Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Review Roundup

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 review Roundup

25/7/2022

'Live to Fight...Fight to Live'. When I first heard that saying in the recent Xenoblade Chronicles 3 trailer, it did two things, it sent a chill down my spine as well as signaling to me just how much more of a darker lore Monolith and Nintendo are aiming for in this iteration. That is not to say the story of Xenoblade 2 was all rainbows and ponies, but it's clear from the jump, Xenoblade 3 is here to take you on a much darker adventure. But will it be a joyful one? Here's what the critics had to say:

DESTRUCTOID (SCORE 9.5/10)
'This isn’t a bad “first dip into the pool” if you’ve never played a Xenoblade game before. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 didn’t need to do a whole lot to keep me invested, as I was all-in very early on. The cast, the weight of the story, and the freedom of party composition are the power trio that won me over. Even during some of the slower moments of the narrative, I was fiddling with stats and loadouts, and still driven by a need to see where everyone ended up.'

For the full review please visit here.

IGN (SCORE 8/10)
'Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is another excellent JRPG with great characters, a unique world, and addictive tactical combat that remains entertaining even after the over 150 hours it took to complete it. For the first time in the series side quests are actually fun to do, and the class-swapping and Interlink Ouroburos mechanics keep the revised combat system feeling fresh long into the adventure. Plus, the story is worth seeing through to the end even though it’s overwritten and takes some meandering detours. At the same time there are a fair amount of odd game design choices, like its annoying and repetitive combat voice lines and uninteresting cookie-cutter boss fights, and it’s unfortunate that Aionios’ beauty seems held back by the Switch’s hardware. But none of that should deter you from going all-in on another fantastic odyssey in a series that is worthy of a massive amount of your time.'

For the full review please visit here.

GAMESPOT (SCORE 8/10)
'Xenoblade Chronicles 3 feels like the game Monolith Soft has been trying to craft for years. While its dialogue could have used an extra pass, it more than makes up for it with its wonderful story and superb combat. It's rare for a JRPG to hold my attention for a 100-hour runtime, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 did it with confidence.'

For the full review please visit here.

GAMEINFORMER (7.3/10)
'My party of seven felt like a little army when explosive Arts and flashy Ouroboros combos lit up an already-chaotic battlefield. And the quality-of-life improvements like customizable shortcut hotbars and in-game GPS streamlined menu-surfing and traversal. Still, the narrative and world designs left much to be desired as critical plot twists are frustratingly obvious, character growth is virtually nonexistent, and navigation in each uninspired environment proves to be a tiring exercise. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a double-edged sword that needs a bit more sharpening.'

For the full review please visit here.

NINTENDO LIFE (SCORE 10/10)
'Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a genuine masterpiece and the highlight of Monolith Soft's superb series thus far. There's an emotionally-charged and surprisingly edgy epic to get stuck into here, a sprawling and hugely engaging narrative populated by a cast of unforgettable characters that's backed up by some of the very best combat we've had the pleasure of getting to grips with in this genre to date. Over 100 hours into this one, we're as captivated now as we were when we first booted it up and it has more than delivered every bit of the adventure, emotion, and action that its key art promised it might. Aionios awaits, it's time to seize the future.'

For the full review please visit here.

GAMEXPLAIN (VIDEO REVIEW)

Overall, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 currently sits at a Metascore of 89 from 65 reviews. In contrast, its predecessor, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, garnered a score of 83 from 95 reviews in 2017, signaling that this new entry is a slightly improved experience. It's clear Monolith Soft has perfected the Xenoblade experience at this point, so I am excited to dive into another grand adventure.