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Xenosaga - Aspiring to be the Perfect Drug?

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 12 / 13
Date: January 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I used to be a serious hardcore gamer, but I've kicked the habit and now I'm down to about a game a year. I figured I was done for this year. Yet for two weeks straight, this game proceeded to thieve 5 hours of my life every day. It is a horrible, distracting, frustrating assemblage of ink and plastic, 1's and 0's.

But it's so addicting.

Some people on this site have compared it to Final Fantasy X. FFX, however, had better execution on some levels: the cutscenes were nicer, the religious/philosophical implications were a bit more subtle, and the game was more seamless - it felt more like a coherent whole, designed as a total _game_, rather than a storyboard of cutscenes with gameplay inserted as an afterthought.

This last bit was Xenosaga's biggest failing, I thought - the game seemed like an afterthought to the cutscenes. To a point, that makes sense with RPG's, until the transitions are too abrupt, and the gameplay isn't really fleshed out enough. How about making A.G.W.S's, Ziggy and MOMO actually useful? How about making Ether (Magic) useful beyond the heal spells and 2 or 3 status-fiddling abilities? Most of these things look good. But how about fixing up chaos so he doesn't look like he's heading to "space day" at some freaky bar and forgot to do his hair on the way out of the apt.? How about more variety in areas to explore? They all look so similar, and there's often not much to them. So much of a good RPG is just enjoying the beauty of the world you enter into, and that beauty needs to _fit_ the world and _deepen_ it along with the characters (most of these aesthetic complaints have been fixed for "Xenosaga: vol.2" from the screenshots I've seen). The characters are excellent. I mean that without exaggeration. They're developed quite a bit in the cutscenes, along with their worldviews. They get people from notable anime series (Cowboy Bebop's Jet Black!) to do the voice acting, so it's pretty good. There are plans for a Xenosaga Anime, by the way - perfect, since Xenosaga's full of the kind of Matrix-sequel type pontificating that is kind of expected in 'classier' Anime.

Overall, the storyline proceeds nicely, although it remains to be seen whether or not they actually do a good job of creating a Nietzschean metanarrative as an encompassing backdrop to the story (as the designers boast they're trying to) other than by simply having people (enemies) spout out watered down and fairly distorted Nietzschean theories about the world as the animating principle behind their life (the heroes usually do something similar with Carl Jung - but sorry, Shion: identity diffusion is _not_ a perennial problem, much less _the_ perennial problem: it is specific to our patch of history and geography, where our culture has no ability to embed the individual in a context of meaning which at least _seems_ corrolary to the universe itself).

But I don't mean to give the impression that this game is poor quality just because I'm not sure if they managed to pull this part off like they wanted. Some elements of the story - the technique of unfolding the game world's mysteries bit by bit, only to reveal more mysteries - are really captivating. I like the depth they've given to the their world and the sense of history they've managed to invest it with. That's essential. There's actually an in-game database where you can look up more info on events, people, places, groups, technologies, and theories that are mentioned to get more info on them, or just find out what the heck these people are talking about, if you haven't done much reading in philosophy, theology, psychology or theoretical (?quack?) physics.

There is so much potential for this series to really shine in future volumes - even if they didn't fix these problems, it'd be fun following it. I'll probably pick up the next one, and pleasantly destroy another two weeks of my life.

