Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Review Roundup--Check Out The Scores Here

Over the past decade, the Xenoblade series has transformed from a little-known cult series into one of the biggest Japanese RPG series of the current day, known for their strategic real-time combat and sprawling worlds. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition has finally arrived to the delight of a much larger fanbase than it had back on its original Wii release in 2010, and the reviews are unabashedly positive.

In our Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition review, critic Jacob Dekker gave the game a 9/10, calling it one of the most memorable JRPGs of its era. "Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is just as vast and fantastical as it was in 2010," he wrote. "...Definitive Edition proves that Xenoblade Chronicles is still a fantastic JRPG with an immense amount of strategic depth that's still impressive in 2020. Its bevy of improvements and additions, as well as its fantastic epilogue, make this an adventure worth embarking on a decade later."

We've rounded up some more reviews below, with most of them finding few flaws with the game. In general, critics praise the improvements to the game's more dated-aspects, particularly in regards to the UI and quality-of-life improvements like map markers. However, some chide the game for a high level of perceived "grindiness," as well as faulting its sidequests for lacking much in the way of depth.

• Game: Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
• Platforms: Switch
• Developer: Monolith Soft
• Release Date: May 29, 2020
• Price: $60 / £50 / $80 AUD

GameSpot - 9/10

"Although Xenoblade's combat demands a lot of you, Definitive Edition adds a few new difficulty options that can take the edge off for players who might be struggling or even the playing field for those who have mastered its mechanics. These difficulty options come in the form of Casual Mode and Expert Mode and can be adjusted at any point in your adventure. As you'd expect, Casual Mode makes battles significantly easier across the board. Even veteran players may find some use out of casual mode because it can cut down on grinding thanks to quicker and easier battles. In my case, this cut down the game's overall length to a more manageable 65 hours rather than the 100-plus hours it could have taken to finish the original." - Jacob Dekker [Full Review]

VGC - 5/5

"That Xenoblade Chronicles has a fanbase that can lose their minds over some extra trumpets speaks to the passion the game instills. It probably explains why this is its third release in ten years; think of all the Nintendo legends that don't get a second shot. And short of a complete Final Fantasy VII Remake do-over, it's hard to see what else there is for Monolith Soft to tweak and polish. For returning fans it's a love letter to one of the best JRPGs of the last 20 years, and for newcomers, the start of that love affair. Whatever the future holds for Xenoblade, its past has never been easier to appreciate." - Matthew Castle [Full Review]

USG - 4/5

"For all the video games out there with 'Definitive' editions, Xenoblade Chronicles does a lot to earn that word. It streamlines its more annoying qualities, making side quests easier to track and not as annoying to take on. Its refreshed, but less characterized, UI makes everything a lot easier to manage, from inventory to battles. The new main character models are great across the board, even if the rest of the game doesn't look as shiny. Xenoblade Chronicles' improvements are slight but big on impact, and not even a lackluster epilogue can stand in its way." - Caty McCarthy [Full Review]

Eurogamer - "Recommended"

"This is a Definitive Edition, then, that falls just shy of what you might expect of a full remaster or remake, and instead feels like a re-release with a few very welcome extras. Perhaps that's always going to be the way with Tetsuya Takahashi and his maximalist approach. Corners will be cut, but maybe that's the price of such towering ambition." - Martin Robinson [Full Review]

Kotaku - (no score)

"Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition looks much better than the original game, but that’s not what makes it the 'definitive edition.' It's a combination of the graphical upgrade and countless little quality-of-life improvements that breath new life into this modern classic." - Mike Fahey [Full Review]