X is for... Xanadu Next

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Game Information

Developer:	Nihom Falcom	Date Started:	20/09/2025
Platform:	GoG	Fresh Play / Continuation:	Fresh Play
Genre:	RPG	Time Played:	12.75 hrs
Theme:	Fantasy	Date Finished:	05/11/2025
Difficulty Rating:	Difficult but short	Recommendation:	Worth it

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It took me a while to get through Xanadu Next, but not because the game was incredibly long. Juggling my current predicament and trying to disconnect from my mental worries was not easy. I did, however, manage to squeeze in a few hours here or there; otherwise, I wouldn't be raising this post now, would I?

When I chose this game, it was primarily because I was already starting to struggle to find an X game that I had not yet played. I was even hesitant to play this one since it was an RPG, thinking it would take a long time to complete, especially with time being a very scarce thing as it is. But I was delightfully surprised at how short it was compared to other RPG games - not that it was a bad thing.

Xanadu Next is an action RPG somewhat like Dungeon Siege. A lot of the controls can be handled with a mouse, which makes things easier. The only time I really used a keyboard was to make use of the shortcut keys for the item and spell slots. So if you are a person who likes old-school action RPGs with very simple controls, then I highly recommend this.

The story was quite decent. While the overall trope was not that different from other titles, the way this one was tackled was done well. Not only that, but because the game was not too long, they managed to pace the story and its reveals quite smoothly. Additional lore was also left in the form of tablets and memoirs that you find scattered in the dungeons, but not to the point where it was repetitive or long and drawn out. Also, although this game is a spin-off to another game - Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu - you don't need to have played it to enjoy this game. If anything, the scattered lore does make reference to this game, so personally, I treat Xanadu Next as a sequel.

Now, the main bulk of the game consists of exploring ruins/dungeons. Thankfully, it is always pretty clear where you must go next. There were only two moments where I needed to give it some thought - the first was after I got an item to breathe underwater. It did not occur to me straight away that the lake water in the main town could be investigated. And the second was actually after it. There was a sealed entrance to a dungeon, which you find very early on in the game, and I had forgotten about it.

The dungeons themselves are very short, and while there are some branching paths, the progression is still quite linear. The only thing that stopped me from blazing through the game was the grind. Several times, I found I had to escape the dungeon to heal up and go to a previous area to raise my level, just so that I could get better gear. But thankfully, it never felt like a chore. Even when I reached the final boss, and an annoying enemy had de-leveled me about five times, I was concerned I would have to leave the area and rebuild my strength (which is a slow process), but when I tackled the final fight, the right strategy, magic, consumables, and skills got me through it in the end.

Speaking of fights, these were probably the more 'difficult' aspect in the game. It wasn't just a simple case of going in there, hacking away at anything that moves. Every enemy had a strategy, and if you could find it, you could exploit it well. For instance, some enemies you could use a lunge skill and knock them back, granting you the opportunity to deliver some deadly strikes before they recover. Others had a wind-up time, so you could sweep around behind them to deal extra damage. Then some would be weak against certain spell attributes. Lastly, you could bring down a flying enemy with a projectile spell to daze them, similar to the lunge skill with ground units. However, knowing about these strategies wasn't always going to get you out of trouble, especially when dealing with a horde of enemies.

Every dungeon was made up of rooms/segments. Sometimes there would be a puzzle, sometimes enemies, and sometimes nothing - just to keep you on your toes. Exploration is encouraged in the game, especially to look out for hidden areas, because you could find weapons and armour that can't be obtained from the blacksmith. Another reason this is good is that the more you use a weapon, the higher your proficiency. Once you hit 100% you unlock the skill that is locked with that weapon to be used freely with any weapon.

If it weren't for the grind to get better gears, higher levels, and more skills through weapon proficiency, I do believe the game would have been a whole lot shorter. The twelve hours I put into the game had a lot of this back-and-forth element. But as mentioned, it never felt like it was a drag. Especially since the dungeons were relatively small. Only the final dungeon truly felt big and had a lot of exploration. But again, even though there were branching paths, it was quite clear which was the main one, because the side paths always ended relatively quickly with a chest waiting for you at the end - sometimes with something needed to progress, or sometimes with a valuable weapon or spell.

Now, while I did enjoy the game, I don't know if I would have paid the full €15.00 for it. I had gotten the game on sale on GoG, and I felt the sale price was a decent balance. But with how short it is and with the amount of grind needed, I would be hesitant to pay in full.

Regardless, I did enjoy the title. I enjoyed the combat and the puzzles. I even enjoyed the story, so I would still give my recommendation. It's a surprise how it's not that well-known compared to other titles from Falcom.

With that game out of the way now, I can proceed with my next title, which is going to be another long one, most probably. But what can you expect if the majority of my Y titles are from the Yakuza franchise? So yeah, my next entry will be Yakuza Kiwami