I'm not on the hype train for this one. But I will admit it still looks really good... but I'm not up for a day 1 release.
The wait is over for my wii u's raison d'être
It's not a question of whether I'll get ot o not, but rather how I'll find the time to play it. But no matter, once I do it will no doubt be total bliss.
@Chandlero You MAKE time!
So excited for this Friday!!!
Well, after reading the review, I kind of have to buy this now. I never played the original Xenoblade, so this will definitely be new to me. But I've been craving something to hold me over on my Wii U over break aside from Mario Maker, so hopefully I'll find the time and money for this!
A good read and promising review. Not that I needed a review to sell me on the game. The original became a favorite immediately thanks to almost no desire to even try it when it was released.
Sadly, since I don't own a Wii U my time to play is limited since I borrow. And he whom I borrow from has a game lined up that releases this Friday...
Xenoblade Chronicles X looks way much better than the Wii classic, because Wii hardware was so limited. Xenoblade Chronicles X will also be one of the most important games in the Wii U game library. However, because of Wii U memory limitation, and the disc version being semi-dependable on download packs, it's clear that X is ahead of Nintendo's hardware. After Xenoblade Chronicles being on Wii, Wii U Wii Mode and New 3DS, it's obvious that NX will feature a newer version of X with less restrictions. I really think it makes a great Wii U game, but I believe it will be even better on NX, probably next year...
It's sad seeing a game that belongs to an epic series such as the Xeno games get classified as a later pick up. This game should be a must have for any extreme RPG fan, even the new comers. Waiting usually devolves into never getting to it and something really awesome becomes underrated and over looked.
@VanillaLake are you talking about a straight up port, remake or a new Xenoblade game? Can't tell what you mean at all in your comment there, it seemed like another 'every Wii U game on NX' comment but I'm not sure.
Your criticisms of the game's performance and the Wii U's capability to handle it seems completely unfounded as well. Not one review I have seen has complained of performance issues, because with the data thingys there are apparently none, commonplace with Nintendo games, Annoying aye, but they were made available in plenty time to download in both the US and Europe. Certainly no different or worse than say The Witcher 3 which needed a 15GB patch months after its initial launch and after several smaller ones already and after I lost progress due to freezes and glitches.
But yeah can't wait to play this on my NX in January! Zelda too later in the year, Nintendo totally confirmed it fo' sho'.
@TheLastLugia I read my comment again and corrected for you! No, it's not like another every Wii U game on NX comment! I never said such a thing of any other Wii U game, read my comments about recent Wii U games (Yoshi's Woolly World, etc.). I really think Xenoblade Chronicles does not suit Wii U very well because of Wii U memory limitations for downloadable version and huge downloadable packs for the disc version. It doesn't make the game any better or any worse, it's just a fact I'm pointing out. If you compare to PS4 or XOne at least they ship with 500GB/1TB of memory.
The final part of your comment is a bit nonsense...
These days I'm trying to finish Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii disc version) which I bought back in the day. One of the things I like the most is the soundtrack.
Edit: One of the people that made this sequel possible was me because I was one of the people that bought the game when it launched on Wii, so don't hate me...!
@ThomasBW84 You could argue that the soil should also be called "mira," just as it would be a "miraquake" and "Mira to ThomasBW84."
Anyway, I'm glad to see this game get such a great review. It's at the top of my Christmas list.
Gonna get this on Thursday. And then I'll be also waiting for FAST, woohoo!
Another awesome game that can only be enjoyed on the Wii U. It is still a mystery to me, why this console isn't being bought by more people.
@rjejr It said 20 hours before you can even drive a Skell, and 40 before you can fly one. So no, you won't even be close to finishing the story in 20 hours. They also said it is not hyperbole to say that XCX is 5 times bigger than XC.
I'm not reading all of that, summarize it in one word.
@Megumi It'sgoodbuyitandplayit.
...What? I didn't cheat. That's not cheating. It's one word. No spaces, see?
Well when this game drops i'm officially not gonna have a life.
lol, I was making an attempt to reference Futurama...but yeah, headache...don't feel like reading. I'm getting the game regardless anyways, so whatever.
