Xanadu Next
Whenever mist hangs over Lake Orwell, sailors catch sight of a phantom castle just out of reach. As they draw near, it fades away, leaving only questions for all who have seen this “Castle Strangerock.” Now, you must aid your charge in uncovering its secrets...even if it costs you your very soul.
Xanadu Next is a rpg, action and action rpg game
developed by Nihon Falcom
and published by XSEED Games, Marvelous USA and Inc..
Released on November 03rd 2016 is available in English only on Windows.
It has received 663 reviews of which 616 were positive and 47 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.7 out of 10. 😎
The game is currently priced at 4.49€ on Steam and has a 70% discount.
The Steam community has classified Xanadu Next into these genres:
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Requirements
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Windows
- OS *: Windows XP
- Processor: Pentium III 866 MHz
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: 32 MB VRAM, 3D accelerator compatible w/ DirectX 9.0c
- DirectX: Version 9.0c
- Storage: 2 GB available space
- Sound Card: Compatible with DirectX 9.0c
Reviews
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
>Focus on lore over plot >Melancholic and bleak atmosphere >Dark fantasy aesthetics and setting >Backstab heavy combat that's more difficult than the average game >Hub area where all the NPCs reside at >Only being able to increase your stat points with the help of a religious female NPC who revived you from the brink of death after the tutorial >Metroidvania style level design that loops in on itself and unlocks shortcuts to the hub area Xanadu Next is Falcom's Dark Souls and it predates Dark Souls by 6 years. Alright in all seriousness though. Xanadu Next came out in 2005 in Japan, but other than a port to Nokia's N-Gage of all things, Xanadu Next never left Japan until over a decade later in 2016 when XSEED released a worldwide localized PC port for it. Xanadu Next is a pretty unique title for Falcom because not only is it a spin-off of their iconic and influential 1985 action RPG Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu and the first Xanadu title to be released in over 10 years, but also because it's more of an old-school Western style RPG, Diablo-like dungeon crawler with a dark fantasy aesthetic more akin to the Kings Field or Dark Souls series than the more traditional anime style Falcom have become known for with their Trails and Ys series. I think the first and most important thing to mention about Xanadu Next is the atmosphere. Out of every Falcom game I've ever played Xanadu Next has the best atmosphere bar none. 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. Speaking of the music, this score is much different from what Falcom does with Ys or Trails, this isn't the heavy melodic rock with electric guitars or violins that those games feature, but a much lighter sounding, often times ethereal and orchestral score fitting of a darker and more atmospheric game like Xanadu Next. In Xanadu Next you play as a dishonored and disgraced knight, you can name them whatever you want as this character fills the role as the common silent protagonist type. This knight is accompanied by a scholar named Charlotte L. Wells who is much like a sister to him as they both set out on a quest to investigate the ruins of Harlech Island. However after an encounter with a mysterious swordsman at the start of his expedition he is mortally wounded and undergoes a life saving ritual which binds him to the island. Now the only thing that can truly save our protagonist and give him his life back is the fabled, legendary sword the Dragon Slayer, so he sets off on an adventure to find this legendary weapon. The main narrative itself is solid with some unexpected twists, but it's further enhanced by the actual presentation because there's not much dialogue or many cutscenes and instead as you're exploring the island of Harlech you can discover ancient tablets and memoirs with bits of lore that tell legends and myths of the ancient lost city of Xanadu. 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. This is a very similar storytelling approach that FromSoft and most Souls-like in general apply and it really helps enhance the atmosphere and world-building of Xanadu Next without pulling focus away from the frenetic action packed combat as you get the option to slowly piece together the mysteries of an ancient civilization on each of your returns to the main hub area after exploring dungeons and this also allows the player to see how these legends are often relevant to Charlotte and our Knight's current situation. Falcom are masters of world-building, I'd say it's what they're best at and Xanadu Next is certainly no exception because reading every bit of lore was so rewarding especially once I got to the finale of the game and the twists were revealed. Much like Trails and Ys, the few NPC characters in the main hub area town all have dialogue that refreshes after each main event and go on their own mini story arcs, they aren't static people with stock text, they're all people with their own goals and worries and that always makes the world and setting feel even more immersive. Xanadu Next tells a solid narrative with fantastic world-building, but that isn't the main focus of this game, much like the older Ys titles this is a game that focuses on giving a great gameplay experience through rewarding combat and exploration and that's exactly what it does best. As previously mentioned, Xanadu Next despite being a J-RPG takes a much more Western approach to its design which only takes one look at the inventory screen to see it was clearly inspired by Diablo and other classic isometric style C-RPGs. Combat in Xanadu Next is simple at first glance, but has a lot more depth when you get deeper into the game. Like most dungeon crawlers basic combat is just walking up to enemies and hitting them with the attack button, but positioning is important as well because hitting an enemy in the back deals more damage and critical hits and hitting them from the front gives the enemy a higher chance to evade your attacks. Another important factor of combat are the skills and spells, skills are special attacks tied to weapons that you can permanently learn by maxing out that weapons proficiency meter, these usually mess with enemies positioning by knocking them down or moving them to the side, spells are elemental and every enemy has elemental weaknesses and resistances so the right spell could deal serious bonus damage or accidentally heal an enemy instead. The strong emphasis the combat places on positioning, skills