Xenoblade Chronicles Review

The story itself is on a grand scale, a tale of ancient prophecies and warring giants, of mechanical foes and royal conspiracies. Voice acting is quintessentially British to the point of sounding Dickensian, and while the acting is generally good, it can be jarring at first. There's the option of turning on Japanese voice-overs should you so desire, so even if the English voices sound a bit corny it's possible to overlook them altogether. This isn't a game that forces exposition--cutscenes are rarely more than a couple of minutes long--but it still spins a riveting yarn. What starts out as a simple revenge mission soon becomes something more. It all centers around the Monado, Shulk's mystical blade which, throughout the course of the game, gradually grows in power.

As well as adding to the plot, the Monado changes up the combat, with certain abilities and enemies introduced later that keep things fresh and require new tactics. The Monado also grants Shulk visions of the future. These serve to progress the plot and also come into play during fights, letting you preempt enemy attacks and shift the tide of battle. Then there's the affinity meter, the relationship you have with other party characters both in and out of battle. As the game progresses, the elements become more varied and more impressive--never overwhelming, never poorly explained, just enjoyably complex.

There are loads of things to do within the world of Xenoblade Chronicles--from having optional conversations with party members and forging relationships with townsfolk, to discovering landmarks and hidden boss monsters--and you're constantly rewarded with experience and items. Dotted around the world are a variety of high-level beasts, some of which can't possibly be beaten in the first encounter. Rather than serving to annoy, these beasts just lurk around, waiting to be defeated when you eventually reach a high enough level. And even if you do die, the game is very forgiving. No progress is lost outside of the fight you're in; you simply restart at the nearest landmark. There was perhaps a danger that this could make things too easy, but the difficulty curve is hard to fault, and the challenge is well thought out. Xenoblade Chronicles never punishes you for failing (even allowing you to avoid rewatching cutscenes should you die on a boss). It encourages experimentation, risk taking, and, most importantly, having fun.

A massive level of care and attention to detail is prevalent throughout the game, from the beautifully crafted environments to the excellent soundtrack. Even the inventory is filled with depth. There are numerous collectibles to find, which can be registered in the Collectopaedia (which leads to rewards), and each has its own unique description. There are hundreds of different types of armour, and your character's outfit changes based on what you have equipped. There are some repeated designs, but given the vast number available, it's barely noticeable. They differ based on the character they're equipped on too, so one armour type looks entirely different on Shulk than on someone else. You might spend hours managing your inventory, not because the game forces you to, but because it's enjoyable. Many pieces of equipment have gem slots, and gems can be found or crafted. These provide buffs for a multitude of stats, boosting attack or defence, or giving an increase to a more passive statistic. It's possible to tinker with character builds for hours, but again, the game never forces this upon you; it's just there if you really want to delve in as deep as possible.

Xenoblade manages to feel both fresh and traditional.

Finding fault with Xenoblade Chronicles is not an easy task, but it's not without the occasional downside. Despite the intricately modelled outfits, character faces are bland and have a tendency to look a bit false, with Shulk's face in particular having the appearance of makeup painted on an egg. Occasionally, finding where to go can be a bit of a headache. The map is uncovered as you go, and the quest marker arrow points directly to your objective, but it does so without taking the layout of the land into account, so an objective may require you to circle around a cliff, for instance, when the arrow gives the impression that you can head in another direction. In a game where exploration is so rewarding, though, it's a minor issue, and even if you intend to power through the story and ignore all the optional extras, it's a problem that crops up only a few times. All of these flaws are minor compared to the relative excellence of the rest of the game. The action controls better with the Classic Controller, but the Wii Remote and Nunchuk combo is perfectly serviceable, although the lack of a second analogue stick means the camera can be a slight nuisance occasionally.

Xenoblade Chronicles is a remarkable game. It drags the JRPG into the 21st century, modernising many of the genre's traits and nailing a pace that outclasses the majority of its peers. Even coming from Tetsuya Takahashi--a man whose previous credits include Chrono Trigger and the other Xeno titles--it's a hugely surprising, versatile game. It has everything that seasoned JRPG veterans are looking for, but it also manages to lift the barrier for entry for those new to the genre. It retains the traditions it wants to and modernises the aspects it needs to. It's not only one of the best JRPGs in years; it's also one of the best RPGs regardless of subgenre. Xenoblade Chronicles is a captivating, magical game which deserves to be hailed as the revolution it is.