Nihon Falcom has become synonymous with two beloved franchises, Ys and The Legend of Heroes. Both long-running series have built up massive fanbases, especially in the West in recent years, but one of the developer’s lesser-known gems is finally getting a second chance.
In 2015, Tokyo Xanadu debuted on the PlayStation Vita in Japan (it expanded to a global audience in 2017). This was years before Falcom gained worldwide recognition, so there’s a decent chance you missed the release. Now, the Nintendo Switch port is giving Tokyo Xanadu a second shot at life, with a reworked localization that makes it the best way to play this overlooked cult classic.
Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is an enhanced port of the original game, which is technically part of Falcom’s larger “Xanadu” franchise. You don’t need to have any knowledge of the series whatsoever, though, as this is essentially a modern take that puts the story in an alternate reality current-day version of Japan.
In the game’s world Tokyo was hit by a devastating Earthquake in the year 2005, which took a full decade for the city to recover from. You play as Kou Tokisaka, a teenage boy who survived the cataclysm earthquake and now lives a boring high school life. But Kou’s dreary life gets completely upended when he tries to help a classmate getting harassed by thugs, and quite suddenly finds himself drawn into a nightmarish realm called Eclipse. He quickly learns about how this other world threatens the existence of reality.
Much like Falcom’s other games, Tokyo Xanadu is laser-focused on its main narrative and cast of characters, building a compelling “found family” story that sees a group of outcasts and delinquents finding comfort together. Kou himself is an aloof loner who grows into a dynamic leader, Yuuki is a brilliant tech whizkid who yearns for people’s approval, and Rion is a bubbly idol who puts up a strong front to mask her true personality. Every playable character and party member grows in some superbly meaningful ways, and the narrative is constantly centered around the group’s dynamic.
What’s even better about the Nintendo Switch version is that the entire game’s localization has been touched up and given another pass, making dialogue feel much more fluid and realistic. The 2015 version of the game didn’t have a bad translation, per se, but felt very stilted and robotic. But that’s completely a thing of the past if you’re jumping in on Switch.
But two other aspects make Tokyo Xanadu such an underrated gem — its fast-paced combat and sense of place. For that first point, Tokyo Xanadu is most easily comparable to Falcom’s Ys games. Amidst the school life and city living sections, you’ll have to explore various dungeons in the Eclipse, wiping out enemies along the way. The combat of Tokyo Xanadu plays at a breakneck speed, with you controlling a single character at any time, with the ability to swap in a selection of other party members.
Each character has their own unique weapon and skills, as well as an elemental affinity that decides what creatures they’re strong or weak against. This means that combat becomes a game of swapping characters on the fly to adapt to whatever enemies you're facing, monitoring the various gauges and health of everyone in the process. It’s a thrilling action combat system that encourages fast reaction times, and you’ll quickly find yourself having a blast in a matter of hours.
Past that, Tokyo Xanadu’s best quality is the way it centers your character in a dynamic city, one that grows and changes along with the narrative. Most of the game takes place in Morimiya City, a fictional district of modern-day Tokyo. As you and your team endeavor to save the world you’ll get to know the NPCs that inhabit Morimiya, seeing them grow and change alongside the city. There’s an almost cozy feeling in Tokyo Xanadu with the way you get to know the best food spots, when to check for new inventory at shops, see budding romances between NPCs, and learn about the city’s culture at the mall or park. Tokyo Xanadu is one of those games that’s simply enjoyable to exist in.
The biggest thing to keep in mind with Tokyo Xanadu is it’s a slow-burn RPG, one that wants you to get invested in its world and characters. Committing dozens of hours can be daunting, but Tokyo Xanadu rewards you for that investment with payoff in its world and story.
Tokyo Xanadu is admittedly a bit rough around the edges, a little janky, and has some bizarre pacing. But ultimately that all adds to the game’s underdog charm.
