Xenoblade Chronicles 3 review: The best RPG story I’ve played in ages

digitaltrends.com:

Imagine fighting a war alongside your childhood friends. It’s you and your besties dining with your ex-mortal enemies, on the run from the world. Now, all there’s left to do is live — if you can even make it. That’s the basis for the story of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, one of the best narrative experiences I’ve ever had in a game.

In Nintendo’s latest RPG monolith, Noah and his childhood friends, Lanz and Eunie, team up with Agnus special ops members Mio, Sena, and Taion to find the reason they were given the power of Ouroboros. The world of Aionios employs soldiers who fight to fuel “Flame Clocks,” which run on the life force of fallen enemies. Our heroes share a surprise encounter that blesses (or curses) them with the power to defy that world order with an alternate form. The catch? The Consuls, the Big Bad organization behind the scenes, wants to get rid of them. Many games use the “enemies turned friends” trope, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is different. The common thread of survival makes it believable. Each character seems to know the consequences, despite making the choice to ally with rebels.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has what my friends lovingly refer to as the “Xenoblade problems,” but they’re worth it for the game’s top-tier RPG story. Just brace yourself for some complicated combat, overly tedious item hunting, and lacking exploration that might put off players who aren’t already bought in on the series.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has a daunting runtime and a massive story, but its pacing is perfect. You might feel put off at first due to all its lengthy cutscenes, but they all feel necessary and meaningful to the story. Even the banter between characters isn’t wasted, as it builds the relationships between characters.