Xenogears and Xenosaga

[skatehippie]

Hey everybody,

I've been looking forever for Xenogears, bugging guys at video game stores and stuff, and I finally got it the other night...short story: I talked the guy into going out back to double check stocks and they had ONE copy burried somewhere...it's a refirb but in perfect condition...anyway...

I'm playing this and really seeing what people are talking about...it really is a candidate for the best RPG ever written. Anyway...

This game's great, but I'm worried that I'll be disappointed in trying Xenosaga afterwards...is it as good quality story-wise and such?

One thing I'd like to point out is that it seems almost common knowledge among video game stores that Xenogears is episode V in the series overall, whether it gets remade or not I don't know.

And is there a translated version of Perfect Works?

[-N-]

www.zenosaga.com had parts of PW translated, but I don't think they have them anymore. I have a fair portion of PW translated, if you're interested. Xenogears does have one of the best storylines ever, but the gameplay is... well... horrid. Fortunately, that's not the point of an RPG. Anyways, having played XS1, I must say I was disappointed. The gameplay was slightly better, but the story does not compare at all. My suggestion is wait until the whole damn series is "Greatest Hits" then play through it for a complete story. I hate unfinished stories.

[Trumpet Thief]

I thought the storyline for Xenosaga was very weel done, being as good as Xenogears, with U-DO, the U-TIC, and my two favorite characters, Rubedo and choas.

[Aphelion]

My Xenogears is in Japanese. I'm lucky...
Anyway, I will buy my Playstation II in May. Do you recommend me buy Xenosaga?

[TasteyPies]

I played Xenosaga, it kinda disapointed me But the giant robots are cool and the storyline is alright. Still its not as good as FF8 :tongue:

[darkchrono]

of course xenosaga is going to be disapoining if you view it as a stand alone game. It is not nearly as complete of game as xenogears on its own.

You have to look at xenosaga in knowing that the other episodes yet to come will finish it and then it will be a complete game on its own.

[SuperPac]

The only problem with looking at Xenosaga as a whole series, though, is the entirely different graphical representation of the first 2. While I agree that they must go together before you should judge (as are my thoughts on The Matrix 2 and 3, but I won't go into that), it'll be hard to do so when you're looking at two completely different versions of the same exact character. Kosmos alone looks so different, it's hard to say they're part of the same series (though not impossible).

Now, I haven't finished Xenosaga; I wanted more gameplay time, and the time I got wasn't so great. But yes, the story is good, it's got one of my all time favorite villains (oh, the poetic injustice!!), I just can't wait until the second comes out to maybe get more story/better gameplay (which it's supposed to have, or so I've heard).

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

I actually liked the gameplay of Xenogears a lot, much more than in Xenosaga, though I do wish that they gave you a bit more on-foot time so that you can use all those cool deathblows, instead of having you in your gears most of the time (not that Weltal and the Xenogears aren't really cool). Xenosaga is pretty good, but I like Xenogears better, because it's complete and the story is just so great. Probably my favorite RPG of all time after having played it. What I'd really like to see is those great games made into a full-length anime series after all of them are completed. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[-N-]

Xenogears >> Xenosaga in all respects. Character deathblow building is way cool. And the gear combat is also way cooler. And the story, and the subplots, and everything else. Oh wait, I've already responded to this topic. Wow, I totally don't remember that. *shrug*

[System Id]

I played through Xenogears after I finished Xenosaga, and I'm still having a hard time deciding which game I like more. It'll probably be Xenosaga after the complete series is finished, because its story has so much potential (I can't wait to see where they go with it in future episodes). Xenogears is a much better standalone game, though. You know, since it actually has an ending and all. But still, you almost certainly won't be disappointed with Xenosaga.

[The Captain]

Agreed. It's tough to compare the two since Xenogears is meant to be played alone, while Xenosaga ideally is meant to be played along with its sequels.

Having played both, I enjoyed Xenogears a bit more because there was more to explore, but that's until Episode II of Xenosaga comes out. After that, my answer could very well change.

Take care all.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

If I see the Xenogear streaking across space in one of the Xenosaga episodes, I will probably be one of the happiest gamers alive.

[-N-]

That would be totally sweet. *imagines awesomeness boost of XS series*

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Although I must say a friend of mine was telling me about gears in XS 2, as well as the ability to equip them with the Zohar Emulators, thus making Omnigears. Though not as potent as the Xenogear was, Omnigears are rather fun. I especially liked Fenrir.