To a longtime Xenoblade Chronicles fan, the fact that Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is something that actually exists is nothing short of a miracle. Developed by Monolith Soft, this amazing role-playing game originally released on the Nintendo Wii in 2010 is finally getting a proper remake on the Nintendo Switch. It still feels unreal. This was the game that did not come to North America until two years after its release in Japan because Nintendo of America was hesitant to localize it as the company did not believe that it would sell well. When Xenoblade finally did arrive in the States, Nintendo did not localize it for the region but instead used its script and voice acting from the United Kingdom localization.
I cannot wait to once again hear Dunban (left) speaking like a British RPG protagonist that has come out of retirement and Reyn (right) telling everyone what time it is with a cockney accent.
The voice performances in the version we got were amazing, and I would not want the game without them, but it goes to show Nintendo of America lacked faith in its product to not invest its own efforts toward localization. Not only that; new copies of the game were limited; only available through the Nintendo Store and GameStop. Xenoblade Chronicles was set up for failure simply because Nintendo of America did not believe that it could succeed. It found success despite this, the game has been followed by three sequels which received much better treatment in the west. Shulk, the protagonist of the first Xenoblade, even found representation in Super Smash Bros.
Most Nintendo fans in the west probably did not know who Shulk was until he appeared in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS.
Each game of the Xenoblade series is high quality, but I still believe that the first game is the best of them all. However, the way its initial release was handled by Nintendo of America meant that many people in the west missed it. A port of Xenoblade Chronicles was eventually released on the New Nintendo 3DS, but it did not do the game too many favors. This port received a graphical reduction, and it is a game filled with action that is not suited for such a small screen. It also would only work on specific versions of the 3DS that lacked the massive install base of the older 3DS models. Xenoblade was later released on the Wii U eShop not long after the 3DS port was dropped, but that was a system with an even smaller audience.
A game of Xenoblade Chronicle’s scope might have been too big for such a small system.
Porting Xenoblade Chronicles may have just been something to check off Nintendo’s list after Shulk appeared in Super Smash Bros. I believed that it would be a while before Nintendo was willing to revisit the game and give it the treatment that it deserved. Until then, it seemed as if it would fade into even greater obscurity. I would always have the ability to play the game as much as I want (I still own the original on the Wii), but as someone who has enjoyed this game immensely and poured hundreds of hours into it, there is much more to it than wanting to play an enhanced version on a newer console. Xenoblade Chronicles is a game that I want many more people to experience. I have tried to convince many people to go back and give it a try, but they were turned away by its age and the graphics. The first Xenoblade was not the prettiest game, even by the Wii’s standards. It can be difficult for some to look past that, no matter how great the rest of the package is.
Xenoblade Chronicle may not even be the best-looking Wii game, but it made up for it with its undeniably gorgeous environments. The power of the Switch will do them justice.
With all of that said, I am grateful that it has taken this long for something like Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition to come along. Ten years after the release of the original game, this new version of Xenoblade is looking better than ever. It is also important that the game is being made for the Nintendo Switch, a popular system that will help the game finally reach a wider audience. Monolith Soft has also exceeded my own wildest dreams by adding new story content that takes place after the main game, so there is something new for older fans to enjoy. Personally, the best part is that this new content seems to focus a bit on Melia, who is just the best.
The fresh graphics, quality of life improvements, and added content are welcome changes, but if I am being honest, I am really only here for high-definition Melia.
Xenoblade Chronicles is a game that I believe absolutely has to be played. While there were a few issues that held it back, it holistically encompasses amazing characters, story, setting, gameplay, and music into one of the greatest role-playing games ever created. As it has already gone on to resolve some of the flaws of the original, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition will likely be even greater. You owe it to yourself to play this game, and if you do not do it for yourself, please. Please do it for Melia.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition arrives on the Nintendo Switch on May 29, 2020.
