Maybe these comes off as incredibly biased, maybe it comes as pedantic, or even as nonsense. But I believe Xenoblade Chronicles 2 to be a perfectly imperfect sequel to the original Xenoblade Chronicles. The fans are not wrong, there's a charm in it, a soul that makes all of Xenoblade 2 feel like the creation of an ambitious teenager with unsurmounted passion.

If I had to define Xenoblade 2 in a word, I'd probably say scale. It's a game that tries to be everything, or at least a lot, keyword tries. It takes itself seriously except when it doesn't; it has both very weird and "anime" writing, but also some of the most mature and best written stories in any videogame; it tries to have a very deep combat, except it fails to deliver meaningful tutorials; it creates a weird mix of seemingly inconsequential mechanics and ideas that combine one another and eventually end up clicking. When they do, I believe this game becomes a beast of its own.

When I first played this game, I dropped it eventually because I was frustrated with the roadblock bosses. I thought the only way out was to grind levels to my characters, which ended up proving rather unsuccesful for the most part since the game expects you to take more less care of your party setup and to understand the combat system. I think this was for the better, as the time I came back to the game, with an open mind, I ended up quickly grasping the combat system, both thanks to youtube tutorials(which I agree shouldn't be necessary in this case) and an added sense of patience. I learnt how each of the progression systems worked, how equipment mattered a lot, how each blade had distinct progression trees I could unlock to create new strategies for each combat and that I was being blind to 90% of what made the game what it was. It was without saying, an experience, I don't think a game has ever felt so satisfying to me as when I did my first drive combo, or my first full burst on a chain attack. It's this click, this moment, that shows how much soul Xenoblade 2 has.

I think Xenoblade 2 simply has that charm of old games, of making a lot out of very little, of being perfectly imperfect. That is not to say that I think Xenoblade 2 is a great game just because it has convoluted mechanics, don't get me wrong here. All I'm saying is that Xenoblade 2 has convoluted mechanics that end up giving the whole product more charm, this completely ignoring all of its more notable strengths, like world building, music, story and characters.


The Alrest is a sight to look at. Each Titan boasts different and coherent environments, cultures, and stories, creating a world that feels alive and realistic. The sheer scale of the game world is inspiring, with each area offering unique visual and thematic elements from a graphical perspective that serve to elevate and communicate lore in a very seamless way. From the greenish fields of Gormott to the rough and mechanical landscapes of Mor Ardain, the world-building is carefully crafted. The lore of Alrest even hides deeper implications, why do the Titans exist? what about the mysterious Cloud Sea? why is there a giant tree in the middle of nowhere? Almost every question one can ask itself at the start of the game is answered regarding the game world.

The soundtrack of Xenoblade Chronicles in general has no rival. But I believe 2's shines a bit brighter than the rest. Composed by Yasunori Mitsuda and ACE, the music enhances literally every aspect of the game perfectly, but also creates iconic and masterful songs like "The Tomorrow With You". It manages, again, to mix serene themes for exploring cities or titans, and the incredibly orchestral and amazing battle themes. Each combat track feels like they're giving their all as if its the last song of the game. The soundtrack also plays with the concept of leitmotifs perfectly, playing with the concepts and relating them to plot elements carefully and masterfully.

The narrative of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is both epic and deeply personal. It follows the journey of Rex and Pyra, a mysterious Blade with a hidden past, as they seek Elysium, a paradise where there's enough land for everyone to live. The story is filled with twists and great villains, balancing grand fights and actions with more seamless and small character relevant moments. It handles themes of acceptance, growth , human-kind nature and also mature topics like suicide or the possible existence of God, creating a narrative that while starting slow and setting the ground with great foreshadowing , it keeps the player engaged and ends up reaching some of the best climaxes in any game.

In the end, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 thrives on its imperfections and complexities, delivering an experience that's both engaging and immensely rewarding. The game's world-building, music, story, and characters come together to create an adventure that feels truly alive and brimming with soul. It’s not a perfect game by any means, but it’s these very flaws and intricate details that give it a unique charm and lasting appeal. And if you manage to ignore them , or to overcome them, by investing the time and effort necessary, I believe for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 to be an unforgettable journey that'll have made everything worth it by the end. Standing out as incredibly unique in the genre.