Even Gamespot gave this good scores (8.0/10) and they HATE Nintendo games. So if Gamespot gave an 8, it must be a 9.0. Great review, very thorough and exactly what other reviews lack nowadays. I enjoyed reading about the depth and details of the game as well as the legitimate pros and cons.
When I saw that you guys had a review up, I got that rising excitement feeling in my chest. Almost like the feeling you have before you throw up....
It was warranted. I cannot freaking wait. December is Xeno month!
I got 15 hours into XC3D before stopping... I blame MH4U but my point is... I will get this game, but no rush. I'll pick it up at some point over the next few years when it's cheaper.
I expected nothing less from this game. I'm sure it will be one of the finest rpgs I have ever played, and I can't wait to finally get my hands on it after two long years of waiting. One of the main reasons I bought a Wii U honestly. Also, I'm honestly glad this game isn't too much like its predecessor since I feel like the story reached a satisfying conclusion in Xenoblade Chronicles. I like the idea of starting a brand new, fresh story all over again and hoping it can match the excellence of the game before it. I have no doubt in my mind that it will.
@Dpullam this is the game that made me want to get my Wii U so early on before it's announcement I was going to wait. When I read in an interview that Takahashi wanted to bring back what made Xenogears so special adding a massive open world like XBC but pushing the limits of the current tech I was sold on this game and getting the Wii U all while patiently waited for it's release which is finally about to happen! The anticipation for this game has me feeling like a kid again!
I have a huge backlog of games to get through over Christmas break.... I'm pretty pumped for this though. I'll play a good bit when I pick it up, but I'll mainly focus on clearing out my backlog before I dedicate my time to it. Stuff to get through on break: Bravely Default, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Majora's Mask 3D, Yoshi's Wooly World, Earthbound, Tales of Zestiria, Black Ops 3's campaign. The game I'm currently obsessed with is Fallout 4, which I'll for sure be playing for a long time, plus I asked for Tearaway Unfolded and Just Cause 3 for Christmas.... I'll be busy game-wise for awhile... Haha. I'll figure it out though.
I've been racing through my backlog to prepare some room for this taking over my gaming life!!
Finished 4 games in 2 weeks off work, just the final bonus level in yoshis woolly world without losing health and that's one more down. Then it's back to bouncing between project zero which terrifies me completely, and m&l superstar saga to calm down again
what i like about this game is that it reminds me of the Star Trek tv series where Away Teams would explore new planets to find all sorts of bizarre people creatures and things.
@Yorumi I was hoping someone would randomly say sabotage, and then everyone would be super confused. xp
@WarlockNem For you and I both! My collector's edition is calling me.
Impressive score. I may pick it up eventually.
Only 9/10! Nintendo is losing their touch! Will not buy!
Just kidding so hype.
I've been skipping most of the articles for Xenoblade X. I want a fresh feel and know nothing of it before I get started on it. We are so close now. Only a few more days! But I have a delemna. My son Bought me this for Christmas. Would it be bad to open this up and play it before Christmas? I'm a 50 year old man. Do the Christmas rules apply to me? Heck I could die before I get a chance to play it. He brought the pre-buy receipt over here and told me to pick it up when they call.
Hmm, looks good but I'm not the biggest JRPG fan out there. I still haven't played the first game either. Seeing this review and hearing people say good things about it kinda makes me wanna check it out though.
Getting so hard for Friday! Add me if any of you need a partner in crime... or justice? Let's save the world! I mean.... Conquer one. Woop!
Have fun playing all! Happy hunting!
This looks amazing! This will definitely be my first Xeno title. Unfortunately, I can't pick it up on Friday since I put it on my Christmas list (family rules). It will likely be some time before I play it anyway, as I'm trying to clear out some of my backlog.
...I'm pretty sure nobody will see me outside of work for a while when I do start playing it.
@Robotron2084 No, but I remember Nintendo has videos of the combat for the first Xenoblade and combat works the same here. Those videos helped me more than anything when I started, I'll have to find the links and reply to this.
@rjejr - Too bad you didn't read it, as it is NOT 20 hours for the whole game. Nowhere even close.
Never played original Xenoblade (because it was so hard to find and very expensive) but i always wanted to. I might find myself asking for this for christmas despite not playing the original.