Xenosaga...... the future looks bright.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: June 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I just finished playing Xenosaga and I must say that it's one of the best RPG's I've ever played. Let me take you through my review of it....
Xenosaga is an RPG based in the future where mankind has spread and colonized the universe and battles internal strife as well as an alien race called the Gnosis. The best feature of Xenosaga is its story. It's huge, engrossing and simply amazing. It really is a surreal trip through an alternate reality. The next best thing are the characters. They are so well developed and each has their own backgrounds and history which are revealed through the story. There are no useless characters in the story; they all play a role and are brought to life through voice acting and dialogue.
Xenosaga's battle system is also a very nice change from the norm. It can be as simple or as complex as you want. It's filled with customizations, AGWS (giant robots), boosts, fiersome enemies, and some very nice features. The only thing that's unfair is that alot of the bosses way abuse the boost ability making it feel very cheap. And it's hard to use the various points and learn the ropes without really examining the various features, but it's still good once you get the hang of it.
One element of the game that's come under heavy fire is the cutscene method. You will be watching as much as you play. I guarantee it. But the story is so well done that I didn't mind. Xenosaga ain't for everyone: but if you want an amazing RPG with a one of a kind story, it's a crime not to play it. If only they had better integrated the movie and gameplay parts... but still, it's extremely impressive. The game graphics are still awesome after 2 years and the soundtrack is excellent even though I wish they would've played more of it over the course of the game.
The back of the Xenosaga case says that the game contains 80 hours of gameplay. Most gamers I have seen say it's around 60 hours, 40 if you're quick. I watched every cutscene, did alot of the side missions including most of the decodings, fought every boss and played through it all in only 30 hrs. Half the time alotted by gamers. Still, the game felt more than sufficiently long, and I was very happy with the ending.
My only complaint with it all that really irritated me involved the enemies. The enemies are almost always placed at the chokepoints so you're FORCED to fight them even though the idea of seeing them is that you're free to not fight them if you choose. Even if you're a good distance away, the warning sign goes off and the enemy chases after you, something I've never ever seen in any RPG that's use this system. It really becomes a game of cat and mouse as you try to outmanuever them and it becomes 5 times more frusturating when they catch you and you're forced into battle. Please follow the Chrono Cross model. This is absolutely ridiculous.
Xenosaga really is an RPG all on its own. It sticks to formulas, but mixes it up with its story. It's a must play. If you're scared, try it out anyway. I was scared of the cutscenes when I read reviews, but I never really noticed them because they were so well done. (Xenosaga movie anyone?)

Unabashedly biased about this game.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: February 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

First off, as many people have said, the game is wonderful as a movie--less so as a game itself. I am not a habitual player of RPGs for the sake of their gameplay, however--I stray toward puzzle-solving and instant-action games along the lines of the Ecco the Dolphin and Metroid series, respectively--but I appreciate the intricate storytelling the genre allows for.

Xenosaga really goes overboard for the sake of its story--and there's nothing wrong with that. The game is pretentious, and open about being pretentious. The cast of characters are all, to a greater or lesser degree, mentally ill, from heroes to villains and back again. The story takes a sudden and whiplash-inducing turn in the last third of the game. The morality of decisions made are distinctly Nietzschean--which is to say, often amoral and confused. But--the critical but!--it's a wonderful story often BECAUSE of these facts.

If you'd like a good story to chew over and talk with your friends about (I'm still talking about it, three years after I was introduced to it!), buy this game. If you want instant action and a transparent storyline--eh, give it a try. It can't hurt anything. But understand--when you're going into it--that this is more of a movie than it is a game; the objective is to entertain, enlighten, and even disturb through the visual medium, not necessarily through the gameplay itself.

Oh, and, there's plenty of eyecandy for both the ladies and the gentlemen. Always a bonus. 8)

Wonderfully Captivating RPG That's Not For Everyone

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 12
Date: August 28, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Xenosaga should go down in video game history as one of the finest RPG's ever created. It's a game that's a good cut from the norm, and stands out in the mediocre PS2 RPG crowd.

It takes place four thousand years into the future, and is set in deep space. I won't get into the plot because it is far too complicated too explain in a short review. However, I will say that it has THE most engaging storyline of any game I have ever played. It's one of those games whose characters are truly memorable, and etch themselves into your heart forever. You'll probably find yourself desperate to advance in the game just to find out what is going to happen next, as you really care about the games characters. Yes, there are a TON of cutscenes, but I found them all to be well done and enjoyable, adding much to the game instead of hindering it. I will say that if you're the type of person who hates this style, you probably won't enjoy the game.

As far as gameplay goes, it's only a little better than most RPG's nowadays, and has it's flaws. First off, the customization options for your characters are terrific, a very fun part of the game. However, sometimes battling becomes tedious and boring. A game like FFX has slightly better gameplay than Xenosaga.