Maybe these comes off as incredibly biased, maybe it comes as pedantic, or even as nonsense. But I believe Xenoblade Chronicles 2 to be a perfectly imperfect sequel to the original Xenoblade Chronicles. The fans are not wrong, there's a charm in it, a soul that makes all of Xenoblade 2 feel like the creation of an ambitious teenager with unsurmounted passion.

If I had to define Xenoblade 2 in a word, I'd probably say scale. It's a game that tries to be everything, or at least a lot, keyword tries. It takes itself seriously except when it doesn't; it has both very weird and "anime" writing, but also some of the most mature and best written stories in any videogame; it tries to have a very deep combat, except it fails to deliver meaningful tutorials; it creates a weird mix of seemingly inconsequential mechanics and ideas that combine one another and eventually end up clicking. When they do, I believe this game becomes a beast of its own.

When I first played this game, I dropped it eventually because I was frustrated with the roadblock bosses. I thought the only way out was to grind levels to my characters, which ended up proving rather unsuccesful for the most part since the game expects you to take more less care of your party setup and to understand the combat system. I think this was for the better, as the time I came back to the game, with an open mind, I ended up quickly grasping the combat system, both thanks to youtube tutorials(which I agree shouldn't be necessary in this case) and an added sense of patience. I learnt how each of the progression systems worked, how equipment mattered a lot, how each blade had distinct progression trees I could unlock to create new strategies for each combat and that I was being blind to 90% of what made the game what it was. It was without saying, an experience, I don't think a game has ever felt so satisfying to me as when I did my first drive combo, or my first full burst on a chain attack. It's this click, this moment, that shows how much soul Xenoblade 2 has.

I think Xenoblade 2 simply has that charm of old games, of making a lot out of very little, of being perfectly imperfect. That is not to say that I think Xenoblade 2 is a great game just because it has convoluted mechanics, don't get me wrong here. All I'm saying is that Xenoblade 2 has convoluted mechanics that end up giving the whole product more charm, this completely ignoring all of its more notable strengths, like world building, music, story and characters.


The Alrest is a sight to look at. Each Titan boasts different and coherent environments, cultures, and stories, creating a world that feels alive and realistic. The sheer scale of the game world is inspiring, with each area offering unique visual and thematic elements from a graphical perspective that serve to elevate and communicate lore in a very seamless way. From the greenish fields of Gormott to the rough and mechanical landscapes of Mor Ardain, the world-building is carefully crafted. The lore of Alrest even hides deeper implications, why do the Titans exist? what about the mysterious Cloud Sea? why is there a giant tree in the middle of nowhere? Almost every question one can ask itself at the start of the game is answered regarding the game world.

The soundtrack of Xenoblade Chronicles in general has no rival. But I believe 2's shines a bit brighter than the rest. Composed by Yasunori Mitsuda and ACE, the music enhances literally every aspect of the game perfectly, but also creates iconic and masterful songs like "The Tomorrow With You". It manages, again, to mix serene themes for exploring cities or titans, and the incredibly orchestral and amazing battle themes. Each combat track feels like they're giving their all as if its the last song of the game. The soundtrack also plays with the concept of leitmotifs perfectly, playing with the concepts and relating them to plot elements carefully and masterfully.

The narrative of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is both epic and deeply personal. It follows the journey of Rex and Pyra, a mysterious Blade with a hidden past, as they seek Elysium, a paradise where there's enough land for everyone to live. The story is filled with twists and great villains, balancing grand fights and actions with more seamless and small character relevant moments. It handles themes of acceptance, growth , human-kind nature and also mature topics like suicide or the possible existence of God, creating a narrative that while starting slow and setting the ground with great foreshadowing , it keeps the player engaged and ends up reaching some of the best climaxes in any game.

In the end, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 thrives on its imperfections and complexities, delivering an experience that's both engaging and immensely rewarding. The game's world-building, music, story, and characters come together to create an adventure that feels truly alive and brimming with soul. It’s not a perfect game by any means, but it’s these very flaws and intricate details that give it a unique charm and lasting appeal. And if you manage to ignore them , or to overcome them, by investing the time and effort necessary, I believe for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 to be an unforgettable journey that'll have made everything worth it by the end. Standing out as incredibly unique in the genre.