Tokyo Xanadu eX+ Nintendo Switch review: Persona for portable

Tokyo Xanadu's upgraded version has finally returned to handheld consoles.

Tokyo Xanadu eX+ / Aksys

July feels like the month of Persona clones, with the recently released Dungeons of Hinterberg, which mixes dungeon crawling and social interactions, and Tokyo Xanadu eX+, which… mixes dungeon crawling and social interactions. While the premises are the same, there is something about Tokyo Xanadu eX+ that attracted me more. I am the PlayStation Vita’s strongest soldier, and even 12 years after the console was released, I still think it is the greatest of all time. If you’re as obsessed as me, you’ll know that Tokyo Xanadu was originally released as a Vita exclusive.

Playing the original game is not the best experience. It really pushed the Vita to its limits, and in some of the bombastic boss fights, you will encounter severe lag. The eX+ version was later released on PS4 and PC, which comes with a number of improvements. Aside from eliminating the lag, the biggest additions are the quality of life changes such as easier navigation and fast-forwarding through cutscenes. EX+ also has an extra eX+ exclusive chapter at the end. As much as I hate to admit it, eX+ is the better version of Tokyo Xanadu, and with the Nintendo Switch release, it is now available on a portable console as it was intended to be played.

Tokyo Xanadu eX+ / Aksys

Tokyo Xanadu has a number of key differences that set it apart from the Persona series. While you still play as a very special boy who can fight monsters in a shadow realm only a few people can see, these fights are real-time rather than turn-based. You can take up to three of your party members into each dungeon, which you can change at will to counter the different types of enemies. Like Persona 5, the dungeons aren’t procedurally generated, and you’ll have to complete puzzles as you explore each one.

Tokyo Xanadu eX+ / Aksys

The main way you buff your characters is through the equipment, and this is the most confusing part of the gameplay. Rather than purchasing upgraded weapons, you equip different buffs to your weapons, but not all of them are compatible. There is a crafting system, and you’ll need to trade to get the materials, and frankly, the whole system is more complicated than it needs to be. Armor works in the usual way where you purchase upgraded items, but with so many party members, you’ll find yourself spreading it out and moving it between members depending on who you bring. This encourages you to stick to your best characters, though at certain points, you are forced to use them all.

Tokyo Xanadu eX+ / Aksys

Social interactions work in a unique way, too. You can hang out with more than one person per day – which is good given how much shorter Tokyo Xanadu is compared to your typical Persona game – and you can gain extra chances to interact with people by completing optional dungeons. These interactions don’t unlock any benefits in battle, but they do give extra cutscenes for the characters you spent the most time with. I didn’t unlock all of these in my playthrough, but they still made me feel closer to the characters and gave the story more flavor. There is also a secret ending for those who spend time helping others out, which creates a very satisfying end to the game.

Tokyo Xanadu eX+ / Aksys

Tokyo Xanadu is a very competent RPG and dungeon crawler with enough systems in place to make it as easy or as challenging as you like. The characters are well-written, and while the story is a little clichéd, the secret ending more than makes up for it. Tokyo Xanadu was originally released in 2015, and I’m glad the upgraded version has finally returned to handheld consoles. Playing on the go is the best way to experience it, and now you can, even without a Vita obsession.

Score: 7/10

Version tested: Nintendo Switch