Games To Play If You Like Xenoblade Chronicles

Nintendo surprised its fans with a stealth presentation of a Nintendo Direct Mini in March of 2020, which highlighted some interesting titles players could look forward to in the coming months. One notable example in the showcase was a lush remaster of Xenoblade Chronicles. Fans got a detailed look at the gorgeous, spruced-up visuals, along with an epilogue journey for Shulk and company.

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This revamp added to the growing franchise — already riding a high with the vibrant, imaginative Xenoblade 2 — reminding gamers what made the series so special. Following this was the renowned third game in the trilogy, solidifying Xenoblade as a staple RPG franchise. Naturally, a wave of similar ARPG epics on Switch and elsewhere have followed, which add their own charming twists while tapping into that deep-yet-accessible Xenoblade charm.

Updated January 24, 2025, by Stephen LaGioia: Monolith Soft's anticipated third mainline game in the APRG series Xenoblade was released to stellar reviews and fan esteem. This will soon be followed up by the Definitive Edition of the overlooked mech-based Xenoblade Chronicles X on Switch. Xenoblade 3's lush locales of the warring Aionios, emotional plot with dynamic characters, and addictive tactical combat have kept fans playing for weeks and months on end. Yet, this fun, imaginative experience will doubtless leave some yearning for similar titles beyond this and the upcoming X. Luckily, there are many gems to choose from on Switch and elsewhere.

18 The Legend of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom

Gameplay That Echoes Many Eras Of Zelda — With Novel Twists

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom superbly blends elements of classic, modern, and 2000s puzzle-heavy Zelda, while sprinkling in new traits. The modern traits ring particularly true when it comes to the stylish, quasi-claymation art style, and the use of the game's title character Zelda as its lead.

The latter has been ironically rare, other than a couple of mediocre CD-i games which most fans would rather forget — and keep far away from the fantasy series' rich, expansive lore. With its close-up, top-down perspective and cute visuals, Echoes of Wisdom looks simple on its colorful surface. Yet there's much to unearth, solve, and fight through in this 20-hour adventure.

In addition to more traditional combat, Zelda can progress and survive by creating 'echoes' that imitate monsters and objects — and utilize her object-dragging 'binding' ability. These distinct features, along with a slew of items and assets to use, move, and summon, Echoes of Wisdom makes for a dynamic, memorable journey. Often, the experience feels akin to a virtual toy box full of 'things' to tinker with, a la Breath of the Wild or Minecraft.

17 The Outer Worlds

Far From A Fallout Clone

Take the foundation and retro-future themes of Fallout New Vegas, add Mass Effect's sci-fi tech and Borderlands' zany satire, and this hidden gem from Obsidian is the result. While clearly drawing influences from various sources, The Outer Worlds feels quite distinct.

The game stresses carving one's own path and choosing factions in a divided corporate dystopia on the verge of chaos. Players emerge from being cryogenically frozen, and set forth to make their way in this rough-and-tumble society. A hodgepodge of power-hungry CEOs, troopers, and outlaws reside in diverse planet biomes that offer loads of goodies to play with, fight with, pawn, and steal.

The game balances fun action with loads of RPG depth and malleability — sprinkling in concepts like weapon mods and a time-slowing feature that yields spot-on headshots. The core campaign is fairly short, but a plethora of content is crammed within — and with near-endless branching outcomes and customization, players rarely get the same result or experience when playing twice.

16 Chained Echoes

A Celebration Of 16-Bit JRPGs With Unique Twists

This charming, vibrant romp is both a worthy homage to classic JRPGs and a modern indie epic that explores a few unique avenues. 2022's Chained Echoes partly draws from the Octopath Traveler school of fusing classic and modern role-playing. At the same time, the game leans more on quicker pacing and action a la Zelda and Secret of Mana.

While utilizing turn-based battles, the game tightens things up with quick movement and removes random encounters. It features a rewarding 'Overdrive' meter in battles to liven things up and add some depth. Further customization comes by way of skill leveling rather than an all-encompassing level-up system, making this 35-hour odyssey feel more personalized and organic.

15 Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age

One Of The Best And Deepest Dragon Quest Entries Today

The eleventh mainline installment of Dragon Quest is a high watermark in this storied series, with a charming narrative and rewarding gameplay that tastefully blends the old with the new. The game party adheres to that retro JRPG style fans love, with (partly) linear exploration, turn-based battles, personalized classes, and stylized visuals. At the same time, Square Enix revitalizes the formula with some modern twists and extra features.

