Xenoblade Chronicles 3 going to be one of the best JRPGs of the year. The game takes elements of the previous games in the series and combines them, creating a game that is essentially the best parts of the previous Chronicles games. That said, it’s still an excellent place for new players to jump in too!
However, the series is much longer than you might initially think. Despite Xenoblade Chronicles 1 Released on the Wii, the series actually goes all the way back to the original Playstation. With many teams and publishers, this long-running series is beloved by fans, but not every entry has received the same reception from critics in aggregates like Metacritic.
10 Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Land – 80
Switch, 2018
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was released early in Switch’s life and the developers of Monolith Soft were very busy. As a result, they didn’t get a chance to put everything they wanted in the full game. A chapter with the backstory of the antagonist Jinn was pulled from development. That scheduled content was implemented as a DLC pack.
Unlike most DLC, this one could be bought and played separately. This did cause it to rank worse because it does not adequately introduce the concepts of 2. That said, if anyone has played that game, it’s a dream. Not only does it add more to the story, but it also makes the Blade characters playable for the first time.
9 Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra – 81
Playstation 2, 2006
Despite the title, Xenosaga Episode III is the fifth Xenosaga game. The second item shifted the focus of the protagonist KOS-MOS and had less action. This entry, in turn, tries to wrap up the storylines of those games. The party sets out to uncover the backstory of the alien Gnosis while on the run from the government.
The game contains many heavy philosophical themes, especially those derived from the work of Friedrich Nietzsche. To explain the complex plot and themes, the game includes a database that explains and defines terms. The game was loved for its plot, but some critics felt the side content was lacking.
8 Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – 83
Switch, 2017
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was a bit controversial on its release. It simplified character designs compared to previous entries, which rubbed fans the wrong way. It was also released in the same year as Breath of the Wild, which was tough competition on Switch. Word of mouth spread the word about the game’s confusing tutorials and strange voice acting.
However, players who tried it loved the game. Xenoblade Chronicles 2The protagonist Rex can equip Blades or support party members to aid him in battle. This system had a variety of story content and level-up trees. This mechanic, while confusing at first, gives the game a lot of depth.
7 Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille Zur Macht
Playstation 2, 2003
In the distant future, humanity has left the planet Earth behind. The story follows Shion Uzuki, an employee of the futuristic super-company Vector Industries, and a super-fighting robot girl named KOS-MOS. They are attacked by the evil alien Gnosis and are forced to unravel a strange mystery.
The game has two different fighting styles. There are battles on foot and mech-based battles using large robots called AGWS. Combat required button combinations and a variety of unique leveling systems brought some action to the turn-based gameplay. It’s a bit of a middle ground between the fights of the Chronicles games and the original xeno ears.
6 Xenoblade Chronicles X – 84
Wii U, 2015
Xenoblade Chronicles X is sort of the black sheep of the franchise, despite rating better than the comparable Xenosaga series. It was very different from its immediate predecessor Chronicles 1. It was also unique in that it was the only game with a custom protagonist. The greatest of all its black sheep qualities is that it was one of the few Wii U titles that didn’t get a Switch port.
Players find themselves as a settler on the unknown planet Mira. They escape Earth in a mass exodus and explore the terrifying new world after being awakened by their mysterious new companion Elma. The main draw of the game is the planet Mira itself, which was full of open-world missions and secrets to discover. However, the lack of connections to previous games upset some fans.
5 Xeno gears – 84
Playstation, 1998
xeno has been experimenting with alternative fighting styles and custom ways of growing characters since its inception. Also, there was a strong story from the beginning, even in the first episode of the Playstation 1. The game is set on an alien planet divided between two massive warring empires.
The main character Fei Fong Wong has amnesia and lives in the small and peaceful village of Lahan. His life is turned upside down by the arrival of the ‘Deus’, a machine weapon that is compared to a God. To fight it, he uses a mechanical tank called a gear, which is what most of the game’s battles revolve around. The game’s story was praised, but a poor pace on the second disc prevented it from getting perfect marks.
4 Xenoblade Chronicles 3D – 86
New 3DS, 2015
The New Nintendo 3DS was quite powerful for a handheld device, but it needed a game that could really show off its potential. So instead of creating a brand new technical showcase, Nintendo put one of the most graphically complex Wii games on the system. Getting the game to run on the system was challenging, but there’s a lot to see for it.
The game’s graphics and mechanics basically see no shortening in the transition from console to handheld. However, some environments have been rebuilt so as not to burden the hardware. Still, Shulk’s original adventure could be played on the go for the first time. It wouldn’t be the last time the game goes mobile.
3 Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition – 89
Switch, 2020
in 2020, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition was released on Nintendo Switch. 2 was one of the console’s flagship titles in the year of its release, so it was great to have the original on it too. Portability wasn’t the only advantage. It also got a graphical update to bring it more in line with the 2’s aesthetic without sacrificing the original designs.
Most interesting of all is: Future Connected. This was a second campaign accessible to returning fans directly from the main menu. It featured an expansion on Melia’s character a year after the original game. It’s a great version overall, although some fans were disappointed that some changes from the 3DS version didn’t make it.
2 Xenoblade Chronicles 3 – 89
Switch, 2022
Chronicles 3 has been without a doubt the most anticipated title in the series. A game that merges the settings of the first two Chronicle games has been wanted since 2017. The revelations of the ways the games intersect in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 have blown the minds of fans on Twitter. It’s not just good for longtime fans of the franchise, though.
The game starts with an intriguing plot straight out of a movie like Logan’s Run. The world is divided into warring colonies fighting with artificial soldiers. These soldiers are purposefully short-lived, and a lot of philosophical attitude emerges from this decision. Combine that with refined combat to get one of the best JRPGs on the Switch.
1 Xenoblade Chronicles – 92
Wii, 2012
Xenoblade Chronicles was a real standout game on the Wii. It didn’t focus on motion control, but traded it for a photo-realistic graphic style. When it hit shelves in Japan, fans were so impressed that a project called Operation Rainfall demanded that the game be taken overseas. When it came out, critics couldn’t get enough of it.
The action-packed combat and thoughtful character interactions were like nothing else on Wii at the time. Most JRPGs on console were dumb, but xenoblade featured a plethora of side missions and a massive world to explore. Shulk’s quest for revenge that turned into understanding also resonated with plenty of players. While everyone has their favorite xeno title, this was the breakthrough hit.
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