Extra - Review

This is my somewhat objective review on Xenogears. Can't say any of you will agree with me, but you're not the one running this website.

Story and Plot

Xenogears is one of the most plot-intensive games to come out on the Playstation, and to me, has really set the bar on how much a really good plot can make a role playing game fantastic (well, that was until I played Tales of the Abyss). While the games on the Playstation 2 have improved graphically, I believe most of them have also decline on story and the amount of it. Xenogears still proves to have one of the best and longest stories in a game I've ever played. Yes, a lot of it is pretentious, but that's one of the reasons I like it :)

The main battle party is, for the most part, diverse and interesting. Fei plays with the antihero archetype, and although he does it somewhat better than Cloud, there could have been a lot more to him than angst. While Elly has her moments, her role still boils down to the archetypical magic-wielding damsel with big boobs. But despite a few shortcomings, the main cast complements the story quite well; almost everybody is involved in the story and has their role to fulfill.

However, as epic as a tale Xenogears is, at some points it lags in the story and the second disc rushes through everything rather quickly. I would've loved to see Elly and Emeralda's interactions during their adventure together instead of just reading a narrative.

Xenogears' greatest strength here is also its biggest weakness, as it almost seemed as if it bit off more than it could chew. However, it still has a great story to tell, and while it's a mystery in an enigma wrapped in pretentiousness, there's an amazing love story beneath it all. But even if you hate love stories, the awesome wrapping paper it's hidden in makes it worth it.

Gameplay and Graphics

Xenogears is fun to play. Battle isn't a chore to do (unless you're running low on gear fuel), and is something that can be enjoyed with the Deathblow system. While still turn-based and not as hands-on as the Tales series or the Grandia series, it's still far removed from the repetetive nature of the Final Fantasy series or the painful nature of Xenosaga Episodes I and II.

As for the graphics, the 2D sprites on 3D backgrounds is actually rather charming to me. It gives you freedom to explore the environments while still using your imagination, much like an old-school SNES game. The anime cutscenes, while rare, are still a nice addition when present. Xenogears has some of the msot amazing artwork I have seen for a RPG, and is a good mix of styles.

Sound and Music

The voices don't grate on one's ears, so that's always a good thing; however, voices are so rarely used aside from battles, it doesn't distract, either. If anything, it adds on quite nicely and isn't a major focus, but the game is better with them than without.

As for the music... oh, gosh, Yasunori Mitsuda's work in this game is wonderful and awesome and I can't stop gushing! His style is versatile and almost every track on the Xenogears OST is memorable and not to be missed! It stands out wonderfully without distracting from a scene or fading into the background unnoticed. I pity the fool who doesn't have the OST to call their own.

Overall

Overall, Xenogears isn't a terrible game for those who want story and good gameplay. I would suggest this as mandatory for anyone who wishes to claim any amount of literacy in the realm of console RPGs.