Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles X are two of the most acclaimed role-playing games (RPGs) developed by Monolith Soft and published by Nintendo. These games have captivated players with their expansive worlds, deep storylines, and engaging gameplay. However, with both titles demanding a significant time investment, you might be wondering which game is more worth your time. This article breaks down the key aspects of each game to help you decide.
If you’ve read my reviews, you’ll notice I rated Xenoblade Chronicles at 9.7 and Xenoblade Chronicles X at 9.2. Although the difference is small, it doesn’t necessarily reflect which game you should play. Below is a detailed comparison, free of spoilers, that highlights the strengths of each game.
For simplicity, Xenoblade Chronicles will be referred to as “Chronicles”, and Xenoblade Chronicles X will be referred to as “X”.
The Story
Chronicles offers a fantasy-driven narrative, focusing heavily on its plot, which spans 70-90 hours. The story is central to the game, pulling you in from the beginning and maintaining momentum until the end.
In contrast, X leans more towards a sci-fi theme and features a less prominent storyline, taking around 50-60 hours to complete. While intriguing, the plot of X is not as integral to the gameplay experience as in Chronicles. Notably, you don’t need to have played Chronicles to understand X, as the two games are not directly connected, though X does include some nods and Easter eggs from its predecessor.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles
Reason: Chronicles’ story is a driving force throughout the game, making it more compelling and engaging than X’s plot.
The Battle System
Both Chronicles and X feature excellent battle systems. They use auto-attacks and Arts with timed cooldowns, which have varying effects based on character positioning. Chronicles introduces Monado-based combat mechanics and chain attacks, emphasizing teamwork through character interactions.
X builds upon this system, offering a faster-paced combat experience with the ability to switch between melee and ranged attacks seamlessly. The game introduces 16 different character classes, each with unique weapons, Arts, and skills, allowing for greater customization and strategic depth. Additionally, X features the Skells (mechs), which enhance combat variety and strategy with customizable weapons.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles X
Reason: The diversity of combat options, the Soul Voice system, and the inclusion of Skells give X a slight edge over Chronicles.
The Exploration
Exploration is a key element in both games. Chronicles boasts a vast and visually stunning world, even on the New 3DS. However, exploration can be challenging due to the lack of sprinting, limited jumping abilities, and areas that are inaccessible on foot. Fall damage also limits exploration opportunities.
X features an even larger world—five times bigger than Chronicles—and removes many of the barriers to exploration. Players can access every part of the map, first on foot and later with Skells. This freedom, combined with environmental diversity, makes exploration in X a more rewarding experience.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles X
Reason: The sheer size of X’s world, combined with its accessibility and lack of exploration constraints, offers a superior exploration experience.
The Characters
The characters in Chronicles are memorable and well-developed, creating a strong connection with players. Each character has distinct chemistry, history, and growth throughout the game, making them genuinely lovable.
While X also features likable characters, they don’t quite reach the same level of attachment as those in Chronicles. X encourages character development through Affinity Missions, which can feel more natural but may not establish as strong a bond as Chronicles’ character-driven story.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles
Reason: The depth and relatability of Chronicles’ characters make them more engaging and memorable.
The Music
Chronicles’ soundtrack, composed by notable artists like Manami Kiyota, ACE+, Yoko Shimomura, and Yasunori Mitsuda, is universally praised. Iconic tracks such as “You Will Know Our Names” and “Mechanical Rhythm” are standout pieces that enhance the game’s atmosphere.
X’s music, composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, offers a mix of instrumental and vocal tracks. While some vocal tracks have been divisive, they fit the game’s theme well and add to the experience. The field themes for each continent are particularly impressive.
Winner: Draw
Reason: Both soundtracks are superb and complement their respective games perfectly, making it impossible to choose a clear winner.
The Visuals
Chronicles showcases excellent art direction, although its graphics are standard definition, which can appear dull compared to modern games. The New 3DS version downgrades textures but compensates with 3D effects, maintaining a decent visual experience.
In contrast, X delivers high-definition graphics, particularly excelling in environments, creatures, and Skells. Despite some character face design issues, X’s visuals are among the best on the Wii U.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles X
Reason: High-definition graphics and stellar art direction make X visually superior.
The Side Quests
Chronicles revolutionized side quests by minimizing the need for backtracking, especially for collection and monster-slaying tasks. However, the quests lack variety, and finding quest givers can be frustrating due to a lack of indicators.
