Topic: Xenoblade X Definitive Edition 2025?

Brownie points for quoting some of Black Tar. One of my favorite tracks in XCX.

I quite like XCX for its world building and more sci-fi take on the series. Until XC3, the game hands down had some of my favorite side quests since they weren't afraid to delve into some darker material and actually could feel meaningful. XC1 and XC2 were mostly fetch quests in comparison.

With some QoL changes, XCX deserves a wider audience. And it certainly set up a potential sequel with its ending. Ultimately, the final decision rests with Monolit though.

@Tyranexx Ehh it was less that they set up for a sequel and moreso that they couldn't finish the game in time. X had a hellish development and was meant to basically be an MMO before being cut down to a singleplayer game with online components. There's a ton of scrapped ideas in turn.

Also XC3 still keeps it's fantasy roots despite having leaning more into the sci-fi elements. Makes for a more interesting world imo. Especially given that Gears and Saga still keep the fantasy elements as well. Pure Sci-Fi feels dull- and X feels dull by extent of that.

I've heard that the side quests were pretty fleshed out though. Unfortunate the rest of the game had to suffer for them.

@Tyranexx LOL Sawano's work, for better and for worse, is unmistakable. Black Tar is peak "I'm not sure if this is awesome or lame." Like a lot of people, my enjoyment of the song gradually became unironic and I listened to it more (mostly online, because you never hear 70% of the song in-game).

Still seems weird to me that the first teaser for the game was set to the final boss theme.

I'd agree 3 > X > 2 > 1 in terms of sidequests. X definitely had a lot of cool aspects to it, which is why I think a remake that overhauls the original to be less complex and frustrating could be a lot of fun.

@VoidofLight Was it really meant to be an MMO? That makes a LOT of sense, given how online-centric aspects of the game seem to be. It feels like it was supposed to be Nintendo's Phantasy Star Online or something.

@Ralizah From what I recall hearing, it was originally meant to be an MMO at some point in time. All I know though is that the game ends not setting up for a sequel, but just kinda falls off a cliff because it wasn't meant to end there originally. A lot of cut content for things like the Ghosts (which got repurposed a bit into both Fog beasts and Ouroboros), as well as other ideas were planned to be involved in the narrative of X but got cut due to either time constraints or the rocky development the game had.

If they remake X, I hope they rehaul the entire game and make it to where the story is told in full. It would at least balance out the heavy side-quest focus and make the game more interesting. Also feel like they should cut out the custom character and retool it to focus on Elma or something. She's the actual protagonist of the game anyways.

From reading the developer interviews, I get the impression that it started out as a single-player game into which they incorporated online play in mid-development, and it was never truly meant to be an MMO.
The character creation was also something that was added after development started, necessitating script re-writes. So, re-making it as a single player game with a named character would be closer to their original intention.

On the whole though, I'd expect any re-make to be the game as released, barring the sort of work that went into XC:DE, such as improved character models and quality of life features. Adding an epilogue to wrap up the story more neatly wouldn't go amiss either.

@Matt_Barber Ahh. I don't know where I saw it was originally meant to be an MMO. So it was originally going to be more in line with 1 and then became a semi-MMO type game thus facilitating the custom character's existence.

I sort of hope if they choose to remake the game that they just go through with making it fully singleplayer. Doubt it'll happen, but it'll be better imo. Could help them flesh out the story into what it was originally meant to be- instead of ending on that game's equivalent to the Mechonis head from 1.

Yes, that's how it went down. I found the interview in question, still available on Nintendo's website.

https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/xenoblade-chro...

There are some other interesting snippets that hint at the scope creep that the game suffered from, such as the need for 11,000 voice lines, the original plan to have 30 times as many quests as XC1 and the enormous testing bill from Mario Club.

Again, that's why I'd think that they'd just remake the game as was, if they're to do so at all. It's not like Satoru Iwata is still on hand to take a 50% pay cut on their behalf if they blow the budget again.

@Ralizah, @Matt_Barber, Rip Iwata, definitely one of Nintendo's most best presidents, he was the guy who asked Takahashi to name the series 'Xenoblade', using Xeno as a reference to past titles.

There is a mysterious 'N-RPG' that Monolith soft are hiring for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlPftLPy3-U&pp=ygUTTW9ub2...

Apparently they are looking for staff who can design mecha and make a game that challenges the team.

I also saw anouther YouTube video about a 8K RTS version of Xenoblade X and it looks amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loR5LQ0YRsg

Finally caught up with the thread. If any of this seems disjointed, it's because I composed this piecemeal in OneNote on my phone. XD

@VoidofLight Ah, I didn't know about XCX's troubled development cycle. Though that explains why I got serious MMO vibes when I played it several years ago (2016ish). I was confused as to why it wasn't so and figured it was due to the Wii U platform's install base and limitations. Reading farther down, looks like the game was originally single player and then they threw in the online elements later? Eh...Either way, the game is an interesting single player experiment with pseudo-MMO elements.

