Hey, at least FFXIII's dungeons were nice to look at! Xenogears dungeons had no redeeming qualities at all.

Totally spot on about the party however. Xenosaga did a masterful job of keeping each character relevant and interesting and I felt they all received satisfying closure in Episode 3.

Well maybe not MOMO but I stopped caring about her after Episode 1. They just didn't...uh, give her the attention she deserved after that.
(SPOILER)

Overall I liked Xenogears more for a few reasons. First and foremost, Feia nd Elly. The whole Contact/Antitype love story was great and I'm a sucker for romance. I felt this tragic romance was also handled very well.

Xenogears also had a great lineup of villains. So did Xenosaga but I loved Lacan/Grahf. He's one of my favorite villains in any video game ever. You also have Miang who is the best bitch in all of gaming history. She makes Kreia seem kind and straightforward.

And...uh, I lost my train of thought. I hope that post works for now.