In the long list of Nintendo franchises, Xenoblade Chronicles has slowly become a unique and standout example of the game company’s lineup diversity. Monolith Soft is one of the most underrated studios in Nintendo’s roster, providing great support for top-tier titles and, of course, the franchise it’s best known for now. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition takes the 2017 action-JRPG and refreshes it with the power of the Switch 2. As true as it was before the new edition, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is one of the most memorable games of the genre in the last 20 years, and a fresh coat of paint is a wonderful excuse to experience its heartfelt story again.

Teams at Monolith Soft may have worked on games like Mario Kart World and the Splatoon franchise, but its best work is done in the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a remaster of the third game in the series, coming after the original title as well as 2014’s Xenoblade Chronicles X. In this entry, some elements of the mainline story beats persist, including humanity living on giant creatures called Titans. The real-time auto-attacking battle system carries over to Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, but its biggest difference is also its biggest strength.

Unlike other entries, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 features Blades, which are summons the character can utilize that feature elemental powers like electricity, water, and wind, to name a few. Three can be active at a time and allow you, as a Driver, to utilize them in battle in conjunction with your own abilities. This added layer of combat and strategy is easy to pick up and understand, which is something many JRPGs struggle with when introducing new mechanics. Complexity kills my enjoyment in auto-battle or turn-based combat games, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition does a great job of making it feel additive rather than bloated.

There’s also a great narrative tie-in for the use of Blades. Rex, our main character, takes a job with a shady group and accidentally comes in contact with Pyra, a legendary Blade known as the Aegis. When Rex reaches out to touch Pyra’s sword, he’s betrayed by his group and killed, only to awaken on a field with Pyra, who reveals they are in a memory of her old home, Elysium. In exchange for coming back to life, Rex has to help Pyra return to Elysium. It’s such a good setup that continues to progress in a way that stuck with me when I originally played the game in 2017. For me, it’s a top-three JRPG story.

Experiencing the game feels much better in the Switch 2 remastered package as well. Cutscenes look great, the overall game runs smoothly, but one major issue persists. The game, like the Switch 2 Version of its predecessor, drops from 60 FPS to 30 FPS when it feels strained, and if only for a few seconds, it is noticeable. I’m on record here at PG as someone who isn’t too shaken by this sort of thing, but those who are hoping that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition will play like a dream will likely notice it within the first five hours once you exit the intro areas. This did little to bother me or ruin my experience, but it is worth noting. 

There are hundreds of hours of content in this game and its DLC. Likewise, the ability to combine blades for interesting attack strategies makes it feel endlessly customizable. I love Rex, Pyra, Nia, and the whole gang of characters. Even the villains are fun, despite doing some pretty twisted stuff from the get-go. There’s a reason this game stands out among the franchise, and I’m very hopeful that when we get our next entry in the Xenoblade franchise, the game will pull more from this entry than the others. If nothing else, I think the story and the way it focuses on character growth is more meaningful than the centerpieces of the first, second, and fourth games in the series.

As the strongest iteration of the Xenoblade series and by far the one I’ve spent the most time in, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is well worth a return for players who enjoyed the game back in 2017. For newcomers, thanks to the largely unrelated narratives central to these games, I’d also argue this is the best place to start the franchise. Completionists might argue otherwise, but I love the heart of this story and the mechanics that make it unique. I’m not one to replay massive JPRGs, but I did so with Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and enjoyed every single second.

A Nintendo Switch 2 review copy of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition was provided by Nintendo for this review.

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Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

69.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• The best Xenoblade game with all the power of the Switch 2
• Wonderful cutscene enhancements and great fidelity boosts
• Docked and handheld modes are enjoyable

Cons

• FPS drops in busy areas are noticeable, but not debilitating