Impressions

An epic quest to save humanity and explore an alien world.

Having never played a game in the Xenoblade Chronicles series, I had no idea what to expect as dipped into Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, but having heard widespread acclaim and a number of friends’ recommendation to play, on top of an undeniably good launch discount from a nearby store, I picked this title up in April as an addition to my handful of games for the Nintendo Switch Lite. Little did I know I would be diving into such an in-depth, quality experience.

Monolith Soft have proven to be a team of extraordinary talent, and Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is but the latest in their list of fan-adored works. Considering this is the first game in the series I’ve ever tried, I’ve not played the original version of the game, but I’m aware that this “Definitive Edition” brings countless quality-of-life changes as well as incorporating the original’s DLC and some new content. All in all, it’s a mighty package of gaming in one small game card, with HowLongToBeat™ clocking its main story alone at 62 hours. I’ve played just 21 hours and remain quite early in the story, having spent a lot of time exploring, leveling up, and enjoying the countless quests there are to find and complete.

Extraterrestrial Lands to Explore and Discover

The start of the game has you trekking through the wilderness of the alien planet Mira to the game’s hub location, New Los Angeles, humanity’s last bastion of hope. The opening segment does a great job of introducing the player to the combat, simple to understand but tactically engaging, and what gameplay outside of safety will be like. Wild creatures are everywhere, some dramatically higher level than you, an early lesson to pick your battles and avoid taking on indigenous beings you are not yet ready for. It’s a great way to gently control what the player engages (though the opportunity to pick such fights is always there) and is refreshing considering most modern RPGs and open-world games either scale the world to the player’s level or separate regions by difficulty. In here, you may find a level 57 beast roaming the canyon you’re exploring while you’re merely level 15, and depending on whether it’s the type to aggressively attack on sight or simply pass you by, you’ll have to be prepared for any potential encounter, or escape.

Once you reach the city, the game opens up, and you see just how much there is to do and accomplish, between countless quests of all varieties, and a positively absurd amount of gear to purchase, earn, and unlock, both for statistical growth and cosmetic value. The whole city itself is a wondrous place to explore, bathed in “Affinity” quests, missions you take on to grow closer to other characters and learn more about them, as well as a fine sprinkling of other quests and events as well. It seems like the flow of content never stops, and as you advance through the main story missions that send you far from home to progress through each chapter, more features and functions unlock, and the already expanding, engaging world becomes that much more interesting.

A Living, Breathing World

Diving into this game without any expectations, save for others’ high praise, meant that I didn’t really know what to anticipate in terms of any particular element. The thing that perhaps strikes me as most impressive is the game’s high-fidelity visuals. I’ve been playing exclusively on a Switch Lite, so I can’t speak for the looks on a large-screen display, but the game’s graphics are brilliant. The texture resolution is fantastic and everything is so clear, it does so much to make the world feel exquisitely detailed and lush, along with animated foliage, and needless to say, intricate, unique creature design. Characters’ armor glistens in the sunlight, the dynamic weather system and spectacular time of day mechanics make every area feel different, even when revisited countless times; it’s clear that a lot of passion was behind making Mira a world you fight to survive in and discover, and not just a playable area dotted with things to fulfill. Immersion is a powerful tool, both for storytelling and for effectively bringing players out of their real world and into the digital one. It is a strong factor in this game’s strengths.

Unlocking new skills and arts, meeting and learning about more characters, and plunging further into the story are but a few of the many things I look forward to as I push further into Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. It is an expansive game with an abundance of substance, worthy of my recommendation to others, without doubt. If you’re looking for a science-fiction/fantasy RPG where you decide your pace and how you most wish to spend your time, Monolith Soft’s grand adventure is waiting for you.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is available now for Nintendo Switch

A turn-based RPG with gorgeous graphics, rewarding gameplay, and so much to see and do.

I may be late to this party, but it simply means I get to enjoy years of added content and improvements! Honkai Star Rail is an experience I’ve only recently delved into, but it’s been a blast so far. Only time will tell if that impression holds up, as free-to-play titles like this can become quite a grind, but as I move along the early chapters, I am so far very impressed.

