Below are user reviews of Xenosaga Episode II and on the right are links to professionally written reviews.
The summary of review scores shows the distribution of scores given by the professional reviewers for Xenosaga Episode II.
Column height indicates the number of reviews with a score within the range shown at the bottom of the column.
Higher scores (columns further towards the right) are better.
User Reviews (51 - 61 of 64)
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It's good, but at times horrible
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 0 / 2
Date: February 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User
Don't get me wrong, I loved playing Xenosaga I, so I waited a long time to play this even though a lot of people talked about how bad parts of it were. The cut scenes are still great, the characters are still great, and overall graphics are. However, some other parts are greatly lacking. The game only lasts someone around 3 to 4 days if you spread out the time and do some sidequests. You no longer have a personal system like in Xenosaga I were characters can learn certain skills, actually if you had an infinite amount of C.Points and S. Points all your characters could have the same skills in #2. In battle, when you decide your attacks you get 3 pictures and cannot switch to see the name of the attack at all. The more-ether like characters like Shion and MOMO can only use the O attack as well. Perhaps my favorite thing about battle that I found a little bit interesting were the Double Attacks. Now, the sidequests seem quite boring and make you go back and forth between the same place, over and over again to do stupid errands as though the creators placed that in there for extra gameplay. The segment addresses are also there, but just like the sidequest, just placed in there. I enjoyed the mechs new complex system, though. One thing I hated was the fact that the boring all-around skills basically covered the ability to go to shops. You no longer can buy medicine, weapons, or protection at shops. You gain medicine from fights along with the C. Points and S. Points. Your characters also never learn any new attacks like KOS-MOS X-Buster later in the last game, the attacks stay the exact same practically in #2. Another problem for me was although they changed some of the character voices, was how they changed KOS-MOS's perfect monontone. The last bad thing about it is that you no longer get the Bunny cellphone guy which provided previous sidequests. He's actually become the annoying GS Campaign guy. Although these bad parts are in the game seem numerous, I say to grit your teeth through them because the game is still very good. However, you may not enjoy it very much if you haven't gone through the first one. I bought it and am hoping that the next one is longer with the Bunny cellphone and KOS-MOS's sudden soft voice gone. Hopefully I don't have to wait more than a year or two either.
Half and Half
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 0 / 1
Date: March 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User
After I fnished the first game I waited almost two years for the second one to come out as I watched trailers and movies. The trailers made it seem intresting. When I began the game it was okay, although the battle system is a bit confusing, I loved the cut scenes but the battling is the tough part. It deals with many new things that it takes time to get used to.
That was the bad part. the good part is that the plot and other side stories of the game are really intresting so it keeps you playing just to see what happens next. There are also lots of twists that you wouldn't have expected with just finishing the first game.
Wonderful...if you like people who look like hot dogs
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 0 / 3
Date: March 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User
The story is very intriguing, and the gameplay is very fun. Minor irritations from Xenosaga 1 have been removed but replaced with new ones. For instance, save points heal you in this one, and the level up system is clearer. However, the voices are inferior, the script at times trite, and chaos sounds like he's on downers. Also, people's torsos look more like hot dogs than bodies...but if you can get over that cosmetic stuff, it is a great game.
If it was a CG movie.
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 0 / 3
Date: March 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User
At fist , as most of u will be, i was disapointed from this game. but eventualy u will get attached to this game because of the story and the cinematics. In short, this game is better than Episode I in many things but worse in one of the most important things, that is the battles fun factor.
-The game is GREAT in the story, visuals, depth, A.W.G.S fights, the new double attacks and many other things.
-It is wosrt in the characters battles because their attacks became so lame, no special attacks for each character and their is no depth in the costumizing system, i mean there is no specific ethir skill for each character so u can costumize few to have every move and neglect the others.
So i recomend this game to those who played the first episode. and those who are into the story more than the overall game play.