I'd love to play X as soon as it releases but...
I've only logged 50 hours into Xenoblade and have I never once put such commitment into a game — and I don't think I'm even halfway done yet. I'm taking a (much needed) break from it and trying to clean up my backlog (I haven't even opened my copy of the Nathan Drake Collection D: ) but I'm going to see if I can somehow finish the game during Christmas break, so that I can play X during the following summer.
@JaxonH I'm happy about the 20 hours to get a skell. I'm still calling them "mechs" though.
@day Yeah I figured it out after I read it, but I'm used to seeing game times in reviews, so when I was paging down to get to the score the "20 hours" caught my eye and that was the first thing my mind thought - 20 hour game. Then I read it and I was ok with it. I'm still not reading any more though, or any comments. I know enough. And until I get a PS4 this is all I got.
@Neko_Ichigofan If you read my entire comment closely you wouldn't have had to troll me, I said "but THAT 20 hours is about what I expected."
THAT, referring to it takes 20 hours to get the skell, is about what I expected.
I read closely, you didn't.
This game may breakup a few relationships lol
@rjejr My apologies...
over 120 hours in XC3D, i'm almost at the end of it, but... those quests, sadly i'm a completionist, , this game is amazing, and i'm going to get the colletion edition.. i'm ready for play this game in this winter
This is going to be the longest 96 hours of my life. I can not bare the wait for this game.
Think I might go digital on this as I got XC for 50% off yesterday
My Wii U hard drive came today and i moved all 4 support packs onto it and now Im ready to go. My freakin' life is gonna suffer so hard when this comes out but I dont even care! My awesome wife has offerred to clear the whole day and is taking full charge of the kids just so I can sit and play it. Lol. Im a lucky man. C'MON FRIDAY, HURRY UP! My body is ready.
@shaneoh Even with the XC discount, XCX digital pricing is more expensive than retail
I have ore-ordered the limited edition
@riChchestM
Two of my local shops are charging the non-discounted price. Another is charging $3 less than the discounted price, probably what it would cost me in petrol and parking to acquire, then there is ~45 minutes to get it from the shop, which isn't worth the savings. I make several times that an hour at my job. Don't know about the last shop that would be selling it, I will check it on release (as I did say I MIGHT go digital). Also I no longer have a debit card, so purchasing it from overseas won't happen, and considering the exchange rates and card charges, I won't be saving any money, I'll be paying more than it costs to purchase it from the non-discounted stores. At this stage digital is the most practical solution.
I'm broke but may be able to blag this for Xmas ))
@invictus4000 Haha, that's great! I jokingly told my wife that we would be having our last conversations for quite some time this week. I've pre-ordered the special edition but will have to wait a few extra days for it to arrive. Hopefully I'll have the game by next Monday or Tuesday.
No external HD but I'll delete the Metroid Prime Trilogy to make space for the packs later Enjoy your dedicated X day!
I'm avoiding reading the review for fear of anything remotely spoiler-y. However, I'm not surprised to see this get a 9/10! I guess it didn't get a perfect 10 due to the complexity of things. This is going to be an absorbing experience. I'm sure there will be many times when we all just stop playing and admire the world we are playing in.
This does look absolutely bonkers and looks brilliant. In fact you could say I'm really feeling it.
@sinalefa Don't. If you've waited this long, just play through Xenoblade first. Witcher3 is too great to be experienced as a 'side-game'
@riChchestM what discount are you guys talking about? Is this US or EU?
@rjejr I'll always call them Gears which is what they were called in the original Xenogears game. I remember trying to wrap my head around A.M.W.S. And E.S. what they were known as in XenoSaga. Now they're Skells, I'll just always refer to them as Gears.
Mammoth review for a mammoth game. To give you an idea, i did the tilty-scrolly thing that you can do on the Wii U browser and tilted the thing well over 90 degrees in the process!
Frolfy bellybutton dinosaurs and continental multifarious pizza pies.
@Zetro
I am actually replaying inFamous Second Son on Expert in order to get the Platinum and I played a few hours of Mordor, so I think the Witcher 3 will wait.
Guess playing this and W3 at the same time would be a disservice to both games.
