RPG Site looks back at Xanadu Next:

Casual Mode: Xanadu Next

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The Gaming Untion has reviewed Xanadu Next:

Xanadu Next Review

Over the years, Nihon Falcom has become a well-known and loved developer to both fans of action and RPGs alike, due to the mix of great gameplay and narrative they spin into each of their creations. What’s interesting about the latest Falcom title publisher XSEED Games has brought over, however, is that unlike the frantic action of the Ys games (or the more narrative focus of its later entries) or the RPG-bent of the Trails series, Xanadu Next has an older bent to it. So how does that hold up in today’s era, even with some minor upgrades to run better on today’s modern systems?

[...]

While the gamepad controls aren’t quite up to par, the core gameplay of Xanadu Next is still exceptionally solid and is a great window into the earlier development aspects of Nihon Falcom before their more recent releases as of late. Western gamers never got the chance to play the “true” version of this title, getting cut-down releases of the game, so getting the real thing is a joy. If you have a PC and mouse handy, it’s worth your time to enjoy some good, classic action RPG goodness.

Score: 7/10

CGMagazine has reviewed the PC re-release of Xanadu Next:

Xanadu Next (PC) Review

Jokes aside, Xanadu Next is a sequel to a game from the 80s, and one that never left Japan no less. To complicate matters further, America only got one version of the game—released on the the N-Gage. While basically the same game, this port had a truncated story, different character designs, and other tweaks to Nihon Falcom’s PC exclusive. Had it not been for XSEED, that might have been all she wrote for America. Lo and behold, however, we’re finally getting the definitive version of the title, give or take a decade.

[...]

Xanadu Next might be dated, but it’s dated in a way that’s mostly charming. RPG fans, and specifically Falcom fans, will most likely come away satisfied. At its low price, it’s definitely worth giving a shot.

Score: 7.5/10

HardcoreGamer has reviewed the J-RPG re-release Xanadu Next:

Review: Xanadu Next

Nostalgia is easy but can be hard to justify. There were a lot of terrible games mixed in with the good ones, but by sheer volume spread out over fifteen years there was a lot to look back on fondly from the PS1/PS2 era. Xanadu Next is an action/RPG that can hang with the bet of those games, primarily because it came out right in the heart of the PS2 era. It was originally for Windows PC, although Japan-only, but somehow made an appearance on N-Gage in the US and Europe. The PC version has been given a tiny little upgrade to run on modern systems and, while it’s obviously a graphics refugee from a decade ago and desperately needs better controller support, Xanadu Next is a brand-new nostalgia trip that would have justified the fond memories.

[...]

While Xanadu Next is buggy and its menus just plain busted for controller use, the rest of the game is a wonderful trip through a classic JRPG world. The story starts small and the area to explore is a single island, but clever use of interconnecting dungeons makes it feel much larger. The entire quest is easily twenty or more hours long and that doesn’t even include chasing after the bonus dungeon.  The combat is lively, enemies plentiful and puzzles show up frequently enough to keep you on your toes.  Special consideration has to go to the soundtrack as well, which is easily one of the year’s best.  Xanadu Next never had a chance to find an audience outside of Japanese PC gamers and the N-Gage user base way back in 2005, but it deserved far better.  It’s a little jagged around the edges and could use a pile of patches, but every issue has a simple workaround, leaving the heart of the game to shine as an action-RPG classic that’s no longer lost in an obscure corner of gaming history.

Score: 4/5

Destructoid has reviewed the Action RPG Xanadu Next:

Review: Xanadu Next

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At first sight, Xanadu Next feels like it’ll feature a simple story, as it focuses on a nameless former knight and his childhood orphanage buddy Charlotte’s journey to uncover the mysteries of Harlech Island. Underneath the basic objective lies a tale that revolves around the legendary swords known as the Dragon Slayer and the history behind the ancient kingdom of Xanadu. Of course, people will have to work hard to get the best out of this lore.

[...]

Xanadu Next may not look as good as Falcom’s other 2005 and 2004 titles, but its strengths lie in how it creates an action-RPG with many convenient features. The wide array of skills grants players the chance to experiment in battle and Harlech Island is filled with many secrets that expand on the title’s narrative, such as ancient tablets and scriptures. While its mechanic where you need keys to progress sounds like a chore, the idea that every area is connected to the main town makes the whole thing go smoothly.