X improves upon side quest variety and impact, with quests affecting New LA’s citizens. Quest givers are easier to locate, and post-game content allows players to complete side quests after finishing the main story. This added depth and accessibility make X’s side quests more engaging.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles X
Reason: A larger variety of quests, along with easier quest tracking and post-game content, give X an advantage.
And the Overall Winner is…
- Xenoblade Chronicles: 3 points*
- Xenoblade Chronicles X: 5 points*
*Both games received a full point for the music category.
Although Xenoblade Chronicles X appears to be the winner, both games excel in their unique ways. Your choice ultimately depends on whether you prioritize story and characters or gameplay. Chronicles offers a richer story and character experience, while X enhances gameplay mechanics and exploration.
Regardless of your choice, both games promise a lengthy and exceptional RPG experience.
Availability
- Xenoblade Chronicles is available for Wii in disc format and the New 3DS in both cartridge and digital formats. In Japan, Europe, and the UK, it’s also available digitally on Wii U as a Virtual Console title.
- Xenoblade Chronicles X is available exclusively for Wii U in both disc and digital formats via the Nintendo eShop.
After countless hours navigating the vast and alien landscapes of Xenoblade Chronicles X, it’s clear that this title stands out for its breathtaking scale and immersive world. From the moment I set foot on the planet Mira, the game’s expansive environment, filled with hostile foes, intricate terrain, and a seemingly endless supply of quests, left me both awestruck and deeply engaged.
The Story
Xenoblade Chronicles X immerses players in a gripping narrative of survival amidst a galactic conflict. Despite this, the story’s delivery can be inconsistent. While some cutscenes are crafted with high-quality, anime-inspired visuals and engaging drama, others suffer from subpar animation and lackluster voice acting. This uneven presentation occasionally undermines pivotal moments, leaving some emotional scenes feeling flat. However, the script itself is well-localized, and each story chapter feels like a condensed episode of an anime series, making the overall narrative experience worthwhile.
In contrast, Xenoblade Chronicles delivers a more coherent and compelling story with a greater emotional impact. Its fantasy-based narrative is central to the game and unfolds over approximately 70-90 hours, providing a deeply engaging experience that Xenoblade Chronicles X struggles to match.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles
The Battle System
Combat in Xenoblade Chronicles X is a highlight of the game. The system, which allows players to switch between ranged and melee attacks, offers a dynamic and satisfying experience. Players control one character in a four-person party, and the interplay between basic attacks and cooldown abilities creates a highly engaging combat loop. AI-controlled teammates assist by seizing opportunities and amplifying damage, encouraging players to experiment with various moves and strategies.
Xenoblade Chronicles features a similarly robust combat system, but Xenoblade Chronicles X edges out due to its faster-paced action and greater variety, including the use of customizable Skells—massive mechs that add a new dimension to combat.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles X
Exploration
Exploring the world of Xenoblade Chronicles X is a true delight. The game’s five continents, each visually distinct and teeming with diverse creatures, provide ample opportunities for discovery and adventure. The absence of exploration limitations like fall damage and inaccessible areas found in Xenoblade Chronicles enhances the sense of freedom. However, while the variety of creatures adds to the immersion, the lack of a simulated food chain can make the world feel somewhat static.
In Xenoblade Chronicles, the open world is impressive and filled with vibrant environments. Despite some limitations in exploration due to the inability to sprint or overcome certain obstacles, the game’s large and varied world remains captivating.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles X
The Music
The soundtracks of both games are exceptional, each fitting its respective world perfectly. Xenoblade Chronicles boasts a soundtrack composed by notable artists including Manami Kiyota and Yoko Shimomura, with memorable themes that enhance the game’s atmosphere. On the other hand, Xenoblade Chronicles X features a score by Hiroyuki Sawano, known for his dynamic and engaging compositions. While some vocal tracks in Xenoblade Chronicles X may divide opinion, the overall music enhances the game’s experience.
Winner: Draw
The Visuals
Visually, Xenoblade Chronicles X excels with its high-definition graphics and impressive art direction. The game’s environments and Skells are particularly noteworthy, offering a striking visual experience. In contrast, Xenoblade Chronicles, despite its artistic direction, is limited by its standard-definition graphics, which can appear outdated compared to more recent titles.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles X
The Side Quests
Xenoblade Chronicles X offers a wide variety of side quests and a well-implemented quest system. The game features impactful quests that influence the world of New Los Angeles and provides engaging post-story content. Conversely, Xenoblade Chronicles revolutionized side quests by eliminating backtracking but lacked the same level of variety and impact.