The graphics are decent overall, but wonderfully detailed in the cutscenes, and voice acting is well done.

Basically, if you're the type of person that loves an epic story, you gotta get this game. I feel blessed to have been able to play it, and eagerly anticipate the follow up.

The Start of Something Great

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: March 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I have never played Xenogears. From what I hear it was an underappreciated game on the PS1. Despite being developed by RPG giant Squaresoft, Xenogears didn't possess the hype necessary to pull me in. I was too caught up in other franchises to pay the Xeno universe much notice.

However, all that changed the first hour I was into Xenosaga. 85 game hours later (and just 30 minutes ago) I finished it. Now I'm hooked and very much interested in what Xenogears was all about.

What drew me into Xenosaga wasn't the convincing, futuristic atmosphere. It wasn't the slick graphics and impressive battle animations. It wasn't the superb music and sound effects. No, it was the outstanding story and characters. These two aspects unfold in highly entertaining cinema scenes packed with perfect amounts of humor and drama. They do a good job of keeping you interested in the characters, as well as the plot. They're so professionally done you'd swear you're watching a movie, not a game.

And therein lies one problem. As you've no doubt heard, Xenosaga holds the record for longest and most frequent cutscenes in any game...ever. I, for one, never had a problem with Xenosaga's cutscenes. In fact, they were the reason for me to keep playing! Thankfully, there is a feature to skip any cinema scene at any time, so no one can complain there.

If you like complex customization options you'll love Xenosaga's menu system. At first glance it's intimidating, but spend some time going through it and you'll begin to see how things work. That's also true with the battle system, which may not be what most RPG players are used to.

All of the music in Xenosaga is done by a full symphony orchestra, and it sounds stellar. I just wish there was more of it. And I wish it wasn't reused so often. The best example of this is the battle music, which never changes, not even for boss fights (except for the final battle).

Sound effects are perfect throughout the game. Battles are riddled with satisfying impact sounds. Footsteps sound appropriate to whomever is walking around the environment. It's all top notch.

The only non-graphic/sound complaint I have has to do with the best part about Xenosaga: the cutscenes. I would have liked to see the characters' mouths move in synch with the English voices. It's distracting but forgivable.

Be prepared for plenty of unanswered questions by the game's end. The title Xenosaga is accurate. Seeing as how there's going to be six-seven parts, this is one ambitious game series. I'm already addicted and this is only Episode I!!!

A Game of Monstrous Proportions

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: April 15, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This is one of those games that at first you think woooo--- why am I playing this game,then once you get about an hour into it it really picks up and soars. This is one the greatest RPG ever ----- well,except Final Fantasy X. So here's an analysis of the game:

Graphics: Good, but few movie scenes

Gameplay: Well thought out, smart and intelligently made.

Characters: The main characters are pretty cool but some times a bit annoying.

All around score: 9.5/10, I reccommend though that kids the age of 12 and under should not play this game for blood and gore and some scenes that can give you the creeps.

One more thing, You should buy this game,it will be the best $50 you ever spent (other than on your PS2)

One of the best RPG's ever

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: October 21, 2005
Author: Amazon User

War has erupted between humans and an alien life force known as the Gnosis. Man is in danger if nothing is done soon. That's where Shion Uzuki, the designer for the Anti-Gnosis Weapons System known as KOS-MOS, comes in.

This game has a splendid opening, it really gets you thinking about life itself (the subtitle is also a book written by a philospher). Anyway, you start out on a space ship that is creating the ultimate weapon against the Gnosis. However, before completion the Gnosis attack your ship and KOS-MOS starts herself up by herself.

From then on, your basically thrown around to different areas, exploring multiple storylines and trying to figure out why everything is happening.

The graphics in this game are similar to that of an anime game. The characters have big googly eyes and look a little cartoonish (especially Shion). That's what really sets the mood for the game, though.

