Almost a decade after its original release in 2015, the wonderful open-world ARPG, Xenoblade Chronicles X, finally made its way over to the Nintendo Switch in the enhanced form of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. This remaster adds new content, vastly improves the visuals and adds some quality of life features.
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Only two years after Xenoblade X released, we got Xenoblade Chronicles 2 which was a monumental step forward for the series. Xenoblade X struggled to run on the under-powered potato known as the Wii U, but now that both games are on the same console, we can fairly compare the two to find out which is the better game.
Keep in mind that these comparisons are completely spoiler-free for both titles!
8
Story
Winner — Xenoblade Chronicles 2
One of the best parts of every Xenoblade game always has to be its stories and characters, which are some of the greatest in any JRPG. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is one story you won’t ever be able to forget, for good and bad reasons. Set in a different world from the first game, XC 2 features a grand journey across the beautiful Alrest and its Titans to return the Aegis, Pyra and Mythra to their home, Elysium.
This story has many beautiful ups and downs with humor that misses sometimes, but disregarding that and the slow start, it unfolds to be a wonderful tale that is worth seeing through. Xenoblade X’s story, on the other hand, is definitely not its main focus as you will probably spend most of your playtime just ignoring it and exploring the giant world. Mira has so much to see and do and when it comes down to it, the story isn’t anything all too special aside from some plot twists.
7
Combat
Winner — Tie
The Xenoblade series has wonderful Action-RPG combat that changes quite drastically in each entry but keeps the core mechanics the same. Xenoblade X features many different classes which all have different stats, abilities, and, most importantly, arts. These are your main form of attack, and they all have unique effects to keep on top of everything. XC 2 has Drivers and Blades, Drivers are characters who can wield a Blades weapon and use their arts. The party of three Drivers can each have three Blades they can switch between on the fly.
From applying debuffs to causing special statuses such as Break, Topple, or Launch, there is so much depth to both games’ combat for you to delve deeply into. Both the Blade Combos in XC 2 and the Overdrive plus Skell mechanics in XC X are satisfying to optimize and the freedom to build your team the way you want makes it super fun to experiment and play around with the wide cast of characters.
6
Quests
Winner — Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Where XC X falls in its story, it makes up for in leagues with its plentiful and brilliantly crafted quests. There’s never a shortage of Missions in XC X and each one is varied and rewards you with money, new weapons, armor and much more that keeps every single one feeling fun.
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Xenoblade 2 is also filled to the brim with quests, but they are often much more of a grind to complete but have more enjoyable stories within them. The Blade Quests specifically give the countless Blades you unlock via gacha mechanics of all things, more backstory and life outside the few lines they have in battle. Most of these quests require other Blades and even Affinity levels on that Blade to be unlocked just for you to probably never use that Blade again.
5
Exploration
Winner — Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
On the planet of Mira, you get to explore five distinct regions interconnected in a giant open-world map that has varied biomes and a variety of tasks to do. From defeating Tyrunt bosses to deploying probes and collecting valuable resources, there’s a wide range of things that reward your efforts to fine-comb through every corner of the planet. Oh, and you can do all of this while piloting a giant customizable mecha! Skells instantly gives XC X its own sense of scope and scale and really makes exploration a treat that we can’t ever get enough of.
Xenoblade 2, though, has some issues with its exploration being quite limited and oftentimes linear, especially when compared to the massive open world of X. Unfortunately, XC 2’s rewards for exploration usually end up being locked away by Field Skills that you probably don’t have a high enough level yet on, meaning you must leave empty-handed. This creates a clunky experience that really makes exploration only fun to find the Unique Monsters, Secret Areas, and not much else.
4
World
Winner — Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade X takes place on a strange alien planet named Mira and this allows it to go wild with a strange and spectacular massive world design that will take your breath away. This is true for most areas, but a few just come off as bland and generic due to how open they are. Bigger doesn’t always mean better and, despite Mira being interconnected physically, XC 2’s world is more memorable and distinct.
Xenoblade 2 takes place in Alrest a land that is made up of a sea of clouds with giant living creatures known as Titans being the only solid land mass for the many races to inhabit. Each Titan is incredibly distinct and varied in design, from the Saffronia-lit insides of Uraya to the multiple titans that make up the majestic sight that is the Leftherian Archipelago, there is not a single area that looks boring or uninspired.
3
Graphics And Performance
Winner — Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
On the Wii U, Xenoblade Chronicles X had quite a lot of issues with running, even requiring Monolith Soft to offer optional download packs on the e-Shop to make the game run or look at a reasonable level. In the Definitive Edition on Switch, not only did the game get a gorgeous art style lift with many models being updated, but also a boost in resolution and a consistent frame rate that makes it like a dream to play that may even be pushed further with the Switch 2.
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Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was released on the Nintendo Switch in its first year of release, and assuming a rushed deadline, since XC 2 was released only two years after XC X, leading it to be quite unoptimized. The game even gave the series the nickname Blurryblade Chronicles after how awful XC 2 looks in Handheld mode. XC X: DE clearly shows how Monolith Soft has become the wizards of Switch optimization over the almost eight years since XC 2.
Monolith Soft was also heavily helping work on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild while developing Xenoblade Chronicles 2, so this likely led to internal issues with the game not getting as much time in the optimization stage as was planned.
2
Sound
Winner — Tie
Xenoblade as a series is probably more well-known for its soundtracks than its games. In XC X: Definitive Edition, the wonderful soundtrack has been remastered and even remixed for some tracks to modernize it even further beyond the already futuristic funk and rock genre it was going for. It is even more of a vocal-filled metal harmony of sound and music than ever before. Xenoblade 2 takes a more traditional orchestral approach, with music fitting its more rural fantasy design.
Both games feature a loud cast who tend to speak way too much during battle, but this is almost tradition for the series at this point, and it would feel wrong without it.
In terms of sound, it all comes down to what kind of music you prefer. If you want something grand and fitting for a magical fantasy adventure, then XC 2 is the go-to. However, if you are a fan of vocal tracks and songs that you would hear playing in a nightclub from the year 2077, then XC X will be the best OST you have ever had the grace of listening to.
1
Verdict
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
In the end, you cannot go wrong with either of these titles, as they are both some of the highest-quality JRPGs on Nintendo Switch and have genre-defining elements that make them timeless, but Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition manages to shine brighter in many aspects that fall flat for Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Sadly for Xenoblade Chronicles 2, a poor opening, questionable writing, and a less-than-stellar performance leave it in the dust as XC X blazes on ahead with its Definitive Edition remaster. If you prefer a more narrative-focused adventure, then Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is worth your time, but XC: X still has plenty of charm that lasts throughout the wild ride. Hopefully, the year 2027 will bless us with a Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Definitive Edition for the Switch 2 to give XC 2 the second chance it deserves.
