Xenoblade Chronicles Xis a truly phenomenal sci-fi JRPG that has taken the world by storm once more, thanks to the release of itsDefinitive Edition. Finally bringing it to the Nintendo Switch and completing theXenobladecollection on that console,XBCX: Definitive Editionis a wonderful remaster that fixes some of the original game’s problems and adds new content. Naturally, thisDefinitive Editionhas a lot of eyes on it, with fans playing it for the hundredth time and newcomers experiencing the amazing world of Mira for the very first time.
Unfortunately, it is so incredible that there is reallynothing else exactly likeXBCX. Fans can spend a lifetime searching online to no avail, as it truly is a one-of-a-kind experience. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of great games that either capture the same spirit, feature similar mechanics, or are just great mech-based RPGs that are worth trying out. From indie RPGs to some truly hidden gems,there are more than enough games to keep even the most dedicatedXenoblade Chronicles Xfan busy.
10The Xenoblade Chronicles Series (Monolith Soft)
They’re The Closest To XBCX That You’ll Find
It is extremely likely that everyone who has playedXenoblade Chronicles Xhas played the other threeXenoblade Chroniclesgames. However, for those who haven’t, theXenoblade Chroniclestrilogy is not only some of thebest JRPGs ever madebut also phenomenal narrative-driven action games that are easily at the top of the greatest Switch games ever made.WhileXenoblade Chronicles 3managed to tie elements ofXinto the trilogy, they are largely standalone from one another, which makes jumping into them relatively easy.
you may play theXenoblade Chroniclesgames in any order, as they all feature new worlds and protagonists. However, each game does connect to the last in minor ways, with the third and final game in the trilogy featuring characters and major references to everyXenoblade Chroniclesgame.
For those who loved the sci-fi elements ofXenoblade Chronicles X,the third game in the series is probably the best one to play. While one and two are both excellent in their own right -Xenoblade Chronicles 2is my all-time favorite game - the third better captures the alien world aesthetic thatXso perfectly embodies with Mira. It also features giant mech-like vehicles, although none that the player can control, as well as the ability to transform into monsters during combat, which somewhat resembles controlling a Skell inXenoblade Chronicles X.
9Daemon X Machina (Marvelous)
An Epic, Stylish Mech-Based Third-Person Shooter
Daemon X Machinaused to be a Nintendo Switch exclusive, but dropped it after a while when it launched on PC. It is easily one of thebest mech games available,featuring customizable mechs, gripping third-person action across the skies and within crumbling cities, and a narrative that works for the most part, although it shouldn’t be why you pick it up. It is also a visual feast, with the mechs sporting incredible designs from Shoji Kawamori ofMacrossfame and Marvelous' trademark hyper-cel-shading and drastic color contrasting.
Daemon X Machina Review - Robots Fighting Behind A Soap Opera
Daemon X Machina makes the player feel like a futuristic mech pilot, but they can never escape a dull story that keeps interrupting the action.
The action inDaemon X Machinais what makes it such a compelling experience. While it isn’t open-world likeXenoblade Chronicles X- instead putting players in small open areas before sending them back to a hub area akin to theMonster Huntergames - it does feature arena-style environments in which to clash with other powerful mechs and giant machines.Every impact, explosion, and sword swing can be felt, making for a truly dynamic mech game like no other.
8Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon (FromSoftware)
A Legendary Mech Game From One Of Gaming’s Best Developers
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubiconreignited the spark in the long-dormantArmored Corefranchise, giving FromSoftware the opportunity to not only try something different after its slate of incredible soulslikes, but also flex its game design muscles and prove it’s more than dodge rolls and interconnected environments. Much likeDaemon X Machina,Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubiconsees players explore a series of environments in a more mission-based structure.
During each mission, players will tackle enemy mech pilots, complete various objectives, and gather resources needed to fully customize their mech. Each encounter will require a different type of mech, and in typical FromSoftware fashion, thelevel of customizability is enormous.Every weapon and body part will drastically affect how your mech plays, meaning that players will need to find the right balance for them before heading back into battle. While not as tough as a soulslike, it’s certainly harder thanXenoblade Chronicles X.
7Megaton Musashi W: Wired (Level-5)
A Gorgeous Mech JRPG With Excellent Combat
Megaton Musashi W: Wiredisa narrative-driven mech game that feels like a blend betweenPersonaandArmored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. Featuring huge amounts of customization as well as an impressive narrative with a great cast of characters and excellent cutscene direction,Megaton Musashi W: Wiredis a seriously underrated JRPG on the Nintendo Switch. It thankfully got localized in the West after spending a long time trapped in Japan, which is great news for those whose favorite part ofXenoblade Chronicles Xwas piloting Skells.
Switching between side-scrolling city exploration and third-person mech action,Megaton Musashi W: Wiredmanages to perfectly balance its story, side content, and main combat loop, ensuring that players are never bored by any aspect of it.Megaton Musashiis the ideal game for those who’ve just wrapped upXenoblade Chronicles Xand are looking for one of theNintendo Switch’s best gamesto play next.
6Front Mission 1st: Remake (Forever Entertainment S. A.)
X-COM Meets Mechs In This Excellent Narrative-Driven Strategy Game
Armored Coreisn’t the only legendary legacy mech series available. In fact,a few years before FromSoftware released its firstArmored Coregame, developer G-Craft and publisher SqaureSoft (the latter of which would later merge with Enix to form Square Enix) releasedFront Mission, a tactical mech-based narrative game that took the world by storm. TheFront Missionseries received a number of entries, including the somewhat controversialFront Mission Evolvedon the Xbox 360, but has largely remained dormant.