and spells and deciding when to use them (They all have finite uses until you refresh them at a save point or in town) or which ones to use really gives the combat in Xanadu Next an extra level of strategy. It can certainly be janky at times and difficult too especially at boss fights, but it's also incredibly satisfying as well. Combat aside, the other major focus of Xanadu Next is the actual exploration, this is a dungeon crawler after all. Exploring the various caves, forest and ruins of ancient civilizations was always a joy because of all the new equipment and secrets that are being thrown at you, also plenty of Zelda-like puzzles to solve where you might have to equip a certain piece of gear that gives you special abilities to walk under water or crush walls to make it to the next area. There's also a LOT of puzzles involving moving boxes and those can get a bit tedious. However I am a big fan of how the level design is very Metroidvania style where you're constantly finding shortcuts that loop back around to the main hub area much like Firelink Shrine in Dark Souls. However since this is an older game some of the dungeons can be a bit maze-like at times and the environments can get a bit samey, but thankfully you always have a map so it's not as bad as a lot of other games like this. Xanadu Next is a dark and atmospheric dungeon crawler with a narrative that is mysterious and compelling enough that it makes you want to set out on the adventure and lore and world-building that keeps you constantly engrossed and immersed as one would expect from Falcom combined with fun and addictive combat that has a surprising amount of strategic depth and exploration that is constantly rewarding making Xanadu Next a true hidden gem among Falcom's catalog and truly like nothing else they develop nowadays (This is coming from a massive Trails and Ys fan btw) which just makes me love and appreciate it even more and whether you're a big Falcom fan or not if you want a game to scratch that fast paced dungeon crawler itch and you don't mind a more difficult experience than most games or a bit of jank at times, Xanadu Next might just be the one for you.
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Great Game Defintely worth the price. I have 0 complaints WARNING Do not go full magic build. There is a boss later in the game that is immune to magic. A hybrid build is best or just going straight into weapon based stats. That being said if you are able to get past this boss and max magic you will 1 cycle any boss with likely 1 spell.
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There's something truly magical about the moment you start a game and are greeted with a stunning soundtrack and an intro that feels like it's been tailored just for you. Xanadu Next is one of those hidden gems among old school JRPGs that caught me off guard and utterly absorbed me right from the beginning. Games like these just have a special way of making me feel like a kid again. The nostalgia hit me quite hard and for that reason alone this game deserves so much more recognition. Xanadu Next may be an old game and it certainly feels like it, perhaps even older than it actually is. Yet something about it really captivated me. It's one of the few JRPGs that embodies a true sense of adventure in its design, with Falcom trying out various ideas. As a player, I felt the game trusted me to explore and uncover the island's secrets on my own and it worked wonderfully. If I had to describe the game in one word, it would definitely be atmosphere. The dark fantasy vibe hit the mark perfectly, with a map that loops back on itself, revealing new shortcuts to the main hub. The island is packed with secrets, lore fragments and weapons to discover, making each find deeply rewarding. I love the mystery and how the only way to progress is through exploration and discovery. Piecing things together on my own was really a joy. The island's eerie, desolate and lost to time feel is beautifully conveyed through the atmospheric, memorable music and the environments. I just love how the game makes you feel lonely when you're out exploring, but there's a comforting warmth when you return to the village. All these aspects made me fall in love with the game, but they also make me wish that more grounded and darker toned JRPGs weren't so underrated and overlooked in favor of flashier, more over the top ones filled with bad anime tropes that just no longer appeal to me. Don't get me wrong, I know there are still a few new JRPGs that try to be more grounded and darker in tone, but it's not nearly enough. Considering Falcom's current lineup and general game design trends, I'm not very optimistic. I’m not saying their latest games are bad—I'm actually interested in trying out the latest Ys game—but for me, none of them can compare to Xanadu Next or Ys I & II and The Oath in Felghana. I guess I'll just have to continue cherishing these old school gems.
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Xanadu Keys is a pretty solid game if you like keys. I buy keys, go exploring, use up my keys, go back and buy more keys, which gradually get more expensive, get bones, sell bones, to lower prices of keys so I can buy more keys to unlock more doors, while also chopping plants to find random keys, only to run out of random keys and buy more keys to unlock more doors, find keys to keys, buy keys... ....keys
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Guys, I think I found a hidden gem. I went into this game expecting nothing and found something great. Old games just hit differently. This game oozes early YS vibes which is great news, because one can never get enough of early YS-style games. There's also an interesting interconnectedness to the level design, which makes you think of Dark Souls. Every chest you open you get excited for as you never know what you're gonna get and all treasures are meaningful, for the most part. The bosses are all unique, Soundtrack is GOATed as we're talking early Falcom. All equipment pieces (armor/weapons) have their own sprite once worn by your character, meaning all gear has its own unique appearance. This is such an underrated videogame feature that I must count it as a pro.
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Last Updates
| Steam data | 25 November 2024 00:31 |
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| SteamSpy data | 18 December 2024 06:47 |
| Steam price | 23 December 2024 20:43 |
| Steam reviews | 22 December 2024 18:02 |
Online players
10
Developer
Nihon Falcom
Publisher
XSEED Games,
Marvelous USA, Inc.
Release
03 Nov 2016
Platforms
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