Xenosaga

[Guest Star Ocean 3]

It's finally out, and unless Star Ocean 3 proves to be better, this is probably the game of the year. I suggest we all bask in its glory.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Well I got it today as well (of course, first day on the shelves) and to sum it up, WOW. I've only gotten started but the opening movie is on par with FFX for presentation and artwork. The music, done by the London Symphony Orchestra, is incredible. The voice work is also excellent (outside of some sync problems once in a while) and it sounds like the actors did the whole script, and not just looping dialogue (such as Yuna's ultra fast "Yes" in places). The battle system takes a bit getting used to and I'm not used to hitting "O" to interact with people (would "X" have been so hard to map as the interact button like most other RPG's?) but all in all this is hard to top as an RPG.

 

First impressions, of course, but they seem to be good ones.

[Guest Mad Dog]

I'm going to go buy it when Best Buy opens today.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

I have no time for videogames. I have Suikoden 3 sitting on my shelf, not yet begun.

 

But damn if I don't want this.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Man I've been playing pretty much nonstop for about 6 hours now and DAMN. Lots of cutscenes, but then this is the first part of a series, so they need to set everything up. The cutscenes usually use the ingame engine, and it's still pretty damn good. Lots of characters, lots of twists and turns, and even some philisophical discussion. All that, and I'm still nowhere NEAR the end.

[Guest Star Ocean 3]

I have no time for videogames.  I have Suikoden 3 sitting on my shelf, not yet begun.

 

But damn if I don't want this.

Xenosaga > Suikoden 3

[Guest EQ]

Lots of cutscenes, but then this is the first part of a series, so they need to set everything up.

I thought Xenosaga was the sequel to Xenogears on PS1?

 

I'm not into RPGs, so I could be wrong.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Lots of cutscenes, but then this is the first part of a series, so they need to set everything up.

I thought Xenosaga was the sequel to Xenogears on PS1?

 

I'm not into RPGs, so I could be wrong.

I don't believe they're related except by design company (Monolith Software) and the fact that you can use mechs during a battle. I'm not totally sure since I never played Xenogears, but no reviews have made any mention to them being directly related. Although if I' mwrong I'm sure SOMEONE will be more than happy to correct me.

 

Plus, the whole title is Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht so seems to be an autonomous series. With 6 more titles to go *sigh*. That's a lot of play time to get to the end.

[Guest Lightning Flik]

I don't believe they're related except by design company (Monolith Software) and the fact that you can use mechs during a battle.  I'm not totally sure since I never played Xenogears, but no reviews have made any mention to them being directly related.  Although if I' mwrong I'm sure SOMEONE will be more than happy to correct me.

 

Plus, the whole title is Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht so seems to be an autonomous series.  With 6 more titles to go *sigh*.  That's a lot of play time to get to the end.

Actually "Der Wille zur Macht" (aka Episode 1) is all done in the same universe and timeline as Xenogears. So IT IS a prequel.

 

Besides, Monolift is actually built of pretty much the same staff that created Xenogears and some other few games (half of them did Chrono Trigger if I remember correctly). Also, the problem of Squaresoft being po'd about Xenosaga Episode 5 being re-released (that's Xenogears) is that Namco and Square Enix (as the companies, Squaresoft & Enix will be soon merging on April 1 of 2004) did this sort of share trading deal that allows Monolift and Namco the rights and stuffy to produce the whole Xenosaga Hexatology(sp?) for everyone to be able to play (as Square-Enix will be making some money off of it).

 

Oh, and it's not 6 more to go through. It's 5. Unless, you haven't finished Der Will zur Macht; which would make 6 games left to go totally resonable.

 

(Note: Confused? I sure hope you are... Cause I sure am. ...well, just a little. Hope it makes sense to all of you)

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Yeah I knew that Namco had quite a few ex-Squaresoft people on their roster and that several of the 'Gears people were on 'Saga. However, because a game takes place in the same universe doesn't make it a sequel. For instance (yes it's a reach, but play along) is the movie Soldier the sequal to Blade Runner? The director of Soldier admits it's in the same universe, and you can actually see one of the Runner police hovercars on the junk planet. However, I wouldn't call it a sequel. I'm not trying to start anything with ya Flik, I'm actually curious as to how the two games fit together.

 

I'll freely admit I haven't seen any interview or review that talks about the relationship (if any) between the 2 games. If someone on the design team says that the two are related, great I'll still enjoy it. If not, hey it's still a fun game.