I'm so glad I rented it
3
Rating: 3,
Useful: 0 / 1
Date: June 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User
OK, I'm a newbie to the Xenosaga series but a long time veteran of RPGs and I played the game for about 6-7 hours so that's how my opinions are based. Unfortunately, I have to agree with many others that the game has very little in it's favor. The box art and the cut scenes were the high point but the latter can't hold a candle to FFX2. I also was constantly frustrated with the combat system. Rarely have I seen a more cumbersome system for both fighting and learning skills. It almost begs you to buy a strategy guide just to make heads or tales of what to do. The voice acting was pretty bad too. It just felt like everyone was setting around some table reading their lines and waiting for their paycheck. I'm sooo glad that I only rented it! What would I recommend instead of this? If yor preference is Role playing with levels and skills and customization - FFX2 all the way. If you want action and a great story line - Metal Gear 3.
Playing a movie
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 0 / 1
Date: July 13, 2005
Author: Amazon User
So when I played Episode 1... I was blown away. The graphics were stunning and the storyline was so amazing. Not to mention the extremely thought out and creative characters. So when I heard that the sequal was coming out I was very excited. I wasn't too dissapointed. A lot has changed in this game but I guess we have the new director to blame for that. Lets go over these changes.
Characters: The designs have changed extremely. I won't say improved or not because I love both designs. This game is done more realistically and I must say Shion is a big improvement!
Music: The music has gotten worse in my oppinion. The music, though it fits the game, is nowhere near as powerful and magical as the music in the first game. I was dissapointed but one thing I do love is that there is more fighting music. A bit more varity makes it tolerable to have the volume on when in a dungeon.
Storyline: Still... wonderful! The story is amazing and I can't tell you how much I love it! There is a lot of religious undertones and when you know a thing or two about the references it makes the game that much cooler!
Battles: Ok... the first game all I heard from my friends was that the gameplay was too simple... I agreed. So what happened is they didn't want anyone to complain about the simplicity that they make it so complicated it takes you the entire game to figure it out. I am finally getting the hang of the Zone/Break thing. Double attacks are pretty cool!
Length: This game was way too short! With all the memory it took to load the LONG LONG video sequences it seemed like 2 discs ment longer game. Though... if you want to play for 40 hours like the box advertised... you do all the sidequests, which are annoying, and long, and its the only way you can get cool items, segment addresses, and double attacks. Some of these things you can only get when you play the game a SECOND TIME!!! I don't wanna play the game a second time just to get a new attack when I beat the game without it!
But all in all... this game did a fairly good job. It was good for what it was. I hope that X3 will be better though
Not as good as Episode I
3
Rating: 3,
Useful: 0 / 4
Date: September 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User
I've only been playing this game for a couple weeks now, but I'm not impressed.
The game is not challenging at all. 50% of the time you are watching cutscenes instead of playing. I feel like I'm watching a 20 hour movie or something. I played through the previous game (Episode I) and I like it a lot which is why I bought Episode II. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to the original.
Xenosaga Episode 2
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 0 / 3
Date: May 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User
THIS PREVIEW HAS SPOILERS OF THE GAME PLEASE DON T READ IT IF YOU DIDN T PLAY IT!
I played Xenogears and when i saw Xenosaga Episode was kinda short compare xenogears in battle system but was ok because xenosaga was like an "introduction".
OK improvements:
Gameplay was Longer than Episode 1 (I ended Episode 1 with everything in 42 hours) in change Ep2 (88+).
Sidequest is like a plus if you want it to do it if you don t you can end the game anyways.
The Idea of Epiloge after you finish the game was very cool because you could kill special bosses and get better and kill the final boss overkilled and stuff like that.
Chaos Jr Momo Shion & Kosmos Looking was improved they looked more grow up.
Battle system to put them up or down depending who you were using or fighting as well double Tech attacks
All Characters were able to use all magic skills as long you buy them with your skillpoints and making able with the sidequests.
Momo Bow was a very nice improvement and now she can be a very good Damage Dealer
Recover Mp while stock was a good idea as well to use ep freely without any trouble.
People complain because history was focus in Jr and URTVs but the title says itself (Jenseits von Gut und Býse) means "Beyond Good and Evil" wich means "Rubedo worring for the ladies in danger and his Red Dragon mode wich makes him go out of control (possible reason of Sakura Death), Albedo and his obssesive love for rubedo but at the same time to kill him as well, Nigredo wich refused to do a mission (involved with Rubedo) and killed his own father but he plays as good person at the moment as albedo said "Giving life from 1 hand and delivering death from the other".