The battle system is really unique and unlike any I have tried. Basically you have physical or ether (like magic) attacks. If you choose to guard during a turn the AP gauge will go up, allowing you to do an extra, more powerful combo. Once you level up a lot, you'll gain more of these powerful end moves that will allow you to defeat stronger enemies. You're not limited to just the characters, you also have AGWS units, which are basically mechs.

I really was not disappointed in this game, I loved it better than any RPG (yes, even FFVII).

This a great game for the PS2 collection, I would highly recommend it.

A Masterpiece

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 16
Date: February 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Square has always been known for making some of the most innovative, interactive, and interesting games in the video market today. Starting back in 1990 with Final Fantasy, the company has exploded into other RPG's, strategy, action, and even fighting games to thrill their audiences with. But when the designer of one of their popular titles "Xenogears," Tetsuya Takahashi, asked to make a prequel series of his project, he was denied. So, he did the next best thing, and turned it over to Namco, most famous for Pac-Man and the Tekken/Soul Blade series.

The game is hands-down gorgeous. If you're an anime fan, it will only heighten your experience, since the characters are designed in a very Manga-style fashion. A vast array of colors decorate clothing, backgrounds, and special effects to almost perfection. The characters move very fluidly, and though it's all game graphics (no CGI in this one), there's very little "overlap" choppiness that happens when graphics are placed in the same place simultaneously.

The storyline is phenomenal. You're dragged into the life of Shion, a young scientific engineer who has just created an android called KOS-MOS, designed to protect against the threat of an alien race known as the Gnosis. KOS-MOS uses a special energy transmission known as the "Hilbert Effect" to turn the Gnosis from ghostly, transparent apparitions to full flesh creatures that can be defeated.

There are a LOT of long cutscenes that feature dialogue between the vast array of characters in the game, but for those of you who played and liked Final Fantasy X, this shouldn't be much of a problem to you. If anything, I think this only increased the appeal as the story is unfolded in spoken dialogue, as opposed to having to read everything.

The combat sequences are just how I like them: traditional. It's turn-based, with a variety of commands, such as fighting, using "Ether" (Magic), defending, and changing position. The actual "fighting" is a combination of different types of attacks, which are either ranged or melee. Some types of attacks hurt certain enemies more than others. Plus, there are "special" attacks you can do which can hit one or multiple enemies.

Character customization is very innovative. You can learn skills by spending points to extract them from equipment, you can upgrade your "special" attacks by spending points, and you earn normal experience to level for gaining stats, HP, and Ether points. Plus, there's a variety of different clothing, armor, and accessory options your characters can choose from to help them out.

In addition to the normal game, which features an astounding soundtrack by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, there are side games you can play, including a very interesting, challenging, fun card game.

Two of the characters, Shion and Jr., bring along walking robot constructs called AWGS. Though they're seen a few times during the story, and you eventually get to both use and customize them, they're not a very important part of the overall plot. They don't regenerate HP when you rest, meaning you have to use items to repair them, and they don't have a huge variety of weapon choices. You'll find battling with the characters outside of the AWGS (pronouced "eggs") is a lot more effective.

Overall, this game is a 10 of 10. Right up there with Final Fantasy X, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Grand Theft Auto 3. A must-have for anime fans and RPG fans alike. You'll find yourself strangely attracted to this game, a sort of addiction you can't explain, but you'll enjoy the experience. If you don't already have a copy of this, get one today. After you finish it, get ready for the highly anticipated release of Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Bose, where the characters from Der Wille zur Macht come back to resume the fantastic story from where it left off.

Absolute Perfection

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: March 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Xenosaga, simply put, is a masterpiece. Considered a "prequel" of sorts to Xenogears (PSX), Xenosaga beats it's predecessor in every way. The visuals of Xenosaga are some of the best I've seen on the Playstation 2 to date, and there's never any noticeable slowdown. Along with this, Xenosaga has a flowing plot that still keeps you wondering at every new revelation and anxious to find out what will happen next. The characters are full of life and rather mysterious as well. Their voices are done very well, and I've only noticed one actual slip-up during the character conversations. Now, what can really make or break an rpg is it's battle system. Xenogears has no worries in this department, as the system is deep in it's customization, but very simple to execute. The only major downside to Xenogears is that it's not for the action oriented gamer. The cutscenes that tell the story of Xenogears can get quite lengthy, and can bore some gamers. These scenes can be skipped, but it will probably leave most people confused if they do. Xenogears also has a number of mini-games, but I'll leave that up to the gamers to find those out.

