Review Round-Up: Xenoblade Chronicles

A game known to have elevated the RPG genre to new highs has finally made its way to the Wii. Xenoblade Chronicles offers you the best elements of the RPG genre at its finest and the critics would have to agree. Here's their take on Xenoblade.


MetaCritic:   92/100

IGN:   9.0/10

Xenoblade Chronicles is the best Japanese RPG of this generation. The fact that it looks like it's from the last generation is its only drawback, but its technical limitations are offset by imaginative artistic direction, innovative and compelling combat, and thoughtful design. It's a throwback to the glory days of the genre, proof that there are always new ways to tell a story. If you've ever felt neglected by the lack of in-depth gaming epics on the Wii, you owe it to yourself to buy this.

Destructoid:   8.0/10

I am incredibly grateful to Xenoblade Chronicles, for it has rekindled my love for console JRPGs, a love that had been systematically throttled by the likes of Square Enix and tri-Ace for the past few years. Not since Lost Odyssey have I been so thoroughly entranced by a Japanese role-player. As I type this, the beautifully sweeping music from the Bionis' Leg area is washing through my head, accompanied by fond memories of successful chain attacks and expertly crafted gems. There's no denying that Xenoblade has its low points, but those high points are some of the highest of the genre. If you own a Wii, there's very little room to question -- this is a must-have game for Nintendo's humble little system.

GameInformer:   9.5/10

I fell in love with JRPGs in the 16-bit era because they constantly showed me things I’d never seen before. Somewhere in the last 15 years, most RPG developers in Japan have lost sight of that, instead rehashing the same fantasies and floating by on nostalgia. Xenoblade Chronicles is the first JRPG I’ve played this generation that has me excited for the future rather than simply reminding me of happy memories from my past. Monolith Soft deserves praise for creating it.

GameTrailers:   9.3/10

There’s been a lot of talk lately about how Japanese RPGs are fading into irrelevancy with their increasingly linear designs, but Xenoblade delivers a world where you’re free to explore at your own pace that frequently entices you to indulge in its many extracurricular activities. This is easily one of the best games on the Wii, and one that you shouldn’t miss out on.

GameSpot:   9.0/10

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.