For a story where controlling the future is a critical plot device, it’s pretty ironic that Xenoblade Chronicles has never managed to get its timing right until now. After it’s unfortunate 2012 debut in the final days of the Wii’s lifecycle and a low-res port to the 3DS that didn’t do it justice, at long last it can shine on a console in its prime – and the result is an improvement as massive as the titan Bionis itself – and that’s before we even get into any of the Definitive Edition’s numerous and largely positive improvements.
The most noteworthy improvement is apparent the second you boot Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition up: it has been given an incredible facelift. Finally, Shulk looks like the dorky firebrand we know from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, instead of a blurry piece of concept art. Environments, which were already unforgettable in low resolution, now take on a whole new life in HD. Some textures haven’t quite been given the same love and are still a little blurry, but it’s such a large upgrade over previous versions overall that it's hard to complain about any edges left rough.Even nearly a decade later, the premise of Xenoblade Chronicles and the weirdness of the world it takes place in maintains its charm, pulling me right back in after just a few minutes. After your hometown is attacked by the robotic, people-eating Mechon, you and your friends set out on a quest for revenge on an unforgettable odyssey that has you journeying across the titan corpses that serve as the setting. The world is remarkably weird and unique, and areas are diverse and include dense jungles, frozen wastes, and floating islands, just to name a few – you’ll even travel inside a creature’s body and fight the creatures inside it like a twisted episode of The Magic School Bus. Speaking of which, the enemies you encounter are equally varied, ranging from menacing beasts to sinister machines, and even with the enormous runtime of the campaign it’s uncommon that environments or enemy types become repetitive or dull.You’ll even travel inside a creature’s body and fight the creatures inside it like a twisted episode of The Magic School Bus.
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The Definitive Edition's bonus chapter was ultimately a bit underwhelming.
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Gameplay has been improved in some minor but certainly appreciated ways.
But probably the most crucial change is the addition of a “chance indicator” that pops up during battle to tell you when you are positioned to benefit from damage bonuses and special effects. This is especially important when you’re fighting bizarre looking creatures, like the floating, numerously limbed telethia as Shulk, where it’s genuinely difficult to figure out which side is their front and which is their back. Now you’ll always know when’s the right time to go for that satisfying backstab.While those improvements are great, this remaster doesn’t go far enough elsewhere, opting to maintain a lot of outdated mechanics. The affinity coin and skill tree system, for example, remain an obtuse and bizarre way to buff characters based on social links, both soaking up far more attention than they seem worth. Gem crafting is still a time consuming and convoluted way to improve your gear, usually a huge chore I felt obligated to do rather than an exciting path to getting stronger. And it’s still a really weird choice to make all the most powerful versions of every Art (your characters’ special abilities) only obtainable via a random in-world drop, meaning you’ve just gotta grind certain areas of the world and farm certain enemy types for hours if you hope to reach the apex of your characters’ abilities. I’m all for staying true to the original when it makes sense to do so, but this Wii-era RPG design doesn’t do a whole lot to make you invested in your team and could benefit from more of a refresh – especially when so many excellent RPGs have come out in the eight years since.
Thankfully, another significant upgrade in this remaster is how dramatically the menus have been improved, at least making all of these systems easier to manage. Previously an incomprehensible series of blurry rectangle, menus have now been overhauled into a much more modern and functional UI. This is a godsend considering how much time you’ll spend in them customizing your characters’ abilities, upgrading equipment, and changing your outfits.
Combat itself is still just as tactical and addictive as ever.
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It would be absolute blasphemy to not talk about Xenoblade Chronicles' outstanding soundtrack. This was already a major bright spot in previous versions, and now many of these memorable tracks have been re-recorded and somehow sound even better. While other elements of the sound design, particularly the grating combat dialogue, might give you cause to play on mute, the soundtrack is a reason to turn the dial to 11. Open areas have upbeat melodies that incite a spirit of exploration, which then adjust to an appropriately slow tempo at night. Dramatic moments and crucial confrontations are punctuated with pulse-pounding and dramatic themes. It’s pretty crazy that an adventure weighing in over 100 hours without side quests manages to almost never disappoint when it comes to the soundtrack.
Verdict
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is the remaster that this respected JRPG deserves, even when it feels like it doesn’t go far enough in places. Eight years later, some of its customization systems and an overly grindy structure certainly haven’t aged well, but its story and combat are just as great as ever. The new Future Connected story chapter isn’t particularly inspired, but the impressive graphical overhaul and welcome (if small) quality-of-life improvements make this the best version of Xenoblade Chronicles we’ve ever had.