Honestly second episode history role was more development than first one because wasn t an introduction and we were starting to know how things were going...
What they did wrong:
I don t see how they could think throw away the tech attacks was going to be a good idea...
Good Thing they added the tech attacks & special attacks in ep 3
You had to do stock a lot of times to make a good combo between characters(wich made battles kinda boring)
Music in battle was kinda boring compare to Ep 1
Voices of Chaos(sounded boring...) Kos-Mos (like Fake silly girl trying to play as a robot) Shion (Pushing and like "I m better than you") Momo (Very Annoying) sad thing is my main team is Chaos Kosmos & Momo thats why i got sad for that voice changes but they said they refix their voices as episode 1 in the third and last episode.
Ep 1 has almost 8 hours of movies Ep 2 4:30hours (i guess for the complains of the long movies)
I still don t get it movies give more motion of the storyrole of the game wich is most of the attractive things Xenosaga has over most of the games. In Episode 3 is 4hours of full motion movies but plus the speak texts with faces included while characters move and do stuff like Valkyrie Profile
They cut completly the close up when they cast spells or hit lights and stuff most of the time you see characters back all the way while you are fighting. (they fix that in ep3)
In Resume as everyone know Episode 2 had bad things but as well good things (as every game) no they shouldn t did it bad when they noticed the things people like of the game itself. Good thing is they fixed most of the bad stuff of Episode 2 to Episode 3. Battle system soundtrack and characters voices all is better only thing i didn t like of episode 3 battle mode is they make it appear as an average rpg system (attack, ether, tech, special tech, and others) so forget the 4 combinations to make a tech attacks & ethers cost "ep(cp)" special attacks cost boosts. i wonder if attack will give some "ep(cp)" later. Even with all this i recommend you to buy it before you get episode 3 because you will be losing a lot of storyline if you don t and more now they cost 20 dollars each (or less)
Atte:
Roy_Masters
Turn the sound down!
3
Rating: 3,
Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User
Seriously, this game has some of the worst voice-acting I've ever heard. Xenosaga I wasn't fantastic on this front, but it was at least relatively easy to tune out. Xenosaga II makes this impossible, as every character speaks in the same opium-induced monotone drawl. A couple are passable - after all, as a robot and a cyborg, KOS-MOS and Ziggy ought to lack emotion in their speech. The other characters have no such excuse.
It's a shame, because the game itself is decent. It's essentially the same game as the first, with far better graphics. They've vastly overhauled the battle system, but all the other elements are there: varied and interesting characters, great mech designs, long cut scenes, strong plotline (though it can get wrapped up it's own self-importance). They've also upped the amount of time you get to spend in the AGWS (giant mech robots, similar to the Gears from Xenogears)
If you enjoyed the first Xenosaga, you'll probably feel the same way about this one. Just be prepared to mute your television.
My two cents
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 0 / 0
Date: February 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User
As I read the previous reviews and other reviews about this games, I had to agree with some and disagree with others. I like the whole story line of the game. It gave us insight into the history of Jr and Gaignun and Shion. I was very disappointed with the overall combat system. I liked changing characters in the middle combat like in FF-X, but I miss the ability to hit the enemies with special weapons like in the first episode. I was also disappointed with the way the creators changed the way to build the characters from the first episode to the second. I liked having characters with different abilities. It added diversity to building a strong team.
I didn't care too much for the Good samaritan side quests. I didn't like having to go all over the place to pick up stuff vital to the development of my characters or to advance the game. The ability to have two characters attack during combat using special attacks was interesting even though I didn't use it much.
As far as the characters themselves, I agree with another reviewer about Shion. I also found her to be bossy and cold. In certain scenes, I found her to be too emotional. Most of her lines near the end were completely out of place especially at the end after Jr's showdown with Albedo. (I was disappointed when my most favorite NPC Gaignun was possessed, but that's just me.) I agree with one reviewer about the voice for MOMO although I did like some of her lines. I was very happy the creator took away her wand and give her weapon. It made her very useful in combat. chaos was too laid back for me in this game and KOS-MOS was too much on the vain side. I did like how the reaction between Shion and Jin or KOS-MOS before combat starts.
Overall the game was enjoyable to play. Once I got pass the disappointing aspects of the game, I found it to very entertaining.
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