Xanadu Next

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 441 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Xanadu Next Game Cover
Xanadu Next encapsulates the design philosophies of the early-to-mid 2000's Falcom, culminating in one of the best PC games I've played in years. You owe it to yourself to give this game a shot.
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In "Xanadu Next," explore Harlech Island and search for the elusive Castle Strangerock to solve its mysteries. Charlotte, a scholar, and her reborn knight friend work together to uncover artifacts and learn about the castle. However, danger lurks around every corner, and the knight's life is at risk, setting the stage for a perilous adventure.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 441 reviews
story56 positive mentions
grinding55 negative mentions
  • The game features a captivating atmosphere with a haunting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • The interconnected world design encourages exploration and rewards players with secrets and shortcuts.
  • Combat is engaging and strategic, requiring players to position themselves effectively to deal maximum damage.
  • The controls can be clunky, especially when using a gamepad, as inventory management requires a mouse.
  • The game suffers from bugs, including issues with achievements and occasional stuttering.
  • The story is relatively simple and may not be as compelling as other Falcom titles, relying heavily on lore found in collectibles.
  • story185 mentions

    The story in "Xanadu Next" is generally regarded as interesting but simple, with much of the lore conveyed through optional reading materials like tablets and memoirs scattered throughout the game. Players appreciate the atmospheric world-building and character development, though some find the narrative lacks depth and can feel generic at times. Overall, while the storytelling may not be groundbreaking, it effectively enhances the gameplay experience and engages players who take the time to explore its intricacies.

    • “The story is subtle, and you have to work for it.”
    • “The plot is one of a great mystery and it's a joy to see bits and pieces of it revealed through character dialogue and archived reading material discovered by the player.”
    • “The story, while starting off only somewhat cliché, begins to unravel into something much more complex and intricate, as the plot is surprisingly deep and the world is full of lore.”
    • “I would go as far to say that if you don't read these bits of lore, you would probably think the game doesn't even have much of a story until the very end, and then you'd be confused about what's going on.”
    • “The story is of all things the lowest point of the game; usually, the story cutscenes consist of character models staring at one another while text scrolls, and no, the story is not good.”
    • “The storytelling in this game isn't stellar.”
  • gameplay143 mentions

    The gameplay of "Xanadu Next" is characterized by a satisfying blend of old-school mechanics and modern fluidity, offering a classic RPG experience with a strong focus on combat, exploration, and character progression. Players appreciate the addictive gameplay loop of defeating monsters to upgrade equipment, alongside engaging boss fights and a variety of RPG systems, though some find the controls and certain mechanics a bit clunky. Overall, while the game has its flaws, it delivers a compelling and enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The gameplay is surprisingly fluid.”
    • “The classic gameplay loop of kill monster > return to upgrade is strong in this game, and I love it.”
    • “Xanadu Next takes the basic gameplay of Diablo, combines it with the action of Ys, injects some Zelda puzzle solving, and places it in an interconnected, atmospheric world similar to Dark Souls.”
    • “Persistent stuttering mars gameplay, detracting from the otherwise engrossing experience.”
    • “The gameplay is very repetitive; grinding for weapon skills is slow.”
    • “In order to reach a somewhat passable gameplay time length, they really had to stretch things out in this game through excessive grinding, recolored/reused enemies, and the awful key system.”
  • music135 mentions

    The music in "Xanadu Next" is widely praised for its atmospheric and haunting qualities, effectively enhancing the game's exploration and emotional depth. Unlike the more energetic soundtracks typical of Falcom's other titles, this score features a lighter, ethereal orchestral style that complements the game's darker themes. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout element, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.

    • “The music really adds to the experience.”
    • “It’s the kind of soundtrack that stays with you, making each quiet moment of exploration feel even more personal.”
    • “The island's eerie, desolate and lost to time feel is beautifully conveyed through the atmospheric, memorable music and the environments.”
    • “The music is either generic or completely obnoxious (the final boss theme is actually good); the game used a whole crapton of recolored enemies.”
    • “Story is dull, music isn't exciting, and characters aren't very interesting.”
    • “Overall it is a fun game but the action is slower than the Ys series and the music did not stand out as much.”
  • graphics84 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, with many reviewers noting a nostalgic charm reminiscent of early 2000s RPGs. While some appreciate the unique art style and atmospheric design, others criticize the visuals as muddy and lacking polish, with occasional graphical bugs. Overall, the graphics may not meet modern standards, but they effectively complement the game's retro appeal and gameplay experience.

    • “Yes, the graphics are dated, but they have a charm that fits the game perfectly.”
    • “While the game's graphics may appear somewhat antiquated initially, they seamlessly complement the title's nostalgic charm.”
    • “The original game was made in 2005 and re-released in 2016 with a slight remake/remaster; artistically, the game feels and looks amazing even today.”
    • “The game’s graphics are really dated and honestly quite ugly today.”
    • “The dated graphics are a major turn off and people expecting infinite replay value in character builds and equipment will be disappointed.”
    • “When it comes to the graphics though, this game falls a little flat.”
  • grinding55 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players noting it can be both tedious and rewarding. While some find the grinding for experience and resources to be excessive and necessary for progression, others appreciate the depth it adds to character customization and combat strategy. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic, old-school RPG experience that may appeal to fans of grinding, despite some frustrations with its repetitive nature and the need for significant time investment.

