XEL (Switch) Review
Release Date: July 12th, 2022 (PC), July 14th, 2022 (Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Tiny Roar
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch (Reviewed) | Coming soon to Xbox and PlayStation
Price: $14.99 (PC), $18.99 (Nintendo Switch)
There has never been a shortage of Zelda-like titles, and for good reason - they're usually fun, charming, and riveting. This all lends itself to an exceptional formula that, much like Metroidvania’s, provide an almost addictive factor to its gameplay that you can't help but put many hours into. Typically tacked with a plethora of challenges to increase the rewarding factor of a game's combat and exploration, these games more often than not do extremely well on putting a spin on the traditional Zelda titles that continue to inspire games to this day, but some almost become too reliant on the nostalgia and aesthetic, providing a false promise and a disappointing venture into what otherwise could have been a promising experience in the right hands. Unfortunately, XEL finds itself in the latter half of this description, providing a game that more often than not loses its soul, feeling careless in the process.
Firstly, it's worth mentioning that we've played XEL on PC and actually have had a relatively good time with it there. It's far from the most exciting Zelda-like title you'll experience in recent memory and is easily overshadowed by the likes of Death's Door and Tunic, but despite some of the more critical reviews XEL has received in the past, it has enough content there that's enjoyable enough for picking up during a sale. The Switch version on which this review is based, however, is a whole other beast entirely: XEL on Switch is not particularly worth the time or effort for fans of the genre, and certainly not when many more quality indie titles are a much more perfect fit for Nintendo's hybrid system.
Landing on a planet called XEL, the main character, Reid, finds herself spontaneously in this new world where she has no recollection of her past, and it's up to her to find out why she was sent there, her connection to it, and recovering her past memories. All of this while defending herself from other robots and wildlife of the planet that have run rampant. It's a straightforward story that we've seen on countless occasions, and quite frankly one that I’m sick of, and though it's a cliché plot device that can be used in ways that can surprise the player and end up with a decent payoff, here it just feels like a quick reason to put you somewhere and get started. The game won't run wild with cutscenes that take up too much time, but there's not much environmental storytelling that's done here either. Though you'll have locations that inherently are different from each other and utilize a variety of gadgets to protect yourself and utilize for puzzles and exploration, in the grand scheme of things it all lends itself to a dullness that sees basic palette swaps that are further crushed and made blander in the Switch port of the game.
Visuals aside - which truthfully look fairly appealing in its PC counterpart - XEL's gameplay at least can be redeemed to a degree when it's working well. Though the hack-and-slash aspect of its combat can get repetitive, its use of its other mechanics such as gadgets, snacks, equipment, and materials add a layer of depth that gives more to do in the world, even if it all feels fairly linear and easily obtainable. What XEL does, however, isn't necessarily anything new, so for those that are used to this type of game and understand the basics of how RPGs and Zelda-like games work, it's a comfortable transition into XEL's core gameplay as players play through it. Snacks heal, while gadgets add cool techniques that'll help with traversal, but also functions as a secondary weapon to help you in combat, introducing new move types that excite the experience a bit more. Equipment, lastly, will predictably will allow you to deal and take attacks more efficiently. The UI that encompasses all its offerings is extremely clean and easy to read, helping with the approachability of the game for those less familiar with the genre, so handling all of your items and settings looks great and is easy to read. A lot of Zelda-like titles, action-adventure games, or RPGs tend to flood the screen with more text, boxes, and pages than anyone knows what to do with, so getting to the point and having that nice sense of minimalism while still being effective where it counts is a breath of fresh air. This is reflective in its HUD as well, where the map will be able to point key locations once you've discovered them, and also details where large pillars may be that allow players to save after they've been reconstructed.
Because of its Zelda inspirations, XEL also has campsites set out in various places that provide a place to rest, and with the multitude of ingredients you'll collect along the way, the recipes you acquire will help in providing consumables that'll both heal and boost. Thankfully there are large amount of consumables that can be found in any given location, including being purchased, so there will rarely be a time where you'll feel short on supply or in dire need to craft something you haven't been able to in a while.
XEL has its heart and ideas in the right place, but it can't be stressed enough that the Switch version takes any underlying technical issues that were preexisting on top of the unpolished nature of the game and amplifies them tenfold into a state that, in some cases, can find itself in unplayable territory. Having played XEL on PC, I know that the game has enough charm and fun that it can be perfectly enjoyable for most that can see past its occasional frustrations (especially with some puzzles), but with Switch already carrying myriad problems along with it with next to no optimization, there's only so much one can tolerate before they rage quit. Even though there are vastly worse experiences and ports on the Switch, XEL was the first time in a while where I had to remind myself that it's okay to not like some games, and it's completely acceptable to put a game down for good and never look back so you can spend time on the titles that value your time a bit more.
XEL's moments of entertainment are admittedly a bit all over the place, but when it can go a fair amount of time without something hindering the experience, it can provide an enjoyable trek as you recover Reid's memories, though the payoff after its roughly 6-8 hour escapade isn't exactly one worth writing home about. The character development just isn't fleshed out well, and any others you meet and engage with along the way both enemy and friendly are rather forgettable. It adds to the list of unfortunate circumstances XEL finds itself in when the color palette is vibrant and appealing in many aspects except for the actual gameplay portion itself, so it's really just something nice to look at, though on the Switch, you have none of those redeeming qualities, so you're left with a poor port that has little to no value, even after a sale.
Overall, XEL runs and looks great on PC, but Switch, unfortunately, gets the short end of the stick on what’s otherwise a game filled with enough charm and has a solid foundation behind it. Its combat works for the most part and it’s an accessible Zelda-inspired title that even gives vibes of the likes of The Gunk and, slightly, Borderlands, but if made in a traditional top-down style. It’s just a shame that the Switch version – as is the case with a lot of games the more and more we get deeper into the next generation’s cycle – brings with it a lot of flat textures, poor performance, bugs, and a low resolution that takes a lot of that charm and appeal away that was in large part due to its art direction, while it’s otherwise a pleasant experience to both look at and play when on other platforms. The Switch version is an unfortunate mess, however, and it's hard to recommend it when there are other Zelda-like indie titles that provide a much more optimal experience and have parity across all platforms.
PROS:
The voice acting gives the characters much more depth and adds to the depth of charm the game has
The world-building and environmental design is inspired enough that it’s a fun adventure to go through and experience
The UI is exceptionally clean, and the entire XEL experience is accessible to anyone with a variety of proficiency in gaming that can enjoy the adventures within
CONS:
The Switch version is poorly optimized, running and looking in such an egregious state that it does XEL a huge disservice to what it truly can offer the player
Some odd collision detection can make for moments of clipping and getting caught in corners with no way out
A big thank you to the publisher, Assemble Entertainment, for providing us a copy of XEL for the purposes of this review!