 

BTW: 6 game series? I thought I read 7. Ok cool I feel a bit better now.

 

Edit: Fixed "sequal" to "sequel" like it's supposed to be. Also wanted to add something. I read on another board that someone read (friend of a friend sorta thing I guess) that Xenogears may or may not be Xenosaga 5. The writer of the whole series may use elements of Xenogears in part 5 or he may scrap it and go with a different angle. So, they havent' really decided yet, as they've just finished writing out 3 and starting 4. Again, all hearsay but it sounds reasonable.

[Guest Mad Dog]

Wow I had to go to 3 different places to find the game today.

 

Wasn't expecting that.

[Guest Lightning Flik]

Yeah I knew that Namco had quite a few ex-Squaresoft people on their roster and that several of the 'Gears people were on 'Saga. However, because a game takes place in the same universe doesn't make it a sequel. For instance (yes it's a reach, but play along) is the movie Soldier the sequal to Blade Runner? The director of Soldier admits it's in the same universe, and you can actually see one of the Runner police hovercars on the junk planet. However, I wouldn't call it a sequel. I'm not trying to start anything with ya Flik, I'm actually curious as to how the two games fit together.

 

I'll freely admit I haven't seen any interview or review that talks about the relationship (if any) between the 2 games. If someone on the design team says that the two are related, great I'll still enjoy it. If not, hey it's still a fun game.

 

BTW: 6 game series? I thought I read 7. Ok cool I feel a bit better now.

 

Edit: Fixed "sequal" to "sequel" like it's supposed to be. Also wanted to add something. I read on another board that someone read (friend of a friend sorta thing I guess) that Xenogears may or may not be Xenosaga 5. The writer of the whole series may use elements of Xenogears in part 5 or he may scrap it and go with a different angle. So, they havent' really decided yet, as they've just finished writing out 3 and starting 4. Again, all hearsay but it sounds reasonable.

It would be interesting. And yes, I'll concur that even though Xenogears is Episode 5, and that they could make changes or what is neccessary to make it work.

 

Yet, if Episode 2,3, and 4 of the Xenosaga series get a great response (500000 in copies sold) then I could highly see them redoing Xenogears. And I'm quite sure that they WILL rebuild Xenogears. It'll still be the same story, but just rebuilt for that time and age (as the game will most likely be out in like 4 years time). Meaning a lot could change, like filling the player in on stuff that should've been explained a heck of a lot better (that goes for most of Xenogears).

 

RPGamer had something on their site a long time ago (I could probably find the link, but it's like before school right now, and I'm lazy) that stated that although Monolift is using the same universe, and timeline, but they didn't say they would actually create Xenogears if they came to it. And trust me, I'm only a freaking hour in and you can already get some props for Xenogears.

 

Also the reason for the may or may not, is because there is 7 parts. Don't get me wrong. It's just that if Monolift doesn't redo Xenogears (Episode 5) then we go down from 6 more games to 5. And besides, Xenogears technically wouldn't really count as a 7th game, as it would just be an uphaul of the story, graphics, and gameplay to make sure that everything works with the same timeline. So although it means there are 7 parts to the series, it doesn't mean 7 games need to fully created. Should Xenogears be remade, it would be like a half game.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Ummmm..ok sorry but I can't follow all that . I never played 'Gears but I have heard that there seem to be serveal reference to it in Saga. Personally I would like Gears to be remade into at least part of 5, since I've heard so many good things about it.

 

Well, I'm about 10 hours into Saga (just introduced Jr. the last playable character) and it hasn't lost any steam. The only things I coud wish for would be some way of comparing armors (better than the current system, anyway), and more places that sell Med Pack-S. I hate having to buy what seems to be 100 of those things when I could use 1/3 of the S Packs instead. Plus in battle they're barely enough to keep up with the damage. Other than that it's still a great RPG.

[Guest KoR Fungus]

How bad is the problem with the overlong cutscenes? In every review I've read, it seems like one of the main things they mention is how you spend more time watching the cutscenes than actually playing the game. I don't mind lots of plot if it's good, but is it as excessive as the magazines make it sound like?

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

I'll admit the cutscenes can be pretty long sometimes, but they're never OVERlong, if you know what I mean. The scenes only go as long as they have to be to set up the next scene. If you've played FFX, the cutscenes are longer than any of them except for maybe the ending. However, I personally like some storytelling in a game so I'm more than happy to sit through them.

