Holy hell, I cannot believe it's already been over a year since I made the last one... I'm gonna be making a topic of 2050 before I know it! I won't remember what the hell Xenosaga even is but by Jove I'll make that topic.
So to kick things off, the more astute/nerdy of you might have noticed the site hosting all the cool Xeno stuff like a translation of the Episode III Perfect Guide has gone down.
Fear not! More intelligent people than I were prepared for this and have backups of all the files. If you would personally like some of this stuff, I can give you a Dropbox link. if not, me and others will be uploading to this wiki: http://xeno-underground.net/wiki/
We just started so there isn't much on there but I promise this can be your future resource for all your Xeno supplementary info needs.
The first one I know of. Plenty of Episode 1 LPs but none for the whole three games. This guy is currently making his way through the trilogy on SomethingAwful and is almost done with Episode 1. Only took him about a year which is pretty good for most LPs there. They're pretty funny guys and most of the commentators are new to the series so you get wonderful "newbie reactions."
I know everyone raves about Crispin Freeman as Albedo and he deserves all the praises and then some, but my favorite villain in Xenosaga was Yuriev and his voice-actor, Keith Szarabajka, is just as good.
Also Shion was at her best in terms of hotness and character in Episode 1. Dat ass.
Now...carry on with your Xenosaga opinions. Favorite characters, songs, games, etc..
Probably should just make this the "Xeno Topic" and discuss both Gears and Saga. But then NC would just bitch all the time so nah.
03-21-2014, 10:16 AM
Ayen
I can't look at the name Shion without thinking about the forum member now.
I have the first game and that's it. I played it for hours and enjoyed it immensely until I got stuck at a part and gave up. It's been too long since I played the game so I can't remember where that part was.
03-21-2014, 11:59 AM
NeoCracker
In a really bizarre way, I kind of Respect the changes to Shion's character over the games in how she get's bitchier and bitchier.
We are use to the heroes growing and becoming better people as trials and troubles get thrown there way, but in a sense Shion's reaction is very real. As life constantly bears down on her, and she's forced to go through so much, she just starts to turn into a bitch. And really, how many people do we all know something similar has happened too. :p
I don't really like her character at all, as much as I love the games, but there is a bizarre amount of respect I have for the writers going that direction with her. XD
03-21-2014, 04:25 PM
Bolivar
Still haven't played these games yet... kinda holding out for the PS4 HD re releases which will never come.
03-21-2014, 04:52 PM
Scotty_ffgamer
I still have yet to play Xenogears, but the Xenosaga series might be my favorite RPG series of all time. I've replayed the first game so many times. I even really like the second game, which a lot of people seem to hate. The only thing I don't like about the series is how vastly different the character models and voice actors can be from game to game. It didn't bother me back when the games were first coming out, but it was pretty jarring a year or two ago when I played all 3 games back to back.
03-21-2014, 05:38 PM
Spuuky
I love Xenosaga and everything about it except that they didn't make the rest of the games.
Well, and the combat system in episode 2.
03-21-2014, 06:22 PM
Pumpkin
I hate Shion. I seriously do. I liked her okay in the first one but by the last one I just wanted to slap her so many times. I took the screenname when I was like 8 for some girly game website because it was easy to remember and short and I used it again for this forum since my usual one was apparently unavailable. But she is easily my least favorite in the game.
Favorites in order:
Jr.
MOMO
KOS-MOS
Chaos
Jin
Ziggy
shion
Anyways, I do love these games. Great story. Albedo is my favorite antagonist ever and I love what they did with him in II and III. I also loved the database which encouraged me to look in to more psychology theories and learn some stuff that way. I read a great deal of books regarding certain topics thanks to these games.
The battle system in I is the most complicated and I enjoy it probably the least. II wasn't as good as I and II but I still enjoyed it. III kind of blended the first 2 games together and it is my favorite in the series. I really enjoy playing it. Disc 2 was just non-stop boss after boss and the story all jammed in there, but I guess they were expecting to make more games, so that's sad that they didn't get to.
I have barely played Xenogears, something about the gameplay just doesn't stick for me, but I read the entire game script and I quite enjoyed it. Some of the characters were on the weaker side, but that could change with playing the game. The story was excellent, though.
