Super Smash Bros. and Kirby creator Masahiro Sakurai has been spending some time lately on Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

All in all, Sakurai praised the game for its huge world, storyline, and soundtrack. Sakurai says he has immersed himself in the game for a very long period of time due to the immense amount of content and things to do.

Here are Sakurai’s full thoughts, translated by Source Gaming:

Sakurai cleared Xenoblade Chronicles 2 during his New Year’s vacation. He had to dedicate a lot of time to it because of the immense amount of content, but says having so much to do also creates a real sense of growth and development. Sakurai praises the game’s sprawling world, unique story and rich soundtrack. He thinks the map’s use of high and low terrain and its variety of areas makes it great for an open world game.

From a developer’s perspective, he considers Xenoblade 2 a considerable achievement. Says Monolith Soft’s assistance to Breath of The Wild’s development might have improved their own open world know-how. It took him a really long time to play, but for open world games, big is the right way to do it. He thinks the feeling of freedom, doing things in the order you like and going on adventures with your crew is an essential aspect of open world games.

The game isn’t quickly consumable, so it may not fit modern consumers’ taste. Time you spend playing one game could be spent enjoying other games. But in a world with many different types of games, it’s crucial to have games like Xenoblade 2. There are things you can’t get by just rushing through the game. If you take your time, and dig deep, there’s a lot to love. It’s a rare type of game, so if you’re going to play it, then plant your feet and take on the challenge.