After several years of fan demand, Xenoblade Chronicles X finally received a remaster for the Nintendo Switch in 2025. It’s a very beloved game, and a lot of it has to do with its expansive world, lore, and storytelling. The sheer scale of it all and the way it throws you into this massive, unexplored alien planet make it stand out.

Related
8 Movies To Watch If You Like Xenoblade Chronicles
These movies can feel reminiscent of the scale and immersion of Xenoblade Chronicles.
It’s got a great sci-fi setting, and a combat system that keeps you engaged for hours. Not many games manage to capture that exact feeling, but there are definitely a few that do, while some others share the same spirit.
8
Final Fantasy 12
Metascore: 92
Final Fantasy 12 takes place in a world filled with political intrigue, warring nations, and a rich history that feels alive, making it an easy recommendation if you like Xenoblade Chronicles X. While Final Fantasy 7 or Final Fantasy 10 might be the common fan-favorite picks, Final Fantasy 12 has some of the best worldbuilding in the series.
The way it presents its setting makes it feel very lived-in, with different types of people. It really feels like there’s a history that exists beyond the player’s perspective, and a world that continues even without the protagonist Vaan.
Metascore: 94
Metal Gear Solid 4 takes place in a world where private military companies dominate warfare, turning conflicts into business. You play as Solid Snake who looks older due to changes made in his genetics at the time of cloning, but isn’t actually all that old. It also features mechs, which play a big role in the story, much like Skells in Xenoblade Chronicles X.
Metal Gear Solid 4 was definitely ahead of its time with its themes and mature storytelling, much like the rest of the series. It tackles the idea of the war economy and endless conflict in compelling, extremely well-written ways. It might just be the best Metal Gear Solid game.
6
Nier: Automata
Metascore: 88
Nier: Automata is one of those games that completely immerses you in its post-apocalyptic world. The storytelling is layered in a way that keeps revealing more and more about its world the longer you play. It’s got a lot of deep philosophical themes and memorable characters as well.

Related
8 Best Easter Eggs And Hidden Details In Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Xenoblade Chronicles X has lots of little details you might have missed. Here are some of the most significant.
The game follows 2B, an android soldier fighting in a war between machines and humanity’s last remnants, who then uncovers the truth behind the war and their own existence. The combat blends hack-and-slash action with some RPG elements. The world is hauntingly beautiful, filled with ruined cities and landscapes that make exploration very worthwhile.
5
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2 – The Sith Lords
Metascore: 86
Obsidian Entertainment’s Knights of the Old Republic 2 takes everything that made the first game so great and pushes it even further. The writing is even stronger for your companions and other lore elements, the choices you make feel impactful, and the game doesn’t shy away from exploring deep and morally gray themes. Especially with everything that has to do with the character Kreia, who is one of the best-written characters in the entire Star Wars franchise.
Your companions are also very complex, and what you say during your interactions has a visible effect on them. The game is best played with the TSLRCM mod installed, which restores a huge amount of cut content and makes it a much better, complete experience.
4
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Metascore: 92
The Witcher 3’s open world is huge, being one of the few Western RPGs whose world feels as expansive as those of Xenoblade games. The game’s storytelling is top-tier, with side questchains that are sometimes better than the main stories of many other games.
The Blood and Wine expansion’s new skills made the combat even better, and the characters you meet along the way are unforgettable, especially those from its two story expansions. The city of Novigrad, especially, remains very impressive.
3
Xenosaga Trilogy
Metascore: 80
This one’s a no-brainer if you’re a Xenoblade fan. The Xenosaga trilogy is part of the same Xeno meta-series, developed by many of the same people who went on to make Xenoblade, such as Tetsuya Takahashi, who’s been the executive director of every Xenoblade Chronicles game. Xenosaga itself was a spiritual successor to the Xenogears game, which is also worth checking out.

Related
Here’s every big upgrade you’ll find in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition.
Naturally, Xenosaga shares a lot of the DNA that the Xenoblade games were built upon. Deep sci-fi lore, philosophical storytelling, and a solid cast of characters, it’s all there. While it’s more linear than Xenoblade games, the narrative depth makes up for it.
2
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
Metascore: 90
Mass Effect is best enjoyed as part of the Legendary Edition, which features remastered versions of the three games along with every single-player DLC. The whole trilogy is easily one of the most ambitious RPGs ever made. The way it builds its world, with detailed alien races and civilizations, political conflicts, and noticeable choices and consequences over three games, makes it one of the best games for anyone who loves sharp writing and characterization.
Much like Xenoblade Chronicles X, it does a pretty great job at capturing that sense of exploring worlds and uncovering deep alien lore. Mass Effect 2, specifically, is such a perfect experience from start to finish.
1
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Metascore: 97
Disco Elysium has very unique and interesting worldbuilding. It features two smaller, adjacent areas of a world that is otherwise almost as big as our own. The game has fleshed-out cities, countries, and continents, but you never get to explore them; you only hear about them during a lot of in-depth conversations with the various NPCs you meet in the game, and a lot of these are completely optional too.
This results in a very unique type of feeling, and you can get the vibe that this world is extremely rich and lived in. The backstories and political histories of these locations are all accounted for. Just the way the game builds its world through conversations alone is something special.
Leave a Reply