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles X
Final Verdict
In summary, while both Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles X offer exceptional RPG experiences, Xenoblade Chronicles X emerges as the overall winner due to its superior battle system, expansive exploration, and high-definition visuals. However, Xenoblade Chronicles shines with its stronger narrative and emotional depth. Ultimately, the choice between the two comes down to whether you prioritize story and characters or gameplay and exploration. Either way, both games promise an enriching and lengthy RPG adventure.
Xenoblade Chronicles is available on Wii, New 3DS, and Wii U Virtual Console, while Xenoblade Chronicles X is exclusive to Wii U. Regardless of your choice, both games offer an immersive and memorable experience.
Xenoblade Chronicles’ Klaus Saga Is at an End
It was a tough time being a Nintendo fan during the Wii U era. The console lacked third-party support, and even Nintendo’s own first-party titles seemed to be on hold as the company prepared for the Switch’s launch. Amid this period of uncertainty and frustration, Nintendo announced Xenoblade Chronicles X. For me, a middle school student at the time, this was a beacon of hope.
I had never played the original Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii, nor was I particularly into JRPGs beyond Pokémon, but the expansive open world showcased in Xenoblade Chronicles X captivated me. My excitement for the game was so intense that I followed every update and review from outlets like GameXplain, eagerly anticipating its release.
When Xenoblade Chronicles X finally arrived in December 2015, it exceeded my expectations. I was immediately hooked, spending my entire winter break diving into its massive world. The game’s depth was astounding—after around 40 hours, I had barely scratched the surface. The true adventure began with the acquisition of the Skell, a flying mech that revolutionized traversal and combat.
Over the next year, I dedicated nearly all my gaming time to Xenoblade Chronicles X. I tackled its most challenging boss, Telethia, the Endbringer, after about 220 hours of gameplay. While I celebrated my victory with a video, exclaiming, “I never have to play this game again!” my comment was partly fueled by the grind required to overcome its final hurdles.
My journey with the Xenoblade Chronicles series didn’t end there. I played and enjoyed the main series titles, each offering a different flavor of the Xenoblade universe. Xenoblade Chronicles 2, released in 2017, continued the series’ tradition with a distinct anime-inspired art style. This style was even retroactively applied to the original game with the 2020 release of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition.
Then came Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in April 2023, featuring the DLC Future Redeemed. This 20-hour expansion is akin to a Spider-Man: No Way Home for the series, bringing together protagonists Shulk and Rex from the first two main games, alongside their children Nikol and Glimmer. The story intertwines with the main series’ lore, exploring the origins of their worlds and connecting the narrative threads. Yet, Xenoblade Chronicles X remains somewhat detached. Though a brief cutscene in Future Redeemed hints at a connection, it’s not clear how Xenoblade Chronicles X fits within the broader narrative.
The conclusion of the main series leaves a lingering mystery regarding Xenoblade Chronicles X’s post-credits scene. In the game’s finale, it’s revealed that all human characters are actually robots, controlled by their real bodies hidden elsewhere. After a dramatic showdown, the post-credits scene shocks players by showing that these bodies have vanished. This cliffhanger suggests a planned sequel, yet nearly eight years have passed with no sign of a follow-up.
Several factors might explain why Xenoblade Chronicles X remains unported and why a sequel has not materialized. Firstly, the game’s vast world and unique use of the Wii U gamepad—a crucial element for its resource-management features—pose significant challenges for a port to the Switch. While games like Breath of the Wild and Skyrim have successfully transitioned to the Switch, Xenoblade Chronicles X’s complexities make this a daunting task.
Additionally, Nintendo and Monolith Soft may be waiting to port Xenoblade Chronicles X before moving forward with a sequel. The focus on concluding the main series’ narrative could be why the sequel has yet to be developed. With the main story now wrapped up, it seems like the perfect time to revisit Mira and explore what happens next.
As we await news on Xenoblade Chronicles X-2, the anticipation builds for a return to the planet Mira. The story of Xenoblade Chronicles X may have left us hanging, but it also leaves us eager for what comes next in this expansive and captivating universe.
