Xenosaga for PS2

Xenosaga is an ‘unofficial-official’ prequel to the critically acclaimed Xenogears, which was published on Playstation by SquareSoft. Xenosaga is the first episode in the saga of sci-fi role-playing games by Monolith Soft (whose ownership shifted from SquareSoft to Namco). Xenosaga explains the origins of the mysterious artifacts from Xenogears while at the same time providing the player with an all-new adventure in deep space.

The Galactic Federation is under threat of the aliens known as ‘Gnosis’: creatures whose bodies exist in another world, and thus, no conventional weapons are capable of harming. Researchers have developed the ‘Hilbert Effect’ wave that makes the creatures vulnerable by bringing them into the same dimension, and the competing corporations are hastily developing weapon systems and cyborgs capable of utilizing the effect in battle. Xenosaga begins with Shion Uzuki, who is supervising the development of the female battle android KOS-MOS - the ultimate weapon against the Gnosis. Soon into the game, the Gnosis destroy her company’s capital ship and she escapes on a pod, only to be picked up by a salvage crew from a competing company. The party must help KOS-MOS on her mission to exterminate the Gnosis.

Xenosaga is different than standard RPGs in its battle system. There are no random encounters: all enemies roaming in the field are avoidable. In addition, you can shoot explosive objects to hinder enemies from pursuing you, or to weaken them if you choose to engage in battle. Certain characters own ‘AWGS’ (Anti-Gnosis Weapon System) battle robots, ala the giant robots seen in Evangelion/Gundam. AWGS units are useful in boss battles and difficult encounters, but you must use them resourcefully, because it is more difficult to repair them than it is to heal a character on foot. Attacks are based on AP - in other words, how much effort is spent and how much is reserved for special attacks. Weapons and techniques vary in effectiveness depending on the enemies and the game requires more battle strategy than Final Fantasy and Suikoden games. Equipping your characters and AWGS is essential for success, otherwise the game is extremely difficult. The game provides the player with plenty of opportunities to do so, however. Xenosaga features an innovative concept which allows you to revisit dungeons in a virtual reality simulator, and you bring all items, experience and cash with you into the real world upon exiting the simulator. Regular practice in the VR simulator is necessary to train your characters and earn a stockpile of funds, and it allows you to pick up any items you may have missed in your actual trip to the dungeon. Defeating enemies earns you a diverse assortment of points such as Tech and Ether, which are used to upgrade your characters and transfer their abilities to others.

Gameplay aficionados be warned: like Metal Gear Solid 2, Xenosaga is rife with lengthy cutscenes at every turn, with some lasting up to thirty minutes or more. While this does not mean that the gameplay takes a back seat to the cinema sequences, it means that you must be patient in order to absorb the complex storyline. There is an option to skip cutscenes, but this should only be used if you are reloading from a saved game and have already seen the scene. Normally the large quantity of cutscenes would detract from the game’s fun factor, but Xenosaga’s storyline is so interesting, intriguing and addicting that it is a pleasure to watch it move; it is a refreshing break after a lengthy dungeon and a difficult boss encounter.

Xenosaga’s graphics are original in style and presentation. It contains a diverse mix of anime-influenced designs (usually on the females) and realistic proportions (males). The game has a definite Star Trek motif: settings are almost entirely set inside of large, multileveled space ships, with a few exceptions. It suffers from a few rough edges on the 3D objects, but the textures are unusually high in resolution and detail, and the lighting effects are vibrant. Character models are top notch and feature excellent animation and emotional expressions.

Xenosaga has no option to play the dialogue in its original Japanese script and the lips are not perfectly synched with the syllables in speech; however, the voice acting is top notch. The actors match their characters’ personalities perfectly and their performances are genuine and believable. Music composer Yasunori Mitsuda (Xenogears, Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross) enlisted the London Philharmonic Orchestra to perform the game’s soundtrack. Although the score does not live up to the wonderful music of Xenogears, it is strong on its own and certainly competes with other RPGs’ soundtracks.

Xenosaga is not for everyone: it is a teetering balance of gameplay and storyline. Gamers who are interested in deep, involving plots and characters will enjoy it immensely, while gamers who prefer to be in control at all times will grow impatient with it. That said, Xenosaga excels in what it attempts to be: a deep narrative combined with a detailed, technical gameplay system.

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