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An impressive amount of customization during combat allows players to strategize and gain an edge, for instance. Players can also move about in a 3D space when fighting, giving a more fluid, immersive feel ala Xenoblade Chronicles. Random encounters are also axed this time around, and, in a neat addition, retro RPG fans can turn up their nostalgic sensibilities with a sprite-based 2D mode.

14 Live A Live

Journey Through Time In This Imaginative JRPG

RPG fans on Switch were pleasantly surprised following the early 2022 unveiling of a restored adventure for Super NES. For the first time, Western gamers would be able to play this wondrous journey through time, with the inventive JRPG Live Alive. In it, players will visit settings ranging from the Old American West to Imperial China and a metropolitan future.

On the surface, there's seemingly little this love letter to classic RPGs shares in common with Xenoblade, as its premise is more akin to Chrono Trigger. Yet, fans of the Monolith epic should appreciate the similarly lush, diverse settings and great character development, as well as some addictive, rewarding combat that's deep yet accessible.

13 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

The Force Is Strong With This One

With such a vast, imaginative universe to draw from, it's no surprise there's been a slew of Star Wars games over the years, some of which have been better than others. Yet, two decades after its initial release, Knights of the Old Republic still reigns supreme when it comes to games based on George Lucas' phenom IP.

Despite its age, KOTOR was years ahead of its time. With its dynamic progression, interplanetary locales, and a plot-driven campaign that lets players pick their path, this is BioWare at its finest. KOTOR's thematic sci-fi-fantasy fusion—and an engaging, cinematic experience—should succeed in drawing Xenoblade fans.

But, like that game, it's the combat that shines through in the end here. Fluid, fast, and dynamic, the 3D battle system masterfully blends tactical gameplay with real-time action.

12 Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana

An Underrated RPG And Great Introduction To The World Of Ys

While still largely unknown in the West, this imaginative franchise has a long and rich history behind it, quietly building its repertoire over decades. This catalog—which includes some particularly rich, lengthy journeys—may prove intimidating for many to dive into. Yet, the eighth main Ys game is often regarded for its more universal appeal and inventiveness.

With a self-contained island setting and simple premise, along with unique quasi-survival gameplay, Ys VIII marks a great time to jump on board. At the same time, there's plenty of involved, fast-paced combat for both newcomers and Ys vets to appreciate. For those who can get over a few small technical issues and lengthy dialogue sessions, Nihon Falcom's game is a treat—and an often overlooked ARPG.

11 Tales Of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

A Tale That Won't Soon Be Forgotten

It's quite easy to draw Xenoblade and Tales comparisons. After all, both are fantastical JRPGs that blend linearity with sandbox elements and bring tactile combat that's exciting and deep. As far as Bandai Namco's series goes, it's hard to find a better way to experience this franchise than an enhanced version of one of its best games, Vesperia.

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The game offers a unique, whimsical cast, a deep, semi-open world to explore, tons of quests, and a distinct lineup of humans and creatures to square off with. Vesperia's battle system manages to be even more frantic than Xenoblade, feeling not unlike a fighting romp laced with spells and special abilities.

10 Eternal Sonata

A Medley And Melody Of Fun, Charming ARPG Traits

Eternal Sonata

can somewhat be looked at as the Xbox 360's version of Xenoblade. Not only did they both shine as rare JPRG gems on their platforms, but the gameplay shares similar qualities too. Players have a vast, vibrant fantasy world to explore, an enthralling story, and various charming characters with an array of rewarding moves.

The deep, exciting combat also holds parallels—with its blend of action and tactical turn-based mechanics. Eternal Sonata also stresses a range of different skill combos and chains, along with timed blocks that keep the intensity at a fever pitch. This majestic, melodic RPG should be music to the ears of Xenoblade fans.

9 Dragon's Dogma

An Epic Blend Of East And West RPG Elements

Similar to Monolith Soft's game, Capcom's Dragon's Dogma balances WRPG lore and open-world sensibilities with creative Japanese mythos. The intense real-time combat should very much translate to those who liked the chaotic combat of Xenoblade, as it too treads that line between strategy and action.

Much like the skills in Xenoblade and the vast Blade system in the sequel, Dragon's Dogma keeps the combat fresh and in-depth with various unique classes and skill sets that can be adjusted according to each opponent. The game also stresses skirmishes with massive beasts, as is the case with many of Xenoblades's beasts and Unique Monsters that require players to grind out wins.