03-21-2014, 06:35 PM
Ayen
Quote:
Originally Posted by shion
I hate Shion.
Don't be so hard on yourself :smug:
I'm sorry I had to.
03-21-2014, 07:18 PM
Forsaken Lover
Even the games detractors cannot deny - the music was amazing.
The Xenogears OST meanwhile was so good it made me think Mitsuda was better than Uematsu or Sakuraba or anyone else all on its own. It's my favorite OST ever. (and it goes well with my favorite JRPG ever) My Top 50 RPG Battle Themes #02: Xenogears - Awakening - YouTube
One of the best final boss themes in anything ever.
03-21-2014, 07:20 PM
Pumpkin
My favorite Xenosaga song:
03-22-2014, 07:23 AM
Fynn
Oh, but that non-cutscenes in Xenosaga II! It's seriously one of the things that made me stop playing the game.
I agree. I have never been more disappointed with a game in my life. I loved Episode 1 so much that I expected more of the same but with answers to all the questions EP1 left us with.
Episode 2 is....nothing like the first game. It goes to great lengths to be absolutely not like the first game. I hated it so much.
03-23-2014, 04:30 AM
Spuuky
Yes, 2 was rough. I still appreciate parts of it, but ... anyway, #3 was a pleasant surprise. It was so good, again. I still like the first one the most, but hey, they're all great.
03-23-2014, 07:16 AM
NeoCracker
2's biggest problem was that it did very little to move the main plot forward. (I do stand by the battle system isn't as bad as most make it out to be, though I agree it's not very good. :p)
However the story 2 did tell about the U.R.T.V's and what not was absolutely fantastic, so I can't really bring myself to hate on it much, especially with the characters involved were among my favorite of the series.
03-24-2014, 05:37 PM
Spuuky
But the battle system IS that bad. Fights take FOREVER. I desperately wanted to avoid encounters through the entire second half of the game. Bosses, fine, whatever, they can take a long time. Random soldier guys on the way shouldn't take nearly as long as they did, and I shouldn't have to worry about trying to abuse the combo system to defeat peons (and you do, if you want to get through them with any speed at all).
03-24-2014, 06:54 PM
edczxcvbnm
Xenosaga 2 is a horrible horrible game. Every aspect of that game took a massive step in the wrong direction.
As Spuuky said, the battles with even normal guys take forever. It takes so long that you want to avoid battles by and large. The bad news (but kind of good) is that you can practically do just that and be fine. The battle system is so flawed that a simple strategy pretty much guarantees that you will never die. I can't remember what it was but I never lost a battle after I figured it out. It made the battles really drag on but it isn't like they were remotely short in the first place :/
smurf this game. Thankfully the third one was much better with the exception of Shion who took a major step backwards :/
03-24-2014, 08:51 PM
Spuuky
Shion took a step backward as a human being but a step forward as a character. Her heel-turn was pivotal to the entire game.
03-24-2014, 09:54 PM
Forsaken Lover
I would agree with the assessment that, while Shion definitely became more unlikable, her emotionally and mentally falling apart and clinging to the past with Kevin is realistic enough. Besides, the writers KNEW what they were doing. We all have seen cases of unintentionally bad written characters where the writer probably thought they were oh so amazing. But remember we actually get the chance to beat some sense into Shion in a mini-boss battle. The developers knew what was up.
03-25-2014, 11:40 AM
Forsaken Lover
Uploaded all Allen's dialogue in Episode 1 and got this as a result for most common words: http://i.imgur.com/jO4BeWh.png
That's not appropriate Shion. I don't think KOS-MOS can consent.
Lewd.
03-28-2014, 12:24 PM
Lone Wolf Leonhart
Albedo's great. Nothing says maniacal like a guy who severs his own head and then taunts you with it.
I was really happy for Allen in Episode III. Finalllllly he stands up for himself! And it's an awesome scene. I also liked that at one point you got to use him as a guest party member.
My favorite villain was Virgil. I'm so happy they brought him back and fleshed out a good back story for him.
Shion looked best in Episode 1. It's actually a very unique look for a female anime heroine. She's not really that attractive...more nerdy and awkward than anything. Plus barely any bust. It's all in the trunk if you remember the numerous ass-shots she got in the game.