With the length ranging from 10 to 15 hours, Xanadu Next packs the right amount of content anyone who’s in the mood for a title that mixes action-RPG and puzzle elements. Like with many games that revolve around obtaining a legendary weapon, the Dragon Slayer is a blade that’s worth wielding.

Score: 8/10

RPGSite has reviewed Xanadu Next:

Xanadu Next Review

Waiting for a localization of a Japanese game sometimes takes patience. Luckily, in today's gaming climate, the West is getting more and more localizations of even niche titles, and the wait time in between region releases have dramatically improved - for the most part. However, there are always those titles that seem destined to be forever stuck to Japanese shores. As time passes, holding out hope for these games can be difficult.

Xanadu Next is one of those games I had heard praise about for many years from many different places. I was told how it blended Ys and Diablo gameplay styles with a medieval gothic setting, and everything I knew about it seemed right up my alley. The localization team at XSEED is no stranger to dedicating effort in releasing older games in English - as evidenced with their continued releases of the Trails in the Sky series among other games. When they announced that Xanadu Next was finally getting an official release, it immediately became one of my most anticipated titles for the year. 

And let me put it plainly - Xanadu Next did not disappoint.

[...]

One thing I also want to emphasize is that Xanadu Next doesn't overstay its welcome. Everything in the main game can be done in 10-15 hours. There's a level of simplicity underneath everything that leads to a very comfortable feeling with this game. Nothing is overlong and nothing is over-intricate, from story to mechanics. Its a tight-knit experience that knows how to keeps pace.

Xanadu Next is a treat - a well crafted package that blends addictive combat, fun progression systems, pleasant exploration, great music & atmosphere along with a compelling story that doesn't get in the way. The whole experience is simply delightfully satisfying. Sometimes, good things come to those who wait.

Score: 9/10

The Action RPG Xanadu Next has been released:

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Whenever mist hangs over the waters of Lake Orwell on Harlech Island, sailors catch sight of a phantom castle just out of reach. As they draw near, it fades into the fog like a mirage, leaving only questions for all who have borne witness to this “Castle Strangerock.”

An up-and-coming scholar named Charlotte L. Wells has had her interest piqued by this local legend and desperately wishes to study it in person—but of course, Harlech Island is no place for an unescorted young lady. To aid her in her investigation, therefore, she enlists the help of an old childhood friend and fallen knight who agrees to accompany her on this adventure.

Arriving in Harlech and catching sight of Castle Strangerock almost immediately, Char dives into researching the mystery head-on, leaving her companion to explore the surrounding environs on his own in search of any artifacts that might help trace the origins of this ephemeral stronghold.

Sadly, this almost immediately leads to his death at the hands of a mysterious swordsman seemingly displaced in time...but death is to be only the beginning of his adventure.

Xanadu Next is an exploration-centric action RPG from Nihon Falcom, the acclaimed creators of the Ys and The Legend of Heroes RPG franchises. A late entry in their immensely popular Dragon Slayer series and a spiritual follow-up to the late ‘80s cult classic Faxanadu, Xanadu Next puts players in the shoes of a gravely injured knight given a new lease on life through ancient magic who must now seek a legendary sword called “Dragon Slayer” to ensure his survival.

Players will fight hordes of monsters in real time while exploring the lush, mysterious and perilous environments of Harlech Island, along with the ruins of an ancient paradise known as Xanadu that was partially inspired by tales of the Mongolian emperor Kublai Khan. Along the way, players will uncover bits and pieces of Xanadu’s past in the form of ancient stone tablets and memorandums, piecing together a complex tale of magic, war, an ancient dragon, and a mysterious figure known only as the “Black Bride.”

Features

An Interconnected World Full of Secrets

• Icy peaks connect with fiery caverns, old waterways, mystical forests and magical ruins, creating one single giant map to explore with countless secret passageways, alternate routes, shortcuts, hidden items, deadly bosses and new techniques to uncover.

Real-Time Combat with Dozens of Unique Abilities

• Fight ruthless enemies in real time, using a wide variety of skills to aid you. As in Ys SEVEN, skills are attached to weapons and can be learned through repeated use of those weapons, adding an element of excitement and promise to every new armament found.

