Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Shaking, and re-shaping the RPG world
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.
Rating: - The Complete Review of Xenosaga
Xenosaga is certainly not your typical RPG. Why? Because it succeeds in achieving everything that other RPGs strive for... and more. It is dramatic, intriguing, and deep in the scope of its storyline. Its battle system is appropriately complex, yet intuitive enough for you to control every aspect of your characters without frustration. Its graphics and cinematics are without peer and the vast environments you explore are simply awe-inspiring. But at the same time, it manages to be a very personal story of a few distinct people. These characters will capture your attention as you experience their struggles while the mysteries of the universe unravel about them.Gameplay The gameplay is a fresh mix of traditional RPG elements combined with some excellent innovations. I'm sure it pleases all of you to know that Xenosaga has no random battles: whether you fight or not depends on whether you can manage to sneak around enemies or if you choose to charge straight for them. Though the battles are quite complicated, you easily get the hang of it within the first few hours. Controlling both your normal characters and their giant mecha, called A.G.W.S. in the game, will become a breeze, and Xenosaga becomes an enjoyable challenge from then on. Adding to the already excellent gameplay is the interactivity of the environment. Using an energy gun, you can shoot various obstacles to find hidden treasure, or to catch enemies in explosions so that you'll have the advantage in battle. Story and Characters To tell you too much could spoil perhaps the greatest plot ever included in any video game to date. What I can tell you is that Xenosaga is a story that takes place far in the distant future, when mankind lives only in deep space, far removed from their home planet. It mixes science fiction and fantasy elements into a top-notch conglomeration that rivals the plots of even the greatest anime series. During the course of the game, you play as an unlikely group of characters thrown together by circumstances beyond their control. The characters' personalities are very complex, and you'll feel yourself identifying with them throughout the whole game. Everything about them, from their physical designs to their quirks and nuances, works together to make them multi-dimensional and realistic. All of them are traveling to one destination, where they will all face their pasts and find out what lies for them in the future. All the while, mankind is being attacked by the Gnosis, brutal alien creatures from another dimension. At its core, Xenosaga is a sweeping space opera that takes place throughout the whole universe. Your party members will journey through space and hyperspace, exploring foreign planets, space colonies, and even the very dreams of their unconscious minds. Their journey will intrigue you and push your mind to the limit, all the while pulling at your emotions. There is no other story as compelling as Xenosaga's. Graphics and Presentation Xenosaga takes all this, and presents it in one amazing package. Not only do you get a great plot, complex characters, and top-notch gameplay and interactivity; it is presented alongside a sweeping soundtrack, outstanding graphics, and dramatic cinema scenes. The movie-caliber music is composed by the renowned Yasunori Mitsuda and performed by the London Philharmonic, fitting the game's epic atmosphere perfectly. Dramatic sequences are brought to life by the extraordinary graphics, including amazingly expressive character models and professional voice acting. The character's personalities and interactions really shine during these scenes, making you believe that you're actually watching a CG style anime rather than a video game's real-time graphics. Overall Quite simply, Xenosaga is an experience not to be missed. As one of the most polished and complete games that I have ever played, every facet of it speaks of undeniable quality. All of its excellent qualities come together magnificently to form a moving, interactive experience that you will enjoy the whole way through. If you like anything about video games, intriguing stories, or touching characters at all, Xenosaga is the game to get. With over 40 hours of some of the best gameplay ever created, the investment would certainly be well worth it.
Rating: - Absolute Perfection
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.
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