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Xenosaga is really an M rated game, not T rated.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 31
Date: December 23, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Despite the T, Teen, rating it has earned from the ESRB, the game is truly an M, Mature, rated game. This comes from someone who played the Japanese version. This game has deep issues such as the rights of Realiens, aka "test-tube" humans, religion, humanity, and other mature-theme related topics, which are often hot topics for debate and contraversory. This game will be censored for the US version cause of its deep issues that may be too much for the American audience.

When buying, keep in mind this game is really an M rated game (R-rated like in the movies); it's censored; and it's a very deep story-driven game, unlike the other mindless action based games out there. There will be lots of reading pages and pages of text and watching movie cutscenes that can least as long as 50 minutes! Again, this is for the matured gamer who can appreciate the deep contents of this game which requires heavy watching and reading with an open mind to possibly beliefs counter to your own.

Make note that this version will be censored, which I'm repeating, and will be in full English voices, which will may or may not be good. Never the less, the differences in voices will convey a different message to the US audience cause of the difference in the voice tones in the English voices from the Japanese voices and the scenes where censorship took placed.

Again, this game deserves an M rating, so ignore the T rating, and keep this in mind for your purchasing decision on this particular title.

For the record, this is NOT a Xenogears prequel

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: December 24, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Anyone playing Xenosaga with the hopes of it being directly related to Xenogears must be warned... it isn't.

However, it IS the creation of the same force who created Xenogears, the husband and wife team of Tetsuya Takahashi (story, script) and Kaori Tanaka a.k.a. Clio Saga a.k.a. Soraya Saga (story, and SOME character design... not to be confused with Kunihiko Tanaka, who is the main character designer) It's VERY similar to Xenogears in many ways. They've taken the same backstory, themes, and ideas and laid an entirely new plot on top of it. Both deal with the discovery of the Zohar, humanity leaving earth (Lost Jerusalem) and seeking a new planet to call home (New Jerusalem) and a myriad of past events which are referred to by the characters in the story. However, the epic of which Xenogears was episode 5 centered around the creation and ultimate destruction of Deus, and Xenosaga doesn't even mention it. Anyone who's read the "Xenogears Perfect Works" book knows that Episode 1 of the Xenogears story was ENTIRELY ABOUT the creation of Deus. The remaining episodes were about different generations of humans which were created by Deus. If Deus doesn't even exist in Xenosaga, there's simply no way the two games are going to literally and directly connect.

EDIT 1/6/2003: It recently occured to me that it would be interesting and cool if perhaps the entire Xenosaga series (6 chapters?) ended with the creation of Deus. I'm not predicting this, though.

Nevertheless, Xenosaga is going to be instantly familiar and pleasing to Xenogears fans, it was definitely cut from the same cloth and shares a lot of common threads. "Spiritual prequel" might not be too inappropriate. Just don't expect to see Chu-Chu flirting with Fei when we get to Xenosaga Episode 5, 'cause it ain't gonna happen.

Xenosaga is "smaller" than Xenogears. It's a shorter game, first of all. Xenogears took me over 80 hours to finish, while Xenosaga took me "only" over 50 hours. There are fewer locales to visit, with less variety (the entire story takes place in deep space, on spaceships and spacestations.) There are fewer playable characters. It doesn't have four entire chapters of backstory to be exposed through the course of the game, as Xenogears did. But while it can't quite measure up to the sheer epic scope of Xenogears, it's the beginning of a new story, a very complex and intriguing one. Xenosaga pushes the envelope of cinematic gaming. There are a couple of non-interactive sequences which are an 45 minutes to an entire hour long. If you're one of those staunch types who say things like "I prefer to PLAY my games, not WATCH them" then you should steer clear. There's a lot to watch in Xenosaga. But the story and characters are interesting and the scenes are well executed and presented, so personally I had no problem with it.