 

Plus the voice acting is so good (Ziggy in particular) that you're actually willing to sit and listen to them. All in all, I didn't mind them.

[Guest Lightning Flik]

I'll admit the cutscenes can be pretty long sometimes, but they're never OVERlong, if you know what I mean. The scenes only go as long as they have to be to set up the next scene. If you've played FFX, the cutscenes are longer than any of them except for maybe the ending. However, I personally like some storytelling in a game so I'm more than happy to sit through them.

 

Plus the voice acting is so good (Ziggy in particular) that you're actually willing to sit and listen to them. All in all, I didn't mind them.

That's what blew me away. I was actually sitting there and liking the voice acting. Sure, it's a little over the top sometimes, but heck! That's better than the crap served in Grandia X (I SWEAR, NO ONE GET THIS GAME~! IT IS EVIL~!).

 

I'm almost tempted to say that it beats out Kingdom Hearts in best voice acting. ...no, Kingdom Hearts still has best voice-synch though.

[Guest Mad Dog]

Yeah it's hard to beat Kingdom Hearts on voice acting.

 

Can't beat having James Woods and Danny Devito.

[Guest Lightning Flik]

Yeah it's hard to beat Kingdom Hearts on voice acting.

 

Can't beat having James Woods and Danny Devito.

Hm... Who did Danny Devito play in KH? Sorry. I know this is for Xenosaga, so I'll ask:

 

Who does the voicing of Xenosaga? Just curious.

[Guest Mad Dog]

He was Phil.

[Guest Lightning Flik]

He was Phil.

.....damn... I feel really stupid for that one.

 

Anywoo, anyone know who's who in the voice acting of Xenosaga?

[Guest fazzle]

I dunno, but while we're on the topic of voice acting... who does the voice for the main character in Dark Cloud 2? I know I've heard the voice before, but I can't place where.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Unfortunately I don't know the names, but people have said that a LOT of the voice actors in Saga do the dub for Trigun, so they at least they got experienced voice actors.

 

As good as it was, yes I too think KH beats it out simply because of the synch work and the epic actors they managed to get to reprise their Disney characters.

 

And unfortunately, I have never heard Dark Cloud 2, so can't help you there.

[Guest KoR Fungus]

Mad Dog, your sig is awesome.

[Guest MrRant]

Man... XenoGears had some long ass cutscenes... I remember at least a couple 10 minute ones.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Well IGN's review of Saga said that some of the later cutscenes can last almost 50 minutes, so get some Cokes or coffee and a comfortable chair because you're going to be up for a while. I'm willing to check it out though I'm the patient sort. Now when the hell is episode 2 coming out?

[Guest Special K]

THe cutscenes are REALLY bloody long, but the stories so enthralling that I don't care. I thknk they've had the time to do a real story with a beginning and an end too, unlike with gears, which had an awesome first 40 hours, then 20 hours of pure ass.

 

The story's so good I've stopped playing DC2 for now, and that games a blast.

 

I think Xenosaga is as of yet an unofficial prequel, since Square still owns Gears' rights. I think they'll try to pry those away eventually since:

 

SPOILERS

 

That's definitely Elly Van Houten in the opening, down to the pendant

 

In a teaser they showed Abel (Fei)

 

Shion Uzukui --> Citan Uzuki

Her Brother also looks JUST LIKE Citan.

 

And parts of the opening song of Xenosaga are directly, note-for-note from Gears.

[Guest Mad Dog]

Thanks KoR

[Guest Renegade]

Yeah it's hard to beat Kingdom Hearts on voice acting.

 

Can't beat having James Woods and Danny Devito.

I'm pretty sure that's not Danny Devito in KH.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

I was under the impression that this game is Episode I of the Xenosaga Series, which taken together is Episode I of the Xenogears Series (with Xenogears being Episode V).

 

I haven't played this game yet, but Xenogears was supposed to follow a sequence similar to the following.

 

SPOILERS FOR XENOGEARS

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Episode I: The creation of Deus and the destruction of Old Jerusalem.

 

Episode II: The migration to Neo Jerusalem, and the creation of the Contact, the Mother & The Gazel Ministry.

 

Episode III: The height of the Zeboim Empire.

 

Episode IV: The Solaris/Shevat War, and the coming of Diabolos. Lacan becomes Grahf.

 

Episode V: Xenogears.

 

Episode VI: Deals with the aftermath of the destruction of Deus.

[Guest Mad Dog]

I'm fairly sure it was. I mean he only had a few lines in the whole game so I think he would've done it.