Gorgeous and grinding
Getting lost in games with massive worlds and hundreds of sidequests is a joy, but experiences of this size come with an inherent challenge. They need strong hooks in the early going to draw the player in, but they also require surprises and depth later to keep the excitement high. "Xenoblade Chronicles X" (Nintendo) excels at the first step, presenting a vibrant world and an intriguing combat system. While a few story and gameplay surprises wait for the persistent player in the crucial late game, the insistence on a painfully slow grind results in too much tedium for too little payoff. Mira is breathtaking and massive, a fantastic alien landscape. Unfortunately, the game often demands that you exhaustively analyze swaths of the planet before progressing to the next story mission. There isn't enough depth or entertainment to sustain this experience.
Matt Miller, Game Informer
