Here's what the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 reviews are saying

William Davis Published 04/08/2022

The reviews for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 are in, and most critics paint it as a fun, but slightly flawed JRPG adventure.

After three days of reviews, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is sitting around a 90% score across multiple review aggregators. That’s an impressive score, but what are the actual strong and weak points of the game? After analyzing popular reviews for the game, here’s what critics are raving and ranting about in the newest Nintendo Switch RPG.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 gets great reviews for combat, graphics

Most reviewers say Xenoblade Chronicles 3 really shines in the combat department.

The arts system is intuitive and easily customizable, making fights feel fluid. The Ouroboros arts, super moves that see characters fuse together, are particularly flashy when they come out. The six and sometimes even seven-member parties help things feel engaging, fresh, and relatively deep.

Characters are also extremely customizable. With 25 classes to pick from, there are dozens of team compositions to test out and combinations to experiment with. The wide cast adds even more additions throughout the story. With so many characters to juggle, fights can feel hectic but manageable. The larger fights sometimes feel like an MMORPG raid with so many figures on the screen.

Very few regarded the game as perfect, though. Some complaints centered around the game’s story. JRPG fans shouldn’t expect a mind-blowing, life-altering story with plot twists being regarded as predictable. The game’s animation looks great during combat, but some consider some cutscenes stilted and awkward. Repetitive voice lines in battle are also a common complaint.

However, the most consistent problem cited in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 reviews is the overworld exploration. The previous two games set a high bar for interesting sights and inviting horizons. Many claimed that the newer game falls flat in this regard. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 holdouts might not get what they’re looking for, but it shouldn’t be enough to deter anyone interested.

Graphics are a mixed bag in JRPGs these days, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 reviews generally agree that it is one of the prettiest games on Nintendo Switch. It holds up in motion too, with cinematic story moments and fetching open-world setpieces. The game’s visuals can buckle a little bit in combat and minor cutscenes, but it’s still arguably the prettiest game on the platform.

Overall, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 seems to be a game worthy of its series. Nintendo is looking to make Xenoblade Chronicles into one of its leading IPs and the newest edition seems to be making that a reality. Some awkwardness is to be expected, but fans of the series can’t pass it up. Switch owners who just want a nice RPG may want to take a serious look at Xenoblade.

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