The base XC titles definitely lean more into fantasy, though I was pleased that there were some sci-fi elements still thrown in too. Especially XC3, which I think is the perfect marriage of sci-fi/fantasy. I can't speak for Saga or Gears since I've not played either series, though I'd like a shot at the whole lot at some point.

@Ralizah Sawano's work IS unmistakable, huh? Ironically, I came across the extended version of Black Tar during my work listening on YT at one point, so sometimes it enters my mix rotation. It's one of the few exceptions to my "no lyrics" rule when doing some serious coding for my job; usually it's easier for me to concentrate without lyrics, which makes many video game OSTs perfect.

Your side quest quality game order is the same as mine. While I love XC:DE as a whole, the barebones side quests are THE major low point for me. The only one that I even remember doing that had any form of impact was a late game quest regarding a young High Entia with some Homs blood lamenting his mother's "death" when Zanza converted the full-blooded High Entia into Telethia.

@xenobladexfan The design for Mecha and a "game that challenges the team" could just allude to XC4 though. All Xeno games have mechs. Including mainline Xenoblade.

@Tyranexx, Hiroyuki Sawano, is one of Japan's most talented composers, he has 940k subs on YouTube music, in addition, millions of views on his albums, he is popular globally, especially in Asia.
Hiring him again might be an expensive feat, but if Nintendo make Xenoblade, one of the Switch 2's most best games and aim for 4million+ players, then it would be worth it.

@VoidofLight, anything Monolith soft is always welcome.

@xenobladexfan I can definitely back up that Sawano is very talented! Bringing him back for a touch-up of XCX or for a potential sequel will indeed be expensive, but very much worth it IMO.

@Tyranexx , I have fond memories of playing Xenoblade X in 2020-2021, when the servers were still active, whenever I would connect online the track, Melancholia; lyrics by David Whitaker and Aimee Blackschleger, would play and the vibes were so unique it felt out of this world.

Also, In the forest <X→Z ver.>, played, when there was a Yggralith Zero boss fight.
It is such a shame far few players were able to experience this game when it was online, this game just begs for a port and a chance to sell millions of copies.

As with the original Splatoon, Nintendo were creating amazing new games on the Wii U that are unique among the industry, I hope Nintendo gets back to their creativity with the next console.

@xenobladexfan I admittedly didn't really take advantage of the online functionality back when I played; in hindsight I now wish I had. I've heard both of the tracks you mentioned through my YT listening as well and agree they're very good!

XCX definitely deserves another shot at life, but whether Monolith Soft decides to do so is very much unconfirmed at this moment.

@Tyranexx , when I played the game online 3 years ago, I was able to collect most of the unlockable skells and weapons/armour, but unfortunately didn't get Ares 90, although I did get Ares 70 through; in my experience, the online modes made the game a lot more fun and exciting than other RPGs, the game felt it could have been better with dlc and a sequel.

It is a waste on Nintendo's behalf having a really fun JRPG rotting away on the Wii U, with most of its modes now unaccessible.

@xenobladexfan I do wish in hindsight that I'd tried the online modes, but I do prefer to play online with people I know. Which only included one guy who barely played. I recall seeing his character in the city at one point, but we never really played together.

I fully agree XCX deserves a wider audience than on the Wii U, now sans online. I liked the system, but it's easy to see the flaws.

I might be missing something, but I never really saw what others see in X. I've tried to get into it like 3 different times but each and every time I stop playing when I get the ability to free roam in Primordia. It gives me that same off-putting feeling that Mario Odyssey gives me.

@Tyranexx, that sounds hilarious, I remember, when I played online before, the modes felt half baked, as it was difficult to find people to play with; the game needs a second chance and a switch port with modern server infrastructure.

@VoidofLight, When I played the game 3 years ago, I had already finished Xenoblade DE and was playing through the second game, it was about a year before 3 came out, I really enjoyed the massive open world and compared it to the first game and it was awesome how Mecha and the world of Mira were crafted for each other.

When playing 2, it was like a epic movie whilst Xenoblade X, felt similar to Zelda, it is amazing how each game, whilst using the 'Xenoblade' name is completely unique but very fun.
It is my favourite series in gaming I wish all the Xeno series could come to Nintendo.

I think I liked XCX mostly for its exploration and world-building. Especially in regards to some of the side quests that show up after you develop them later in the game. Primordia is (IMO) the most boring of Mira's continents. In terms of visuals, Noctilum was my favorite. Music-wise, the crown goes to Oblivia for having a day theme I'm ridiculously fond of. It was also my first non-Tranformers game where I got to pilot a giant robot, and that was pretty fun once I adapted to the combat. Giant monsters who used to wipe the floor with me before were decimated with extreme prejudice.

@xenobladexfan "Half-baked" is an apt description of what I do recall of the online modes. Different developer, but I do wish they'd had something akin to online group play in something like the Monster Hunter series.

Oh sweet Jesus please be true.