    • “A couple of things I could criticize: the game heavily incentivizes grinding. Though the leveling system itself is brilliant, you will still burn some hours if you want to get ahead.”
    • “The grinding, as I've said, was one of the worst experiences I had to endure because throughout the game you're forced to level your character to progress.”
    • “I have run into so many doors that it seems impossible that I will be able to go much further without grinding millions of gold off creeps to buy the ridiculously overpriced keys that the shop sells.”
  • atmosphere47 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Xanadu Next" is widely praised for its haunting, melancholic, and bleak qualities, effectively enhancing the dark fantasy setting. Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional music and environmental design, which together create an immersive experience reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers and souls-like games. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a standout feature that captivates players, making it a memorable and engaging adventure.

    • “The atmosphere is absolutely haunting.”
    • “The island's eerie, desolate and lost to time feel is beautifully conveyed through the atmospheric, memorable music and the environments.”
    • “The game’s sound design and music are spectacular, the sound effects convey an incredible atmosphere and the game’s soundtrack is equally as haunting.”
    • “It's a dark, melancholic and bleak atmosphere which is fitting of the dark fantasy setting.”
    • “The lore of the world, the environments, the music, it all helps enhance this atmosphere.”
    • “While there may have been much better games graphically even at its original release of 2005, the overall atmosphere and design just feels... right, and well-detailed.”
  • optimization11 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting persistent stuttering, frequent crashes, and poor performance even on high-end systems. Despite some enhancements like widescreen support, many users find the gameplay experience marred by these technical issues, which have remained unresolved for years. While some players manage to enjoy the game despite its flaws, the overall consensus is that significant optimization improvements are needed.

    • “The performance is smooth, even on a toaster.”
    • “Having finished the game last night, and planning to play it through multiple times, given that there's a ranking system in place that rates your performance on things like speed, damage dealt, damage received, and character level when you killed the final boss.”
    • “Constant stuttering and frequent random crashing have made this game unplayable for me, and little to no solution exists online as people have been posting about said issues for years with little result.”
    • “Despite attempting various recommended fixes, none proved effective in resolving the stuttering, leading to frequent interruptions during play and bad framerate.”
    • “The stuttering issue is a disgrace for a game that came out on Steam 7 years ago and it is a disgrace in 2023.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with users reporting numerous bugs, including achievement tracking issues, graphical glitches, and occasional crashes. While the game performs well on capable PCs, the overall experience is marred by these stability concerns, leading some players to hesitate in recommending it at this stage.

    • “Runs great as well.”
    • “It runs great on PCs you wouldn't expect could handle a polygonal dungeon crawler with as much detail and effects as this. While gamepad support takes some time to configure to your liking, the result of Falcom patching it in later is appreciated, even if it means occasionally using the mouse for cursor movement to access inventory before getting back to the adventure.”
    • “Negative - as this is on my completionist account, I was a little upset to find that a few of the achievements are buggy and do not track progress as intended.”
    • “Unfortunately, it's also buggy as heck.”
    • “Finally, there's quite a few bugs I encountered: graphical glitches, an enemy skills malfunction, and even a complete game crash.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a nostalgic charm, particularly through its quirky minotaur model and amusing design choices, such as the 32-bit color mode that can lead to crashes. Players appreciate the funny interactions with villagers and the lightheartedness woven into the gameplay, making it a delightful experience for fans of JRPGs. Overall, the humor enhances the engaging story and exploration elements.

    • “There's something nostalgic about the hilariously proportioned minotaur model that gives you that early PS2 vibe.”
    • “It's not a bad thing, but it is a little funny.”
    • “The variety of rooms, puzzles, group mini-bosses, vistas, and funny conversations with Harlech villagers still impress me.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game offers decent replayability, with engaging gameplay and side content to explore, though some players may find the dated graphics and limited character build options disappointing. While there are opportunities for replaying to achieve higher rankings or access optional dungeons with random-generated layouts, it lacks the depth of loot-grinding games, which may affect long-term replay value.

    • “Decent game with good replayability.”
    • “Really fun and engaging gameplay, fun system, replayability, side content to complete.”
    • “It has some replay value in that you can play the game again for higher ranking or do the optional dungeon, which is supposedly randomly generated room placement.”
    • “The dated graphics are a major turn off and people expecting infinite replay value in character builds and equipment will be disappointed.”
    • “It has some replay value in that you can play the game again for higher ranking or do the optional dungeon, which requires an event to trigger the entrance opening just before the final boss fight. However, I don't expect to have my mind blown, since this isn't a loot-grinding game like Diablo.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players find the game's story to be emotionally impactful, with a simple yet powerful narrative that culminates in a beautiful and satisfying ending. The emotional depth is enhanced by the game's backdrop, making the overall experience deeply engaging and memorable.

    • “Other than that, this game really fired on all cylinders for me and kept me hooked the whole way: I loved the story, which, as simple as it was, felt very emotional and had an incredible payoff ending to it.”
    • “It also provides a backdrop for the emotional crux of the story.”
    • “And all this adds up to an incredibly beautiful, genuinely emotional ending.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development is notably strong, as the game's focus on a single location allows for in-depth exploration of each resident's personality and issues, contrasting with other titles that feature less engaging protagonists. While the character designs may hint at anime influences, the development is primarily driven by gameplay elements like weapons and armor rather than traditional narrative arcs.

    • “Keeping the story in one place lets you get to know the personality and problems of each resident - a strength I am happy to see was not reserved for the Trails games, which pay a steep bloating cost for somewhat more character development than we get from the empty vessel Adol or the silent protagonist of Xanadu.”
    • “Your weapons and armor are the only things that dictate your character development.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

81% average critic score

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Play time

2hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
2-15hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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