Fortunately, developer Forever Entertainment S.A. has begun remaking the earlyFront Missiongames. The first game in the new remake series,Front Mission 1st: Remake, is a compelling mech-based strategy gamethat, while considerably different fromXenoblade Chronicles X, evokes the same combination of engaging JRPG storytelling with explosive mecha action. Featuring a vast array of mech designs, this is an impressive remake thatXBCXfans should consider checking out.
5ZONE OF THE ENDERS THE 2nd RUNNER - M∀RS (Konami)
Konami’s Greatest Hidden Gem
Almost two decades beforeDeath Strandingbut long after the creation ofMetal Gear Solid,Snatcher, andPolicenauts,legendary developer Hideo Kojima was responsible for the creation of one of gaming’s most underrated mech games:Zone of the Enders. While he didn’t direct it - that was the responsibility ofMetal Gear Solidproducer and long-time Kojima collaborator Noriaki Okamura - it was partially his creation. Packed full ofXenoblade-esque anime storytelling, action, and epic mech fights,Zone of the Endersis a great, albeit somewhat mechanically outdated experience.
You don’t need to have playedZone of the Endersor any of its spin-offs to play the sequel,Zone of the Enders the 2nd Runner. While there are references to the first game, it features a completely new protagonist.
Fortunately,its superior sequel,Zone of the Enders the 2nd Runner - M∀RS,is absolutely worth playing and still readily available- Konami never brought the original to modern platforms. While its weird VR mode isn’t worth experiencing, the entire game has been remastered, allowing fans and those coming fromXenoblade Chronicles Xto see why it remains a beloved classic and one of Kojima’s finest creations.
4Edge Of Eternity (Midgar Studio)
A Sci-Fi Xenoblade-Esque Indie JRPG
Mechs aren’t the only good thing aboutXenoblade Chronicles X- although the Skells are truly amazing. Its epic sci-fi adventure across the gorgeous open-world of Mira is another reason why it remains one of the most compelling RPGs ever made. Fortunately, the indie JRPG,Edge of Eternity, captures this perfectly, giving players a stunning, sprawling sci-fi open world to explore. It may trade Skells for adorable cat-like creatures called Nekaroos, butthe spirit ofXBCXcan absolutely be felt here.
That may have something to do with the fact that Yasunori Mitsuda, a composer for theXenoblade Chroniclesseries, created a handful of songs forEdge of Eternity, including its phenomenal main theme. While the game’s lower budget does mean that it isn’t quite as polished as Monolith Soft’s masterpiece,there’s a lot to love inEdge of Eternitythat will be perfect forXenoblade Chroniclesfans and those who’ve just finishedX.
3Chained Echoes (Umami Tiger)
One Of The Best Indie JRPGs That Also Happens To Have Mechs
Chained Echoesis often regarded as being one of thebest indie RPGs ever made, if not the best one. That’s not just because of its phenomenal cast, amazing soundtrack, and incredible combat, but because it manages to elevate the classic JRPG experience from the 90s to the early 2000s and bring something new to the table, rather than just replicate it.Chained Echoesoften feels like a cross betweenChrono TriggerandXenogears, but it is also so much more than that.
Chained Echoes Review - What’s Old Is New Again
Chained Echoes is one of the year’s best RPGs and comes with an engaging combat system, compelling characters, and stellar worldbuilding.
Of course, theXenoblade Chronicles Xconnection comes in the form ofChained Echoes’gorgeously designed mechs, which players can use to aid them in the game’s many thrilling combat encounters and boss battles. They’re a huge part ofChained Echoesand a good illustration of its merging of the old and new.Chained Echoesis a sprawling JRPG that has quickly cemented itself as a classic of the genreand a game well worth experiencing.
2Left Alive (Square Enix)
A Sorely Underrated Survival Game With Excellent Mech Combat
I suspect that I’ll have a hard time convincing anyone to play the much-maligned survival mech-based RPG,Left Alive, but I truly believe it is a misunderstood gem. Sure, it is a janky mess at times, butits core stealth survival gameplay systems lend themselves perfectly to creating a tense atmosphere where it truly feels like death is around every corner. That sense of tension and dread is what makes the moments where you finally get to pilot the game’s giant Wanzers such an incredibly refreshing and relieving experience.
Set within the aforementionedFront Missionuniverse,Left Alivetells a compelling narrative split across three different characters, each with their own unique story to tell. The open world, a stunning city devastated by war yet still holding onto the past with its myriad of abandoned Christmas decorations still standing, is home to patrolling guards and mechs, all of which must be taken down carefully by utilizing the game’s plethora of tools and weapons. Featuring epic encounters and a great soundtrack,Left Aliveis definitely worth trying for those craving a little more mech action.
1Anthem (BioWare)
Not BioWare’s Finest, But It’s The Closest Thing To XBCX’s Exploration
While BioWare’s commercial and critical failure,Anthem, isn’t particularly fondly remembered,it is the closest fans ofXenoblade Chronicles Xwill ever get to piloting a Skell in another game. The mech flying mechanics, vast alien open-world filled with various tasks and quests to complete, and a city-based hub area ofXBCXare all present inAnthem. The only major difference, outside of narrative, of course, is the style of combat, asAnthemis a third-person shooter.
Why Anthem 2.0 Was Canceled
Despite a year of development work behind the scenes, BioWare’s revival of maligned multiplayer third-person shooter Anthem has been cancelled.
Naturally,Anthemisn’t anywhere near as good asXenoblade Chronicles X, but it is a very similar game to it, sharing a lot of the same core gameplay ideas. It also plays extremely well, with the flying and shooting mechanics feeling consistently great throughout. Perhaps the best part aboutAnthemis the fact that it can be played with friends. That means that those who wished they could exploreXenoblade Chronicles X’sMira with their buddies finally can, just in a different game.