Shaking, and re-shaping the RPG world

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 95 / 109
Date: January 23, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Xenosaga ( the spiritual prequel to Xenogears, which was released by Squaresoft on the PSX ) is an RPG of epic preportions. Like Xenogears before it, Xenosaga comes ready to provide its gaming audience with an incredible storyline, great character development, and stellar graphics. The game is said to be a 50 hour endeavor, and is certain to keep you interested as you trek through its huge tale ( complete with the longest cutscenes ever to grace a game - many exceeding 45 minutes in length ). This game is definately the second coming of the RPG; not since FFX has the gaming community seen a game with such high production values. The game also includes english voices ( which up to this point seem quite good ).

As for the controvery concerning this games content, I will be glad to clarify. One scene ( that takes place fairly late in the game ) that involves the games villian and a main character has been altered to remove a suggested sexual relationship. Regardless of this one alteration ( which is being handeled by the game makers themselves ) the game retains its surprisingly over-the-top violence, language, and controversial religious themes. How namco was able to convince the ESRB to give this game a Teen rating is beyond me.

Have a question? email me. gregs_anime@yahoo.com.

Buy xenosaga buy it buy it buy it buy it NOOOW!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 20
Date: January 25, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Xenosaga looks like a rpg that may actually be able to compare to Final Fantasy X. Any Rpg nut like myself, probably already pre-ordered it but if not do it now! Everything about the game looks amazing if you don't believe me go to gamespot or ign then you'll now how amazing it is. Now stop reading the and go to ... The game's battle system is turn based. The battles have awsome speacial effects. The garphics are amazing. The game takes about 80 hours to be.

RPG to grace the PS2

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 32
Date: January 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

In short to all who wonder what is xenogears..IT IS A PREQUEL BUT It is so far back in the whole story I think Xenogears is around chapter 6 or 7, while this is chapter one. Expect to see some minor details that will make it seam like they are connected. Even thought its a prequel As far as I heard its not linked to Xenogears. I advise anyone who is a die hard RPG fan to buy and play this game. BUT if you are needing a background on this Play Xenogears from the PS1. There are ALOT of hidden meanings in the games so beware and Keep your mind open to everything. Any parent who is worried don't be. This game will make you think more then you may wish but I tend to like games that make me think....see yas

I can't say anything...

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 4 / 66
Date: February 22, 2003
Author: Amazon User

... because I haven't played the game yet. But I have a point of criticism for Square, who I am in an extreme love-hate relationship with. As far as the criticism of a scene being altered to remove a suggested sexual relationship, if I am not mistaken, that is what the Rating System for Games (and especially the M rating) was for originally. The fact that they have done this, just to "sell more games" (cause thats obviously what it is about!) makes me INCREDIBLY INCREDIBLY MAD.

The best RPG that's come out!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: February 27, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Now this game is nothing but amazing. Namco makes it but Namco has always been famous for the graphics not the gameplay. Such titles as the Dead or Alive series. But this game is totally different. It's just like a final fantasy game. Very good graphics, and the cut-scenes are amazing my jaw dropped to the ground and stayed there. This game also needs work from the player. This has a very deep storyline. All in one game. This game was a presequel to xenogears. This game is definetly the RPG for Ps2 for awhile. Also, check out .Hack part 1. expect another title to come out soon followed by 2 other titles. go on ebgames.com and you'll find. If this was helpful than please click yes. Thanks for your time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A very skilled and amazed gamer!!!

My thoughts of this game...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: February 27, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I got this game yesterday. I am only 4 hours into it so I can't really judge it completely. But seeing as I'm writting a review this early in the game you might ask, why? Well to be honest I am really enjoying this game. I've beaten Xenogears (Which so far is still the best RPG, in my opinion) and now I've decided to go into the world of Xenosaga. For those that have played Xenogears will find themselves in familiar territory with this game. So far decent RPG but something seems to be lacking (That's why 4 stars instead of 5) But who knows perhaps it will get a whole lot better and blow Xenogears out of the water (doubt it) Well have fun everyone on this epic space opera. I know I will. See ya!