Exploration Rewarded with Rich Backstory

• Stone tablets and old letters are scattered throughout the ruins on Harlech Island, each written in an ancient tongue. Fortunately, your companion is an accomplished scholar who can translate them for you in real time, providing valuable insight into important events and mythologies from the age of Xanadu.

Unique Gameplay Systems that Keep the Experience Fresh

• Players can choose to level-down in order to tweak their stats, fuse themselves with “Guardians” to gain new passive abilities, learn spells, and even carve keys from monster bones to lessen demand for pre-made keys and keep their prices low.

Atmospheric Visuals and Music in Classic Falcom Tradition

• Inspired by hardcore dungeon RPGs of the '80s and created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Xanadu, one of Japan's action RPG forefathers, Xanadu Next mimics the gritty, medieval look of its ancestor, but in full 3D and with ample amounts of subtle detailing, as well as a foreboding and wholly unique soundtrack composed by Falcom's venerable Sound Team jdk.

The action RPG Xanadu Next - originally released in Japan in 2005 - will be released on Steam, GOG and Humble Store on November 3:

Whenever mist hangs over the waters of Lake Orwell on Harlech Island, sailors catch sight of a phantom castle just out of reach. As they draw near, it fades into the fog like a mirage, leaving only questions for all who have borne witness to this “Castle Strangerock.”

An up-and-coming scholar named Charlotte L. Wells has had her interest piqued by this local legend and desperately wishes to study it in person—but of course, Harlech Island is no place for an unescorted young lady. To aid her in her investigation, therefore, she enlists the help of an old childhood friend and fallen knight who agrees to accompany her on this adventure.

Arriving in Harlech and catching sight of Castle Strangerock almost immediately, Char dives into researching the mystery head-on, leaving her companion to explore the surrounding environs on his own in search of any artifacts that might help trace the origins of this ephemeral stronghold.

Sadly, this almost immediately leads to his death at the hands of a mysterious swordsman seemingly displaced in time...but death is to be only the beginning of his adventure.

Xanadu Next is an exploration-centric action RPG from Nihon Falcom, the acclaimed creators of the Ys and The Legend of Heroes RPG franchises. A late entry in their immensely popular Dragon Slayer series and a spiritual follow-up to the late ‘80s cult classic Faxanadu, Xanadu Next puts players in the shoes of a gravely injured knight given a new lease on life through ancient magic who must now seek a legendary sword called “Dragon Slayer” to ensure his survival.

Players will fight hordes of monsters in real time while exploring the lush, mysterious and perilous environments of Harlech Island, along with the ruins of an ancient paradise known as Xanadu that was partially inspired by tales of the Mongolian emperor Kublai Khan. Along the way, players will uncover bits and pieces of Xanadu’s past in the form of ancient stone tablets and memorandums, piecing together a complex tale of magic, war, an ancient dragon, and a mysterious figure known only as the “Black Bride.”

Features

An Interconnected World Full of Secrets

• Icy peaks connect with fiery caverns, old waterways, mystical forests and magical ruins, creating one single giant map to explore with countless secret passageways, alternate routes, shortcuts, hidden items, deadly bosses and new techniques to uncover.

Real-Time Combat with Dozens of Unique Abilities

• Fight ruthless enemies in real time, using a wide variety of skills to aid you. As in Ys SEVEN, skills are attached to weapons and can be learned through repeated use of those weapons, adding an element of excitement and promise to every new armament found.

Exploration Rewarded with Rich Backstory

• Stone tablets and old letters are scattered throughout the ruins on Harlech Island, each written in an ancient tongue. Fortunately, your companion is an accomplished scholar who can translate them for you in real time, providing valuable insight into important events and mythologies from the age of Xanadu.

Unique Gameplay Systems that Keep the Experience Fresh

• Players can choose to level-down in order to tweak their stats, fuse themselves with “Guardians” to gain new passive abilities, learn spells, and even carve keys from monster bones to lessen demand for pre-made keys and keep their prices low.

Atmospheric Visuals and Music in Classic Falcom Tradition

• Inspired by hardcore dungeon RPGs of the '80s and created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Xanadu, one of Japan's action RPG forefathers, Xanadu Next mimics the gritty, medieval look of its ancestor, but in full 3D and with ample amounts of subtle detailing, as well as a foreboding and wholly unique soundtrack composed by Falcom's venerable Sound Team jdk.