Haha thanks Ill enjoy it and you enjoy your amazing Uber Edition! And I had to delete Metroid Prime Trilogy too. Haha. That thing is a BEAST!
@KingofSaiyans No not at all- I'm merely happy that the game is a good one. Whilst I would have enjoyed it anyway even if it had got a low score, as I'm a massive fan of Monolith Soft games, I'm glad that it's been confirmed to me beforehand that it's genuinely a good game, with a great plot, world and soundtrack. I'm not being totally reliant on the review, I'm just happy that it's gonna be good. I've been waiting for 3 years after all!
@ThomasBW84 So, I know you can make narrative choices in this game, and I have to wonder, can you do anything that would be considered evil in these choices?
@Yorumi Perhaps, but there would be a segment of the population interested in technical accuracy who would try to gain support for the new terms, plus there are also plenty of intelligent races in the game that didn't come from Earth.
Amazing review for the game. Im a HUGE fan of the Xenoblade chronicles games and am extremely exited to play this on christmas. Now I have stated before that I dont care for the story that Xenoblade chronicles X has to offer and I still do stand by that opinion to this day and have been shying away from videos because when I first saw the anounced title I was hyped as bloody heck I was like "XENOBLADE CHRONICLES X! =NEW SHULK STORY! ....WITH THE MONADO! IN HD!!!!" then I see the new storyline with the new characters and heres my First impressions on the new videos of the game I saw" oh...its um new characters.. ok? ....wait where is shulk?...or the Monado ....or DUNBAN?? and where the bloody heck ... is Reyn with his ITS REYN TIME!" I had too high of expectations for it being another Shulk game honestly but Ill gladly play this one and enjoy the new attack mechanics with a new atmosphere in glorious HD. And i will even add this to my final thoughts on the game ....If this turned out to be the game I thought it would be and I would had finished watching every videos Nintendo had put out for the game If it was a Xenoblade chronicles 2 HD. But still am hyped for Christmas ....its like waiting for smash bros all over again lol.
@rjejr How does $15 eShop credit sound to you? I won't be able to send you the code until sometime next year, but I want to give you something to apologize for my poor behavior towards you. I'm so sorry dude.
Nintendo made the right decision to acquire Monolith Soft. They gained a key developer that can produce quality rpg games like xenoblade. I'm a big fan of Xenogears and I know I'm going to love XCX just as much.
@Zetro If you already have XC via the Wii U e-shop on the same device then XCX will be £9.99 off the full price until December 18th. However Amazon, Argos and others are selling XC disc versions for £10 less anyway.
@Yorumi Thanks for the advice, I'll start with XCX and will play XC later down the line.
@rjejr The mention of 20 hours was not talking about completion time, but rather the reaching of a significant milestone (being vague as you seem to be avoiding spoilers). It sounds like it'll be as massive as the last game.
@Neko_Ichigofan No, I'm sorry. I don't even remember that happening to be honest. I think I thought you were somebody else as I had several arguments going at once. It''s all good. I even changed my avatar to happy singing dance, I'm letting Piper rest in peace now.
@rjejr dude if you read the whole thing you would have read that the game has hundreds and hundreds of hours of gameplay. Even if you only want to do the story it will take you over 40 hours
@Strikerfromtmoon You're like the 8th guy to comment on my comment, I obviously didn't do a very good job w/ my "THAT", I'm just going to go delete the whole thing now like I should have done 24 hours ago. Thanks for the reminder.
@WarlockNem It's been so long since I played Xenogears I compeltley forgot about that. It also annoys me that I traded it in. 1 of 2 games I regret trading in, the other being Legend of Dragoon. All the rest of my PS1 and PS2 JRPGs are lined up neatly on my shelf. My Dreamcast JRPGs- well only 2, Grandia 2 and Skies of Arcadia - are on a different shelf.
So mechs it is. For now. We'll see what happens in my household after my boys and I start playing it, we have a videogame terminology all our own in here. W're really feeling it.
Just Pre-ordered this to arrive on the day of release here in the UK and special edition guide book to follow. Should be awesome, but most of all, the reason we should all play game - fun.
Nice review and nice score! If I am lucky both this game and the new Mario and Luigi will be in my mailbox on Friday!
