Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s main storyline is split into ten chapters. Not every chapter is equal in length, but they all introduce new characters, locations, and combat abilities.
This list will rank all ten chapters based on how well-written their stories are, how fun their locations are to explore, and how good the new mechanics they introduce to the combat work.
Beware! This list will contain late-game spoilers!
10/10 Chapter 4: Aegis
This chapter begins with the party reminiscing on death from the end of the previous chapter. They begin their journey to the next Titan, but that gets interrupted by a thief. The first third of the chapter revisits an older Titan to progress a storyline that doesn’t contribute much to the overall narrative.
Eventually, they do reach the next Titan, but this is where some gameplay flaws become apparent. Field Skills become required –there’s a large field of super over-leveled enemies you need to run past, and the factory at the end is notorious for getting lost in. This chapter isn’t all bad, though. Three party members get much-needed screen time, and an entirely new party member joins at the end.
9/10 Chapter 1: Encounters
Chapter 1 serves as a great introduction to the world of Alrest. Important aspects of the game, like the Cloud Sea, the World Tree, the Architect, and Titans, are all briefly described by Rex almost immediately. Xenoblade 2’s main antagonists appear much earlier than the major villains of other installments.
This chapter is among the shortest in the game. It’s essentially just a brief introduction to the storyline, tutorials, and one dungeon. The combat sequence at the end is exciting but not enough to make the chapter stand out compared to most that came after.
8/10 Chapter 2: Aptitude
Chapter 2 is the first time the player gets to explore a massive Titan. Gormott begins a little narrow but then extends into a large open world to explore. Players gain access to many enemies, shops, and the most basic features of the game. This chapter also introduces Blade’s summoning and multiple new party members.
The story of chapter 2 is more basic than the later plot twist-heavy chapters, and several main combat features, such as Chain Attacks, stay locked in the chapter. These factors make this chapter blander from what’s to come thereafter.
7/10 Chapter 5: Masters And Slaves
Chapter 5 is a bit different from most chapters. It takes place on multiple new different Titans instead of only introducing one. This opens up a lot of optional exploration. The motivation behind multiple villains’ actions gets hinted at, but it actually raises more questions instead of answering the previous ones.
That isn’t bad since this is a chapter in the center of the game. The mystery helps keep players motivated to keep going, yet it does mean the chapter doesn’t contain as many shocking twists as it could’ve.
6/10 Chapter 3: Our Own War
Chapter 3 is where characters and combat mechanics started to shine. Vandham’s presence in the story was brief yet very impactful. The fight against Malos at the end was an exciting moment that revealed Mythra for the first time. It concluded with the first very emotional moment in the game.
The combat got more depth as toppling, switching between Pyra and Mythra, and other mechanics became available. Additionally, the large cherry blossom forest in Uraya Stomach makes this chapter’s setting one of the most beautiful in the entire game.
5/10 Chapter 6: Wounds
Chapter 6 is where a lot of character growth begins. Rex begins to learn to fight without Aegis by his side, players see Zeke’s family history, and the villains start putting their master plan into motion. The party is overwhelmed by Jin’s overpowered new form and Pyra getting stolen at the end of the chapter is a good cliffhanger.
The cast tundra of Tantal sticks out from past game locations. One of the few glaring flaws this chapter has is its requirement to progress Field Skills, but most of the required ones are very easy to obtain compared to other Field Skills checks within the game.
4/10 Chapter 9: Rain
Chapter 9 involves racing to the top of the World Tree before Amalthus and the Torna members. Most of the massive final plot twists aren’t revealed until the last chapter, but this chapter is full of wonderful foreshadowings, such as the World Tree itself being a massive sci-fi tower. It was previously believed to be a real tree.
The peak of this chapter is defeating nearly every major reoccurring villain. The World Tree is a great dungeon, but it involves a lot of hallways. It’s not as vast and fun to explore as most of the Titans in the game.
3/10 Chapter 8: World Tree
Waking up in a post-apocalyptic city underneath the Cloud Sea is a great start to chapter 8. The explorable map isn’t as big as in other chapters, but the land of Morytha is unlike anything seen in chapters prior.
Before chapter 8, Xenoblade 2 felt entirely disconnected from Xenoblade 1. This chapter is where small hints start to appear. Chapter 8 also contains a brief segment where a villain is playable. His backstory and motivation get explored much more than in any other chapter.
2/10 Chapter 7: The Fear She Carries
This chapter is where a lot of characters reach the peak of their development. Rex, Pyra, and Mythra, all find their way out of depression. Nia finally excepts herself for who she really is and reveals her true self to the world. Multiple new unlocked transformations in this chapter improve combat further.
This would be the best chapter if the new deplorable areas met the writing quality. The Spirit Crucible is often considered the worst dungeon in the game. The cliffs of Morytha aren’t bad, but they’re too small compared to the vast Titans from other chapters.
1/10 Chapter 10: Thus Boy Met Girl
Many of Xenoblade 2’s massive plot twists get revealed in this chapter. What the Cloud Sea is, what the World Tree is, what Core Crystals are, who the Architect is, what the Aegis really is, the many connections Xenoblade 2 shares with 1, and a tiny connection to Xenosaga make this chapter one of the most important from a lore perspective.
For nearly the entire journey, the party fought to get to Elysium. The party finally reaches it, yet it’s nothing like what the entire game implies. This initially makes the journey feel pointless, but it also represents the game’s overall message. The party never gave up. They kept matching on to find the truth and aim for a better future. The final stretch of this game is the emotional peak of the story.