Another Star in the HoYoverse Skies

MiHoYo has been on quite a roll over the years, with the needn’t-be-introduced Genshin Impact having engrossed millions around the world, on top of the existing Honkai series of games and 2024’s Zenless Zone Zero. I’ve played their other titles and have great respect for them, though I don’t find myself personally attached to any.

I decided to try Honkai Star Rail purely out of curiosity, and as some friends of mine actively enjoy it. The biggest takeaway I have so far is that there is so much to do, and I consider that a very good thing. The story is at the forefront of progression, but as you step forward, you unlock more and more ways to spend your time in the game, from roguelike modes for tracking down gear, to minigames that can be played with others, all of these contributing to the collection of items necessary to strengthen your characters.

A Little Personality Goes a Long Way

I adore games with personality, and HSR is absolutely oozing with it. There are a multitude of characters to meet, many to collect as well, and they all have distinct personalities and traits. The localized dialogue, as is typical with HoYoverse games, is well-written and more than satisfactory. The story, just in my early steps, has already touched upon powerful themes such as discrimination, xenophobia, and what true justice is.

Something else I love in a video game is a great sense of humor, and characters like Herta, master of the Herta Space Station, chime in with entertaining dialogue to string you along in their quests, or March 7th, whose name alone summons the player’s interest, even if explained almost immediately, but it all adds depth and allure to a cast that covers a broad spectrum of types and tropes, all that stand strongly on their own.

HoYoverse’s Graphical Fidelity and Style Shine Brightly

For anyone who has played Genshin Impact, you know what to expect in the visual department. Unique character designs with strong colors and aesthetics are complemented by some of gaming’s finest animation work, from the satisfaction of controlling a character in the world via travel and pre-emptive strikes, or the raw graphical feast that is the combat animations, sprinkled with particles and both visual and audio feedback that bring the world to life.

Part of the core appeal of a game like this, collecting featured characters, is all about the strong visuals. Knowing that someone you get can be enjoyed in photo mode and while exploring the world of Honkai Star Rail makes the urge to pursue characters all the greater. Again, though I’m early in the story, I’ve been able to enjoy the space station and the first world, and both have been a delight to see and explore, with details in every corner that make each trip worthwhile.

How “Free” is Free?

I’m a massive skeptic of free-to-play games, and be a game free or paid, I avoid microtransactions, battle passes, or any such content at all costs. Because of this approach, I would say I’m particularly stingy about games that feel like they’re wasting the player’s time or trying to tunnel them into making a purchase. HSR contains the usual culprits: both premium currency that can be used in exchange for certain items, most specifically to pull for characters, and a season pass feature where the player has several tracks in which to earn items, some free, some behind the paywall.

So far, I’ve not felt that the game has expected or demanded me to spend a cent on it in any way. Through gameplay, you can earn currencies that can be exchanged for what you want or need, it’s just a matter of the fact that, of course, grinding through gameplay is more effort than swiping your credit card. However, the game is completely free to download and play, and whether you spend money on it, as is the case with other titles be they free or not, is up to you and what complements your experience.

Thus far I have obtained a number of great characters and an abundance of necessary items for growing them, and I’ve not felt I am lacking in either department. An incoming collaboration with Fate has me saving the “special” tickets for pulling featured characters, and it will be my first time I aim to get a specific character, in this case, Saber. But as usual, all of these things come down to individual experiences and expectations; I’ve played enough of these types of games to not truly care if I get a character or not, though it’s always exciting if they do arrive. Regardless, there is a whole story and world to explore, and that’s more than enough to keep me busy until it becomes tedious, if it ever does.

Why Not Give It a Try?

Honkai Star Rail greatly expands with each update, furthering a game that is enjoyed by many players for the many reasons I’ve given above, and more. I struggle to find games that capture my attention these days, as I have limited free time and specific tastes that seem harder to fulfill as modern gaming trudges on. I feel that HSR is a great pick-up-and-play game; I can log in, do a few activities, and disconnect whenever I like, without feeling like I’m being punished for being away or spending my time elsewhere. This, added to the beautiful art, satisfying gameplay, and rewarding activities to engage in, all contribute to my personal recommendation that HSR is a game worth at least a try.

You can download and play Honkai Star Rail for free right now!

Honkai Star Rail is available now for PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, and PC