Then in EP3 she...she doesn't even have a zipper for those shorts...
Not that Episode 1 was perfect in designs. chaos' booty shorts are...yeah. And some don't like MOMO's Magical Girl attire.
I will give EP3 props - the designer does hentai so that's where his mind was at most of the time but he did give jin an awesome redesign. EP2 Jin was too stereotypical for my taste.
04-02-2014, 02:59 PM
Fynn
I kinda like the space hooker outfit, but yeah, dat zipper... But yeah, episode 1 did Shion best. It's also weird how her hair started out dark blonde and then became brown after that :|
04-02-2014, 08:05 PM
Wolf Kanno
I kind of feel like Shion's design deteriorated as the series went, whereas chaos' outfits got progressively better.
KOS-MOS was always a hit or miss with me. I love her Eps.1 attire and her first outfit in Eps.3 even if it was a bit too risque for my taste. Never cared for her Eps.2 or final outfit.
04-02-2014, 08:10 PM
Pumpkin
I like both of KOS-MOS's outfits in III. Overall III had my favorite designs. I feel like they did a good job of blending the first 2 games. I did like Shion's I outfit more, though. I think MOMO's was great in III and they went back to something more similar to chaos's original outfit, but minus the absurd short shorts.
04-03-2014, 09:50 AM
Ayen
Who needs a zipper? I can keep up my shorts with the power of my mind alone!
04-03-2014, 11:09 AM
Fynn
I can keep mine up with the power of my Hartman hips.
04-03-2014, 01:11 PM
Forsaken Lover
Inspired by the Lines/Dialogue That Make You Cringe in FFX....
Episode 1 had the best voice-acting of the Trilogy IMO but man did it have some funny delivery at times.
Helmer: UUUUUUUUU-DOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Also did my fellow FFXII fanboys and girls on here notice that Pellegri in Episode 2 and 3 is voiced by Lady Ashe? It was awesome. Kari Wahlgren needs to be in more stuff!
04-03-2014, 08:17 PM
Wolf Kanno
It's difficult to not get all hot and bothered listening to some of the VA work, I mean Crispin Freeman and Michael McConnohie just have some of the sexiest voices in anime. I am very saddened that Sherry Lynn didn't continue on to voice MOMO because I felt she had the ideal voice for her character.
04-03-2014, 08:45 PM
Forsaken Lover
Don't forget Keith Szarabajka or something like that! He was Holtz! And that guard from The Dark Knight! His voice is the one that gets me all hot and bothered these days. You just don't hear him enough.
But yes...Freeman and McConnohie are so prolific for a reason. They have unforgettable voices.
I also missed Ms. Lynn. To me she has one of the best "little girl" voices in anything ever.
For another star, DC Douglas was terrific as Voyager. He'd go on to make a real splash with Albert in RE5 but he was hamming it up in XSIII too. The way he said "Jan Sauer" just gave me chills.
Those final two ES fights - the one with him and then Margulis - are among my favorite boss battles in the series. Just so much....emotion. "I never thought I'd get to experience this feeling again. I'm grateful to you, Jan Sauer." (or something like that. i haven't actually played that part of the game in a long time)
04-03-2014, 09:05 PM
Wolf Kanno
It's a shame Pied Piper never got a better release for the series cause the story of Ziggy and Voyager is one of the better subplots of the series and its a shame the main games could never give it proper context.
04-04-2014, 12:31 AM
Ayen
Hearing Alucard's voice in Xenosaga was a highlight for me. It's hard not to think of the vampire whenever I hear his voice.
04-06-2014, 03:30 PM
Forsaken Lover
Margulis: Then all we've done so far, all we've worked for was meaningless?
Wilhelm: It wasn't meaningless as long as you, yourself, believe it wasn't meaningless.
That "Truth About Ormus" scene really makes you feel for Margulis but it's also clear that Wilhelm, despite his directness, isn't really sadistic or cruel. He's just saying the facts in a tactless manner. That quote from him there is important not only for Wilhelm's character but for more...personal insight on things you might be doing in real life. In spite of all its ANIME trappings, Xenosaga has a lot of intriguing stuff to say about more cerebral issues and that quote is a good example of such.