Xenogoodness

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 13
Date: February 27, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Graphics: For the most part the graphics are excellent. During battles they easily top FFX's battle graphics, as the tons of deathblows and ethers you can do all look gorgeous and have all kinds of cool effects and particles like feathers blowing around them etc. Animation is smooth as is the framerate. Cutscenes are also superbly directed, and definitely help move the story ahead. All in all, an absolutely beautiful looking game.

Sound - The music is great for the most part but there just isn't much of it. If you take out the hollywood type action cut-scene music, you could probally fit the music on to 1 cd, it almost feels like it's only about 1/6 of the amount of tracks that say Xenogears had. Also one thing that bugs alot of people, is the for 80% of the gameplay section (running around and dungeons) there is no music because Mitsuda thought it's more realistic to only hear sound effects, and that it makes the music have more of an 'impact' when you do hear it. But what is there is very nice.

Gameplay - The first five hours of this game is a intro movie, you really get no gameplay during it, and you mainly just watch cutscenes and nothing much happens right away. This isn't bad, it's just the game has a slightly slow beginning so be prepared and know that the game does open up. But remember, the Xeno series is like this. If you've played Xenogears you'll know what I mean. But, once the game really starts moving, the gameplay is very good. The battle system is one of my favorites I've ever played, the character management and development between Deathblows/skills/stats/equipment/AGWS is my #1 favorite character management system in any rpg in the last 10 years, it's very complex and really allows you to make the characters the way you want them. Luckily the game makes a save when you beat it which is only for loading into ep2 next year, so if your characters make it through ep1 alive then you can use the one's you've built up in ep2 probaly. Also the game has several mini-games which are completely seperate from the game itself. At save points you can use an item that just takes you into a different game, and you can't win anything to actually use in the real game. Also the AGWS are in the game. While your characters can Boost (Extremely important), heal (likewise), and attack for major damage starting around 1/2 through, your gears cannot do anything other than attack and guard. Their attacks do around a 1/3 of what any of your characters can do outside of AGWS's, and even there hp is only about 2x your character hp, and none of the bosses require you to use them since only 4 people of the 6 can even use AGWS's, the developers couldn't force you to use AGWS's since your party might not have them. Also there are only around 6 AGWS's (3 playable from the start, 2 buyable, 1 another character in the game uses) in the game, and only 1 really looks like a 'gear' . But this doesn't take away from the gameplay as there more of just an extra for fans. Also there are a good amount of side-quests and hidden scenes spread around the game.

The game's story does not stand on it's own period. Until the last 10% of the game, I thought it was turning into possibly one of the best rpg/anime/movie/novel stories ever. But then you realize at the last 10%, 'oh wait, there just going to end it there aren't they', and they do. Several of the characters in the main party do not even get more than 1 scene of development in the whole game, 1 character doesn't even get a single scene of character development, he's just 'there' for now. But I really loved the bits of story in the game as there are told with style (think Xenogears and the last 2eps of Eva), very artsy at times and cool. But the story has not even started. Expect to see lots of flashbacks and symbolism that makes no sense at this point. There isn't even enough story in the game to make theories yet. But again, this game is the first part of an on going Xenosaga series so expect the story to unfold during the upcoming sequals. The game took me about 47 hours including 4 hours of just non-stop leveling up in the middle which made the rest of the game pretty easy for me. The game does have a higher difficulty than say the FF series, but it's not the hardest rpg I've played. If you do all the side-quest stuff and get all the secrets I'd say the game will take you about 50 hours, plus the time if you want to play the mini-games. All in all, a great game and one of the better RPG's I've ever played and a series that is gearing up for an absolute epic adventure.

Only 3 hours in, and I can't stop playing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: March 02, 2003
Author: Amazon User

There isn't much to say about Xenosaga that hasn't already been said. Namco hit the nail on the head with this game, and if you don't have it already then buy it right now! The graphics are amazing, the story is impeccable, the characters seem "real", and the enemies are right on where they should be.

I just wish Xenogears could have had graphics like this...

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