By the way: I'll play off-tv, yes I am stubborn like that!
@Henmii I'm getting both as well
Great review Mr. Thomas whitehead!!! very detailed and complete, nice to see a review who dedicates his time to make the most of a game. Now let me just ask you, why is not your review added to metecritic and opencritic of Xenoblade Chronicles X? Such a great review show be added there for the game overall score.
Great review, very thorough and thanks for being a gem and answering questions here in the forum.
I am just greatly stoked for this game. This is truly an awesome 4th qtr as I have been neck deep in MGS V on the PS4 (only about 50% done as all the FOB crap has been keeping me from finishing the main story). Then Fallout 4 drops and I haven't even touched it. Both Sony and Nintendo had some great cyber Monday eShop sales which led to me buying more stuff I don't have time to play. Man life is great...lol. Anyways with GC unlocked and reward money I got this for $30 at BestBuy plus you get $10 in ePizza money. I will likely put off Fallout to start this.
My only disappointment is that we don't have the orginal Xeno on the eShop here in the USA.....what the hell NOA.....get it on eShop and I would buy it again just to be able to play it on gamepad, but what would have been really nice is a download code included in X........a lot of people in the USA still never played Xeno because it came to USA late in Wii life and then was hard to find at retail and then super pricey after its launch window.
Given the size/scope and development time of this game its just hard to believe Monolith and Nintendo will break even on it............maybe it gets a re-release on NX in 2017!
I
SOON
Finally downloading Just around 3 hours to wait now... Why no pre-load Nintendo?!
Man can't wait.....Christmas needs to some sooner.
@BluStreak Me too!
NOOOOOOOOOOOO. I went to so many stores in days 4 and 5 and 6 and they are still waiting for it? It can not be possible. I don't want to dowload it because i have a 30,00€ discount in most stores.... but the waiting is almost impossible to overcome.
Why me?
Hello everyone,
I don't know if you'll like this, but by exemple for me is crucial :
https://www.change.org/p/nintendo-add-an-option-to-switch-to-the-original-japanese-voices-in-xenoblade-chronicles-x-for-wii-u-in-na-and-pal-versions-a-dlc-would-be-the-solution-for-those-who-want-petition-translated-in-french-on-the-same-page?recruiter=63508736&utm_source=share_for_starters&utm_medium=copyLink
Many thanks in advance, without this, MonolithSoft, continue your games, there are one the best !
Kind regards
A Fan of J-RPG
Such an amazing game. 10/10 for me. I love the battle system and all the details of the game, also love the fact of changing gear changes appearance. One of the best RPGs I've played. Keep up the good work 👍🤓😜
This is one of the very games that made investing in a Wii U so worth it after bouts of droughts and the doom and gloom. I'm so happy to have gotten the collectors edition and the presentation is outstanding! I only wish that I had the option to use the Pro Controller exclusively without being chained to the Game Pad and it's battery issues which is a real drag considering the expected long play sessions in Xenoblade X.
I had hoped for some option to go without as I haven't gotten a new battery yet for my Game Pad. It's one small issue but one annoying issue as well. Still, this is one exclusive still worth adding any Wii U owners library.
I really like this game. It really sticks with you. Even those corny lyrics. One by one! See the sun!
Absolutely amazing game.....it is so overwhelming in a good way.........I'm so amazed by what I've explored so far and im maybe 10% in
this was my most wanted for 2015 and one of the best games last year, one of the overall best wiiu games ever made - besides some minor flaws after countless hours (screen text is too small, overwhelmingly complex character management, a bit too much exhausting grinding necessary in the end) a real showcase, brilliant follow up and overall amazing rpg masterpiece that will keep me busy for even more than my already countless hours of gameplay.
Im lookin forward to the next installment on the new nintendo plattform ^^
By far my favorite game on the WiiU. Once acclimated, I had zero complaints and I actually really enjoyed the characters.
Totally validated getting a WiiU even more than any other 1st party Nintendo Game.
10/10/10/10
mandatory for WiiU owners.
Still playing XCX to this day! Love this game!
I need this on switch. Then we’d have every entry available. Haven’t played it, but it looks good, and I need more after 3.
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