Sci-fi JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is tied with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 as the 3rd highest-rated game of the year on Metacritic so far

In a huge win for JRPG fans everywhere, Xenoblade Chronicles X's souped-up Switch port is a certified banger, and is so dang good that it's currently tied as the third highest-rated game of the year so far on Metacritic.

Once an underrated Wii U gem left behind on Nintendo's previous-gen console, Xenoblade Chronicles X is pretty different to every other game in the Xenoblade series, but in some of the coolest ways possible. Not only does the sci-fi JRPG take place in a stunning and utterly massive open world, but play long enough and you're able to roam the whole thing while piloting "Skells," which can seamlessly transform between being big ol' robots you stomp around in, cars to zoom across the land with, to flight-ready mechs. It's a fantastic time, made even better by a loveable cast of characters and intriguing story, and Definitive Edition has sought only to better that experience with a host of quality-of-life improvements and even "new story elements."

Needless to say, there's plenty of reason why Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition has scored so well on Metacritic today. At the time of writing, 50 critic reviews have given the JRPG an average score of 88, which is the exact same as Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (although admittedly, Warhorse's RPG currently has more reviews making up that average).

Notably, this is only one point below Monster Hunter Wilds' average score of 89, and three below the current highest-rated game of the year, Split Fiction. There's really not much in it separating them all, and it's a joy to see so many fantastic 2025 games populating our screens barely three months into the year.

If you've never played Xenoblade Chronicles X before (or if you're ready to return to Mira) its Definitive Edition launches on Switch on March 20, making for a very busy day alongside Assassin's Creed Shadows' release.

Xenoblade developer Monolith Soft has already made some of the best JRPGs of all time, but its representative director says its "aim for higher quality will never change."