Visually and mentally stunning.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: July 20, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I am now working through this game for the second time, having owned it for less than a month. I find almost nothing worth polishing; it's even better the second time.

One of the most important factors in RPG games for me is the storyline. Xenosaga surely won't disappoint you here. I have not played Xenogears, but still enjoyed the story greatly. I am going out on a limb to say the story is almost as good as Final Fantasy 7- just a month ago, this would have been blasphemy to my ears. But, just like Final Fantasy 7, you will not get all of the story the first time you play it through. And, just like FF7, you will notice many, MANY more things the second time you play iy through, since you know the story. The story is complex and original. And this is just the beginning- the sequels will go even further into the storyline.

The only problems I have with the game lie here, however. The game often spews forth long dialogs introducing new terms and ideas that you have never heard before. This game takes place 4000 years in the future, and many allusions are made to recent events and technologies that we won't recognize. Some of these things won't even be explained to you- you have to wait for the dialog to end, and look it up in your trusty database of Keywords. And, as many people have mentioned, the game is like a long movie... In the first 5 hours of gameplay, I accumulated less than 30 minutes of battling, which was a huge disappointed- though I was enthralled in the story, I couldn't WAIT to get back to the battles, because the battle system is just genius. A half-hour trip to the bridge near the beginning of the game could take you as long as 90 minutes, because there are just *that* many FMVs. Granted they are beautiful and breathtaking, but they are also slow. The characters talk very slowly, perhaps trying to synch their dubbed words into the lips of characters who original spoke another language. The result is that they often come off as a bit melodramatic. The long pauses make it seem like they are always awkward talking to eachother.

In between FMVs, though, you will find one of the most innovative battle systems I have ever used. This is no Final Fantasy game. Battle is severely different from any other game I have played- and this is oh-so-refreshing. This battle system offers you a great deal more control than others. You could attack as often as 3 times in a single turn, but you may want to save attacks for your next turn, or heal instead. The magic system also offers a great deal of freedom- you choose the order you want to learn spells in. If a character you don't like has a spell you do, guess what? You can "transfer" that spell to your other characters, so they all have it. The battles are great. They are easy to learn, but take a while to master. That way, the beginning of the game won't be spent fumbling around trying to figure out what to do. It is straightforward, and all clearly described in the game.

The characters are each fairly deep and well developed... some more than others. I must say this game has done something I thought would never be done- they created a mysterious teenage male character, whose past is a complete mystery, without making him a brooding, depressed vortex of gothic annoyance. Character interaction was somewhat shallow. Other than a comic relief character pining for a date with our main heroine, the characters all got along smoothly... there is a lot to be said for a little bit of tension between characters, it could have made the game a bit more interesting. Your "party" can have 3 characters in it, and there are 6 characters to choose from. At no point in the game is any character REQUIRED to be in your party (unless you have less than 3 characters, you can switch him or her out), except for one short period of the game where you'll switch back and forth between controlling two different groups.

Characters are also extremely customizable. My second play through of this game, I have decided to take the physically "weakest" character, MOMO, and pump up her HP and attack stats. She is currently the second strongest character in my party.

Xenosaga offers great gameplay, breathtaking graphics, and a story you cannot forget. I was a bit concerned about where the game would end, since I know it is a "to be continued" game, but the ending was more than satisfying, though I am still begging for the sequel. I had given up on our next-gen systems in general, I found that all three (XBox, Gamecube, and Ps2) had very few games to offer me. The older systems seemed to have much better selection, especially when it comes to RPGs. Xenosaga has shown me that there is still hope for RPGs to thrive on our new systems.

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